This Christmas

Hello my dear friends,

This year I wanted so much to send each of you a Christmas card with a cute little note. But I just don't have it in me. Normally I make the card and get it all ready to go with stamps, return address, and labels. Then my handsome hubby puts all of addresses on them and puts them in the mailbox. But alas, he is studying for finals... yes, again. And I am tired!! Did I tell you that I am expecting Dean baby #4?? Hence the lack of posting... and the lack of my presence anywhere really. BUT, I am feeling much much better these days. I am into the second trimester now. Hallelujah! We are very excited to welcome another red head, most likely right? Especially the other children. Luci devised a plan just the other night as she and Elijah sneakily cleaned the kitchen for me. As I was thanking them she said, "Hey! now that we will have 4 kids in our family it will be much easier to clean the house together! Now we can do ALL the work for you mom. And I if you keep having more babies, soon I will even be able to change the poopy diapers!" YES! I love this girl. Elijah agrees with Luci, and follows her orders. Well, depending on his mood.

Anyway, back to the cute little note that you will not be getting in your mailbox...

This Christmas we are so grateful for the Lord's hand in our lives. Without which we would NOT be able to pay a mortgage, and rent, and be able to live in this wonderful, and expensive city. Miracles people, miracles every day. We are also grateful for the angels that surround us... YOU! We hope you know that you are loved by us, and more importantly by our Savior Jesus Christ. May you remember his unconditional love for you and for others this season and new year.

With all our love,

The Deans Jacob, Danielle, Luci (5), Elijah (3), Mary Jane (1), and... little bun in the oven (due in May)

Janey

Mary Jane, MJ, Janey, Janers, Janey Bop, Jane Jane, Jane, Janes, Baby Jane...

She is super proud of her new shoes.

Can't believe this girl is turning one tomorrow. And I only have like one post of her on this blog here. Oh how times have changed. Oh how this year has rocked my socks. I have learned so much! Learned never, NEVER to judge another person. Just when you think you have yourself figured out and the things you will always or maybe never do... you never or maybe always do them. Okay that was deep... or I am just really tired. Yup it's the latter for sure.

Being the mother of these three children is hard. But that's what I am here for. To take the challenge and to succeed. My children need me, and boy do I need them. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that won't leave me comfortless. A Father that doesn't leave me to my own devices... because then, I would fail. I know I won't fail if I strive to follow Him, and that doesn't mean being perfect, it means trying. He knows my heart and he answers my prayers. He guides my paths as I seek him. I know that's true. Do you?

Hopefully I get around to a special post for Janey, because this is not it. But here is at least one picture of her! :).

She Had a Burthday Too

She had to go and turn 5. I am really not sure about all that is going to happen this year. Kindergarten?? Riding the bus?? My goodness is she ready though. We drove past her school the other day and she got so giddy. She asked, "ooh mom, are there teachers in there? And desks? And do I get a math book?!" We have already started her summer homework packet and she is hoping to get much more homework when school actually starts.

The other day she was pretty hysterical that Elijah had scribbled in her workbook that we bought from Costco. She sobbed through her  tears, "MOM! This was supposed to be educational, and now I can't even learn what this page was going to teach me..."

She came to me with this little note that she had written all by herself. I wrote at the bottom what it really says.

She is a monkey now more than she ever has been. She still uses her toes for just about everything. Notice she is holding her cards between her toes while we are playing slap jack. She has so much energy it's crazy! She climbs on everything and is constantly moving. I am so glad it's warming up so we can harness some of her acrobatic feats.

She loves to eat with chopsticks, taught herself. She requested a Chinese restaurant for her birthday dinner. Pretty impressive :)

I love this little girl so much.

Yes, this is my girl. On the airplane back from Utah this winter she had to sit by herself across the aisle from me and the two littles. She entertained herself by reading the skymall magazine... She was 4...read the whole thing... 

Seriously love the crazy fun that this girl brings into people's lives.

She can often be found squishing on this baby girl... Man I love those curls, and those freckles.

 (I know you're all jealous of the magical place that we get to live in now :) So come visit us! Please!)

And making this poor guy do who knows what... here she is "nursing" him under the nursing cover...

But she sure does love him. 

He Had a Birthday

Elijah had his third birthday among all of the commotion of moving. He is very proud about being 3. He is also very proud of all the hair that he now has, he points it out quite often. He requested a construction cake with dirt on it this year. So we re-created this little diddy off of pinterest. He loved it. For his birthday party he had a couple of friends over for a dance party. If he hears music he can't help but bust out the moves, no matter where we are. He is also very protective and controlling of the dance floor. He is found giving instruction to all. And since it is apparently against his personal code of ethics to use a contraction, he yells, "I told you do not do it like that! Like this mom..." 

Elijah is most famous around here at present opening time. His expressions are priceless. Everyone he knows loves giving him gifts since he usually exclaims, "Thhhaaank You! It's what I've always been wishing for!" And it is the most sincere little voice you have ever heard. Even if it is something he never even knew existed. He is the sweetest little man.

You never have to steal a kiss from this kid. He gives them out freely.

Goodbye to The Ohio

I drove away from St. Martins place with a pint of Graeter's double chocolate ice cream in my lap, a  backseat full of children, and tears in my eyes. It was a beautiful day and I couldn't help but linger in my house for as long as I could. This was where it all began, everything I can remember about being a mother started here. I baked my first (edible) loaf of bread, canned my first jar of peaches, planted my first garden, two of my children took their first steps, I learned how to keep a house and make it a home, had a second and third child, made many forever friends... Big things people. Very big and precious things.

I'll miss you Ohio. Maybe we'll be back...

 

So, we have a lot more stuff this time around!

So excited to help unpack!

Pen marks on one chubby cheek are thanks to big brother on the long car ride to our new place.

To Be a Mother

Things are movin' and shakin' around these parts. Especially this little Janey Bop. I can't seem to keep her in any seat. She has wiggled out of her car seat, the Bumbo, and this rocking chair many times. We are going to have to keep our eyes on this mover! Just now as I was blogging she rolled half way across the room to get her hands on the space heater... good thing I caught her! I know this next picture has weird lighting and is not in focus... but talk about focus on that baby's face! I love how she is soaking everything up. And I love how much her big brother and sister love her. I just love love our quiet days at home. Mostly.

It has been much harder lately to stay sane as I try to keep the house ready show, pack, and think about where we are going next. I won't lie, there have been some days when I have been super irritable and grumpy. I try to focus on doing my best and enjoying the moments. 

Try that though when you've just spent all morning cleaning the church, and scrubbing your house (with a baby strapped to your chest and a toddler hanging on your leg with your husband out of town) til' it sparkled for an open house. Then literally just seconds after your handsome 3 year old wakes up he pees on the floor, gets out a bunch of toys to show the realtor, and then... your car won't start. So you pack up your littles and walk to the library to chill for 2 hours... not mention no one actually shows up at the open house.

   I am so grateful that it was a beautiful day outside and that we had to walk. Otherwise I think all of those events would have made me crazy. But, Heavenly Father knows what we need. I needed a walk to the park and a gyro at Baba's grill with my little man. I wish I would have brought my camera! Mary Jane let out the most wonderful laughing fit ever while she watched Eli swing, it sounded exactly like Luci. Little twinners I tell ya, except Mj might even be louder than Luci was. Especially her screech.

And so my friends a walk, some laughs, some food, and then it was all better! I am excited for what happens next, and I know I can handle it! So bring on the rain! I know Heavenly Father sends us trials... seemingly small, and seemingly large... to make us stronger. Flying on a plane across the country this winter with 3 small children taught me that, yesterday taught me that. Oh to be a mother :)

Love

Just a few things that I am loving this month...

Angel kissed faces in the morning. (Freckles!!)

Chubby cheeks to kiss...

Who can guess what this is?? Well, somebody please come save me from it, since I still have half a pan and I've been eating 2 pieces a day since the big day :)

This would have been so perfect if I could have been skiing in it. So lovely. I am going to miss this quiet little street of ours.