Words of affirmation are my love language.

I am taking a Statistics course this semester, which is a big thing because a.) I am not a math person b.)It is required for me to graduate c.) I thought I'd never take this class unless I was really serious about graduating...and now I am.

With that preface in mind tonight I worked on the homework with a friend for almost 3 hours. I was so proud I decided to take a picture. I think I can actually feel my brain growing. I zoomed in on my favorite part...yes, this is slightly ridiculous but somehow affirming.

My Favorite Boys

Yesterday was my last day babysitting two boys ages 4 & 5. I spent most of my time with the 4 year old Dylan. Here is a list of a few of my favorite things about my time with them. I'll still babysit occassionally just not as often.

• Dylan took a drink of ice water and said "It's feeehzing!"
• Dylan would only eat crunchy things. Apples, goldfish crackers, and waffles (toasted obviously).
• When I would ask Dylan anything he would say preface his answer with "of course". Ex. "Dylan, do you want an apple" Dylan, "Of course!"
• When asked about the new babysitter Dylan said "I don't like her. She's funny. I don't like funny girls, I like nice girls. You are a nice girl." (I was slightly sad he didn't think I was funny but honored that he thought I was nice).
• After giving them baths for a couple months one day they became too modest to let me give them baths anymore. It was just kinda cute.

Thank you Lord for my time with the boys! Their mom is pregnant with boy #3, if you think about it say a little prayer for her!

Ode to the Sweet Potatoe

Growing up I thought of sweet potatoes in an "mah...ok at Thanksgiving only" kind of way. No longer do I have that sort of apathy towards the Vitamin A & C packed wonder root. According to one expert, "the sweet potato was widely cultivated in colonial America, where it often provided chief means of sustenance for early homesteaders. As one colonial physician put it, the sweet potato was the "vegetable indispensable"" (Wellness Encyclopedia). All that being said...below is one of my new favorite recipes.

Sweet Potato Fries

1 Sweet potato
1 Apple
Cinnamon Sugar
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cut the sweet potato & apple into frie like pieces.
3. Lightly cover in olive oil.
4. Generously sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
5. Season with a bit of salt.
6. Throw on a dash of nutmeg.
7. Toss all ingredients till fries are evenly covered.
8. Cook for approximately 30 minutes - or until soft & browned.

The sweet potatoes become almost carmely and the apples add a sweet/sour taste to the dish. Because I was experimenting I do not have the exact measurements hence the words dash & bit. Enjoy!

My Mom Day

Yesterday I was on baby-duty. I was able to get in a run before Darius woke up at around 9am. (please note previous entry "Hilarious" for pictures). He is 11 months, teething and fighting an ear infection which means he needed lots of love. I tried to do homework for a bit while he was playing on the floor, but he would grab my book from me and insist on sitting on my lap. I can only complain so much... :) Then I went upstairs to make some breakfast and I was able to sit him down for a few precious moments before he came crawling over tugging on my leg to hold him. It was around this point when I thought..."I feel like a mom". It was my goal to keep him up till noon before laying him down for his nap. I had an hour and a half to go. There was nothing much to do other than play with him. It was good - I got nothing else done - but I enjoyed pouring into this creation of God. It felt very purposeful and eternal. So kudos to all you moms! I only had a day of it (Darius slept from noon till 4pm...I wiped him out!) but it was wonderful, exhausting, and fulfilling day!

Oh yes, and I got a small nap in too! :)

Past, Present & Future

Completely unrelated things...

• The other day Takota (Brad's son that lives at our house sometimes) who is 12 was so completely enjoying his Christmas present from Josephine - a woopi cushion! Ah the joys of woopi-cushioning throughout the house! It reminds me of home!
• Today was my first day back babysitting. It was a good sitting day.
• Tomorrow I begin a new semester. I'm starting strong with a class that shows my dediction to the program - the class is Statistics! For a non-math person, that is a lot of deciation.

Christmas in Montana

Exactly a week ago today after 24 hours of traveling I finally landed safely in the Bozeman airport! I was greeted with family, flowers, and a "You're #1!" helium balloon bouquet! The rest is what has happened since the airport:

I came home to a littlest sister who is officially taller than me.
(Quick story:In the airport on the way to Bozeman I ran into Kelsey, Andrew's girlfriend. I complimented her on the cute vest she was wearing and she gave it to me right there! Here I am wearing it for the 1st time. She is such a sweet, special girl!)

Mom & Emily beautifully decorated the door to the room I share with Em.
They also hung pink streamers on the ceiling in the room!

We decorated cookies!
(Thanks to Mark & Michelle, a couple in dad's church, for bringing the supplies!)

We had pizza downtown on Bozeman's Main Street.
(Thank you Cru for the certificate!)

Beautiful family picture at the Christmas Eve service at church.
(Thank you to the Lockies for taking the picture!)


Emily loved her Chacos!
(Thank you REI for the sale...)

And lastly my cute new slippers...
I kept stealing other people's slippers so they bought me my own!

My favorite moment so far was sitting with my family in church. There is something familiar, and special about sitting in church with family. The church here is taking wonderful care of the family, which is so good to see! It has been a wonderful, heart warming, restful time at my home in Montana!

Hilarious

The family I live with will sometimes take care of kids whose parents are in a hard spot. The program is called Safe Families through Lydia Home in Chicago. This little guy is the most recent to join our funny, sharing family. I like to call him my "man of the moment".