Minnesota

Last weekend Joe, Molly and I headed out for Minnesota for Joe's grandmother's funeral. Although it was sad circumstances that we had to go, it was great to see all of the Melder's as well as some of the Winkels'. We also all knew that Grandma Melder was with the Lord now, and that she was shouting praises in her new heavenly body - and that alone was something to rejoice about.

I didn't really have the oppurtunity to get a lot of pictures because we were on the go all weekend, but I was able to steal this picture of the 2 cutie pies while they were watching "Dinding Nemo". Molly loves Nemo, and we actually were in Joe's cousin's room that was an underwater theme, so there were Nemos and other fishes all over the walls, which was perfect for Birdie. Thank you again Jacob! This was at the church for the funeral. It was a little Baptist church with the prettiest stained glass windows. It was the church the Chic and her brothers and sister grew up in a town called Brownsdale. It was a little town with lots of farmland - duh - we were in Minnesota. Molly would look at all the farms and say "dirt? shovel?"

John-David with PopPop singing in the myke. He was singing "Read your Bible, pray every day...." What a cutie! He asked Maggie is she was sad that Grandma was in heaven with Jesus now. Molly on the other hand, was chanting Nemo at the grave site and asking me if she could shovel the dirt....

I was a little nervous how she would be at the wake the night before, because it was open casket and we had to bring her. She looked at Grandma Melder and said, "Grandma?" then "She's sleepin shhhh.."
Molly playing the piano.

Almost Spring Time

I am posting some update pictures on here, since it has been a while for new pictures. It has started to warm up around here, which has given us the oppurtunity to go to this really nice jungle gym by our house. Molly hasn't been on one since before the winter, and at that time she hadn't started to walk independently, so this was much more fun this time around! She had found some little boys who were about a year older than her, and she wanted to try everything that they were doing, which helped her be a little bit more daring than she normally would. Getting ready to go down the slides.

Saying "cheese" while playing in her room. She was getting ready to take out her goodies for coloring.


Molly with Daddy's boots on. She thought this was so funny, especially when she would attempt to walk in them.

Lettuce and the Lord

It's been a couple of weeks since I have posted, and actually do have pictures to post, but I will post them at a different date. I just wanted to share a moment of my day.
I came home from work and picked Molly up from my parents - well actually we didn't go anywhere, not that we have far to go (we live next door). Anyways, I am straying... my Mom was coming home late and so my Dad decided to barbeque chicken and I was going to make a big old salad. Now this is usually quite a task when there is no one else to keep Molly's attention, BUT I decided that maybe it would be fun if I let her help. Now she will be 20 months at the end of March, and it is still kind of hard to keep her little mind at one task, but she wants so badly to be part of things and to feel that she is doing something important so I tried. And she actually did really well! She helped me gather all of our food and supplies (which was funny by the way because she told me everything was "heavy!!"). Then we had to wash the lettuce. So I grabbed the chair and set it up next to me and handed her the lettuce to wash. I wish I had the camera, because she was so intense! She took this job so seriously and made sure that every little peice of the lettuce was washed under the water. She didn't splash in the water - which would usually be the first thing that she would do or run her sleeves under the water or throw the lettuce.
She took her lettuce washing very seriously. Then I cut the veggies up and let her put them all in the bowl, with taste tests of course.
I know that this may seem silly, but I enjoyed every last second of preparing that salad with her. We even washed more lettuce then we really needed because she was engrossed with this! I'm not saying that I don't enjoy being with my daughter, because I earnestly try to savor every minute that I have with her, especially working full time. But honestly, lately this has been quite the challenge. She has such a strong will and is truly a passionate little girl, that I can lack patience with her. Molly would love to do everything the way she would like, but also needs to have you right there. I find sometimes I have to "let it go" and allow her to try and learn things on her own, and show her how to help and be part of the family - even if it is just letting her wash the lettuce. Again, I know I may sound silly or on a tangent, but I am so proud of my daughter today to be able to focus and help and listen.
I think also the Lord has shown me a glimpse of a better way to guide her (I know, over lettuce!). I have been praying that He would continually guide and direct Joe and I to train Molly in a way that would be pleasing to Him. I, if you don't know, do not have as much patience as the next, and it is something that I continually have to work on and remind myself (at home, at work, spiritually), and as silly as this seems, the lettuce showed me that it was OK to take longer to make the salad and make a mess and enjoy teaching my daughter, my sweet precious daughter, how to wash lettuce.
Now if this seems trivial or too simple for some of you, I apologize, but I thought that I would share and I am just overjoyed that the Lord used lettuce today!!

Just wanted to post a couple of pictures as of late. There really is nothing new on our end. Molly is doing well, Joe is in the middle of his 2nd semester of nursing school. That makes things very busy here! If you remember, please pray for Joe and his stress level, and also for me, that I am patient and that I am the most supportive wife that I can be for him right now. Otherwise, things are good!

Below are some silly pictures of Molly. We haven't really gone anywhere lately because the weather is not nice enough to really do much outside. Which reminds me; I cannot wait for spring/summer!!!!!!

So here is Molly after I had to put some special stuff in her hair for eczema. It made her hair all crazy, and then it was greasy for the next 3 days...

She was very much into watching Noggin. It was almost time for bed, and she usually sits with me and watches some Dora before going to bed. I cannot stand Dora - she asks too many questions and waits too long for them to be answered, but Molly likes the show because she can answer and dance to the songs.

Saying "Cheese". Grandma Fran was visiting for a week and made Molly some bathrobes for the houses, so I was taking pictures of her in them. They really came out great! Even better than the one we had bought from Gap that ended up costing more than these! So thank you Grandma Fran! We love them and we had such a great time when you visited!

Looking at the toilet that I put in the bathroom. Molly will tell you right before she has to go to the bathroom. The problem with this toilet is though, it is too cold and she will not sit on it. I think we will be waiting for warmer weather for a warmer seat and less clothing to take off. I have also found her hiding things in the toilet when I am not looking!

Just sleeping....

Big Girl

So, it has been a long time ... again, and I wanted to post some new pictures of Molly. She is getting so big and doing so many things these days, I get scared that I am going to miss out on something. Everyday is something new. So here are a few things that have been going on!

So we were getting our bath this morning before we went and had our 1st haircut. Now this was very hard for me, because I swore I wouldn't cut her hair until she was at least 2, but her hair has gotten so long!

She saw the camera and kept saying cheese.
Miss Lauren cut her hair (she also cuts mine) and she is a friend of the family's since we were babies. Molly did really well! She didn't want the gown on, but she didn't cry at all! Molly wouldn't look at Miss Lauren the whole time she cut her hair!

Then, as we are getting closer and closer to the ripe old age of 2, our tantrums get bigger and bigger. So the other day I couldn't help myself and I took some pictures of her. Molly can get sooo mad so quick! And she is a very strong willed little girl - which I know can be such a blessing for her! I continually ask the Lord to guide Joe and I on how to deal with the outbursts, and to channel the strong willedness positively.

She wouldn't look at me she was so mad. I don't even remember why.

This was when she got upset that NaNa left her. She cried at the front door and she doesn't want anyone touching her. Oh, and we must have our blanket with us...

This was the same day as before (it was quite a trialing day for me, that's for sure!). We had gotten home from grocery shopping, and she became very upset that she had to come in the house rather than play in snow ... she proceeded to cry. THEN when I attempted to take her coat off, she laid herself on the floor. I started to laugh (I know, but it was just sooo dramatic). She was over it the minute I took the camera out!

Molly is also saying lots of words now and trying to put words together in 2 or 3 word sentences. It's fun to listen to her talk and now be able to understand some of the things that she is saying. She knows a ton of animals and their noises that they make. She is so inquisitive, and always seems to be saying "What's that?" "Who's that?" Who's there?". My favorite is when she says "I dunno?" and puts her hands up in the air. What a blessing it is to see her grow and learn new things!

Molly has a DEEP LOVE for her blankets. This would be her blanket at NaNa and Pop's house. She must know where her blanket it as ALL times. Even if it is in the wash (which I try to sneak in) she will sit by the machines and yell "ANKET!" until it is ready... she cracks me up.

She loves this game that you play with her blanket, where you chase her around the house and try to steal her blanket. She litterally will play this game for hours....


Putting her "mun nee" in her piggy bank with Daddy. I think she has more money than I do by now!

Long Time - Christmas update

OK, so it has been a long time since I have uploaded pictures and wrote a note on here. Bad, I know, especially because I so anxiously wait for everyone's elses updates!

So here are some pictures from Christmas when we went to visit Joe's parents and his sister and brother in law.

Hugging Uncle Jeremiah ... again with the serious face all of the time...

John-David holding her hand... these pictures are some of my favorites. We were trying so hard to get a picture of them hugging or kissing eachother, but all 3 (maggie, chic, and i) wanted it on our cameras, so there are about a dozen of these pictures. The kids were good with it though!

hug pose

Lemme Kiss her!

John-David was really good with Molly, who usually was in her little world. There was one day when he was going to the bathroom and Molly walked by the door, and he looked up to whoever he was in there with and said "She's so pretty." When she walked by again, he said, "I just love that Molly." How cute! He would also give her words of wisdom as any older and much wiser cousin should. For instance when Molly would eat meals with him at the table, he would shake his head and say, "Don't be so messy!"

Aunt-E loves you and misses you little man!

Christams Eve we all got into Maggie and Jeremiah's car and went for a ride by Lake Winnabego to drive through this thing called the Celebration of Lights. It was really neat. There are all different Christmas lights and scenes. I would have pictures of that, but we were crammed and we were only getting out of the vehicle once. We took pictures at the sleigh with NaNa and PopPop. They also had reign deer and get this ... CAMELS. Camels! I had no idea that Camels could survive 10 degree weather, but apparently they can adapt well from the desert to the snow! Joe's Dad Tom reading from Luke 2.

Opening presents

Molly with Daddy on Christmas. We went out by the lake to play in some snow and take some pictures. It was cold, but it was beautiful with all the snow! (not that I am saying by ANY means that I would always want 2 feet of snow on the ground during the winter - just that it was nice to visit in)

NaNa and MollyPopPop and Molly On the Lake with Mommy.

For those who are not from around cold wintery places, yes I mean we were standing ON the Lake. It was frozen 1o inches down. I don't really know if that's a lot in regards to frozen lakes, but I know it was enough to keep me above the icy waters!Molly standing on the ice!

Molly did not really get a chance to stand on her own on the snow a whole lot because of 2 reasons:

1. Her snow shoes were a little big on her and it was awkward

2. Her Daddy (my grizzly bear from the icy north) would have a fit if she as much got any snow on her - his excuse... "Don't you people know that this kills people!" - talk about a princess!

Just some more pictures by the lake. It was just really so pretty!

And lastly, the fam! I know, I know: John-David is not near his parents, but he was pretty adament of standing where he wanted to. I was just glad that everyone is looking at the camera and is smiling.

It was a great time to be with Joe's family. We enjoyed every last bit of it and of course cannot wait to see everyone again! Love and miss you all!!

Happy New Year!

These are some of the pictures that we had done for Molly's Christmas pictures. (shh my mom doesn't know this yet). I had them done at Sears and let me tell you the girls there were great! Molly fell in love with the one who took her picture and actually didn't want to leave. She also wanted to take the little white wicker chair home with her....

Of course we had to take a picture with some sort of stuffed animal. I didn't really want a Christmas background at first, but they were actually my favorite pictures!!
And last but not least, her face she makes when you tell her to smile! It was funny because you either had a VERY serious face or her cheesy little smile. We had a good time together!