Our routine these days

6:15 Maggie wakes, eats, change her diaper
6:35 Hang out with Jon in the living room with Jon and Maggie
6:50 Price in the shower, get Maggie dressed
7:00 Get Price dressed, eat breakfast, get things ready to go to school, make beds
7:45 Maggie down for a nap, do a preschool devotion with Price
8:00 YaYa takes Price to school
8:05 Take a shower, have a cup of coffee
8:20 Pick up around the house
8:35 Maggie wakes, plays on the bed while I dry and fix my hair and put on make up
9:15 Play with Maggie
9:25 Prepare a bottle of breastmilk for Maggie, feed, burp and hold her
9:50 Get supplies together and pump while Maggie plays on the floor by me
10:00 Read to and rock Maggie, change her diaper
10:15 Put Maggie in her crib, pick up the bedrooms
10:20 Put paci back in for Maggie
10:25 Put clothes in dryer, put another load in the washer
run dishwasher
put ironing board and iron away
wipe down the kitchen
put dinner in the crockpot
do Bible study lesson
sort laundry

11:50 make a sandwich for lunch, fold a load of clothes, start another load
12:30 treat myself to a cup of icecream, sit on the couch!!
1:00 Maggie wakes, feed her, change her diaper
1:20 Play with Maggie, tummy time, jumpster
2:00 Fold clothes, start another load, check the mail, vacuum the den
2:35 Jon comes home to bring me the car, I take him back to work
2:50 Pick up Price from school, go to Sonic, deliver a drink to a friend, go by Verizon Wireless
4:00 Get home, feed Maggie, change her diaper, get Price a snack
4:20 Maggie goes down for a nap, fold a load of laundry, put laundry away, hang with Price
5:15 Start making side dishes for dinner with Price
5:45 Serve dinner and clean up, then play with the kids
6:30 Put Maggie in the bathtub, baby massage, diaper, pj's, feeding, lullabies and off to bed
8:00 Help Price brush his teeth and get pj's on, review site words from school
8:15 Jon reads a book to Price and listens to his prayers.
8:30 lights out for Price
I clean up downstairs and get the house ready for the next morning
9:00 watch TV with Jon and check my email. Jon falls asleep on the couch!
10:15 Go to bed!

Of course our routine varies, but I jotted this down throughout the day, just so that someday I can look back and see how I spent my time. I will do this again in a few months. I love this phase in my life and I don't want to forget what it was like.

TASTY TUESDAY

Italian Chicken and Pasta

1 envelope "McCormick Slow Cookers Italian Herb Chicken"
4-5 boneless chicken breast
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 package penne pasta

Mix stewed tomatoes and paste and seasoning together in a bowl. Put chicken in crockpot. Pour tomato mixture over chicken, coating each piece. Cook 7-8 hours on low. Serve over cooked penne pasta. Goes well with a side of green beans and/or a salad and garlic bread.

*this recipe is on the back of the McCormick seasoning packet!

** I often sprinkle my green beans with a splash of seasoning salt while they simmer on the stove. It gives a little zip to the regular green bean taste. Price loves it!

Reaching!

Saturday was the first time that Maggie started reaching and playing with the toy that is strapped to her carrier. It is so sweet to see her chubby arms and little fingers discovering the things around her. I love watching her face. I can see her eyes light up while she is learning how to use her little body and making the connection between what she can see with her eyes and what is in her hands! She is a precious miracle.

On the way home from school today, Price said "Mom, look, she is playing with her toys!" I replied, "Yes, I know! She is learning to use her hands! Isn't that cute?" He leaned over, touched her face and said "I am sooo proud of you, Maggie!"

Tonight I was making dinner and Jon picked up the camera and took this picture. I am glad he did. I want to remember that I used to cook dinner with Maggie in a sling and Price sitting close by, eager to help. These are the days!

House for Sale

News flash! The Molder's house is on the market! Okay, so for some of you this might come as a shock, but it is something Jon and I have been talking about for some time now. In the last month, it seems that all roads are leading us to sell our house. There are SO many behind the scenes explanations for this, but here is the short version.

1) Both Jon and I value the time that I get to spend with our children. I was privileged enough to have almost 5 years with Price as our only child. We spent everyday together exploring the world around us. I am so blessed to have been able to have that time with him. He is now in pre-k and I just don't know where the time has gone. Now there is Maggie Beth. I look forward to walking with her through all of her "first" moments and being the one to watch and help her grow over the next few years before she starts school. Because this time with my babes is so important to me, Jon and I have decided to sell our house.

2) Jon is an insurance agent, so his income varies according to his commissions. Because of this, he sometimes takes on side jobs to help increase cash flow. He referees wrestling in the fall and umpires baseball in the spring. He works so hard for our family. He too, of course has dreams of his own. I know someday he would like to buy out the book of business he works so hard to create. We would like to position ourselves to do just that over the next few years. Because this is Jon's dream, we have decided to sell our house.

3) We have debt. I know most people do. We have a car payment, Jon's student loans, a bank loan, recently accrued medical bills from the birth of Maggie Beth, and of course our current house. We want to OWN everything with out name on it and not OWE anyone, not even a mortgage lender. Because of this, we are going to sell our house.

4) We lived in a 1,500 square foot house in Edmond. Our home now is 2,600 square feet! It is alot of space to keep up with. I know that my life now is demanding with 2 small children, but I don't see it getting any less busy as my children grow. I want to spend more time living in my house than cleaning it, so....we want to sell our house.

5) Junk junk and more junk! The more space we have, the more room there is to fill! I want to simplify! The answer? Buy a smaller house and sell the big one! Actually we will have to do it the other way around! ; )

6) More dough to play....or more play dough, which ever way you want to say it! We would love to have the cash flow to pack up the kids any ole time we feel like it and get out of town! Whether we are beach bound jet setters or weekend warriors on the lake just a couple hours away; we want to be able to claim family time when we want it. In order to have this luxery, we will need to sell our house!

I know there will be critics. People who say we are currently "living the dream." We have a good marriage, two great kids, big house, swimming pool and so on. But, my dream is to be a stay-at-home- mom. Jon's dream is to own his own agency one day. Our dream is to spend wonderful moments together as a family. In order to live OUR dream we must sell our house! I am thankful God has planted this seed in both me and Jon. I have to admit, I was the one dragging my feet the first few times Jon mentioned it (I cringed soley at the thought of packing)! But here is the truth, my home is wherever my man and my children are. My job/mission/calling/ministry are the same no matter where our address may be!

I went through a process of swollowing my pride. Afterall, society tells us we move UP the ladder, right? Not "down"!!! People will talk and they might make up their own reasons why "the Molder's are selling their house" Friends might think we have gone crazy! I sometimes think so too! In reality we are creating a freedom for ourselves and our children. Through a series of study and prayer, God has changed my heart! I am loving the thrill of this adventure! Though we are not moving across the world (not hardly, we plan to stay in Chickasha...I think), there is a great adventure, and even more than that, there is great JOY in trusting what we feel God is leading us to do. You got it....SELL OUR HOUSE!!!

A Beautiful Day

Today was a great day! We worked out in the yard as a family. Jon used a chainsaw and cut down limbs that had broken in the trees during the ice storm. I cleaned out the flowerbeds. It was so exciting to see all the new growth hiding under the leaves from last fall! Spring is coming!!

Price played in the yard. He brought out his big dump truck and hauled things around the yard. He played army men and Star Wars. He rode his tricycle and helped Jon. Maggie was entertained in her activity center and loved watching Price. She kicked around in her bouncy seat and smiled at me while I put mulch in the front flowerbed. It was so great to be in the sunshine, enjoying family and getting some spring cleaning done in the yard!

Good Sleeper

When I was pregnant with Maggie I prayed she would be a good sleeper. Well, over the last month my prayer has been answered. Maggie will rub her eyes, yawn, maybe fuss a little or sometimes she will just get very quiet and still when she gets sleepy.

At 2 months old I began putting her down in her crib when she was sleepy. She would cry for a few minutes, then I would console her without picking her up (normally shushing in her ear and patting her bottom) and then walk away. I would repeat this process until she would fall asleep. A couple weeks into it, Maggie Beth decided she was ready to take a paci! Yeah!!! That made things even easier!!!

Now, when Maggie gives me signs that she is sleepy, I rock her for a few minutes, put her down and she lays in her crib without a peep and slowly and peacefully goes to sleep. She loves her room and her bed. Just taking her in there and sitting in the rocker calms her. She does this for naps during the day. At night, she enjoys a bath, lavender scent massage, fresh diaper and clean pj's, snuggles with mama and being fed. My sweet angel falls asleep quickly and comfortably in her bed (on her awesome minky sheets).

I am so thankful for this answered prayer.

Holding down the fort

Jon left for D.C. on Tuesday for an insurance conference (sounds fun, huh?) and I have been here "holding down the fort." To be honest, Price hasn't really noticed Jon has been gone. Jon usually leaves before Price goes to school, and is normally home just an hour or so before Price goes to bed...but I have noticed.

I miss my man! We don't get alot of time together, but I really enjoy the time that we do get and I have missed having Jon here to chat and watch TV after the babes are asleep. The house has been easier to maintain, (to Jon: sorry honey but its true...picking up after you is half the battle), but it is not a fair trade! I am ready for Jon to return home! Its just not the same around here without him!