{a little update}

{wonderful graphics designed by none other than the lovely miss ashley,  www.libertystreetwest.com}

The 17th of January

Believe it or not, here we are at the first of my series in 2013!  Monumental in that it also is the sixth installment, meaning we are halfway through another year of life in Montana.

We are still firmly ensconced in winter's icy grip: beauty and bleakness orchestrated into a somber melody.  Being cold is expected; sunshine making snow sparkles is an unexpected gift.

The courthouse remains in the middle of the highway, creating slippery crescents of traffic around it.  In the battle of slip-on shoe vs. snow field, the snow field proved victorious.  What I sacrifice for these pictures . . .

Moving to the park, I greeted a chipper friend who wanted to fight with my camera.

The snow is criss-crossed with squirrel hops and people steps.  Children up here may not know what a giraffe is, but a squirrel makes an easy illustration.

Speckled trees like snowy sentinels guarding a slick, slippery sidewalk (oh la la, alliteration)

Our house hasn't changed much, other than all the curtains on the front of the house are closed.  A flock of about 300 birds descended to strip the berry tree out front.  I was working on restocking the wood room from the wood pile out back, watching and laughing.  Timid and excitable, the flock didn't come to the back tree which has three times as many berries on it.  I'm sure they will return soon!

The best part of this frosty phenomenon called winter is Dry Bridge Park, now prime sledding real estate.  Families gather on the weekend to burn their children's energy by the fun, followed by the work. Going down is easy; ice picks are needed on the way up. Or to burn their dog's energy at the same time; one family I saw had their Great Dane with them who would chase their daughter down the hill, perfectly able to keep up with the sled.  Them big dogs. 

Truly, even if just for a few hours, the days are better with the sun shining.  I have been blown away by the beauty of winter the last couple of days; where before, I was confounded by the constant chill.  Gratitude has welled up in my heart for God's awesome creation, even if it does complicate my life. I can't describe the gift of the sun warming my cheek, while my breath creates clouds before my face.

True to winter's contradictory nature, after this morning's sunshine, a deep, dense fog rolled into the streets of Kalispell.   We are hiding in the basement next to the wood fire, but I must venture out soon to change the rabbit's frozen water bowls.  

We have not been posting much because all of us contributers are fed up with blogger and the old design of this blog.  It has it oddities and quirks, but lately they have become unbearable.  Of course, I doubt whether anything will change; we run like a squeaky, rusty old locomotive at times.  But our hope is to soon have a better way to interface with you all and put our best foot forward in this world-wide web.

{ten months}

so, yes...you haven't heard from me in awhile...I'm going to go ahead and blame my new loves :: my iphone and instagram, for that one...seems I haven't taken a picture on my actual camera in quite some time...

but, the true reality is that the last few months have been a busy blur...and, in them, most importantly, my little guy turned 7, 8, 9, and now 10 months old!  wow!

oh, my not-so-little hudson, you are growing up!  by leaps and bounds, you are becoming such a little guy...so not a baby baby any more!

in the last four months, so much has changed in your little life//

I wrote this portion for an eight-month post, that was somehow never finished:

you are mobile now, and have the army crawl down to perfection!  Believe me, you are FAST!!

books, you like books...not to read, necessarily, but you love to look at and hold them chatting happily to yourself all the while  {grin}

you love to EAT

food food food....you scream for food  {we are so working on that}

back to what you are eating...

baby oatmeal, bananas, green beans, peas, squash, sweet potatoes, PUFFS (your sister loves to share this snack with you ),sliced turkey, you even tried potato soup the other day!

your two bottom teeth are completely grown in, and we're working on a third...your left front tooth!

and guess what you did for the first time yesterday?????  you waved at me...purposefully....the most darling, little wave I have ever seen.....I forget how special and fun these firsts are!  you have not stopped waving since...you wave while I am changing you...you wave while i am feeding you....you wave your chubby little hand behind my back while I am holding you.....love love love 

interesting that while your big sister waved with both hands interchangeably...you solely wave with your right..hmm...

you follow me everywhere, and pull at my jeans until I pick you up....you do so like to hang out on my hip whilst I am doing everything...cooking, dishes, cleaning, 

you and your sister are such good friends....you are a much happier fellow if she is just playing next to you.....not with you, just next to you

she loves to tickle you, and I love the laugh that you give when she does

you like going outdoors, we haven't been out as much now that the weather has gotten so cool

So, let's see, what else has changed since then...

You still love food...ha....and we are still working on asking for more nicely, like a gentleman.

You still love books, and you enjoy actually reading them now, and turning the pages for me {smile}

You have the most perfect, textbook, little crawl, and you are still way FAST!!!

You are pulling yourself up on anything and everything, whether it's balanced or unbalanced...

You are walking around moving from furniture to furniture.

You had your first sleigh ride and

your first time seeing big horsies up close...you were more fascinated by the little goats, though.

You love things that are soft...just like your sister...

You actually say real words now, like "Da-da" "all-da"...translated to mean "all done", and the word "hi"

You duck your little head in a shy hello whenever anybody greets you...your eyelashes blink, and a little smirk finds it's place on your little face.  love it.

You make the same scrunched up face that your sister did so well at your age.  so funny.  ellie enjoys making it so you can copy her.  too cute.

You are in a size 5 diaper now, and 12-18 month clothes.  Such a big boy you are!  Broad and handsome like your Daddy.

You are getting to be more particular about who is holding you.

You smile so big, and come racing over whenever we are talking on the phone to Daddy.

You have four, beautiful, big teeth now, and the most lovely eyelashes.  {I can say this, of course, only because you are still somewhat of a baby, but your daddy better not catch me saying such things...he will disapprove most terribly...something about it not being manly enough or some such assumption...}

You celebrated your first Christmas this past month. so special.

You have now made my walk-in pantry your temporary bedroom.

You will try anything I feed you, and have a new favorite snack:  Baby Mum-Mums

You have had your very first haircut.

You have been very sick lately...with RSV and pneumonia...makes your mommy so sad to see you so uncomfortable...

You have had your first round of antibiotics.

You have had two ER visits...one from the accident a few months ago, and now one just the other night because you were having such a hard time breathing.

You've been scaring your mommy.

I am certain that there is much that I am forgetting to put down....like how you drink from a straw like such a little man, and how you pop your bottle in and out of your lips when you are drinking your milk, and smirk merrily in my direction...like you are treasuring the fact that you still have three-quarters of a bottle left to enjoy.

{every morning I wake up so excited to see your little chubby face, and squeeze you close...you've even started to give me proper, good morning kisses [love] }

You are ornery.

You are sociable.

You are adorable.

You make your mama so very happy.

I love you, my Hudson!

Mama



[p.s. don't forget that you can follow us on Instagram for daily doses of dear darlings...yes, yes, I like alliterations...we are @littleladyandbobbi]

It is now 2013

Christmas was beautiful.

It always is when the four girls are together.

Emmanuel, God with us.

This is true every day and every Christmas.

But, this Christmas...

The very truth of the statement was needed on so many accounts.

As many of you know, a pastor's daughter here in Kalispell died 4 days before Christmas.

She was 5 years old.

Her name was Lenya.

She died suddenly from a severe asthma attack.

Heartbreak.

Christmas wasn't all smiley and giddy this year.

There were tears for many.

Tears that are still falling.

This is Ashley and Rachel's pastor at the church where they serve.

Fresh Life Church.

This morning our family watched the service from Sunday.

May I encourage you all to go to freshlifechurch.org

and watch the video that was just added... Aftermath.

It is uplifting and the perfect way to begin the year 2013.

The Christmas Eve service (here) will inspire you as well!

It is different than what many might be used to.

The message is the same.

From Jesus.

To You.

HE IS FAITHFUL.

At the end of the service they also sang a song that was cut from the video clip.

It is beautiful.

Matt Redmond  - Never Once

And,

It has been gloriously white here.

Ashley captured a photo on her phone of snowflakes.  It is perfect.







































I might get in trouble for showing this next photo.  I stole it from Rachel's collection.




























Our streets are covered in the lovely white stuff.

Ellie has been enjoying the white fluff as well!  Pink ball and all!

And there has been a bit of craziness thrown in to the mix as well!

I have Ashley to thank for all the lovely photos (except for the one I stole from Rachel!)  Some you all have seen on her instagram but I know there are several blog readers that don't have instagram and that includes me!

Lauren is safely back in Australia now.

And Steve and I are headed down to San Diego bright and early tomorrow morning.  Steve has been sick the last few days.  Today he has a fever again!  Would you pray for him to get better?

I might be off the grid for a bit as my computer will be spending the night at the San Diego Apple Store.  Hoping it will make a full recovery!

Hopeful that your year will be filled with an eternal focus that you (we) have never experienced before.

Jodi