Wordless Wednesday

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Merry Christmas

As you enjoy time with family and friends may you always remember the the "real" reason for the season...the birth of Jesus Christ!
Merry Christmas from the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

I am a Gardener

I am a gardener. Nothing is more relaxing and therapeutic to my soul than hours out in the gardens. I love pulling weeds, tending plants and harvesting bountiful fruits and vegetables. Gardening is a lost art and one I'm perfecting.

It is 5 p.m. and I'm surrounded by darkness. Today, December 21st, the shortest day of the year has robbed me of daylight. I long for time in the garden or even a chance to harvest the eggs without having to use my headlamp. (Seriously...not cool.)

I know I'm lucky as I still have the opportunity to work in the gardens in the Pacific Northwest's "mild" climate, (like yesterday afternoon...ahem) but like everyone else, today I long for a day with more sunlight. Instead, I will join many others putting pj's on early and curling up with a good movie. Or maybe...I'll look at seed catalogs instead.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Iowa Snowman

What could be more fun than building a snowman with Grandpa in Iowa?
From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Looking out Windows At Iowa Snow

If you haven't guessed it by now with my blogging absence...I'm currently in Iowa enjoying time with my family. Though the weather is bitter (seriously takes my breathe away at times!), my families' homes have been warm and inviting.

We don't often get the chance to come home and this was an opportunity I didn't want to miss. The YMCA is in shut-down week(makes me feel a bit less guilty for my lack of exercise this week and extra goodies...ahem) and Drew is in the midst of finals week with his students, typically the most hectic time of year for him. So all in all...it made sense that the kids and I venture out to enjoy some "better" weather in the heartland.

While many of you were enjoying warm times on the beach or planning your trip to Mexico...the kids and I were wondering how many sweaters to pack and if snow boots could be considered a carry-on.

Immediately stepping off the plane the kids couldn't get over the snow. "Look at the snow over there Mom.", "Mom, look at the snow!", "Hey, mom did you know they have snow here?" And if the comments weren't enough we had to touch the snow, sit in the snow, walk in the snow...of course, all while wearing inappropriate clothes. (Why in the world do kids always do this?)

Growing up in Iowa, I am a bit accustomed to snow and the long winter months of cabin fever that follow. But, to kids from Washington it has been a time of wonder and adjustment to cold and more time spent indoors. We've visited cousins, aunts, uncles, great-grandparents and grandparents all in the comfort of their inviting homes.

This year Christmas won't be about Webkinz pets and Dora Link Dolls, instead it will be about wonderful memories of time spent with loved ones in the comfort of warm, cozy homes back in Iowa...building snowmen with Grandpa, reading books with Grandma and playing games with the cousins on a cold winter day just like I remember it. :)

From inside the Little Blue Bungalow, (or should I say my parent's home back in Iowa)
Katie Jean

Merry Christmas: Blogging Christmas Letter

Dear Family, Friends, and Fellow Blog Readers,

Greetings from the Little Blue Bungalow...the home of The Britten's: Drew, Katie Jean, Fiona and Keegan. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you back to our blogging Christmas letter. We hope you enjoy your paper-less version of our holiday cheer and come back often to read about the daily happenings of the Britten's in the Pacific Northwest right here at my blog, Little Blue Bungalow.

Years ago I started reading blogs of other SAHM's (Stay At Home Moms) to help me ease into the transition of staying home with my two faithful companions, Fiona and Keegan. Throughout those years, Drew encouraged me to start my own blog about the daily happenings of our lives, thus, beginning my own blog experience on April 2008...Little Blue Bungalow.

Over a year later, I still love sharing our lives in this unique forum even though my role as house manager and boo-boo kisser has changed slightly to include part-time Marketing/Communications Support at our local YMCA. Though many of you dread writing the annual Christmas letter, in a sense, my daily photo capturing and writing in my blog is a year-long "Christmas Letter" with a lot more detail (some more than you care to know I'm sure...but hey you don't HAVE to read it all.)

This year it has been a great blessing to share with you the smiles on my family's faces, Drew finishing his first sprint triathlon, produce from the garden, home improvement projects, completion of 5K’s and family races, Fiona's first day of Kindergarten, eggs from our four lovely urban chickens, Keegan potty training himself, Thursday Thrifty Tips, our family Yellowstone trip, and so much more through pictures and stories. In addition, no pictures can be complete without a few words from me, Katie Jean, on what Fiona (age 5) actually "said" or what Keegan (age 3) "did"...that is except, Wordless Wednesday when I just post a random picture of the family in the most recent activity.

I hope you enjoy "hearing" the stories of our family's crazy, fun life as much as I love telling them in my own personal, witty style. I love being able to share with you our daily life, routines, and new adventures and know you are laughing, gasping, or smiling in front of your own computer when you see my posts.

As my readership continues to grow, I marvel at what many of you find interesting....our family. Many of you I've never met (though I'd love to), as I have readers in many countries and US states. However, I want to thank you for your comments and support as I continue to blog, and I hope many of you clicking here for the very first time come back and visit The Little Blue Bungalow.

In closing, I would love to leave you all with Britten's 2009 Picture Highlights for your viewing pleasure. (Please click HERE.)

May all your dreams and wishes come true in 2010 and we hope you remember the real reason for the Christmas season.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean and the rest of the Britten's

Wordless Wednesday

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Happy Birthday Son

If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Keegan you know he is full of life. With a constant grin on his face, he takes life on through giggles and exploration. His tousled red hair and clear verbal expressions make him a favorite anywhere he goes. He is definitely a momma's boy and I can easily say...my favorite son.

As every mother knows, each pregnancy and delivery is so special and remembered with careful detail. Some of the details are vivid and others fade in the passing years. However, each year I can't shake some of the details that remind me how thankful I am for Keegan's life and the life lessons he's taught me.

Three years ago my baby boy, Keegan Patrick, entered the world. I remember it quite vividly. I waited for what seemed like an eternity on bed red with preclampsia for the doctors to give me the okay to safely deliver.

The first time I saw my little boy he was a tangle of wires and tubes. Even though I had put my life on hold for two months on bed rest, his lungs were still not developed and other complications abound. Our Keegan was very sick.

I was devastated. Completely and utterly devastated. Me, Katie Jean, who conquers the world...couldn't fix this. I remember the looks for the nurses, their quiet whispers among one another and I was angry. Why in the world would I put my life on hold for two months and still have Keegan sick? Why would God do this? Would he recover? Would I say hello and goodbye in the same day? Every emotion imaginable came and went from my mind.

Honestly, I was a roller coaster of emotions. Instead of holding my son, I was dealing with nurses, social workers and long-term care advisers on behalf of Keegan. Something I never wish for anyone.

Though our story is a positive one, it took me a long time to heal emotionally after his birth. When I finally let go and let God led it was finally easy to understand that life from God was not a given, but truly a gift.

We were blessed, we walked away from intensive care one week later holding onto life.

Keegan is full of life...he is a life worth sharing and blessing others with a contagious smile and energy. And, I am so honored and humbled to call him my son. Happy Birthday son!

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Open Invitation - Christmas Cookie Decorating

Please join our family in celebrating Keegan's 3rd birthday on Saturday, December 5th! Since we had such a great time opening our home to our friends and family for Christmas cookie decorating last year, we thought we'd repeat the fun. In addition, I thought I'd pass this on to my local readers if they'd like to join the fun and meet the gang at The Little Blue Bungalow.

The 'Little Blue Bungalow' (aka The Britten Home) will be open from 3:00 to 7:00 PM for you and your family to stop by and wish Mr. Keegan a "Happy Birthday" and decorate a cookie (or two) for you to eat. The cookies of your own creation will be the only refreshments, so plan on joining us for dessert. Please no gifts. Your presence is the only gift requested.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Local readers:
Send me a email at kjbritten@gmail.com and I'll be sure to get our physical address to you.

Wordless Wednesday

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

God's Promise

I literally stopped dead in my tracks when I pulled open the dishwasher door to discover this....A perfect rainbow complied from my dirty dishes! Ironic, yet, nothing surprises me with God's abundance and promises.

Here in the midst of the my day-to-day and somewhat mundane tasks...a rainbow laid out just for my eyes. (and now you too!) Some of you may just see dirty dishes, but I saw a rainbow.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

I have set my rainbows in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Genesis 9:13-15

Where to start?

After almost a two week non-post period, I'm left to wonder...where to start? How in the world do I pack all those days into one blessed post? Ugh. I meant to blog early as I had things to "say", but atlas I am here sorting through those blog ideas...dumbfounded.

Anyway...(I promise to pull myself together here)Happy belated Thanksgiving. I pray yours was as special, filled with friends and family. We had the privilege of having my parents join us from Iowa for the week. The kids enjoyed showing their grandparents their daily routines, sharing lots of books and walking/riding their scooters around Lake Tye.

It is always a blessing to have them here as we only see them about three times a year. Ironically, we will be seeing them again in Iowa in nearly two weeks. After much encouragement from my husband, I've decided to take advantage of the YMCA's shut-down week. Since I won't be working and my husband will be working long, intense hours due to finals week...I will be traveling with the kids to our Iowa adventure.

Traveling with two kids is always a challenge and I seriously wondered about my sanity when I booked the flights. But again, the flights are booked and the kids are thrilled to spend time with their cousins and grandparents in Iowa. For me going home is surreal, I haven't been home in 1 1/2 years and it has been four years since I've been home for Christmas. We will certainly miss Drew, but this is an opportunity we couldn't miss.

Throughout the week, I'll be trying to catch my readers up on all happenings of the Britten life...Thanksgiving, decorating for Christmas, Keegan's Birthday and Cookie Decorating Party, and maybe even a science experiment or two (seriously.) I've got lots on my mind and the urge to write so be sure to check back often.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean

Wordless Wednesday (Archive)

I am going home to Iowa in December! What a rare and precious treat! In honor of me scoring a great deal on tickets please enjoy some pictures from our last visit in September 2008.

From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean