Brothers

These two boys of mine sure love one another. At times it take quite a bit of coaxing, reminding, and mandatory "I love you"'s and "I'm sorry"'s, but for the most part they get along very well. The way they play with each other has blossomed over this past summer. It melts my heart when I hear them in the bathtub together laughing and chatting with each other. It melts my heart when Gideon says "tattoo" (he has a temporary one on his arm of a dino) and I ask Jasper where he learned to say tattoo and Jasper replies "He learned that from his big bro... me".

Having Jasper in preschool has been hard on our little gang. We are considering pulling him out for many reasons, but a big reason is how much it is cutting into Jasper and Gid's bonding and playtime together. I feel like they really need this time to build a foundation of brotherhood that will carry them through the rest of their childhood.







We've been having many fun adventures together, trying to soak in the beautiful fall weather we're having in Seattle. Lots of time at the park, in the forest, playing with my parents' dog Pepper who is staying with us, building excavators and catapults with tinker toys, art projects, etc. Today we participated in a neat Tot Trek program at Carkeek Park. The theme was spiders!! We had a really fun time, despite the pouring rain....

Ah, the Fair

We Egberts love the Fair. We had such a wonderful time yesterday. Jasper and Gid, of course, enjoyed the rides best of all. Rob says his favorite part was the big slide and the scones (first he said, "being with you guys...". My dear cute, husband). My favorite part is the hobby and art competition displays. I love to see the blue ribbon winners. It's so exciting to me. I think I'll enter something next year. My sister, Anna, just moved to Arkansas and she had a friend ask her if she'd entered anything into the fair. Isn't that great! I'm going to start asking people around here that question!

Here are all the different categories that people can enter into:
Agriculture & Horticulture, Home Arts, Amateur Beer & Wine Making, NW International Photo Salon, Cattle- Beef, Photographers Exhibition, Cattle- Dairy, Jr/Sr High Art Show, Fine Art, Pigeons, Floral, Poultry, Goats- Boer, Rabbits & Cavies, Goats- Dairy, Youth Rabbits, Goats- Pygmy, Sheep & Fiber.

Within each of those categories are hundreds of sub categories. We spent at least 30 minutes looking at the LEGO displays. There were hundreds of submissions, all different ages and different themes. It was really fun for the boys.

We wandered around and saw all the woodwork, carving, sewing, knitting, croqueting, ceramic, metal work, jewelry making, photography, painting, and drawing submissions. I also got a look at the quilting submissions and baking submissions. Those baking submissions crack me up because they are inside this glass case for people to look at and most of them don't look too appetizing anymore.

We wandered through the dairy cows and beef cows. They are so beautiful! The boys got to milk a fake cow:





This cow was chewing her cud. The boys got a kick out of it:







We got our annual picture of the boys next to this Lost Children sign:



We all rode on the carousel together:





The rides!!!









We walked around and saw quite a few of the different animals. Jasper really loved the poultry and birds. There were these huge turkeys that were gobble, gobble, gobbling and geese that were honking loudly. Very exciting!



After a very long and very fun day we headed home. We'll definitely be back next year :)

Jasper's First Day of Preschool

Jasper started preschool today! Big day for him! He LOVED it and can't wait to go back. It's going to be a fun year full of many learning and growing experiences for him. The preschool is a co-op, so I will be helping in the classroom once a week. He'll be attending Monday, Wednesday, Friday for 2.5 hours. It seems like such a big chunk of time to me, but I know we'll all get used to it. Jasper and Gid almost always play nicely together, but I could tell that they had really missed one another by the way they played in the afternoon. Gid attended a playgroup with other co-op siblings and had a great time there. All in all, it was a success for the Egbert clan :)

We started off the morning with the usual routine of breakfast, getting dressed, brushing teeth, packing snacks, etc. Before we took off for school, Rob gave Jasper a father's blessing. My dad and Rob's dad gave blessings at the start of the school year when we were young. It is a tradition in our faith that a child is given a blessing by his/her father, to help guide the child through the course of the year. From our religious perspective, knowledge is one of the most important things we acquire while on earth. My dad always asked us before he gave us our blessing if there were particular things we felt nervous about or things we wanted him to include in the blessing. I remember asking to feel confident and make friends easily. I have such a belief in the power of these priesthood blessings. I remember my soul feeling such peace and calm after my father's blessing each year. Rob blessed Jasper with a keen mind and the ability to make lots of new friends and that he might be a good example, among many other things. It was beautiful and a special moment for our family. Of course, as soon as Rob was done giving Jasper his blessing, Gid climbed up onto the chair and wanted one too! Very cute and so very much Gideon- wanting to to whatever his big brother does:)

I had to take the "first day of school" photos next to the front door since that's what my mom always did. You can see the lovely, charming entrance to our apartment complex...





This one is a little better (the view on our front stoop):


We all rode bikes together up to the preschool. It's 1.2 miles away. We've been practicing biking up there so that Jasper would be ready to do it on his first day of school. He did awesome! Jasper is so proud of himself when he is able to ride up (little) hills and loves riding his bike whenever possible. It's going to work out great, until it starts raining. Then we'll probably just jump in the car or I'll try and be brave and pull both kids in the chariot.





Preschool was fun. The day starts off with each kids putting their name up on a big board to show who is there each day. Then we had circle time with a song, story, and talked about our theme for the week. Then the kids had free play time. Snack time was incorporated into the free play time. After that, the kids go outside for about 30 minutes and play- ride bikes, slides, sandbox, balls and hoop, chalk, etc. Then we go back inside and do another circle time with dancing, music, and body movement. At the very end, we sit in a circle and sing a goodbye song. I think we are going to love it.

Seven Years

Rob and I just celebrated our seventh anniversary! Weird that we've been married that long. It seems like yesterday that he proposed :)



I was just pondering over this candle we have burning in our kitchen and it made me think about love and life. Love begins with this spark. There was quite a strong spark and connection between Rob and I from the instant we met. Physical attraction from both sides, plus another, stronger connection which is difficult to explain. I don't know if I'd call it "love at first sight" but I knew from the instant I met Rob that there was something special and unique about him and I wanted to be with him. We became best friends. Our little flame grew. We eventually found one anothers' arms where we would spend the rest of our lives.

Our wedding day was magical. The temple ceremony, promising to one another that we would be faithful and true throughout our lives, sealed to one another for eternity. At our reception Rob read to me this poem he wrote. It melted my heart. I made him recite it to me again on Sunday night :) It still makes me melt, and cry... He's such a wonderful person to share life with. I wouldn't want it any other way.



Things changed when baby came along. We were both on survival mode for awhile. We leaned on one another and needed one another in a different way. I realized that I couldn't do it alone. We both brought such unique skills to the table. Baby needed both of us. There is such beauty in this delicate balance. We bonded over this child, as we lie in bed at 2 am oooing and aaawing over his sounds and expressions and smiles. Then baby number two comes, and we feel ourselves stretching and compromising and sacrficing even more. We both realize that it isn't about our individual wants and needs as much as it is about our family as a whole. Our little flame grows with each day, as we watch both our babies grow and develop into their own little persons.

I was watching this candle burn and thinking about how that candle signifies our marriage and our love. It must be fed in order to keep burning. If we do not protect it from the wind, it will go out. We must always put our marriage first. When Rob and I become selfish, that is when we begin to fight and disagree. When we are concerned for the others' well being and happiness, when we are considerate and selfless, that is when we find harmony and love in our home and in our hearts. Our faith helps us remember to put one another first, to continue to work at our marriage, to keep our family together, and to strive to live a Christ-like life.

This evening, Rob turned the music up loud and we danced. It was really fun. We really do have fun together. Rob and I were sort of swept away in the moment, then Jasper and Gid were pulling on our pant legs wanting to join in on the dance party. That is sort of typically story now days :)

I'm so glad I married you, Rob! You make my life complete. You fill me up with happiness. You are everything and so much more than I ever dreamed of :)

Does anyone else love this site, Little Birdie Secrets, as much as I do? My sister Anna told me about it two years ago and I try to not waste too much time reading it, but it is filled with such fun, creative ideas!

How to make your own laundry detergent

How to make a little felt needle book

How to do tye dye the easy and cheap way!

A tour to one of my favorite places in Seattle


The list goes on, and on, and on and on. It's a bit ridiculous how many really great ideas they have on their site.

I once took a little class from these ladies entitled "bottlecap art". I was so fun! I went home with beautiful magnets and pins made from old glass bottle tops.

I think I'm going to take the boys out on a little mother son date this evening and buy the supplies needed to make these- Travel Clipboard Tutorial. These would be so great for church, the car, and just for around the house fun too.