Whats going on?

What is going on with the Steinbergs this summer? Lot's of fun stuff with lots of "growing moments" in between. From May to thus far we have had Josh's 32nd Birthday, our 8th Anniversary, My 29th ahem... I mean 30th Birthday, A women's retreat with our church (much needed and can't wait until next year), and a week long trip with just me and the boys to Utah to see my parents. I think that is everything. All great stuff and the "growing in between" part? God showing me more and more how much I really need him in every little thing, including potty training patience and how to handle a child being very upset with you. I'm not gonna lie it is not fun but I think enduring it is necessary to learning how to handle things in the future. I'm posotive future events in our life will make these what seem to be no fun moments look very small when we look back on them. Although I have to admit some of the potty training stuff is pretty funny:) For instance...I was on my first errand outing down the hill with Korban wearing his big boy underwear, (but not without a towel on his seat, and thank you Becky for the towel that I need to return:) I kept asking him if he needed to use the potty and to tell me loudly if he needs to go so that I am sure I hear him. He was doing great! I was so proud of him and his new little spring in his step with his super hero underwear on. We had our last stop at Sprouts and he very loudly and clearly told me " I have to use the potty!" Thank goodness we were right by the bathroom and even more that it was surprisingly clean! Now the interesting part....how to hold a 22 lb 10 month old and help support an almost three year old on the potty because he is still afraid he is going to fall in. So with my other arm I hoist him up to the potty and tell him to put everything where it belongs while trying to stay out of the way just in case things go wrong...which they did. Instead of going in everything when up and over on to the floor. Not fun but funny seeing as how he was so pleased with himself for going at all. Oh well live and learn. Thankfully he has gotten this down now. It has only happened one other time with my poor mom in the same situation while I was getting my fillings done. I think I would have rather been in her shoes. Here is Korban in 09. Thank goodness he has come a long way since then;)














Josh's Birthday. Simple but fun. I attempted a three layer cake which I have to say held up pretty well. Even though the color and sprinkles were not what I envisioned it tasted pretty good. I love how Josh doesn't want much, he is just blessed by having his family together and that is all he wanted:)
















Our anniversary, WONDERFUL! We had not had a night with just the two of us in soooooo long. We found an amazing deal on a couples massage in Poway at Ai Spa. If you want to check it out it is in the target and Albertsons Parking lot. 70 min $85. If anyone can find a better deal please tell me! I had no idea my shoulders were so tied up in knots until the sweet little lady was done and my muscles were so relaxed. After that we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean with some stashed away movie tickets. It was entertaining but lacking. It didn't matter though, we were so happy to be out together. We shared some sliders and chocolate ice cream cake at Islands (If you want their tasty fried shoestring onions on your sliders just ask they are so delicious). Then to our hotel by the bay where we had a night of peaceful sleep and even better...sleeping in until almost whenever, darn those check out times:(


The women's retreat? So refreshing. I missed my family like crazy but I really needed that time to hear the word without distraction, fellowship with other women and just take it easy and have some girly fun. We are so so so blessed that we get to have our retreats at the Murrietta Bible college. I can't think of a better place and the college kids who serve in ministry there to make it a beautiful weekend for us are so sweet and selfless not to mention they make some pretty good iced coffee;) yum!










My Birthday was Monday, the day after I returned from the retreat and not only that but on the Wednesday of that week I would be flying out to Utah so I basically unpacked did laundry and pack a again. I had a nice quiet 30th Birthday dinner. My Birthday request? For a back yard gate and fence, and sand in the boys sand box It makes me laugh because my sister in law had a similar request for her Birthday. So different from wanting a car when you were a teenager isn't it? Seeing as how I do not have a picture of me freshly 30 on my Birthday, here is a look back to a much much younger me...my first Birthday:)










And then Utah. I was a bit fearful of traveling with both boys on the plane by myself but it was actually not too bad. Korban loves flying so he looked out the window the whole time pointing exciting things out to me. Benjamin was a wiggle worm wanting to look every which way at the same time but he was happy and that made me happy:) Utah was beautiful and we did not do too much. My Dad got out the old cars and let the boys check them out which was very special and sentimental to me having grown up around these cars as a kid. Now my kids get to ride in them too which to me is pretty awesome.



















So was this blog long enough? See what happens when I don't do this regularly? Well you read it and I appreciate you taking time out of your business to share these things with us! More blogs to come...maybe even today;)

Growing UP...and so are the kids

I know I just changed my blog title when I switched the address but I was teetering on the actual name for it. I first had "Just another day in paradise" like the song by Phil Vassar but really, our day is not quite like the one described in the song, well at least not every day, and we don't have a dog, or a mail man, and usually if something is broken around here Josh is on top of it. But the kids are sometimes screaming (happy screams mind you) and the bills are still coming. But even still I did not think it suited my blog. So my honey and I were thinking and thinking about an appropriate title. I wanted something to reflect our ultimate goal in life for us and our children, the one true desire of our hearts...Philippians 3:14 "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Daily our heavenly Father is "growing us up" through joys and sorrows, every day tasks and situations, and yes even through our family...each other. And in the midst of all this growing spiritually, the little ones are growing physically, much too fast for my liking. I can only hope I won't forget the tiny moments. They remind us to keep a child like faith. Korban will very plainly tell you "Jesus high up in the clouds! Building a BIG house for all of us! When He's done I get to see it!" I love his enthusiasm:)
So this is it...Growing Up. And yes, those are our footies!

It's About Time!

SO it's about time I changed my blog web address...right? Of course it is obvious that we are not longer a family of three but instead a family of four and hopefully God willing one... or two...more?
To my family and friends, you are all welcome to leave comments. You don't have to have a blog to leave comments on one but we always love to hear from you!
Our Big Ben is now 9 months old and growing....and growing...and growing. I have finally decided that he is going to be our more stubborn one. He is very persistent when it comes to touching what he shouldn't touch and you can see the wheels turning in his beautiful round little head. He know that playing with the buttons on the entertainment center is a "Do not Touch" but he looks at you with his big eye's and slowly reaches over just within reach before deciding that it probably is not a good idea. It has taken him much longer to catch on than it did for Korban at that age. He even growled at me in displeasure a few times showing me that he already knows what he wants. But I also have hope that his stubbornness will give him the "not giving up attitude" when it comes to learning how to ride a bike or color in the lines or tie his shoes. If anything God is using Benjamin's little independence to show me more and more how important it is for me to not give up on teaching him even if I am soooo tired.
Before I know it he will be a one year old and I'm already asking myself where the time has gone! Can you believe this fit in my tummy nine months ago?

These days...Take two

I literally just put my sleepy boys to bed for what I hope will be a good nap. So lets try this again! So what have the Steinberg's been up to these days? Oh lots of wonderful things. Josh has been continually busy with working at the church and taking computer jobs on Friday's. There are lots of things I love about him working so close to home but one of them is that the boys and I can pop in for lunch with him whenever we can make it which really is such a blessing. He was recently in a wedding for a friend of ours all the way out in Arizona. It was not your typical black tie attire, it was more of a vintage western or parlor boy style. He hat a bowler-type hat (sorry if it is misspelled) with pinstripe pants and suspenders. He truly looked like a bar tender in an old western movie! Pictures to follow soon:)
Korban....oh my not so little Korban. He is quite the character these days and testing the waters on his independence. I'm learning that if you don't nip it in the bud, even if it seems repetitive, it can become quite the battle. I just hate being the bad guy all the time! But I keep looking at the end product and try to have more grace than I do discipline. A speaker at one of our church women's retreats was sharing a part in the Bible about the sower and what he will reap. I think it was 2 Corinthians 9:10. She said that a sower does not plant his seeds and expect fruit that very day, no, they plant their seeds and wait for it to grow in it's due season. In the mean time we are to water and tend to it so that it does not die. So that is what I keep reminding myself when I feel the way I do. Korban never ceases to make me laugh. A friend of ours gave him a dragon costume that he L-O-V-E-S to wear all the time. Really, he will wear it outside, at the dinner table, and probably to bed if I let him. He has inspired me to write a few children's books too. It is another thing I need to make time for and figure out how to go about doing.

And My Little Benjamin...sigh...his smile melts my heart. his whole face lights up when he smiles. Even if his bookie is in his mouth, you can tell he is smiling just by his bright eye's. He is army crawling all over the place with a few attempts to crawl on all fours. He says Mama and Dada. He can push himself up into a sitting position. He loves to play with big brothers cars, or eat them rather. He graciously removes his bookie before nursing...it's pretty funny. And while nursing likes to have a conversation with me. Yep. He stops eating just to look up and talk in his sweet soft little voice and then continues eating. I can't wait to see what he is going to be like as he gets bigger because he is already so much fun. I really do love having my two boys:)
And me? Well I have given a bridal shower and attended the said before wedding. I have been trying my hardest to keep up with friends but I think they understand maybe why they have not seen me as they too have little ones to look after. My new hobby is doing photo books and they have been so much fun to do. We are now getting ready for Easter, my favorite time of year. It's hard to think that it is already here and soon it will be Korban's 3rd Birthday and Benjamin's one month after that. But I think I will just focus on today because that is just about all I can handle. And yes....the boys are still asleep:)

These Days

What has been going on with us these days? I am finally feeling caught up around the house and have some time to actually sit and finish projects on the computer. ....until Benjamin just woke up....again....the end

Chocolate Orange

My not so little Korban has me on a Hot coco kick. He loves coco with all the fixings of course. I on the other hand was feeling a little adventurous one day and thought, "What can I put in this to make it different and still really yummy?" There are several things I like with chocolate such as orange. Have you ever had one of those chocolate orange balls? Or even an orange slice dipped in chocolate? So good....well to me, I know some do not like fruit with chocolate. Here is what I made...

And here is what you need...

- Dark chocolate coco powder (or regular chocolate coco powder)

-Milk

-Orange extract

-whipped cream

-Chocolate syrup

-Grated orange rind/zest

Follow the coco directions (with milk) on the back of your coco box but leave out the vanilla.

After the coco is all mixed and hot, add two or three drops of orange extract and stir.

Pile on the whipped cream.

drizzle some chocolate syrup over the top.

Use a hand held cheese grader to sprinkle your orange zest over the top, as much as you please.

To make it really good...curl up on the sofa with your love or a good movie/book/favorite TV show and you have a really good cup of coco.

Sew Sew

Have you ever had so many ideas rolling around in your head that it becomes overwhelming until you actually start to put them into motion? That is me. I have been wanting to create adorable baby items for some time now. I made a bundle of warm fuzzy baby hats....check. I started to try my line of baby clothing which totally blew up in my face....not going to check that one yet, I just don't think now was the time but it will be some day and I still have all my designs saved. I wanted to add burp cloths, wash cloths and eventually receiving blankets to my list....check...and still in progress. My mom bought me a sewing machine for Christmas and it has been sitting on my Kitchen table since then. Don't get me wrong, I have been using it but just not as consistently as I would like and love to. Your probably thinking, "Then why aren't you doing it now?" I would if every loud sound didn't wake up Mr. Benjamin. He thinks he is missing out on everything if something is going on in the kitchen so nap time is quiet relax time for mua. Therefore, sewing only happens when Josh is home or when the boys are both contently playing or watching a movie, so the sewing gets done in little spurts...for now. My ever so patient Mom helped me pick out fabric at Joannes and walked me through the step by step of how to thread and work the machine. And by George I finally figured it out (these things really frustrate me, I think I remember crying when she tried to help me make a dress for my senior portraits). I am starting with the burp cloths, little girl ones just in case and that case is not now for all you jumping to conclusions;)

These are a pale pink with little pea pods and it says "sweet pea" . After having finished them they are certainly not worthy to give to anyone or sell on etsy. I really need to practice sewing straight lines but they will go into my hope chest for some other day:)These ones are for a boy or girl. I made a set of 3 wash cloths and a burp cloth. I just loooooved the fabric! They are still in the works but I can't wait to use them for my boys.

I especially can't wait to go back to Joannes and look through all the fabric again.