Second Year

Miss Nora,

It seems like just yesterday I was writing this post about your first year of life.  And here we are another year older.

It is amazing all that a little one learns between their first and second birthday.  So much growth. It was after your first birthday that you started to walk. And then it was running. And now I can't even remember a time when you couldn't get around that way. You were always so independent and wanting to try and do all on your own.

And then there is the talking. Starting with such simple words as mama and dada and your favorite word of all, Anna. And then we progressed into more complex words like grandma and grandpa although you like to tease Grandma a lot by saying every one's name but hers. And then you laugh. In fact you have quite a sense of humor. Every day when I pick you up from Mary's (if Anna isn't with me), she will ask you if you would say hello to Anna for her. And you quickly respond, "Noooooooo!" Sometimes she doesn't even get the whole question out before you answer.  Gives us a good laugh each day. And then just the other day Anna was there when I picked you up and Mary asked if you would tell Daddy hello. You quickly responded "NO" and then continued to say that "Anna is right there Mary." You make me laugh so much.

I do love the words and now the two or three word sentences. Just the other night you said to me that something is "stinky". I hadn't heard that one before. You are all about telling people their name and who's turn it is. Like whose turn it is to go to bed. Funny how it is never your turn but always Anna, Mommy and Daddy.  You are always telling me when you see a bus or a plane or if you want to go upstairs or downstairs.

You are a pretty good sleeper, once you go to bed. Sometimes we have to let you cry it out for a little bit before you eventually go to sleep. There are nights when you will wake up in the middle of the night and not go back to sleep for a while but they are few and far between. Wondering what it will be like when we move you to a big girl bed?!?

I know I have written about this a lot but you continue to have an incredible love and bond with your sister.  It still warms my heart and brings a tear to my eye frequently when I see you two together. I love how you celebrate together like when Anna rode her two wheel bike for the first time. Or how you cry together when Anna comes running to you when you are hurt.  I pray that those moments continue and that you two will be best friendsn forever.

I can't even put to words how much we love you and how much joy you bring to our lives. I continue to thank God every day for you. I pray that you will always know our love for you and that you grow to know God and feel his love too! As I think back to all the trials we went through to have you and then I look at your beautiful face - I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

We love you Nora Grace! To the moon and back and forever and always!

Love,
Mom

Just Write - Nine Years

Our house is nine years old. We built it pretty much the way we wanted it. Picked out the fixtures and the appliances and the paint. Everything was new and we loved it.

Everything WAS new. Now everything is nine years old. I am really starting to think more about changing things up. New paint colors. New furniture. A new style.  And then we noticed a leak. In our water heater. And then the leak got worse and worse. And now we need a new water heater.

It is just beginning. I feel it coming on. Things aren't made like they used to. Pretty sure our stove and fridge will not last the 30+ years my mom and dad's did. It starts with a new water heater. And then what is next? We are entering that time when we will have to be replacing. Researching. Buying.

What do I know about water heaters? Nothing. That is what I know. Nothing. And what does Chad know? Nothing. Until we research and compare.  And make adult decisions. Expensive ones. Nothing can start the crazy cycle more than determining which water heater we want to spend our money on. Seriously.

Thank God for hot water though and this problem. Thank God.

You Capture - Colorful

I haven't linked up to You Capture in a long time but as I was looking at the what the theme for this week was I felt led to participate. The theme is "colorful" and I needed some color today. So, I was looking at my desk and seeing some very nice colors, right there. The picture quality is low since I just used my cell phone camera but you get the idea. Hope you find something to brighten up your day with color too!  Maybe looking at the other photos that were linked up will help! Click the button below to see the other You Captures.

Just Write - Perspective

It is good to always put things in perspective. When we were in the moment of Nora's little accident and getting her stitches, it was dramatic.  We were sad and tired and desperate for help to get things back on track. Nobody likes to be in the ER. We wanted out and to be home. To get back to sleep. To start our day over.

When we did get home and I was walking with Nora in my arms to get her back to sleep at 4:30 am, it hit me. I cried. And cried. I was thankful. I was fortunate. My little girl only has 5 stitches in her head. We didn't lose her. She doesn't have cancer. She is home with us. We spent the rest of the day celebrating Anna's birthday, not grieving. What we went through was a drop in the bucket. A rite of passage some even said.

While walking, my mind goes to those that have lost children. To accidents, cancer, natural disasters. And it all comes into perspective. If I am feeling this heavy weight on me just going through a little cut with stitches, what does it feel like to lose your child? Or get the diagnosis? Just thinking about it weighs so heavy on my chest it makes it hard for me to breathe.

All in perspective.

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I am linking up with my first ever Just Write post from The Extraordinary Ordinary. Her blog is fantastic and I always love Tuesdays to read everyone's posts! Check it out too!

Five Stiches Later

I don't even know where to start this story... I guess at the beginning.  It was a dark and cold early, early Thursday morning. Anna's birthday ready to be celebrated when the sun comes up.  Everyone is tucked into their beds and sound asleep.  Chad and I hear a cry that sounds desperate and so sad. I ask Chad to go check on Nora, see if he can calm her down. The clock says it is 2 am.

He goes in and finds her asleep in some sort of nightmare. She fights him as he tries to pick her up to sooth her. She cries for dada even though he is holding her. She throws herself around in his arms. He sets her on the ground to give her some space to do her thing or to get a better hold to pick her up again. Seconds later she has launched herself into the corner of a small wooden chair in her room. She wakes, finally.

I rush in at that point when I hear the connection between her head and the chair and the cries that follow. As Chad picks her up again, she is rubbing her eyes and when the lights come on there is blood all over her face.  Immediately we know that a trip to the ER is in our near future.

Chad and I stayed surprisingly calm for that time in the morning. Chad gets Anna up and she is quick to get dressed. We say Happy Birthday to her as we run around getting ready to get out the door. By 2:30 am we are at the ER in Maple Grove.

We were greeted with amazingly nice and compassionate nurses and nice private rooms. The doctor confirms that yes, stitches will be needed. Probably 4 or 5 of them. How did this happen? We have to tell the story twice. Not a highlight of the morning.  Happy Birthday Anna is also said a few times throughout the experience.

The movie Tangled is called up on the TV in the room. Anna is occupied and it catches Nora's attention for a few minutes at a time. We will need to hold this cotton ball on her cut for 20-30 minutes. Can we make sure that happens? I wasn't sure we would be able to but Nora left the tape on and we snuggled while we waited for the site to get numb.

As it got closer to sewing time, we got nervous. How would they be able to keep her under control when they use the needle to completely make sure she doesn't feel a thing when they do the stitches? Well, in walked Chadwick (a name that my Chad hates when used on him). We found it humorous that was his name. He was big and strong and was not afraid to be Nora's enemy for the next 10 minutes. This will be the worst of it they say. She will feel this needle for a few seconds before it goes completely numb.

And then the worst part of the actual stitching will be Chadwick and that he is holding her down along with daddy. She started by screaming ANNA, ANNA and then switched to DADA, DADA, before it was MAMA, MAMA.  It was gut wrenching but quick.

Five stitches later and mommy's lap and she is totally fine. Already oblivious to what just happened. Having a little goldfish snack helped too.

We were home 2.5 hours later by 4:30 am. Happy Birthday Anna but you must go back to bed for a few hours. We slept until the 8 am hour and then up for the day to celebrate. As you can see here she was totally fine after her "nap".

5 days later the stitches came out and she didn't even flinch. It is looking food. There may be a small line scar there but only time will tell. Overall, she was such a trooper through it all! <3

The story is written very dramatically and it was a dramatic moment but really once we got into motion with what we needed to do everyone was calm and collected. We had a family bonding experience that I believe grows a family closer together. It helped us learn so much about each other regarding how to love and care for each other. And the memory of this ER trip being on her birthday will probably be one that Anna will never forget. In fact, I think it aided in the day being deemed her best birthday ever. And really, what parent doesn't like to hear that.

Halfway to 16

Dear Anna,

Today you turn 8!   E-i-g-h-t!

I am sure I say this every single year but how did this happen?

I am not real sure as to why this year seems harder than others. Maybe I am just seeing you grow up before my eyes. You are definitely transitioned out of those preschool or Kindergarten ways. Or maybe it is because you can do just about everything yourself now... when you want to. Or because you can read a book to me with ease. Or how you hold your own opinions on things and do things at your own pace.

Being 7 was really good for you! Can't wait to see what being 8 will be like for you this coming year! Here are the top 8 things I love about you!

8. Your laugh and sense of humor! Love the funny little one liners you throw at us sometimes that make us do a double take. Where do you learn these things?? (see #4 below)

7. Your concentration and enjoyment when playing the piano. Love hearing you get excited about playing a piece perfectly after practicing it over and over.
 
6. How excited you get when seeing your family whether it be Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins or extended family.  You love your family and would love for them all to live in our neighborhood - all together!

5. Your love for art, especially drawing. And also for your love of writing. Just the other day you came to us and said you wanted to be a song writer. You googled "song writer" and took some of the tips you found and wrote your first song. Love that creativity.

4. How so many things you say and do remind me of your dad. I know I may roll my eyes a lot when these similarities come out but deep down I love that you have those things from him!

3. Your care and concern for friends. Most importantly, how you can be a friend to anyone. Always kind and thoughtful.

2.  Your faith in God, how much you want to know/learn more and your sweet prayers for others.

1. How you treat your sister with total love. All the time. You very rarely get annoyed by her. You always are willing to play and laugh with her. Makes a mom's heart very happy and I pray that continues for a long time!

Happy 8th Birthday Anna Banana! We love you to the moon and back and forever and always! And remember everyday we're shufflin'.

Love, Mom

I was so young...

and naive... I was reminded today that I probably still have a myspace page hanging out there that hasn't been touched in nearly 5 years now. Probably should go and just delete it. Before I did, I looked back at some of my "blog" entries before I started this blog. Here is the first one.


Apr 19, 2007

Never thought I would be doing this!

Wow! Here I am entering the world of myspace. I remember when this site was becoming a big deal and I thought, no way will I have a myspace page. Then I got curious to see what it was all about and I am amazed at how easy it is to search for people and get reconnected with those you have lost touch with. I can't believe the number of people that use this site. What a great million dollar idea! We just recently came into the 21st century when we finally dropped our dial up internet connection and got DSL! It is amazing all the possibilities that has opened up including this site!I hope that this site will connect me with those that I am friends with and reconnect me with those that I have lost touch with. I am excited for the possibilities.

A couple of things about this make me laugh. First of all, remembering what it was like to have dial up. And how our eyes were opened wide when we used DSL at home for the first time. And we were late in the game in making that switch!

Second, how I thought myspace was going to change the world. It was just a short month later that I started using Facebook for the first time. And never looked back. Until today. Funny.

Good bye myspace. I will not miss you. Wonder if there will ever come a day I will say that about Facebook?

Resogoals

Goal is the new resolution. Like blue is the new pink at our house.

At our family fun new year's party this year (that I will blog about soon along with Christmas), I made everyone do a little paperwork. But they didn't really seem to mind. I was feeling very reflective on the year gone by and very hopeful about 2012. I mean, the even years are always better, right? Everyone filled out a little survey I found on Pinterest about their favorite things of 2011, their highlights from 2011 and looking forward to 2012.

It was really fun to read what everyone wrote, even the little ones. For instance, Nora's biggest goal for 2012 is to be potty trained. Yay! Anna would like to work on improving on spelling and reading. And watch out girls because the queen of accountability was at the party and she will be sure to follow up on those goals. Chad said he wanted to learn morse code. That should be intersesting. He also wants to work on a better work/home balance. That it turns out is a good family goal.

It was easy for me to pick out a few things that I really want to work on in 2012. They are items at the top of brain always but for some reason needed the fresh start of a new year to find the motivation to really make them happen. And here it goes:

1. Be Healthy. As an individual, as a couple, and as a family. This encompasses eating, activity, and spiritual life. This year I went away from the "lose weight" goal. Deep down I just want to be healthy and I know that weight loss will come with it. I have started a small piece of this by reading Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeursthttp. I am only one chapter in and I already have had a couple of aha moments. Mostly revolving around how God made us to crave but not for food or other worldly items. He wants us to crave Him! So when we are tempted to crave things like food why don't I turn to him? Good stuff.
   
   
2. Find a Great Weeknight Routine. So in the old 2011 routine, there was a lot of fighting and hunger and crankiness. Maybe some tears. And some "go to your room and get in bed"...... at 6 pm. Fun times. I have a new vision for 2012 routines. I envision a happy child sitting at the table after school eating a healthy snack and doing her homework. And then skipping over to the piano to practice. And then the whole family sitting around the dinner table with smiles on their faces sharing about their days. And then we have play time, followed by reading and prayer time. And then lights out and mom and dad time. Sounds blissfull.
   
   Of course I know it won't be like that (all the time). BUT I would like to really focus our energy on quality family time. I think that is the word of the year QUALITY or maybe it should be FOCUS. Either way, I think as Nora gets older it will be easier to focus more time on Anna and her homework after school. And to spend time all toghether playing after dinner. We have already made the shift to no TV in the evenings with the kids. That helped a lot. Also, making sure reading and our bible study/prayer time with the kids is a top priority before bed is paramount. At the end of the year I would love to say that the word to describe it is PEACEFUL. Any of those will do.
   
   
3. One on One Time. The last big goal of the year is again about quality time. This time not as a family unit but one on one. Me with each of the girls. Chad with each of the girls. And maybe most importantly, Chad and I together. Finding a way to make this happen whether it be all in the house together but broken up into "couples" doing different activities or special dates with the girls. And for sure making sure we schedule in dates with each other throughout the year. Maybe even an extended long weekend vacation? Hmm.

So there you have it. Our resolutions.. err. goals.. or as we will call them resogoals for 2012!

Visit with Santa

I wasn't sure how the visit to Santa would go this year with Nora, but she was a trooper. She wasn't buying all the jolly old st. nick talk but she didn't scream her head off either. She was very serious sitting there on his lap. I am sure Anna being there next to her helped termendously!


Anna of course was excited to see the big man in the red suit and ask for all the things Mommy and Daddy have already told Santa not to bring. There will be no DSi or American Girls delivered this year. Plenty of other favorites on the list that Santa can deliver on though!

I just can't get over what a great experience it is to see Santa in Downtown White Bear Lake. They do such a great job. We got there right away and the line wasn't too bad but it was growing by the minute. The Santa is super. And it is free if you bring a donation to the local food shelf. You wait just a short hour and pick up your photo at the local pharmacy. While you wait you can take a free horse drawn carriage ride, get some hot chocolate or yummy baked goods at Key's Cafe, or visit a favorite store of mine, Good Things! We all really enjoyed our annual Santa tradition!

If you came to the blog to read our Christmas letter it is the next post below or you can click HERE!

Merry Christmas 2011

I realize that last year I wrote our Christmas letter on our blog and then said I would do family updates throughout the year. And that didn't really happen. It was a light blogging year. And again this year on our Christmas card I wrote to check the blog for family updates. New Years Resolution??

I digress as now is a time to reflect on 2011. Time to take a moment and look back before we look forward. My first inclination is to say, gee, we didn't really have much going on this past year. Maybe that is because compared to Nora's arrival in 2010 this year seems quiet. But it really was anything but quiet.

I guess I can start with Nora. She turned ONE on April 23rd! That first year and now another half a year since has gone by so fast. So many milestones happened in 2011. She is walking and talking and eating and growing. All the things she is supposed to be doing. She is a ham and a sweetie with a little bit of stubborn mixed in. I wouldn't have it any other way. She is just a love.

The best part of this year with Nora is seeing her love for her sister and vice versa. I just can never get enough of her saying "Anna". She is always looking for her or playing with her. Sometimes when I go into her room in the morning, the first thing out of her mouth is, "Anna?". I posted a video on Facebook a while back of Nora waiting for Anna to get dropped off by the bus at the end of the school day. It is my favorite time of the day. She stands at our house and screams her name over and over again as the bus arrives and then rushes in for a big hug when Anna gets home. Warms my heart every time. Here is another video that shows this fantastic sister love!

Anna is about to turn 8 in January and in 2nd grade. Talk about time going fast. How did this happen? It is so fun to continue to watch Anna grow into a beautiful, inside and out, young girl. She loves school and spending time with her friends and family. She loves her sister right back but also likes her alone time to read or play. Anna loves to read and especially enjoyed Charlotte's Web this year. So sweet for her to be reading some of my book favorites from that age too. She loves to draw and do crafts. She also enjoys swimming, basketball and piano.

Anna's summer was anything but quiet. She was so fortunate to spend two weeks with my parents in Estes Park, Colorado. Love that she will forever have those memories with them. She loved spending her summer in camp and also at Mary's with Nora!

Chad and I continue to be so thankful and feel so blessed. We both still are working in the same jobs. We had a great year just enjoying time with our family and our friends. We were also fortunate to do some traveling as a family this year. We spent time on the North Shore of Minnesota two times with friends, one in the winter and one in the fall. It is one of our favorite places to be. God's beauty can even be found in the dead of winter on Lake Superior, believe it or not! :) The fall trip to Temperance River State Park was even a camping one. So we got one trip in this year. Hoping that we can do more next year!

Anna's trip to Colorado was a highlight for her but we also were able to travel as a family with my mom to California. I was attending a work conference that was just a meer 15 minutes from my brother David and his wife Emma. Was great to spend time with them and also a significant amount of time at Disneyland. We rode many many rides and introduced Nora to Disney.

2011 was a year of growth. Our family grows closer together every day. Our relationships with our immediate families experienced growth. And meaningful growth with our friends also continued. But most importantly our faith in God has experienced growth together with all of those close to us. God has provided so much to us and it has not gone unnoticed. We often stop to give thanks. If you are reading this Christmas letter, we have most likely given thanks for you in our lives. We pray that your year gone by has provided much to be thankful for and that we all can look ahead to 2012 with great anticipation!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love from the Carstens Family!

Chad, Tina, Anna and Nora

Brain Dump

I have a lot running through my head. We had a pretty quiet weekend but as I was thinking about it last night I realized how much life is changing and how many things we have to celebrate or not.

Yesterday was Memorial Day. Well, duh, I am sure you all knew that, right? But it totally snuck up on me. May went by like *snap* that! I swear we were just celebrating the end of April with Nora's birthday! And now, June!

Last year on Memorial Day we brought Nora home from the hospital after nearly 6 weeks of care there. All parents celebrate milestones and anniversaries but it seems like there are a few more for us preemie moms. And coming home from the hospital is a HUGE one! I guess technically it wasn't the one year anniversary of the date but it was of the day. Memorial Day. Like her 1st birthday it is crazy to think back on the year and how far she has come! Bringing a baby home from the hospital is nerve racking. You wonder how in the world you will ever take care of this little one. Will you know what to do? And then a year goes by and you still wonder how we did that or how we knew just what to do.

Nora is happy and thriving and amazing us every day. I don't like to gush but my goodness is she fun! I love her personality. And she has one. One so different from Anna. When Anna was little she was very easy going and agreeable. Nothing seemed to phase her. She didn't really "speak" up much. Not for Nora. She tells us all the time what she is thinking. She is quick to demand and then quick to give kisses. She wants to know where he sister is at all times. I am not sure how to type it or spell it but she definitely has a word for Anna. And if Anna is in the other room she will yell it out until Anna answers her. It is too cute.

Nora's big sloppy kisses are one of the highlights of the day. I especially love the little "mmm..muah" sounds she makes when she gives them. And she is walking. I would say about 95% of the time that is her mode of transportation. So fun to see her get more steady on her feet! She has found that we have a circle in our house that she can walk and walk and walk around. Isn't it funny how intuitive that is for kids? They always find the "circle" and race around it!

Moving on to Anna.. She is soooo excited for the end of the school year. Mom is not so much. I am excited for summer but can't believe she will be done with 1st grade and moving on to 2nd. It will be an easy transition at least since they keep the same teacher for 2nd grade. This will be a different summer for all of us. Last year I was home with the girls while on maternity leave. This year Anna and Nora will go to daycare most of the week with Anna going to a day camp 2 days of the week. But I really loved my time at the beach last year. When will we fit that in? :)

Anna has had a great year in school. As much as she HATES and I mean hates to practice spelling, she does really well at it. As well as her math! But the reading is what amazes me. She has improved so much and I love to listen to her read. Have to keep that up over the summer for sure.

Anna has been taking piano lessons for only a few months now but had her first recital last weekend. It was nerve racking as a parent seeing your child nervous and not able to do much about it. She did great though. I was so in awe of how cool under pressure she really was. I put together a little video of her recital for you to check out. Her songs are short but she played them flawlessly. On a side note, I always wanted to learn to play piano. Never took lessons but did learn the flute pretty well and also learned to read music from that. It is so fun to see Anna enjoying to learn how to play. I am picking up a few things helping her with her lessons too. Maybe her fantastic piano teacher should charge us extra.. shhhh....




And just in case my blog post left you with illusions that all is perfect and happy at the Carstens household, I have a reality check. BOTH of my girls (and maybe Chad & I a little bit too) are so stubborn that everyday one or all of us are in tears. And our house still looks like a bomb went off even after a very long weekend of not doing much of anything.

Moving on.

Chad and I have some things going on too. We are getting old. I mean I still feel like 35 is so much younger than I ever thought it would be.. But we just went to my cousin's high school graduation party. She is graduating. I was her age when she was born. Did I mention she is 18 years old now? Crazy. But seriously, it was fun to be there and celebrate with her. She is a great young lady who is moving on to St. Thomas in the fall and will continue to play basketball! After her party we celebrated my grandma's 92nd birthday! Everything in perspective right?

After that Chad and I headed to the Memory Lanes Block Party to see Split Lip Rayfield perform. Another indication of how old I feel. There were a variety of people there but most were in their 20's. I am not in my 20's anymore even though sometimes I forget. In a lot of ways I am glad I am not in my 20's anymore though.. geesh. Imagine a lot of beer and singles and smoking and and and...

Spring/summer is finally here and I realize we don't have any camping trips planned. And I am feeling the effects of that. Need to get planning one soon. Few things hold me back. One - it costs a lot to haul our camper with the truck anywhere. Two - Nora is at a hard age to take camping. Walking but not real great at it. Into everything. Eating dirt. But I am sure she would do fine and probably LOVE it. Three - packing up and going and coming home is a lot of work. And I have found myself not so excited about that part of it. Need to get over that.

Hmm.. what other ramblings do I have for you. Oh yeah, I want a deck. I need a deck on our house. And it looks like it may be happening this year. Maybe? Hopefully? Need to make it happen! That along with getting our basement cleaned out so the kids can use it to play and hang is a top priority. Would make the flow of our house so much better if both of those things would happen this summer/fall. Sometime soon!

Wow, did you make it to the end? Feel like I should reward you with something? I don't have anything for you except my sincere thanks for reading! Hope you all have a great week!

Walking

Walking is not a milestone I was really ready to encourage. But once she turned a year old, it was nearly impossible to not cheer her on as she stood by herself and took those first couple of steps. She is still pretty wobbly but getting more and more stable each day! A few days ago she went beyond the 5-6 step mark and went clear across the room. And then she did it again. I quickly got my camera out trying to capture some of her first official steps on video. EVERYTIME I got the camera out she fell. It got to be pretty comical. Here was my attempt one night to finally get it on video!

First Year

Dear Nora,

Almost two weeks have gone by since your 1st birthday and I finally feel like I can put what I want to say into words. That Saturday night of April 23rd, I was rocking you before bed and the tears started flowing. And flowing. I couldn't stop. Don't worry though. They were happy tears. They were overwhelmed with love and thankfulness tears. They were also Easter tears.

You see, your 1st birthday was the day before Easter. And as I rocked you in the dark of your room I couldn't help but think of what Easter is all about. I couldn't stop thinking about the sacrifice that God made knowing his son would die. For us. I thought about the love God had for his son and has for us. And the love I felt for you weighed so heavy I could barely breathe. And I started to think about the years prior to your birth, and the babies we never were able to rock to sleep. And I thought about the months I spent in bed and in the hospital. And the month we spent with you at Children's before you could come home. And I cried. I cried because here I was holding this perfect little child. A child that I am so blessed to be a mommy too. And I couldn't imagine our lives without you. Our family unit feels complete with you here.

Well, prior to mommy's little breakdown we had a great day! We celebrated you and your amazing first year of life. There was cake and hats and lunch and decorations and family and friends. Most importantly family and friends.

As we were preparing for your big day, we looked around our house one day and thought, "Nora really doesn't need any new toys!" You see your big sister saved so much for you. And you love it all. What more did you need? So we asked our generous family & friends to bring donations instead. We wanted to give to the March of Dimes and Children's Hospital Neonatal Unit. We also thought if people wanted to donate diapers we would give those to the Tubman Center. In the end we raised over $200 and 700+ diapers! So thankful!

We are really enjoying you at this age right now. Your personality is starting to really shine through. You LOVE to wave and blow kisses. You answer questions with head nods and hand gestures. You are really close to walking! I don't think it will be long. You are getting braver and braver every day. And teeth! You finally have your first tooth starting to come through. We wondered when this day would come.

The best part of this age though is how you interact with your big sister. You follow her around. Where Anna is Nora must be too. You just love to be next to her. And at this moment in time, Anna loves having you near by. You giggle together and smile at each other and bump foreheads as your sign of affection. I can tell that you will be best friends for life. Mommy gets a little teary eyed when I see you two together.

Nora, you are such a blessing in our life and we thank God for you and your sister every day! Mommy and Daddy love you so much and are living in the moment and enjoying every little piece of your second year!

Love you to the moon and back!

Mommy

Climbing Mountains

I am emotional. I would say even more emotional than when I was pregnant or when our 2nd daughter also made an early appearance. I suppose when you plan on this being your last child each milestone is precious and THE last time we will experience it. But geesh, I need to get a grip. With Nora's 1st Birthday lurking around the corner (aka 11 days to be exact), I can't stop thinking of ways to keep her a baby. Instead I need to be living in the moment and finding a way to enjoy the small things of her growing up.

Yesterday when I glanced over in the living room and couldn't find my littlest daughter playing on the floor like she had been just a few minutes earlier I rushed over to see what happened. I was shocked to find that she had crawled up two stairs to a landing all by herself. No coaxing. No practicing for weeks. No help or encouragement what so ever. I was conflicted. Happy that she had reached another milestone. Still sad that she is not my baby anymore.

I don't know why this milestone is hitting me so much more. Maybe because of that upcoming birthday. Or the fact that now we will be playing that game of NO GOING UP THE STAIRS! (the gate will be going up shortly)

I think what is boils down to though is being proud. Proud of my 3lb 10ozer that just about a year ago was not able to do anything on her own. Proud that besides a little coaching from Gma a couple of weeks ago (I find out later from Anna. Thanks Gma! (sarcasm)), she did this on her own. Independent of us wanting her to do it. Like walking which we try and encourage although not sure why!? She just went for it. And she was so happy.

And I think the happiest/happy sad part is that just moments before going up the stairs, Anna had gone up there. It was pretty obvious that she wanted to follow her sister. And when she made the turn for the full flight of stairs it was Anna at the top which was the goal. Oh my heart could explode. It is moments like that, those two together, the makes me enjoy the little moments more and more.



So, this reenactment of the first stair climbing pales in comparison. The first time she just went for it and climbed the whole flight without stopping. She was a tiny bit more distracted this time. But I love the look on her face when she turns to look at the camera. See what I mean. So not a baby anymore.

One Step at a Time

Yikes! It has been since before Christmas since I have blogged. So much for that blog-a-thon helping me to be a more consistent blogger.

A recap from the first few months of 2011... Life is good. I won't go as far to say great but there are definitely many blessings. Part of the reason I have had a hard time writing is that I most likely would be writing about my family. And one leg of the family just turned 7 and the other leg of the family will turn 1 is just over a month. And I am in denial. I choose to be in denial that either of them are getting older. Anna is still loving 1st grade and is now playing community ed basketball. The most exciting thing is she started taking piano lessons and LOVES it! Her first recital will be coming up this spring. Nora is 11 months now and so much fun. She is all over the place and pulling up on furniture. Occasionally she will let go and realize she can stand there. I don't think walking is too far off in the future. Now if she could just get some teeth! The greatest thing in the world though is watching Anna and Nora play together. Oh the giggles!

The other reason that I haven't blogged is that life is overwhelming right now. I just couldn't get in the time and desire to blog. Not sure if it is life with two kids or just being older this time around but I am tired and anxious and overwhelmed about what normally would appear to be simple everyday things.

And actually that is what has sparked me to write today. I have started (baby steps) to gain some control over one part of our household management that I have never been good at - dinner meal planning and execution. And I am starting to feel the positive effects of having some control over this! The nighttime routine is smoother when I know what is for dinner and know that I have the ingredients to make it. So how did I conquer one of my highest mountains??

EMealz! I was referred to EMealz by a friend that had started to use it. The low down - you pay $1.25 a week and get a full 7 entree menu (including sides) and the best part of it all is you get a very organized shopping list. There are many options whether you are cooking for two or a whole family. Some of the options include meal plans for: shopping at Aldi or Walmart or Any Store, gluten free, low fat, low carb, vegetarian or WW points. We use the Any Store one. I also use Pocket Your Dollars to look for possible sales and coupons on items I am purchasing. I have got quite a system down and again just can't believe what a difference it makes.

Full disclosure is that we have only been doing it for 2 full weeks but there have not been any meals that I would never eat again. I think one was just ok but the rest of them were good or very good! I do grocery shop once a week now but with such an organized list I am not just willy nilly going through the store. And the meals are not complicated. Easy directions with good results.

I am not getting paid to review the site but they do have a referral program so any links to EMealz from this blog or the sidebar are linked to my account and some credit is given to me for referrals.

Do you have a great menu planning system down? Or do you use EMealz? If you sign up for EMealz please come back and tell me what you think!

Christmas Letter 2010

The cards are in the mail!

We had a fantastic snow storm this past weekend which forced me (and yes I hate that I had to be forced) to slow down and just live in the moment. I spent more time snuggling our ever changing baby Nora and playing with her on the floor as she rolled all over the place. I watched with such joy as Anna played with her cousins in the snow. Joy because she loves more than anything to spend time with her cousins and joy because since they were here to play I didn't feel bad about staying inside with previously mentioned baby by the fire place. And I spent time getting the cards ready to be mailed.

We didn't include a letter in our cards this year but instead listed our blog address. That puts some responsibility on me to keep this blog updated with our happenings since that is where we told people they could keep up with us. To kick that off here is our Christmas letter summing up the difficult and joyous year of 2010...

Dear Friends and Family,

Every year we sit and ponder the previous 12 months in awe of what a difference a year makes. Last year at this time I was just entering my second trimester, praying that the pregnancy would go well and to full term. Just 5 short weeks later, our lives would turn upside down as we are rushed to surgery and "sentenced" to bedrest until delivery. Most of you know how that story ends. It was a good ending. One that feels like a lifetime ago.

April 23rd, Nora Grace entered the world. It was on that day that Anna could see her big sister and all seemed right with the world again. It was so different this time around. We knew the drill and could anticipate many of the twists and turns. But the one thing that was the same was that when Nora came home with us for the first time, we cried happy tears. Unbelievable happy tears.

Our summer was full of good times with friends and family. The highlight of that time was definitely our trip to California in August to celebrate my brother, David's wedding to Emma. They had dated for a good amount of time before this event so already Emma was part of our family. The wedding was the icing on the cake. They did a beautiful job planning the intimate and lovely event. We now share a wedding anniversary and it was very special to celebrate our 10 years of marriage on their wedding day. The whole trip was a fantastic mix of family, fun and wedding activities! I think we grow to love California more and more with each visit there.

After 7 months off, I went back to work the day after Labor Day. It was quite a day as Nora started daycare at Mary's and Anna started 1st grade. I still have a hard time believing that as I type it. 1st grade!

This year has been one of incredible transformation for Anna. She loves school and going from Kindergarten to 1st Grade has been so fun to watch. She has grown so much in this first half of school and loves it. She loves her teacher and loves to learn. Her reading has improved exponentially and every day we look forward to listening to her read US a story! It will be fun to see her continue to grow in the coming months!

Thinking about it, Transformation is a great word for 2010. Our family has been transformed into what we feel as a complete family. Our relationships with our friends and family have been transformed in a way that feels meant to be. Our marriage has been transformed with such deep history that carries us into the next 10 years. Our faith has been transformed. With the struggles we endured, only a faith in God (and the support of so many) could get us through that time. Because no matter the difficulties we always had the promises of God to carry with us. Reciting Proverbs 3:5 as we went: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

In closing, we like to look ahead to the next year, 2011, and what it might bring for the Carstens family. We think for once this may be a "quiet" year! It never really turns out to be that way but here is hoping for a year of no big events. A year of getting out camping again after a couple year hiatus. A year of learning new things like the piano or snowboarding or singing. A year of celebrating milestones like a 1st birthday and a 1st grade graduation.

A year of peace. A year of joy. A year of love. And a year of the same for you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,
Chad, Tina, Anna and Nora

October Highlights

October was a busy but great month! We enjoyed the LOVELY fall weather as much as we could! We got out for a family fun day! We had a blast on Halloween!

Instead of trying to pick out the best pictures from the last month I thought I would just show you the whole slide show instead!

Enjoy!

Success

There are many different ways to measure success. The challenge was to blog everyday in the month of September. I didn't do that. I posted 27 times but missed 5 days in the month. But I still consider this a huge success! Here are some of the reasons why:

• I blogged TWENTY SEVEN times in the month of September. That is by far the most I have ever blogged in one month. It was hard at times. There were many nights that I bumped right up to midnight but I so enjoyed sharing my life and telling my story.
  
  
• Others were inspired to join along! We had about 40 people join in on the blog-a-thon! Was so fun to read the posts (although I am really far behind right now!).
  
  
• Some friends were so inspired that they started their blogs for the first time and joined along in the challenge.
  
  
• Besides all the new friends I have been reading during this blog-a-thon, some "old" friends that I know in real life really took off with this challenge. Was so fun to read their posts and I just cherish so much what I can learn from them!
  
  
• I opened up my heart a little more. I didn't get into too many deep topics but I did feel that my transparency and heart shined through more than in the past blogging.
  
  
• The challenge has inspired me to continue to blog on a regular basis. It won't be every day. Nope. I wish. But I can see once or twice a week being normal. Looking forward to it.
  
  
• And I found my focus this month. To blog for me and for my family. To share and to learn.

THANK YOU! To all those that completed the September Blog-a-Thon along with me! It was so fun to do this with you all. Hope you had a great time and met some new friends along the way! Look forward to continuing to follow your stories! You rock!

Tin or Aluminum

Going back to our summer of fun 2010, I thought it only appropriate to write about our 10 year wedding anniversary, which we celebrated in August, on the 16 year anniversary of our first date. 16 years ago today. Wow. We have almost known each other for half our lives.

When we first got married I said that on our 10 year anniversary we would take a big trip. I mean big. Like Mediterranean cruise for two weeks big. That is just too funny now looking back. I mean I guess we could take a cruise like that now except that we have two kids and a house and jobs and all these more grown up things that we didn't have 10 years ago or really hadn't thought too much about at the time. We love to travel but we also love to travel with our kids and share with them what we see and do. Now that it is not to say that Chad and I won't take trips or get away together. Oh for sure we will and we do. It just strikes me as funny that I was so naive about what we would be doing at the 10 year mark. Maybe at our 25 year??

We may have actually taken a trip this year, just the two of us, or with some friends that were also celebrating 10 years. But this year it was a family trip again and one of great importance and fun. My brother got married on our anniversary in California. Yes, on the date of our 10 year anniversary and I couldn't have been more honored.

I mean really, what a more perfect way to celebrate our union with God and a wonderful first 10 years than to watch my brother and Emma start their journey together. It was such a special day and a special trip to California. More on that hopefully tomorrow.

To help celebrate our anniversary, David and Emma asked the pastor at their wedding to do a special blessing on us. Our family of 4 were together while the pastor prayed over us. It was a moving moment. Our accomplishments in the last 10 years were recognized. It was beautiful. It was just such a beautiful day all around and I love that we share our anniversary date with them now, forever.

Then the next day after the wedding we got to celebrate our anniversary together, just the two of us. My mom and dad took Anna and Nora with them to the beach. Chad and I spent a good amount of time learning all about Richard Nixon at his presidential library and then to dinner at a really great little Italian restaurant. To top off the night we went to see the musical, In the Heights, with David and Emma at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. It was a great day.

As I look around the room tonight and see my husband, daughters, and all that we have been blessed with, I am so thankful. And also so hopeful for the future. The next 10 years promise to be even more rewarding and probably also more challenging. We are ready for the challenge!

Rough Night

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This is how we are all feeling this morning after a rough night. I am chalking it up to her being stuffed up and not feeling well. I hope that is all it is! Looking forward to a better night of sleep tonight.