This is My life

Or, if you want family updates, head on over to our family blog

HERE IN INDONESIA

Doing a Little Rearranging

I started this blog three and a half years ago. It has seen me through a lot -- the birth of my third and fourth child, my entrance into the digi scrapping world, the beginning of my time as a designer, my new website, and much more.  I have posted from six different houses that I have lived in.  It chronicles a huge part of my life.  And although I haven't been posting much over this past year, I haven't wanted to let it go. It means too much to me.

I have decided that now,  for various reasons, I am going to stop posting to this blog. Remember though:

"When one door closes, another one opens."

And in this case, two doors will open. 

Before we left the States I put together a family/friends blog to document our life here in Indonesia.  I think I posted to it all but three or four times.  I just didn't really know how to separate it from my own personal blog. But now I am blowing off the virtual dust and reopening that blog.

In addition, I am taking me and my mama-to-four, craft loving, scrapping obsessed, diary-like thoughts to a new home.  You can find it HERE at www.thewellroundedmama.com This new blog will be what THIS IS MY LIFE used to be -- but even more.  I want to share more craft and activity ideas, more parenting stuff, and be an open book on our first year of homeschooling. It will be very mom and craft focused and although my kids will be a huge part of (they ARE my life!) it won't be about them specifically.

Clear as mud?  Here it is simply:

For family and friends who want to know about Jason, Janet, Alaina, Caleb, Levi and Katelynn and about our life and ministry here in Indonesia, visit:

HERE IN INDONESIA (posts will most likely be weekly and include recent family photos)

For those who want to know about what the kids and I do to keep ourselves busy, want fun craft and recipe ideas, want to know my ramblings on life, marriage, and mothering, and want to watch up close what a new homeschooling family looks like, visit:

THE WELL ROUNDED MAMA (posts will be multiple times a week and include anything on my mind at the time)

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Thank you to EVERYONE who has visited and commented over the last three and a half years. It has been an amazing journey and I hope you will follow me over to my new spaces. This blog, although not updated, will remain up so that you can read archives.

Six Little Monkeys Snuggling on a Bed

Luckily no one fell off and bumped their head...

Just Being Together

I often get frustrated listening to/reading about/watching moms who are so busy planning play dates, vacations, and signing their kids up for all sorts of clubs and activities that they don't actually just spend time with their kids.  A while back I was reading about a mom who usually runs 100 miles an hour and is always planning all sorts of stuff for herself and her kids.  When she asked her kids what was most important to them this summer, they said, "We just want you to play with us."  It was a sobering comment, and I hope that mom put down her pad of paper of lists of summer activities and realized that kids just want to be together.

As much as I believe in just being with the kids, I fail. Sometimes I forget that things don't have to be planned and perfect.  Things don't have to be "better than so and so."  And {gasp}, not everything has to be immortalized on [digital] film. As moms, we sometimes just need to be in the moment, go with wherever imagination takes us, and just soak up the relationship we have with these little people. They just want to be together.

So after snapping this picture, feeling convicted that even a simple time on the swing wasn't safe from my camera, I set the camera down and breathed deep and soaked in all the sunshine and giggles and simple delights of being 16 months old.  We just need to be together.

Family Pizza Night

Proof that fun family time can be fast, easy, and fun.

A few weeks back we purchased six small pizza pans for about $1 each. Return on the investment...priceless.

You can do it too...

• pizza dough (use premade if you want -- family fun doesn't have to take forever or need the name Martha Stewart)
• pizza sauce
• grated cheese
• some toppings
• and about 30 minutes.

A few paper plates with your family pizza logo and you are good to go.

Another Spring Birthday

Most people who know us know that all six of us have birthdays in a three month span.  Alaina's birthday starts the ball rolling on January 30 and Caleb brings up the rear on May first.  Katelynn (March 6), me (April 3), Jason (April 6), and Levi (April 17) are smooshed in the middle.  We love it, though it does make for a busy few months filled with LOTS of cake and presents.  That's a good thing, right?

Well...we found out today that we are going to be adding in another spring birthday!  That's right...another April baby... but unlike my other babies, who were all very bald, this new little one will fill a dream in my heart of having a baby with lots of hair. 

Let me introduce you to the newest member of the Phillips Family...Miss Maggie (April 1).

Isn't she DARLING??

Ever since we found out we were moving to this new house, we have talked about getting a dog.  We've always wanted one, but we wanted to be living in a place that had lots of room to run and play (us and the dog!) So when we found out we were moving, a dog was definitely on our list of things to buy!

We've been keeping our eyes open for a Golden Retriever in some of the local pet stores.  My family has a history with Goldens (my parents and younger sister currently have them) and they are just so great with little kids. Today, Jason and I were out running errands and we went to one of the malls to grab some pizza for lunch.  Out of habit, we stopped in the pet store and there she was.  We haven't seen any goldens for a few months so after eating some yummy food we decided to just jump in and do it.  And we are so thrilled!  She is a little over three months old and just as sweet as can be!

It was so neat that we got to do it when the kids weren't with us (we almost NEVER go out without the kids).  We were truly able to surprise them.  When we got home we made them stand by the garage while Jason got her out.  Then she popped her little head out...

Katie was super excited until she got knocked over.  She hasn't quite warmed up to her again.

The kids love her...can you tell??

And i love seeing my kids be kids...running around, dirty feet, chasing a dog, enjoying everything that life has to give them.  These pictures just say childhood to me.

and thanks to Photobooth on my Mac...here are me and my newest little lady...taken about 45 seconds ago. She thinks my lap is her place to sit.

No, I haven't died

From my lack of blogging, it might appear as if I died.  I assure you,  I haven't.  I have, however...

gone to the beach for week
seen sea turtles lay eggs
potty trained a kid
played in massive waves
cooked yummy food
kept up with my business
gone to a water park
packed my house
moved to a new house
hosted a 4th of July party
tried new recipes
read lots of books (to the kids, not for myself)
bought lots of fabric
had comforters made for all the kids
painted my kitchen cabinets
gone lamp shopping
made a goodbye gift for my friend
got new beds and nightstands for the whole family
watching my little kitty try to get pregnant :)
put together my new office/craft room
received and organized all my homeschool materials
updated my photo a day album
watched old episodes of the Gilmore Girls
gone puppy shopping
bought flower and strawberry plants
hired new house help
spray painted furniture

...and so much more

So, I may not be blogging but I am enjoying my summer...