Friends

Another old post that never got published.

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Cory and Colin are an interesting pair. It's a friendship that is most likely based on being their weird selves together and who knows what. I have pictures to prove it!

Thankfully, because of their friendship, Colin's wife, Amy and I have become great friends and our kids love each other. We are probably all bonded on the fact that our husbands are complete weirdos.

Pumpkin Patch

This is an old post that never got published.

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I realize most people go to the pumpkin patch in October. We did go in October, but I didn't get a chance to share.

And, I had to share because we were in Oregon at the time and went with some great family and friends.

And, Oregon is so beautiful, especially in the Fall.

And, it's Chloe and Caden together.

And...

We met our friends, the Lyons, along with Cory's family, Auntie Kaylee, Grandma Shar and Grandpa Jeff at a little farm just outside of town. Caden and Chloe are best friends. They may only see each other twice a year now, but when they get together, it's like they never were separated. They really do love each other. It's so dang cute!

So, back to the pumpkin patch...

The kids loved the animals. There were horses, sheep, and others I don't remember...maybe llamas? It was too long ago, I don't remember. At first, Chloe kept plugging her nose and saying they were stinky, but eventually she warmed up.

 

There was a huge haystack for kids to climb, a gingerbread house (I don't know why, but Chloe loved it!), tractor rides out to the field, and it was all free!

It was raining the whole time, but it stopped for a little bit while we were out in the field picking out our pumpkins. The kids were able to run around trying to find the "perfect" pumpkin while all the adults watched on, trying to let 3 year olds pick pumpkins on their own. Chloe's "perfect" pumpkin was small, which is great to carry back but, I loved that she picked one that wasn't perfectly round, it was tall and lopsided, an organic shaped pumpkin. 

 We also managed to get a few family photos, which is something I usually forget.

 

Ignore the fact that only two/three of us are looking at the camera, it's an actual picture of the Lyons and Huffmans all together. YAY!

So, that was our adventure to the pumpkin patch! I loved it, mostly because I want a farm one day. A small one, something we can live on and provide for our family.

BIG GIRL BIKE

Chloe had her 4th birthday about a month ago. Her big present from us was a big girl bike. She loves her bike and always says she "wants to go out and get some exercise."

There's a lot more than I thought that goes into teaching a kid to ride a bike. It's been a real test of patience for me because she rides so slow! I think she could crawl faster. Part of it is she brakes literally every few seconds. We have yet to make it out of our apartment complex. By the end of the summer, I would love to have her ride down to the park, about a 1/2 mile away. That would be a big accomplishment people.

BUT...
Even with the learning curve for her and me, it has been awesome to watch her learn something new and succeed, even at a slow pace. 

10 THINGS

In the past few months, I have read a few parenting books and heard different speakers talk about parenting. The one thing that has stuck out to me the most is intentionally noticing our kids. Letting them know that we as their parents notice them and they are an important human being. It's such a simple idea, but can be life changing. What person doesn't want to be noticed and appreciated?

So at night, when we pray together, I have really tried to recognize and thank God for something Chloe has done well that day, whether it's her being more obedient, trying to be patient, thoughtful, etc. Tonight, I decided to randomly tell her ten things that I like about her. And random it is.

What I Notice About Chloe:
1. You're beautiful
2. You're smart
3. I love you
4. Your feet stink
5. You're funny
6. Sometimes your breath stinks
7. You were really good at obeying today
8. You're a nice friend to other kids
9. You're polite and have good manners
10. You tell funny jokes

When I was done, Chloe was beaming and giggly, as I expected. But, what I didn't expect was for her to turn around and say ten things she notices about me, her mom. I thought they were too precious not to share.

What Chloe Notices About Me:
1. You braid hair
2. You put kids shows on
3. You are good at drying my hair
4. You give me water
5. You sing me songs
6. You are a good cooker
7. You buy me Lucky Charms
8. You are not going to buy any more Lucky Charms (because she only eats the marshmallows)
9. You give good kisses
10. You let me sleep in your bed

These ten things are pretty random, but to a 3 year old, this is her world. It makes my heart full because she knows if she needs something, as her mother, I'm going to provide it for her. And, obviously number 8 shows that I mean business if she's going to pick through her cereal and only eat the marshmallows.

RESTING

We're here at home, resting from a fun weekend.

My mom left today, after spending two weeks with us, here in Colorado. It went by fast and I really enjoyed having her stay. I was sad to drop her off at the airport this morning, knowing I wouldn't see her for awhile. One of the big downsides to living far away from family.

I hope you have a good Monday. We are trying to, but the house just seems to get more and more messy the more fun we have. Hmmm....

WILL YOU BE MINE?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chloe says, "Happy Valentimes!"

I remember, as a kid, thinking it really was "Valentime". I was so disappointed. I thought the world was messed up. Why doesn't everyone the spell it with "time"? Valentine's takes place at a certain time of year, so it would only make sense that we would say "Valentimes". Right?

Obviously, my childhood was rough, if this was the type of things I had to worry about.

Anyways, I love that we get to celebrate the day with Chloe. It's fun to show her some extra love. Then we are ending the night at Campus Life. How romantic!

WANDER

Lately, I have been loving this quote, reminding me that not everything has to have purpose or an agenda.

It's ok to just wander.

THIS WEEK

So far 2013 has been a good year. Busy, laid back and everything in between. Is that possible? Yes, it is, but I don't know how.

Here's a little glimpse into this past week in the Huffman house.

I have been loving grapefruit. I can't get enough of this fruit. I also have been eating tons of avocado, grapefruit, spinach salad. So good.

Sickness has hot our house. Chloe got the flu (as in the cold flu). It was so sad to see her in pain and not feeling well. So, Chloe and I made soup. She loves helping in the kitchen and I try to let her, but have to remind myself to be patient and it's ok if everything isn't perfect.

I posted this picture of kleenex on Instagram. We rarely buy kleenex. Maybe once a year...maybe. I grew up using toilet paper so that's what we do. I decided to buy some kleenex for Chloe's little nose and hours later was reminded why we don't buy kleenex.

We have been working on saving energy and not being wasteful, so I guess this was another "teaching moment" on not being wasteful.

And, because of being stuck at home I made play dough. I use this recipe and added a few drops of peppermint extract. Maybe next time we will add glitter. Life is better with a bunch of glitter.

And lastly, I have been trying to get a little work done with a lot of coffee. Cory gave me a pour over as one of my presents and I love it! My coffee is so smooth and fresh.

 

All that coffee talk is making want some, but I shall resist since it's 10:30 at night and I want to actually be awake tomorrow. 

So, that's been our week... sickness, play dough, sickness, and coffee.

Missing Cory? He was gone all week for work, running sound for YFC's Institute.  But it was in town at a hotel, so we were lucky enough to join him every so often and spend two night in the most awesome, comfy beds (that's my opinion, Cory hates the beds). He's a bed snob.

CHRISTMAS MORNING

Merry Christmas!

We are enjoying our first Christmas alone as a family (and our first alone since we've been married), here in Colorado. Snow has fallen on the ground, making it a White Christmas, with some sledding later this morning.

Cory and I have the house ready and are up at 6:30 a.m., with coffee, waiting for Chloe to wake up.I want to go in her room and whisper, "Santa came!" But the parent in me says, "No, enjoy the peace."

I will wait a few more minutes. :)

Merry Christmas!
Love,
The Huffmans!

THIS MAN

It's only December 4th and I already feel like this month is going to go by so quick. I really want to enjoy each day. Even though we are busy with various parties, holiday activities and everyday life, I want to focus more on quality time as a family.

It's so easy for me, as a mother, to focus in on Chloe. She's just so dang cute, but I also want to remember that there is this guy that lives in our apartment and he's my husband. Oh, hello there.

This photo was take in Cannon Beach, Oregon. We spent about 10 minutes on the beach together, after the Pacific Northwest Conference. It wasn't much time, but we were able to spend it together, take a breath, and keep going.

So, here's to trying to focus on all three of us, being together and enjoying the Christmas season, but also to just enjoying Cory and Courtne, husband and wife.

Happy December!

THANKFUL

I used to think the idea of going around the table and telling everyone what you're thankful for is super cheesy. I still do.

But, I do see the value in actually saying aloud what we are thankful for. I want to be a person that is more thankful for what I have. I don't want to be someone who is always wanting and putting value into even more material things. Stuff that just end up in the landfill, things that in the end are meaningless to our life.

I do want more when it comes to relationships with family and friends. Quality moments of just being together and sharing life.

So, I will say that I am super thankful for my family, Cory's family and especially our immediate family of Cory, Chloe and I.

I'm thankful not just for Cory, but for the husband and father he is. I'm thankful that he takes care of us with his job, but loves us with all his heart. I'm thankful for our relationship as a couple and who we want to be together.

And of course, I'm thankful for my little sugar bums, Chloe. It really is a joy to call her my daughter. I love her sense of humor, her craziness, her kisses and hugs, and the innocence of her just being a 3 year old little girl.

I want to cherish these moments of us as a family of three. Enjoying the big moments, but mostly the little ones that make up our life.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. We will be hanging out with good friends, enjoying each other, eating food and certainly not least, watching football.

Pizza Family Night

I love Thursday nights. Why? Because the next day is Friday and that means it's the weekend.

When I was working full-time before we had Chloe, I loved Thursdays too. Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, Friday means we have the whole weekend to spend time together as a family.

Every so often, if we have no plans, we will have pizza and movie night (with the high possibility of ice crea, too). We make pizza's at home and rent a couple Red Box movies, one for Chloe and one for us.

Chloe loves helping in the kitchen. As an adult, it can be annoying to just let her do her make a pizza on her own at her own pace. But, as her parent, it's fun to watch her learn, discover and make choices all from the simple task of making dinner.

Once the pizzas are in the oven we bring out a bunch of blankets and pillows and make a big bed on the floor. It's fun to just lounge around all together, being intentional about spending time with Chloe.

This particular night, we rented the Muppet's Movie. It was really weird to watch something that was apart of my childhood and now apart of Chloe's.

Sweet Love

I feel so blessed to have Cory and Chloe two in my life everyday.

Cory has been traveling a lot over the past few months. I feel like our life is anything but normal and routine. I do like the craziness, but am more than ready for life to calm down so we can settle into a normal rhythm.

I'm thankful for the little moments we get to spend together as a family. I'm thankful for moments like this one while spending a few hours in San Francisco, before another flight to another place.

Being Brave

Chloe is becoming more and more of a brave girl. For the longest time Chloe had a fear of failing, mostly when it came to physical tasks. One area we really saw this was at the park, going down the big slide, climbing something tall, etc.

It's so amazing to watch her conquer her fear and just try. She climbs on the playground, goes down the big slide, and jumps off big things (that are maybe a little too big). She is so proud of herself.

A great reminder to myself, to be brave and just try.

The Many Faces of Chloe

Chloe is becoming a little actress more and more. She is very serious about the roles she plays, whether it be Mulan, a cowgirl, a cat... and we are always the bad person.

Chloe will play pretend with herself or with any child or adult that will give the time of day. It's so fun to watch her imagination grow.

Because of her imaginary play, her facial expressions are becoming so funny.

The Happiest Place on Earth, Part 2

Part 2:

After "rest time" and dinner at the hotel, we headed back to the Magic Kingdom.

Here's the girls, Taylor, Chloe and Maddie

All of us together, the only group shot we got.

After our pictures, we made our plans:
1. Hit as many rides as possible while others watched the parade
2. See fireworks
3. See the later parade as the park closes
4. Beat the crowd out of the park
5. Get the kids to sleep before 1:00 a.m.

I think Buzz Lightyear was Chloe's favorite ride.
Look at Maddie and Taylor's picture on the bottom, right. Those are some crazy faces. :) 

 

Watching the fireworks over Cinderella's castle was magical. Sounds cheezy, I know. 

Chloe sat on Cory's shoulders to get a better view. She was in awe, as were most of us. It reminded me of the commercials you see on tv of Disney World. Something I wish I would have captured on video or in photos. Next time...

 

Another great moment that I wish I would have caught on camera was during the parade. Chloe was in awe of all the princesses and we saw Snow White. For some reason Snow White wasn't on a float, walking the parade route, she came up to us and gave Chloe a little hug, It was so sweet. I know that Chloe wasn't the only little kid that it happened to, but for Chloe she felt like it was. One of the reasons I love Disney and their intentionality to make everyone feel special.

The next day, we spent at the hotel, mostly poolside. It was awesome to relax in the warm sun and when it got too hot, jump in the pool.

The view from our room.

The weekend we were at the hotel, it was their cupcake wars. One of the activities was for kids to decorate their own cupcake. As you can see, Don is a kid, so he decorated a cupcake too. :)

Part 2, done. Part 3 and 4 are coming soon.

Mulan

Chloe, like any other little girl is obsessed with Disney Princesses. Right now, her current favorite it Mulan.

Here's a little video of her singing.

Looking Back

I love looking back at pictures and seeing how much people have changed, especially Chloe.

The Happiest Place on Earth, Part 1

This June, Cory and I got the amazing opportunity to take Chloe to Disney World with our great friends the Don and Crissie. It was the best trip we have ever been on together as a family. Disney really knows what they are doing when it comes to creating memories and making you feel special. It's magical.


We had a 5:30 a.m. flight, which meant we were up at 3:00 a.m. to get ready and to the airport. Waking a child up at 3:00 a.m. goes against everything I know as a parent. The whole time we were traveling I was praying that "sleep-deprived crazy monster Chloe" wouldn't come out! It almost did come, but thankfully she crashed in the stroller for about an hour during our layover in Houston. Overall, Chloe is a pretty good traveler. In fact, all the kids did great.

Our first full day, we spent at the Magic Kingdom. Our first ride...The Teacups.

See the lovely photo of the Talley's and Maddie's face? Love it! Chloe was a little nervous at first, but in the end loved teacups.

 

We left the park and headed to our hotel around 2:00 p.m., hoping the kids would sleep and be rested up to make it until the park closed. As we were leaving a huge rain/wind storm was rolling through. We covered ourselves in ponchos, holding them down so the wind wouldn't blow them off. I loved the rain storm, others didn't. :)

Chloe never napped at the hotel, but fell asleep at dinner, as shown in the picture above.

Part 2 through who knows what to follow soon!

Jori

Happy Birthday to my youngest sister, Jori!

When Jori was about 5 years old, she had an obsession with the movie 101 Dalmatians.  So, Beth and I would say for her birthday we were going to get her a special dalmatian present...dalmatian poop. I know, original. But, we would get the best reaction from her! It was hilarious...you had to have been there.

So, Happy Birthday, I have a special dalmatian present for you.