Sunday, 10 April 2011

  • Now We Are Six

    Now We Are Six - A.A. Milne When I was one I had just begun When I was two I was nearly new When I was three I was hardly me When I was four I was not much more When I was five I was just alive But now I am six, I'm as clever as clever; So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever. By A.A Milne

Saturday, 30 October 2010

Monday, 12 July 2010

  • Caden's Birthday and DeCarlo Family Beach Trip 2010

    We've had a flurry of activity the past few weeks... here are the pictures.

    Caden's 3rd birthday!  Since he has such a love for balloons we had a balloon themed party.  We bought a helium tank and peppered the first level with balloons.  All the kids gathered 'round for a balloon decorating craft... which was fun for the kids (and possibly equally as fun for the parents ).  It was fun gathering the supplies for this activity as well... different colored yarns, pom-poms, googly-eyes, sparkly gems, foam stickers.  Jon took off work and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs (because the party was on a Friday (playgroup style).  I also made this super easy ice cream cake.  It was quite happy with how everything turned out.

    Soon after the party we began planning and packing up the house for our week-long beach trip with the DeCal family.  We had a lovely time.  Mom and Dad rented a place 1 block from Bethany Beach and it only rained 1 day  out of the entire week.  Some highlights for Jon and I:

    * Watching the boys thoroughly enjoy the sand and water... building sand castles, digging for sand crabs (and holding them too), prancing around the surf, watching Ky design a motor boat in the sand and Papa and Jon helped to make it, watching Caden drive his dump truck around the sand .

    * Ice cream custards on the boardwalk

    * Eating the yummiest crab cakes ever at Mickey's with Jon on our date night

    * Taking a walk to the beach with Jon to gaze at the stars

    * Definitely taking the kids to Funland with their cousins. It had tot sized carnival rides that THRILLED Ky, Caden and Katie... they loved every ride and especially this one ride that was really fast (Jon told me afterwards that Caden was under the required height requirement) but all 3 of them LOVED it and it was a highlight for all.  Maybe I'll post the Flip video clip of it.

    * The crab feast with Jennifer, Michael, Kati Black, Mom and Dad.  A bushel, corn, fries, beer (root beer for me )... so much fun (and maybe even slightly dangerous) to see how each person cracked their crab claws .

    * Outlet shopping... I purchased a super sweet outfit for Audrey .

    * Watching Harry Potter movies squished on a couch with yummy snacks with Mom, Jon, Mike & Kati.

    * Introducing the boys to Funnel cake and watching Ky get his first tattoo (airbrush tattoo of course)....

Wednesday, 21 April 2010

  • A plumber & electrician recommendation

    Our home has needed a lot of work in the past several years and so we've gone through several plumbers and a few electricians... NONE of which we have like until now!

    Save yourself money and the hassle of bad work and go with these licensed and insured, self-owned companies:

    Plumber= PDG Plumbing Services LLC.
    Contact Owner: Khin (pronouned like "Ken") Htay
    Phone: 240-793-2163 or 240-793-6494

    My notes on him: He was recommended by Josh & Shannon Harris and this week he came to service our kid's bathroom after we had a plumber mess-up a job and then refused to take our phone calls to make right what he did wrong (he did come by and confirm that it was his mistake but we can't get a hold of him anymore.) Khin on the other hand is a professional, a quick responder, excellent communicator (walks you through what he will do and why) and his price was honest and fair. He answered my call quickly and came to give me an estimate the day after I called him. We excepted his quote (b/c it was better than a quote we had received by another well-known plumber that kept forgetting to come when he said he would come). Khin came the day after he gave me the estimate to do the job (and even called to ask if he could come earlier than when he was scheduled). He also did a fantastic job cleaning up the area he left.

    I got to know him better and learned more about his family, history and experience and I think he's great and want to see this guy succeed.
    ______________________________________________________________________________________________

    Electrician
    Company Name: Your Electricians, Inc.
    Phone: 301-977-7375
    Email: yourelec@aol.com
    If I am remembering correctly his name is "Tom Candhland"


    My notes: If you ever need an electrician, contact this guy... we've been through big electrical companies (Kolb) and self-owned (several) to finish our basement, fix kitchen electrical problems, etc) and Tom is the best. He solved the root problem as opposed to just treating the symptoms like others before him. And was up front with all his costs. He was recommend by our friend, Dave Dabbondanza. We will definitely be using him in the future.

    Here's his contact:
    Company Name: Your Electricians, Inc.
    Phone: 301-977-7375
    Email: yourelec@aol.com
    If I am remembering correctly his name is "Tom Candhland"

Monday, 05 April 2010

  • I wrote in my journal a few months ago {feeling a gentle nudge in my soul that perhaps another little girl was in my womb... one I could… keep}.

     

    There are some sorrows that resist words.  It burrows deep in the blankets of years past and it’s scabs stick to the very fibers.  There is safety in namelessness. 

     

    And yet there is strength stirring that wants to lay its eyes upon it long enough to make it speak.

     

    The very thought of it frightens me to pieces… so I will end it there until more strength finds me.

     

    Today my sonogram revealed that in my womb lies a little girl.  How good of God not only to have known all along but to have anticipated that there would be preparation needed in my soul for grief I did not anticipate and a restoring of things I would've rather kept broken.


    These words echo in the corridors of my heart as I can’t help but think of the girl I gave away and now the one I can call my own….

     I will restore to you the years

       that the swarming locust has eaten…

                                  Joel 2:25-26 

     

    How KIND of the LORD.  He owed me nothing.  I owe him EVERYTHING and yet…

                                                          He restores me. 

                                                I didn’t get what I deserved {Jesus bore upon himself my reproach} 

                                                                And yet…

                                                          He restores me.

                                                         

                                                       I am awed to tears.


Thursday, 18 February 2010

Tuesday, 05 January 2010

  • August 2010...

    Quote from Stepping Heavenward p. 228-229 by Elizabeth Prentiss,

    “She says [Elizabeth Prentiss' sister in law]I shall now have one mouth the more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music, and drawing. Well! This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other. Here is a sweet fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which it dwells is worthy all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ’s name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother’s heart, welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers!”

    Babe #3 is in the oven!

    Hearing the heartbeat never ceases to amaze me (that's what the waves are at the bottom) it always feels like it's the first heartbeat I've ever heard .


    Baby bean chillin' with her yolk sack (that's what that circle is).  She's still under 1 inch tall (we're calling her a "her" because that's what I think and hope he or she is.)  But we'll love her even if she's a "Kevin" (if you didn't see the movie "UP" what I just said won't make sense :)


    This picture is my favorite b/c you can see her silly big head and her arm bud and leg bud better .

    How this pregnancy has been different so far (fuel for speculation)...
    I have felt very sea-sick.  My boys were easy pregnancies with little side effects (besides exhaustion of course) but this pregnancy has included nausea and food aversions (I'll have a strong desire to eat a particular thing one second and the next second I will hate it with all my guts and heave at the thought of smelling it ).



Tuesday, 28 July 2009

Tuesday, 19 May 2009

  • Currently
    Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches
    see related

    What have we been up to?


    Ky won a coloring contest that he entered via the Gazette and so our family was awarded tickets to go to see the Cole Bros. Circus for free (several weeks ago.)











    This was today at the Mommy & Me event hosted by the Rockville Town Center.  We met up with some friends to do some activities and have some lunch.  It was a gorgeous day.  Here's a picture of Ky stringing a noodle necklace for himself.


    Here's Caden-Waden... he was quite content most of the time to just sit and enjoy the ride... with the help of a few snacks :).



    Here's me & my little boys!  Thanks Hemi for the captured memory!
    ___________________________________________________________________________________

    Another thing happening in the DeCarlo household is much reading, studying, praying, conversations and preparing for the task of Fostering Parenting.  We believe the Lord has brought us to this place and is giving us faith for the heartache it can be and the challenges we may face and He is giving us a love and excitement we just can't explain.

    If you are interested, Jon and I have been listening to and reading some EXCELLENT material.  It has challenged us and have opened our eyes to how amazing our own adoption into God's family is (I dare say they are MUST reads, whether you're interested in fostering/adoption or not):

    Some ways you can be praying for us:
    1. Timing- 1) Ky is starting preschool at Redeemer in August and we would most likely be licensed and able to begin fostering in September but should we begin then or ________?  2) We need wisdom with when to try for #3 (as of now, we are putting that on hold until we get our feet wet with fostering and will keep having conversations about the timing.)
    2. Change- Ky and Caden may be sharing a room sooner than I thought, Ky's carseat will have to move to the back of the van (where he'll be sitting by himself instead of next to best buddy), Caden will have to adjust to not having his brother around (Ky will start preschool in August) and having a new kid in his home.

Monday, 13 April 2009

  • Ky's 4th Birthday Celebration!



    My 4 year old


    Peek-a-boo!




    Isn't this the cutest picture EVER???

     







    Here's the recipe for the Oreo Chocolate cake I made.  The easiest cake ever.  The only thing I did differently was majorly reduced the amount of sugar I put in the whipped filling (I put like a tiny fraction of what it calls for... since the whipped cream is already sweet & the Oreos also add to the sweetness.)


    Random picture of a bit of a traffic jam going up the stairs from the basement


    Cars!




    Crazy about Cars.

Thursday, 09 April 2009

  • I didn't die!!!



    I knocked on my neighbor's doors this morning to invite them out to the Easter service despite these obstacles:

    • Um, who likes to knock on people's doors???!!!  NOBODY in their right mind!!!
    • What will my neighbors think... after 5 years of living here, I have never invited them to our church... I've never even introduced myself (to some of the folks whose doors I will knock on)!  And now... suddenly I'm going to INVITE THEM TO CHURCH??!!  Do you feel my churning??!
    • - It's a super busy week as I prepare for Ky's 4th birthday (lots on my "to-do" list) as I prep for his party... this isn't convenient, Lord!
    • - Caden busted his lip this morning pretty bad and has been crying ALL morning... not a happy fella (this could be disastrous, I thought)
    • - I dropped by church to get invitations at the welcome center to find there were NONE!!  Not even an invitation to just the Sunday services... only invitations to Introducing God and ESL classes (not quite what I was envisioning)
    • - I came home hoping to print some out on the computer but the invitations weren't working (long story).
    • - I called the church office to see if they could send me something and I got the answering machine!  I've never gotten the answering machine before!  Is this a sign that I'm crazy and really shouldn't go out?

    This was NOT on my "to-do" list today... or ever.  But after praying this morning, "Father, Hallowed be your name..." I felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to GO right now.  The Spirit brought to mind, Jim Donohue's message last, last Sunday... in particular these points:

    1) How can I go from passionately worshiping God and experiencing His love and forgiveness and then turn around and remain silent?
    2) We will only become more comfortable reaching out to non-Christians by doing it.  You won't have a heart for the lost until you start hanging out with them... you will not know how lost they truly are.
    3) Jesus stopped for me.  He was on his way to be crucified but he wasn't too busy to stop for Zaccheus... He wasn't too busy to stop for me.

    I knew that if I put this off for "later" that I would end up talking myself out of it.  So I scribbled on the
    "Introducing God" invitations information about our Easter Service (not too classy but functional) and headed out the door with the kids (Caden in a stroller).

    I started by knocking on the door of the guy, Jon and I refer to as "the angry guy across the street".  He's big, has tattoos, never smiles, yells a lot. I gave Ky the invitation ... his wife came to the door and I said, "Hi, I'm your neighbor from over there and just wanted to invite you to my church's Easter service" and I for the 1st time introduced myself and asked her & her husband's name.  Now, I can pray for them by name.

    I got to talk to one lady who has recently retired from teaching and goes to a Presbyterian church nearby... got to know what was happening in her life... until Caden started crying... but it was cool getting to know the person behind the face.

    I then took the boys for a walk to CVS to invite the manager but on my way there, there were some boys and a mom at the playground so I stopped to see if the Lord had anything here for me....

    Long story short, me and this mom ended up hitting it off right away, despite our apparent differences (age primarily).  She took my # (alas, I didn't have a pen on me or I would've taken hers). She is a non-practicing Catholic whose been to our church b/c her husband helped to build the new portions of our church and brought her to the site (when they were done doing construction) to show her how beautiful the finished product was.  This all started with a simple, "hi" and "how old are your boys?"

    The irony is that my flesh, has already asked me to pinky-swear that I will NEVER talk to strangers again... but I'm praying that the Holy Spirit would change me... and that enjoying Care Group, the rich fellowship with friends, seeing the goodness of God through singing songs, experiencing the power of the gospel in my marriage, hearing God's word preached each Sunday.. would loose my lame heart to leap to my neighbor's doors... and invite them to our home... so they too can know the joy of being reconciled to God.

Tuesday, 07 April 2009

  • Brothers...




    I love these two.

    The two together produce the most tiresome day but nestled between those ticks, tocks, bops and drive-you-batty-banging on the pots ... are moments that no salary could rival, no camera could capture or words describe.

Wednesday, 11 March 2009

  • All time favorite library book...


    This book is currently out of print and can only be obtained through the public library or used book markets.  I highly recommend it.

    There are 4 stories in this book:
    1) Alfie gets in first- ( if your child is mischievous considering skipping this story until you've reviewed it on your own but it could also open up a teaching opprotunity... to not be foolish).
    2) Alfie's feet
    3) Alfie Gives a Hand
    4) An evening at Alfie's

    The illustrations could tell a story of their own.  The facial expressions will make you smile.  Alfie's vintage petticoat, shiny yellow boots and bedtime robe will capture your heart.  Shirley does an outstanding job capturing childhood at age 3 with all it's ups and downs- however ordinary.  I feel like Shirley has captured bits of my life and the life of my children in her charming, gentle stories.  Alfie's sister, Annie Rose, should be made a boy and named "Caden-Waden"... they are awfully similar!  Ky asks me to read this to him over and over again and this is one of those that I just don't mind re-reading.

Tuesday, 03 March 2009

  • Truth for the sinking soul...

     

    Lately I've been growing increasingly aware of several things:

    1) How unregenerate Ky is... and how he definitely prefers other things more than God.  His deadness has been weighing heavy on my heart and I've been fretting.

    2) My sin and utter inadequacy.  Lately Ky (and even Caden now) just prefer dad when he's home. In a message by Janis Shank that I listened to a while ago, I remember her saying something to the effect that boys start being drawn to dad b/c they are naturally drawn to their masculinity and that's where they learn to become men.  I have no problem with that and definitely want to encourage that but the reality is that without training (which we are working on) Ky can be downright mean and disrespectful towards me just b/c I'm Mom and not Dad. 

    I try very hard to make sure that Ky knows I love him but I leave discouraged at the end of the day b/c no matter what I do I can't get away from being chop-liver .  And serving someone whose love you can't earn is drudgery (b/c my motives are not right). I am tempted to despair and start to think that maybe I'm doing something wrong and maybe Ky hates me because I'm a difficult person to live with?  Maybe he didn't really forgive me for acting angrily towards him?  The list goes on....

    3) I've been reading Don't Make Me Count to Three and about a million other books and it's been so good and helpful but again I am made aware of how I fail to meet up to the books standards/God's standard and the serious of my task.

    Needless to say, I've been SINKING.  My prayers have been more of a panic than a peace.  But today I read, Matthew 14 in my bible reading plan in verses 22-33... and I was refreshed and relieved once again....

    Jesus is walking on water and he calls out to Peter to come and Peter comes out and begins to walk but looks at the wind and freaks out (this is my version b.t.w ) and he begins to sink. Jesus words are so meaningful, he says:
    "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."
    "Come."
    "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

    I was convicted that I've only been looking at "the wind" (the bad fruit, the sin) and I've been sinking (feeling overwhelmed, anxious, sad) but ti's b/c I have forgotten that God is HERE, right here in my dining room listening to Ky goof off as I read about the crucifixion.  He knows Ky and he knows him more deeply than I do.

    When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, the wind became bigger than His Savior.  When I feel anxious, doubtful, am sad... I am forgetting that God is present, He cares for me and is FULLY capable and is WILLING.  When I look to Jesus I find that He promises me, that his Word will not return empty but will produce the fruit that it intends (Isaiah 55:10-11- thanks Jess for reminding me of this last week) and that His yoke is easy.

    TRUTH:  My faith should be in God who saves.  Even if I were a perfect parent, God would still need to regenerate my son's heart, no tactic or human wisdom/action or inaction can change a human heart ONLY God... who fashioned that heart.

    TRUTH:  My hope is not in Ky's ability or inability to comprehend, feel, pay attention.  When God acts, my son WILL follow. God loves these children more than I do.  It is His joy and HIS desire (not just mine) that these children bring Him glory.  They were made for Him and He is the Faithful Shepherd that leaves the 99 for the 1.  I can trust Him.

Monday, 02 March 2009

  • Paperback Swap Rocks!


    PaperBackSwap.com: Swap Your Used Books - MD Logo
    Today I sent out 4 books and am waiting to get 2 books in the mail that I've wanted for a while but just didn't want to buy.  Well, if you love to read and collect books, this is for you too! 

    You can get rid of the books you have that are cluttering up your house and get credits to get other people's books that they don't want (which happens to be the very book that YOU want!)  And if you are picky about what condition the book is in, you can set your preferences to weed out what you don't want.

    No fees.  No risks.  No lugging the kids to the Post Office.  Everything can be done at the convenience of your home.  Check it out here: LINK

    They also have the same club but for swapping DVDs... I haven't used this site yet but if it's as good as the book one, I will be soon.  Link to it below.  And let 'em know that I referred you so we both get perks, my login is: michelleybelly@msn.com

    SwapaDVD.com- Join our Online DVD Club and get Free DVDs when you swap, trade, or exchange your used DVDs with other Movie club members for free.

Wednesday, 18 February 2009

  • Somewhere Over the Rainbow


    Over the Rainbow - Jason Castro

    I love this version of this song.
  • Currently
    War of Words: Getting to the Heart of Your Communication Struggles (Resources for Changing Lives)
    By Paul David Tripp
    see related

    Valentine's Day Week

    It's not that I'm a strong believer in "Valentine's Day" itself I just find it (and a few other holidays) a good opportunity to make memories with the family or to communicate love in a special/non-mundane way and sometimes do both!


    Tip: If you ever want an intense color for your frosting don't use regular food coloring, I highly recommend Wilton's concentrated paste (I purchased mine at A.C Moore in the cake making aisles).  It makes brilliant, intense colors with only a drop. I used regular food coloring to make the pink frosting but Wilton's concentrated paste to get that intense red.






    The finished product.  This was the best tasting Sugar cookie/Cut-out cookie I've ever tasted (and I'm not even fond of sugar cookies) but these tasted like butter cookies (you know the ones you buy in the tin?)  Here's the recipe.  And if you like the glossy glaze of the frosting, the recipe for that is here.


    I made a heart shaped pizza for Jon.  I love this recipe for the crust and sauce (minus the Cayenne & Pepper flakes b/c it makes it too spicy for the kids).  I used pizza dough I had frozen a while ago so that saved me some time.  Dough is super easy it's just the thought of making it that is more intimidating than the actual process (IF you have a Kitchen-aid).


    This is the special lunch I packed for Jon the day before V-day.  Isn't it hilarious that I wrote, "Jon's Love Munch"?  I couldn't stop laughing at myself when I realized it was a little too close to another type of "munch" that you called each other in middle school ... oops.



    For V-day I surprised the family by making homemade waffles.  I prayed that they would turn out right and they they did!  Thanks Kelly for lending me your awesome waffle maker!


    Tablecloth from dollar store, arrangement from my living room coffee table and some felt hearts from my craft box gave us a inexpensive but festive table.


    But these are the guys that made the set-up so much more cheery and warm.




    This is what happens when you hang out with Caden-Waden for too long .

    Jon surprised me on Friday by taking me to a restaurant he had researched and found called, Michael's Noodles.
    I LOVED it... it was right up my alley... authentic food... close to home... not too expensive... and this place actually has a nice interior unlike other Chinese restaurants that have great food but looks like a Jiffy Lube waiting room.  Babe, you did good... you did good.  Thanks for your diligence to continue to study me and know my likes and dislikes even after 5.5 years!  Let's go again soon... pretty please?

Wednesday, 11 February 2009

  • Guess who can carry a real tune?

    Caden-Waden!!  Yesterday while in the kitchen I heard Caden singing, "ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma" to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle little star!!  He is currently almost 20 full months old.  I was/am so proud.  He has always been more musically inclined than Ky.  When he was an infant he would try to "sing" along at church during worship.  And he generally is just more vocal than Ky.

    Another milestone.  Today at the playground today on Travis Lane, Ky for the 1st time went across the poles that swing (kind of like moving chopsticks with spools at the bottom) all by himself.  At first he was like, "I can't do it" but with a little encouragement he pressed on and was very proud when he completed it (I was proud too!) 

    Today was 69 degrees outside... absolutely beautiful day.  What a blessing from the Lord. 

Thursday, 05 February 2009

  • Currently
    The Neighborhood Mother Goose (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards))
    see related

    Funny Ky & Caden-Waden sayings


    Caden was twirling around and around last night and Ky looks over at him and exclaims, "he's a PRIC-NESS!"  (pric-ness= princess). 

    Just now, I was admiring Caden and saying things like, "he's such a cute little baby" and Ky from the breakfast table says, "No, he's a skunk."  lol... he wasn't trying to be mean-spirited or anything it was just random... I'm not even sure if he knew that skunks were smelly :O).

    Ky says a ton of cute & sweet things but I keep forgetting to write them down!
    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Caden started singing his own tune last week.  He woke up from his nap and sang, "Gu-key, Gu-key Ga-Ga-Ga-Ga" over and over again (Gu-key is how he says "Monkey"... "Monkey" is a new stuffed animal that he loves but not as much as Puppy of course.)  He sings this same song now but with a "D" at the beginning.  He also hums along with me sometimes when I sing him the Gospel song during bedtime... it's so sweet.

    Caden is A LOT more verbal than Ky was at this age but isn't as nimble as Ky at this age .  He currently can say (for my own memory's sake):

    - Die-pa (for Diaper)
    - Poo-poo
    - Guy (for Ky)
    - Gu-key (Monkey or Brown Bear or any brown stuffed animal)
    - Wassdat (What's that?)
    - Mom (Mama- Me!  He just one day decided to start saying "mom" instead of "mama" which is what Ky calls me)
    - Peez (Please)
    - No-No!
    - Car
    - Hel-peez (Help please)
    - Da-du (thank you)
    - Do-do (Love you)
    - Byeee (Bye)
    - Hi-eee (Hi)
    - Ga, ga, ga (Go, go, go)
    - Ni Ni (my mom)

    Caden is still "mom's" boy too.  Often throughout the day he'll still run to me to get a hug and is very affectionate towards me.  I am going to soak it all up before he becomes all about dad. 


Monday, 02 February 2009

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