June 5, 2009

  • For my Mom

    Mom, this post is just for you….she’s been wanting me to post pictures of our new apartment for a long time and I just never got around to it.  My Dad & Mom flew out here for a whole week and painted and cleaned for us…what lifesavers they were.  We love our new abode.

    The Living Room

    Bathroom

    My kitchen that I’m in the middle of renovating.  I’m almost finished painting the cabinets.  I also want to paint the kitchen a different color.  How do you like that vintage stove…it’s a bright yellow spot in my kitchen.

    Jackson’s room…sorry about the blur.

    Our room…I still want to do alot in here but for now things at least have a place to live. =)

    Josh and I went to a Hibachi Rest. for our anniversary….if was a fun show but the food was a little to greasy.

    How sweet.

April 30, 2009

  • My boy is growing right on up….

    Out of the mouth of Jackson this morning….”Mom, I generally keep my Lightening McQueen blanket on my bed so I can just pull it up when I get cold”. 

    I am wondering where he heard the word generally and how he knew how to use it.  Fascinating. 

    He also learned to ride his bike without training wheels…wow he feels like a race car driver.

January 25, 2009

  • News from the Brooklynites…..

    The Brooklynites are moving to Queens!  Yeah for us….we found an apartment with a huge back yard, 3 bedrooms, 2 (yes, that’s right) bathrooms, a dishwasher and many more accessories.  God has answered my prayers way beyond my wishes. My parents are coming out for a week to help us paint and clean…another answer to prayer.  I will be posting pictures soon hopefully.  It’s about a 5-7 minute drive from where we live now so it is a different neighborhood.  When you move to a different neighborhood here in the city it can almost feel like another state or something.  I’m excited but also a little sad.  This is the apartment where Jack n Jill grew up!  I guess I’m just nostalgic like that. 

    In other news we are headed to Guatamala City, Guatamala here in about 3 weeks.  Josh’s sister and her family moved down there back in November so we are going to pay them a visit.  Jack n Jill have their passports just waiting in the file cabinet.  Honestly, I am a little afraid to get an airplane after this episode here in the Hudson.  Who would have thought a flock of birds could take an airplane down? 

    Josh and I have taken up running….of course he’s way more serious about it than I am.  As we speak he’s out running like the wind and here I sit on the rocking chair.  He has run a 12 miler twice and I have made it a whopping 3 miles (twice….and I almost died both times).  I would like to run a half marathon sometime….inspired by my friend Marilyn.  (She ran an entire one)  Have any of you tried running?  It is HARD!  It’s good for your heart. Gives it a good workout.

    How about our new President Obama and his family?  All politics aside, I think they are a neat family.  He looks at her so lovingly and it makes me smile. 

    Well, my children are waking and the husband is back from his run so here I go to serve.

     

     

     

     

December 18, 2008

  • What does lack of sleep do to you?  I get very grumpy and scatterbrained.  My children have been sick with colds now for what seems like forever. That, of course, means long nights sometimes. Poor Jackson coughed so hard this morning he threw up.  God…..please give us good health again. For some reason I get really “down” when my children get sick.  I think maybe one reason is that I can’t do anything to make them feel better.  Probably another reason is that I am selfish…they are very needy…always wiping snotty noses etc., takes time. It really takes a toll on my day when Jill is always hanging on my skirt and Jackson needs his nose wiped every other minute. Right now I am trying to do a million other things.  Maybe God allowed this to happen for a reason.  Maybe he wants me to slow down and take time for my children.  Maybe this year it’s not important to do all the things that “I” want to do.  Being a mother is really about laying down your life for your children.  If that means no cute little plates of cookies and candy for our friends then I guess I will be OK with that.  Christmas candy and cookies aren’t healthy anyways (absolutely not judging anyone)(I have eaten my fair share already). That brings up another subject. Poor children in Haiti have to eat dirt, why should I scramble around buying this and that and baking like there’s no tomorrow?  This Holiday Season I have been having a real struggle in my mind about “stuff”.  Do you ever look around your house and think about how “nice” we have it. Heat and hot water and a flush toilet are extravagant in most countries.  These are just things we expect.  Where do you think the balance is?  How do we live a simple, modest life?  I don’t think we have to be miserly.  I love to buy gifts and give.  I especially like to give things to my husband and children that I know will please them.  The Yoder side of the family are not going to exchange gifts this year.  My Dad’s idea was to give all of the money that we would have spent on gifts to some mission or family in need.  When I first heard this idea I didn’t really like it because as I said before I really like to give gifts and in turn I really like when someone takes the time to pick out a gift for ME!
    I do think it’s a good idea.  My husband always reminds me that we need to store up treasures where neither moth nor dust doth corrupt. 
    This week I have really been having a hard time with city life again.  I suppose it’s partly due to a loss of precious sleep. It also has to do with circumstances (which I know shouldn’t affect me the way they do). I have been trying to change my name from Yoder to Good for quite awhile now.  I am a procrasinator to the max!  Don’t ask me why I didn’t do it when it should have been done….namely 7 years ago right after we got married.  We are flying to Guatamala in February so I am trying to update my passport with my new “Good” name and my drivers license.
    I think I have my passport conquered but my license are another story.  The other day I collected all of my CORRECT paperwork and headed to the license branch to become Mrs. Tonya Good on that little piece of paper.  Well, the lady working the desk decided I wasn’t going to be Tonya Good that day or any other day until I have a proper marriage license.  Mind you I had it in my hand as legal as legal can be.  Talk about frustrating….I don’t know what lessons I am supposed to learn except my husband says I need to be more aggressive.  I obviously was a little aggresive because she told me to calm down and calm my crying child down…..what nerve! 
    Anyway, this is turning into way more than I ever intended.  In spite of everything I wrote on here I feel like God has given me the grace to “survive”.  Although, I don’t think he wants us to just survive.  I am grateful for his unfailing love.  By the way, I hope I didn’t offend anyone and it wasn’t my intention to be judgemental at all!  Just some things to think about.
    Merry Christmas from the Goods!

December 10, 2008

  • HaPpY hOlIdAYs!!!!!!!

    I am just sitting here in my living room thinking about how nice it is to stay at home!  It is sort of a rainy day so we (the kiddos and I) cleaned out some closets and played a game.  I really like my job as a wife and mom. 
    We had a good Thanksgiving in Amish country….lots of great food and quality family time.  Sister Jennifer really
    knows how to cook let me tell you!  She made us a Thanksgiving spread….and of course the table was set so beautifully.
     

    After lunch we all (minus Grandma Yoder and Jill….who were snoozing)  went outside and raked leaves and Jackson got his first taste of jumping into a huge leaf pile….what fun for the city slicker.

    Here’s Grandpa Yoder showing him how….from many years of experience.

    Here’s Josh getting in a few swipes.

    Aunt Rachee supervising the whole ordeal.

    The next day we went shopping (Black Friday….no pics to show).
    On Saturday we headed over to Strasburg railroad…..it was a big hit with the fam.

    We got in a few family pics for Christmas cards that some of you will be getting in your mailboxes soon. (Hopefully)

    Aunt Rachee made Jackie’s name with soft pretzels. I’m not sure what the face is all about.

    We also went to sing for Josh’s Grandma Fox with some of the other cousins.  I didn’t get any pictures of that event either….we had a good time at John & Janelle’s house after we sang. 

    Of course when we came back home Jackson had to play train.  He got a cute conductor hat at Strasburg.

    I hope everyone has a blessed Holiday season!

November 19, 2008

  • Just call me Tonya the Plumber……yesterday I bought a bottle of “DrainO”  and fixed the bathroom sink drain slicker than a whistle. 

    I am excited….we are headed to “Amish Country”….aka Lancaster for Thanksgiving one week from today.  We get to see a little bit of everybody on both sides of the family this year.

November 11, 2008

  • Jackson turns 4!!!

     

     

    Jackson wanted a cowboy birthday party this year….I’m not sure where the thought came from.  They had lots of fun.

    Here’s the city slicker cowboy in person.  We had hot dogs (couldn’t quite pull off a campfire in the church basement) baked beans, potato salad, rice, party mix and an ice cream cake. 

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    Little sis Jill….thank God she is getting over her sickness.  She has an ear infection in both ears, a possible sinus infection and an infection in her left eye.  This week is going much better that last week!

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    All 12? of them….I lost track after awhile….notice the shortage of girls.  Eve B. and Sara N. were the lucky 2!

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    This cutie stole the show…K. Mast

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    What do you think of these cowboys? 

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    E. Barnhart can hold her own when it comes to picking up candy from the pinata!  Jill doesn’t have a clue.

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    Here’s Jackson on the morning of his birthday with his presents.

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    One day I told Jill to climb in this little container and say “cheese” and she did just that.  Sometimes I can’t believe how much she understands!

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    Have a good day!

October 28, 2008

  • Tuesday musings…..

    I don’t particularly care for Tuesday’s.  Josh is gone all day and evening.   Today (Tuesday) it is pouring rain which is kind of cozy but prevented us from breathing in fresh air.  Tuesday is reading and singing day at the library but this momma didn’t feel like dragging the kiddos out in the drenching cold rain.  So we stayed indoors and played Cooties and Jackson successfully put a number puzzle together. (He’s really getting into puzzles…yes, Andrea he had his pants on today).  I apologize for my little 3yr. olds picture in my last post…I’m not sure where his pants disappeared to.  Let’s see, what else have I accomplished today?  I am still doing laundry and I ordered 120 pictures on Snapfish (that takes me forever).  I am forever trying to help my 1yr. old breath…she has a horrible cold that has her up at all hours of the night.  Jackson is just finishing up a coughing cold.  Does anyone have any ideas how to help a baby sleep at night when they have a cold and sleep on their stomaches?  If she would just stay on her back she could breath a lot better.  I will be so glad when they are back to normal.  This post is going nowhere and I need some sleep….so adios.

October 17, 2008

  • Fall is in the air………..I love it!

    It’s time for a new post and Aunt Rachee has been asking for some new pics of the kiddos.  These are just for you
    Auntie R.

    This morning I happened upon this “precious moment”.  Jack trying to show Jill a baby book.  Yesterday she said “Elmo” very clearly for those of you who care.  Just look at those cute footsies.  Enough gushing.

     

    She is kind of high maintenance but is still a sweetie. 

    They still like to play “boat”.  And Jackson by the looks of things is saying “CHEESE” like he always does. 

    Last Friday we took our weekly trip to Target.  We love Target.  I told Jackson he could pick out a puzzle…he picked out a 500 piece Nemo & Dorie puzzle.  It was way above his level so Josh and I had fun putting a puzzle together last week-end.  Of course he (Jackson) was right by our sides the whole time with his usual running dialog.  This child can talk your ear off.  Yoder or Good?  Or maybe Knepp?  Josh would say the latter.

    This afternoon I took Jackson out to take some pictures….here are a few.

    How do you like this for a city slicker…



    I still want to add a little to my previous post but I think that will be for another day.  Sister Jennifer is coming to visit us this week-end so we are looking forward to good times.