"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Isaiah 46:4

Missing our Kids

Our babysitter is on vacation this week, so we had to make some alternative arrangements for childcare for a few days. So we went to my mom and dad's for Labor Day and then left Grace and Isabelle there with them and Grandma for the week. They put Grace's pack and play up at my Grandma's house and she slept over there at night. Although she got Gram up quite a bit earlier than she's used to rising, I think she enjoyed the early morning cuddle with Grace. There's nothing like sweet smiley Gracey in the morning! Gram said she felt like Sarah in the Bible, who enjoyed a baby in her old age.

Conrad and I have been enjoying much sleep and relaxing evening doing absolutely nothing. I have even been taking a cooking sabatical! But, after an hour or so in the evenings, we look at each other with a what-are-we-supposed-to-do-now look? Boy, do we miss our girls and are already counting the hours until Thursday!

Grace the Gallant

Grace is so brave. She isn’t even 11 months old and she is walking. Granted, she doesn’t walk all the time, mostly, she walks when it’s inconvenient to crawl. But she is hilarious. On Monday, my friend Kim came over with her two boys and the four kids played outside. Grace and Kim’s youngest, Aaron are two days apart and they are in daycare together so they are used to playing together. One takes off, and the other one follows close behind. It’s so funny to see these two little baby behinds chugging along. Our babysitters told me that they take turns stealing binky’s from the other’s mouth and laughing when the other cries. She is still the sweetest and most easy going baby. Every night as I lay her in her crib and she puts her babywise self to bed, I thank God. Because it was not her Babywise drop-out parents that made her this way!

Our Big Girl

Isabelle is starting Preschool on Friday. Last Friday we went to meet her teachers and get used to her classroom. We like her teachers and think she’s going to have fun at school. I was a bit late signing her up because..well…she was two and I certainly wasn’t thinking about school! So I could only get her into the Friday class. So she goes one day a week for two hours. I think she’ll have fun…and I’m trying to not be too dramatic about the whole preschool thing..but I WAS the only parent with a camera during “meet the teacher.” Oh well.

Innovation Tuesday

My dad planted a big garden this year, in honor of my granddad…who loved to garden. I told him if he did it I would can the goods. I don’t think I knew what I was getting into as he planted 14 tomatoe plants! So canning I did! So far, I’ve gotten two bushels of tomatoes that I made into salsa and simple diced tomatoes. I hear several more bushels are on there way! Eeesh. I’m thinking of trying my hand at spegetti sauce too.

I have also had a burst of creative energy recently (as is typical for me!) and went about trying to organize some aspects of the Michael household. One dilemma we have is that Isabelle is a constant grazer. She never eats a full meal but snacks all the time. I hear most toddlers are this way? Anyway, she can open the fridge and rummage through for her own snacks and she also pulls a chair up to the pantry and goes through it looking for her favorite treats. Any kinds of real “treats” we have kept on top of the fridge (where we consequently keep EVERYTHING we want to keep away from Isabelle).

I read this idea on some blog (that I would really like to give credit to, but can’t find the source!) of keeping designated snack bins for your toddler. So I bought a bunch of healthy snacks, sorted them into little snack size bags and put one in the fridge and one in the pantry. Isabelle LOVES carrying around those little snack bags of treats! So far it’s worked like a charm AND she’s eating more veggies!

Another dilemma we were having was getting a semi healthy breakfast for Conrad and I on the days we both work. The kids eat at the sitters, but I was mostly eating peanut butter on frozen waffles and conrad ate toast. So I also read (on another un-credited blog) this idea: Combine, eggs, milk, (I use) cooked , crispy crumbled turkey bacon, and cheese. Line muffin pan with muffin tins or aluminum foil, and fill with egg mixture, bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees. I froze them in the freezer and take them out one at a time and microwave it. Eat on a toasted English muffin. Yum!