Queen of Naperville, Loving Grandmother Rita Harvard

Wow....I have not kept up on here, and actually to be honest, have kinda forgot about the blog!  So much has been happening in our lives, and I really just haven't found the chance to sit down at the computer, and type about it. 

Where to begin.  Well my last post was way back in April, and now it's August. 

We've been through a lot this past summer, and took the good with the bad.  My grandmother, who is actually my step grandmother, but I never viewed her any different than any of my "actual" grandparents, as I know I was considered one of her own grandchildren, was laid to rest around the middle of June.  She had suffered a long time from a rare lung disease (I think it is called COPD), and within the past year and a half it really took a toll on her, and finally claimed her life.  I'm glad that she was able to see & hold Mackenzie on several occasions, even though Mackenzie will not remember it.  It's hard to lose the ones you love, but when their confidence is put in Jesus Christ, you know they are suffering no more, and are having the time of their life up in Heaven.  That's where I know my grandmother is....waiting for me at the pearly gates. 

When someone passes away, it really makes you think about all the things you have truly enjoyed about them.I tell you my grandma was seriously one of the best.  My grandma, as well as my grandpa, was very involved in the town of Naperville, IL, but after her death, I got to see exactly how impactful she was to that community.  There was article after article about her in the papers --
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-19/news/ct-met-harvard-obit-0619-20120619_1_rita-harvard-mayor-george-pradel-ted-fredenhagen

http://www.suntimes.com/news/obituaries/13290214-418/rita-harvard-remembered-for-her-commitment-to-naperville.html

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120616/news/706169877/

http://www.positivelynaperville.com/2012/06/16/rita-harvard-always-one-in-a-million/7771

http://naperville.patch.com/articles/north-central-college-remembers-trustee-rita-g-harvard

http://napervillerotary.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=324671&module_id=118781

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpX3FiVzmjg

These are just some of the articles -- need I say more?? She was an amazing woman.  Always inspiring you to be the best that you can be; to maximize your time on this earth.  But underneath all of that, she was an awesome grandmother.  The funny thing is, a lot of us grandkids did not even know the extent of her impact on Naperville.  She was a humble and selfless woman, and when she was at family gatherings, she didn't make it about her, it was all about getting caught up on the latest happenings in her grandkids' lives. 

I don't think that Naperville knew a whole lot of her personal life, I mean, at least how things were outside the public eye.  Our family get togethers were so much fun with her.  I remember playing "school" with her and my twin sister when grandma and grandpa would come visit or babysit.  Michelle and I were so glad to be able to be the "teacher", while grandma was the "student".  We would have such a great time the 3 of us, and even though grandma was much more highly educated than us at the time, she would occasionally drop little hints on either our grammar or something else we did incorrectly.  I will always remember how to use the "and I or me and" -- ie. Michelle and I vs. me and Michelle.  :o) She was constantly wanting us to learn and grow.  Although, we looked forward to the many times of playing "school", many of the grandkids looked forward to Christmas time.  Christmas time is has such a glow and cheerful ring to it, and like most kids you do look forward to the presents, but we also enjoyed the different "events/traditions" grandma would try to start each year.  We've had musical talent shows to magic trick shows to wearing funny masks, I mean we looked forward to what that Christmas get together was going to be.  I cherish her being with the family, and with her joining, it connected us to another great family, her son's - the Castagnoli's.  I now have another awesome uncle, aunt, and cousins!!

We definitely looked forward to our birthdays, and yes mainly because of the presents, but instead of some grandparents that try to guess what you like, buy it, and give it to you, and hopefully you like it, grandma would take each grandkid out for their birthday on a shopping spree.  Since being a twin, I have the luxury of sharing a birthday with my awesome sister, so we got to go together on these birthday shopping trips.  When grandma and grandpa would come pick us up, grandpa would stay and hang with mom and dad, while the three of us went out shopping.  Michelle and I always remember grandpa would remind grandma to stay within the "spending limit", and everytime, grandma would say "Yes, John", and then whisper to us, "we can go a little over", and then we would all giggle.  Oh grandma's laugh.  It was such a cute and petit laugh, and I can still hear it in my head.  Anways, because of that, we felt we were so "bad", so we called ourselves the "BBG", which stood for Big Bad Girls. 

Life on this earth will not be the same without her, but this world that we live in is only temporary, and although we will experience pain & death here, I know I will see her again some day. 

Love you Grandma -- RIP



Christmas -- Grandkids with Grandma & Grandpa

Grandma was her great-granddaughter, Mackenzie

Mackenzie Lately :o)

So I can't believe it's been since February that I have written on here.  I am actually really bad at this whole blogging thing that sometimes I'm on a roll, and other times I have to admit, been a bit too lazy. :o)

Anyways, Mackenzie is growing up way to quickly!! I can't believe that she will be 8 months old at the end of this month.  I truly do understand the phrase "time flys".  What Mackenzie has been up to:
- she is quite the chatterbox.  loves to talk, and even loves to hear herself talk.  haha
- LOVES the mirror.  she can look at herself all day.  it is pretty funny to watch her interaction with herself
- she is quite the little chunker....love all her kissable rolls and cheeks!
- mastered sitting all by herself, no support whatsoever
- has not started crawling yet, but she will move herself around in a circle to get to things, and moves all over in her crib, she does push up using her legs, but doesn't get to far just yet.  i'm thankful that right now she is not full out on the go.  i'm going to enjoy it until my days will never be the same when she is a very mobile one.  :o)
- loves her little stuffed bunny that she received from her great grandma Peep.  she snuggles next to that bunny every night...it is quite cute. 
- love all the solid foods -- i would say right now she really loves the veggies -- green beans, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes -- gonna try and make broccoli soon as well as corn. 
- she does like fruits -- did try oranges for the first time, but i dont think she is a fan.  loves apples, pears, bananas, and grapes
- quite the little snuggler she is....especially when she is tired
- has two bottom teeth already, and i think she may be getting an upper tooth
- this month, i have actualy been brave, and dropped her off at the church nursery all by herself without Zach or i --only since she has become quite vocal, i can't have her disrupting the pastor and others around me, and she did great!
- visited our first zoo as a family...it was a little zoo with the major animals being cows, horses, and sheep, but nonetheless, it was a zoo.  i think i enjoyed it more than she did....partly since she was distracted by EVERYTHING around her (leaves, sky, etc. not just the animals)
- LOVES bath time....she will splish splash around all night if i allowed her too.  it is so much fun to watch her in the tub. 
- has crazy mohawk hair...not a whole lot i can do with it now, but it's still so fun to see her wake up in the morning. 

Well I think that about sums about the past couple months.  I am just truly soaking up this stage, and love being a mommy.  Don't worry though....definitely not ready for baby #2 haha.  

I Just Love This Picture

Mackenzie Lately Months 5-6 :o)

My sweet baby girl is 6 months old!! I can't believe how fast time has just been flying by!! I am learning so much as a mommy, and I am loving every minute of it.  I remember back at the times before I had Mackenzie and quite frankly, I don't miss it! :o)

Some updates on Mackenzie.....
-still working on the concept of rolling over, but occasionally we get a roll or two. 
-loves sitting up and playing with the toys that are placed in front of her
-talks like crazy....and I think she begins to realize that she is the center of the attention :o)

-LOVES bath time....starts splish splashing as she is sitting in her little duck tub.

-we are feeding solids along with a bottle now.....her faces are priceless when feeding the vegetables
-quite the little mover in her bed....I have found her in all sorts of positions in the morning

-the morning is my favorite, as I love hearing her talk in the morning as she doesn't even cry right away. so content I guess

-well she is quite the little cat napper....I get lucky if she sleeps longer than 30-35 mins

-sleeps (and has been sleeping) through the night a good 10-11 1/2 hours (which could be why she doesn't nap so much during the day)

 Well that pretty much sums it up so far....she is so much more interactive now, and I can't wait to get outside with her.  Went on a jog for the first time with her (since we are having 50 degree weather in the winter), and boy am I out of shape.  Pretty sure she was laughing at me huffing and puffing.  :o) Here are some new pics!

Crock Pot Ranch Potatoes

I think I'll try to keep individuals updated on new things I am trying....especially since many of these ideas come from Pinterest. 

I got this recipe (from Pinterest), and I really liked it.  I have decided that you could also add chicken, other veggies in addition to the potatoes, which will be what I will do the next time I make them.  To help with the mess, I used those crock pot liners so I didn't have to worry about the mess on side or the potatoes sticking. 

Crock Pot Ranch Potatoes

Ingredients:

2-3 large red potatoes, diced (about 1 inch or 1/2 sizes)

1 pkg. ranch dress mix

3/4 c. sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

Spray crock pot with cooking spray, this will help a lot. Combine all ingredients except potatoes in a large bowl and stir well. Add potatoes and stir til the potatoes are completely coated. Pour in crock pot, cook on low for 4-5 hours or til potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally as cream and potatoes start to stick to the sides. You may need to add a little salt and pepper but taste first before you add any.

Enjoy!

31 Ways to Pray For Your Children

Found this on Pinterest.....Loved how it incorporated the scripture.

01 Salvation:

“Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10).

02 Growth in grace:

“I pray that they may ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’” (2 Peter 3:18).

03 LOVE :

“Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to ‘live a life of love,’ through the Spirit who dwells in them” (Ephesians 5:2; Galatians 5:22).

04 Honesty and integrity:

“May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection” (Psalm 25:21).

05 Self-control:

“Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do”(1 Thessalonians 5:6).

06 Love for God’s Word:

“May my children grow to find your Word more precious than gold, than much pure gold, and sweeter than honey from the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10).

07 Justice:

“God, help my children to love justice as You do and to ‘act justly’ in all they do” (Psalm 11:7; Micah 6:8).

08 Mercy:

“May my children always ‘be merciful,as [their] Father is merciful’” (Luke 6:36).

09 Respect (for self, others, authority):

“Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as your Word commands” (1 Peter 2:17a).

10 Strong, biblical self-esteem:

“Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are ‘God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus’” (Ephesians 2:10).

11 Faithfulness:

“Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts” (Proverbs 3:3).

12 Courage:

“May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

13 Purity:

“Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions” (Psalm 51:10).

14 Kindness:

 “Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else’” (Ephesians 4:32).

15 Generosity:

“Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, laying up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for eternity” (1 Timothy 6:18-19).

16 Peace:

“Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace’” (Romans 14:19).

17 Joy:

“May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

18 Perseverance:

“Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run their race with perseverance” (Hebrews 12:1).

19 Humility:

“God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all” (Titus 3:2).

20 Compassion:

“Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion” (Colossians 3:12).

21 Responsibility:

“Grant that my children may learn responsibility, ‘for each one should carry his own load’” (Galatians 6:5).

22 Contentment:

“Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength” (Philippians 4:12-13).

23 Faith:

“I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has  been promised to them” (Luke 17:5-6;Hebrews 11:1-40).

24 A servant’s heart:

“God, please help my children develop a servant’s heart, that they may serve wholeheartedly, ‘as to the Lord, and not to men’” (Ephesians 6:7).

25 Hope:

“May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

26 Willingness and ability to work hard:

“Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, as they are working for the Lord, not for men’” (Colossians 3:23).

27 Passion for God:

“Lord, please instill in my children a soul that follows hard after You; a heart that clings passionately to You” (Psalm 63:8).

28 Self-discipline:

“Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may live a disciplined life, doing what is right and just and fair’” (Proverbs 1:3; 1Corinthians 9:27).

29 Prayerfulness:

“Grant, Lord, that my children’s lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to pray in the Spirit’” (Ephesians 6:18).

30 Gratitude:

“Help my children to live lives that overflow with thankfulness, giving  thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Colossians2:7; Ephesians 5:20).

31 Heart for missions:

“Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Psalm 96:3).

Mackenzie Lately: Month 4

Mackenzie got to experience her first Christmas!! It was quite the experience for all of us.  What is difficult it being away from family so we unfortunately have to travel.  Luckily, it is two hours in north to my folks, and two hours south to Zach's.  It could be worse.  Mackenzie has become such a great little traveler as she usually takes a nice long snooze in the car.

What She Has Been Up To Lately:
- laughs like crazy!! those baby giggles just are music to my ears!
- still trying to grasp the concept of rolling
- she still has baby blue eyes...not sure if she will be keeping those or not
- recognizing faces now ... hopefully won't have the "stranger danger" too much
- she is quite the cat napper, although I can't complain since she sleeps through the night
- no sign of teeth yet
- tried rice cereal for the first time....let's just say it was an adventure! :o)
- experience her first time out in the snow...(I didn't have a picture to post with this update), pretty sure she had no idea what to do.  Next year I know she will have so much fun. 

Here are a few pics :o)


one of my favorite pic of her...she's so beautiful





1st snowsuit!