10 Updates About the Van Cleave's

1.Working on baby girl VC's room. I have the paint on the walls and ready to organize all the fun little baby stuff! The color selected for baby girl VC's room is called dune grass. I will post the finished product if that day ever comes.

2. Organizing! Caleb and I have been organizing and downsizing our closets. Caleb used to keep all of his stuff in the guest room (which is now becoming baby room.) We are sharing a closet! (Yes.... I said sharing!) Anyone who knows me understands this is not an easy task! Goodwill will be getting a heaping donation in the next few weeks! It actually feels good to eliminate! Almost cleansing!


3. Meal planning. I have been meal planning for the last year and have loved it! I plan out meals for two weeks at a time. This helps with grocery shopping and staying within a budget! I have found an amazing site that does all the planning for you! This has been amazing because it was taking up to two hrs. to plan and write out my grocery list. If you click here it will take you right to the site! The cost is $15.00 for three months of meals and grocery lists. For busy mom's it's so worth it! All you need to do is shop and cook. This has been a life saver and time saver. Especially being a working mother of almost two, it really helps with knowing what I will be making when I get home. It also allows you to eat a variety of meals so you don't always feel like you are eating the same things every two weeks.

4. Caleb is the number one seller in the company at Aspen. He has been putting in long hours trying to help people see the importance of health and fitness. He is really a hard worker and loves what he does. It will be nice having him around for a week when the baby comes.

5. We are heading up to a water park in Minnesota in March with some of our closest friends. We will stay the weekend and have fun swimming, and enjoying fellowship. I think we are planning on squeezing in a little shopping and the boys are planning on hitting the casino. Look for pictures coming soon.

6. I get the joy of teaching 50 fifth graders about puberty and how our bodies change. Enough said.

7. I'm getting up every night about 3 times to pee. Some nights I don't even remember getting up, the next thing I know I am on the pot. Baby girl VC is also very active between the hours of 2:00 & 4:00. I hope this doesn't mean that she will be on the outside!

8. Easton is getting molars. He already has four and is getting more. This last weekend he had low fevers, was very clingy to momma, and had a few major blow outs due to the teething process. I can't believe my baby is getting big by teeth!

9. We no longer have our little puppy Gizmo. He went to a nice loving family that has a couple of elementary aged kids. I miss him lots! I still look down where his water and food dish used to be to see if he needs more food or water. It was sad giving him away and I miss him everyday.

10. We can't wait until spring at the Van Cleave household. When it arrives we can play outside and go to the parks to play and have picnics. We are still hanging in the 30 degree weather range and hoping it warms up soon! We want to retire the coats and bring on the short sleeves.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:9-11

Dear Family & Friends,
I can’t believe it’s already February! I ponder each day where the time has gone! Easton is growing and changing with every breath! He went from walking to running in less then a week, loves to read books, loves anything to do with Curious George, will shimmy and shake to any and all types of music, and loves snuggling with mommy and daddy. At his year appointment he weighed in at a whopping 25 pounds! He is also 31 inches long! (I guess it’s safe to say that he is a growing boy and I need to make sure to have the cupboards and fridge stocked at all times.)

Our little baby girl is growing big too! She will arrive via
C-section on April 17th, (unless she’s not patient like her mommy and comes earlier☺) Her busy times are very early in the morning, (4:00 am) I can’t wait to meet our little girl! It’s crazy to think she’s almost here! Caleb and I were talking the other day how fast this pregnancy has gone. Which is very true, but with having two so close, I feel that I have been pregnant for two years! That would put me right up with the gestation period of an elephant. They carry their bundle of joys for 22 months. This is the longest gestational period in the animal kingdom! Thank goodness each pregnancy is only 9 months! Could you imagine?

This past year God has taught Caleb and I the closest meaning of unconditional love possible being parents. Up to this point I found that unconditional love was really hard for me to fully comprehend. It’s amazing the amount of love we have to give! As parents, we continue to love our children through good times and bad, and we don't stop loving them if they don't meet the expectations we may have for them. We make a choice to love our children even when we consider them unlovable; (like at 3:00 in the morning when molars are coming in!) Our love doesn't stop when we don't "feel" love for them. This is similar to God's love for us. God is Love, and His love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship. What an awesome blessing! I have been challenged with this New Year to be thankful in all that I have, and give as much love possible to those around me! I have two wonderful men in my life and a little girl on the way to shower with love each day! Not to mention a classroom full of fifth graders that may not have anyone showing or giving them love. I have been challenged to be more loving with my words and my actions daily. I find myself asking, “What can I do for ________ (fill in the blank) to show them love today?”

Lastly, today I was listening to Christian radio and they were challenging men and women to tell their spouses each day, “I love you today because….” I found this to be a little thing I can do each day to tell the man in my life how much he means to me. With having Easton in our lives, this is something that has easily been put on the back burner! I’m super excited to see how this will keep the spark going each day in our relationship! I challenge each and every one of you to do this with your main squeeze! Have a wonderful day, week, and month! Keep in touch and you are always welcome at the Van Cleave house!

Love puts the fun in together, the sad in apart, and the joy in a heart.
With Love from Our House to Yours,
Caleb, Maranda, & Easton

Model Potential?

Here is Easton on the cover of Parenting Magazine. You can click here and create your own! I also got the idea from a friends blog to enter Easton in Regis and Kelly's Cute baby contest. I thought.....hey I have a cute baby! Why not!

Crazy Driver!

Here's Easton being a crazy driver! He loves his 2 cars he has. Before, he used to push them back and forth. He still does that a little, but he's really into sitting on it and trying to get it to go! This video was taken the night of the super bowl. Easton also says touchdown and raises his hands! You also get a glance at a little movement to the sounds his car makes! Mimi you picked out a good car!

Watch out Gowgirls!

Easton strutting his stuff in his cowboy boots! He loved walking around in his boots! The giggles were non-stop! I think Mommy and Daddy were laughing the most! Now all he needs is a lucky little cowgirl! Any takers?

Haircut

Easton got a big boy haircut! He was pretty nervous so I wasn't able to capture it on camera at the salon, however that night I snapped a shot! We wanted to keep it somewhat shaggy! The trim made him really appear like a big boy! Isn't he HANDSOME!

Giggles

Here is Easton thinking he is pretty big stuff sitting in the big chair where we read books! His laugh is contagious and you cannot look at this picture and not smile!

Chatty Easton!

Here is a good video of Easton having a "manly" conversation with daddy. (Yes Caleb is going to the bathroom!?!) Easton has been very curious about this! It's been so fun listening to Easton jabber and talk!

Helping Mommy

Here is Easton helping Mommy with the floors! He is really doing losts of new things! If you listen closely you can hear Easton say book and tractor. Enjoy!