The Notorious Gingerbread Nativity

Since this Christmas project has drawn so much attention, I thought I'd keep ya'll up to date on our progress. I initially blogged about this as a favorite Christmas tradition on our church's blog: http://www.acupofgracegcc.blogspot.com/ (You'll have to look in the "Categories" section on the R & click on "Christmas Traditions" and then scroll down till you see the gingerbread nativity. My disclaimer is: It's a family project that the children primarily do, so don't expect a Southern Living display. :) Enjoy!)

Anyways, today we did the baking. Did I mention that I have a love-hate relationship with this unit study? I love to hate it! I love the idea of baking with all the children surrounding me in their cute little aprons. Everyone working together to measure, mix, roll and cut the cookies. Well, we did at least get the aprons on and the cookies baked!! This is much further than I got last year, as Chris had to rescue me and bake it with the kiddos for me last year!

So the inevitable bad thing this year? I broke my crystal teapot! :( Diane gave it to me years ago and I have loved it all along... well, I bumped it the wrong way with a hot cookie sheet and it's a goner. I also forgot about my bread, which was rising, and it mushroomed. The good news is I didn't burn the cookies this year, we had enough dough to make all the parts AND there was enough left for Ben to make us gingerbread to eat! And I salvaged the bread dough and turned out 2 yummy loaves after all! Yippee!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Over the (St. John's) river and through the (Osceola National Forest) woods to grandmother's house we go!! Actually, it was Uncle Kenny's house in Tallahasee- and what a wonderful visit!! :) I don't know if I'll have a chance to post more pix or not, but here is a family photo- we're missing Joe, Elizabeth & Judah, Kenny & Mason, and Aunt Tina & Bob... hopefully they'll be there as well next year!

GeGe and Mom put together songbooks for us to sing out of after dinner... it was an altogether lovely day. Thank you, Lord, for a family who loves You. I pray that the next generation will rise up to praise You as well- knowing You more than we do and loving You all the more for it. Amen

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Yesterday, Lauren surprised me with the following interchange:

"Mom, look! Georgia is like a cheerleader!"

"How's that, Lauren?" I replied, not knowing whether to be happy or worried that my 2 month old looks like a cheerleader.

"She doesn't have a shirt on!" giggled Lauren.

I queried, "Cheerleaders don't wear shirts?"

"I saw some that were almost naked at the Jaguars game." And with that explanation, which was sufficient in Lauren's mind, she walked away.

So I guess I should be worried that Georgia Anne looked like a cheerleader! And I pray modesty is always that cut and dry to Lauren- either you're respectfully clothed or not... and what the Jags cheerleaders wear, in my 6 year old's mind, is "not". And I'm ok with that.

Goooo (buy clothing for your cheerleaders) JAGS!

Cloth Diapering

So I've stirred up the hornet's nest in regards to cloth diapers. :) I'll try to post a quick summary of how & why on cloth diapering- you can always research them in more detail. OR come over for a hands-on experience! It's so easy- or I wouldn't be adding this to my life with 5 children!

Who: We bought the bulk of our current supply when pregnant with Lauren. We bought used and have since used them for Lauren, Timbo, Andrew and now Georgia. I also shared them with a friend between kids. That's a lot of use! (read: they're durable!)

What: Over the years, we've used many different kinds. Now, we're mainly using prefolds (aka Chinese Prefolds) which we fasten with a Snappi, not pins, ($2.50 each www.snappibaby.com), OR MotherEase OneSize and Sandies (www.mother-ease.com) OR FuzziBunz (www.fuzzibunz.com).

When & Where: You can use cloth anywhere! When you go out, just put the wet ones in a waterproof bag (like this one: http://www.softclothbunz.com/Bummis-Tote-Bags_p_0-10.html) & keep on rollin! Or you can use 'sposies when you're out if your baby's hiney is ok with that.

Why: They're cheaper- thousands of dollars cheaper, in fact! We figure we've saved between $7,000 & $9,000 by using cloth on Lauren, Timothy, Andrew & Georgia (and potty training early). They're healthier for baby's tender skin. I won't go into a lecture, but if you Google cloth diapers, you'll get more than an eyefull on that subject. They're "greener"- I am not a tree hugger, but I do believe in stewardship. Cloth reduces waste.

HOW: This is what everyone wants to know! Ok- wet ones go straight into a diaper pail. You can use a small trash can without a lid until your baby starts to eat solids (around 6-8 months). Breastfed baby poop doesn't smell that bad till you add food to the mix. :) We're currently using a trashcan w/a lid that flips up when you step on the pedal b/c we cloth diaper Andrew as well. Newborn dirty dipes can go straight into the pail until baby has solid poop. At that point, you just shake the solids into the potty & (you guessed it!) toss the diaper into the pail. Did you know you're supposed to do the same with disposable diapers (flush solids)? Read the pkg!

When the diaper pail is full, you simply dump it into your washer (not quite as easy w/a front loader... But ah-well, such is life!) and then do a soak & rinse cycle, hot wash cycle, and then a 2nd rinse (w/vinegar if they start to smell- depends on your water). You can fold them and stack in a pretty diaper stacker or you can toss them into a neat little basket and just use them from the basket w/o ever folding, depending on your personal neatness preference. I fold. :)

Sound too simple? I know! It really is easy-that's why we do it! Minimal hands-on time and lots of $ saved. It's a win-win situation!

New Pix for you, GeGe

Here are some more pictures for you, GeGe! I'll try to take more of Miss Georgia soon- but she's sleeping now so they all look the same. :) I love you!

Everyone else, enjoy the pix!

Meet Georgia Anne!

Short version for the guys: Last Friday, we welcomed a new little one into our family. All in all, I was in "active labor" for 44 minutes as Chris recalls. I was in "labor land" where time stands still. :)

Georgia Anne Olsen was born at 5:28 pm. She weighed 9 pounds 6 ounces, is 21 1/2" long, she has lots of hair though we're undecided on the color (dark brown or auburn? give it a day or two!). She has blue eyes and is a precious part of the Olsen fam already!

For all the girls, here's the longer version, though the full thing (with emotions and all) will have to wait for another time, when life slows down (ha!): My labor started with my water breaking at 1:30 in the afternoon. Chris rubbed my back and shoulders while I sat on the birth ball. They weren't too sore- but labor is one of the few times I get as much back rubbing as I'd like, so I wasn't turning down a backrub! :) I was 5 cm dilated. The rest of the birth team arrived, Katie and Kristin, and got set up- we were ready to have a baby!

Well, they were ready but my little one wasn't quite ready yet! (That's a good order, by the way. Birth team ready and waiting for the little one, not vice versa!) The wonderful thing about a homebirth is the relaxed atmosphere while we all wait for my body to do what it was created to do. So we talked, I walked around the house, sat on the birth ball some more, my sweet sister rubbed my back and then Sharon checked me again- I was 8+ cm and though the contractions were still around 3 min apart, they were getting much more intense.

I decided to get into the tub to help ease the intensity of the contractions. Andrew came in to check on me. He loves taking baths and really wanted to join me in the tub! But I had to turn my little buddy down because they were really getting strong and it was almost time. Granny took him out to play with Ben, Lauren and Timbo upstairs and the birth team came in.

This is where the relationship with my midwife is such a blessing. Sharon is so steady, soothing and encouraging. I know I can trust her and that she isn't only relying on her own strength, but on that of the Lord. When I started to push, she helped me get in a position that both felt good to me and was productive in pushing out our baby! Katie, a student midwife, was a huge blessing there as well- she was encouraging and super helpful. (Thanks, Katie!) I pushed for about 10 min (according to Chris, time was standing still to me). I couldn't feel this baby move down the birth canal as obviously as I did with Andrew, but when I looked in Sharon's eyes, I knew things were going just as they should. Perseverence!

Chris offered to sit behind me so I could brace myself on him, but I decided no since I was almost done. Sharon told me to reach down and feel my baby's head- that is so encouraging! Another push and her head was out. (That felt much better!) Then she told me to reach down and get my baby. Sweet relief! I reached down and lifted my little one up and onto my chest. My baby!

Smiles and thanks to the Lord abounded- my new baby was here. The children came in and Lauren was the one to nervously look and then gleefully announce, "It's a sister!" GeGe, Daddy & Lauren were right! She is named after my GeGe, her great-grandmother. Georgia Anne Olsen. Timbo cut his new sister's umbilical cord. What a big boy!

There is so much more that I love about birth- the excitement of sharing birth with my hubby, Mom and sister (who is due in February with her first!)... A nice warm shower and then snuggling down into clean sheets on my own comfy bed afterwards... The children being the ones to do the newborn exam with Mrs. Sharon- what a privilege! The Lord was kind to us and birth was, once again, a sweet time of waiting, trusting, working and welcoming new life into our family.

No greater love...

Sunday, I was really tired. My body was so tired, I couldn't even stand for worship! Baby felt BIG and heavy and low... in hindsight, I see it was the culmination of several nights without sleep, the children and I travelling and Chris being out of town- I was just worn out!

When Seth lead us in the song, "We put our hope in You" (I guess that's the title), I was reminded of God's goodness in a new way. I lean on him in a different way when I don't have any other choice... perhaps my life will grow in such a way that I will be that dependant on Him regardless of my circumstances. (Let it be so, Lord.)

I jotted these notes down as I worshipped this great God who speaks to me, personally. "When I'm exhausted, sick and physically worn out, I would do well to remember Christ's death. He laid down His life for me and now He holds my days in the palm of His hand. These days aren't a surprise for Him! And His example for me is not simply endurance- it is joyful submission!! It is putting my hope not in how I feel physically, but in Christ and His loving death for me.

Thank You, Lord, for songs full of Your Word, Your Truths, sound doctrine... thank You for encouraging me Sunday and for sustaining me every day.