Good Morning

I'm not sure yet if Abram is a cuddler, but I love hanging out with him in the mornings after he wakes up and eats and while we are both still in our p-poppers (that is Hotze language for pajamas!). He is just so sweet.

Abram's Room

I forgot to post the final outcome of Abram's room after I finished it (well, for now . . . I'm thinking about adding something to it) quite awhile ago.

Dear Jaida:

Please hurry home to Iowa! We love you,and we can't wait to meet you!

Reese (Wulfekuhle) and Abram

Incredibly Wonderful News

I'm so excited to share this news, I can hardly stand it!

Our good friends, Andy and Jill Paullus, are the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl, Olivia Jaida Paullus!!! (Her birth mom named her Olivia; Andy and Jill gave her the middle name, Jaida. They will call her Jaida.)

Thank you, Jesus, THANK YOU for this amazing gift! Jaida was born this past Monday, September 21st at 3:41p. She was several weeks early, weighing 4 lbs, 6 oz, and measuring 18 inches. She is doing so well, eating well and growing. The doctor gave her a "gold star" today. Here is a little more of the story from Jill, "We talked with our birthmom for the first time on Sunday. We knew that she wasn't due till Nov. 4, but that her water had broken and so she'd most likely be induced the next day. So, we just waited to hear more and found out that she chose us on Monday! She then had the baby at 3:41 on Monday afternoon and we flew out on Wednesday to be there."

They were able to spend time with Jaida's birthparents as soon as they got there and they all signed the paperwork shortly after.

Again, from Jill, "Jaida's birthparents are great people and we enjoy being with them. Our interactions with them have been a true blessing and we are sure that God gave them to us and us to them."

Jaida is half hispanic and half African American. Is she an absolute doll or what?

And look at all of that hair!!

The Paullus's are hoping to come home in about two weeks. We can't wait!

Oh, the tears of joy I've cried this week! God is faithful. Thank you, Lord, THANK YOU!

More Big Eyes and Cheeks

. . . and lots of lovin' from Daddy!

Someone is 5 months old today!

Little Mr. Big Eyes

and big cheeks!

Video Blog

If you want to see this little guy in action, check out the new blog Jason created to post our videos on.

Greysen Gets His First Haircut

Kate was very reluctant to get Greysen's hair cut because he is not even one year old yet. But, she decided it was time for a trim (but only a trim...she didn't want it too short!). I told her my good friend, Kendra, would do a good job.

Here is Greysen at the very beginning of his haircut journey... I'm not sure what you're about to do to me...

Give me the scissors and the comb...

This isn't so bad...

A little graham cracker to keep me occupied...

Time to bring in the reinforcements to keep my head still...

Okay, people, this is NOT FUN any more! Just let me eat my cracker...

Mom tried to bribe me with my pacifier and my frog (which you can't see)...

Can we be done yet?

We're done...but I'm not so happy about it...

Okay, okay...thanks Kendra for the GREAT hair cut!

Fun and Favs

For Fun #1: We weren't at Cornerstone a few weeks ago when the Pirates did a promo for D6. But, we heard it was hysterical and could be found on youtube. So, I found it and you really should watch it. Click here: promo. It is hilarious!

For Fun #2: To celebrate our 4th anniversary, Kate and the kids made Jason and I sushi. Kate knows we LOVE sushi, but I was quite surprised to hear she made it.

And then I looked a little closer . . . Rice krispie bars wrapped around gummy worms with fruit roll-ups wrapped around. So fun!

For fun (and for my sanity) #3: We now have a guard door on our dryer vent opening so there will be no more ground squirrels in my dryer vent!Now onto some favorites from this summer (in no particular order)....

Favorite #1: My new diaper bag. My first diaper bag busted after only two months. Thanks to two friends (Allie and Jenny) who suggested I take it back, I was able to get my money back for it. My new bag is BIG, but I love it. It is my purse and my diaper bag all in one. And everything in it has its own place (I think it has over 11 pockets).

Favorite #2: My homemade (and cheap!) iced latte I make every morning. Here's the recipe:

Make coffee in your coffee pot with 3 scoops of french roast coffee (I use the cheap Walmart or Aldi brand. The key is that it is a dark roast) and 6 ounces of water.

Pour into a glass. Add a few shakes of sugar and a few squirt of carmel ice cream topping. Add as much milk as you want. I use a little 2% and a little skim. Add as many ice cubes as you want and you're done!

Favorite #3: Homemade granola. I got this recipe from my friend Shelly Guttau. Many of my friends and family have requested it and I make it every two weeks. It is great to eat plain, on yogurt, on ice cream or with milk as cereal. The picture is from one batch. Here's the recipe:

5 c oatmeal
1 c slivered or chopped almonds
1 c chopped pecans
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c sunflower seeds
1 c sesame seeds
1 c wheat germ
2 c coconut (I don't use this)
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp salt (I used 1 tsp since I used salted sunflower seeds)
(I didn't use walnuts or coconut, but increased the pecans and added ground flax seed. I also sometimes put in steel cut oats)
*Mix this all together

1 c canola oil
1.5 c honey
*Microwave oil and honey for 2 minutes, 30 seconds
*Pour oil/honey over oat mixture and stir to coat

Spread out in an even layer on two cookie sheets. Bake for 20 minutes (DON'T OVER BAKE!). Lay granola out on wax paper as soon as it comes out of the oven and let cool. Store in airtight container for up to two weeks. (Refrigerating makes it crispier.) It makes A LOT!


Favorite #3: Sun tea.
My mom ALWAYS made sun tea while I grew up. So, it brings back good memories of home when I see a tea jar sitting out in the sun. I didn't think about making it until my mother-in-law told me she made raspberrry and green tea by boiling it. So, I took her idea of using green tea bags and raspberry tea bags (that you typically buy for hot tea) and made it in the sun instead of on the stove. I found this great tea jar for 25 cents at a garage sale!


I use about 4 raspberry tea bags and 3-4 green tea bags at one time. I also sweeten the tea a little with stevia, which I get at Wheatsfield.

What Abram Has Been Up To

Riding in the jogging stroller with mom (Kate let me bring her jogger to my house, so I can run from home now!). He usually starts out awake, sucking on his hands . . .

And ends up asleep!

Playing with Greysen . . . well, its more like Greysen playing with Abram . . . and Kate or I keeping Greysen from poking Abram's eye out. Greysen just wants to get his little hands all over Abram! It will be so fun when they get older and can actually play together.
Getting buckled in by dad. This is definitely one of my favorite faces so far! Oh, his big brown eyes!

A few weeks ago, Abram hated these hanging fish, but now he loves swinging both of his arms at them and grabbing them.

He loves spending time in the exersaucer (I guess that is what you call it) . . . especially looking outside.

This is another favorite of mine. Lisa and Jessie Wheeler gave Abram those little Nike tennis shoes at his shower. I LOVE them! I feel like he looks like he is ready for his first day of baby kindergarten or something! He looks like a big boy.

Down for the night - with his leg hanging out (a regular occurance). He loves to have one of his soft blankets completely over his face when he sleeps now. So I settled for rolling them up by his face so I could sleep at night and not worry about him not breathing!

Playing with Daddy