Prayers Answered

Remember this post?  Well I am so excited to share with you all!  James had his appointment today at Children's Hospital....our God worked a miracle!  James will not have to have surgery!!!  We praise you Jesus for your healing touch!! Thank you all so much for praying for this little guy....I know Tobey, Kelly & even Ella appreciated it so much!!!  

Nursery Update

So, just a few picture of the nursery. Here is the crib with the finished quilt on it....the so cute bumper pad and sheet. Can you even believe I got that bumper pad from Pottery Barn...for $19.99!! It was on clearance...and I was so excited. Next is the drawer of all the cute little, tiny socks and onesies...how fun! And then we have the changing table with it's cover and the baskets on the bottom...I looked long and hard for those. Thanks Fairway Country Furnishings for having them...and since I work there I got a very good deal!! Aaron put a shelf up right above the changing table so I can put diapers, wipes and a lamp up there! We're ready....we just need you baby!! We're praying for you and your birthmother......loving you both!! xoxoxoxoxo

Yogurt Body Butter

Ok, so I had to share with you this AMAZING new product I just got from Garden Botanika. Did you know you could still get there products online? I absolutely love their stuff and still wish the store was here, but...the internet works good for me too. The Garden Botanika "truffle" lipstick is still the only one I use, and I've used it for probably more than 10 years! It's the only brown lipstick I can find that doesn't turn pink. I love it. They also have a great deal for Garden Club Members. You pay $15 for a yearly membership and get 15% off of every order every day and lots of other cool deals. BUT...the biggest reason for this post is the their new Custom Fragrance Yogurt Body Butter!! IT ROCKS!! I tell ya, when I saw this I jumped at the deal and got my favorite scent: COCONUT!! It's light and whipped...kinda like yogurt, but...smells so great! It's keeping my dry skin hydrated....try it...you'll like it too!

New favorites for the baby

Ok...so these are three of my new favorite things we have been given for the baby!  My Mom gave us that so very cute polka-dot blanket!!  It is so very soft and cuddly, in fact, I told Aaron I was going to use it until the baby comes.  Just kidding!  But seriously, isn't it the best??  Thanks Mom...see, you do know what I like!  Then my friend Amy S. from work got the baby these cuddly, so very soft little guys while she was on vacation!  I was also tempted to take them to bed with me, but...don't worry I didn't!  Thanks so very much Amy...I truly do appreciate your thoughtfulness....I'm so excited for the baby to see these two!!

Applesauce Making

The apples before...don't they look yummy???

Here's Aaron hard at work.  It should be said that he peels A LOT faster than I do!!

All peeled, cored, quartered and in the pot

Look at this garbage bowl!!

42 cups of yummy applesauce goodness!!  Thank goodness Tupperware makes this bowl!

The containers washed, ready and waiting

All the containers filled and ready for the freezer

Wow!!  Aaron and I made applesauce for the first time this year.  My Mom was supposed to help, but...she didn't feel very good and we didn't need to catch her bug.  So....we ate a quick dinner and began this process!!  Aaron helped me peel all the apples...that was the hardest part.  I wish we would have used Mom's apple peeler/corer/slicer...next time we definitely will.  We used Gravenstein apples and this applesauce turned out so yummy!!!  It wasn't very hard at all.  You just have to peel and of course core the apples...quarter them up and put them in a big pot on the stove.  Don't turn the heat up too high...the sugar content in the apples will cause them to burn if you try to cook them too quickly.  Take them out of the pot to cool....add sugar/splenda to taste and cinnamon if you desire...it tastes the best with it!  We also made ours kinda chunky...we both like the chunks of apple in it.  Once it's cooled and you get it into containers just pop it in the freezer and take it out as you need it....ENJOY!  I know we are!!!

Buttermilk Waffles with Jam

This is what we had for breakfast today!!  YUM-O!!! We try to limit our sugar and white flour intake here at our house.  Especially, since I have insulin resistance and a low-carb diet just works better for both of us.  This recipe is taken from the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook....it has 200 recipes that are ready in 30 minutes or less.  We have found quite a few tasty meals in here.  I highly recommend this book!  That being said this recipe calls for a granular sugar substitute...we use Splenda.  But...if you'd rather I'm sure you could use sugar.  You may just need to experiment with the amount you use.  OK...on with the recipe!!

1 cup whole-wheat flour (for a lighter waffle use whole wheat pastry flour)

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons granular sugar substitute

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 1/4 cups 1% or fat-free buttermilk

1/2 cup water

1 large egg

3/4 cup jam, any flavor or syrup...your choice

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt & sugar substitute in a medium bowl.  Whisk together oil, buttermilk, water and egg in a separate bowl.  Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.  

Heat waffle iron; coat lightly with cooking spray.  Add a generous 1/2 cup batter per waffle and cooked until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes.  Dollop with jam and serve...or use your favorite syrup.

Please note:  Once prepared, these can be wrapped individually and frozen for up to 3 weeks.  Reheat in the toaster, using low heat, until warmed through.

Dear Sweet Dena

Remember this post?? In that post I said I would sometime in the near future dedicate a post solely to my dear friend Dena.  Here is the post.  This has been rumbling around in my head for sometime now.  Probably close to a month.  I just wanted to make it fitting to her and I wanted everyone who read it to, at the most,  get just a glimpse into Dena's life.  I met Dena when Aaron and I were dating...to say I loved her immediately would be true.  My husband was friend's with her husband, Josh, who just so happened to graduate from Lynden High School with me.  Imagine his shock when he learned Aaron was dating ME!  I remember the first time we met like it was yesterday.  Dinner at Lucci's...with Josh, Dena, Tyler and Bob.  Tyler immediately took a liking to me and sat near me almost the whole dinner.  Dena was easy to talk to and so like me.  We both liked to bake and cook....she is crafty and witty!  And a super Mommy.  Dena is one of those people you just want to hug...and one you can talk with for HOURS...trust me...we have spent many a night chatting while my husband has gone to bed, her kids are asleep and Josh is working late.  You can trade recipes with her and talk about the message at church on Sunday.  We have seen each other in good times and bad.  I believe God brought Dena into my life for such a time as this.  She is a Mommy to FOUR amazing kiddos: Tyler, Julia, Jessica & Isaac.  I hesitated a bit when typing four.  But...quickly got past that.  You see, when Dena was a single Mom of Tyler she became pregnant with Julia.  She chose to give Julia a life that she never would have had...she chose adoption!  Perhaps this is yet another reason why I so love my friend Dena.  From the beginning Dena has been so open about Julia and her adoption and with that her testimony...she has an amazing one by they way!  God has used her immeasurably.  Through the almost five years that Aaron and I have been married we have been through some rough times.  Dena & Josh have been there for us!  Through three miscarriages (one of which happened while staying at their house), infertility and the death of my Dad.  They drove 3 1/2 hours one way to attend my Dad's Memorial Service...that is true friendship.  I always know that Dena is praying for us....just because. We love her and her family so much...and we are Godparent's for Miss Jessica Belle.  Because of all of this I asked Dena to help with something near and dear to me.  When we go to pick up our baby we may need to stay for longer than a week.  Now, Aaron can only stay for a week.  So...after praying about this and talking with Aaron I asked Dena if she would come and meet me there.  She said yes!!  What an AMAZING experience we are going to have!!  I can't wait to spend part of that time with my dear friend!  Dena...I thank God for you and your friendship!  I hope you realize how much you mean to me!! 

Loving you.....

April 

Prayers for James

Please join with me in praying for Baby James and his family...his Dad-Tobey, Mom-Kelly & Big Sister-Ella.  James has a condition where the front plates in his skull are fusing too quickly.  He has an appointment next Monday at Children's Hospital and may need surgery.  No one wants to have to hear the news that their son or daughter needs surgery.  Tobey and Kelly & their two kiddos are good friends of ours and we are praying that our God who works in miracles would touch Baby James right now.  We pray His healing touch on James' skull...we know that this little guy was born for a reason...he is going to do GREAT things for our Lord and Savior.  Again, just pray like you know how.........our God will do the rest!!! 

Full of Gratitude

A huge, big, gigantic thank you to our family for purchasing this Chicco Trevi Stroller/Car Seat combo for us!  We absolutely love it...and CAN NOT wait to use it for real!  It folds up so easy and the car seat clips into the stroller like a breeze.  We feel so blessed...and now we can cross yet another thing off the "getting ready for baby" list!  AND...as you can see from the bottom photo we also got a backseat for the BRONCO!!  HOORAAAYY!!!  Now, the baby can ride in that as well!  I came home from work one Saturday and Aaron had the Cabbage Patch Doll all snugly buckled up in the carseat...he's practicing!  And then the next Saturday she was hanging out in the Bronco trying out the new backseat!  I love that my husband is getting excited.  Now...we just need the baby!!!

Charlie Brown Pumpkin Bread

YUM-O!! This is my first attempt at Pumpkin Bread...my Mom's recipe!!  I always think my Mom's pumpkin bread is so yummy and I just love to eat it!!  So, after eating a whole mini loaf myself (Aaron doesn't like it, can you believe it???) I decided to get the recipe and attempt it myself.  Here are the results!!  And let me tell you...it got rave reviews!  I took the large loaf to work so I wouldn't eat it all and now everyone wants the recipe!  I'll save you all the time and give it to you now.  Just an added side note:  This recipe is an excerpt from a local newspaper...published in 1973!  When I asked my Mom for the recipe she handed me the whole yellowed excerpt...pretty cool!

Charlie Brown Pumpkin Bread

Sift together three and one-third to three and one-half cups flour, two teaspoons baking soda, one and one-half teaspoons salt, one teaspoon nutmeg, one to one and one-half teaspoons cinnamon, one-half teaspoon ginger, one-half teaspoon all spice, two teaspoons cloves.  Mix well with three cups sugar.  

Add one cup oil (vegetable or canola), four eggs, two-thirds cup water, one 15 oz. can of pumpkin.  Mix until smooth.  Pour into greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour

What a fun day!

Today my Mom, my sister Amber and I went to visit my friend Jess and her kiddos: Jake, Savannah and new twins Honor and Justice.  We brought yummy Mac&Cheese for dinner along with a green salad and of course BREAD!  I also made Jess' favorites:  Snickerdoodles!!  It was so fun to hang out with them and lend Jess some hands!  These boys are so good and Jake and Savannah take their new job as Big Brother and Sister very seriously!  Jake even changed a few poopy diapers while we were there.  So....here is our day in picture review:

Honor chillin' on the couch...I love his mouth in that "O"!

Justice hangin' out in the bouncy seat!

Amber with both the boys

Mom, Jake & Savannah played a game of scrabble....not sure where Savannah is!

Big Bro Jake & little Bro Honor

Savannah had to show me this rope swing...lots of fun for them!!

Mom and Sis making the salad for dinner

Adoption Update --

Today the day we have been waiting for came!!!  We were officially "approved".  Our agency has received all of the necessary reports and information.  Our adoptive study has been completed and final approval has been given of our family for adoption through Christian Homes!!!  Praise you Jesus!!  We serve a MIGHTY God!!  Some things to pray for: The birthmother...wherever she may be just pray that God blesses her.  What an incredible sacrifice she is making!  I can not wait to meet her and thank her, hopefully, in person.  Pray that God puts it on her heart to choose us.  Pray for our baby, that it is most importantly, HEALTHY!  We know that is the baby that God has chose for us.  He knew even before we began this journey who our baby would be.  Only He knows if it's a boy or girl....wow, I wish I knew!  And only He knows what he/she will look like.  Pray for the sweet people at Christian Homes they have been such an easy group to work with.  Specifically, Margaret & Cindy...they have been instrumental in this adoption and so helpful to us.  We are a little concerned with lodging while we are in Texas.....pray our God provides for us in that aspect.  If we have to stay for anymore than a week a hotel is going to get VERY spendy...well...even a week will be spendy.  We have had offers from three families to stay with them.  But...Texas is a BIG state and who knows where we will be.  Pray that our baby is born near one of those homes....that would be a miracle!  We know God works in miracles...so, let's see one!!  Lastly, pray for us!  This is a HUGE, gigantic leap of faith for us.  We have received funds for a portion of our fees, but...not all.  We know our God knows our needs.  We're getting anxious, excited and just so happy!  We can't wait to meet the newest member of our family!!!   

Happy Birthday!!!

August 27 is our nephew Kai's birthday.  So, we all got together on Labor day & celebrated like only a newly three year old would...at the city park.  It was actually so nice for all the kids.  But...it was kinda chilly....the wind was whipping around.  Kai is one of the most energetic, enthusiastic little boys I know.  He uses so much expression while talking...I just love it!  You can't help but laugh when he get's so excited...it's contagious.  He loves his Papa and John Deere Tractors...in fact, when he was smaller we would hold up a green crayon and ask him what color it was...he would quickly respond, "John Deere Green"!!  His blue eyes shine with excitement when his Papa walks into the room and we're all sure to get HUGE hugs when coming and going from Kai!  Uncle Aaron and Auntie April are so glad Jesus made you Kai!  You fill our lives with added fun and laughter!  We pray Jesus blesses you as you continue to grow in Him!  Happy Birthday Kai Vincent-Rhoads....We love YOU!!!  

Here Kai is with his so cool cake! His Mom rocks!  I don't think I could do this!!

YES!!!  Legos from Grandma & Grandpa!!!  He's following in Bryce's footsteps...

A close-up of this AMAZING cake!!!