Christmas...

It's almost here! Around our house it is beginning to look very special!

I will admit I am a die-hard tradition loving soul. I just love the atmosphere of Christmas. The lights and garlands, the tree, nativity, the presents, the secrets, the food, family.... I look forward to this time of year very, very much! I can easily be consumed in all these very temporal things and fail to appreciate the deeper meaning. I can't wait to make special cookies, wrap presents, get cards and pictures in the mail....all good, but I often need a reminder of the greatest gift we celebrate.
Not only Christ and the life he gave for us, but the life he now gives us through him! I have so much to be thankful for. A wonderful husband, a beautiful and healthy little boy, and another (VERY active) little one on the way! Now, I just need a good dose of self-control with a first Christmas here for Paul. No one warned me how hard it is to walk into a store at Christmas time and not come out with everything for your little one!

A tale of basic health care...

How do you stay healthy in the month of December when everyone you know or work with is coming down with some sort of nasty sickness? The flu or a persistant cough... maybe that sore throat?
Well, first you pray. Second you take good care of yourself and third, you use good common sense and STAY AWAY FROM SICK PEOPLE! :)
So we have been busy here in our little corner of Nemaha county, pounding down vitamin C and eating raw garlic in just about everything! Paul is actully the one who promted that.....
After baking at a friends house last week, I left with some extra winter squash from their gardens bounty and several bulbs of garlic. We love this hearty bulb and season a lot of our food with it. On this occasion I just put the whole box in the living room, thinking Paul would enjoy playing with the squash. He did, but the garlic was much more interesting. I figured all it would take is one good bite and he would leave it alone. Not Paul. :) He somehow broke off a clove and stuck it in his mouth. He liked it well enough to suck on it for about 15 minutes! After that it started to get a little hot for him and he would spit it out, only to pick it up again and chew on it for a while longer! I was amazed, but not about to stop him.... that is a cheap way to build the immune system!
It must have done the trick because both Scott and I have had light colds, but Paul is staying very healthy. We pray this continues and are keeping plenty of garlic on hand just in case! For those not interested in the power of raw garlic, try this immune boosting idea that is very tasty!
4 bulbs of garlic, split into cloves
4 TBLP. butter
Lay the garlic in a small baking dish. Cover the garlic with pats of butter. Cover with foil and bake at 350* about 35 minutes, or until garlic is soft. Can be eaten warm plain, (yummy!:) or used as a spread on bread. Enjoy!

Pregnant profile...

For those of you who have asked.... here is a rather posed shot. I feel a lot bigger this time around- I guess everything is already stretched out! I am hungry all the time too- which is better than being sick all the time! We can't wait to meet this precious gift from the Lord!

Walking

Paul is learning to walk. Our little baby is growing up! The week of Thanksgiving he really decided to figure this walking thing out- and he has become very successful! He is not totally steady on his feet yet, and cannot get up off the floor without something to grab and pull up on, but he takes many steps by himself all the time. I only wish I knew how to put those video clips on here so you all could really see him in action! :) From chair to shelf...
And shelf to Mom.
Sometimes you fall down and it is really funny!
Sometimes you fall down and really need a hug!
"See my teeth?"
Hahaha! That's funny Mom!