Synchronized napping!

Something is happening at this very moment that rarely ever happens....my boys are sleeping at the SAME time. I am a little giddy and enjoying the moment completely. Yes, I am blogging when there are probably a 100 things I could do to take advantage of this time, but as I blog I am curled up on the couch next to Ryan watching football and pretending like we are in our previous life, without kids. Not that I would trade this season for anything, but every once in a while our old ways of life resurface and we get to enjoy those moments again. :) If someone would have told me that I could feel this "christmas morning happy" feeling to have an hour to myself I would have thought they were crazy and a little depressed. An hour to myself is all a mom gets at times? Yikes! But I enjoy these moments and I really think God does an accelerated work to refresh me during these times. :)

We've been VERY busy with our fall schedule but I think this week we are finally able to get into a "normal" routine. But then as soon as a "normal" takes place, the holidays come flying into view. We are looking forward to this season with two very active boys to entertain and keep us laughing!

I better go. Austin woke up and even though this ends "my time", seeing his face emerge from his room makes my heart skip a beat in joy!

Months have flown by and here we are smack dab in the middle of September, which means our little bundle of joy is now a walking, climbing, babbling little one year old! How in the heck did this happen? No idea, so I will continue to hold on for the ride and enjoy every minute!

We have had a fairly mellow summer. Besides our normal camp routine and a quick trip to Cali for my cousins wedding, we have stayed pretty close to home. Ryan is SO close (Thank you Jesus) to finishing up his schooling, so we have held off on any major vacations until he can enjoy them without papers or book reports vying for his attention.

We are anticipating a great Anthem year and have 13 students arriving in the next few weeks! Yay! What does this year have in store for us as leaders and most importantly for these student leaders? God never ceases to amaze me!

Before it gets any closer to being way past my bedtime, I am going to go take a minute and flip through my Real Simple magazine! It is funny how reading and looking through a magazine is pure joy for this "mama". The simple things in life....

Out for a walk

Cutest ring bear in town!

Helping daddy work

Happy baby

Kellen!

I just finished my most favorite time with you! Bed time. Not because I am ready for a quiet evening, but because we get some one on one time as we rock in the rocking chair, discussing our day, praying for a sweet sleep, and singing songs together. After days where I feel like all I have been saying to you is, "leave your brother alone....walk away from your brother....stop sitting on the cat...."and even with daddy tucking you in and praying for you, you still want me to come in and rock you. A couple months ago, when this "rocking ritual" started, I was a little frustrated that daddy's prayers weren't cutting it, so I went in and told you I would rock you for a few minutes. Well as we began rocking, the "few" minutes turned into "many" and as you were all curled up in my lap, I realized that I needed these times as much as you did! After all the prayers are said and the songs sung, we sit there quietly rocking and I literally breath in your sweet smell and thank our amazing Father for these moments! I know one day you will be too big to curl in my lap (I will try to make you tho :) ) so for now, I look forward to your nightly question, "Mama, will you rock me?" Yes...most definitely yes!

I love you my sweet Kellen!

8 Months!

Austin,

You are now officially mobile. And our lives are once again in a transition. :) Besides making sure we have all the small toys and masses of Legos picked up, I am realizing that vacuuming is a must. Every little leaf is in your mouth! :) Kellen is so excited that you are crawling but when you make your way to him and start playing with his cars, he realizes how this effects him and he becomes a little unhappy. He is learning how to share in so many new ways.

You have your first top tooth and are getting two more in. Now that you have top and bottom teeth you started grinding your teeth together. Such a funny little sound and probably pretty interesting feeling for you.

You LOVE food. Not baby food, you will not eat it, you want the real deal. So what we eat, you eat! So nice not to have to tote around jars of baby food. And you can tell you love food, you weigh around 18 lbs!

Singing songs brings big smiles and laughs. Any song works and when Kellen sings them with me, you love it even more.

Your smiles are still instant and melt everyones hearts!

Oh and last but definitely not least, your first word was "Mama"! So now you crawl around the house saying "mama, mama". Nothing better then that!

Costco Run!

I am taking a few minutes to say hi and that I am still alive and kickin! I do not know how people can blog everyday! I do not have enough discipline. Maybe if someone paid me it would be more of an incentive! :)

We are finishing off the last few days of daddy/hubby being gone on outreach to Haiti! The team has been incredible (never had any doubts) and we back on the "home team" have done exceptionally well!!! Our God is so faithful to fill this time with family, amazing friends and Himself! God's presence and peace has been so thick while we have been apart from Ryan and the rest of our team. But trust me, there has been moments that the enemies lies, doubt, discouragement, loneliness....the list could go on...has tried to envelop me but God's unfailing love, satisfaction, and truth has won over and been almost tangible! If that makes sense.

On one of the early days apart, I was driving around town and having a mini pity party and God spoke so clearly to me. He said, "I didn't carpool with them down to Haiti and leave you alone. I am still here and have things to be done in your life during this time." BAM!! I immediately repented of my "poopy pants" attitude and began to thank Him for this opportunity! My perspective was so off! AND He is SO good!

The boys have been incredible and make everyday worth the sacrifice of staying home! Austin is a growing, babbling, almost crawling, happy baby with a few teeth coming in! He is the smiliest little guy around and it lights up my life! Kellen is still my little entertainer, BUT, he is learning he can push the limits and likes to put all my parenting skills or lack there of, to the test! :) This evening as I was leaving his room from putting him to bed, I was about to close his door and he said, "mom...mom", I thought he was going to ask for water but as I turned and responded, he ever so sweetly, in his cute Kellen voice, said, "I love you! MELT MY HEART!!!! Thank you Jesus for the gift of my boys!!!

Well, I should be off to bed! I am praying for incentive (and money :) ) to write in the next few days! There is so much more to tell! Skyping with Andi and Michael, Kellen's birthday, the transition of my dear, dear, dear friend Stephani (and her incredible family) moving, Letters to Austin, Letters to Kellen....oh dear! Jesus, help! :)

G'night!

My INCREDIBLE husband, fearless leader, AMAZING daddy, and love of my life! So proud to be partnered with this man!!!

I'm here....

You know I haven't blogged enough when I forget my own password and sign in name. Sheesh! :)

I only have a minute, but I wanted to check in and let you all know I am alive and have not been swallowed up by the laundry basket or overtaken by my boys. At least not yet! I have a blog in the works that will fill in the past few weeks of our lives. Don't expect too much, but some fun updates are coming!

Blessings on you, my few but faithful followers!

Here's something to make you smile....

My sweet Austin!

You are technically 5 months and 4 weeks per Baby Center emails! Time goes even faster with the second child. :) And having you as our second makes it wonderful! It is amazing to watch how everyday a new concept is taken into your brilliant little mind.

You are taking after your brother and have a pretty relaxed attitude about life. The only thing that can alter your sweet deposition are growing teeth. Yikes! You have two on the bottom so far. You love to chew on anything you can get your hands on, but normally you have a couple of your fingers or your whole hand in your mouth.

I am finally getting in the habit of feeding you "real" food. You have had rice cereal and bananas so far and you love your high chair, sitting up so high and adult like. :)

Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy….this is your favorite past time! The Tigger jumper that I bought for Kellen (in which he only used maybe twice) is paying off. You love to jump! Your legs are going to be the nicest looking legs for a 6 month old. :) My mom, your dee dee, said that when Aubre was a baby she loved her jumper. After one particularly long jumping session, Aunt Carol took her out and the next day whenever she moved her legs, she would whimper in pain her little muscles were so sore. :) So, you have time limits! :) Oh, and now Kellen watches you and has to have a turn jumping. You have inspired him to finally use his Tigger jumper!

You made it through Bronchiolitis! It was a little scary when every breath you took sounded raspy and congested but after a round of steroids and breathing treatments you are good as new.

Your smile is so adorable and contagious! When someone talks to you, your smile is immediate and melts hearts. :)

You adore your brother. You watch his every move and are so ready to be playing with him. I know that there will be fights and brawls in the future that I will have to referee but you boys will have so much fun together.

Coming up next month....

New food adventures

The possibility of your first words. Hoping for Mama! :)

and

Skyping with Auntie Auntie and Michael

Your brother reading to you

Loving life

Kellen's story...

My favorite Kellen!!!

Less then a month and you will be 3! How did that happen? :) The last three years have been so incredible, and you have brought so much joy to your dad and I. You show us what life is really about.

Today I was asking you to do something and you looked at me so seriously and using your hand as emphasis, said, "Mom, this is the real deal...." I never found out what the "real deal" was because I immediately started laughing. Where do you get these things? But somewhere, someone said that and you picked it up. You have the best ears! Even when we are driving around, you hear planes, motorcycles, birds, ect faster then anyone I have been around.

You LOVE our Anthem students and they love you! When ever we head to the church you always go through the list of students to make sure we will see each one! The other day I was able to skype with Jessica (Anthem alumni) and the moment you saw her you said "Hi!", then "where have you been?" It was so cute and she loved it!

Almost every morning you wake up and always ask for two things: 1)crackers, which half the time I give you until I am coherent enough to make a wise breakfast choice and 2) your foot ball shirt! You love to wear football shirts. You now have a wide variety of football shirts and in order for you to wear anything else, we have to tell you that a "stripped shirt" is what football players wear before a game. :) Usually once a day, you ask your dad to play football with you, which brings a huge smile to his face!

You are still not potty trained. We have tried EVERYTHING and you still are content to wear your diaper. You have gone a couple times in the toilet, received a yummy candy and still...nothing. I have read that when the child is ready, the child will go. I am hoping this is true.

You are an amazing "big brother"! Out of everyone, you make Austin laugh the most! You love to push him in the swing (he is getting ready for the roller coasters at the speed you push him) , read to him, sing to him and give him kisses. You have a life long friend!

Coming up next month.....

Skyping with Auntie Auntie and Michael

3rd Birthday party

and

daily conversations!

We love you! ♥

Working away on the computer! :)

The ickies...

....made their first (of many, I am guessing) stop at our home last week. As Austin's first tooth was making a grand appearance, he was also diagnosed with Bronchiolitis. We made a quick trip to the doctors, had a breathing treatment and came home to pack up daddy for a trip to L.A. We sent daddy off bright and early the next morning and hunkered down as the "ickies" stayed for a visit. Two days later we went back for a follow-up appointment and, of course, found out Kellen had the unpleasant guest. So....breathing treatment #2. A few days later we are now over the worst and thankful for bodies that are recovering. Now just praying that mommy stays healthy. :)

By the way, I am trying to dedicate at least one post each month to journal what the boys have accomplished, so that IF one day, I get organized and put together a book for each of them, they will have an idea of "the happenings" in their life. :) We will see....

A Night Out

A few nights ago Ryan and I were able to leave the boys for a couple hours so that we could go and have a date! We are blessed to have both sets of parents in town who take turns watching the boys so that Ryan and I aren't swallowed up by life as parents! We headed off to Porters and enjoyed a fabulous meal and adult conversations. As I was sharing some thoughts that have been running through my mind, Ryan so simply yet profoundly said, "Sounds like you are not obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit." I was caught off guard. "What?" I thought. "I know the voice of the Lord, thank you very much, and I do what He tells me to do. " :) Ok, who am I kidding! As I swallowed my pride and let his words settle in my heart, I began to see that I was discrediting myself from things God was revealing and asking of me. Random thoughts are most likely not that random after all. Now God is so gracious and the times I haven't followed through are not wasted but lessons. I am once again shocked and humbled that God would use me, even if it is just a quick phone call or text ( for those of us who have forgotten that we can actually use verbal words to express ourselves) to remind someone that we are thinking of them. So I am forever a student of Our King and learning how to quiet myself to hear HIS voice. As I say to Kellen, "Listen AND obey," I am having to do the same thing as my Father speaks to me.

Weeks are flying by! Austin is growing way too fast and is ready to be on the move. Kinda scary when he is only 5 months. :) Every time Kellen and Ryan are wrestling around on the floor, Austin is watching and wiggling in anticipation, waiting for his time to join.

A few days ago, I was busy in Kellen's room, cleaning up something, no doubt, and I heard Austin in the living room laughing hysterically. I came out wonderin

g what had given him the giggles and there was Kellen playing hide and seek with him. It was so precious to watch Kellen light up with the realization that he had Austin's full attention as Austin's eyes never left his brothers antics. It is so fun to watch their love for each other blossom. But then a day later, this wonderful relationship took a turn as Austin's screams reached my ears and I came out finding Kellen poking him in the eyes. How fun will this journey be! :)

Kellen is learning as fast as Austin is growing! There is not a car ride or conversations that does not include the words, "Why, mommy?" He will not take 'I don't know' as a legitimate answer so I spend a good part of my day coming up with reasons that will please his growing mind!

Wow! I can see how blogs can get forgotten in the shuffle of life. But I am here! I thought to make it easy on myself for today I would post some pictures.

Kellen explaining life to Austin. :)

Mini Ryan

My boys

Kellen loves to help me around the house. Takes twice as long but makes it so much better. :)

Austin is growing up too fast!

And has found his thumb.

Cousin Paige giving Kellen his first tattoo! Better watch those two! :)

Dr. Kellen "re-constructing" daddy!

Kellen helping make homework time for daddy tolerable! :)

Austin all ready to go to town!

Kellen and his good friend Violet

Out for a walk with Dee dee during Christmas!

Austin and Dee dee

Mr. Smiley

More walks

Kellen imitating daddy at work. The blocks are his computer. :)

Finding fun toys at Ethan and Caleb's.

Kellen and Papa at the beach

Kellen and his Auntie-auntie.

Next time I will make a slide-show. :) Off to clean up the house and get lunch started!

We are having a quiet evening. The boys are asleep and I am enjoying watching Ryan play an xbox game. This one is fairly entertaining and I feel as though I am watching a movie. Will the assassin (or Ryan in his alter ego) make it to his next checkpoint? Is jumping from one rooftop to another completely realistic? So instead of getting stressed out over this false reality :) I am attempting to continue my blog! I checked it today and I have 10 followers! Wow that is encouraging. Or a little intimidating. :) Thank you, your interest will cheer me on.

As most of you, I have had a heavy heart these past few days with the news from Haiti. I only watched 10 minutes of a debrief last night right before I headed to bed (not a good idea for me in the first place) and it literally made me nauseas. I went to bed hearing the peaceful sleep of Austin next to me, weeping thinking of the loss that was happening across the world. I know that there are lives being saved, too, but the frailty of humanity is hard to come to terms with when something like this happens. I could feel fear rising in me. If this happened here what would I do? How would I find my loved ones? Would I be able to withstand losing them? Because I was tempted to never let Ryan or my boys out of my sight and to start building an underground safe house for us to live in away from "the big bad world", I knew that my thoughts were not God's thoughts. So I did the best thing I knew how to do and began to cry out for Gods mercy! He IS a good God, but it doesn't mean life will be uncomplicated, easy and happy happy joy joy all the time. So as I am faced with more news from Haiti, or am confronted with more,"life is not fair" moments, I will continue to press that much harder into God's comfort and mercy. And keep my prayers for Haiti on my lips. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the FATHER of compassion and the GOD of all comfort…" I Cor 1:3 (Thanks Garris for this mornings message. I could almost feel our church take a deep breath of relief with the reminder of God's comfort and compassion in a time of need)

For the last few minutes of my day, I am going to go and cheer on my hubby as he conquers the world! :)

First ever blog!

I am starting this blog for selfish reasons. As much as I would love people to read and know what is happening day in and day out in the Rhoden household, I am mainly doing this to have a place to jot down the joys and trials of all that God is doing in our lives as we raise our boys, extend our arms and hearts to family and friends and fall more and more in love with our savior, Jesus Christ! Some posts may be about an area God is working on in my life personally or may be about how sick I am of changing 2 little boys diapers. :) For this first one, I am going to do a quick overview. So here goes….

Kellen is wrapping up the great age of two and we are looking forward to what his third year will bring! Having a two year old has been great! Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of melt-down moments as we all were learning how to balance life with a new member added to our family. Kellen spent a lot of this year testing his independence and we are learning how much he can do on his own and when we need to step in for a little assistance. He is talking and talking and talking! He has so much to say, and we love it! He is constantly cracking us up and he is a pure joy! When we (try) to discipline him, we usually have to turn our head away from him or walk out of the room in order to get control of our laughter and try to remain somewhat serious! Our next big adventure/task is potty training! I have a feeling that that will be one big post in the near future. :)

We welcomed Austin Kevin on September 30th! On his wonderful "Auntie Auntie's" birthday! For those of you who don't know how to interpret Kellen-ese, it is referring to Auntie Andi! Kellen is now realizing that Austin is a living, breathing human bean and enjoying his life as a big brother. Reading, kissing, tickling and every once in a while poking Austin in the face. But Austin already loves his big brother! It is amazing to watch how interested Austin is in Kellen. I am looking forward to watching their bond as brothers grow. Austin has been smiling and laughing for a while, started rolling over this week and is constantly talking! He must realize that in order to keep up with his brother he has to start communicating now! :)

Ryan and I are loving our life! We do reminisce about "life before kids". Sleeping in, leaving the house in less then 5 minutes, late night dinners at Porters....But there is NO way we would trade what we have now. Even when it does take me 20 minutes to get the boys out the door to run one errand, to have Kellen's telling me, "stop mom, I will open the door for you," makes it all worth it! :)

I think I am going to call this first blog "good". Both boys are sleeping and I am going to get the legos picked up before Kellen makes his grand entrance and Austin realizes he is hungry once again. Until next time...