Trip to Grandma's

We recently took a 3 day trip to Grandma's that was packed full of fun and activity.  Not all of them were captured on camera, but here are a few:

We took the kids to a place called "Sky High" that has several rooms with trampolines for floors.

Joe (no stranger to trampolines) got his jump on.

Cousin Addy showed off her cheer moves.

 They had a foam pit that Addy and Joe dove into.....Joe had to be fished out. =)

 I didn't think that Ruby would set foot on the trampolines since she is afraid of ours at home,

but she really got into it and had a lot of fun.

 It was a great way for the kids to get out their energy on a rainy day.

 As soon as the sun shone its face (the last day of our visit), we got outside to a local park

 with Addy and Grandma.

 

In between we went to a science museum (along with everyone else in the Bay Area who was trying to find something to do with their kids on a rainy Saturday).  It was really fun, but a little too hectic keeping track of the kids, so no pictures were taken.  We also spent a substantial amount of time playing the Wii and eating tons of delicious food.  We even got in a visit with some of Dan's old high school/ college buddies. 

Oops!

Oops!  I have let almost the entire month of February go by without a blog post!!  Eek!  Here's a rundown of what has been going on with the Bronsten Bunch.

* Illness has been lingering in the Bronsten household, especially for our little Ruby. =(  Besides her ear infection, she has had a couple of feverish/ flu-like days about 2 weeks apart and another round of antibiotics for a sinus infection.  I am cautiously optimistic that we are free and clear of illness for the time being.

*In between illnesses WW3 sibling edition was waged.  Joseph and Ruby have been at each others throats, tormenting each other, and causing havoc.  Not easy for mom to blog when her children are having a knock down drag out fight! Why can't we all just get along?!  Or at least steer clear of each other?  But I am starting to see signs that a peace treaty is in the works as they are starting to play together a little more often.  They are currently playing "parade" as I type. =)

*Joseph has started t-ball.  I will do a seperate blog about that soon, but just FYI: his team is called the Dodgers (he wanted it to be the "Race Cars", but lost the vote).  It has been a whirlwind of glove-buying, practice-going, team-mom sign uping......yes, you read right I signed up to be a team mom (one of two), did you have any doubt I would jump in with both feet?  Here's a first glimpse at our little slugger at his first practice....the outfield is a bit slow for his taste, can you tell?

 * We had a great Valentine's Day weekend.  We started on the 12th celebrating my niece's 1st birthday and tacking  on 3 more birthdays (including mine) while we were at it.  My cousin had a bounty of fun activities for the kids.  They enjoyed all the frosting and painting and performing they got to do on their visit.  Thank you Robyn!

  Dan and I celebrated on the 13th with dinner and a movie.  Here we are, enjoying our evening.

On the 14th we had a family Valentine's celebration.  Heart shaped food abounded.  Heart pancakes, heart cookies, and heart pizza.

*The following weekend, President's Day, since Joe had some time off of school, we headed up to Grandma Bronstens for a visit.  We had a great time and did so many fun things with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Emily, and cousin Addy.  But I think I will do a seperate post just about that trip, so be looking for it!

Lesson from the Two Year Old

What a week!  We have been slammed by a cold/flu bug landing everyone but the mama with trips to the doctor and antibiotics. By the end of the week I was wiped out and frustrated at the ongoing struggle with the family's health.  I was poised at the keyboard to deliver a nice, long-winded vent that would be sure to illicit sympathy from my two readers. =)  Then my little Ruby leaned over the table and said, "Hall-loo-lah" ("Hallelujah" for those who don't speak Rubeese) in a sing-song voice.  That got the kids and I singing, "Hallelujah (Your Love is Amazing)", one of our favorites on a kids' worship CD that we always play in the car.  What a change that was in my heart and perspective!  A verse in James came to mind that a friend and I had studied, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds."  We had struggled with it a bit.....I mean PURE joy when you are dealing with neverending coughing and middle of the night wakings, pain and green boogers, PURE joy, really?!?!  But as we dug into the verse, and other "joy" verses, it became clear to us both that the joy isn't in the trial, but in our ever-present loving God that is with us through it all.  This cold bout isn't the most difficult trial we have faced, or will face in the future.  But it is an opportunity to have joy in our Lord and Savior Jesus, to focus on Him and to give Him praise.  And that is the lesson I learned from this wonderful little 2 year old blessing.

In the words of Coach Grant Taylor from the movie "Facing the Giants" (changed to fit our circumstance):

If we are healthy, we praise Him,

And if we are sick, with icky green boogers, we praise Him.

Either way, we honor Him with our actions and our attitudes.

Amen!

Reason 527

....why I love my husband.

Dan is a wonderful dad.  He has always allowed the kids to come play with him when he's in the garage.  It is a time for them to learn about how things work, to explore, invent, create, and just get dirty!  They love being out there with him.

Last night he invited the kids into the garage with him so that I could peacefully clean up the kitchen after dinner.  There was a lot of laughter going on in there, so I decided to investigate.....

Here's what I discovered:

A potato, past its prime, had been punctured with the nozzle of an air compressor to make.....

Potato Bullets!

Then the bullets were loaded into the air compressor and sent sailing toward the garage door...

with an emphasis on shooting safety, of course.

Ruby didn't shoot any, but had fun blowing things around on the floor with the compressed air.

And yes, I realize my children are running around naked in the garage, but their tendency to be half (or less) dressed between the hours of 12 -7 pm is a topic for another post.

Catching Up

If the time between my first and second post is any indication, I am off to a rough start with this new blog.  I had hoped to post at least once a week.  For excuses I submit the following:
a.) I wanted to start with a "where are they now" post about the members of our family, which would require recent photos of all of us.  Circa Christmas is not recent enough. 
b.) I had to give up the idea of getting pictures of the parents of this family because, well, we both don't really like getting our picture taken.  Who wants to look at us anyway!
c.) Getting pictures of the kids.... like cute, staged, up close ones is like herding cats.
d.) I realized  I don't have the best camera, or maybe I am just a horrid photographer because many of the pictures I took were blurry/ out of focus and I considered taking them again and then remember point c. 

So, anyway......Here's a post of what we are all up to now:

JOSEPH

Joseph is nearing his 5th birthday in April.  He is a spirited guy and is constantly talking and telling stories.  His preschool teachers have a hard time getting him to stop interjecting when they are talking or telling a story.  He is very friendly and makes friends wherever he goes, and if he had his way he would have scheduled playdates at least twice a day.  I am tempted to add "McGyver" as his middle name, because he is always asking if he can used this or that from around the house to make an "invention".  If he is not working on making an invention from found objects, he is building something out of his array of building toys.  The newest being Trio blocks and "big boy" legos.  He has quite a display going on in his room.

He is working hard learning his letters and numbers at school and writing his name.  I will have to take a picture of his writing to show his progress.  His newest adventure will begin in February when he starts t-ball.....I think he is more excited about being on a team with a bunch of his friends than the actual practice/game thing, but I am hoping it will give him an outlet for his energy and give him another opportunity to be in a structured environment where you need to listen to instruction and follow the rules.  Just trying to make it easier on his kindergarten teacher next year!

RUBY

Yeah, blurry, I know, but it was one of the only ones I got of her without her eyes closed.  Ruby or "Woo-ee" as she calls herself, is almost 2 1/2.  She has really started to blossom with her talking.  She loves to chat and ask questions in her broken, halting sentences.  Most of the time I understand her, but sometimes I need to translate for others.  She is fiercely independent, and can be very strong willed.  She wants to do everything from getting dressed, to going potty, to clicking herself in her car seat by herself.  It has been a lesson in patience for me to give her the space to try and wait for her to ask for help.  She has a spunky and quirky personality.  She likes to run around and sing nonsense songs and she will demand weird things like always thanking God for corn at bedtime prayers. (Last night she actually cried because we forgot to thank God for corn during prayers.)  While she is able to be very rough and tumble with Joseph (most of the scratches on Joe's face are Ruby induced) she is very much a nurturing girly girl who loves to put her babies nigh-night.....

and cannot get enough of lip gloss and nail polish.

I love to see her personality start to come out and am looking forward to seeing how God uses that strong will and determination along with that sweet spirit for His purposes.  



DAN AND BETH

I know, not a recent pic, but really how much has changed in almost 10 years?  A few pounds, different hairstyles, and more casual clothes and there we are!  So here's what us parents are up to:

Dan is a hard workin' man.  He puts in his hours and then some at his job as an engineering manager and then he comes home to work on one house project after another.  The most recent 2 leaky faucets and installing a tankless water heater.  Ahhhhh, neverending hot showers are pure bliss!  When he isn't fixing something at our house, he's helping out a neighbor, church member, or complete stranger through a program called ACTION (Area Christians Taking Initiative On Needs) with their projects!  We he has time off he loves hanging out with the family and playing with the kids.  He loves going off-roading or shooting with the guys.

I (Beth) have been doing this stay-at-home mom gig now for almost 5 years and still don't feel like I have a clue.  Along with the cooking, cleaning, cooking, cleaning, cooking and cleaning, I attempt to keep the kids alive and enriched.  It is by far the hardest job I have ever had, but I am grateful for the opportunity to attempt it, and fully relying on God to survive it!  I try to keep my foot in my old life as a teacher by tutoring a few local students and volunteering in a friends classroom when Miss Ruby is in an agreeable mood.  I had even started subbing a little bit.  I have been an avid couponer for the last year, and am known by all the employees at our local Rite Aid.  I am still coordinating the Kids' Church program at our church and this fall started a Mommy and Me type Bible Study with a few other lovely mommies.  I still love a good book or movie to relax after a crazy day.   

Wow, that took a while.....hopefully post will be quicker and shorter from here on out.  If you got through this whole thing, you deserve a medal or something.  But since I am fresh out of medals, you will have to just accept my thanks!

Here We Go!!!

Once upon a time there was a mom of one.  She and her husband were excited to share pictures and stories about their new little guy.  They set up a blog for him and regularly posted.

 They took oodles of pictures and logged entries and pages into a baby book AND scrapbook......for a little while.  Then he started moving, and was going to playdates and music classes, etc. etc.  And the blog, baby book, and scrapbook began to be neglected.

 Then enters child #2.  She is equally precious and of course deserves her OWN blog (and her own baby book and scrapbook, of course)  Mom tries to keep up with both of the blogs while trying to meet the needs of both said children....the blogs suffer.

Then enters Facebook.  Mom's connection to the outside world.  Easily posting a slew of pictures and explaining our day to day lives in short little sentences.  THE BLOGS DIE. 

Well the new year has brought a new urge to return to the blog, but with a cohesiveness of what's going on with the whole family.  Keeping separate blogs of the kids for years and years to come is not a reflection of our family life....so now you can follow the antics of the Bronsten Bunch here!  Hope I can keep up with it better than the baby books....wherever they are!