Stubbert Hub

Let the Countdown Begin!

2010-11-16T07:01:00.000-08:00

So, I am basically using this as my outlet for my excitement. In only 12 more days we leave for our family vacation. The reason I need an outlet? The kids don't know. We are surprising them and going to Disneyland and Legoland the week after Thanksgiving! I love planning and looking forward to things so it is really hard not to be able to talk to the kids about this. They would share my excitement and we would look at the Disneyland map and discuss what we were going to do, etc. But they don't know...so I am left to be excited alone and countdown in my head. Scott is excited but he does not want to hear about it all the time--he is not quite the disney freak that I am:) However, he is tolerating more than usual:) I love vacations. Not so much because of the destination but because it gives our family a chance to get away and focus on each other and enjoying our family. Life can get so busy and family time is definately a high value/priority of mine. So join me as I countdown the days. Later, I will write more about my obsession with planning and getting the best deal and the high that it gives me:)

Family Pictures Nov 2010, by Christine Stubbert

2010-11-13T14:19:00.001-08:00

I'd like to share my Walmart Digital Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

My Montage 6/30/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-06-30T15:07:00.001-07:00

Inspired by friend Robyn's slide show I decided to give it a try. This is from our recent trip to Brookings, OR with my sister and parents.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

2009-12-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas is over. I am always amazed how quickly it comes and goes. We had a great Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve at my sister's new house and enjoyed delisious tamales after attending the Christmas Eve service at our church. It was a fun evening with of course lots of noise--how can there not be noise with 6 children!

The next morning the kids woke up at 3am ("go back to bed"), 5am ("go back to bed") and again at 6am ("ok, get up on the bed and we will get started"). We start every Christmas morning by Scott reading the Christmas story with all the kids on the bed. Then it is in to the living room for presents! We had to wake Ezra up as he was still sleeping. I thought about letting him sleep, but then worried about the fact that he would miss all the "present opening" pictures and then how would he feel years later. Ok, so he would probably understand but I would feel bad...so "wake-up Ezra." I always enjoy watching the kids get excited over their gifts. For Silas I believe the highlights would have the Lego Star Wars Visual Dictionary and Lego Star Wars watch; for Mary her Princess Vanity (a hand-me-down from a friend, but don't tell Mary), the boys received a joint gift of a bike trailer to ride in when Mommy goes for rides (hopefully, more often). My favorite part was Scott opening his gift from me--Love Boat Season 1--in case you are wondering, he doesn't like Love Boat, but this was my way of tell him we are going on a cruise in April. I have been keeping that secret for months and was so glad to finally tell him. He is very excited as am I!

After presents it was breakfast consisting of Giant Breakfast Cookies (made with whole wheat and honey--a new change I am making), sausage and eggs. We then relaxed and hung out until that afternoon when we went to Scott's brother's house. Ok, so the kids relaxed and I kind of relaxed--outside of making green beans and a salad and getting everybody dressed.

We had a great time with Scott's family. Ezra got a Dirt Devil Jr. vaccum that makes real-like noise. He LOVES it and likes to just turn it on and sit next to it...when he is not pushing it around the house. Too bad it doesn't really work because then my house would be much cleaner:)All in all it was a wonderful day! I will try to post pictures later. Right now I have to get ready for Celebrate Recovery. I am loving having the kids home from school...it makes it a little easier to think about going places at night:)

2009-12-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it has been over A YEAR since I have last posted. Good thing I do this mostly for myself and that no one is relying on it for up-to-date information:)

It is Christmas time and we are all enjoying the season. Yesterday, we went to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop. Why Bass? Because they have a real looking Santa, activities for the kids, and most importantly---FREE photos with Santa!! Yeah Bass Pro. This was our second visit this year because I forgot to check Santa's hours and the first trip turned out to be when Santa wasn't there. Oh well, we had fun anyways and went back last night for actual pictures.

Nehemiah is at a great age for Christmas. Anytime we see lights or trees he yells out "Christmas", which sounds more like "Missmas". Also, we kept asking him to say Merry Christmas and he kept saying "No, my missmas." At first we were confused, then we realized he was confusing Merry with Mary (his sister). He obviously thought we were saying it was Mary's Christmas and he wanted to inform us, that no, it was his christmas, too!

Laundry is calling, so I will try to post more later.

An Evenings Reflection

2008-10-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

I just realized tonight, when I noticed that Ezra had lost his pacifier and was trying to suck his thumb, that my little girl doesn't really suck her thumb anymore. Now although in the long run this is a good thing (I can remember all the "remedies" my mom tried to get me to quit) it made me a little sad. She is growing up so quickly and becoming such a little girl and almost all the toddler is gone. I work at enjoying all the times I have of rocking Ezra and just holding him because I am realizing how fleeting that time is. So although the cleaning may not get done or I may lose sleep I remind myself it is all worth it and I try to soak up everything that goes with those moments--the sniffly sounds, the little cries, the deep breathing, that great baby smell, the feel of their skin. I pray it stays in my memory forever. It is so difficult to remind myself to slow down and enjoy each stage of my childrens' lives. Silas is a wonderful 6 year old that I can have great, deep conversations with. Mary loves her girl time and playing that we are friends getting together with our babies. Nehemiah is my cuddly little monkey that loves to get us laughing at him--even if it means putting a blanket over his head while walking, and therefore running into things. Ezra is my sweet little baby boy who is starting to smile and loves to be held and rocked.

Thank you Lord "my boys" and my princess and for "forcing" me to quit my job so that I can enjoy these moments. Help me to trust that you are going to provide because you have guided us to this place.

Pictures for Fun

2008-10-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

The kids love it when I take pictures of them, so here are a few:

Mary is trying to keep the sun out of her eyes--her solution is to close her eyes and to have make sure and tell her when we get there--is she worried we will leave her in the car?

Here is our little space cadet with a colander on his head.

This is what happens when I try to take a picture of myself--my arms aren't quite long enough. Believe it or not, it took three tries to get it this good.

I am trying to remember to take pictures of me with the kids, so years from now they see that I was around, and I can lament on how young I was:), even though I always dislike pictures of me :)

Grandpa Stubbert and Nehemiah on Saturday when we celebrated Uncle Brian's and Scott's birthdays.

2 Months

2008-10-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

Ezra had his 2 month check-up today--he is officially 2 months tomorrow, but let's not get technical!

I was very excited to hear that at 9lbs 6oz he made the charts at the 7%!!! Ok, so 93% of all children weigh more than him, but still he was on the chart. He is 22 1/4" long, which puts him in the 25%. At this age Silas weighed about a pound more and was the same height, Mary weighed slightly less at 9lbs 2oz, Nehemiah weighed less at 8 lbs 8oz, and I weighed the lest at 8lbs 2oz--so obviously, this low weight thing runs in the family :) Most importantly, he is healthy and doing well. We love all our "little" munchkins.

Apple Hill

2008-10-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we took a family trip to Apple Hill (applehill.com). It is located up in the foothills of Sacramento. We had originally planned on going on Saturday but the forecast called for rain, so we rescheduled for Sunday. It turned out to be a beautiful day full of sunshine and with temperatures in the low 70's--a nice early fall day. We enjoyed a nice picnic on the grass while we watched a clown show--Silas laughed the whole time and Nehemiah was quite entralled as well. We took a little nature hike--an umbrella stroller is probably not made for "off roading"! For dessert we had apple wedges with carmel sauce and M&Ms--yummy! There were animals to pet, a tire swing, and lots of apples. The kids all did great and it was a great family time. This is a tradition we started when Silas was 2--just before Mary was born--and we try to go yearly. I brought home some apples and made a very delicious apple cake. Thank you God for a wonderful day of memories!

Fast asleep on the way home.

Silas on the giant tire swing--I was surprised he gave it a try, since he is not a risk-taker. I was proud to see him try something a little scary and enjoy it.

Nehemiah enjoying his carmel apple.

A tractor named after me--don't I feel special!

Mary and Scott did a trust walk with Mary covering Daddy's eyes and telling where to walk--not sure I would trust her.

Silas was a big help in pushing Nehemiah.

Update

2008-10-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are still here. Ezra is now 8 weeks old and doing well! He has his 2 month check up on Monday--at which time I am sure I will hear how he is not gaining as much weight as they would like...at least, with my fourth I am prepared for this and not overly concerned. Scott and I made the decision to not have me return to work and I am not udjusting to being home. It is very nice to not be stressed about that and to be home with the kids. It has also allowed me time to start going back to the gym. So far I have made it everyday this week. I truly enjoy it and it feels good to be exercising. It takes some work to get all the kids dressed and out the door early in the morning, but it is worth it. Silas is enjoying 1st grade and becoming quite a good reader--I am so proud of him, but a little sad that my little boy is growing up. It makes me take more time to sit an enjoy my youngest, since they do grow so quickly. Mary is home with me and sometimes she gets a little bored without her big brother, but she is hanging in there. She loves having girl time, so I am working to make more time for her and me. Nehemiah is developing his own little personality and has adjusted to having a new little brother. I love the age that he is at! Scott has moved into a new position at our church. He is still the Singles Pastor but has taken on the role of Pastor of Recovery as well. This is a good fit for him. We are both very passionate about recovery. Well, a baby is crying and another one is due up from his nap, so I must go. Here are some pictures.

Fun in a Box!

Ezra at 6 weeks. His eyes are a beautiful blue and I hoping they will stay that color.

We took my parents to the Raiders vs. Chargers game on Sept. 28th. Ezra came along and was a great little boy--slept most of the time. A true Raider fan probably would have made a little more noise!

Father and Son at the game.

Back in June I took the oldest two to the beach with my mom and sister. We all had a great time! They loved the water. I had to keep a close eye on Mary--she doesn't have much fear and I could just see one of those waves taking her out. It was a beautiful day even though I got sunburned and was sick the whole next day.

Nehemiah turned 1 on June 29th. Happy Birthday little "monkey man"

This is from the 4th of July--before baby number four! Everyone loved the fireworks. We had all the family over for a bbq and homemade ice cream. It is such a blessing to have home to have people over to.

Silas and his friend Christian on the first day of 1st grade.

Double Post

2008-08-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, not sure what happend there. The first post didn't seem to go thru sucessfully, but obviously it did!! Oh, well, you can't see my cute little boy too much--even if the pictures are the same :)

Ezra Paul Stubbert

2008-08-14T11:50:00.001-07:00

Our newest family member has arrived. Ezra Paul was born August 13th at 11:26am and he weighed 7 lbs 3 oz and was 19.3 inches long. He is doing great and we are heading home today. I will try to update this blog over the next few weeks, since I know I am behind.

NEW BABY!!

2008-08-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

Please join us in welcoming the newest member of our family! Little Ezra Paul was born on August 13th at 11:26am. He weighed 7 lbs 3 oz and was 19.3 inches long. Both mommy and baby are doing well and we are heading home today. I have definately been behind in my blogging lately and will try to update what has been going on in the past months, but wanted at least to show our newest little boy.

Henry & Mudge

2008-05-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

I drove (5 kindergarten boys!) for Silas' field trip today to the Gallo Center for the Arts. His class went to see a musical production of the popular children's book "Henry and Mudge." The boys did great and enjoyed the show. We were in the very front row--thanks to my good driving! This was the first field trip I had been able to go on and since it was the last for the year, I was glad I was able to go. We may not make a big deal out of my being there while with his class, but outside of that he was definately glad I was able to go. Less than 30 days of kindergarten to go!

All the boys (Silas, Christian, Benjamin, Gavin, & Daniel) waiting to go in.

Silas, Daniel (according to Silas he is one of the funny kids in class), and Christian

Benjamin Harless and Gavin Boone

Christian and his mom, Kim Estes (she was my co-pilot).

Silas and me.

Mary Goes To The Dentist

2008-05-05T20:32:00.001-07:00

Mary had her first dentist appointment today. Silas also had an appt., so he went first and showed Mary how it was done. Mary did great and got a princess toothbrush and a glitter pen for being so good. I am very thankful to have such a great dentist for my kids, who is also a friend of mine. Thank you Dr. Amethyst!

Princess Minnie, seen above, came along just in case. Silas also told Mary that she could hold his hand if she needed to. What a good brother!

Water Fun

2008-05-05T20:26:00.001-07:00

The weather has been heating up and the kids, and Scott, are startimg to have fun with their water guns and the wading pool that we have. I plan on using the pool myself as the weather gets hotter and I get bigger!

Silly Mary

Silly Silas

Don't Mess With Mary

Wading Pool Fun

Sick Kids

2008-05-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

Last week all the kids took their turn at being sick. It was some kind of stomach thing that, thankfully only last about 24 hours per child. Also, very nice was the fact that each child took their turn and none were sick at the same time. Nehemiah was the hardest because, being a baby, he can't tell you when he is about to throw up. Also, he wouldn't let me put him down so we spent the day rocking--maybe God allows these small sicknesses to make us take time out and just sit with our children. It is so easy to just be busy. Here is a picture of little Nehemiah on Daddy's shoulder. The first picture even shows a little tear on his check.

2008-04-27T09:35:00.001-07:00

I was tagged so I guess I will respond--I am one of those annoying people who usually never respond :)

Where was I 10 years ago?
In Modesto working on my Biology degree at Stanislaus State, starting a new job in property management, moving into my first apartment, and helping in the juinor high group at my church.

5 Things on Tomorrow's To Do List
go to the office from 9-12
pick Silas up from school
clean house/laundry
make a bank deposit
drop off a DHL package for work

5 Snacks I Enjoy
chips and salsa
flammin' hot cheetos
white peaches
popcorn
Coke

5 Things I Would Do If I Became A Billionaire
Pay off my house
Remodel my house (the carpet in our playroom sometimes smells of pet urine and we don't have a pet, this is really grossing me out)
Pay off school loans
Invest so we could live off the money and Scott could do ministry without the stress of needing to get paid
Be able to give a lot more to the church and missions

5 Bad Habits
drinking soda
chewing on lips when I am upset
giving my opinion too loudly and quickly
being quick to judge
not being thankful enough

5 Places I've Lived
Livermore,California
Virginia
Alaska
Modesto, CA
Fairfield, CA

5 Jobs I've Had
sno cone maker
waitress
medical billing
intern for stanislaus county dairy advisor
property management

Wisdom from Silas

2008-04-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

I had made blueberry muffins for breakfast and told Mary that she could have one. Her response, "I don't like them." Silas came in the room and he was very excited about the muffins (at least someone appreciates my cooking). I told Silas that Mary didn't think she would like the muffins, but that she was going to try one. To which Silas stated, "That is a good observation Mary. You never know if you like something until you try it. Remember, it is just like the strawberries from last night." It is always good to have a 3rd parent around to reinforce these types of things:)

Silas also made sure that Mary understood the truth about a Earth Day commercial that recently came on while watching Dora. The commercial stated that we need to take of the Earth because it made the animals and lakes, trees, etc. Silas told Mary, "We do need to take of the Earth but God is the one who made everything. That is a silly commercial." AMEN

Our Beautiful Backyard and Other Misc Things

2008-04-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

We are so thankful for the wonderful house that God provided for us. We especially love our backyard and are looking forward to having many people over to enjoy it with us. For the first 7 years of our marriage we lived in apartments and it is so great to have our own space. The kids are still getting used to it and sometimes we have to force them outside, but they will adjust. Here are some pictures of the beautiful flowers that were already here when we moved in. While I am waiting for my pictures to upload I have a quick prayer request: We are holding our 2nd annual "Blues on the Field" concert on Saturday, May 3rd. This is a free concert that our Singles ministry hosts. This year we have added an optional Crab Feed that we are selling tickets to. Please pray for great weather and that we sell the needed tickets to the Crab Feed. Thanks

Mary took a bath the other night and I didn't want to have to do her hair that night (something you don't experience with boys and makes me glad I have only 1 little girl), so I put a shower cap on her. I couldn't resist snapping a few pics.

Nehemiah will be 10 months on Tuesday. For some reason this outfit just makes him look like a little boy!

Nehemiah 9 Months

2008-04-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

Here are Nehemiah's 9 month pictures. My kids noses always seem to be orange at this age because of all the orange vegetables--at least he is eating healthy!

We think he is a pretty cute little boy! I can't believe that in only a couple more months he will be a year old--and then a month latet there will be another one. We are certainly blessed to have such wonderful children!

Finally!!

2008-04-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am finally able to download pictures and I have a moment so I thought I would do a quick post. Here are some pictures from Easter.

For a quick update: Silas only has less than 2 months left of school--time goes by so fast. He has had a great year and is looking forward to 1st grade. Mary is ready for school--acording to her-- but still has 1 year before kindergarten. She is full of spirit and our little princess. Nehemiah is 10 months and crawling everywhere. He is pulling himself up and enjoys his siblings, that is until Mary gets a little over exurberant in her "love." Our newest addition has about 4 months until HE will join us. That is right, it will be 3 boys and 1 girl. Haven't finalized on a name yet, but will let you know when we do. We have been in our new house for about 5 months and are loving it. The roses and flowers in the backyard are blooming and they are beautiful. We also have a great lemon tree that has provided a lot of fresh squeezed lemonade curtosy of Scott--even better than Hot Dog On A Stick. I will try to be a little more consistant from now on.

Home Sweet Home

2007-11-29T17:14:00.000-08:00

Today we were given the keys to our new home!! It is now official--we are homeowners! Also, very exciting is the fact that I don't feel anxious or worried about this major decision. I truly feel that God has blessed this choice and He has definately worked all the details together. A big thank you to all who have prayed and helped us during this process. God is so good! We will be sure and take pictures in front of our fireplace this Christmas.

Merry Christmas

2007-11-28T15:33:00.001-08:00

You have to check this out!! My friend sent it to me and it gave me a good laugh. Have fun and "elf yourself."

Thanksgiving pictures are coming soon.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9629188765

Praise to God

2007-11-19T20:41:00.000-08:00

We have officially received the down payment assistance money from the City of Modesto. Thank you God for providing this money to us and for giving us a wonderful realtor and loan officer to work for us. Our realtor has gone way beyond the call of duty and we are blessed to not only know him on a professional level but to also call him friend. We have many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Another Visit From The Toothfairy.

2007-11-19T20:32:00.000-08:00

Silas lost his 2nd tooth last week. It was hanging on by a thread and I really wanted to pull it out, but Silas wouldn't let me. The next day at school it came out while he was eating snack. It appears that the toothfairy gives $2 for the first tooth and $1 for each tooth after that.

Here is the tooth just barely hanging in there.

Mary's 3rd Birthday!

2007-11-19T18:30:00.000-08:00

My little girl is now 3!! She may be small in stature but she difinately makes up for it in personality and spunk--can't wait for the teenage years :) Mary celebrated her birthday with her cousins and family at Chuck E. Cheese. She had a wonderful time and thouroughly enjoyed herself. She didn't however like the big mouse, aka Chuck E. Cheese, so we avoided him.

WE INTERUPT THIS BLOG TO BRING YOU SOME BREAKING NEWS.....NEHEMIAH WILLIAM STUBBERT JUST ROLLED OVER FROM HIS BACK TO HIS STOMACH. YEAH NEHEM. WE WILL NOW RETURN YOU TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BLOG.

Playing games and winning tickets--by the end of the day we had over 600 tickets.

Three little girls on the bus.

look at us mom.

Yummy Pizza. Surprisingly enough Chuck E Cheese has one of the best and cleanest salad bars I have ever seen--way to keep the parents happy.

CEC maybe the place where a kid can be a kid, but it is also the place where an adult can be a kid!

Little Hommie Nehem

One of Mary's favorite presents was her Tinkerbell doll from Aunt April and Uncle Brian.

Blowing out her birthday cupcake. She loved having the birhtday song sang to her and continued to ask to hear it again. She was very excited about her birthday.

Grandma and Grandpa Stubbert. Thanks for coming and making it a special day for Mary.

Aunt April held Nehemiah and after 2 hours at CEC he was all tuckered out.

Halloween

2007-11-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

Went to the church for Trunk or Treat. People bring their cars and decorate their trunks. The kids go around to the trunks and get candy. Silas was finished after the first row of cars, but Mary really got the hang of it and was going to every car. They also had some bounce houses and a cake walk--however, you no longer receive the ready to eat cak; thanks to hepatitis you now win a cake mix and container of frosting:)

Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots (the good guys from Transformers).

A cute little Tinkerbell--with the attitude to go with it!

Here's the family--yes, that is my husband dressed up as viking!

Cousins, Audrey and Amelia--aren't they the two cutest little bugs ever!

Grandma and kids. She made yummy rice krispie treats for the kids--mommy had one too!

Grandpa and Silas

Here is an extra picture. After trunk or treating and grandparent's house, we couldn't resist driving by our soon to be home. We were so excited to see the "SOLD" sign!! Yeah, we are the ones it is sold to.

1st Cereal

2007-11-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

At Nehemiah's 4 month check-up the doctor suggested I start feeding him some cereal. Usually, I wait a couple more months, but since Nehemiah is still not on the charts with his weight I decided to go for it. He seemed to enjoy it and took to it pretty easily.

English 101

2007-10-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

Did you notice all the spelling mistakes in these most recent entries? I am trying to type really fast because the battery on my laptop is about to die. Sorry!

The Wait is Finally Over

2007-10-28T21:35:00.000-07:00

After waitng for over 2 weeks, Silas finally lost his first tooth! He didn't want to wiggle it so it seemed to take forever forit to fall out. I can't believe my baby is losing his teeth. And even scarier is the fact the the adult tooth is already broken through and when to fill the gap. Another milestone is passed.

Soccer Star

2007-10-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

Soccer season is now officially over. Silas had his last game on Saturday. I can't say that the Golden Boys were the overall champions...luckily they don't keep score at this age, but everyone had fun. Here is Silas with his trophy. He was so excited to receive it.

Raider Fans

2007-10-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

Here are two of my guys in the Raider wear. I'll will just make one small note that my team, the Chargers are currently leading the Raiders...but who's keeping track!

My Buddy, My Buddy, My Buddy and Me

2007-10-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Don't know if anyone out there remembers this jingle from a popular toy back in the 80's (http://www.dollinfo.com/kidsis.htm) but it popped into my head when I was looking at picture of Silas and his 5th grade buddy. Silas is paired up with a 5th grader and throughout the year they do activities together. In November they get to see the musical "Suessical" based on the Dr. Suess books. Silas' buddy is Trey. In this picture they have finished their nature walk and are drawing pictures of things God has created and things that man has made. I remember myself being a buddy to a kindergartener when I was in 6th grade. It is kind of neat to see life repeat itself.

Scarecrow Day

2007-10-22T21:44:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday was scarecrow day in Silas's class at school. They made hats, painted their faces, and had some treats. Lots of fun. This is Silas and his friend Christian. Aren't they cute!

3 Months Old!!

2007-10-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well, Nehemiah is now almost 4 months, but here is how he looked a month ago. He is getting so big! He goes in for a check up on the 29th and we will see if he is surpassing his brother and sister in weight. He feels bigger to me, but who knows.

Camera Fun

2007-10-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

Now you see them...

Now you don't.

Action Shots

2007-10-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when your camera is set to "action." You press the button once and it takes like fifty pictures. Kind of fun, though.

It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

2007-10-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

I love all the Charlie Brown holiday movies! On Sunday we took the kids to the Pumpkin Patch to pick out pumpkins. We had a nice time. There were animals to look at, a bouce house, a sandbox filled with corn, and a hay ride. Of course all this family fun costs money and the pumpkins always seem more expensive than in the store...but it was worth it.

Mary playing in the korn kernals.

The family besides Scott

Mary loved all the animals.

There were way too many pumpkins to choose from.

Scott actually look real. Mary's whole body could fit through the hole!

Enjoying the hay ride.

Home Sweet Home

2007-10-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to our new home.

PMZ Real Solutions - Homes For Sale

Back By Popular Demand??

2007-10-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

Not sure how big the demand is....but finally here is a blog update. Unfortunately, I cannot locate the cable to download my pictures so since a picture is worth a thousand words and I have no pictures, you may have to read a thousand words!

Scott finally turned 30 on Sunday!! We had a nice dinner out with both of our families while a babysitter stayed with the kids. After dinner we came back to the house and enjoyed cake and opened presents. I actually made a two layer cake completely from scratch--yes, that is right no cake mix. It was pretty easy and it turned out better than expected. So now I am in the swing of baking, so tonight I made brownies from scratch for our home group. I am becoming quite the Betty Crocker:) I am reminded that I do enjoy cooking when it is beyond the routine nightly dinner cooking.

Scott left yesterday for a 5 day trip to Colorado, so I am left all alone. My prayers and kudos to all those single moms!! A big thank you to my husband for all the love, support, and help he is when he is here. If you read this...I love you and miss you very much!

HOME UPDATE!!! We are officially in escrow, which is due to close Nov 19th. We would appreciate your continued prayers regarding the down payment assistance program that we have applied for. So far everything looks good. Sometimes it is hard to believe that God is going to bless us with a home of our own. I don't think I ever thought this day would come. One thing I have noticed is that I find myself trying to justify the fact that our soon to be home is on the smaller side. How silly and sad is that. I somehow find it necessary to not be completely happy and blessed by what my God has provided. Lord, forgive me for not accepting with a grateful heart.

Well, hopefully I will find the needed cable tomorrow and be able to update wit pics. Family is all doing good. Hope you are all well also. Hopefully, it won't be another 2 months before I update.

Feeling A Little Bit Of Verklempt...Talk Amongst Yourselves.

2007-08-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

Sunday was Nehemiah's first time in the nursery. Previously I had been keeping him with me. I decided to take the plunge and let the nursery watch him for an hour and a half. I am definately not a mom who minds leaving her kids for a while. I don't feel the need to make phone calls home to the sitter or come home early because I miss them. However, it is always a little sad when I leave my babies for the first time. It is kind of a milestone. They are no longer a newborn newborn that sleeps the entire time. I am sure the nursery workers thought I was a little crazy when I started taking Nehemiah's picture in the swing. Does this make me an official "Blog Mama", Robyn? Personally, I think so.

Looking like such a big boy. This is also his first time in a swing.

Nehemiah with his good friend, Teresa Adams--nursery coordinator.

A Good Saturday

2007-08-11T22:42:00.000-07:00

A good saturday starts with chocalte donuts. Mary enjoys eating just the icing off hers.

Here is a face you just have to take a picture of, but not one you are quick to kiss.

A good saturday includes a morning nap with my littlest boy.

A good saturday ended with an evening at Chuck E. Cheese with Tia and cousins. Here are Amelia (my sister's youngest) and Silas on the roller coaster ride.

One thing a good saturday didn't include was housework or grocery shopping--that will have to come tomorrow.

Friday Night Singles

2007-08-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who aren't aware, Scott is the Singles pastor at our church, Big Valley. This in itself as been an answer to our prayers. After working almost a year in a part time postion as Singles pastor and still having to work full time at the hospital, we were excited to be able to come on full time as of July 1st. This post is to praise God for our first Singles meeting on a Friday night. Previously, there were two singles groups, one meeting on sunday mornings and one sunday nights. After much discussion and prayer the decision was made to switch to one group meeting on Friday nights. Scott and his singles leadership team have been working hard to prepare for this change. Last night was our first Friday night meeting and it went great. We started with a BBQ and antique car show. We had a total turnout of about 85--which is definately up from our normal 20 on Sunday morning. God definately blessed the evening, so now we continue to pray for his direction and blessing. The singles community can often be an unreached people group, especially in the church. We would appreciate any prayers for this ministry as well as Scott as he forges ahead.

First Laugh

2007-08-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

Nehemiah gave us his first smile/laugh today. My mom and dad stopped by and Mema (my mom) was the lucky one to get him to smile!

A Qualified Babysitter??

2007-08-10T15:52:00.001-07:00

Here is Silas' idea of babysitting. He is playing a video game and when Nehemiah would cry he would stop and sing "Jesus Loves Me." Surprisingly, it worked. Any help is good help!

A Story from Scott

2007-08-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a little experience that my husband had that made him think...maybe it will do the same for you. At the very least it should make you laugh.

The Trainer

I walked into the gym and met my trainer. She brought me to her office where I filled out a questionnaire about my health. Then she weighed me and checked my body fat % . As she is doing this she tells me she is going to grab my love handle. At that point my pride flew out the window and I was now in humiliation territory. As a former athlete it is hard to admit that I had let myself go and that I was out of shape and fat. She then had me do 15 squats. I got down to 5 left and then she tells me to suck in my belly to keep my core. She then starts to count over. I got down to 5 again and as I am watching my core she tells me that I should not look down but straight ahead and she starts counting from 15 again. At this point my legs feel like they are on fire as I think to myself I just got started how does this happen. I got down to 5 again and she tells me that I am not breathing properly in my nose and out my mouth and at this point I am just trying not to pass out. Finally I finish the squats and she tells me to do some push ups. I started and was pumping them out like lightning as she tells me to slow down. So after 3 I had to start all over. This time I was controlled and set to go. I got to 13 and my arms where shaking like a building in an earth quake. She then points that out to me by telling me the reason I am shaking like this is because I had not used those muscles in awhile. I was to out of breath to tell here but I was thinking not kidding Sherlock. After that she showed me how to do lat pulls as she had the weight on 40 and when it was my turn she put the weight down to 10 and said she did not want to embarrass me in front of the other guys in the area that were working out. I thought obviously my pride had already left. I did the 10 pound easily, Yeah baby. She then had me get in push up position but on my elbows and hold my body off the ground. As I was doing this my back started to arch and sag so she tells me you know why this happens is because of all the weight you are carrying around. Once again I think to my self REALLY that was such an epiphany. After that we finally did something that I could handle we sat down and did a bike ride in front of the TV. After the session I asked her what was the conclusion? Well we just keep this on file so later you can check and see how you have improved. We really can’t tell you what to work on. I told her off the record than, let me guess I need to work on my gut to get my core set.

Do we do this to people in our church?
They come for help and all we do is criticize.
Do we treat them like they are idiots or do we show the love and compassion of Christ?
How do we help those who come and need help? Do we point to the problem or do we get involved in there life to help them get healthy?
As a shepherd how do we care for all the needs of our sheep without them feeling like an idiot? It takes enough guts to ask for help, they are already broken, embarrassed and feel ashamed because of the thought of someone knowing their weakness.
This is where Celebrate Recovery has taught me to give God’s love to others and help them walk the walk.

Just Because...

2007-08-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

These are the beautiful flowers that my husband brought home for me the other day. It is always nice to be thought of even when there is no special ocassion. Actually, I think it might even mean more to receive such a gift when there is no special reason. My husband said it was because he appreciates all that I do. Works for me! Scott has brought home flowers for me on many occasions "just because."

Future BFF??

2007-08-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

This is Nehemiah and Hayden Pishney. Hayden is a month older than Nehemiah. Could they be potential Best Friends Forever?

One Month Old

2007-08-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that my little baby is already a month old.

Baby Shower

2007-08-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday the pastor's wives through me a shower for Nehemiah. It was a wonderful time and we were blessed with many wonderful gifts. Besides the new highchair and some beautiful hand knitted items from two very talented women, Nehemiah received some great Raider gear.

This is a onsie that was personalized by Joel Boone--Dad can't wait for Nehemiah to wear it to his first Raider game, which he will attend this season, since we are now season ticket holders--how sick is that :)

Nehemiah can now be lulled to sleep with his very own Raider mobile which plays the "football lullably" I didn't know there was such a song. In this picture he definately needs some lulling.

Here are all the women from the shower. I am blessed to be a part of such a wonderful church with staff that truly care about each other. Thank you to everyone who was there.

Spidey Bear

2007-08-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with Mary we took Silas to "Build a Bear" to make a gift for his new sister. That was where Princess was born. We had Silas record his voice, saying "I love you baby Mary" and put it in the bear. So, now that Nehemiah was born and we knew he was a boy we took Silas and Mary to make a bear for him.

Washing the bear.

Silas picked out the clothes for our new friend. Which is why we named him Spidey.

Here we all our with our bears. Silas and Woody. Mary and Princess. Nehemiah and Spidey.

Fun before the fall

2007-08-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

We had dinner at the park one night. The kids had a great time playing until...

still having fun...

still smiling...

right after taking this picture I turned around and heard a thump. I ran to the other side of the play equipment and Silas was lying on the ground crying. He had somehow fallen off the equipment. I had been allowing him to climb on the outside of the equipment and now I was thinking, man the other parents are now saying "I told you so. I can't believe she let him do that." Unfortunately, I may have been more concerned with what others were thinking then my child--who, just so you know, was fine. However, I find that this is so true for many areas of my life. I am so concerned about others that I lose site of what my real focus should be.

Watermelon Days

2007-08-03T20:46:00.000-07:00

The kids love eating watermelon. Here they are enjoying some on a hot summer day.

1st Bottle

2007-08-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is my good friend Susan feeding Nehemiah his first bottle. Now this is significant because my other two children never even had a bottle, so this is a different thing for me. I am trying to make sure he can easily go back and forth between a bottle and breastfeeding because we ran into problems with Mary and by the time I needed her to take a bottle to supplement her food she wouldn't. There are definately some perks to bottle feeding--it is a little bit easier in public. This is also Nehemiah's first Celebrate Recovery meeting. Celebrate Recovery has meant so much in both mine and Scott's life and I hope all my children understand the idea of being real in our struggles and how to deal with life's hurts--ok, enough preaching.

1st Bath

2007-08-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

On July 15th Nehemiah received his first officially, all the way in the water, bath. Unlike my other two kids he actually enjoyed the warm water and would have stayed in the tub for quite a long time.

Babies are so cute and cuddly when they are all clean and wrapped in a towel. Such precious memories.

Movie Night

2007-08-03T20:20:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite things to do is have a family movie night. This was a Friday night and the kids are all ready for the movie with their "cowboy bed" (a bed made on the living room floor), and popcorn (Mary's favorite part). On this particular evening the movie was the Walt Disney Davy Crockett--yeah, for old movies. Silas will eventually fall asleep. Mary on the other hand just gets more and more wound up and starts running in circles like a crazy women. We finally have to put her in her room, in the dark, and quiet. I am sure she would eventually fall asleep in the living room, but I have never wanted to stay up and find out when that would happen.

Siblings

2007-08-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

Here's the whole gang snuggled on the bed.

Currently, this is the only person that Silas will willingly and without coercion, kiss. It makes this mother very sad, but I am hoping that it is just a phase. He still does give me hugs, so I am thankful for that.

Horseback Riding

2007-07-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

Today the family all got to go over to one of our friend's houses and spend the morning with a few other families. Cindi and Keith Martin have a great house out in the country and invited us all out there to let the kids ride horses, play in the wading pool, and enjoy brunch together. There were about 4 other families out there with us. One of the other families have a son Silas' age and they are already friends, so they had a great time exploring and playing together. Both Silas and Mary got to ride the horses several times and really enjoyed it. This surprised me because Silas is pretty much afraid of all animals. I didn't think he would even get near the horses, but he did and he rode more than once. It was a great time of fellowship and fun. There was another couple out there who just had their first baby 6 weeks ago (Robyn, if you read this I am refering to Karen Larsen, Brian's sister, who is now married). It was neat to see the two babies together and just how much they grow in those first weeks. It is good to know that Nehemiah will have a potential friend from such a great family. What a good way to spend Saturday.

Mary getting ready to ride.

Getty-up horsey!

Silas didn't even act afraid when he was up there.

Cindi was great with all the kids and horses. What a great experience.

Swimming

2007-07-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

You would think that since we have a pool that our 5 year old son would already be swimming. Unfortunately, no. Silas HATES getting water in his face and refuses to go under water or even jump into the water with floaties on. I go back and fourth on how to deal with this. I think the main problem is that I even see it as something to "deal with." I have been trying to just let it go and realize that the kid will swim when he wants and if he doesn't then oh well. Yesterday, Scott took the kids swimming and Silas finally jumped in and without Dad catching him before he hit the water. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of more real swimming. I had thought about swim lessons, but I think my kid would freak out and I would lose his trust forever. For now I will leave him to his own pace

Fourth of July

2007-07-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

As I am sure most people did, we spent the first part of the holiday by cleaning the house and doing laundry. Although not fun or traditional, it was definately needed. After a good cleaning and naps for all we headed over to my mom's house. We were joined by my sister and her family, my grandfather (great papa now), and neighbors from next door (Karen and her grandson, Max). The cousins had a great time in the wading pool and the adults tried to stay cool in the 104 degree weather by sitting under the misters. We enjoyed dinner and then when it finally got dark, we watched the fireworks. Silas was very excited about this part. He and Daddy had gone together to pick out the fireworks. The most anticipated was the $20 Dragon Tears. Surprisingly it was pretty good. We were very blessed by the fact that a woman in my apartment complex gave us $100 in fireworks coupons. She had bought them as a donation to her church, but she herself doesn't do fireworks, so she gave them to my kids. Needless to say this was more money then we had ever spent on fireworks! It was a nice evening, but everyone was very tired by the end.

Ready for fireworks!!

Taking it easy

This is what happens when you forget the swim diaper and have to use a regular one. The one question I have is how does the swim diaper know to absorb the pee but not the water??

Having fun in the wading pool

Bathing Beauty

Dressed for the Fourth

Nehemiah spent most of the day sleeping.

More Pictures of Nehemiah--Can There Be Too Many?!

2007-07-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures of our new little boy. He is doing well and we are all adjusting. he is gaining weight very well--which is a first for our family. At today's doctor's apt he was back at his birth weight, which according to the doctor was great considering he wasn't quite a week old yet. I am working throught the pain that the intial first weeks of nurisng bring, but in the end it is worth it. Although there have definately been times when the bottle has seemed like a GREAT idea. Nehemiah was also circumcised today--poor little thing. It is much harder to have this procedure done as an appointment at the doctor's office. Personally, I am all for the Alaska way where they came into the hospital the day after he was born, asked if we wanted him circumcised, took him away, and then brought him back with the job all done. Well, at least it is done. Well, enjoy the pictures!

The family in the car coming home from the hospital. We are so blessed by the mini van we purchased last summer. There is room for all.

Nehemiah sleeping in his bed for the first time.

Silas loves being a big brother again.

Nehemiah looks so tiny when being held by Daddy.

Sleeping soundly on the quilt Mema made.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

2007-07-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

Join us in welcoming the newest addition to our family---drum roll please---Nehemiah William Stubbert. Yes, it was a boy! Nehemiah was born Friday, June 29th at 5:53 am. He weighed 7 lbs and was 18 inches long. This was our biggest baby yet--yes, I know that isn't saying much. Labor went well, if you can say such a thing! We arrived at the hospital at around 2 am and Nehemiah was born about 4 hours later.

Nehemiah found his thumb the next afternoon, but is now using a pacifier.

Here he is just minutes after being born.

Here's the whole family. The kids were at home sleeping during the delivery. Papa stayed with them and Mema came to the hospital. Dad went home and brought them to the hospital at around 7:30am. Silas was excited that God had chosen a boy for our family because this follows his desired pattern of boy, girl, boy. The kids loved seeing the baby, but I think Silas was more excited about the fact that this meant he got to go to his cousin Joshua's house for the day.

We came home from the hospital on Saturday and am settling into a new routine--if there is such a thing with 3 kids. I am tired but that is normal. Well, I am going to go for now, since Nehemiah needs to be fed and the laundry needs to be done. I will add more pictures soon!

Our Little Princess

2007-06-23T06:10:00.001-07:00

Mary wearing her "mommy shoes" and princess gown.

Mary's favorite thing to draw is pictures of her family. Here she is with her self-portrait.

The best kind of princess is a sleeping one! The bedding is new and it only took us 6 months! Before that she was sleeping on just a fitted sheet over the mattress. What horrible parents we are. Everythime I mention her new bed she says "thank you, mommy." Poor little girl. My mom is probably ashamed to read this--what kind of daughter did she raise.

Father's Day

2007-06-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

Every Father's Day should include some snuggle time.
Family Picture Time!

I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband who is also such a wonderful father. The kids are always excited to see their Daddy--and what joy that brings to my heart. Mary is her Daddy's little princess and Silas loves "guy time." This Father's Day after church and a nap--well at least Mary got a nap, we drove about an hour to enjoy dinner at Logan's Roadhouse. This is a fun restaurant where you get to eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor--kids loved that. They also have great steaks--Daddy's favorite; although according Silas Logan's steak is not as good as the steak that Daddy makes (someone has been brainwashed, I think). We enjoyed a great dinner together. Sorry about the picture of Silas showing you his food--it's a boy thing!

Superheroes

2007-06-23T05:37:00.000-07:00

Silas loves superheros!! The other day on the way to church he was the superhero who can be anyone--sounds like a good idea to me. He said he knew all about me because he had heard from God who had told him about me. At first, I was a little nervous that my child might be guilty of blasphemy, but when I questioned him, he looked at me like I was stupid and said, "Mom I was just pretending." Of course you were. Mary, who follows big brother in almost everything, also likes to be a superhero. She usually has to settle for being a sidekick to the superhero.

Very Pregnant!!

2007-06-23T05:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, as much as I hate the idea of publishing pictures of me looking like this...for those of you who want to see how large I have gotten here are a couple of pictures. Keep in mind that these were taken after a long day. These were taken a little over a week ago. As of today, I have 10 days until my due date (7/2/07). On Thursday, my midwife said hopfully it will be sometime within the week. I am ready, but the idea of it actually becoming real, makes me a little nervous. The question arises, "why did I decide to have three?" Actually, we are very excited. Silas is praying for the baby to come right away--amen to that! This past week the kids and I were looking at video from when Mary was born--it seems so long ago. This next one will definately be just as much a blessing. Enjoy the pictures and I will do my best to update this site as soon as the baby comes.

Preschool Graduation

2007-06-01T15:13:00.001-07:00

The Processional

Today Silas graduated from preschool. The non-mother side of me asks, "GRADUATE from preschool, but its PRE school. Must everything have a ceremony? Does this mean we need to rent a limo??" Of course, the mommy-me brought her camera, video camera and made Daddy ge in the aisle to snap the right pictures. And afterward, we celebrated by having lunch at McDonalds. Ultimately, sentimentality wins out. We love our little boy and are so very proud of him. He loved preschool and I am sure he will enjoy kindergarten just as much in the fall. We are excited that he will be able to attend the school at our church (Big Valley). He already has several friends there and is excited to be with them. Enjoy the pictures!