The Speers

January

2012-02-08T22:16:00.000-08:00

Haven's class visited a local fire department where one of her classmate's dad's is a fireman. Her favorite part was spraying the big hose. She is now reading and is participating in "Redeemer Reads" - where she will read 100 books in 10 weeks.

I competed in the In-Shape's Diva Dash at Mission Bay. You can read about my experience on my most recent blog for BFit San Diego:
http://community.bfitsandiego.com/bfit-community/diva-dash/

Rowyn swinging with her friend, Josie, at Moonlight Beach.

Parker attended a few swimming lessons. She thrives in the water and loves being wet. We can't wait for more pool time this summer!

Haven started arena soccer and was also selected to join a competitive team that will play this fall. This is our first experience with competitive anything, and we are being told Haven has great potential! We are just encouraging her to have fun and play hard! Inwardly, I am thrilled she picked soccer and grass stains over leotards and ballet slippers. Nate is still trying to persuade her on how great basketball is! =0)

Christmas 2011 - Flatau Lodge, Cle Elum Washington

2012-02-08T21:44:00.001-08:00

We spent Christmas with my parents up north in Cle Elum, Washington. To our delight, we did have a white Christmas and relished in the beautiful winter surroundings while being with my side of the family. What a blessing! We assisted my mother with the Christmas Eve service at Suncadia and enjoyed a delicious dinner at the beautiful resort. The girls loved being with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles - and of course, Santa knew just where to find them!

Santa found Parker!

We saw "Cinderella" at the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle...

Girls loved helping Grandpa Mark plow the snow...

While Rowyn found something else that captivated her attention.

The kiddos were tucked in my a REAL elf at Suncadia Lodge. Super cute!

Day after Christmas, we visited Leavenworth. We brought back wine and cheese. Yummm.

The girls were excited to spend time with their cousins!

I'm BACK!

2012-02-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

Hello there! Remember me? I can't believe it has been close to three months since my last post. The holidays completely got the best of me and I just checked out of my blogging duties for a bit. So, I am going to pay a little catch up on this post... Bare with me.

December 18th was Haven's 6th birthday. I somehow convinced her that taking her closest four friends to birthday dinner at Red Robin followed by cupcakes at Sprinkles was going to be soooo fun! We had the discussion that not every birthday will be celebrated with a BIG party where we invite her entire class, have the bounce house and pony rides. Sometimes smaller is better (and less expensive). We also took birthday girl Haven and Parker to have lunch with the Disney Princesses as part of her celebration. Nana was able to come down and join us on the special day! I surprised the girls the morning of the trip with matching Ariel shirts - their favorite princess.

Butternut Squash Soup

2011-11-08T21:50:00.000-08:00

Seriously, this cleanse is forcing me to become a legit cook! I have to prepare many of our meals from scratch now and am actually enjoying trying healthy "cleanse friendly" recipes. I made this soup tonight. It was amazing (and simple). It is a must try if you like Butternut Squash Soup.

2-3 TB Olive Oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cubed) OR Trader Joe's bag of already cubed butternut squash
1 (32 oz) container of chicken stock
pinch of the following: sea salt, pepper, cumin, curry powder, cinnamon, nutmeg
1/2 C of Sour Cream (this is not cleanse friendly, so I left this out)

1. In a large pot, saute onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash in olive oil for 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth - enough to cover the vegetables. Add seasonings/spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer 40 minutes or until veggies are tender.
2. Add sour cream if desired then transfer soup to a blender or use a hand held blender - blend until smooth.

Maddie and Rowyn

2011-11-07T18:40:00.000-08:00

Meet Maddie. She is Haven's friend and classmate who we love to have over for playdates. Her mom was also our family photographer. Maddie has taught Haven about what it is like living with childhood diabetes. We hope someday doctors can find a cure for kids like Maddie.

Sweet Rowyn... I still have a hard time believing I have a little blue eyed beauty.

Family Pictures Part 2

2011-11-07T18:32:00.001-08:00

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Here are the rest of the pictures from the family photo session a few weeks ago. What a treat to have so many great shots of our family. If you are local, go check out Kirsten's website at www.kirstenevans.com. She does a great job!

Cleanse

2011-11-07T18:06:00.000-08:00

Nate and I started a cleanse today. I am posting this declaration because I need as much accountability as possible! I am addicted to sugar, anything made with flour and coffee with lots and lots of creamer - especially the Pumpkin Pie flavor that is out right now! UGH. None of these delicious treats for the next 24 days.

Nate has been turned onto a company called Advocare (www.advocare.com/110910203). He has found a miracle energy drink called Spark and we both have enjoyed the all natural, sugar free, great tasting solution to our sluggish mornings. I take it each morning before my workout and love how much energy I have! So, as we have researched the company and products, we soon found that all of Advocare's vitamins and supplaments are 100% natural, pharmaceutical grade, and tested by board certified doctors. I have heard the amazing benefits of the cleanse, so decided to give it a go since I feel like my eating habits and overall health could use a boost! Plus, I still want to shed the last 7 pounds of baby weight that just keeps hanging on...

Today is our first day. I have not had a bite of sugar today and I am missing it! But, I am committed and determined to follow the rules since I know I am going to feel great in the end. I have been scouring my cookbooks and the internet for "cleanse friendly" meals. Pretty much a focus on lean meats, veggies, fruits and complex carbs. A friend gave me this recipe and it is worth sharing! I would make it and eat if even if I WASN'T on the cleanse! Plus, the girls ate it. That says a lot about a dish that is mainly veggies!

Italian Vegetables & Meatballs
One quartered and thinly sliced zucchini squash
One quartered and thinly sliced yellow squash
One small onion chopped
2-3 TB olive oil
2 Cups of baby spinach
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 "jar" of water
Meatballs - I used 2 bags of Trader Joe's frozen Turkey meatballs (24 total)
Brown Rice
Parmesan cheese

Saute chopped onion with olive oil in large sauce pan. Add sliced zucchini, yellow squash and spinach. Saute until veggies are tender. Add jar of marinara sauce and then fill jar with water and add that to mixture. Add meatballs and bring to a low boil. Reduce, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve over brown rice and top with a little Parmesan cheese.

If you have any more recipes that you think I may enjoy on our cleanse - PLEASE send them my way!! =0)

The Great Pumpkin

2011-10-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

Haven and her Kindergarten class went to the pumpkin patch last Friday. I was able to bring the other two sisters along so I could be a part of her fun day of pumpkin decorating and jump house bouncing. I love the fall...

Trick or Treat!

2011-10-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

These are the Speer girls' Halloween costumes this year. Haven wanted to be a cheerleader (Thank you Costco), Parker a doggie (Thank you Nana for the most awesome pink poodle costume out there!) and Rowyn is the pink octopus (Haven's first Halloween costume that I saved). Maybe one of these Halloweens we will all coordinate with a fun and cute theme, but since my girls are so diverse in their personalities and interests, that may have to wait until we can all decide on something. May you have a fun and safe Halloween!

ATTACK ATTACK ATACK... Get back, Get Back, Get Back

2011-10-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

I am playing catch up a bit, but wanted to showcase our little soccer player! Haven is loving the sport and she has surprised us with some real athletic potential! Based on her interests, we were thinking that she would only want to do dance and stay in tu-tus for her entire young adult life. But this girl is quick and has some serious skillz... much to her dad's delight! Will see where this will take us. For now, it is so fun to watch her play and I have become that "soccer mom" screaming encouragement (and some directions) on the sidelines.

Say, "CHEESE!"

2011-10-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

I decided to have a friend take some family pictures in preparation for Christmas card season! Sure glad I took the time to gather coordinating outfits (fyi - got the girls' dresses at Naartjie) and comb some hair. You will most likely see the family portrait in your mailbox come December. Oh, and the one of me is for my community blogger position at BFItSanDiego.com. I get to blog about ideas/activities on how to keep our kids active and happy here in San Diego. I could not say no to such a fun opportunity! Plus, I have another outlet to use that side of my brain that often is neglected due to the demands of mothering.

Check out my first blog entry:
http://community.bfitsandiego.com/bfit-community/fall-family-beach-fun/

REAL Princesses!

2011-10-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, here we are at Disneyland with all the princesses we could track down. We waited an hour to see three of them. I loved being at Disneyland with all my girls and Aunt Renee - who flew down for a few days. It was all decorated for Halloween and fall. But the weather was not cool and crisp - it was 92 degrees. Thankfully we found lots of shade, kept hydrated and on the move as much as we can - avoiding the really long lines. Do you know their is an app for that? =0)

We did purchase passes thanks to the money I made at a Family Swap Meet. So, if you ever want to join us, let me know!

KINDERGARTEN!!!

2011-09-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

I know this sounds sooo cliche', but I can't believe I have a KINDERGARTNER! Where does the time go? My firstborn is growing up into such a sweet, confident little girl. And this big milestone only proves that I can do nothing to stop her getting older and tackling big moments like these. We decided to keep Haven at the Lutheran school where she attended preschool last year since she LOVED her school experience and made many special friends there. We are lucky they have a great Kindergarten program as well! Haven has two teachers - Mrs. Welty and Mrs. "L" and there are 22 kids in her class. And... um... 16 boys. I am sure those 6 girls are going to be tight friends by the time the school year is over!

Poop Story

2011-09-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

I have to jot down our most current FaceBook posts just so I can remember last night's fiasco in days to come. It was just one of those "moments."

Melissa's Post: We have a Speer family first: Parker throwing a fit (this happens all the time) because we soon realized that Rowyn discovered the little training potty and helped herself to what was inside. Yes, her face was brown and Parker is yelling, "Ro Ro eatin my poo poo!"

Nate's Post: So the Adventures of Parker continue. So I hear Parker yelling. Not too uncommon but this is a good one so I decide to get up and investigate. I walk into the bathroom and Parker is screaming pointing at Rowyn. RoRo is covered in and eating poop. Parker is yelling "RoRo EAT MA POOPOO! NO RORO! NO EAT MA POOPOO! SHE EATIN MA POOPOO!!!!!! I grab said poop eater and am holding her out in front of me and do what any self respecting man in this situation would do, I yell for Melissa. Unreal.

Sea World with Nana and Papa!

2011-09-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

These girls are so lucky to have such AWESOME grandparents. Both my folks and Nate's parents love taking the girls on grand adventures. This last week it was Sea World with Nana and Papa and they loved it! Knowing my mother-in-law, I knew they would not miss a thing. And sure enough, they saw all the shows and animal exhibits and played hard all day at the resort. They fell asleep immediately on the way home and it was impossible to wake them up to eat dinner.

Rowyn's Dedication

2011-09-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

This past week we dedicated Rowyn at our new church - The Mission. It was even more special that Papa Bruce said the prayer over Rowyn! We made the decision a few weeks ago after some thought and prayer to attend a new church plant here in Encinitas. The pastor has been a mentor in Nate's life this past year and we enjoy the challenges and rewards that being a part of a baby church brings (we also were a part of a church plant 10 years ago in Valencia and loved the experience). Our prayer is that our girls experience the Gospel in a genuine way and we hope that this church can impact their lives as well as many others in our community!

Man, seeing these pictures really makes me want to get a nice camera!
Dear Santa...

P is for Parker... and Pomegranate

2011-09-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

Haven and Parker standing by the plant that begins with the first letter of their names at our local Botanical Garden.

July Wedding Shots

2011-09-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

These are long overdue, but worth posting. The photographer did an amazing job capturing sweet moments in the special day...

Montana

2011-08-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

We had a great trip to Montana a few weeks ago. It was a loooong haul driving up there, but it was so worth the miles being able to spend time with family and loved ones. Our first stop was Havre where Parker surprised us all as the picture perfect flower girl in my cousin's wedding on the farm. Nate got his fill of golf and golfer hunting. Haven was reunited with cousin Piper - who has become like an older sister to Haven. And, I didn't have to worry about laundry to fold, dinners to fix, beds to make, butts to wipe - every bit worth the 19 hour drive! Then we traveled a bit south to hang out with Nate's folks and see old friends and old stomping grounds in Missoula. We love Montana (in the summer)!!

Parker's Day

2011-08-07T16:04:00.001-07:00

There were times I wasn't sure if she was even going to make it to her 3rd birthday - from being banished after scribbling all over my walls, couch, pillows, hutch and ottoman with a Sharpee maker to our first experience with stitches this past year. But we did it!! I say "we" since I feel like this past year with Parker has been one of my most challenging years as a parent (yes, being pregnant, moving and then having a newborn again added to the chaos). A lot of reading, praying, crying, sharing went into guiding her terrible two's. I love her soooo much, but there is something about the 2nd child. They are born to humble us as parents I think.

Anyway, I decided to use Parker's birthday as an excuse to throw a fun party with the families in our small group from church. We watched Tangled on an inflatable movie screen outside with speakers while snacking on popcorn. We all brought our beach chairs and picnic blankets and made it a family fun evening for all! And my newly three year old watched the entire movie in my lap while tossing popcorn kernals in her mouth and sipping her juice box.

Our girls

2011-07-26T23:12:00.000-07:00

Here are the rest of the cute pics from the previous photo shoot... so fun!

Quick update:
Rowyn - she is currently in the 50% percentile for weight and height & 75% in head size! My babies have big heads (this is a sign of intelligence just in case you didn't know). She is crawling all over, reaching for anything that looks enticing, pulling herself up to stand any chance she can get, and is FINALLY eating like a champ! Baby Ro-Ro (her nickname) is a happy baby and actually smiles on cue. For example, she was the most photogenic for the group photo shoot with her sisters. She has blond hair and blue eyes. Never underestimate the power of recessive genes. I didn't think it was genetically possible for Nate and I to create a baby who is this mellow and chill. Yesssss, I finally got a baby who is content to sit and play with a toy on the floor longer than 2 minutes. Oh, and she loves her pacifier. I kiss her all day long. I know my time is short at this stage.

Parker - we laugh at this kid every day. She has got the funniest, most hilarious facial expressions. She truly is her father's daughter. And, I think she looks more like Nate as she gets older. From her lean, muscle-y build to the timing of her laughs and sense of humor, I see Nate in our little Parker more and more. I say little since she is under the 25% in weight and wears a 2T even though she is 3 (as of July 2nd). She is still attending Speech Therapy once a week and is progressing very well in this area. She still has her own language, but she is getting clearer each week! Even though she still has an affinity for markers, she has mellowed down in her mischievous ways now that she is 3. BUT she still is crazy Parker who knows no fear and seems to accumulate an "owie" each day because she doesn't watch where she is going! Full steam ahead... all the time. But I do give her lots of kisses at night when she is asleep, quiet and still. She lives up to her middle name - Joy. She brings a lot of it to our home.

Haven - Our sweet, sensitive, responsible, first born who loves being the older sister and the center of attention. She is very mature, follows the rules, enjoys being creative, hates messes, wants to wear "Hello Kitty" skirts every day, likes to organize, volunteers to help me any chance she can get... I love having her around. Haven is very social and we are having play dates with her little girlfriends all the time. We are entering the age where I am noticing that we may not escape the following: Bieber Fever, American Girl dolls, hair tossing, hands on the hip coupled with a smart response, Justice clothing stores, insisting on doing her own hair, even sleep overs!! She is growing up so fast. One of my favorite things to see in Haven is her growing love for Jesus. We do devotions each night before bed and she has such a genuine heart to follow God. Observing this makes me think we can deal with the Bieber Fever.

Sneak Peak from Photoshoot

2011-06-19T16:20:00.001-07:00

I am a member of a fun playgroup for Carlsbad mommies and kids. Joining this group was a life-saver when we moved here a year ago. There are always fun opportunities and playdates that we participate in each week... like a mini-photo shoot with a fabulous photographer! I woke up early this Saturday morning to curl the girls hair, dress them up in their favorite flouncy pettiskirts and drove 20 minutes to a flower field. This was our "sneak peak" shot that Stephanie, the photographer, posted on her blog today! I can't wait to see how the rest turned out!

Photographer's blog: http://www.joiedevivreimages.blogspot.com/

Some of my favorite things right now...

2011-06-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite things right now - fabric rose headbands and gold shoes.

Haven the star

2011-06-17T21:58:00.000-07:00

We had a lot presentations to attend these last few weeks:
top photo: Haven's dance performance
middle photos: Preschool Graduation
Bottom photo: Drama class performance

We are always so excited to see Haven put 100% into all that she does. She loves to perform, dance and sing!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-06-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

We spent Memorial Day at Coronado Beach. We really love the beach. I really love the beach too... it means there will be a nap or an early bedtime!

And now... Nana and Papa!

2011-05-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

On to company round #3. We are lucky to have Nana and Papa here for a week. As you can see, it has been nothing but smiles and fun. They just got back from Legoland a few hours ago - their third visit within three weeks! So glad we invested in those passes...

This last picture is how we found Haven after a long day - passed out on her floor among her toys with her new dolly.

Kyleigh...

2011-05-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

Next, arrived dear Kyleigh. Kyleigh was our favorite babysitter in Missoula, and Haven and Parker (as well as myself) have grown to love her. So, when Nate and I were thinking about celebrating our 10 year anniversary away somewhere, we knew we needed someone to watch the older two! I was so thankful to have Kyleigh around. I now understand why mom's employ nanny's. =0) We all enjoyed her company and help...

and Nate and I had a fabulous time at the Hotel Del Coronado. 10 years went by like a flash.

Real FOOD?

2011-05-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

It may LOOK like Rowyn may be enjoying her sweet potatoes, but she still is getting used to the taste and texture of solids. The majority of the time she still gives me a funny face and spits it all out. She prefers mommy's milk. But I keep trying...

Grandma Gayle - known as GG

2011-05-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

GG kicks off three weeks of company and FUN! My mom arrived to spend a few days with us... or should I say, her grand-girls. Trips like this always go by too quickly. But, we are thankful that we had a chance to spend a few days with her.

Happy Mama, Happy Day!

2011-05-08T23:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!
Since I was queen of the day, I told my girls that mommy was going to pick out their outfits for church this morning. Thanks to Auntie Renee for the matching hot pink sweaters that came at Christmas (it was a chilly day), they looked down-right-darling for Mother's Day.

I was awoken this morning by Haven telling me she was taking me to a "fancy restaurant" and to follow her. She lead me to a beautiful breakfast spread at our very own kitchen table and I experienced five star service by my five year old! I felt so special.

I have been a mom for a little over five years and I feel like I am a totally different person in many ways... I am sure you moms out there can relate. Having kids has:
humbled me (HELLO, tantrums in public can reduce me to a blubbering mess).

opened my eyes to my Heavenly Father's love for me. So deep. So wide.

relaxed me (You mean I can't control everything?).

tapped into a whole new emotional side I never knew I had. I think I can cry on cue now.

slowed me down... so I don't miss the teas, the dance-a-thons and princess parties.

Thank you girls for teaching mommy a thing or two.

Easter

2011-04-24T23:18:00.000-07:00

Easter is a celebrated day in our home. We celebrate Christ rising from the dead. Haven knows this since she told the Easter bunny (by speaking rather loudly thinking he was listening) that he is #2, not #1. Jesus is #1. But she still thinks the Easter Bunny brings baskets filled with goodies for sweet little girls. AND... for those who don't know, Parker fell and sliced her head open this last Monday and there are three stitches under the Bandaid on her forehead.

Without family close by, we gathered with the next best thing - friends! We enjoyed sharing a delicious ham lunch after church today with dear people that are in our small group from church. I brought my FAVORITE dessert that I try to make each year for Easter. I will post the recipe in case you may want to impress your next dinner guests. It feeds a crowd and never disappoints. It is the perfect Spring/Summer treat.

City Girl Fruit Trifle
1 qt Fresh Strawberries
2 T confectioner's sugar
1 C milk
1 large pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 C sour cream
1 pound cake (I like the Sara Lee family size pound cake found in the freezer section)
1 fresh orange
1 carton Cool Whip

Thinly slice strawberries and stir together with sugar; set aside. Put milk, sour cream, and pudding together and mix for 10 seconds at high speed. Slice pound cake (while frozen) and place layer in bottom of bowl - I use a clear glass pedestal bowl - it shows the layers and looks pretty! Cut orange into wedges and squeeze orange juice over pound cake. Then make a layer of pudding, then a layer of strawberries... then repeat layers till you reach the top of the bowl. Finally, top with whipped cream and garnish with whole strawberries if desired.

Hand stamped cuteness

2011-04-02T23:17:00.000-07:00

My friend Terra made me this cute and customized necklace. Yes, she hand stamps each charm herself. This is now my new favorite necklace since each circle bears the name of each of my three girls! The best way to keep them close to my heart.

She does custom orders:
reesespiecesdesigns@yahoo.com

Stats

2011-03-26T23:57:00.001-07:00

This info is mainly for my mom who wanted to know all of the girls stats at the age of four months... plus, it is fun to compare their growth.

Rowyn (check-up was this past Thursday)
Weight: 13lb 6 oz - 50%
Length: 25 1/2 in - 90%
Head: 16 3/8 in - 75%

Parker
Weight: 13lb 1.6 oz
Length: 24 3/4 in
Head: 16 1/2 in

Haven
Weight: 13 lb 3 oz
Length: 24 in
Head: 16 3/8 in

Looks very similar! I noticed Parker slowed drastically in her growth from 4-6 months and dropped under the 20% for weight at 6 months, where she currently still resides. Haven and Rowyn resember each other a lot! Here a few pics of the girls when they were babies... can you tell who is who??

Pic 1: Rowyn
Pic 2: Parker
Pic 3: Haven
Pic 4: Rowyn
Pic 5: Haven
Pic 6: Parker

Rover Speer

2011-03-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

Meet Rover. Rover came from preschool to spend a week with us, more specifically, with Haven. With our camera we capture all the things Rover gets to do with the Speer family. Here is what Rover has done thus far:

Went to church...

To the frozen yogurt shop...

To the movies...

Became Princess Rover...

Was loved on by Rowyn...

Became the honorary 4th sister...

Coffee breath

2011-03-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

This is Parker drinking my coffee... she is always asking for a drink! And we wonder why she is bouncing off the walls.

SeaWorld with our buds

2011-03-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

Haven and I were counting down the days to see our friends Kendra and her son Evan! Haven and Evan have grown up together in Missoula, so it was so fun to host a little reunion while visiting Sea World over the weekend!

Wedding...

2011-03-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, Amanda - college room mate, volleyball team mate, maid of honor - came to visit for a week with her boyfriend (and coincidentally, family friend) Daine Solomon. They started dating in January and made the decision three days into their visit to get married Tuesday evening on the beach in Carlsbad right before sunset. Don't worry, they received blessings all the way around from their families, and Nate and I did a crash course in pre-marital counseling the night before (we felt somewhat qualified since we'll be celebrating our 10 year anniversary this May)! But it turned out to be a beautiful evening for everyone who was able to come. Haven was thrilled to be the flower girl and Parker was thrilled to have an excuse to make sand castles at our feet during the ceremony.

Matchy-matchy

2011-02-14T22:43:00.000-08:00

I did it. I succumbed and became "that mom" who puts her girls in matching clothing... only for one day. And, because I found these cute T's all in their sizes: 3 month, 2 T and 5T! Pretty rare.

But don't they look cute?

Have you Ever...

2011-02-07T22:35:00.000-08:00

I saw this on my friend, Andrea's blog. Thought it was a fun idea!
Bold these if you’ve ever…

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (does a triathlon count?)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone - my toe!
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - Nate killed it.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

What about you?
Melissa

Free Time

2011-02-07T22:14:00.000-08:00

The house has been verrry quiet. The older two girls have been in Missoula since last Wednesday hanging out with both sets of grandparents along with other family. Lucky them!

As for me, I have been soaking in the quiet as well as enjoying the free time. Here is a peek at what I have been up to...

I forget how much free time I had before kids. I would not trade it for anything, but once and a while it is nice to remember my hobbies and sleep in!

Naked baby

2011-02-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

Yea... I just can't get enough of this girl! I wish I could just freeze her since I know how fast they grow. Scrumptious.

Here is a little peak into her nursery. I love the fun, bright colors!

After a good solid 10 weeks of recovery, I am hitting the gym tomorrow for the first time in 3 months! I have about 12 more lbs to go to lose the 40 I gained with Rowyn - all for a good cause, though. It has been a nice break, but I am ready to fit into my pre-baby clothes soon. And that horizontal stripe top I am wearing is not helping the matter...

And, as a side note, my hair is straight since I just had it done at the salon and had a blow-out by the stylist. I rarely see it straight, so the change is fun.

Rowyn

2011-01-22T12:11:00.000-08:00

Rowyn is almost two months old! I just looooove her so much. I really don't want her to get any bigger since this newborn stage has been so easy. She really is the most perfect baby and often times I forget about her (since I am so easily distracted) and come back to find her perfectly content and awake just looking around. And, she is fat - like cute, chubby, fill-out-her-clothes fat! I love that too.

Thank You Jesus for giving me a baby like Rowyn since you know I have my hands full with my two year old. Help me not favor my infant who does not talk back, throw fits, complains about anything healthy, gets out of bed, and colors on everything imaginable. Help me remember that Rowyn will be a two year old someday too and Parker will mellow-out (hopefully) and be the big helper.

Parker sleeps

2011-01-22T12:07:00.000-08:00

This was my Facebook status yesterday:

I got Parker to stay in her bed for a nap today by cracking her door open a tad and peeking through for a perfect view of her bed, then whenever she begin to get out of her bed, in my best deep "God" voice said, "Parker! Obey mommy and stay in bed!" It totally worked. She is sleeping now.

I love the fact that she won't listen to mom, but maybe if it is GOD! LOL!

And on the topic of sleeping, we found Parker a few nights ago asleep with her book on her lap. I thought this was so cute!

The magic of Santa

2011-01-07T19:17:00.000-08:00

I just had to post these pictures that were taken at our playgroup's family Christmas party last month. Any Christmas party that has Santa handing out personalized gifts (with the help of a few elves named "mommy" and "daddy") is a hit!

Rowyn - 4 weeks

2010-12-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

I have another friend (mother of one of Haven's classmates) that wanted to promote her photography business - a very popular side job for stay at home moms around here! Kirsten offered to come over and take some pictures of Rowyn. Of course I agreed, and I was sooo pleased with the results! I am in LOVE with this little sweetie. She is such an amazing baby too and is making the transition to #3 pretty manageable... notice I didn't say "easy".

For family members who want to order pictures at a very reasonable price (aka: CHEAP) - you can view Rowyn's pictures and order through her website at: www.kirstenevans.com.

Family Pictures for the sake of a decent Christmas... I mean New Years Card!

2010-12-30T17:44:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine in my playgroup who has her own photography business took these shots on the beach... when it was freezing cold and super foggy out.... go figure. But we did get a few good pictures of the family just a few weeks after Rowyn was born.

Which one will appear on the now "New Year's" card? You can guess. The cards should be arriving any day! Which means they will be sent out the first week of January (my goal). Thanks for being patient.

Christmas dresses

2010-12-20T21:50:00.000-08:00

Nate was in charge of taking some shots of the girls in their Christmas dresses since I had to feed Rowyn (I can't remain in control of everything). And, he pulled through with this daunting task of creating smiles and capturing them in their Sunday best! I buy Christmas dresses each year after Christmas (I get screaming deals this way), so these dresses have been hanging in their closet for a year. Haven was so excited to FINALLY get to wear her beautiful red dress!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Haven turns 5!

2010-12-20T21:37:00.000-08:00

Haven turned five this last Saturday and we celebrated Friday night with a garage full of games and activities, pizza and cake! Haven had 11 girlfriends over and we partied hard! Haven wanted a "Littlest Pet Shop" theme, so we went with it... hence, the animal decorations. I have to give credit to Auntie Julia for turning the garage into a birthday pet shop and becoming the game director for the evening.

It is beginning to look like a California Christmas...

2010-12-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

We are transforming the inside of our home to prepare for Christmas even though outside is sunny and 70! Strange for me. I miss the cold and snow... but only until December 25th, then I am over it. So, really I am not complaining of the San Diego climate. I just want it all - the snow and the sun. =0)

We have had lots of help and family in and out of the Speer abode. My parents and grandmother were here for the week of Thanksgiving, then my in-laws came, as well as Aunties from LA! Being that I could not do much, I REALLY appreciated having extra hands around to help. Thus, the Christmas decorating was accomplished, the girls were fed and bathed and we had clean plates to eat on... thanks again, family!

I also have to mention that my parents to the girls to Disneyland - their FIRST time! I was a tad jealous I could not make it (I was in the hospital learning how to walk again), but glad they were making memories with grandpa and gigi. I should have pics soon...

Rowyn Jade arrives...

2010-11-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

Well... Rowyn came in a very different manner than I anticipated, but really how many times do things go according to our expectations? For me, not that much. But I naturally assumed that my third little girl would come into this world with some contractions and a few pushes. I would stay at the hospital for two days and arrive home in time to pull myself up to the dinner table for turkey, potatoes and stuffing.

Instead, I endured over 14 hours of contractions and two hours of pushing... Rowyn was not budging and had found herself in a very comfy spot in my pelvis and was not descending, even with the help of the vacuum. So, around midnight, the doctor, Nate and I made the call to go in and get her via C-section. C-section. The procedure I really I thought I would avoid after having two successful and fairly text book vaginal births. Oh-well, gotta let go of those expectations!

Rowyn Jade arrived at 12:45 am on November 24th weighing 8 lbs 4 oz and 19 1/2 inches long. She is my biggest, fattest baby yet - and I just love the chub! She is eating like a champ and all is going well considering that I just had major surgery. I will be going home from the hospital on Saturday, the 27th. My parents are here till Tuesday and then we'll find a way to get through the next few weeks with the girls - a prayer request for sure! I did have a small melt down today at the hospital when the nurse told me no driving for two weeks, avoid the stairs, and do not lift anything heavier than the baby. Ugh.

BFF Kamille comes...

2010-11-14T18:56:00.000-08:00

While Nate hunted in Montana for five days, Kamille was able to come and stay with me - to not only keep me company, but to help me with the girls. I basically told my husband he was NUTS to leave me all by myself at 37 wks pregnant and thus, he needed to remedy the situation by giving up one of his frequent flyer Southwest tickets to someone who is more compassionate. Since I haven't seen Kamille in a very long time, I was praying and hoping it would all work out for her to come visit. She has three girls of her own, so I know it took a lot of work on her end to free herself up so she could come and have a fun weekend with me! I miss her already and her effortless ability to bend over and sweep up droppings with the dust pan (a job I hate at the moment).

Baby Shower!

2010-11-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

My beautiful host, Jody, and her mom.

I tell ya what... for a gal who moved to San Diego six months ago, I was not expecting a shower for girl #3... even more so, enough friends that would want to come! But my dear friend, Jody, hosted a super fun and oh-so-stylin party for me and Rowyn (pink OPI nail polish for parting gifts - how cute is that?!). I was tickled (pink) to have friends from church, my neighborhood, my aunties Dea and Lori (father-in-law, Bruce's, sisters) and Kamille all surround me with lots of laughter and love! Plus, Rowyn now has a few "new" things to greet her when she comes.

Happy Trick or Treating!

2010-10-31T20:38:00.000-07:00

Haven took the following pics to show Nana our porch she decorated...

This is the 3rd princess dress Haven wore for a Halloween event over the past few weeks. I don't think there are any other options out there for Halloween costumes in the mind of a 4 1/2 year old girl besides a beautiful princess! Then there is Parker who can't wait to wear her giraffe costume for the 3rd time. The theme of their costumes this year is: Beauty and the Beast (even though she is the cutest giraffe ever in my opinion).

Parker's Post

2010-10-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

And... here is Parer wishing she could attend preschool to play on the amazing playground.

Crazy Hair Day at Preschool... Auntie Julia comes to the rescue!

2010-10-31T20:07:00.000-07:00

I left Thursday for Spokane to be with my two moms and Missoula friends at the Living Proof LIVE Beth Moore Event (which, by the way, was A-W-E-S-O-M-E) over the weekend. Auntie Julia, who lives just outside of LA, wanted to come down to help Nate with the girls while he worked. In Haven's mind, this meant The Fairy Godmother would be arriving soon, and just in time for Crazy Hair Day at school! I know I could NEVER have pulled off this hair-do. Thank you, Auntie Julia and your great hair pieces!!

Sleeping Vampire

2010-10-24T20:36:00.001-07:00

This was what we saw last night as we checked on the girls before Nate and I headed to bed... a sleeping vampire.

Apparently, Haven really liked the fake vampire teeth she won at our playgroup's Halloween party.

Pumpkin Flasher!!

2010-10-24T20:29:00.000-07:00

I had to dress up for a costume party that was held at a friend's house in our neighborhood. What does a 8 month pregnant gal do for a costume?!

I went as a Pumpkin Flasher... lurking in the dark shadows awaiting her victims to flash the obscene belly pumpkin.

I did get props for creativity! =0)

A sweet moment...

2010-10-24T20:21:00.001-07:00

I caught a sweet moment the other day as Haven showed Parker how to use her Leapster. Parker loved being able to play with a "big girl" toy! I love catching these little moments in between the more frequent snatching toys out of hands, complaining of each other's teasing, crying episodes.

The shampoo and baby powder containers now join the markers in the gun safe...

2010-10-12T22:21:00.001-07:00

I am just sitting down after cleaning for two hours. I did this a lot today.

This morning I found a thick layer of pink goo in the girls' bathtub and an empty strawberry shampoo container laying on the bathroom floor. This wasn't a huge surprise knowing Parker's personality and tendency to make messes. Okay... so, I now need to put up the kid's shampoo. No biggie. Only $2.99 wasted.

I must be a slow learner because tonight I realized I should have done this to the baby powder. I was visiting with a friend downstairs tonight when Haven yelled for me to come to her room (she and a friend were having a dance-off in my bedroom). I climbed the stair and walked into a white haze. The powder was thick in the air and I quickly opened up the windows just to get a fresh breath. I tapped on the window screens and a puff of white powder smoke blew into the air outside. A white film was covering EVERYTHING. Parker had managed to shake, squeeze and pour out the ENTIRE container of baby powder. I had just opened this a few days ago too, so it was full. Parker looked like a little ghost - white hair, white face, and a white room. My little Casper. I am so thankful my friend, Tara, was with me because she helped with with the vacuuming while I attended to the comforters, rug, furniture, clothes, walls, toys, Parker in the tub....

And all this happened after the sweet child care workers at the women's Bible study today told me what a good little girl Parker was and how she showed "leadership qualities!" She sure did show some initiative tonight as she used her leadership qualities to discover a new use for baby powder. I sure hope she discovers the cure for cancer one day to make all of this work worth it.

I was so in shock and sidetracked to how I was going to clean up the whole mess, that I didn't think about taking pictures.

The farm life

2010-10-09T16:09:00.000-07:00

We did not foresee that this would be our last meal on the farm with Papa Otto when on a Monday evening we all gathered to celebrate family coming together. Four generations were present as Papa Otto lead the large group (he was always in the front of the buffet line) in a Prime Rib dinner. Two days later, he passed away and went home to Jesus. What precious timing. I so am thankful God allowed us one more memory with him as a family - just like many, many years of summers, Christmases, Thanksgivings, Easters... We were all able to attend the funeral and see first hand the love and respect my Papa Otto held in the farming community and town of Havre.

We all enjoyed a week of farm life:
Hunting, golfing, shooting stuff - enjoyed by Nate
Resting, not cooking, shopping, eating good food (especially the desserts), loving on my nephew, Crew, who I met for the first time - my favorites!
Riding the 4-wheel, visiting the horses, playing with cousins - Piper & Cameron, chasing the puppies, playing "Go Fish" - what the girls loved best!

However, we all came back with nasty colds and a little out of sorts being that we were sick and not on much of a schedule. It has taken me a week to get us all well again and have Parker back on her sleep schedule again! I refer to this stressful time of readjustment (which is often met with resistance and includes lots of discipline) as vacation detox. THUS the reason why it took me a while to write this post!

WHEW! We are packed...

2010-09-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

We are off tomorrow to see family in Montana: Nate's parents, my parents, aunt, uncles, cousins, brother, sister-in-law and baby Crew!! We are all so excited. I knew the bulk of the work would be trying to pack us all up for Fall weather (it is still 75 degrees here). This meant digging out warmer clothes for Parker and trying on every pair of jeans Haven owns to make sure they still fit. This may not seem like a lot of work to the outsider, but to a 30 week pregnant gal, I was working up a sweat running around the house trying to make sure we had everything ready to go!

The purpose of the trip is to see my Papa Otto whose health is failing and will soon have his other foot amputated due to diabetes. We hope this time spent with him and the rest of the family will be special for everyone. Looking forward to capturing some memories on the camera. Stay tuned...

Haven - the snow princess

2010-09-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

Auntie Julia (Bruce's sister) came down from Sherman Oaks this last weekend with a carload of books, play dresses, felt board and appliques, toys, stickers... it was as if Haven's fairy god mother arrived! Auntie Julia dressed up Haven in a snow princess dress she brought for her and took a few pictures of Haven.

Palm Springs

2010-09-09T22:59:00.000-07:00

My view in my bathing suit, looking down:

This is how Parker says "CHEESE!"

This place is HOT! I can't believe it was 8:30 at night and 95 degrees. Seriously?! That is why we hung out poolside while daddy did some work nearby. We were able to have fun Labor Day get-away with the girls, and our friends, The Barnetts.

Can I just say how wonderful hotels are?! I don't HAVE to make the beds, pick up the crumbs on the floor, clean up the bathroom, wipe down the fingerprints... I am VERY thankful for one night away from home and a quick break from the duties of housekeeper.

Leukadia/Encinitas Farmer's Market and Art in the Park

2010-08-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

This morning we decided to have a family day and enjoy the local activities and beach culture. We made our way to the amazing Leucadia/Encinitas farmer's market and then to the vendors selling their artwork on Highway 101 this morning for the Leucadia Art in the Park.

My favorite item we purchased at the market: organic fruit and Kettle corn.
Nate's favorite item he took home: organic dry Jack cheese and flavored hummus (Calamata olive and spinach & feta).
Haven and Parker's favorite treat: the lady bug balloon bracelets the "princess" made them at her booth.

Obviously, there is something for everyone. What is amazing is that this farmer's market runs all year long. Yeaa!!

We love Pizza!!

2010-08-27T22:32:00.000-07:00

Last night was home made pizza night. I tried a new recipe and we found a new favorite!

Here is the recipe:
Favorite pizza dough/crust (we used Trader Joe's pizza dough)
Favorite BBQ sauce
Shredded Mozzarella
Thinly sliced Granny Smith Apple
Diced Grilled Chicken
Crumbled Goat Cheese
A sprinkle of chopped Parsley

Bake at 450* for 12-15 minutes

Brain Puddy

2010-08-27T22:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you remember when you were pregnant (if you are a female reading this post), but I feel like I am suffering from major brain meltdown... I can't spell correctly, speak correctly, my memory is deplorable and looking at Nate's Scrabble game on his ipad gives me an instant headache. My pregnancy really has made me dumb. I think this is a serious condition that should have a medical term so that I can explain my behavior when I can't find my keys ANYWHERE while I am actually holding them in my hands (this happened today). Seriously, this is debilitating and embarrassing.

I can get use to this...

2010-08-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

We found out that our neighborhood gets together every Thursday night for dinner and campfire on the local beach just 10 minutes from our home - how fun! And, they were fun, gracious families who all have kids for our girls to hang with. Sitting there, eating my sub-sandwich, taking in the view and sunset, I realized why San Diego is the place so many flock to for vacation. Yet, this is just a Thursday night routine for our neighbors, something they do all summer long (weather permitting). Now, we get to join in on the fun!

I do feel so fortunate that we have lived in some beautiful locations. We have learned to love and appreciate the mountains and rivers of Missoula, Montana to the ocean shores of San Diego, California. The beauty of God's creation!

I do need to get used to the sand. It gets everywhere and a bath is always a must for the girls after the beach. And, I am sure Parker's diapers will be more "grainy" these next few days... but, it is a small price to pay for memories on the beach!

Wild Love

2010-08-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

My girls love to wrestle and play "Monster" with daddy (the act of running around to escape the Tickle Monster). I caught them in the act today and had to capture their wild spirits at play! They are so much fun to hang out with. Sure, it is tiring and they require lots of work BUT it is all worth it when you see the love they have for their mommy, daddy and each other. Their smiles are infectious.

And, then there is our 3rd girl inside my belly (25 wks). I wonder what little personality she will have...

Princess Camp!

2010-08-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

Haven was in her glory this week. This was her first camp experience and she now wishes princess camp was every week! She was in her element each day from 9am-12pm. There was special music, crafts, princess story time, dress-up, drama and more. What fun!

I took these pictures of her grand finale - the presentation for the parents and families!

Why I feel so exhausted...

2010-08-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

It is not like I am running a marathon every day, but as a mother, I feel some days that I just crossed the finish line of one! Today was one of those days. And, it was not due to an increase in my heart rate, but more the mental fatigue of always being mentally alert and aware of the going-ons of Parker. I felt this fatigue after returning home after Haven's grand finale at princess camp - her special end-of-the-week presentation for the parents. I had to make it very clear to Parker that this was Haven's special performance and she was to stay close by and watch with mama.... which, she managed 90% of the time. She only ran out twice to join the fun: once to grab an instrument during the special music number and again to dance along the other princesses during the special song. Parker is quick and I am not as quick since I have a growing belly that is now getting in the way.

Afterward, there were refreshments and I wanted to spend time with Haven and talk over fruit and cookies. Parker sat for 30 seconds and then was off again. I really wanted to focus on Haven since this was her special day! I think in the time we ate a few bites of watermelon and strawberries, Parker managed to spill two water bottles, ran off with a walking cane that belonged to a handicapped individual and then paraded around the room with a few of the girl's wands that were made especially for the performance day. Of course, the other girls did not like the fact that Parker had made off with their wands and complained. Their cries made me realize the extent of her two minute destruction.

This is why I get so tired. The amount of "awareness" it takes to keep tabs on this cute little firecracker is enough to keep me taking naps each afternoon with her (my favorite part of the day).

I think this is the reason why many moms are so tired at the end of the day... it is the skillful act of always being one step ahead of our little ones.

Our House...

2010-07-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

Master Bath. I am very excited about this tub. Did not have a tub in our Missoula master bath. I would trade this for multiple flower beds any day.

Master suite.

Guest Bathroom downstairs.

Living room. Next BIG project is to cover the (beautiful) cornice boards with fabric that goes with our decor. You can't see it well, but they are a golden rode and royal blue stripe - Yikes.

Living room fireplace.

House has lots of great features like this wall alcove.

Kitchen

The eat-in kitchen table - a craigslist find.

My secretary desk... one of my favorite pieces. If only Parker would leave it alone!

Dining Room

Sitting room & Dining Room (right of entry)

Entry way

Sitting room... yes, the scene of the crime yesterday (see previous post).

Small alcove where the stairs lead up.

The guest room (downstairs - main level)

Now that the couches have been cleaned and spared, I decided to take some pictures of our new home now that the decorating is done and we are moved in. So, here is the grand tour of our Carlsbad home. Downsizing has its advantages and I am enjoying not having an acre and seven flower beds to maintain. However, I have to admit, I do miss the open space of Montana... things are a little more crowded down here.

Oh, the fury!

2010-07-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

Rubbing Alcohol: MY HERO!!

Sometimes in the heat of rage and furry, it is best to walk away from the problem (in this case, my 2 year old daughter) and breath deep while focusing on a possible solution. But I will honestly admit, this was not my reaction as I saw bright orange Sharpee all over the walls as well as all over our NEW cream microsuede ottoman and love seat! I screamed, cried, and did everything but breath deep. Thankfully, Nate was home and removed Parker from my line of vision before I went after her. He did the discipline and I sat on the floor in hysterics thinking we would have to buy new furniture after seeing the orange devastation. I have never hated Sharpee markers so...

If you have been following our lives on this blog and as well as facebook, you will know that Parker has a love affair with markers and will sniff them out like a bloodhound. I even think it is funny that Parker and marker rhyme... I am sure I could create a very clever limerick! Well, we have since moved the markers to a 3rd location - Nate's gun safe.

Jill called during my melt down and suggested googling a solution... brilliant idea. I am sure I would have thought of this after I regained my senses. But I did manage to find a solution since it appears that I am not the only mother that has faced this obstacle. The remedy: rubbing alcohol (99%). I was shocked that it removed 90% of it... there is still a faint orange hue in some areas if I look for it, but thankfully, the furniture is saved! Parker is saved! I have decided to keep her after all...

There once was a girl named Parker

Who had a love affair with Sharpee markers

She scribbled on the furniture

With a furry unseen before

And now she has a sore bum and no supper*.

*She actually fell asleep while being in her room during time out and missed lunch.

Girls Room: Pretty in Pink

2010-07-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

One of the BEST features of this house is the large room that Haven and Parker are sharing. Parker is now in a twin bed and on the bottom bunk. This has been a little bit of a challenge since she no longer has the barriers of the crib to keep her in! Besides having to do a little discipline to make sure she stays in her in her bed, the transition is going well and the girls love their new room!

I purchased the bunk beds at a friend's garage sale last summer thinking I would need them at some point (glad I did!). Before we moved, my dad help paint them a teal blue. Of course, matching bedding was a must and I ordered surfer girl themed bedding sets now that they are San Diego girls. This last week, Jill (mother-in-law) and I made curtains for the 12 ft ceilings! They turned out really cute... another perk of knowing the basics of sewing.

Now that their room is done, I can start finishing up other rooms! Stay tuned...

Another GIRL!

2010-07-09T15:48:00.000-07:00

I apologize if this is a repeat picture for those who are on Facebook with me... but I try not to ignore my blog even though at this point in time I am finding less and less free time to do just that. I am sure it has to do with all these boxes that are surrounding us!

This past Wednesday was the BIG day as we discovered who is abiding in my belly. Yes, we will be welcoming another sweet little princess at the end of November. I have to admit, girls are a blast and not to mention way too much fun to dress up! So, I am thrilled to have another sweetheart to love on and primp. Of course, Nate was hoping for a son, and I can understand that. But, you can't really argue with what God has in store for our family and he is such an AMAZING father to our girls. I could not have asked for a more attentive, wise, loving, and fun daddy when it comes to fathering princesses. I think God knew this fact too. I am sure our girls will know how to dribble a basketball like a pro, shoot a gun, and change a spare tire. Of course, we are thinking of names and I am already planning the colors and decor of another girl nursery!

I will post pics of our house soon... as soon as all these boxes are emptied and all is organized. I do love this house and feel very thankful that God provided at our time of need!

We made it!

2010-06-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

We are here... but with no house. Typically, this would send me into a stress meltdown but I have adapted to the "go-wth-the-flow" surfer attitude down here and know this situation is out of my hands! We recently turned down a rental because we thought the price did not reflect the quality of the home... so, the search goes on! We looked at a few great potentials today, so I am praying God will open up the doors and allow us to move into a house soon! I am looking forward to seeing our belongings and feeling more grounded and at home here in San Diego. Meanwhile, we are staying with our very GRACIOUS friends who have two boys of their own. What a huge blessing to us. We are very appreciative.

The first full day we were here, Nate took the girls to the beach to show them the ocean. They loved it and came back with sand in every crevice. Parker managed to strip down to her diaper and run crazy like the crazy naked baby she was! We are looking forward to more trips to the beach in the months ahead! Yes, the weather here is amazing... feels like we are on vacation! I do feel lucky we get to live here, but do miss those gorgeous Montana mountains already.

We are Expecting!

2010-05-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought my life could not get any more hectic and crazy... God decides to throw in a BABY!! I say "God decides" because I see this pregnancy as divine intervention... I will just leave it at that. We found out the day after Easter - the smell of cooked chicken (I was preparing our Easter meal) about threw me right over the edge and into the bathroom. That, and also the fact I took a three hour nap after throwing all the meal ingredients into the fridge because I was not feeling good. On Monday, I was off to Target! But this trip to the store was not the hopeful, exciting, optimistic venture that many of my past "going to purchase the pregnancy stick" trips have been... Parker was screaming in the shopping cart wanting to get out, Haven was asking for new stickers, and I was thinking "this test better be negative! I can't handle any more right now." Does God know we are MOVING too?! Nate was home this particular day and after a few minutes in the bathroom, I slapped the stick down on the kitchen counter in front of him and declared, "Well, LOOK what you did to me!" This probably was not the sweet, romantic declaration of "I'm pregnant" he was expecting. But I was surprised and in a state of shock. We BOTH were surprised!

Needless to say, we are happy to bring another little guy or girl into our family. We were planning on having another kiddo, just not now. I am due December 2nd. This has been a rough first trimester. This baby is kicking my butt. I have been sick, tired and ready for the couch each afternoon. The packing is getting done (thanks to some "good" mornings, friends and an amazing hubby). I keep apologizing to Nate because I don't think I have cooked a meal since that Easter feast... I really feel like something has taken over this body. I mean, I normally HATE hotdogs. But, for some reason, that is all I want to eat right now. I am talking about the big, juicy Costco hot dog lunch special. Ooohhh yeeeaaaa....

We will be out of this place in a few weeks! We found a great home in Encinitas to rent and will be moving in June 1st! I am praying by that time I will skipping about, over my hot dog fetish (for my waistline sake), and ready for our new adventures ahead.

And here they are again...

2010-05-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

I realize this blog is mostly about my girls... I need to start taking more pics of my cute hubby too! But, Nana took these while Nate and I were away in San Diego a few weeks ago, and I just think these two are the sweetest. Thanks Nana for the matching sun dresses...

Packing it all up!

2010-05-11T18:21:00.001-07:00

The big, fun joke was to surprise mommy while packing. My parents were here helping last weekend and grandpa would bring in an "empty" box for mommy to pack and... SURPRISE!

Easter Blessings

2010-04-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Today was so fun. Haven was head to toe in her Easter finest. Nana made sure Haven had white gloves, an Easter bonnet, and a matching purse for today and Haven did not take any of it off during the duration of our Easter celebrations! This was her day to dress up and revel in all her NEW finery! Parker could care less except for how many jelly beans she could sneak in her mouth. I did enjoy seeing her in the same Easter dress and shoes Haven wore three three years ago (sigh). I will see if I can find a picture of Haven in that dress.... (top pic - Haven, 16 months)

We later celebrated at our home with Mexican fare: Chicken Enchiladas, rice, beans, corn, salad and lots of choices for dessert! I forgot to take a picture of our table. Wish I could have captured all of us.

Today is such a wonderful reminder to all of us of how much our savior truly loves us... enough to die for us. The empty cross and tomb are powerful reminders that the resurrection is worth celebrating!

Sisters

2010-04-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

When I have those difficult days (see previous post) God reminds me of the sweet blessings of raising sisters in moments like this. I am hoping that when we do move to San Diego, our next home will have a larger second bedroom for them to share. I have bunk-beds I purchased at a garage sale last summer and plan on painting them blush pink, so hopefully they will have more sweet sister scenes like this one.

PARKER!!!

2010-03-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

So, Nate has been gone since last Monday and I thought I was doing well handling the girls on my own for a while. Haven is a breeze, but Parker always keeps me on my toes. She is just full of spunk and mischief. However, yesterday morning I about shipped her down to San Diego for Nate to handle. She is drawn (I think by a magnetic current) to markers. And, loves to decorate herself with them. I saw that she got into some Sunday morning as I plopped her into the high chair for breakfast (her hands were very colorful). But she was still in her pj's so I cleaned her up after she ate and got her dressed for church. When I was helping Haven pick up her room a few minutes later, I noticed the guilty markers in her nightstand drawer. I told Haven to put them in a safe place so Parker won't get into them and I went to get ready for church since we had a few minutes before we were to leave. Well... a few minutes later, Haven emerged with Parker in tow. Parker trotted over with marker all over her face, her NEW cardigan, and her white tights. I almost lost it. Maybe I did just a bit. I called it "frustration" to Haven, explaining to her why mommy sounded angry. Haven said Parker was just too quick. These were cheap, dollar store markers that did not come off easily. I had to scrub her face almost raw until all the creative expression came off... and her cardigan now has a faint blue stain. Oh well.

THEN... we were about to leave Fuddruckers after eating lunch. I got up and felt a rather painful pinch behind my upper thigh. Turning around, I found Parker looking up at me. She totally just bit into my back thigh! It was the first biting incident with her. I had a hard time disciplining Parker, fighting back the giggles over the mental picture of her just walking up to me and biting my back side! I guess I wasn't moving fast enough for her...

THEN... Haven gave Parker Silly Puddy (because she didn't like the color) right before bed. This stuff from the devil was then shredded up by Parker's little hands before falling asleep and became cemented and stuck in hair, pjs, bedding, stuffed animals, books...

I am ready for Nate to be home.

New chapter ahead of us... titled, "San Diego"

2010-03-03T21:07:00.000-08:00

We are adventurous people and I do love to experience new things, but I never thought we would be experiencing another BIG move after feeling like Montana was the place for us - our home for the long haul. But, God has other plans and I am enjoying His sense of irony at the moment since I NEVER thought we would be going back to California. But, I am learning never say never, God just might shock the pants of me... again. Nate accepted a position that will be taking us to beautiful San Diego. He will be a regional manager for a medical company that specializes in sports medicine - more specifically, ACL repair. He is so excited for the opportunity to work with a team, to learn from dedicated, experienced men in the field, and be supported by a great network of other guys he respects (yes, they all live down there). The weather and location has NOTHING to do with it. jk - He loves to live in shorts and flip flops. Nate has been an independent contractor since we started this career five years ago. Which means, it all comes out of pocket for us: medical insurance, dental visits, all travel expenses, etc. Now, all of that will be taken care of and from my perspective, benefits like these in our fragile economy are PRICELESS. So... opportunity for Nate + benefits of job + beautiful location = move. I hate that we are leaving family, friends and a great church here, but have felt God pulling us towards change. Nate and I both felt that God was asking us to sell our house this past fall. For no particular reason, we had a strong sense that we needed to put our house on the market - to be free. Now we have a better view of the bigger picture. He was starting to prepare us for the change ahead. We are ready to downsize. Our house has been on the market since January. Real estate is slow and this is not the best time to sell a house. It is a bummer, but out of our control. Our plan is to move mid-April into a furnished apartment (in Encinitas/Carlsbad area). We don't want to strip our home while it is still on the market - it shows better "staged". We are praying we won't have to cover our mortgage and rent for long. Please pray that someone will fall in love with this house as much as I have loved this home. I will be sad to leave this beautiful spot in Missoula, but know that God has bigger and better plans ahead for us. The more I have been in prayer over this move, the more I have become excited over San Diego! We do have friends down there and even have a church we are excited to attend. Haven has amazed me. We have been discussing the move and our home for sale with her and she is ready to pack her bags and go visit Legoland! I know the girls will enjoy the beach and all that San Diego has to offer. Plus, I have a feeling we may be seeing Missoula friends come February each year =0) . We had a chance to go visit the area at the beginning of February and we did feel the confirmation we were hoping for... the sense of falling in love with our future new home! Now comes some packing, some planning and some Craiglist scouting looking for a furnished rental that won't put us over our budget! Please pray for us. I believe God can work a miracle and bring buyers to our home, find us the perfect spot for us in a month and work out all the crazy details that just about put me over the edge with worry if I didn't have enough sense to leave it all in God's hands. Our blog is titled, speerfamilymt... so the "mt" will be a tribute to the great place that was the start of our family and an amazing home to us for five and a half years.

Parker sleeps

2010-01-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

I crept into Parker's room and found her on top of all her stuffed animals asleep. She is so sweet and loveable.

Ice skating & Adventure in Snowsuits

2010-01-25T19:15:00.000-08:00

Nate and I took Haven ice skating for the first time in Suncadia when we stayed with my parents over Christmas. Haven loved it. We loved that safety bar - saved us from a few falls with her for sure.

The girls also had some outdoor time with grandpa and his quad/snowplow. Both girls looove being outside, so I appreciate dad's willingness to always make it an adventure whenever they want to go play in the snow!

Brownie Batter

2010-01-25T19:10:00.000-08:00

We love licking up brownie batter... or any kind of batter for that matter. I caught Haven in the act as she dug right in.

Christmas dresses on and ready for church!

2009-12-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

This morning the girls wore their Christmas dresses and I was so excited Parker was in a good mood for pictures; she was actually cooperating with me and smiled on cue! Haven, on the other hand, was annoyed that Parker got to sit on the Snowman gift box and she was on the floor. Thankfully, she is old enough to reason with and bribe... so I did manage a few good shots!

Haven turns FOUR!

2009-12-16T19:49:00.000-08:00

Haven celebrated her 4th Birthday this last Saturday. I learned from last year and decided to take the party OUT OF THE HOUSE! We went to our local gymnastics center and had a group of her friends run around, play, jump and eat cupcakes. It was the perfect party... for all of us.

We also had Nate's sister, Bekah, and her new fiance, Mike, here to visit. It was really fun for the girls to hang out with Auntie Bekah. We had an early Christmas together and loved sharing all of it with family.

Finally, I just had to add a picture of my friend Jody and I with our ugly Christmas sweatshirts on as we participated at our MOPS Ugly Christmas sweater contest! Don't be too jealous of how hot we look. =0)

Crazy moment of the week: This last week all of us girls were struck with the 24 hour stomach flu. I left MOPS early yesterday because I was feeling nauseated and knew I needed to get home. I grabbed Haven from Preschool and was driving home when I began to feel my mouth water. I threw out some items that were in a plastic TJMaxx bag in the driver's seat and fortunately, one with no holes in the bottom. I ralphed in the bag while driving my kids home down Reserve Street. I like to think I just accomplished a whole new level of multitasking. I managed to keep the vehicle in the middle of the lane and we did make it safely home.

December Madness

2009-12-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted a blog for a while. Mainly, because I use Facebook more and more now as my main resource of communication and connection, and partly because the demands of "mom" get the best of my time. Or, I just am lazy. If it is alright with you, I am just going to skip over Halloween and Thanksgiving and jump right into December.

I am going to call this month December Madness. Mainly because of all that happens in this month for us! I really enjoy all the festivities and love the lights, the baking, the decorations around the house, the advent calendar on the wall counting down the days... it all makes me feel cozy and assured that this is the time to share love, joy and peace with the ones we love. So far, December has been a lot of fun... but it does feel like madness at times! At the beginning of the month, I hosted and help decorate a table for our church's women's Christmas tea. It is so fun to have Heidi and her husband, Justin here in Missoula. She had the most darling Kate Spade china (with pok-a-dots) and I contributed the centerpiece and favors. It was our first time hosting for the event, so we did arrive later than we should have, forgot that we needed candles (I took a few tea lights from the kitchen so we wouldn't be the only ones no shimmering with light), and were the last table to tear down.

Haven and I attended the Christmas Teddy Bear Tea together. She loved meeting Santa and Mrs. Clause, make a craft (her jingle necklace), sip her tea and listen to a story read by Mrs. Clause. It was fun to hang out together (minus our cute, but crazy 17 month old) and feel like Christmas has truly come!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-25T08:28:00.001-07:00

Time for the Annual Pumpkin Patch! It definitely is a right of passage for Fall and something we enjoy participating in every year. We moms love the opportunity to take CUTE pictures and show off our kiddos among all the pumpkins. My in-laws brought the neighbor girls and my dear friend, Jody, joined us with her two boys, Colby and Landon.

Fall

2009-10-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

I haven't been in the blogging mode lately - mainly because our September was busy. Now that it is October, the weather is cool and the leaves are dropping leaving the skeletal tree branches bare and ready for snow (we had snow October 7th!). I am slowly changing gears to hibernating season. I am cooking more, layering more, reading more, drinking hot drinks more - all things I love. Speaking of love, I love my girls! Here are a few pics of them before church this past Sunday. Sisterly Love...

USC vs. UW

2009-09-21T15:51:00.001-07:00

I can truly say this was the one of the MOST exciting games I have ever had the pleasure to watch live! Since Nate is a die-hard, committed, loyal, strangely infatuated Trojan fan and one of my best friends , Lisa, is now Mrs. Tuiasosopo (married to Marques who was a former UW quarterback and is now on the UW coaching staff), we made the long trek to connect on Saturday for the big game. I am so glad we did! Not only did I get to see my dear friend, Lisa and her new baby boy, Braydon, I got to see Nate cry and weep as his powerhouse USC team bowed down to the UW Huskies! Obviously, I was rooting for purple and gold.

During game time, my parents took the girls to the Woodland park zoo. They had a blast seeing every animal and exhibit there. As a result, they both crashed when they hit their car seats for the trip home.

We were also able to meet up after the game with our newly relocated #1 babysitter and friend - Kyleigh - who is now a Northwest University student. We took her out to dinner and Haven got to give Kyleigh one more hug before we get to see her again in December.

Kim and Audrey come to visit!

2009-09-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Kim and her 5 month old daughter, Audrey, flew in from Crown Point, Indiana to visit us and it was so exciting to have her around for a few days! We relaxed and had some girl time - literally with 5 girls in my Tahoe whenever we went out! Pedicures, movie nights, dinner out, playing with our girls, late night chats and a little shopping was how we filled our days.

What Haven does in her spare time...

2009-08-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

Haven HAS to wear her tu-tu while listening to music so she can dance in her room. She has this notion that she can't dance without wearing some form of skirt. It is very cute to watch... even harder to catch on camera.

Family Fun Sunday

2009-08-31T14:55:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, my in-laws' church had a big picnic after the service. We enjoyed LOTS of fun activities: jumping gym, cotton candy, snow cones, horse back rides, and lots of good food! It was a fun day to close the summer month of August. Is summer over already?!

In the life of Parker...

2009-08-31T14:39:00.001-07:00

Parker is definitely NOT like her sister. She is determined, tough, picky, loves to cuddle, and is into EVERYTHING! We had to safety proof our house a second time this past weekend after she walked over to me with the Drain-O in her hand! And, sadly this past Friday she got on her tip-toes, found the curling iron cord on top of the bathroom counter top and proceeded to pull the cord until the very hot curling iron fell on her arm. This was very traumatic for me (and for her too, I suppose). We went to the doctor, got some special antibiotic cream for burns and are now praying this nasty burn will heal quickly and there won't be a bad scar. She was also stung by a bee on Sunday and today fell backwards into the kiddie pool, scraping her chin and biting her tongue. I am praying that God will protect this tough girl until she can develop more common sense and agility! In the meantime, I am doing the best I can.

She also will ONLY eat the following foods: strawberries, yogurt, mandarin oranges, Gerber raviolis, chicken nuggets, apple sauce, mac-n-cheese, grapes (50% of the time), bananas (50%). That's it. Anything the color green she automatically starts shaking her head, no. Unbelievable. I am still trying to get other foods down that hatch! Good thing she also likes her gummy vitamins.

The Old Montana State Prison

2009-08-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

This last Tuesday, we (girls and in-laws) took a trip to Deer Lodge, Montana. My father in law had some business to do there, and we heard that the old state prison is a very fascinating place to visit there. It is now a museum since it was closed in 1979 (opened in 1871). Haven was very intrigued with the idea of a prison... hence, we had a LOT of explaining to do. During our lunch break, Haven asked Papa to tell her more about jail. She just wouldn't shake this idea of a place where "bad" people go. Papa continues to tell Haven that people who go to jail don't get to see their family anymore - they can't be with their mom and dad. Haven's eyes widen and she turns to Papa and says, "Don't tell Parker that... she would be so upset!" Funny how they filter information.

Of course I forgot my camera, but if you click on the title of the blog above, it will take you to a website describing the old jail and the frequent hauntings that have occurred there... I have to admit, it was a little spooky, but well worth the trip! There are five other museums around the prison that make it worth the drive and the $9 charge. Montana's history is rich and interesting.

Silverwood

2009-07-27T21:04:00.001-07:00

We had a great time at Silverwood this past Saturday. We were there from 10 am to 10 pm and did both parks with the family. The girls were superb and handled all the fun, food and festivities with lots of energy and excitement (we won't talk about the details of the day after, but it wasn't pretty). We can't wait to go back and will definitely make this an annual event.

Tips to Make Your Silverwood Experience an Enjoyable one:
1. The big sip "coaster cups" are a good deal - .99$ refill. We refilled at least 4 times and visited the bathroom at least 8 times...
2. When the inevitable punk 8th grade kid cuts in front of you while waiting in line, charge him a $1 or 3 Pokemon cards. Either way, you'll be out on top.
3. You will be told continuously that Silverwood's "chicken strips" are "the best around." What they mean is - the best around that particular physical establishment. But, the fries are actually REALLY good.
4. Buy a scoop of ice cream inside the amusement park. They are HUGE and you will eat it all since you are at Silverwood... an it's a treat... and you don't do this all the time... and you only live once...
5. You WILL go off your diet if you are on one. Diets don't exist at Silverwood. It is an all out assault on all foods healthy.
6. Roller Coasters are meant to be ridden with your hands in the air. Warnings against this, however, are placed conveniently at the exit of the ride... along with a neck adjustment.
7. When waiting in line for a roller coaster, have some carefully crafted questions prepared in order to "blend in" with the locals. Such as: "So, that's an awesome cut-off! Is that real flannel?" OR... ""So, how did Pabst get that blue ribbon?"
8. If going on a Saturday, arrive an hour early so you can get a covered spot at the water park. Shade is priceless. Seriously. You can auction your spot to the highest bidder when you leave. Now you have money for that ice cream cone.
9. The security are obviously x special forces and should not be taken lightly.
10. In order to not look like such a tourist, stop by the temporary tattoo booth and get a nice BIG tattoo of "mom", KidRock" or any of the Nascar drivers. This will ensure that you will be treated like family... also mullets and rat tails are not necessary, but always welcomed.

Swim Lessons

2009-07-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

Haven had swim lessons these past few weeks and she LOVED it. I saw a huge growth in confidence and boldness this year. She would confidently jump into the "big" pool with her blue noodle tied around her waist. For the most part, Have would listen to her swim teacher, Bre's, instruction and guidance. Although she gave Bre plenty of her own advice and directions as well. At the end of her two week session, she was able to swim a few seconds on her own (dog paddle style). YEA Haven!

Vampire Baby

2009-07-20T22:18:00.001-07:00

Parker's top "eye" teeth have popped through which gives her a very "Twilight" quality. I am calling her my little vampire baby.

The Dish Washer

2009-07-20T22:15:00.001-07:00

Haven told me today that she wanted to wash the dishes... well, sure thing! Go right ahead... here is the soap, grab your stool and go to town! I hope this lasts...