wordless wednesday

{okay, one word...happiness}

xox

once there was a tree...

and she loved a little boy.

{thank you giving tree for the inspiration!}

on the radio {by regina...& silas}

silas loves regina spektor {i wonder where he gets that from? hmmm...} and along with ingrid she's his most requested. on the radio is one of silas' top picks so we thought we would share it here.

{he always sings with the kids at the end and melts my heart!}

perfect song for a tuesday afternoon...enjoy!

xox

a meaningful carabiner

this may look like just a carabiner hanging from our garage ceiling there to let us know how far to pull in...

but it is much, much more than that.

we are in a season of stability. for the time being we are in one place long enough to commit to hanging a carabiner from the garage ceiling to let us know how far to pull in.

and that is really exciting. 

we are adventurers and we always want to be ready to drop everything if that is the plan. seriously. but for now we are in one place and loving it.

none of us are entitled to 

stability

or water

or shelter

or breath 

 for that matter.

but for now that is the gift we've been given and we're loving it so we're living it up. we're even hanging a carabiner in the garage to celebrate!

{the carabiner does say moscow, russia on it...i'm connectedness so of course its all connected, right?}

you and i

happy anniversary baby!

 

i married my best friend 8 years ago today.

one of my favorite days. EVER.

i love you tim!!!

{today it is 49 degrees and cloudy. on that december 15 in 2002 it was 72 degrees and sunny in tulsa oklahoma. that is sweet.}

do you remember

i'm an anniversary person. i love anniversaries and i remember them to such a degree i sometimes wish i could lessen that ability so that i could remember other, sometimes more practical things. but i think remembering is so important so no, really i don't want to move those dates out of my mind. {we'll pick up milk next time we're out.}

some significant dates that stand out to me...

my family's birthdays.

because i love them and i love birthdays.

february 11.

tim's birthday {and also my grandfather's birthday - they always had a special connection because of their birthdays and the military}

october 9.

silas' birthday {and the day i had a baby}

and then the chronological portion of my memories...

late august, early september-ish 1998.

i must admit this is the only date that is a little hazy. only later did i know its one i would want to remember so clearly. i officially met tim when he came into my flower shop.

august 2-3 2001.

when tim and recognized outloud that we were more than friends.

september 11 2001.

because tim is a marine, we knew our lives would be changing.

december 10 2001.

tim got his orders that he was leaving on his first deployment.

december 25 2001.

our christmas morning engagement.

january 19 2002.

i cut 12 inches off my hair and donated it to locks of love - this is something i had wanted to do for a long time and i wanted tim there with me when i did it so we did it earlier than planned.

january 21 2002.

tim left for his first deployment.

june 13 2002.

tim came home from his first deployment.

december 14 2002.

i graduated from college, although i wasn't there. i was at my wedding rehearsal. they mailed me my diploma.

december 15 2002.

one of the top 3 days of my life. i married my best friend.

march 1 2003.

we got tim's official orders that he was leaving for iraq after months of scuttlebutt.

march 13 2003.

early morning at the airport. reporters. cameras. tears. unknown. tim was wearing jeans and tennis shoes {no chacos allowed}and a three buttoned shirt. i was wearing his jacket. the most real breaking of my heart i've experienced in life so far. yet, peace. tim leaves for iraq.

may 3 2003.

someone egged our car, focusing on the marine corps sticker.

august 10 2003.

tim came home.

august 15 2006.

we moved to russia.

october 9 2007.

we met silas for the first time!

june 21 2009.

we moved back from russia.

there is so much life in between before and around all these date markers. i don't lessen anything of those by listing these. these were just specific anchors that influence the time between them.

i think we are supposed to remember and celebrate dates. the happy and the sad. because it all contributes to who we are. it all has a lasting effect. it all shapes how we experience and feel everything from that point forward.

in the book of joshua in the bible its talks about making a pile of stones to remember what happened here so that when your children ask you, you can tell them what GOD did. in backpacking or along hiking trails and on the tops of mountains or at the end of climbs or many other places there will often be piles of rocks or markers called cairns. they can be a monument, mark a summit, or be there to help us remember. 

tim and i have built two cairns so far in our life together.

one in greece just before silas was born.

and one in colorado when we got home from russia.

we have pictures of these cairns in frames around our home.

we feel like its important to remember.

so here's to remembering that 8 years ago today i graduated from college, but i wasn't at that ceremony...i was at the rehearsal for my favorite ceremony ever...

i love you tim and i'm so thankful for all the life we've walked through together and all the life we have to come!

happy anniversary eve!

xox

the latest art project...

there are always random art projects around our house that are in the works and here is a sneak peek of the latest one...

 

is that not the cutest baby hand you have ever seen!?

more to come...

happy weekend!!!

xox

thankfulness on a leaf

i am so thankful.

just to name a few ...

i'm thankful for GOD

and

my family and friends and the ability to run and breath and speak and hear. i'm thankful for the relationships i have and the ability to be in peoples lives and have people in mine.

i'm thankful that my Marine came home. i'm grateful for our life together.

 

i am thankful to know silas. he has changed my life forever. {and he makes me laugh so hard}.

i am thankful for my parents.

i am thankful for all of my family, blood and otherwise.

i am thankful for my friends.

speaking of, we had thanksgiving at our house this year which was gloriously crowded and so much fun. it was complete with turkey, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and of course the thanksgiving tree...

lots of leaves of thankfulness......

what would your leaf say?

it was fun to see what everyone considered "leaf worthy" to add to the tree. we may have a tradition in the making here.

{oh and a terra cotta fire bowl complete with pinon wood joined our family this thanksgiving too! lots of good times coming around the fire!}

xox

pumpkin pudding

pumpkin pudding is a staple around our house throughout the year, but in this season there is a certain festiveness to it!

{my sous chef}

pumpkin is a superfood packed with alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, high in fiber, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium and low in calories.

and its delicious.

pumpkin pudding

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

one 15oz can 100% pure pumpkin *

one 12oz can evaporated nonfat milk**

* you can also use fresh pumpkin but after preparing the pumpkin, you'll have to strain most of the water out before using it for this recipe.

** coconut milk and almond milk are also good substitutes.

mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. beat the eggs in a large bowl. stir in the pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. gradually stir in the milk. pour into a shallow over proof dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. the center should be slightly wiggly when done. cool and enjoy at room temperature or refrigerate for later use {or do like we do and keep a spoon handy and just take big bites of it every time you walk by it}.

xox

FALL-ing in love!

we love the fall around the wiley house!

and we've been having fun...

we got silas the awesome ekkore swing from ikea from we have all been loving it!

...and silas started riding a bike! he's a pro already! and already tim and i can sit on the front porch and drink coffee while silas stays within the boundaries {back and forth between the mailbox and fire hydrant...and back again...}

we also got to explore the pumpkin patch on one of our beautiful days. "exploring" the pumpkin patch mostly consisted of jumping off the huge pile of hay bales over and over and then pulling the wagon around the field of pumpkins loading and unloading the wagon in search of the perfect pumpkin! you found a GREAT pumpkin silas jack!

then of course a little trick or treating with the cousins! the UPS man was in rare form and went running up to each house yelling "what can brown do for you?"

 poor tim, he never saw it coming...

 and then a break on the curb {ie break from collecting more candy}to play with some leaves and relax!

i love this season. 

being outside. 

excuses to bundle up. 

lots of time with family and friends.

good things.

i am so grateful!!!

xox

its not too early to start thinking about christmas presents...

or any time, just because presents. 

and here are a few really good ideas...

the samaritan's purse chirstmas gift catalog is a really good place to start.

for $9 you can feed a hungry baby for a week

for $75 you can rescue a child from exploitation

for $15 you can teach a child to read and write

for $250 you can transform the life of a disabled child

for $45 you can buy 10 fruit trees for a community

for $50 you can help stock a fish pond

for $70 you can buy a community some dairy animals

for $35 you can provide a community honey bees and all the starter equipment and training to start a successful honey business

for $75 you can furnish a weeks worth of hot meals to a child

for $10 you can provide a treated mosquito bed net

for $4 you can provide a weeks worth of milk for a child

for $14 you can buy a starter brood of a dozen chicks

for $130 you can buy an emergency shelter

...clean water, emergency medication, care for AIDS orphans and widows, family survival kits, help sending missionary doctors, build a house for a family, household water filters, freshwater wells, shoes, clothes, blankets, and so much more...

buy some toms shoes and a child gets a pair, too.

world vision is another great organization that i wrote about here that gives you the opportunity to bless people with the things they need...

trade as one is a fair trade organization that empowers people to create sustainable business and break the cycle of poverty in the developing world.

you can empower a child and get to know them through compassion international.

so many opportunities to stay connected, show Jesus' love, and save lives. we are powerful in each others lived and in the lives of people we don't even know.

we are supposed to take care of eachother.

so...happy early christmas present shopping......

xox

happy birthday silas!!!

dear silas, today you are three!

so three years into your beautiful life...

• you have lived in russia longer than you have lived in the USA
• you LOVE regina spektor and ingrid michaelson and you sing all their songs
• you throw a frisbee like a pro
• you are so empathetic - you teach adults how to care for one another
• you love kai
• you love thomas the tank engine {and thanks to thomas you use many "british" terms}
• you dance
• you still like to use a lot of the sign language you learned before you could speak
• the way your face lights up when you see your daddy is priceless
• you prefer almond milk or soy milk to regular milk

• you drink pomegranate juice like its going out of style
• you love pete the cat, anything eric carle and move over rover!
• i think you would live outside if we would let you
• you know all your letters and you count to 20 - you are a learner!
• you have a lot of questions but a true desire to understand - that is admirable.
• you say "hello" to everyone you see, and you have been able to elicit a smile from any stranger since you were a little baby on the moscow metro
• you eat salmon but not tuna, you love fresh mozzarella and avacado
• you would be happy if we had a picnic dinner in the backyard every night
• you are a good friend
• you do love your blanket
• you have always been a good sleeper and you still are {you have spoiled us!}
• you love to paint
• you love your family and friends and talk about them by name all the time
• you are cautiously adventurous {a really good balance}
• you love kayaking

silas, you have lived a lot of life in three years...from way back here to all thats in between and now you are three. what a joy to know you. we love you and look forward to many more years!!!

{many many many more pictures and videos from these last few years here!}

happy birthday buddy! we love you!!!

{you took this picture a few days ago...photographer in the making!?!?!}

xox

happy saturday!

oh how i love that lovely pile of pillows.

happy saturday!

{we're headed out to play!}

xox

dear silas,

i love the way you love the sky.

you are so interested in the colors, the clouds.

you understand {and explain to people in the grocery store} that when the sun sets, its the people on the other side of the worlds turn to have some daytime.

you teach me and i am grateful. 

thank you.

i love you so much!

xox

learning how to rest

in 1882 a cabinet maker named peter mcguire suggested the idea for a new holiday to celebrate american industry and give workers a day off. that idea was later signed into law by president cleveland and is now what we know as labor day.

but resting wasn't a new concept even then.

it was originally introduced as the sabbath.

the author of a book called "breath" reminds...

"we are created in the image of God, and he modeled for us a way of life that makes sense for how we are created. Here's how to dance the dance of life, he said: work, be creative, use your imagination, throw yourself into it, whether you are washing dishes, reading to your kids and running a household, or trading stocks, reading corporate reports, and running a business...at the end of each day, stop. take a rest, eat a good meal, get enough sleep, and refresh yourself. take time to think about your day, to notice where God was in it and where you were blessed, and to say, "it's good." then go back at it the next day. and after six days, take a whole day off. and say "it's really good." spend a whole day just pausing, just reflecting on how really good it is, and then start the dance again, at a sustainable pace."

i think that is not only a good idea, its what we are designed to do.

some of my favorite moments include but are not limited to...

...those that happen on a long weekend!

happy labor day weekend!

 

 

this weekend we are...

 

flying high...

 

 making pancakes...

and admiring the sky...

{this picture was NOT posed! silas was out after dinner playing with kai and we looked out and this what we saw. simple deep breaths and admiration. we can learn a lot from him.}

{just too good not to share!}

many many more pics of these days are almost posted on picasa.

also this weekend...

 

celebrating hunter and madi! {pics on the way}

 

happy birthday ken and jen and ben and hunter {and madi a few days earlier!}, happy anniversary corbin and christy, and always thinking of zach and joey and jared, always...

xox

something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

tim and silas and i had a great adventure a few weeks ago at re-store, an awesome place here in tulsa. as the website says, recycling at its best. 

reduce, reuse, recycle...please.

re-store helps keep usable items out of landfills. doors, door knobs, handles, trim, windows {as seen below}, cabinet doors, tools, everything...even the kitchen sink.

so it was a fun adventure for all.  silas got to run and play and talk to everyone who would talk to him and tim and i got to dream and be inspired about how we could use some of these fun treasures we were finding!  plus all proceeds go to habitat for humanity. meeting a basic need, i think that is a great place to start.

one of our exciting finds was this window.  just a little scrapping, mixing up a green i like, a light coat of new paint and some hanging brackets...voila!

{all of these pictures are a little different to me, and i love them all, so i'm sharing them all with you!}

something old...the window

something new...the window {to us}

something borrowed...everything on this earth

and...

something blue...those eyes!  look at those eyes!

my beautiful butterfly

yesterday silas and i were hanging out with my aunt at her house and as silas swung in her string hammock from the yucatan {circa 1978} he recited the very hungry caterpillar saying...

"i built a small house around myself called a cocoon that i lived in for more than two weeks, then i pushed my way out and i was a beautiful butterfly!"

and indeed he is.

we watched a sesame street this morning and they talked about bicycles and tricycles and the importance of wearing a helmet, so he's now insisting on wearing his helmet as he rides around inside the house...not a bad idea...i guess?

silas, i love knowing you.