Since I will be filling the pages of this blog with stories about our family and the way we spend our days, I thought it would be helpful to give you a little background information on who we are!
Ce: Let's start with me. I am in my mid-thirties and have always felt like I was born a few decades too late. Minus the freshly pressed dress and the high heels, I am a housewife of the 50's. Although, I prefer the term "homemaker" rather than "housewife." Because everything I do is geared toward making our house a home. The "make" part is very important. A home that is a haven doesn't just happen. It has to be made. Although a dated concept to some, I love the idea of being the keeper of the home. Taking care of my husband and my children makes me happy. I have never been career-driven. Rather, I am a homebody who strives to make our home peaceful, cozy, clutter-free (but lived in), and a feast for the senses: good smells coming from the kitchen, soft sheets on the beds, laughter lilting through the air, fresh artwork on the walls (some created by the kids, some by me, and some picked up along the way), warm arms wrapped around the ones you love. Homemaking is my career.
While I may be old-fashioned when it comes to my home, I'm more modern when it pertains to my children. Some would go as far as to say that I'm a little "granola" or unconventional. I'm not sure what "label" fits me, so I don't really use one. I just do what feels right in my heart. So far, that has meant: drug-free childbirth with a midwife, co-sleeping, cloth diapering, extended breastfeeding, attachment parenting, and homeschooling. Basically, if my child cries (assuming I'm not right there, which I usually am), I go to her/him and pick them up. Instead of TV, we read and focus on imaginative play or art. I don't believe we have to physically dominate our children in order to get the behavior we desire from them (and who says that our desires are more valid than their wants and needs anyway? I'm certainly not a doormat when it comes to my children, but I think it's a question worth throwing out there). Basically, I try to put myself in the shoes of my children on a daily basis. This is especially important on "those days" -- the whiny, difficult, tantrum-filled days. If the roles were reversed and I was the child, how would I want the adults in my life to respond to me right now? Once I get my answer, I try to do exactly that for my children (if possible).
Ce: Let's start with me. I am in my mid-thirties and have always felt like I was born a few decades too late. Minus the freshly pressed dress and the high heels, I am a housewife of the 50's. Although, I prefer the term "homemaker" rather than "housewife." Because everything I do is geared toward making our house a home. The "make" part is very important. A home that is a haven doesn't just happen. It has to be made. Although a dated concept to some, I love the idea of being the keeper of the home. Taking care of my husband and my children makes me happy. I have never been career-driven. Rather, I am a homebody who strives to make our home peaceful, cozy, clutter-free (but lived in), and a feast for the senses: good smells coming from the kitchen, soft sheets on the beds, laughter lilting through the air, fresh artwork on the walls (some created by the kids, some by me, and some picked up along the way), warm arms wrapped around the ones you love. Homemaking is my career.
While I may be old-fashioned when it comes to my home, I'm more modern when it pertains to my children. Some would go as far as to say that I'm a little "granola" or unconventional. I'm not sure what "label" fits me, so I don't really use one. I just do what feels right in my heart. So far, that has meant: drug-free childbirth with a midwife, co-sleeping, cloth diapering, extended breastfeeding, attachment parenting, and homeschooling. Basically, if my child cries (assuming I'm not right there, which I usually am), I go to her/him and pick them up. Instead of TV, we read and focus on imaginative play or art. I don't believe we have to physically dominate our children in order to get the behavior we desire from them (and who says that our desires are more valid than their wants and needs anyway? I'm certainly not a doormat when it comes to my children, but I think it's a question worth throwing out there). Basically, I try to put myself in the shoes of my children on a daily basis. This is especially important on "those days" -- the whiny, difficult, tantrum-filled days. If the roles were reversed and I was the child, how would I want the adults in my life to respond to me right now? Once I get my answer, I try to do exactly that for my children (if possible).
Hobbies/Interests: my family, my faith, scrapbooking, sewing, organic foods, alternative medicine, browsing Etsy, visiting bookstores, napping, sipping cocoa, making lists (carrying them out is another matter entirely), collecting recipes (but never trying them), and watching sappy romantic comedies.
So, that's a little bit about me! :)
Mark: My beloved husband of nearly seven years. He is pretty much the yin to my yang. While I am hot-headed, he is nearly always on an even keel. He is respectful, kind, and very funny. His blue eyes and dimples shine every day. I admire him as a person. He has been through some extremely challenging circumstances, yet he still finds reasons aplenty to laugh and enjoy life.
Hobbies/Interests: anything computer-related, remote control cars. Oh, by the way, he's in his mid-thirties too. Lest you think, based on his hobbies/interests, that he's only 18. :)
Roo/Boo: Roo is what I call our daughter. Boo is what my husband calls her. No, we didn't set out to have cutesy, rhyming nicknames for our sweet girl. I'm not even exactly sure how they came about. Maybe the Roo thing is from the baby kangaroo character from Winnie the Pooh. Which is strange because, while I don't have anything against Winnie the Pooh, it is not a beloved story from my youth or even a story or theme we've introduced our daughter to yet. So, hmmm...not sure why I call her Roo. I sort of wish I had an amusing little anecdote regarding her nickname, but I do not. At the very least, I could follow it up with a clever anecdote regarding my husband's fondness for calling her Boo. But, alas, I don't have one for that either. Neither one of us recalls the origins of Boo, but we know it goes way back. Well, as way back as it can go, as she is only 3 1/2 years old! She seems too good to be true. A really cool, creative, compassionate, smart, hilarious kid. She's been the center of my world since the day she arrived. She has to share that center with her brother now, but she does so willingly and with a happy heart!
Additional monikers include: Sweets, Lovebug, Baby girl, Roosie, and My Love. However, for clarity's sake, I will just refer to her by one name: Roo. I wouldn't want any readers out there wondering why a multitude of children keep appearing out of nowhere.
Hobbies/Interests: being read to, helping me in the kitchen, bugs, going to the park (swings are her fave), being dramatic, entertaining her little brother, and building mountains out of couch cushions and throw pillows.
Rascal/Buddy: Our son just turned 9 months old today. He is a big 9 months. Wearing 18 months when it comes to clothes and pushing 24 pounds. His sister didn't reach 24 pounds until she was about 2 years old. His big sister calls him "Mr. Bud." My husband and I both call him Buddy. It isn't a nickname I'm fond of, but it has stuck. I also call him Rascal, as that sounds so much nicer than "Trouble." This boy has never met an outlet, open door, or staircase he didn't like. It is indescribable how different he has been as a baby than his sister was at his age. For one thing, he is just now outgrowing the colic the docs told us would be gone 6 months ago. He can throw an Oscar-worthy tantrum. His cry can be heard within a 6-block radius of our house. He is all or nothing. How goes that old nursery rhyme? "When (s)he was good, (s)he was very very good. And when (s)he was bad, (s)he was horrid." Something like that. But, that being said, you will think God opened up the heavens and shone the brightest light the world has ever seen when this boy smiles! "Lights up a room" comes to mind. When he's happy, he's one of the most jovial people you'll know.
Other monikers: Little Man, Little Boy Blue, Cuddlebug, Moose, Meatball (Roo is long and lean, thus she is the Spaghetti to our roly, poly Meatball). We try to shy away from nicknames referring to his generous size, so Moose and Meatball aren't uttered very often. We certainly don't want to make the fella self-conscious!
Hobbies/Interests: insomnia, finding mischief, knocking down towers built by his sister, chewing and drooling, laughing, and learning to walk.
So, that concludes the introductions. Hopefully you feel like you know us a little bit better as you spend your time here reading about our adventures in daily living! Thank you for stopping by!
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