Merry Christmas!

Having a baby in December set the perfect tone for the month we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Hope you enjoyed the celebration and the season with as much love and admiration as we did.



"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Reflections

This video alaways gets me the right kind of ready for Christmas. Enjoy!

Lately.

I realize that there are few, if any of you, who still follow my little blog here. And that's okay. My 8 month hiatus wasn't something I anticipated returning from to a group of hopeful readers. But in the off chance that any of you are still around, I'm back! And feel the need to catch up on what's been happening around here lately. Because boy, has there been a lot happening! 8 months is a lot to catch up on though and since those of you who are still around are probably a little annoyed, I figure I better not push my luck and expect you to respond to the novel length post that would cover 8ish months of big news. Thus, I have prepared a condensed version.

April: Find out we're pregnant again. And instantly get excited ( and sick).

May- September: Puke, puke, puke. Down 20 lbs. Being pregnant was hard. Thus the 8 month hiatus from the blog-o-sphere. And manage to take only 2 pictures of the pregnant belly.

24 weeks.

30 something weeks?

October: Still pukey, but only in the morning. Super fun Halloween party.

November: Some scary Dr. appointments. Our peanut wasn't growing quite as fast as they wanted. And her Jacuzzi water was a little low. And she was totally breech. Insert an overnighter at the hospital with the possibility of delivering at 35 1/2 weeks. Scary night.

Dodge a bullet and go home for a week of bedrest. Fast forward one week and another scary dr. appointment. Decide no matter what to deliver at 37 weeks.

Fast forward 2 days. Really scary dr. appointment. It's like the plug has been pulled on Peanuts nice Jacuzzi, and it is just about drained. To add to the scariness an hour long NST ( I loathe NST's, talk about uncomfortable and boring) reveals a low energy baby too.

Fast forward 2 hours (past a nervour phone call to daddy who rushes home)- In the hospital awaiting the dr for our emergency c section (dang breech baby).

The last belly picture.

The last pre parenthood picture =)

Fast forward 1 hour: Doctor arrives. Dad has an anxiety attack.

Fast forward 5 minutes: Spinal anesthetic administered. Dad pulls it together. Operation starts.

5 minutes later: A baby squeals, mom cries, dad smiles, and we're in love. A few weeks earlier than we anticipated, but as ready as she needed to be, Chailee was 5 lbs 9 oz, and healthy as can be. She came right to our room, and I've been holding her ever since.

That my friends is the condensed (honestly) version of our year. Now the fun really begins.

Jess

Is a wonderful mother.

And a smart woman.

And a great sister.

And a wonderful example.

And her kids are pretty stinken cute too.

Patience

Patience: Good natured tolerance of delay.



Does it really have to be good natured? I've got the tolerance part down. I can tolerate waiting for a lot of things. I tolerate waiting in line at the grocery store. I tolerate waiting for David to stop reading and turn the lights out at night. I tolerate I-10 traffic every morning.



How do you tolerate delay with a good nature? Seriously, I'm asking. And how long must one really be 'patient'. Isn't there a point at which we can say it is unreasonable to be patient anymore, and you are allowed to be a little less 'good natured' as you tolerate?



Or, is saying "Gosh I'm really done waiting" (with a hand on your hip and eye brows up) no longer patient. I guess I've got some re-evaluating to do.



On a lighter note, the crape myrtles are growing again. And though they look slightly ridiculous, huge stumps with tiny little branches sprouting out the tops, they are still alive. Alive and thriving.

Happy Easter!

Why didn't I think to do faces on my eggs as a child?!

Career Change

We tried our hands at dirt farming.

But it didn't last long.

Helloooooo new lawn. Please stay a while.


No please, stay a while. We really didn't enjoy dirt farming.

PJ's anyone?

You know, it's time for some new jammies ....I'm pretty sure from here.

http://www.intlprincess.org/index.php/ipp/content/help/

Thought I'd share just in case your in the market for PJ's too.

Meet the (older)Moore girls.

They are quite a handful. Well intentioned, but a lot to handle. Some have mistaken their passionate for instability. Others have confused their whit with pride. Most people have misunderstood their humor at some point or another. But their charm ( and cooking- thank you mom) have won the hearts of plenty. These girls are driven. Motivated by a desire to do something bigger, and be something better. It's amazing that a trio of sisters can be so different, and so completely the same too. It took two amazing parents and a village to raise them. The village is now resting.

We haven't been the Moore girls for a while.We became the Engelke and Moore girls in 2004. And the Engelke/Goode/ Moore girls in 2007. And it seems we'll be changing again. The last (older) Moore girl is changing her name too. So we'll be the Engelke/Goode/Singelton girls. But don't worry we'll still be doing what we do. Keeping everyone on their toes, and working towards that 'big' thing. Because you can take the girls out of the Moore, but you can't take the Moore out of the girl. (I had to!).

Congratulations Kaylene.

We sure do love you.

I got one!

It seems like everyone has there go to recipe site. Or blog. Or whatever. I've tried a few. They hook me in with their beautiful photographs and health promises, so that I'm excited at the idea of seaweed wrapped tofu burgers and celery sticks for dinner. It has never really ended well (just ask David about the spaghetti squash, or the rutabaga), and I've always found myself back in my routine of pasta and chicken variations for dinner.

Until now.

I have found a gem.

A cooking gem.

I'm almost hesitant to share it because I've just fallen in love with it.

I got one.

I found a website.

Every meal I have cooked in the last week has come from this website. I can't get enough of it. This food is good. Seriously good. We're talking David -will -eat- leftovers- good. If you know David you know what a huge deal that is. Here's why I love it:

1. I almost always have all of the recipe ingredients on hand. (No searching for Tamarillos or white zucchini in the produce section).

2. It's husband approved. But it's not unhealthy. I'm beginning 'healthy' is a relative term anyway. I believe that home cooked is better than processed, and therefore more 'healthy'.

3. Pretty pictures still accompany each recipe.

4. The author Ree Drummond is the self titled 'Pioneer Woman'. And she makes it all look so glamorous.

5. It's easy peasy. No 20 step multiple component bologna. Just simple honest recipes.


Look around, I think you'll enjoy. If I may suggest the Drip Beef sandwich recipe, it was a big hit around here. Enjoy, and let me know what you love!

March will be a month...

A month of

Trying to be more optimistic and less doubtful.

More like my Savior and less like myself.

Trying to love and not judge,

to forgive with out any conditions.

Trying to put important before needless.

March has set itself up to be quite a month. But I'm going to approach it much different than February. February with it's ice and cold was sent away with out any goodbyes from our house. We were glad it left. But March will be different (though it has not entered the way a good visitor should). I'll be more tolerant and patient through it's cold mornings. I may even try to enjoy it. Maybe it's cold beginning will help me enjoy the warmth at the end. Maybe. Probably. I suppose it's my choice really.

So Goode

I promise I'm not going to post like this again this year.

But I had to.

He is so good.

Good for making me feel special.

Good for taking care of me.

Good for accepting me.

Good for understanding me.

Good for comforting me.

Good for loving me.

This Goode is so Good for me.

What about you all? Who is good for you?

Charity

I'm trying to remember if as a youth I would have reached out that way. I'd like to think that I would have. I watched this on LDS.org and just loved it. Such a great uplifting story. Thank heaven for good people who provide us all with such great examples of charity and love.

Pruning

I apologize for the nature of the post that follows. I like to think of myself as an optimistic, and generally cheerful person. So know that this is out of character for me. But we all have moments like this I'm sure. So I guess I'm sorry that my moment finds me here with a blog at me finger tips. Perhaps tomorrow will be a better time to type. But alas here I am. So I will type.

Do some things ever seem unfair? That is a rhetorical question. I think some things aren't fair. And that just kind of (eh hem) sucks. February has been an unfair month. I really kind of wish it would end. The combination of trial and winter is a bad one. Certainly struggles in the summer are easier to bear right? Or even the spring I bet.

Amidst some winter woes and personal struggles I gathered my senses and took myself to church for Young Women's on Wednesday. Heaven knows those girls do much more for me than I for them. I should change that. And do you know what I found at church?

This is bad, especially during winter woes.

They cut back all of the Crape Myrtles that adorn the walks up to the doors on every side of the building. All of the big branches are gone. Left are just the most ridiculous looking stubs of trees. Someone cut the trees back.

They must believe that they'll grow again. I'm going to hold on to the idea that the care taker of the trees expects them to be even more beautiful and strong than they were before. Right? I am going to believe that the trees were cut back for their own good.

But that's still sad. And kind of unfair. Shouldn't there be an easier way to grow? Why must we be knocked down to progress? I wonder if the trees know that it was with love that they were given their new struggle. Does that make it any easier though? If I could I would tell them. That even though this moment (eh hem) sucks, it's going to be worth it sooner or later. Maybe if I told them I could fortify my testimony of purpose in trials as well.

Don't worry I'm not going to talk to the trees. But please, if I do, and you see me, don't judge me. Or tell anyone that I've gone crazy. It's just a moment. And we all have them.

Anniversary 3

We letterboxed,

and walked ,

and ate our little hearts out

on a cold cloudy blustery day in Savannah.

And here's the pictures to prove it.

There's a letterbox in there!!!

5$ target shoes.

Of all the lovely architecture. This is the building we document.

The letterbox was gone =(

The day was a sharp contrast to the blue sky and mild day we were wed on. But I think I had just as much fun. Who would have thought. Love actually grows.

A Capicity to Create

I loved this talk when President Uchdtorf gave it. Don't you just instantly recognize it as truth? As someone who has dappled her hands in many projects, and searched for things to be good at creating, I find a lot of peace in the truth that I was "fashioned by an endlessly creative God". Despite how many things I don't excel at creating, the more I rely on the Spirit that greater my 'capacity to create' will be. Last year I tried gardening, and sewing, and baking, and cooking, and even thought I didn't win a prize or set a record, I satisfied part of my desire to create, and to improve.

So on to this year, a new year of creating. What about you. Any creations planned?

Picture Review

David got his wings.

Not really, but almost.

For Christmas I sent David up in the air.

On a tiny little plane .

On a windy day.

With a pilot younger than him,

Who said "Dude" a lot.

Only the first was on purpose.

But he went.

And had a blast.

And admitted that he didn't want to be a pilot.

Phew.

.

Twenty Ten

Wait. It's 2010?

When did that happen? I'm stuck in December, despite my return to work last week. I keep writing 2009 too. My students are loosing their patience. Today one of them even got his papers ready before we sat down to do our reading lesson so that he could name and date his own score sheet. Kind of sweet I suppose . Who would have thought a group of children with Autism would have to learn to be patient with their teacher?

So since it's already double digits in January, I'll spare you the 2009 review and move on the the twenty ten plans....As soon as I make some. For now, enjoy the pics of our last few weeks, because Christmas came and went without a single picture.