there's a lot...

...of this going on these days. 

(Usually Bry's working on his laptop while he kindly lets me work on the desktop with the MUCH larger screen!)  He has worked so hard to get all of his job applications in.  Now we're just waiting back to hear from the different schools.  He currently has campus visit invitations from New Mexico State (Las Cruces)  and Illinois State University (Bloomington Normal) with a few more prospects that seem promising.  October will be BUSY!  But we're so grateful to have things moving forward, to have some initial interest and to know that the Lord is with us each step of the way.  

Sweet Dahlia.

 

 

We finally did a mini photo shoot of Dahlia last night as the sun was setting.  (She is already almost one month old.  Where has the time gone?!)  She is too sweet for words.  We of course had to get a few pictures of her big brother, Victor, out on the front walk where all the kids play.  If you look closely he's wearing a pair of green butterfly wings that he put on while playing with my daughter. Love it!  He'll be a great big brother to a little sister :0)

Gourmet Chocolat.

 

Our friends the Baileys have been putting on {very reasonably-priced} Gourmet Dinner and Chocolate Tasting evenings this month (and have done them every year since we've lived in St. Louis).  They're just cool like that ;0)  We've always wanted to attend and decided this would probably be our last chance.  I'm so glad we went.  From the table settings, music, company and food...it was all delightful and just the break we needed from a long day and an exhausting month.  Holding Bry's hand, savoring forkfuls of delicious food and tasting chocolate?  Doesn't get much better than that :0)  Thank you for a wonderful evening!

They are putting one last dinner on this Friday so I sent out this personal plug to some girls in the area and ward...

Hi Ladies,

After attending the Bailey's Gourmet Dinner and Chocolate Tasting on Friday, I had to put in a personal plug.  If you're looking for some delicious gourmet cooking, a delectable palette of chocolate, familiar faces and a lovely ambiance...there are still spots available for THIS Friday (27 September 7-9pmish)!!  (I think you just need to let Christina know by Friday morning)  I personally think you won't be disappointed!!

   Sarah :0)

Sue the Frog.

Today Alex was holding Sue the Frog* (while I was changing his very smelly diaper),"Hi Sue the Frog, good to see you.  You need some milk?" Next he promptly lifted up his shirt and placed Sue in the nursing position.  Oh man.  The things you evidently learn around here...

Bry: Alex doesn't know how to use the potty, but apparently he knows how to nurse ;0)

*Have I mentioned Sue?  One day we were seriously needing some comic relief.  Alex had yet another poooopy diaper.  In efforts to lighten the mood I grabbed the nearest stuffed animal in sight and started singing (does motherhood bring out the songwriter in you?!)...

"There's a Frog name Sue,
and she smelled some poo {sniff, sniff}
and she said "ew, ew" to the poo...
ew, ew."

front walk Friends.

Oh how I will miss walking out the front door, sitting on our front steps under the tall oak and ginkgo trees...providing shade at all the right times and a cool breeze often accompanying the kids' afternoon play time.  But I will especially miss the ever friendly faces that greet us.  It's amazing how a shared sidewalk has caused for our little world's to collide on an almost daily basis.

With this whirlwind of job applications and talk of our time in St. Louis coming to an end, I had to take a few minutes today to document some of our front walk Friends.  We've had several come and go over the last three years, but here are some of our current playmates...

Joyce's pretty purple peas.

These two are good friends, but in a 2 yr. old love/hate way ;0)...If only "Addy" didn't torment and tease Miss Kenzi.  

Alex in particular LOVES this little pink & purple battery-powered 4-wheeler (that Lian left us before heading back home to Saudi Arabia).  He affectionately calls it his "bike" and is forever asking to bring it outside.  I love how it putts his cute skinny little self along :0)

(I have yet to get pictures of Heather with beautiful baby girl, Dahlia.)

2(Tea for 2+2)*

*With much conversation about Bry's dissertation, job applications and such, I am thinking in numbers and spreadsheets lately ;0)

(14 September 2013)

A few weekends ago, Laura & I did a take two with our mother-daughter "tea party" (Hi Tea in Fenton).  The place was crowded and subsequently the service was slow (not so sure it's worth trekking out there again, even with a Groupon), but I had a great time with Brie.  She looked so darling all dressed up! And although she spilled her herbal tea all over the table (this apple doesn't fall far from the tree ;0)), she so daintily sipped her pink lemonade and loved the tray of soup, sandwiches and sweets.  She was so excited to have Hannah there and even had a little card that she'd written to give to her.  I love seeing Brie have a good time, makes my heart happy.

Hannah's dresses were already all packed up for the move so she picked this one out of Brie's closet to use.  The girls also coordinated their plastic pink and purple necklaces ;0)

Love this sequence of Laura & Hannah....Laura is such a sweet mom.  When I'm getting worked up over little things I often think of how Laura would be handling the situation (with much more patience and love!).  She's a great example to me.

 After we ate we headed upstairs to the "dress up" room.  Brie especially loved the giant doll house.  It was a fun outing, especially before the Hintzes move yet again...and a little bit farther away from us :0(  We sure are grateful for those Hintze girls and the great friends that they've been.

I asked Brie what she thought about our outing and this is what she had to say..."I had SOOOOOO much fun.  Brie's tea party was SOooo fun.  Oh yes yes yes.  Mom's too.  I love her cause she took me there.  I think she's great.  I think she's wonderful.  I think she's great.  All the time I think she's always good and always nice and always thoughtful.  I had ssssso fun and then I played with Hannah in the doll room.  Then I went downstairs.  I drank some tea and some lemonade and had some yummy food then I went upstairs and played.  All gone."

Nailed it.

Have you all seen this awesome picture floating around the internet?  (In my mind depicting all of  those project ideas out there that seem to easy til you attempt them and they TOTALLY bomb!!)  I laugh every time I see this because this has happened to me so many times.

Remember how organized and great Brie & Alex's room looked last Fall?  Well, the last few weeks as I've sat on the kids bed during bed time, I can't help but think of this "nailed it" picture.  

 Sept. 2012           Sept. 2013

It looks like we're building our own crib barricade here, what has this room come to?!

The differences here are subtle, but if you take a closer look you'll quickly see the ensuing clutter.

Oh how innocently Alex seems to be playing here.  Don't mind that ALL of the shoe cubbies (minus the ones out of his reach) are no longer functioning.

Wow.  Just wow.

On the upside, Alex has taken up "reading."

On the downside, Alex has also taken up climbing.

Unfortunately a year later it's looking mighty sad.  Honestly I think Alex is the main culprit here.  It is amazing how many things he has torn apart, broken and ruined.  Ironically most of it has been done during time outs.  What consequence do you give for destroying things during a time out?!  I have nowhere else to put him.  We've tried boxing up some of their things so there aren't as many things for him to get to, but the boxes just end up in our room...and let's just say there is NO more room.  Any ideas?  In any case, I'm thinking in our next place Brie is going to have her own room...

Going back to school...as a Professor.

(backpacks from Aunt Rachie)  

Around the time everyone started going back to school, one morning Brie & Alex slung their packs on and headed outside to "wait for the school bus."  I love that they look like turtles carrying around their LARGE shells :0)

Speaking of school, at the end of August I made this little sign to congratulate Bry on finishing his summer paper and presentation and making it through 3/5 of the PhD program.  Little did we know that our time in St. Louis would be a year shorter than expected...

After presenting his summer paper, Rich (his main adviser) mentioned to Bry that he has no worries about Bry being in front of a class, that he'd be able to give high recommendations to a variety of  more teaching-oriented schools (as opposed to one that leans towards research), and that they'd be lucky to have him.  Along with that, Rich suggested that Bry go on the job market this year which means that he is applying this Fall (for a position starting NEXT Fall of 2014) and graduating May 2014!  Teaching-oriented schools tend to not be as prestigious and don't pay as much, but we feel like this shift is perfect for Bry.  We both feel good about things, are excited about the prospects and really feel that the Lord's hand is in all of this so we are moving forward with faith. (I should add that this feels like a HUGE leap of faith into the darkness!  If it wasn't for reassurance from the spirit I would not be up for taking this jump.)  It will take a monumental amount of effort on his part and divine intervention to get ready for the job market.  But already in the process we have felt an outpouring of love and support and direction from the Lord.  It has given us the opportunity to grow closer as a couple (as we discuss, research, study, pray and strategize) and closer to God.  It's amazing how the Lord works in our lives.  And I just have to add, I am so proud of Bry's dedication. It's like he's been running one marathon after the next and is now being asked to do a sprint with hurdles. Go Bry, Go!  Go Team Graden ;0)

Bry is currently working on his job market paper (dissertation) and packet in preparation to submit his applications.  His plan is to apply for 40 schools or so around the nation.  Just like with coming here to St. Louis, we feel like the Lord has another mission call in store for us.  Where will the Lord be blowing us next?! :0)...

341 days.

341 days: Painting with Brie and making her silhouette.
340 days: I was sick, so nothing :0(
339 days: doing a pretend birthday party with the CUTE rainbow playdo cake she made me :0)
338 days: making a welcome home card for Katlyn, Brie coloring a picture for Snickers. Tea Party (What was the hardest thing this week? Thunderstorm.  Alex not sharing and hitting me :0(  The best thing? This tea party.  When Alex is happy.).  Playing grocery store.
337 days: Brie helping me make dinner (chicken divan) and cards for Nicole & Hubby and new baby.
336 days: reading library books snuggled up on the couch.
335 days: making cards for Hannah & Laura, read "the Bear who Shares" (CUTE book!)
334 days: Mother-Daughter outing with Laura & Hannah to Sisters' Tea House for High Tea :0)  Chilling out in a tent on back patio, listening to our Disney Pandora station.
333 days: Sunday.
332 days: white crayon + water color fun  :0)
331 days: Tea Party Tuesday with our version of Peach Lemonade
330 days: making Pear Purée (for Lij's baby food) and Pear Pie Filling (for a future making of chocolate pear cheesecake bars). Piggy Banks for the beginning of $ management. (9/18)

what's that Mommy?

Alex: (pointing to my chest) what's that Mommy?
Me: (trying to hold back a snicker) a breast.
Alex: (excitedly shouting as he holds out his shirt and points inside) I've got breasteses in my SHIRT!
Brie: no, you just have nibbles Alex.

Oh man, crack me up!  And there we have it folks, Anatomy 101 with Alex...with Brie's help ;0)

Surprise x TWO.

Over Labor Day weekend Kate & Steve and Sam decided to come visit their favoritest Muslim & Mormon neighbors in the Lou ;0)  It was great to finally meet their adorable not-so-little Sam (already turned 1 in July) and to have them meet Lij.  Not to mention that Azhar schemed up a surprise birthday party for Sam and Kate & I schemed up a little baby shower for Azhar...I loved that they both ended up being surprised :0)  (The three of us are so different in so many ways, but I count those girls as two of my dearest friends from St. Louis.)  Steve (& Bry and Essam) manned the grill while us girls chatted and took some pictures.

Sam and his beautiful Mom, Kate.

   

Sam giving Lij a little squeeze.

One side of the room was jungle theme for Azhar's baby boy, the other was circus train (look familiar?) for Sam's birthday.  This group is known to party :0)

Little did they know that they 

were each bringing a cake ;0)

the birthday boy. 

 I've said it before, I'll say it again...we sure blessed out in the neighbor department!