Day 12: Take A Moment

I need to take a moment and thank many of you who have been caring for us recently. So many of you have sent gifts, helped with the kids, or taken care of our needs in some way.
We are so thankful to have friends and family like you.
I am in awe at how even those we know who face similar financial struggle have poured out abundantly on us to make sure we're okay--that just amazes me. It reminds me of Jesus' life and parables--how the least of people and poorest gave all that they had.
It's easy to get caught up in the woes of this world, and it seems sometimes that the majority of people don't live the life God called us to. We've had hard times in our life before where we really learned to rely and trust in God. This time it's gone beyond that, and I'm learning to trust in God's people.
I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God.

(By the way, to the "garden gnomes" who sneaked into our yard while we were gone, and cleaned & cared for our garden & lawn: I know who you are, and I love and appreciate you. :)

So, today:

• Grandma Diane visited with Emerson. The boys played outside with bubbles, while Eden and I took a little trip to Target.
• B&N called me today, and I have an interview for a part-time job tomorrow.
• Matt was home for a whopping hour and a half today--enough time to enjoy dinner together. Tonight is opening night for All Shook Up. Thankfully, that means Matt will be home before midnight (here's hoping). At least rehearsals are over & next week will be somewhat less chaotic.
• I took a nearly 2 hour nap! (This RARELY gets to happen, and this week it was more than necessary.)
• Didn't take any pictures today, but I'll make it up to you tomorrow.

Day 11: A Bike Ride

Today was Matt's day off, and we took the kids for a bike ride. Owen absolutely loves going for bike rides, but this was Eden's first time in the trailer. She smiled from ear to ear the entire time.

I tried to get a photo of them both smiling at the same time, but alas, these are the best I could get.

It was a really great day.

Day 10: Early Bed Time

I was geared up for a pretty hard week, and thankfully it's not been so bad thus far.

Matt is in rehearsals for the musical "All Shook Up," and he's gone until close to midnight. On days that he works at Starbucks and teaches it means he's pretty much gone from 4 a.m. until midnight.

Praise the Lord that this week several students cancelled their lessons. Normally, that's not something I'd be excited about, but it meant Matt came home today for one hour & had dinner with us.

He's EXHAUSTED. When he came home this evening for dinner, he asked if he could just have 20 minutes to rest. I didn't mind, but Owen was desperate for Daddy-attention. So, Owen crawled into our bed with Matt & sat quietly with his truck while his daddy took a wee nap.

Cool kid-stuff today:

• Owen can count to five using his fingers.


• Eden not only is pulling herself up, but she attempted to climb up onto the couch tonight.

The picture explained: I'm going to bed after this post. I'm exhausted too. I don't sleep well without Matt, so I've been up working late on projects when he's at rehearsals. I'm hoping that if I go to bed early it will give me the energy to get up with the kids in the morning & let Matt sleep in (tomorrow is his day off).

Day 9: A busy day

The kids and I spent the morning at the WIC office. *Ugh*
Good news though, we were approved, and received checks for food on the spot. Hooray! Better news: They cover goat's milk (a staple in Owen's diet). YES!!!! Now, I just need to figure out how to be creative with carrots, tuna, peanut butter, and beans. Hmmmm....sounds like another blog I need to start--"Culinary Delights Using WIC Food."

It was a really hot day too, but that didn't deter us from our daily berry picking activities.

Eden also volunteered to sample the first of this season's green beans. (Mom, I swear in the profile she looks just like Grandma/your mom.)

Tonight was Owen's first swimming lesson. As expected, our little water bug had so much fun he

didn't want to leave. He jumped, splashed, blew bubbles, and had a great time.

Day 6, 7, 8/30: What Happened?!?!?!

Saturday and Sunday are somewhat of a blur. I had pictures and a plan on Saturday, but at some point it all disappeared.

For those of you who have ever dealt with any form of depression, you can probably understand this. For everyone else, let me illuminate.

Some days, at random times, and usually for no reason specific at all it feels like you're being sucked unwillingly into a black hole. Your energy is immediately depleted, and it's all you can do to crawl into bed and pray. Your head is overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions that just seem to spin out of control, and you're desperate for rescue before you drown in this abyss. That's basically what happened Saturday morning shortly after putting Eden down for a nap. Owen quietly played in my bedroom as I laid there curled up & not moving.
Just as quickly as it happened, it left, praise God. I only remember praying. I jumped up, showered, and cleaned house just like normal.

When Matt came home I told him what happened, and it really bothered him (a totally normal response). He asked me why I didn't call him. I told him depressed people don't call you, you call them.

So, this weekend went by without a blog posting. (Sorry, momma.) I'll catch you up on the other happenings, and we'll move forward undeterred in our 30 day post quest. (It's my blog I can do that if I want to.)

On Saturday the kids and I created a fort/obstacle course in the living room. It was a bunch of fun, and Owen & Eden had a blast playing together inside.

Recap of last week: Eden now pulls herself up to stand (which she does all the time, even in her crib--YIKES), she not only likes berries, but now is snacking on Cheerios and anything we give her from the table, Owen loves to feed her (which, wasn't so great when I found him feeding her berries in the kitchen--the floor and the girl were a mess of pink berry goo), we caught Owen laying on his slide staring up at the clouds, pointing & talking (we're not sure what that was all about), Owen sings his ABC's, and he now when asked how old he is he holds up three fingers and clearly says THREE! Whew! What a week!

I don't have pictures from Sunday, but I do have video! This is Owen doing his respiratory therapy. He recently learned that he can make really funny noises while it's running, and it's hilarious listening to him.

Matt got a raise today! Hooray! Still praying for a promotion, but with the recent Starbucks store closings it could be awhile before that happens.

Today's picture: My hardworking hubby, picking berries:

Day 5/30: Caught Red-Handed

Another berry-muncher has joined our family. Little Eden seems to enjoy black raspberries just as much as Owen. (Though she has the luck of seeds not getting stuck in her teeth, being that she doesn't have any!)

The berries are ripening quickly now, and it's a twice daily activity to go and pick berries. There are so many now that we actually have some leftover day to day. I might even attempt making jam.


















Bathtime after berries. (Naked in the tub is okay to show on the blog, naked in the pool--that's another story--yes, it's my bizarre logic, and I'm okay with that.)

Day 4/30: I can't show you the photos.

Owen had so much fun swimming yesterday that he really wanted to go again today. Being that our pennies are limited, I thought I should break out the inflatable pool our neighbor gave us.

Upon opening said pool, we realized that by inflatable it means something (or someone) will have to force air into it (duh). We also discovered that the cap to the valve through which air passes was missing. Hoorah, a challenge, like that's going to stop stubborn me.

I searched everywhere for my hand pump that came with the excercise ball (which, is now my "birthing ball"). I'm thinking I must've left it at a birth at sometime, b/c it's no where to be found.

Matt wanted to throw in the towel (metaphorically speaking--throwing a towel literally into the pool would not have helped our situation at all), but I wasn't giving up (especially b/c Owen was hoping around the backyard screaming "Oh, boy! Oh, BOY!")

I grabbed my blow dryer & ran to the backyard. Okay, this worked, but now how do we keep the air in without a valve cover.

I yelled to Matt "TAPE." He didn't budge. "Seriously, hon, go get some tape." After a short discussion on whether or not the physics of tape and high pressure air where really going to work, and me INSISTING IT HAD TO, Matt went and got tape.

Meanwhile, I commenced orally blowing up all the little sections of this inflatable pool. (It has a little water slide, a smaller wading pool within the pool, and a palm tree sprinkler.)

After a lot of deep breathing, and 3 pieces of packing tape, our pool is functioning. Owen filled it with water & ran for his swim trunks.

After awhile of being in the pool, Owen declared that he wanted to take of his trunks--I kid you not. If you haven't been to our house (shame on you--we have an annual open house chili party in October--get it on your calendar now), the backyard is pretty much open to a large green belt and several other neighbors' backyards. So, basically, anyone & everyone can see what's happening in the Cramer's backyard.

Before I had a second to reason with my 3-year old (like that ever works), his trunks were off, and he was squealing with delight (and how cold the water was on his bare bum).

Of course, I took video, but I love my boy too much to post those videos online (no, no, I'll save those for the future girlfriends).

He came inside after a grand time of playing in the nude in the pool, but continued to streak his bare bum around the house for the remainder of the morning & through lunch (pb & honey must just taste better naked). We did have a long talk about how it's okay to be naked at home, when it's just us, but his trunks are to stay on when at the city pool.

Just before nap time my two kiddos decided it was time to wrestle with their momma. Owen (still naked) pounced upon my belly--which, some of you know, makes me giggle uncontrollably. Eden thought she should get in on the action, & crawled over. She proceeded to play pat-a-cake with my face while Owen bounced. This, and more (imagine me flat on my tummy, hair sprawled everywhere, while two giggling babes swish my hair around and blow raspberries on my back) continued for quite some time. I remember thinking I wish I had a picture of this, but alas, I was having too much fun to stop & grab a camera.

During this attack on my, I also hollered for salvation from my dear loving husband, but where was he? Enjoying a nice, hot, quiet shower. He just doesn't know what he's missing.

Okay, so photos. Not going to show nude photos of my baby boy, and didn't take photos during the mommy-attack, so these will have to suffice:

The aforementioned inflatable pool:

Me--after a great morning with my kiddos: