Total Fry Hiatus

hi·a·tus

a pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process.

To say I've taken a hiatus would be laughable, because at this point I've pressed STOP on my blog.  So here is for a new beginning that's been in the 'mental' making for a couple of months :) Wish me luck!

We've moved!!! We've started new jobs!!! Life has been busy for our little family!!

This past summer I accepted a Call to teach kindergarten at a smaller parochial school back in my home state of Minnesota! We were very excited and surprised to get this position which enabled me to teach Kindergarten, which is what I've wanted to do since I student taught in kindergarten, and it allowed us to move closer to both of our families. Being near enough to our families that we can regularly participate in family events has been and continues to be a great blessing!! We've been able to attend birthday parties, football/volleyball/soccer games, and last minute get togethers which are all events we've been missing. 

Now that we've been back in the midwest for a couple months we feel somewhat settled. Somewhat being the KEY word. It's taken awhile and we're still not quite there at least we're well on our way to making the Twin Cities our new home! 

God is good! He takes care of all!

Matthew 6:25, 33-34
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Learning

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us..." 1 John 3:1

Great indeed! Vacation was amazing and relaxing and my little family is such a blessing..posts and pictures of those things soon....

Some big news in the front of our minds, (no we're not pregnant, that will have to be a blessing for a different day) Jason has asked for a peaceful leave from his staff ministry call.  Our church is no longer in a financial position to afford to pay two called workers' salaries. The terminology our synod uses in this situation is 'peaceful leave'. We have been so amazingly blessed by our church family and consider this our home. We would love to stay and continue building roots here but we also understand that God may have different plans for us. So with that I humbly ask for your prayers as we wait for some guidance from above. 

Since first learning about future of Jason's position we have both been on the look out for a local family- sustaining job. I started searching for a different job this past summer because I wanted more of a challenge from my position, plus considering the changes in Jason's job. Don't get me wrong, I loved teaching at our church's preschool but I knew that getting out of my comfort zone would be a very valuable experience for me. After a few interviews I finally accepted a position as a preschool aide, with teaching in my future, at a local Early Childhood Learning Center...amazing right?!?! Well, by the end of the first day I already wanted to quit. There were some things I noticed going on that I just wasn't comfortable with and I wasn't necessarily getting to know the preschool rooms.....so I talked with the Hubby and his very help words of advise were to try it a little longer before I make any decisions. With his support I thought, sure, why not, let's try it longer.  I have been brought to exhustation and tears from this job quite a few times since then. I'll have a terrible day but the next one won't be so bad, so far it's a predictable never-ending-cycle. 

I am learning a lot about me, about how I want to passionately teach with a purpose instead of it being 'just a job', I want to have that same passion about being a supportive wife and mother when I am home, and most importantly I know that with God leading the way I will be placed in a position where He needs me....it might not be the most enjoyable but I'm there for a reason, while I'm there. And with that strong belief I am still on the look out for a teaching job in a classroom. Where my passion for teaching will be a commonality with the other faculty! 

Until then I will trust that I am in this position for a reason and I will do my best to reflect the Son for those around me!

You may be wondering how I am posting during the day while I should be at the Center...well one of the joys of being around new children is a whole truckload of new germs, made worse by allergies and here I am at home....but even though being sick stinks being home with my amazing daughter is a HUGE blessing!

Getting Back into Life

This week life finally seems to be coming together, at least in my head. This post isn't meant to be deep and super thought provoking but rather a little reminder for me that my life, like yours, comes in tides. And the tides are something to be grateful for.

 This week is a perfect example of how life makes sense because it's 'low tide' in our house. I started the week being able to see everything I needed to accomplish...my to-do list which is a weekly, if not daily, occurrence was very clear:

• grocery shopping at Costco and Sprouts, our produce store/farmers market
• Returning library books
• Picking up C's birthday gift for his party Friday night
• Sewing two skirts *correction....attempting to sew two skirts*
• Continue running every morning 
• Starting back at the gym doing early A.M. Bootcamp 
• Play outside in the water with Kenna at least 3 days...hail has already interrupted a day
• Skype with at least 1 set of grandparents
• Continue studying for my teaching license 
• Complete and publish 1 bog post...I've been lacking a great deal in actually finishing the posts I start

I enjoy weeks like this one when everything seems clear and attainable, something i need to remember to be thankful for. Last week was a different story, it was a 'high-tide' sort of week. I knew I had my to-do list to complete and a number of other things that popped up but I couldn't seem to see everything I needed to do in a clear and organized way. I was too busy trying to get back into the swing of things from our family visiting backed immediately with camping in the mountains....It seemed like I kept forgetting what I was supposed to do until it was almost too late. 

My daily running has been just right in helping me sort through the day before it really begins. If gives me a chance to give the dog a work out and to clear my head. On my walk today, walking instead of running to try and heal a muscle issue I've been dealing with, I got to have a heart to heart with God. Bringing all of my concerns, issues and thankfulness and place them at His feet, it was an amazing way too start my day. My guess is that everyone has some activity that gives them a chance to clear their heads and have some 'me time'; if so I hope it gives you the same satisfaction and appreciation for your 'tides' in life as my running does. 

Basically a Photo Dump....Enjoy!

McKenna's personality in picture form from the last few months. Can you see a difference in this big girl?

Standing

Being silly for the camera

Matching her cousin, who wasn't too happy

Meeting Great Grandpa for the first time....not sure about her cousin H

Playing with Sophie

Bananas!

Coming for the camera

She is growing like a weed and I can't help but relish in it while I can because I feel as if she is going to be grown up in no time.

A few more pictures from Jason's birthday party. (from a few months ago...oops)

Happy Birthday Daddy

Jen and McKenna

Great friends we met while we were both pregnant

McKenna's friend C

Great friends from church

Almost everyone....see McKenna and C playing?

March

The last month has been on my mind lately, mostly for all of the fun we've had and what we get to do in the next month.

 Our amazing friends from WI, the same ones who selfless-ly moved us out to CO, came back for another visit...sort of a pit stop on their way to California ...and we got them for a total of 10 days. It was AMAZING! They are great people, who teach us everyday by their marriage, the way they parent and their great faith! They are in our lives because God knew we needed their friendship! AND they have raised 4 adorable, sweet, and smart children, one of which we have the privilege to be God parents for. So.....in a nut shell we were thrilled to have their family of 6 even though they had to deal with some trials while they were here, most involving their car not working properly in the mountains.

Then it was birthday month!! At the beginning of March, as sort of a birthday gift to myself, I finally took the plunge and cut my hair. I had been talking about it for what seemed like forever and then was able to just go and do it. It was long enough that I was able to donate 10 inches and end with a fun, easy to do bob. I reminded myself to take before and after pictures and then completely forgot once I got to the salon so check out the other pictures and you'll get a glimpse of the change.

Both Jason and I had birthdays in March and what is so great about birthday month is all of the free items you can get because it's your birthday. Coffee, dinner x2, appetizers, and ice cream!!!! Plus I was able to organize a surprise party for Jason with most of our friends here. It was a great night filled with food, people, games, and cake. Jason and I both enjoy Oreo's so for the last few years we have shared an amazing Oreo birthday cake I found on My Baking Addiction.

Oreo Birthday Cake from My Baking addiction

After the excitement of our birthdays Easter was right around the corner. This is one of my favorite times of the year. The signs of Spring are here, people are starting to get outside again and most importantly it is the time of year we focus on the sacrifice that our Lord made. This time of year is also a very busy one with Jason working at our church. It seemed like he was at church all of Holy Week in preparation for the main three services of that week. We were also able to host an Easter dinner on Sunday for some friends who weren't able to make it back to their homes. We were blessed with amazing weather so besides dinner the day involved horseshoes, corn hole and washers. McKenna was even able to spend some time playing in her sandbox which really tuckered her out.

'Family' photo with our good friend Andrew on Easter

McKenna's Easter nap

Now that Jason's work life has calmed down, Easter is the 2nd busiest week of the year for him, we are able to look forward to a few things in the near future. In April we get to fly to MN and WI where Jason has a work conference and while we are there we will get to celebrate a very important 90th birthday and spend some quality time with our family then this summer our little girl will turn 1!

Life is treating us good!

Playing in McKenna's Crabby Sandbox while Dad grills supper

Life with our Spudette

        When McKenna was sick over Christmas we were at Jason's parents house and thankfully, since we were both sick too, his mom was able to take care of her. More recently McKenna and I both were showing cold symptoms, nothing major but McKenna was eating less and sleeping more, so I called in to the doctors office and we went in later that day. Turns out I had bronchitis and McKenna had an ear infection so we were both put on amoxicillin. Since being on our medicine we are both doing much better and McKenna is back to her normal self!

Happy baby girl!

          At McKenna's appointment we got her most recent stats as a 7 month old. She weighs 19.1 lbs. (84.39%) and is 27 in. (89.84%) long. Growing like crazy and is completely healthy except for the ear infection that she is getting over. We couldn't be happier with how she is growing. Her tricks to date include:

• recognizing both mom and dad (she's done this for quite some time but it never gets old)
• eating small/simple finger foods by herself (puffs, yogurt melts, etc.) even without any teeth

No teeth but super happy to gum-up her food

• attempting to wave, usually its a full arm wave to dad when he's leaving for work. She does try to wave with just her hand...she gets the motion down but its never AT anyone :)
• still taking two amazing 2 hour naps and sleeping through the night (Babywise...read it!!!)

She usually sleeps the wrong way....her head should be on the left side of this picture :)

• still loves her jumper for the most part, not as much recently because of her ear infection
• is content and happy to sit on the floor with toys while mom reads or cooks/bakes in the kitchen (although we did have an incident because she was sitting in our kitchen.....a nose dive + a hard kitchen floor = a bloody nose...thankfully she was ok even if I wasn't

Sitting on the floor getting her sign ready to wish Grandma Kim a Happy Birthday

• 'talking' saying consonants such as da-da(her favorite), ya-ya and ma-ma , her little voice is a constant reminder of the many years we have to look forward to of her voice, God-willing, filling our home
• she has also been very vocal during church, in the sanctuary, and when we are in our church's atrium. It echos in both of those rooms, they are large with vaulted ceilings and McKenna will not stop talking when we are there
• she sits on her own, falls rarely (remember the nose dive?), for the last few weeks she has been rolling all over the place and in the last two days she has started pushing herself up on hands and knees. She isn't crawling yet just getting up and rocking somewhat but I know it's in the near future!!
• McKenna has also been joining me at the gym! We belong to a small gym and their nursery hours don't always line up with the times I am able to work out so most of the time she is sitting on the floor next to me. We are developing her love of fitness from the start :)

          Besides all of these physical milestones and achievements that McKenna has reached we are also trying to instill values, morals, and good healthy habits in her. [Some people (I've met these people in years past) would say, 'You're trying to teach a baby? You can't, they are too young to learn.' When comments are made like that I quickly have to turn off that defensive part of my brain holding all of the knowledge I gained while getting my Degree in Early Childhood Education and turn on the understanding part. While those people are wrong because of course you can and should teach young children, this idea of teaching VERY young children is newer and only recently gaining popularity.] We are helping to teach her these things by doing them ourselves. Both Jason and I know that by implementing these positive habits in our life we will be showing her and any other future children (no, there are no future children in the works right now) how to live God-pleasing lives. An example being saying prayers, every night, whether it's Jason or I are putting her to bed, we hold her hands and say a bedtime prayer. Developing that as a habit so early on in her life will stick with her later on.

         Developing a new good habit is not a strong quality of mine so I have been consciously trying to work on myself. Since my last competitive soccer season working out constantly has been difficult for me to do. I enjoy playing sports and working out with people but when I'm by myself my motivation seems to disappear...especially when I look around the house and realize how many other things I could be doing. The last few weeks I have been able to set a work out schedule and for the most part stick to it! My hope is that this will be the first of many good habits I'll develop.

       What are some good habits you've had to a)work on for yourself b)are instilling in your children?

The Holidays

*I've said this before but.....better late than never......my technology skills are severely impaired......so sorry to the few family members that are actually interested in my sporadic life


Life has been zooming past us the last few weeks...more like months. Our baby girl is almost 7 months old (Where has the time gone?!?!?), Christmas and New Years have come and gone, we had family visitors (and sickness) and took a impromptu trip back to the midwest. With everything that's been going on I feel as though we haven't spent any time at home or just as the three of us but it was all worth it.


The weekend before Christmas some of my family arrived to spend the holidays with us and do some sightseeing. While they were in CO they visited Focus on the Family, Monarch Mountain, Garden of the Gods (a family favorite) and, the highlight for my craft-minded sister, Hobby Lobby (they don't have them near where she lives in MN). Since they were only able to stay for about a week there wasn't much time for sight seeing but we were able to have plenty of family time together celebrating our Saviors birth!

My beautiful sister, her daughter and me with mine

A trip out to Stadium Bar and Grill with my sister, brother-in-law, niece, and Spudette


I stole these pictures from my sister's blog (check it out here!) since I am terrible with my camera and didn't take any pictures while my family was here for Christmas.

Then we got a huge surprise after Christmas! Jason's mom wanted to fly us out to WI to be there for his family's Christmas. A few things made this even a possibility, first, our nephews were sick so they had to push the Christmas celebration back a few days, and our pastors family was going to leave to be with their family in the midwest but changed their plans.....SOOO we booked the tickets and set out to prepare for our fist flight with our Spudette. It was such a huge help that my sister, who has flown with her little one, was here as I was preparing and could help me make sure I was packing everything that we needed for flying with a baby and that the milk and formula was packed correctly.


Being so far away from our family we didn't expect to see anyone except through skype, we were so blessed to be able to see some family members in person. We also spent time on Skype....through computer or in person we were able to see almost all of our immediate family. Such an amazing Christmas!!!!


Blessings as you start 2013!