Wow! Another amazing month has gone by filled with crazy adventures around the world. We spent a week in the Philippines with Compassion and our lives were changed by the amazing faithful work this organization is doing. We came home and had a very challenging week of adjusting back into life here. My pregnant body did not want to sleep for a week! Baby was on a different time schedule as well and would be kicking like crazy at night time. But finally, I feel half-way normal again (besides bearing all this extra prego weight!). The Lord has been gracious and merciful.
I set about my before baby #3 goals, first of which was to potty train my son. And the Lord was merciful again and he has got it down in his own cute little independent way. He doesn’t want Mommy’s help or reminders. He will go in his own due time. 
It has been an hilarious experience! I love his little, “I did it!” I get a diaper break now for 4-5 more weeks.
We spent a lovely weekend at the Oregon Coast with Aaron’s family and what a sweet bonding time that was. With 4 of the 7 brothers in his family married and 5 grand babies (with two more on the way!), the house was lively and full! But what a blessing to have wonderful supportive family nearby. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
My next goal is strawberry freezer jam and stocking the freezer with bags of strawberries! We will be doing that this weekend!
We are 35 weeks along! Only a few more weeks to go before we welcome baby #3…what’s your guess? Boy or girl? All the Philippinos guessed a boy. In the last few weeks here, I hope to be able to invest some quality time with each of my little ones, finalize our fall Kindergarten plans, rest up, stock up on a few freezer meals, and prepare my heart for welcoming another precious little life into this world.
3 in 30 Challenge
Need some help setting and accomplishing goals? I have found the 3 in 30 challenge to be so incredibly helpful over the last few months. Set 3 goals to be accomplished in 30 days is actually a manageable task!
1000 Gifts – Continuing the Journey!
What a blessing to continue on in the pursuit of recording 1000 gifts of everyday blessings in our lives. This has been such a rich and rewarding experience. My little moleskin notepad stores such treasures and graces from our day to day life. When I am down and discouraged, it is a sweet reminder that God is good no matter what. It has been a springboard of wonderful times of prayer and thanksgiving. With each record of thanksgiving, my eyes are opened in new ways. It has been the best practice in cultivating true joy and contentment. We passed number 500 this week!
477. Early morning prayer moments with my hubby
480. The healing power of tears
486. The blessing of laughter
487. Making friends in other cultures
491. Pleasures received from teaching and planning our homeschool curriculum
495. A precious girl painting (literally) flowers
496. Success in potty training
501. Karis at her pretend baking station
503. Fresh flowers indoors from our own backyard
505. Baby in position and ready to go
506. The delight of a bubble bath
508. Tucking the kiddos snuggly in at night
511. A thoughtful pedicure from a sweet sister in law
514. A windless day at the beach
515. Wonderful fluffy pillows to aid sweet sleep
516. Delightful lemon bars
517. Chocolate milk tea party on a humid afternoon amidst an array of books
518. A short walk to a fun playground to explore
519. A surprise gift card to welcome baby from co-workers
June Book Reviews
Give them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus by Elyse Fitzpatrick – a truly great read for gospel centered parenting! A new favorite on my list to be read again and again. I love this lady!
31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way by Sarah Mae – A fabulous short easy read inspiring a vision for biblical homemaking with easy step by step tasks to do each day along with the encouragement. Both vision and practice in one!
Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic – a sweet real life view of delighting in motherhood even with multiple little ones! I thought it was quite randomly laid out but overall very encouraging with lots of practical advice.
We will not have a specific theme here for the month of July but rather be talking all about different aspects of homemaking and parenting. With with the joys of summer ahead of us we wanted to have the freedom to just have fun as we feel led to share about.
July Sponsors
We are excited to welcome back Sweet Bottoms Baby Boutique (my favorite source for cloth diapers and gear all with free shipping!) and Willow Pads (dryer balls, diapers, and more!) as continued sponsored for July, along with Graham Gardens (wonderful lotion bars, natural bug bar, and other skin care goodies). Check out these awesome companies for quality natural care products for your family! We greatly appreciate their support!
Photos by Christa Taylor Photography
Lindsay, are you and Aaron part of the quiverful movement.
No, I’m not familiar with it.
It’s a evangelical large-family Christian movement. I was just curious because little bits and pieces of your story fit in with some of what they do
I love reading your blog. It is truly my favorite. I hope that you will post your Kindergarten plans when you have a moment. We are right about at the stage too and I would love to see what you will be up to with that. Also, I am really wanting to work on journaling/memory/picture books for my children. Do you have any ideas in how to do this simply and frugally without it taking too much time and space? I know you are busy with more important things, but maybe later you may be able to mention something about it. Best wishes with your upcoming baby.
The top picture is so beautiful, I love it!
I *love* that first picture! Did you have a photographer?
Yes, they were taken by my sister, who is a photographer.
what a sweet update with some sweet pictures! thanks for letting us have a peek into your life.
I’m reading Loving the Little Years as well! So far I love it and I think I’ll make my husband read it also.
i am reading “give them grace” right now with some friends from my church… i also highly recommend it!
I think it’s a girl! So exciting! Praying that you have a healthy delivery! Love your blog!
You look incredible for having two kids and expecting again! How do you manage to keep the extra weight off? I have never had a problem with weight before, but after two children fifteen months apart, I have had such a hard time losing the weight. Lots of people told me that nursing would “take it all of”, but I’m lucky if I lose two pounds that way (and I eat pretty healthfully and exercise regularly). Have you ever read (I’m asking because you have a lot of knowledge regarding pregnancy/health) that some women keep on the extra weight until they’re done breastfeeding? When my first child weaned at ten months, I started losing weight over the course of the next three months (which worried my midwives since I was pregnant again). Just curious if you’ve ever heard of that, or know of more ways to lose the weight. You really do look amazing, Lindsay!
I honestly gained almost twice as much with this pregnancy then I have with my previous two (I have no idea why?), so I can understand it can be challenging. It took me only 6 months after my first baby, but twice as long after my second baby to get back to my pre-maternity weight. Even then, I still had extra rolls that I never had before that didn’t want to go away. I think nursing helps but not to get it all off. I just try to get on a good walking schedule after my body heals from birth. I think it is something as mothers that we have to sacrifice a bit when it comes to childbearing, especially if you have all your children close together. It may just have to wait till another season, as the most important thing for you to focus on now is eating healthy, nursing, and nurturing your babies in that way. Its more important than losing weight.
great perspective lindsay! i have always been thin, but i have also always struggled with body image (i had an eating disorder in college). the past few years God has really matured me in that struggle and so it hasn’t been as much of an issue, but now that i am pregnant with our first biological child, it has come up again.
the thing that has helped me the most is to remember that being a mother is to be sacrificial, and one of those things that will have to be sacrificed is looking like you did pre-pregnancy. there are lots of other sacrifices too, but this one in particular God has used to point out some of my idols and lead me to depend on Him more, while asking him to make me more willing to give of myself to others.
that being said, i do think that there is also a place for making sure that you are being healthy in your eating and exercise habits, but keeping in mind the reality is that pregnancy will change your body permanently! good thing we will get new, perfect ones in heaven
Your family is so adorable. Can’t to see baby number 3
I’m really interested in reading the “Loving the Little Years” book you recommended. Part of our simplicity plan is to avoid buying paper books but instead read ebooks. I’ve searched all over for an ebook version (not Kindle) and can’t find it. Do you or anyone else out there in cyberspace know where I can get it?
Why couldn’t you just read the kindle version? I believe you can read that from your computer or mobile devise without actually having a kindle. I have the kindle app on my ipod and it works great. I personally purchased the kindle version myself.
I could read it on my computer but I don’t have another “mobile device” other than my ebook reader but the Kindle format doesn’t work on that. I was hoping to find it in a pdf or epub format so that I can take it with me, read it in bed, etc and not have to sit at my computer to read it.
Just thought I’d ask… would love to hear if anyone finds it in another format. Thanks for your reply
I just started Give them Grace! I’m loving it so far! Thank you for your blog. Praying for your delivery.
Yes, those pictures are stunning. You & your sister are so talented
Well done Titus on potty training so quickly, the first day I found your blog, he had just been born!
It’s been great to read every update since then
Looking forward to the pictures and story of your newest little one as well.
Thanks for sharing the books. I will be checking out that first one. Your pictures are so lovely. You are quite smashing..smiles. As well as your little ones. Have a great weekend.
I just wanted to correct my link. By accident I typed something wrong. So, this is my real link.
I just started reading your blog recently and love it!! I think you need to post the recipe for the lemon bars as well!!! They sound really yummy! Oh and by the way, I’m 35 weeks pregnant too!! I’m having our 5th baby! So exciting!
I just started the “Give the Grace” book and so agree. It is a great read and just what I needed right now! I always read and never comment but just wanted to say thanks for all the great ideas and inspiration. It’s totally been a blessing.
Lovely pictures… I never commented, but your posts from the Philippines were so inspiring! I decided to become a Compassion blogger. Also, I do the 3 in 30 Challenge too. It’s been very encouraging.
Baby bellies are one of the most beautiful things in the world
. Are you going to post the link for the lemon bars?? 
As to the lemon bars, I have a confession to make. I made these lemon bars (with the adaptions recommended in the reviews to double the filling). I was craving the real thing!
Oh…they are so good! I do have a healthy version here that is wonderful as well. I just wasn’t in the mood for those this week. 
Thank you SO much for linking to the 3in30 Challenge! What a blessing that one link has been already today!!
Lindsay, you wear pregnancy well!
You have a beautiful family…I enjoy reading your blog and find so many of your posts useful, applicable, and inspiring. God bless you and your sweet family…and may God’s grace be upon your family as you welcome another little one!
Ashlie
Gorgeous pictures!