{weekly update} week 32

What a fantastic week! This is my last weekly update of 2013 because tomorrow is January 1st 2014!! I truly cannot believe how quickly this week let alone year has gone by!  In just a short 20 weeks Ellie will be a 1 year old! The party planning has already started!!

Eats: She loves her bottles. Butternut Squash is the major hit of the year!  She loves that stuff. Also beans, peas, broccoli, squash/pear and rice cereal. I finally got some store bought baby food and she likes her mama's cooking better! But it's nice to have it on hand. 

Sleeps: IN HER OWN ROOM!! Big change but she hasn't even noticed. She is sleeping 8-10 hours at night. Her naps have been off since we have been talking during her naps and she doesn't want to miss a thing!  Though she still sleeps swaddled. That will be the next thing. 

Cries: when we push nap time or eating time. Not bad and usually can be consoled within minutes!

Goes: the Mall, Nanny and Papa's, to my gparents retirement home, to her uncle's house, restaurants, and my fave-the book store!

Wears: 3-6 month with some 6+ in the mix. Still fits into a few 0-3 sleepers but the feet are getting a little small. 

Baby Gear Love: Exersaucer, Stroller, walker and kitchen utensils. Obviously Sophie is a huge hit as are her new Christmas presents!!

Milestones: Sleeps in her own room, claps her hands, shakes her head, and is this close to crawling!!!

Mama: I had so much fun celebrating Christmas with a little one. I just know they are just going to get better and more exciting as the years go on due to Ellie's (and future children) excitement!  I have had a stomach bug this weekend which isn't too fun but feeling on the mend!!  I am so glad I still have another 5 days at home with my little sweetie before going back to work!

Sweet little Ellie Faith, oh how I love you so!  You are at my favorite age/stage right now. It's just going to get better from here!!

-Ashley 

2013 Year in Review

Quite a few of the blogs I follow (and read) have posted Year in Reviews.  I love this idea so I thought I would join in!!  We have had a lot go on this year so it will be fun to reflect!

January

 I wrote a recap about my Ladies Christmas Tea, shared a delicious cranberry spread recipe, and suffered from my 3rd miscarriage (second ectopic pregnancy)

February

 I talked about how much I love party planning and would love to at some point in my life (sooner rather than later) become a Wedding Planner and I got back into the soup making mode and made Avgolemono Soup (a lemon chicken and rice).  Delish!

March

 I shared that we were picked (for the second time) by a birthmom to a baby girl due in May and that we had a visit with them over my birthday weekend!  And I shared our Easter.

April

I shared the recipe for the Lemon Blueberry Cake I made for Easter, started a Facebook Page to help aid in the financial bit of our Adoption (you can still donate!!) and gave another update on a recent visit with the birth parents!

 

May

I gave a quick tour of our farm in the Springtime, had a Sneak Peek of the Nursery, Announced Ellie's Birth!! and Started her weekly update posts.

 

June

I shared about the Baby Showers that we had for Ellie, started writing Monthdates, shared two breakfast recipes: my Moms pancakes and Angel Food French Toast, and our trip to Seattle.

 

July

 I gave a tour of the farm on the 4th of July, talked about how my husband is my teammate, made a cheesecake fruit pie, and I participated in my first Cara Box exchange!

August

 We celebrated our 5th Wedding Anniversary, took a trip to Lake Chelan with some travel tips, and I shared my DIY Magnetic Chalkboard Pantry doors as well as our new purpose to garden on the farm.

September

 We finalized our Adoption! remembered 9-11, and I posted my first 5 on Friday post! I also got to return to my same workplace! this is the first time since I graduated that I got to be at the same place!

October

I confessed a few things about myself, we went to the pumpkin patch, I made Pumpkin Crunch Cake, Ellie started sitting up on her own! Celebrated her first Halloween, and I shared more about my pregnancy losses.

 

November

 I guest posted over at Strawberry Swing!, shared my Christmas Wishlist and Ellie's, I was nominated for the Sunshine award, and I posted about National Adoption Day.

December

I gave a recap of our First Thanksgiving with Ellie, finally posted our Nursery Tour, talked about our Christmas Tree, shared a recipe for Salami Chips, shared a last minute gift idea that gives back, posted our Christmas Card, and recapped our Christmas! Ellie also got TWO teeth this month!

be sure to follow me on IG (@lifeonthefarm) and thanks for being a part of my life in 2013!!

Here is to more blessings in 2014!

Happy New Year!

♥ Ashley

Seven Swans A-Swimming

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On the 7th Day of Christmas

Seven Swans A-swimming


The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

Devotions are HERE.







♥ Ashley 

Six Geese A-Laying

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

Six Geese A-laying

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The six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1).

The Devotional for Day 6 can be found here.

♥ Ashley

Five Gold Rings

On the fifth Day of Christmas

Five Gold Rings

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The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch:  1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world.

To see the devotional for this day click HERE.




♥ Ashley

Four Calling Birds

On the 4th Day of Christmas

Four Calling Birds

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The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ.


 to read the 4th day devotional click HERE












♥ Ashley

Three French Hens

On the 3rd Day of Christmas:

Three French Hens


The Three Theological Virtues:  1) Faith, 2) Hope, and 3) Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Click HERE for the 3rd Day devotional.












♥ Ashley

Two Turtle Doves

On the 2nd Day of Christmas:

Two Turtle Doves

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The Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.

For the devotional of the 2nd Day click Here






♥ Ashley

Five on Friday

WOW!!! Talk about a crazy, fun, busy, week!! We had so many things going on and got to celebrate our Saviors birth for the first time with Ellie! What a blessing the holidays truly are with children!!

**ONE**

Our Christmas season was so busy this year with taking our trip to Vancouver right after Thanksgiving, to prepping for my Ladies Christmas Tea and for hosting Christmas Eve along with tree hunting, shopping, Santa pics and our holiday musical/play tradition I didn't have a chance to officially "create" our Advent calendar activity cards like I had planned.  So I plan on making those this week sometime to keep for next year.

**TWO**

Little Ellie Faith is such a fun little girl. This is my absolute favorite age so far.  She is so close to crawling. She rolls like a log everywhere and finds herself stuck underneath furniture, it's so funny. She also is quite the talker in the morning and especially talkative during diaper changes.  We're pretty convinced that she said "dada" on Christmas Day!  

**THREE**

Our life has been so gogogo since Thanksgiving that we are looking forward to some chill relax time for the rest of our Christmas vacation. Not sure if it's gonna happen.  

**FOUR**

We got to have 3 Christmas' this year. On Sunday we celebrated with my dad and siblings. My sister in law made a turkey and all the fixins that was delish! And my sister made these little apple pies for dessert so good!  Then we opened presents and had a great time. Everyone was so generous with their gifts to Ellie. She/we were truly blessed.  

 

We had a lovely Christmas Eve with Thomas' family at our house. First we went to church with my MIL and FIL. We made Prime Rib, honey thyme carrots, and sautéed green beans, while his family brought rolls, potatoes, and a plethora of desserts. Needless to say we had enough to eat and it was ALL delicious!  Like a bad blogger but great family member I didn't get any pictures because I was focusing on being present (just kidding I was so busy I totes forgot to take pics!!). After dinner we opened presents, our nieces went first and just tore into the presents making a huge production of the whole event (hilarious). Then the adults got to search for the pickle on the tree to see who got to go first!  I like taking turns during Christmas so we can see what everyone got, it was a wonderful time and we were all so giving this year!  

Then on Christmas Day we headed north to my grandparents retirement home for a buffet lunch (they actually have really good food there) of turkey, potatoes, ham, and stuffing among other foods.  And then we had our gift exchange there as well and once again Ellie was blessed with so many wonderful things!! 

Afte lunch at my gparents we went back to Thomas little brothers house for a lamb dinner!! It was SO good I want to go back for more!!

So I guess our Christmas is a little it of a whirlwind but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

**FIVE**

Now we are getting closer to New Year's. So I have to start thinking about what my New Year's resolutions are going to be. I am thinking I might do my push up challenge again though with a few little tweaks to it.

-Ashley 

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Partidge in a Pear Tree

One thing I look forward to in the Christmas season are the 12 Days of Christmas.  Contrary to popular belief the 12 Days of Christmas are actually the 12 days AFTER Christmas, ending on "Epiphany" (January 6) or when the Wise Men found Jesus.  Upon my research there are 2 different ways to acknowledge the 12 Days, either starting on Christmas Day or the 26th of December.

Today is the First Day of Christmas:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree


 
The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34)

To read the devotional for this day click HERE.

I so enjoy doing this series and I hope you like it too!!



♥ Ashley

{weekly update} week 31

It's Christmas Eve!!! What a completely exciting time especially with the cutest baby in the world to celebrate with. We've had a great week and Ellie has been spectacular!!  I've been looking forward to this holiday for a LONG time and it's finally here!

Sleeps/Nice: Baby girls nap schedule has been a little off but I think it's because she doesn't want to miss a thing!! We are still going strong at 9-10 hours at night so no complaints here!! She is still in our room at night in the bassinet, BUT we have moved her to her crib for naps!! Making improvement. 

Cries/Naughty: Girlfriend has been pretty good. Though with last minute shopping we have pushed her feedings a little and she has been not too pleased with that. Her teeth have been giving her a little trouble I think another is on its way to making an appearance. 

Rolled herself up in her blanket!!

Eats: E. F. now recognizes her bottle and grabs for it! So cute. She eats in either her high chair or walker - she prefers the walker and naturally I prefer the high chair... Eats formula, beans, peas, yams, broccoli, and butternut squash. We tried Earths Best Organics squash and peas today- not a fan...

Wears: size 3 diapers and as many of our Christmas clothes as I can fit in!!

Goes: nursery care with her nanny Miss J at church, to church, restaurants, Nanny and Papas house, shopping, and a Musical Theatre presentation of Scrooge! To see Santa's reindeer!

Baby Gear Love:  Little Miss E loves her toys, Sophie, fabric square, kitchen utensils, and the puppies!!

Milestones: we are about this close to crawling!! She is super good at rolling like a log and found herself under a chair in our living room from her efforts!  Celebrated her first Christmas with my family at my daddy's house on Sunday!!

Mama: Busy with last minute shopping, on vacation from work for two weeks!!, and getting the house ready to host Christmas Eve with Thomas family at our farm!!  Finally got the Christmas cards printed, photos copied and addressed just need to send them out, maybe on Thursday.

Sweet Ellie Faith I just love you so much and I'm so grateful to get to celebrate the birth of our Savior with you tomorrow. Merry first Christmas sweetheart I love you.

-Ashley