Happy Wife

My 6 Quirks

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:50:23 GMT

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted here. This happy wife has been "happy mommy" blogging instead. However, since Kat "tagged" me on her blog...I thought I'd take a minute to share 6 of my many quirks...now all I have to do is narrow it down to six :-)

1.) The oddest of all - I actually fold and color coordinate my underwear drawer. There are even special bins for each category. This falls in line with my color and season coordinated closet...and MY clothes are all on BLACK hangers...David has his own closet with all the mismatched hangers. Although I must admit, after becoming a mom, this strange quirk has become less frequent :-)

2.) When I look at David, I look at his lips...not his eyes...his lips! Don't worry though, it's just something I do with him...or at least he's the only one I've noticed I've done it to. If there are others of you out there...I'm sorry, I swear I'm not trying to be that creepy!

3.) I like younger kids. That in and of itself (I hear) is craziness. Most people can't wait to get past that stage. I, on the other hand don't know what to do with or how to relate with kids above 4th grade. That, and many times I prefer kids over adults...weird I know! All that chaos...I LOVE it!

4.) OK...so everything has a spot in my house! I love having help...but usually I end up re-doing what the "helper" has done...it drives my husband crazy because of the added work I put on myself. I'm constantly re-doing, re-organizing...it's craziness!

5.) A messy house will actually affect/effect (never could get those two right) my mood. Yes, as dumb as that is...if there is a messy room...usually the office, I have to move to a clean room...if they're all messy...watch out! I go nuts...and what is even crazier is that I will mentally pick everything up in my mind, but be too overwhelmed to do much more. At least if I have a clean room to go to I can regroup and begin to make a plan of action.

6.) Things have to be even, not crooked, and/or spaced correctly. If something is off I HAVE to fix it before I can continue. It's horrible. I do it when I'm having a conversation. I do it in my own house, and what is even scarier is that I do it in other people's houses too! I've also been known to notice dust or crumbs and start cleaning that up too.

**Disclaimer** I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I will be honest and tell you that I am not a clean freak practically speaking...my house at this moment is a mess (and yes it's making me moody)! Nonetheless, these are my quirks, and I'm blogging about them instead of cleaning (that should tell you something)...I prefer things this way, but practically speaking...with a new baby, company for 6 weeks, fun trips, etc...let's just say life happens and I'm learning to go with it!

BTW - I hope you are all having a spectacular summer! Keep up with www.larsenkids.com for our summer happenings!

Ok tag time... I tag Michelle Edwards, Crystal Lazenby, Megan Camp, Jamie Millett, Sara Wallace, Ashleigh Hampton and anyone else who reads this blog. If you don't have your own blog to post it on...go ahead and post it as a comment here. Come on...it will be fun!

Why Not?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:24:08 GMT

Win a Bum Genius 3.0 Starter Kit from Nature's Child - Wholesome Goods for Mothers and Babies

f-i-v-e

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 22:57:04 GMT

Sorry its been so long...I've been a little busy! Anyhow, I wasn't "tagged", but got this fun little survey off of Becca Boone's blog - so here it is my top 5...enjoy!

Top 5…

… things under $5 that I couldn’t live without
- Trader Joe's lime popsicles
- Fiji Water
- Trader Joe's Iced Tea and Lemonade
- My Journal and a nice fine tipped black pen
- Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap

… favorite Movies
- Pride and Prejudice
- Anne of Green Gables
- Roman Holiday
- It's a Wonderful Life
- Sense and Sensibility

… baby names I love
- Zepheniah
- Emily
- Christiana
-Anastasia
- Evelyn!

… songs I could listen to over and over again
- The Luckiest (Ben Folds 5)
- Before The Throne of God Above
- My Jesus, I Love Thee
- That Samoan Pese Pese song I can never remember
- Stolen (Dashboard Confessional)

… people who have influenced me in a positive way
- my hubby
- my grandparents (Fyler and Carol)
- my in-laws
- Lisa Tyson
-Amy Carmichael

… things that are always in my purse
- keys (i wish)
- cell phone (i wish)
- change that has fallen out of my address book/wallet
- gum
- camera

… moments that changed my life forever
- Coming to know Christ and Him crucified
- Going to Master's
- Going to Samoa
- Marrying David
- Watching Evelyn be born

… obsessions I currently have
- decaf iced mochas
- water
- making sure the baby is breathing
- cleaning our car
- Trader Joe's lime popsicles

… places I would like to go
- IRELAND
- Turkey
- Israel
- Panama
- Greece

… appliances or kitchen tools I couldn’t live without
- refrigerator
- juicer
- toaster oven
- food processor
- forks

… people who I would like to see their top 5’s
- Kat Hervey
- Jamie Millett
- Sara Wallace
- Christina Leaman
- Michelle Edwards

Finally something to blog about...

Wed, 28 May 2008 17:51:12 GMT

but not what you're hoping for :-). Just wanted to let everyone know about Larsen Kids...it's up! YAY!

Steven Curtis Chapman and His Family's Loss

Thu, 22 May 2008 11:05:54 GMT

The heart and ministry of Steven Curtis Chapman has had a huge impact on my life with the Lord. I remember growing up listening to his music. In fact I think one of my very first Christian cds happened to be The Great Adventure. I remember "rocking out" to his songs before I really even knew the Lord. Then recently his family has impacted me in more amazing ways through their heart for adoption. I read their adoption miracle story in Successful Adoption, A Guide For Christian Parents. I read their adoption story and was overcome by tears of joy. I even started looking into Shaohannah's Hope, as my love for adoption grew even more through following their journey.

So today I was very saddened when I heard the heart-breaking news of their youngest daughter, Maria's death. Please lift them up in prayer, and if you are so moved I would even encourage you to find out more about this family, their faith, and their heart for adoption. There is also a Miracle Fund set up for the families adoption ministry for those who would like to show their support. They've also started a blog In Memory of Maria for those who would like to grieve and rejoice with them. I found the video of Maria particularly touching.

It's Guessing Time!!!!!

Wed, 07 May 2008 09:07:58 GMT

Okay all of my blog readers, I just created a guessing poll for when Evelyn Kate will arrive and I want ALL of you to participate. Please don't be shy! I know I have many readers who never comment on my blog and I want you to participate also. I will mail a fun giftcard to the highest winner based on the points that are earned as long as I have your contact info. when the time comes.

The points are awarded using the following scale:
Point Penalties:(The lowest score wins)
incorrect gender: 200 points
date & time: 5 points per hour
weight: 5 points per ounce
length: 10 points per inch

May the best guesser win!

The Perfect Combination

Mon, 05 May 2008 17:30:15 GMT

I'm a person who likes to "solve" a problem...and because I'm this way I've found 2 solutions to 2 of my biggest household problems. The first is our hard water. Every time I would run the dishwasher my dishes would come out with this horrible film! I hated it, and after a while of trying different things I found the perfect combination of products to "fix" my problem.

It's a combo of 3 products:

The first is Lemi Shine (found at Walmart)
The second is Ecover Rinse Aid (found at Whole Foods)
And last but not least - Seventh Generation Dishwasher Gel (also at Whole Foods), I've tried others they just don't seem to work as well.

This combination has worked wonders!

The second problem I've had has been stains...after research and trying things I was finally able to come up with another absolutely essential regime for my stained clothes. It works EVERY time...I have yet to come up against a stain I cannot get out. Although, I've had a few tough ones, but have still been able to get them out.

The combo again is 3 products:

The first is good old fashioned Peroxide - this is applied to the stain first
The second is Oxo-Brite - this is applied on top of the Peroxide. It's powder so be sure to keep it on the stain...the Peroxide helps to make it a little more like paste. This product is amazing!
Then at last you use Ecover Stain Remover - you only need a small amount to mix the ingredients...the brush on the bottle also helps the to get all the products to the heart of the stain.
Once the stains are all mixed you can let the combination set in for an hour or so...then when you run your load add another scoop of the Oxo-Brite. I usually have a load of all my stained items and put them together. That way I can let them soak in the Oxo-Brite and detergent - I use either Trader Joe's or Whole Food's brand...and on occasion I use Seventh Generation. I usually have them soak in warm water if they are colors or hot water if they are whites for about an hour in the washer. You can also use a bucket or sink for really stubborn stains.

And presto my stains are gone! I always make sure before putting the clothes in the dryer - if the stain is still lingering I do it again...until it's gone, and like I said usually it's gone right away, but some stains are tougher than others so I repeat the process. The most I've had to repeat this process is 3 times! And I've never NOT been able to get anything out. Also, none of the colors in my clothes have been compromised.

Happy Homemaking!

God Delivers the Righteous

Mon, 05 May 2008 09:45:19 GMT

This morning I was very encouraged by a post I read on the Girl Talk blog called, God Delivers the Righteous. God's deliverance has been very real to me over the past two years of marriage as I have had various trials. I remember reading a post very similar to this one in the second month of marriage, thinking, "I can't even relate, it's been such a long time since I've had a significant trial"...the next month I experienced the first of many trials with my first pregnancy that resulted in a miscarriage. Thankfully, God did deliver me over and over. I experienced and knew Him like never before. To the point I could even say I wouldn't trade all the babies in the world for my relationship with God. I found my first love again.

Although these times are hard, they are accompanied by a powerful and loving God. He indeed delivers. So be encouraged if you are facing difficult times. Look to God, seek Him and His will. Let Him deliver you...watch Him deliver you. In His timing in His way. His way is always best. So no matter how significant or insignificant your trial may seem tune your senses to see what God may be telling you about Himself. You may find yourself completely broken and renewed in His glorious being!

Simply the Best Part 2!

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:46:23 GMT

David and I talked about many things on our trip. We discussed the times our family is going to wake up and go to bed. We talked about 3 specific areas we felt we each could work on...many things that I will share soon. The most fun discussion we had though was Evelyn's middle name! It was "decided" before we even reached Tahoe, but we wanted to wait a few days to make sure we still liked it. We also wanted to confirm that Megan didn't hate it...today we received confirmation that we all like it! YAY!

Are you ready? Here it goes...drum roll please...ok ok, Evelyn Kate Larsen. David brought all the names to the table.. I really liked Katie for a first name, but for some reason David DIDN'T like it as a first name, but likes Kate as a middle name. So I'll take what I can get! I've always wanted a Katherine or some variation of it since I was a little girl. For him, there is no specific reason or meaning besides he just likes the name. For me, it has great meaning. First, it is the name of one of my favorite characters ever written, Katherine Mortimer from Stepping Heavenward, which is written by Elizabeth Prentiss. I am re-reading this book now, and hope to put up various quotes from the book. The other reason I like the name, is because it means "pure".

Here is a quote from the book. The book is written as this young girls journal, and follows her struggle for godliness all throughout her life as both a wife and mother. This particular quote is from her teenage years when God begins changing her heart.

"Today I felt discouraged and disappointed. I certainly thought that if God really loved me and I really loved Him, I should find myself growing better day by day. But I am not improved in the least. Most of the time I spend on my knees I am either stupid, feeling nothing at all, or else my head is full of what I was doing before I began to pray or what I am going to do as soon as I get through. I do not believe anybody else in the world is like me in this respect. Then when I feel differently and can make a nice, glib prayer, with floods of tears running down my cheeks, I get all puffed up and think how much pleased God must be to see me so fervent in spiirit. I go downstairs in this frame and begin to complain to our maid, Susan, for misplacing my music till all of a sudden I catch myself doing it and stop short, crestfallen and confounded. I have so many experiences that I feel like a baby just learning to walk, who is so afraid of falling that it has half a mind to sit down once for all."

Simply the Best!!!!!!!!

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:58:43 GMT

Thank you all so much for your prayers for David and me as we went to Tahoe and Grass Valley. We had the most encouraging, most refreshing time of our lives. It was by far the best weekend I've ever had. During my devotions this morning I was thanking God for His many mercies, and His extreme goodness towards David and me. I started to compare the trip to our honeymoon, then realized in many ways this past weekend was even better than our honeymoon. Mostly because of the unity David and I felt both with the Lord and with each other. There was a closeness we had never experienced before.

Not only that, we felt God's affirmation in the many things we discussed, and especially when it came to little Evelyn. Our meeting with Megan was absolutely perfect. We met her Sunday at church before heading to Tahoe, and we were able to see her again on our way home from Tahoe. Our first meeting was so sweet. God was evident in the service. We even sang one of my favorite hymns, Be Thou My Vision. I can't even begin to express in words how God touched my soul that day, all I can say is that it was perfect. It all came together, and felt incredibly natural. There was even a baby dedication...God's fingerprints were all over everything that was said, every tear, every hug...it was AMAZING! We could not have asked for a more ideal birth family. After service David's grandma so graciously invited Megan and her family over for brunch. We had a lovely afternoon with everyone.

There are so many things I would like to say, but I will leave it at this for now. I would like to collect my thoughts and maybe even separate everything into different posts because there were so many blessings, and so many things going on. There was Megan, Evelyn, her heartbeat, the attorney...then there was the peace and unity David and I had in Tahoe. We had a wonderful time of rest, relaxation and revelation...again, so many things to say! For now you'll just have to enjoy the pictures :-)