Sweet Peas in a Pod

Nick & Lori Road

2012-02-27T17:41:00.002-08:00

My gorgeous sister was married last week. Our whole family got to travel to celebrate with her. She was eversomuch more stylish and gracious a bride than yours truly. She had a great photographer who I am sure got bazillions of wonderful pictures. My dad took this awesome one. I forgot my camera and didn't take one single picture (luckily a few others caught us in some of theirs). I have a lot to write about our adventure, but not right now. Henry's souvenir from the trip is an ear infection and bronchiolitis. The other kids have yucky coughs too. When the kids have recovered a bit and I've caught up on church and home, I'll be back.

I'm A Big Kid Now!

2012-02-19T11:11:00.000-08:00

Reality Check

2012-02-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

I dislike how easily hid the "bad" side of things can be in the blogging world. Nevertheless, I'm guilty of it too. Why do I feel better writing about a great day in the city without including the fact that Henry started running a fever while we were there and wouldn't eat or sleep and made the restaurant one of those experiences where you try to shovel your food as fast as possible? Why am I relieved that I don't have to admit that I'm glad the splatters of milk on my chair and table legs don't show up in the picture of Henry crawling. Why does it feel like you have to have an absolutely perfect life to blog about it? At times I've felt like I'm very "real" on my blog, but then I think of those things. I guess I'm writing this to let you know that my kids throw tantrums in the store, get [chocolate] milk mustaches that have to be wiped off before taking a picture, and I grumble about my responsibilities at times. Please don't think less of me if I blog about a few of these, and please don't feel less of yourself when I don't.

Love Day

2012-02-16T11:02:00.000-08:00

Scott traveled for work over New Years, so we decided to postpone our usual fondue until Valentine's Day. Then he had to work on Valentine's, so we had our "Valentine's Day" a few days early!

We bought each of the kids their own small box of chocolates. What a hit! They loved having their own boxes and were very protective of them!

Henry and Ian didn't eat any fondue, silly boys. Ian ate plain Italian bread and Henry ate Gerber puffs. They don't know what they're missing!

We followed up the cheese fondue with chocolate fondue, of course!

Henry went to bed, and the rest of us finished the evening watching "Ella Enchanted" while snuggled together on the couch in the basement. It was the first long movie I remember Ian really sitting through, making a fun and relaxing night for everyone.

Crawling out of the Woodwork!

2012-02-13T17:12:00.001-08:00

Not out of, but on the wood floor, Henry has gone from scooting to crawling. I took this video on Thursday of some of his first crawls. It's amazing how four days later, he's almost exclusively crawling, has started pulling himself up on everything, and is getting a lot faster too. Look out world!

Pizza Friday!

2012-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

My family had "pizza Friday" growing up, and because I think it is fun, and can simplify menu planning, we've been having pizza Friday for awhile as well. My kids want plain cheese week after week, but I get tired of the same old pizzas over and over, so to keep it interesting, I'm trying to make a lot of different kinds of pizza. We've made:

*chicken, bacon, sundried tomato

*italian sausage, feta, spinach

*pepperoni, green peppers, onions, olives (remember, I like peppers and onions now!)

*ham and pineapple (sometimes with almonds too)

*bacon, ricotta, spinach and sliced tomatoes

*olive tampenade spread on the crust and sundried tomatoes on top (I didn't really like this one, but Scott did)

*copycat of Papa Murphy's chicken garlic with white garlic sauce, chicken, tomatoes, green onion tops, cheddar/mozzarella cheese blend

*calzones (with regular toppings or with ricotta and sliced deli ham)

I'm about out of ideas. Help me out! What do you like on your pizza? Any other delicious topping suggestions?

Gonna Get Some Donuts

2012-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

My kids really love donuts. I think I could motivate them to do practically anything with the promise of a donut or two. My grandma found a recipe for "baked donuts" and a special pan you use to bake them. I gave them a try, with rave reviews from the kids. Personally, I didn't think they were as good as store-bought donuts, but maybe that means I won't eat them if I make them! Better yet, they only have 4g of fat per donut (compared to 12-16g per fried/store-bought donut), and I can make them at home with ingredients I have, and pretty quickly too! I had a lot of fun decorating them and look forward to making more of these for my kids.

2012 Audrey Update

2012-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

It seems like a lot of recent posts have been about the boys, so this one's for my girl: an Audrey update.

Favorite foods: chocolate chip pancakes, pizza, cheeseburgers with ketchup, tuna buns with ketchup, noodles with parmesan cheese, Nutella sandwiches, grapes, clementines, cheddar cheese, sour cream and onion chips, donuts.

Things she can cook independently: brownies, chocolate chip cookies, pancakes, breakfast cake.

Favorite cartoon: Phineas & Ferb (to watch) or Calvin & Hobbes (to read).

Audrey getting ready for her ice skating lesson

Favorite sports: soccer, swimming, ice skating.

Audrey's bedtime right now is an hour after Ian's which gives us some one-on-one time. This time is either Scott and Audrey reading a novel together (they are reading Dune right now) or playing a game.
Audrey has come to the age where she can understand complex games, and it has been fun to introduce her to games like Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride.

Ian is finally old enough for Audrey to play with. Among the many things they play together, they especially like to go down to the basement and ride Ian's little bike and trike around. Hooray for unfinished basements!

Audrey reads well, and can regularly be found with a blanket on the couch and a book or ten. She reads longer picture books, shorter novels (Magic Tree House length), comic books, magazines, and more. I love that she does this.

Audrey still does a lot of independent art. She regularly draws, colors, paints, or creates with other materials. Her drawing skills are good enough she tells Scott she thinks she can draw better than him.

Audrey has caught on to traditions, and it is a lot of fun to have her anticipate and enjoy them.

Henry loves when Audrey plays with him. Audrey is old enough to carry him and hold him. She plays with him a little every day.

Audrey is well into the school years where she hears all kinds of things from other kids at school. She tests and tries them and finds that some of them are true, and some of them are not.

Audrey can be very helpful and sweet, or very moody (usually when she is hungry or tired, but aren't we all?).

Audrey excels at school and is fairly good in all subjects. We love reading the stories she writes. When we ask about her school day, we usually hear about the social aspects as those seem to be on the forefront to her.

Audrey is old enough to be good company without being a lot of work (the way a baby or a preschooler are). She'll turn 8 this year and get baptized! Keep up the good work, girl!

Firefighter Ian

2012-02-06T10:08:00.000-08:00

We recently joined some friends on a trip to the fire station.

Ian was interested in details like:

Why do you have that orange flashlight in your locker?

Of the power cables descending from the ceiling to charge vehicle comms: What are those for?

Can we see inside the fire boats?

He was adamant that he could climb out of the fire truck himself!

He wouldn't wear his fire hat much while at the fire station (he pretty much only wore it for the picture above), but he's been wearing it a lot ever since, including when he helped me mop the floors this morning.

A Day in The City

2012-02-01T08:30:00.000-08:00

As one Christmas gift, we asked for, and received, a day in The City.

It's ironic to live so close, but have it be so expensive and difficult to visit.

After a fun day, here's to hoping we'll find ways to go more often!

Audrey snapped this picture on the way in.

The kids literally ran down this rainbow tunnel at the children's museum.

This looks like a sandbox, but it represented being "green" by having a vegetable garden, and was actually filled with very fine bits of rubber representing dirt.

I tried hard to appreciate Ian's spontainaiety.

I'll continue to appreciate it over the next few weeks as I gradually pick the bits out of his shoes, clothes, and the car.

This picture shows a really cool display where the kids crawled through a tunnel inside an aquarium. There was a special screen on top, so from the outside, it looked like they were underwater.

Learning what things sound like to R2-D2 (actually, some type of animal, but that's not what it looks like)

Looking at stuff in the portholes.

That can't be a platypus! It's not blue!

(Thanks Perry)

You can only see one foot because he's trying to use the other to push the gas pedal
(nope, we definitely didn't tell him it was a gas pedal)

Audrey is ready to be a dragon

And a butterfly in a Latin parade

Ian may have found his profession as a grocery store clerk

(you can see Henry in this picture too -- at least his white socks with blue and red stripes)

If Ian isn't a store clerk, maybe he'll be a bus driver!

The thing that fascinated him the most was the old-style push button phone.

We had to tear him away from it -- multiple times.

I've wanted to visit this Willy Wonka-esque restaurant since we arrived, and it was finally my day!

Here I am with Audrey and Henry

The big boys

All the food (and drinks) looked good enough to take pictures of, but this is the only "food" picture I managed to get.

Thanks Grandpa for the fun day in the city!

Countdown

2012-01-31T11:00:00.000-08:00

Both of my older kids are ecstatic about our upcoming trip for my sister's wedding! Ian kept telling me, "but we're supposed to fly on the airplane!" We made a countdown chain that is so far eliminating about half of the "but we're supposed to" and "when?" statements and questions at our house. How can time go so fast as an adult, but so slow to kids?

Brothers

2012-01-30T10:55:00.001-08:00

Money Saving Grocery Shopping Tools

2012-01-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

In my journey through couponing, I learned some things that have been really helpful in saving my family money. Several of these seemed like "common sense" ideas once I used them, but I hadn't come up with them before, so maybe they'll be new and helpful to you.

1. Stock-up Prices

Learn the price you normally pay for items you use on a regular basis. If you are shopping one day and see a price noticeably lower, or if you find a sale on that item, stock up! They say sales come in 6 week cycles, so buy enough to last at least 6 weeks if you can. If you're willing to travel, you'll find that name brand items at the grocery store may be less expensive than store brand items when they go on sale.

2. Bread Outlets

When bread gets close to its expiration date, grocery stores sell their bread for super cheap to outlet-type stores. Then, these stores sell their bread (including bread, bagels, english muffins, etc.) for cheap to customers. I've seen these everywhere I've lived, though I haven't always shopped at them. A nice loaf of bread at the regular grocery store can be somewhere around $4.00. At our bread outlet, you have to buy in sets of three, but you can get 3 items (loaves of bread, bags of bagels, etc.) for $3.00. I do have to be a little flexible in the types of bread I buy, as they don't have the same thing every week. If I like one particular week's selection, I might buy up to 9 loaves and put the extras in the freezer. This alone saves my family about $10.00 per week in groceries. My mom did this when I was growing up too -- I don't know why it took me so long to start.

3. Produce Markets

There are some local markets that sell only produce and local dairy items. Especially during the summer, the produce prices at these markets are really, really cheap. One summer I made salsa with tomatoes I bought for $0.49 per pound and blackberry jam with $0.69 per pound blackberries! I can buy 3 reusable shopping bags full of produce in the spring and summer for about $15-$17. These may only exist in bigger cities, but it's worth looking into your other options are for produce.

4. Store Brands

Discover for yourself the store brand items that work well for you. They can be much less expensive and are often pretty good. For example, I like Target's dishwasher soap (but I don't like Wal-Mart's) and Costco's dryer sheets, so I don't have to watch for sales on these because the prices are unlikely to get lower than the store brands that I like.

5. Shop Costco/Sam's Club

In my heyday of couponing, I scorned these warehouse stores because I could get things for cheaper at grocery and even drug stores. However, as polices have changed and I've moved across the country, this is no longer the case (or it's just too much work to get to all of the different stores for me). Using your "stock-up prices," know which items are good deal at the warehouse (not everything is) and if you use those items enough to justify the large quantities, save yourselves some store trips by buying them at your warehouse. Additionally, we buy all of our milk, cheese, eggs, frozen chicken, spinach, and a few other items that rarely go on sale at grocery stores from Costco. I've calculated that just getting our milk and cheese there on a weekly basis saves us $15.00 per month. Last, if your warehouse offers store coupons, use them!

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Here are two more tips if you're willing to dabble in coupons:

5. Coupon Blogs

Even though I don't plan to be a big couponer, I do plan to continue to occasionally browse the coupon blog of my regular grocery store. These blogs match sale items to coupons available, and these coupons include internet printable coupons. Nearly every week you can get something for almost free just by printing the coupon, so if I have time, I may do this. You can find which blogs cover your usual grocery store(s) by visiting the BeCentsable Grocery Gathering and clicking on your state and then your store(s).

6. Understand the Basics of Catalina Deals

In the couponing world, a "Catalina" is the coupon that prints out on that other machine by your receipt. They are called "Catalinas" because Catalina is the name of the company that makes them. When your store has those sales where you buy $25.00 of a set of products and get $5.00 back, there may be some serious money saving options. Most stores base the $25.00 on the pre-sale price, so if the items are on sale and you get money back, you can get some good deals. This would mean you would end up spending less than the listed $25.00 and still get the $5.00 reward toward your next purchase.

If my "coupon" explanations don't make sense and you want to know more, I'm happy to share with you on a more personal basis.
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There are my tips. What are yours?

Happy money-saving shopping!

Adios, Coupons!

2012-01-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

Three years ago I skeptically went to a class on couponing. I left the class feeling like I couldn't afford NOT to coupon. I learned the strategies and lingo and started frequenting a variety of stores and saving my family a lot of money. I considered it my "job," because if "a penny saved is a penny earned," I was "earning" a lot.

Over the past year:
*Henry was born/I became a mom of 3
*Because of the media attention for extreme couponing, many stores changed their coupon policies

After a fair amount of anxiety and research, I have decided the deals just aren't good enough to be worth my time anymore.

While it still kills me to pay full price for some things I always used to get for cheap, it is also very liberating to just make a list and go to the store, without all of my normal deal planning and coupon clipping.

The good news is that not only did I save a lot of money over the past three years, but I learned a lot about how to be a more frugal shopper. You see, I thought I was frugal before by only shopping at Wal-Mart and Sam's club, with every day low prices. Now I know about the local bread outlet and produce market, savings on name brands vs. non-name brands, stock up prices (and stocking up), catalina deals, internet printables, how sales work, and so much more. I have an arsenal of tools still available to save my family money, even without constant clipping and blog following.

While I'm not officially "couponing" anymore, I'll still browse coupon blogs now and then, and there will still be deals too good to pass up. I'll still use coupons I get for products I buy normally. I'm a smarter shopper now, but at a different stage in life. It's liberating to admit it too. Ahhh! Thanks for listening.

Eight Great Months

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Henry is seriously on the move. He is a quick scooter, but he's getting up on his hands and knees and starting to pull himself up on things too. He is ready for adventure! He's after cords, plugs, and doors. He likes his toys or anyone else's too : ) He's starting to enjoy touch-and-feel books.

He sits well! He can't quite get himself out of a sit yet, but he's getting very close.

He still eats baby food pretty well, and generally likes everything except carrots. He'd prefer to feed himself, and is getting better at it. Beyond puffs and cheerios, he has managed bits of cheese, french fries, bits of pancake and tuna bun, corn, and chunks of strawberries, bananas, grapes, and peaches. Some of the more slippery things are tough and I just end up using a fork to feed them to him. If he's done or doesn't want something, he doesn't fuss about it. He just holds his lips tightly closed so you can't get anything in his mouth. If you try, then he'll start fussing.

During the past month he got four top teeth and one more bottom tooth for a total of seven teeth!

He takes two naps each day around 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. He wakes up at 7 a.m. and bedtime is 6 p.m.

He still wakes about 3 a.m. for one nighttime feed on the best nights. Most nights, he's waking around 11/12/1 and sometimes by 1:30 I'll go feed him so he'll get back to good sleep. If I do that, he usually wakes again about 5 a.m. to be fed. I don't love this whole baby sleep thing, even though I mostly feel like I know what I'm doing.

He's wearing size 3 diapers.

He's wearing 6-9 month clothes, and I'm starting to pull out a few 12 month things.

He loves Audrey and Ian and is extremely interested in the things they do.

He grabs at everything.

He's figured out how to pull of his socks and tries to do it all the time. I have a feeling hats aren't far behind. Good thing we have a few with chin straps.

He likes bath time and looks like a little frog because he insists on getting on his tummy and using his legs and arms to travel around the tub.

He likes to be outside and doesn't seem to mind the frigid walks we take to school twice each day. The only part he dislikes is being put in his warm bunting to go because he can't get around very well when he's all bundled up.

He's still very ticklish and laughs a lot.

He likes to be tossed in the air, turned upside down, or other silly games like those.

He's a very social smiler and charms all the ladies (and gents) when we're out doing errands.

Everyone comments on how beautiful his blue eyes are.

He's right around 20 pounds by my imprecise home measurement.

He's such a wiggly, smily little guy who makes me smile every day.

Bigger One Whole Year

2012-01-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

It's astounding how my kids leave "baby" behind somewhere during their third year. A few weeks after his third birthday, here's a rundown of some of the things he's achieved this year:

*He's completely daytime potty trained, though we're still working on nighttime.

*He doesn't nap anymore -- boo! Bedtime is 7 p.m. and he insists on waking up between 6 and 7 a.m.

*He earned the role during the last year of big brother, which he doesn't mind, though he's not especially interested yet either.

*He talks like there's no tomorrow. This can be intriguing or just plain annoying.

*He can ride a trike, bike (with training wheels), and a (three-wheeled) scooter.

*He can handle pretty much any climbing apparatus a park can throw at him, and he requests to go to the park every single day.

*He's still a button/switch/lever man and wants to know how everything works.

*He's a great helper, and is willing to do almost everything I ask. He can even do some things independently like get the clothes out of the dryer or drying and put away his plastic dishes in the dishwasher.

*Exceptions to that last bullet are doing things that need to be done, he can do, but doesn't want to like putting on his socks and shoes, getting his coat, etc.

*We've progressed from absolutely no fruits and veggies to peas, corn, craisins, grapes, and peaches.

*He loves yogurt, salami, cheddar cheese, crackers (goldfish, graham, animal, etc.), pizza, chicken nuggets, peanut butter or nutella sandwiches, pancakes, and noodles (including but not limited to macaroni and cheese).

*He prefers things like pancakes, muffins, and cookies to be "plain" (meaning no chocolate, even though he does like chocolate by itself).

*He's developed a liking for mint chocolate chip ice cream (and other mint treats like York peppermint patties).

*He loves to build things with his bristle blocks and legos. He makes all kinds of inventions and "gives" them to each family member frequently.

*He's always asking me to tell you a story. He'll accept stories from my childhood or those I make up.

*He loves to read books. He doesn't have a favorite, and he doesn't even shy away from Audrey's girly books.

*He really, really likes girls. He notices them and remembers them and wants to be around them.

*He loads up a box or bag with tools and comes and asks me what he needs to "fix." Then he'll go around the house and "fix" those things for me.

*He likes to play with his tools, but would rather help daddy use the real ones. He's very interested in how they work and what they can do.

*He's pretty obedient, though we've worked our way into this differently than we did with Audrey because he's Ian and he's different than she was.

*He's about 39 inches tall and weighs about 39 pounds.

*Still wearing size 3T, though some 3T pants and shorts are starting to get short and I'm about ready to pull out size 4T. He wears a size 11.5 shoe!

*He's developed a fun sense of humor that finds fun and irony in everyday situations.

*He such a fun part of our family! We love you little man!

Comment By Self

2012-01-12T12:56:00.000-08:00

I was just struck by the irony of the two previous posts appearing next to each other. The "Stuff" post probably sounds like I am unhappy about too much "stuff." Then my next post is about Freecycle, an easy way to get more "stuff" for free. To clarify, I'm not against "stuff," I just get overwhelmed by the management of "stuff" for 5 people, and the large array of "stuff" it takes to support five people. Even more, how the world tells we need ever more "stuff." Hopefully that makes sense.

Hello, Freecycle!

2012-01-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

Are you familiar with Freecycle? It's a geographical group you can join that allows you to advertise and receive your (or others) unwanted items for free. These are things that are still in good shape and very useable, but you just don't need them any more and want to give them away. I think one benefit to living in The Land of Many People is that Freecycle is pretty active, and some pretty good items come up. You should definitely check it out in your area (www.freecycle.org)!

The other day a baby walker came up on Freecycle. Both Audrey and Ian have enjoyed baby walkers, and I've been thinking that Henry is getting to the right age, so I picked it up!

Right now he likes standing in it okay, but since he hasn't figured out how to walk in it, he still prefers to army crawl around the floor.

Sometimes, however, he does like to crawl right into the bottom of the walker!

Stuff

2012-01-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

I grew up learning about my pioneer heritage where they lived by: "eat it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." I'm not too far removed from the generation who lived through World War 2. Those who lived through those tough times went without so much, and never got rid of anything that might be useful.

These seem like noble virtues to posses, and I've so wanted to be like the good people who went before me who were so resourceful and careful.

When we were first married, we set up house with simple furniture (I think our bed frame and mattress were the only new furniture in our house) and household basics (thanks wedding registry!). Resourcefulness was good, and our needs were fairly limited, so "making do" was often possible.

Our family has changed a lot in the last 10 1/2 years.

We've gone from 2 to 5, lived in 5 very different places, and have changed in numerous other ways as well. With each change, we've acquired the "gear" to fit the equation.

Living overseas brought luggage.

The birth of our first child brought some baby items.

The birth of each additional child brought more baby items.

The growth of our children brings more clothes, toys, books, and the like.

These and all of the other changes we've experienced are natural progressions and are generally needed and good.

Sometimes, though, I find myself overwhelmed with "stuff." It can be hard to keep track of, organize, and use everything! Of course it doesn't help when I have 3 little snowstorms who are much better at helping get things out than they are at putting things away!

My husband has gently guided me along his way of being a cleaner-outer until I'm now at the point that I still admire my predecessors, but realize that I live in a different time, and I might need to adopt a different point of view. In our consumer society, I've decided that my challenge is to only keep the things I use now, or will almost certainly use at a future date, or items that are of great value to me.

Scott and I have been joking about how these are "first world problems" we are dealing with. So, so true. In many ways I feel bad to even be bringing up something so petty. Yet it's still my blog where I get to post my thoughts, so out into the void this goes.

Mommy New Year Goals

2012-01-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

This year I'm not pregnant, nor do I have a teeny tiny baby. This means I'm not in survival mode, and more gets done than basic meals, laundry, and cleaning.

Surrounded by the hype of the New Year and the resolutions or goals people make, I feel inspired and stumped. I want to make some goals to improve this year. I'm stumped because with the addition of each child, the time for myself I didn't even think I had before becomes even more miniscule. I'm not complaining about this. I'm in a spot of my choosing. I just am not sure what to do.

Largely, my time is now my own. Setting a personal goal seems disheartening because I doubt I can achieve it because of the many other demands on my time, but it wouldn't be for lack of desire or even motivation.

I've thought of a family goal or two I'm going to try to achieve that can fit within my normal realm of responsibilty, and outside of that, I'm planning to continue to try and be the best person, mommy, wife, and church leader I can be.

Have any of my mommy friends found a better solution to this quandary?

Birthday Boys

2012-01-10T17:45:00.000-08:00

Scott ended up having to travel for work over New Years, his birthday, and Ian's, so we postponed them! Ian got the gist, and the last several days of waiting got a bit tough, but he made it until Dad got home and we had a double birthday party. Thanks everyone for the thoughtful gifts!

Nutella-face smaller birthday boy

And all of his fun, cool

Birthday loot!

I even took a picture of Scott opening his "presents" (laser money -- just what he wanted) this year!

Birthday-boy-chosen cakes:

Angry birds cake (don't even want to tell you about this one, but if I do, you'll get an earful)

and Triple Chocolate Mousse Pie

Soft glow, happy boys, happy birthday!

A Lesson Learned

2012-01-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

We try to teach our kids so many lessons. They don't always "get" them, which is what makes it so much fun when they do! Without further ado, here is Ian's Joseph Smith story he learned in Family Home Evening this week. He's using finger puppets the represent the story, but you can't really see them on the video, so you'll just have to imagine them.

A Very Fine House (or Two)

2011-12-31T11:00:00.000-08:00

What else are we doing with our post-Christmas freedom?

Building houses!

Audrey's

Ian's

I think we'll just call them "Candy Houses" as no gingerbread was involved, but we had a great time!

The Elementary School Teacher in Me

2011-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

I felt unqualified and unskilled the first year I made the primary bulletin board. I felt apathetic the second. But this third year, I've finally arrived. I know it's not spectacular by any means, but it's meaningful and cute, and I actually kind of had fun making it. The picture is an awful phone picture, but you can get the general gist. The gum balls are pictures of kids and teachers in our primary.

Last thought: a Cricut should be standard issue for every primary president. Maybe that was the secret it making this creation so much easier and more enjoyable!

Last, last thought: as I cut out, assembled, and put up the pictures of kids and teachers on the gum balls, I was filled with love and compassion for those I work with and care for, and a desire to help them more and be better at what I do. I think it's really special how we are given these feelings for those we serve.

[N]ice Time

2011-12-29T17:52:00.000-08:00

We had such a [n]ice time ice skating this week!

Everyone had a good time.

Must be that tiny bit of Canadian heritage -- the kids loved it. Audrey loved it so much we signed her up to take some skating lessons this winter!

Superb Season Showdown

2011-12-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Sweet stair shot

Stocking stuffers

Santa secrets = smiles

Scrumptious snacks (if you're a baby)

Show me!

(Note: they're watching Audrey's new helicopter,

bottom right of the shot)

Super [tool] stud

See?

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T14:48:00.001-08:00

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

2011-12-25T06:22:00.000-08:00

...when we went to see a movie to keep excited children busy and happy

...when we dressed kids in Christmas PJs and took pictures of them by the Christmas tree (Audrey too, but it can be hard to coordinate showers, schedules, and pictures).

...when we let everyone choose a favorite appetizer for a buffet dinner and ended up with Nacho Cheese Doritos, Alouette cheese and french bread, spinach artichoke dip, and apples with real carmel for dipping

...when we even heard a mouse, but he only ate the Cheerios under Henry's chair.

Audrey's 2011 School Holiday Concert

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

What are some of the best parts of being an elementary school parent? Homemade ornaments and holiday concerts top my list. See Audrey? She's in the back center and her dress is just black on top.

Here's one of her favorite songs from the program:

And her speaking parts:

Holiday Baking

2011-12-22T10:50:00.000-08:00

So far this year we've baked, eaten, and shared these favorites:

pumpkin bread

hello dolly bars

gingerbread boys

chocolate Christmas balls

frosted sugar cookie cut-outs

mint brownies (twice -- we gave too many away)

We also tried Linzer cookies (pictured above). I even made some of them with chocolate, thinking the kids would like them (they didn't).

What else should we bake? We need more ideas! What are your favorites to make for the holidays?

Other Delights

2011-12-22T10:18:00.000-08:00

I mentioned I'd seen the delight of the season several times lately.

Ian's delight was on Sunday when his nursery teacher gave him a Christmas present to open when he got home. He semi-patiently waited until we got in the door before obtaining permission to rip it open. When he got inside, there was a package with a Matchbox car. He looked at me for a minute, not quite sure what to do. When I said something like, "wasn't it nice of your teacher to get you a nice, new car?" he got the biggest grin on his face. He continued to smile as he ripped into the packaging and proceeded to play with the car like it was the only and best toy in the whole world. If one Matchbox car is that good, I can't wait for Christmas!

Henry's delight is easier to show that it is to write about. Want to see? Check him out!

Isn't life great through the eyes of a child?

On Top of the Weather

2011-12-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

Is there such a thing as on top of the weather? I think so, because I've definitely been under the weather for a few days with the yuckiest sinus cold I've had in a long time. The sinus pressure made my eyes, ears, head, neck -- everything hurt! I slogged through the days so I could lay my head still as soon as the kids went to bed. Though not 100%, I feel much better today! Now I'm just awaiting the return of my sense of smell (accompanied by congestion relief) so that food will taste again in hopes that I can enjoy all of the yummy Christmas foods coming up.

Through the Eyes of a Child

2011-12-18T16:45:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas personally. It is only possibly improved by seeing it through the eyes of a child.

This weekend, I've witnessed several examples of this. One was the weekend story Audrey wrote on a topic she self-chose for her school assignment. I'm not posting it out of pride, or for its historic authenticity, but hopefully to give you a glimpse into the wonder and delight of childhood at Christmastime.

If I Was the Donkey Who Took Mary to Bethlehem

by Audrey

One day, at the stable, I saw Joseph hurrying around. He closed his shop. He filled a strong leather bag with cheese, water, and donkey fodder. As I started to question his actions, he said, "Come on girl, we've got a big job for you to do. We need to leave Nazareth to be counted." Soon we left Nazareth. With Mary on my back, I walked steadily forward. When we came to cool water, we stored some and drank some. When we arrived at Bethlehem, we were tired and very, very cold. We asked two innkeepers for a room, but there was no room. I nudged Joseph. He said, "life is hard in Bethlehem,and finding room is harder." The last innkeeper said he was full, but we could stay in his stable. I smiled. "Stay in the stable. Hay! Sweet hay!" I thought. We piled hay up and made a bed for Mary. Late at night, almost midnight, Mary bore her sacred child. Soon, angel Gabriel spoke unto the shepherds. The shepherds were afraid. The angel Gabriel said, "Do not be afraid, for I bring you tidings of great joy. To you, in the City of David, a child is born. You will find him in swaddling clothes lying in a manger." The shepherds ran to the manger where the star looked down on. They worshipped Baby Jesus immediately and felt happy. Wise men came soon. They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They gave the gifts to the small baby. I had watched all night. I thought it was special to be with Jesus at his birth because I knew he was the son of God.

The View From Here

2011-12-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

Almost Our Littlest Angel...

2011-12-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

...put the star on our tree this year.

See him flying?

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

Seventh Heaven

2011-12-14T14:12:00.000-08:00

Seven months means...

...sitting well, though balance is not perfect

...wants to roll onto his tummy any time you put him down (mad when this happens in bed and he can't get back over!)

...loves to play on his tummy on the floor or the johnny jump-up best

...pivots and even scoots a little bit to get things he wants

...tries to grab everything

...can clumsily manage cheerios and puffs

...has tried a wide variety of fruits, veggies, and yogurt

...teeth three and four are just breaking through

...only wakes for a feeding between one and three a.m. on the best nights

...mostly two naps, but sometimes three

...first cold this month, came through okay

...wants to wiggle away, push buttons on the keyboard, grab sacrament cups -- all that fun stuff

...still happy and sweet -- we love this little guy!

Today's Irony

2011-12-09T18:38:00.001-08:00

This morning I paid the parking meter and went to get my hair cut (trimmed, really). When I came out of the salon, the parking meter was covered with a plastic bag reading, "Merry Christmas, free parking for 2 hours."

Ianisms

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

2-year-olds are so much fun. They way they are discovering the world means they say and do such entertaining things sometimes (when they're not throwing a tantrum, that is). Here are a few recent favorites:

If there's a toy or something like that Ian wants, and I tell him we can't get it, his reply is often, "Maybe The Christmas Man will bring it." Sorry Santa, but this kid only values your job, not your name!

Scott asks Ian to do something
Ian to Scott: "Okay, chief."
Scott: "I'm the chief?"
Ian: "No, I'm the chief. You can be Inspector Gadget."

Lunchtime conversation:
Ian: I wish I had a control tower
Scott: Me too!

Ian, trying to blow his nose.
1. Hold kleenex to nose.
2. Inhale deeply.
3. Repeat.
4. Use up a lot of mom's kleenexes.
5. Cry because your nose is still stuffy.

Gingerbread Wonderland

2011-12-07T17:25:00.001-08:00

Ian and I joined some friends to visit a gingerbread wonderland.

Ian's favorite was the scene that looked like the "Candyland" game.

Ian is so grown up that he was very good about not touching! He pointed closely, but didn't touch.

A fun Christmasy inside activity for a rainy day!

Not Just Anyone Can Say

2011-12-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

Their husband is building a laser in the basement!

Tough Stuff

2011-12-05T17:26:00.001-08:00

Audrey's school writing assignment over the weekend was a letter to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, who is collecting letters from children, which will then be matched with donations from a corporate sponsorer. The instructions directed her to tell about herself, what her wishes were for the holiday season, and what wishes she would send to others, particularly those the foundation would help. They didn't talk about the foundation at school, so when she finished her first draft, it included vague well-wishes.

I realize Scott and I can be kind of intense parents at times. That said, we both thought she needed to know what the Make-A-Wish Foundation does, and that it would be a good learning opportunity. We talked to her about how the foundation helps children who are critically, and often terminally ill. Audrey understood the concept, but to her it was mostly scary and sad. She agreed that what they do is good, and we encouraged her to include the scared, sad, and good emotions in her letter.

Tears and arguments later, we couldn't convince her to do it. We helped her make her vague well-wishes a little more specific, and left it at that. I thought a lot about whether we should expose our children to the "tough stuff." In my thinking, I reflected on how it's good to talk to her about the "tough stuff" now, when she can retreat back into childhood while it processes, rather than the harsh reality of adulthood when you can't retreat. Then again, there are times in childhood when you can't retreat, just as the children the Make-A-Wish foundation helps.

As the Christmas season has begun, I've also been thinking a lot about Mary and her baby boy, Jesus. I think of how Mary might have had an inkling of some of the "tough stuff" he would have to go through, and I wonder and how she did it. I wonder how Jesus did the "tough stuff" too.

Just some thought experiments going on it my head these days between the chaos of life. What is going on in yours?

Copycat

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

My well-read husband immediately thought of this picture (known as "Sad Keanu")

when Ian struck this pose

I guess this one can be known as "Sad Ian"

Where Am I?

2011-11-30T14:26:00.001-08:00

I'm somewhere between preparing for a primary activity and baking cookies for a cookie swap.

I'm somewhere between mopping the floors and attempting to keep the bathroom clean.

I'm somewhere between quizzing Audrey on her spelling words and reading a book to Ian.

I'm somewhere between befriending a new family at the school and trying to plan a dinner with old friends.

I'm somewhere between a clean house and a cluttered house.

I'm somewhere between happy and overwhelmed.

I'm somewhere between writing blog posts and too busy to blog.

Eat Your Vegetables!

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

I hated vegetables as a child. I hated their taste, texture, smell -- everything. Like all good parents, mine still tried to get me to eat them.

I have a very distinct childhood memory of a meal that included green beans. I recall that they were about as unappealing as all veggies, but at this particular meal I was trying hard to be a good little girl and eat all of my beans. The green beans were nearly all eaten when they triggered my gag reflex, and up they and the rest my dinner came, all over my plate.

Fast forward 20 something years to my Ian who really dislikes fruits and veggies. He is so verbal and logical that we can now bargain, so a few months ago, I decided we had to make some progress. Craisins simply could not be his only fruit or vegetable. I put my foot down and we've managed some corn, peas, grapes, mandarin oranges, and potatoes.

Tonight I cooked carrots and put brown sugar and butter on them. Ian was instructed that he needed to eat all five or so pieces of carrot on his plate for a treat. By the end of the meal, he'd only managed one. However, sometimes he does better if I feed them to him. I was feeding them to him in the kitchen as I did dishes, when, between bites, he too, managed to gag and bring dinner back up all over himself and the kitchen floor.

Fate has a strange way of bringing childhood full circle, but in this case, I totally understood him and what was going on. I know he truly gave his "all" to be a good little boy and eat his carrots. Do you also have specific childhood memories that help you be a more understanding or a better parent?

Repetition

2011-11-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Life is old here. Most of the houses were built by the 1950's, many earlier. Families have been here for many generations.

I know of only one new, master-planned subdivision. The rest of this world was built around farms and natural land formations, growing outward and filling in like spokes on a spider web as times changed.

The first year we lived here, when winter faded away, I began to see cherry picker trucks canvassing every street. They were looking for trees growing too close to power lines. Painstakingly, they carefully trimmed back the limbs and moved on.

As I watched, I couldn't help but wonder at this process. I couldn't imagine, year after year, the process of cleaning up the leaves in the fall, tree limbs falling on the power lines in the winger, trimming the limbs in the summer and spring, cleaning up the leaves again in the fall, having limbs fall on power lines again in the winter, and come spring, returning to trim the limbs near power lines again. I wasn't sure I could handle the monotony of trimming the trees if I were the person who had to do it.

Why didn't they just cut those trees under the power lines down to simplify their lives? Could job security really be that needed?

I've truly thought about this quite a few times. The monotony. Ugh.

One day as I treaded my kid's bedtime routine, I saw monotony once again. We do the same things night after night after night. The kids expect, and even thrive on the routine. It makes our world go around. It may not be the most desirable task, but it's important enough to do anyway. Despite the repetition, we will continue to do it. I thought maybe the tree-trimming was a little like that.

Things really came full circle when the town came and planted new trees along our street. Right under the power lines. Really!?! I guess living in a place that prides itself on a lovely variety of trees, and tree-lined-streets makes all of the raking, repairing of wires, and limb trimming worth it.

Another Autumn Adventure

2011-11-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Somewhere between the mild fall we've had, our kids being just the right ages, school and work schedules, and our general lifestyle and attitudes right, we've tried to squeeze in as many fall family adventures as possible this year.

We've enjoyed every adventure.

Not every moment of every adventure, but that's how it is with kids.

I can't remember ever hiking on so many fallen leaves. Most of my growing up years were in places where most of the trees in state parks were coniferous. I thought it was a lot of fun hiking through the fall leaves.

I know we don't look like "serious hikers" here, and truthfully, with kids our age, it was more about the experience than the distance.

We knew they wouldn't last longer than a couple of miles, so we didn't bother stressing ourselves out over preparations.

We saw evidence of forest animals, a stream, and some old buildings.

We smelled fresh mountain air.

We talked about forest and hiking etiquette.

We made memories.

Half-a-Dozen

2011-11-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Half-a-dozen months into life,

We're so glad you came to our family!

This month meant many big milestones for our little pumpkin!

*Regularly rolling back-to-front and front-to-back

*Oh his tummy, pivoting in a circle on the wood floor

*Two teeth!

*Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle just for fun

*Loves peek-a-boo

*Chews on fingers, blankets, toys -- whatever he can get a hold of

*Solid food

*First playground swing

*No more infant seat in the stroller

*So many smiles, laughs, and happy times for our generally easy-going little man

Going Bananas!

2011-11-10T16:15:00.001-08:00

In hopes of raising a fruit and veggie lover (in my family? yeah, right, I know), I decided to start Henry's culinary experience with bananas.

This video is actually pretty uneventful. Henry was totally ready to start solids and took to it like a pro.

There's a lot of commentary - you can hear everyone else's voice at some point in the video. Life must get louder in proportion to your family size?!?

Halloween Menagerie

2011-11-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

We had quite a menagerie at our house for Halloween this year.

We had bald eagle Audrey Deadshot,

Batman Ian,

And a baby Henry tiger too!

Cute kids in animal costumes merit a lot of candy.

I wish the candy would magically go away.

I vowed not to make any more costumes like that eagle (the only one of these costumes Scott and I made).

I thought on not making any more costumes, realized how short these years are, and decided to make costumes anyway. My kids won't be "littlies" for very long, and when it means a lot to them, every messy late night is worth it.

The Other Academy

2011-11-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Our latest crazy snowstorm caused so much structural damage that Halloween was postponed and there were two days off of school while tree limbs and downed power lines were cleared. It was strange, as snow days are usually blizzardy and cold. This time, the weather was pretty nice, so we jumped on the opportunity for a fall drive and educational field trip (we're nerdy like that after all).

The leaves were as interesting as the architecture.

Nothing says educational like...a tank?

Audrey posing with a cardboard cadet who looks suspiciously like her uncle, even though this is most definitely the wrong academy for that!

The weather and leaves were gorgeous. What we saw of the campus and museum didn't disappoint either.

Perhaps my favorite part of the trip? Visiting the local ice cream shop with huge, reasonably-priced treats and a purveyor who offered to refill my sundae with hot fudge and whipped cream, which I most definitely took him up on!

Doggone Cute

2011-11-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

Brothers in matching jammies are too, doggone cute!

When Life Gives You Snow...

2011-11-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

Make a snowman!

How To Live for Two Days at Our House Without Power

2011-11-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

1. Retrieve and light candles. Place them all out of Ian's reach - he is way too curious about them.

2. Retrieve flashlights. Keep them in your pocket or somewhere out of Ian's reach or he will run the batteries down or leave them somewhere.

3. Use the grill to boil water to make hot chocolate and oatmeal.

4. Once you're tired of hot chocolate and oatmeal, realize that part on the side of the grill that's been broken since you've moved in is an actual burner. Use pliers and a lighter to turn on the burner and make chicken tortellini soup! Feel optimistic that you can cook just about anything now.

5. Dress your kids in two pairs of pajamas at night -- one tight fitting covered by footie jammies.

6. Dress your baby at night in two pairs of pajamas, a sleep sack, hat, gloves, fleece blanket underneath and two blankets on top.

7. When you go to feed your baby at night, continue holding him until his hands aren't little ice cubes anymore. Then run back to your warm bed as fast as you can!

8. Turn baby monitor and receiver off between naps to conserve battery power.

9. Use the car to charge your cell phone and possibly the portable DVD player as well.

10. Go to bed early. There's not much to do when your house is dark and cold.

11. Open up the trick-or-treat candy, find the Halloween picture books, and have a special, flashlight story time in your dark house. You won't notice the cold for awhile!

We've Got the Power!

2011-10-31T07:48:00.000-07:00

When 3 cherry-picker trucks rolled up in front of our house last night at sunset, I thought we were saved. After they replaced something on the pole and drove away, I waited with baited breath that turned frosty before an early bedtime.

Then around 4:45 this morning, I awoke to the hum of the refrigerator -- possibly one of my new, favorite sounds.

It took 3 hours for the house to warm from 55 degrees to 70. In that time I started laundry, ran the dishwasher, showered, blew my hair dry, and made cinnamon rolls. Oh, the things I take for granted!

So, so, so grateful our power is back on before their conservative estimate of "November!"

No Power Until When?

2011-10-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Where I grew up, we expected the first snow each year by Halloween. I don't live where I grew up. I live in the Land of Many People. The Land of Many People doesn't usually see snow until late November or December. Find us surprised when the first snow started to fall today! 5 inches later, the snow is still falling, snapping leaf-laden branches off trees. We've fallen victim of one of these trees falling across a power line or something similar and have been without power since about 3:30 p.m. The power company expects our power will be back on by November (no, really, that's what it says). I'm okay with the snow. Not as okay with no power. We're bundling up for a chilly night and trying to think warm thoughts! G'night.

The Best Way To Floss

2011-10-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Is definitely with your aunt when she comes to visit! (If only it was always that fun).

Do You Ever?

2011-10-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever find yourself singing along to children's songs in the car and then realize there are no kids in the car to care, or they're all asleep, so you don't have to listen to them any more?

Please say I'm not the only one!

Pumpkins

2011-10-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

First you take a pumpkin, big, and round, and fat

Then you cut the top off, that make the hat

Then you cut the holes

For the nose, the mouth the eyes

Making for the children

A Halloween surprise!

(Thank you Joy School songs)

They Say

2011-10-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

If that's the case, our recent trip to an apple orchard

Should keep the doctor away for many days!

The apples

Of my eyes

Proved that apple picking abilities

Are as American as apple pie.

Tia Lori was visiting and got to come along.

We picked an apple for Audrey's teacher.

There's not a bad apple in this bunch!

An Apple Today...

2011-10-22T17:29:00.000-07:00

I'm A Mom!

2011-10-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

Our first car was a gold 1994 Saturn sedan. It wasn't luxury, and the mediocre fit-and-finish meant that if you put your fingers in the wrong spot of the door gasket, your fingers would mysteriously emerge covered in grease.

We still had this car when Audrey was born. When she was a few weeks old, some good friends were visiting. All together in the car one day, our friend Jon unknowingly found that mysterious greasy spot in the door gasket. The grease on his fingers then found its way to his face. Apologetically, Scott and I explained what had happened and started rummaging for an old napkin or something to clean it off. Suddenly, I had a flash of insight! I was a mom now! I utilized my new role by retrieving a wipe from my handy, mommy, diaper bag. In the world of mommy-ness, I had arrived.

Recently I had one of these moments again.

One night, I found myself scrolling back through old blog posts. In the nearly-500 posts I've written over the past three years, I felt removed enough to view them somewhat objectively. I found whiny me when Scott was training for his new job (possibly excusable, but still moderately embarrassing -- sorry!). Open and real at times, not as much as I would have liked other times. Sometimes clever and creative, sometimes wordy and blah.

Suddenly I realized: I'm a blogger!

Famous? No.

A true "web log?" Yes!

To me, a great journal of the past three years. To the point that ideas, projects, and photo shoots automatically become: "that would make a good blog post." To at least some degree, as a blogger, I have arrived.

Recent Conversation With Ian, Again

2011-10-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Family sitting at the table, prayer said, food served, ready to eat

Ian: Mom, when we have dinner, let's have some good dinner.

Me: This is what we're having for dinner. You'd better eat up or your tummy will be very hungry!

Ian: Is lunch coming up?

Fall Five (Months Plus a Week)

2011-10-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

New things this month:

Finger-sucking is tending toward thumb-sucking.

Has rolled front-to-back and has come really, really close to back-to-front.

Loves his johnny-jump-up.

Tries to steal plates and food off the table.

Is good at grabbing toys and getting them to his mouth.

Takes 3 naps daily: usually 9 a.m., 12 p.m.. 3:45 p.m.

Still goes to bed around 6 p.m.

Stable enough to not need his infant seat when in a stroller.

Smiles and laughs a lot!

The "Red Fury"

2011-10-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

Girl goalie

Keeper kicks

Super soccer Saturdays!

Fall Farm Fun

2011-10-11T17:57:00.001-07:00

Over a hill, down a sunny dirt road deep in bear country lived a family of...

wait, wait, too much Berenstain Bears on the mind.

Try again.

Over several hills, down several major, and then minor highways,

a bit away from the Land of Many People,

we went for our favorite fall adventure.

As farm as we get, we saw (and felt) goats

And cows.

The kids climbed to the top of a hay pyramid

And crawled through a hay tunnel.

They played (and sweated) in the corn bin.

They found a grassy hill to roll down

(they definitely got that idea from the Berenstain Bears and the Trouble With Friends book, see Berenstain Bears on the mind!).

Ian had his first pony ride,

Audrey climbed on herself -- she's done this before!

We let them pick their own pumpkins, and Ian chose a green one,

While Audrey chose a big one with scars on it.

As usual, Henry was happy to be along for the ride.

Don't you just love the dimples in his elbows?

Then, we went home to The Land of Many People.

The end.

Call Me...

2011-10-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

...Alice

...or Rapunzel

It's the look I was going for, though it never seems to turn out quite the same as the picture.

It's Ordinary Plain and Simple

2011-10-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

Nothing about it too peculiar

Oh, but I can't get enough

Of this everyday love

(Thanks Rascal Flatts and "This Everyday Love")

Look What I Found in the Backyard!

2011-10-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

Ever seen anything like it?

Peppers and Onions

2011-10-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Alternately Titled: what is happening to me?

Since childhood, I've gone from a non-eater to a tolerator of peppers and onions. I'd even go so far as to say I sometimes appreciate the flavor peppers and onions add to things.

Find me shocked last week when we I was planning the menu and included omelets because I wanted an omelet with ham, cheese, pepper and onions!

What is happening to me?

No, I am definitely not pregnant. Actually, I would likely be avoiding these things if I were.

Can it really be that some tastes take 30 years to acquire?

Weird.

Weekend at Home

2011-10-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

Every weekend since Hurricane Irene, we had the good opportunity to help with Hurricane Relief through our church. It was a good experience, but very taxing on our family. Thus, we were ever-so-glad to have a day to just be at home last weekend! Doubly glad that it was General Conference of our church, and we had a chance to be spiritually uplifted together.

Henry explored his fingers

And toes

Ian cracked pistachios

Audrey showed off the skittles in her mouth

We went for a nice walk in the fall weather, and were glad to have a nice, quiet day as a family!

Sugar Bugs

2011-09-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Audrey's first visit to the pedodontist about 5 years ago initiated the idea that we brush our teeth to get the sugar bugs off of them. This idea has perpetuated in our family, and Ian knows about it too.

Maybe because he didn't get the original infusion of the idea, or maybe just because it's Ian, he sometimes either gets it wrong, or makes up his own versions.

He has recently asked me to brush the "cinnamon bugs" out of his teeth, and last night, it was the "sugar spiders." I'm just glad he's not freaked out by this idea. Sure honey, I'll brush the cinnamon bugs and sugar spiders right out for you!

Weigh-In

2011-09-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

At his recent check-up, Henry weighed in at 16 lbs., 4 oz.

He also went from the 50th percentile in height at his last check-up to the 80th percentile in height at this check-up. I was beginning to wonder if he was going to be my "small" child, but I don't wonder any more!

Infallible Logic

2011-09-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

I hate it when my kids use good, logical arguments against me. Well, in some ways I love it that they are reasoning so well, but it's awfully hard to combat.

Recently, we've been trying to help Ian finish up potty training (naptimes, starting on nighttimes) and bedtimes with the motivation of a sticker chart with a special prize at the end. He definitely understands, and even wants the prize (a lot, causing tears at times), but when we talk about dry diapers or staying in bed for one of these special treats, he'll say, "I don't want a sticker/that prize." I'm left without much leverage when that happens!

Audrey uses this on me too. I stopped her from riding her bike through puddles one day to prevent ruining her shirt with a skunk-style, muddy stripe up the back. "But mom, this is just a regular, old t-shirt and I'll wear it every time I bike so it will be the only one that gets dirty like that." I couldn't argue with that. Lucky for her, I'm a laundry expert and the shirt came clean, at least this time.

Still Here

2011-09-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

Hello! Are you still there?

Yes, I'm still here.

Transitioning again.

Feeling ridiculously confident at some moments that I can be a superwoman doing everything well, and then suddenly, completely inadequate.

Realizing that I actually did step back in a lot of things toward the end of pregnancy with Henry, and trying to reassert myself in those areas.

Trying to decide exactly what I want life to be as a wife and mom of three.

Always in quest of the "new normal." Wondering if we ever really get there.

H is for...

2011-09-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

Henry!

And Henry is four months old!

At four months...

Henry is either more clear at communicating his wants than my other babies, or I'm better at recognizing his wants. Either way, these wants are definite, such as choosing feeding time to proceed nap time (only, and always), and bedtime is between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m.

He likes to stand with help, but when he does, he curls his toes, so he is getting little blisters just above the nails on his 4th and 5th toes where his toes rub against the floor. Time to put some soft shoes on this buddy when he stands!

His dark hair is falling out and lighter hair is growing in.

He smiles readily at family members.

He laughs when you tickle or play with him.

He is very ticklish, so much so that sometimes it can be hard to change his shirt.

He likes to grab soft, crinkly things and play with them (expert at his activity gym)!

He can manipulate the toys on a bouncy seat to get the music to play.

He recognizes his bedroom and sometimes cries when we go in there, knowing it's time for a nap.

He spends all his time in the stroller turning his head from side to side, so as not to miss a thing.

He drools so much I often have to change his clothes mid-day because they're soaked.

He loves to suck on his fingers and hands. He often does this when going to sleep, and he won't take a pacifier.

He's starting to grab at your plate if you're sitting at the table, or a book if you're reading.

He can hold his head up great!

He still falls forward if you try to have him sit on his own, but he's definitely a pre-sitter.

He's found his toes and likes to hold onto them.

He makes all kids of cute baby sounds.

Overall, a happy, healthy, accommodating kid.

Mama Told Me There'd Be Nights Like This

2011-09-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

Most nights at our house go pretty well, but there are always those nights in between. This was one of the recent nights I'd rather do without...

8:00 All children are now in bed

8:05 - 9:05 Ian and Audrey repeatedly come down for drinks, potty, and any other excuse I can think of. I can't lock their door, so eventually I separate them, and Audrey falls asleep on my bed, Ian upstairs.

9:17 All children now asleep

9:50 I realize it will be at least 45 minutes until Scott comes home from work, and I am falling asleep on the couch, so I move Audrey out of my bed and go to bed.

10:07 Scott arrives home early, I get up to talk with him

10:20 Back in bed, don't really fall asleep until after Scott comes to bed

11 something, Scott comes to bed

12:00 Henry wakes up to be fed, feed him and go back to bed

2:00 Ian wakes up crying and wakes Audrey up (they share a room right now) and I go calm everyone down

2:23 Everyone is back in bed

4:00 Henry wakes up to be fed, feed him and go back to bed

6:15 Ian and Audrey wake up and start reading books in bed, though they can't seem to manage to stay quiet.

I give up, get out of bed, and the day starts again.

Second Grade

2011-09-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

Tall

Confident

Opinionated (especially regarding attire)

Happy

Not too nervous

New teacher only

Feels normal

Another year begins

Last Day of Summer

2011-09-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the last day of summer,

We visited a hole-in-the-wall, "secretly famous" ice cream shop

We sat on their brick wall and ate

Mint chocolate chip, cotton candy, chocolate, and peanut butter oreo ice cream

We explored the local area a bit outside of our regular stomping ground and played at two parks

Farewell, summer!

2011-09-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Basement,

I recognize that you've just been through a major ordeal (Lori, do you still hate that word?) known as Hurricane Irene, but I have one more favor to ask of you. It's been raining all day long, and there is rain forecast for the next four days -- do you think you could manage to stay dry? I know it's a lot to ask, but I would be so very happy if you would do this for me.

Sincerely yours,
Kellie

Tickle Moster

2011-09-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

(Also known as Dad)

Toddler Linguistics

2011-09-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

Two-year-olds have fantastic language constructions as they discover their world, and they make such funny language mistakes. Here are a few of my recent favorites from 2-year-old Ian:

'Specter Gadgec for Inspector Gadget, the old 80's TV show my kids have been enjoying on Netflix (go Gadgec, go!)

pedewder for computer (is it wrong that we purposely taught our 2-year-old to use the mouse and play Sesame Street games?)

quge for huge (and everything is either "quge" or tiny -- there is no middle ground)

Bed Heads

2011-09-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

The way many mornings begin at our house

(please excuse the bed heads and PJs).

This Week

2011-09-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

-We discovered how lucky we were that we didn't live less than 1/2 mile down the road where this happened during the hurricane:

-Scott had a serious craving for garlic, so we went to lunch at an Italian place to have garlic knots. While we were there, Scott alone ate ate 11 pieces of pizza!

-I discovered that we own 23 Berenstain Bears books (I had find all of them because we've been reading them so much lately I wanted some variety!)

-We made chimichangas and homemade donuts. I figured since I only fry things about twice a year, we'd have fun and make a couple of these fried treats while we were at it.

Of Wall Fountains

2011-08-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

The hurricane is gone, and our power is on. We have lost power several times today, but after the initial 6-hour loss, it's only been out for short periods of time.

Our basement has leaked mildly in the past. This time, it leaked a lot more, and at the time of maximum rain, there was actually a fountain of water coming out of the wall. This was the variety we were able to put a container under and catch and dump several gallons every 30 minutes or so. At the same time, we spent several hours using all of the spare towels in our house mopping up the floor, throwing the towels into the spin cycle of the washing machine, and rotating through again.

Scott and I both pondered taking pictures, but were too busy starting the next load of towels spinning, or putting the towels down yet again.

We're just thankful that while it kept us busy for several hours, we could still mostly keep up with the water using towels and the spin cycle, and that we had power to use the washing machine!

The kids have cabin fever like none other, and we're about to head out for a walk to try and alleviate Ian especially. Here's to moving on to our next adventure.

More Wind and Rain

2011-08-28T05:17:00.000-07:00

It's been rainy and windy all night. Sitting here waiting for the "worst" to hit us, we were surprised when the power came back on. I feel bad for the monkeys out there hooking us back up. The kids required we turn off the lights and keep the candles lit for breakfast. The basement is unsurprisingly wet, but the rest of us are still dry and are going to sit tight today and ride this out.

Power's Out

2011-08-27T23:12:00.001-07:00

So far, just a lot of wind and rain here. We're safe and dry and all at home, but the power just went out. The computer is running on battery power, so I'm posting this and signing off for awhile.

Hurricane Preparation

2011-08-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful I've long been taught to be prepared for an emergency. Since we got some warning of Irene heading our way, I had time to go out today and pick up some more batteries, but I didn't have to pick up much else. How I wish I didn't even need to go get batteries - it was mayhem!

So far work and church have been canceled. It's odd anticipating a potential extended power outage. In many ways there isn't much to do. I can't anticipate exactly what will happen, and I can't prepare for every eventuality.

In case we do lose power, I'll try and post short updates to my blog if I can get occasional internet access. If that doesn't work, we'll try to phone one family member and have them contact the others.

Birthday Bash

2011-08-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

Audrey

celebrated

all

day

long!

Happy, happy

birthday little lady!

And many more!

So Glad

2011-08-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Audrey,

I'm so glad you made me a mommy seven years ago today.

I love watching you grow up. You are a talented, creative, kind, thoughtful young lady. You've done so many great things already. I can't wait to see all the other great things you'll do in the years to come. I love you so very much.

Love,
Mom

Summer Vacation

2011-08-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

This year allowed us a 2-day mini vacation. I realized that vacationing is a lot of work for parents. The kids loved it, and I think I had fun despite the work.

I loved how Audrey jumped right into things at the science museum

I loved that Ian was big enough to jump in too!

Ian loved to crank everything he could

Our budding scientist (palentologist?) loved the dinosaur teeth

Even daddies love science museums!

Everyone loved playing the Allen organ

Audrey loved the princess horse on the carousel

Ian loved spinning mom around and around on the teacup-style seat on the carousel

Audrey loved (?) the roller coaster

Ian definitely loved the roller coaster!

I loved how Ian put his arm around Audrey's shoulders on this ride

The kids loved eating cotton candy

They also loved:

swimming in the hotel pool

watching TV at the hotel

"free" breakfast at the hotel

the water park part of the amusement park (unfortunately, no pictures to document this!)

Chick-Fil-A playplace

Summer's Fury

2011-08-19T03:58:00.000-07:00

I used to love the summers. No school, my birthday, swimming, and relaxing.

I hate to admit that now "no school" means less schedule (in a difficult way) and more sibling fights at our house. We don't have access to a pool, and I wouldn't exactly call summer relaxing.

I tried to initiate daily activities this summer, but they met with mixed results, and were hard to keep up with due to a number of things. I love all my kids, but day-in and day-out, it's hard to entertain them!

So now that the temperatures have dropped from daily mid-90's to daily mid-80's, summer is losing it's fury, and I'm happy. Fall, my new favorite season is coming and school and schedule and I'm ready!

Pieces of Me

2011-08-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of each child, the increased demands on my time mean I "lose" some of myself. I think I'll get some of these pieces back someday, but I'm pretty sure some of them will be lost by the time that day comes around.

Some tell me this shouldn't happen. They will say that I'm not doing things right if I have to change like this for my family. I would say: I don't think I'm doing things right if I don't have to give and sacrifice for my family. I think families are to enjoy, but I don't think God put them here to be easy. Hard things are hard, but they are often worth it too.

Know, however, that I'm fighting to keep at least some pieces. I can keep a relative few, and am sometimes frustrated by trying to decide which few I will hold in my hand.

Pieces of me. Here and there. Lost and found. Pieces of me.

The Three Bears

2011-08-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there lived a family of three bears.

They didn't look exactly the same, but they were siblings, and you could tell.

We're in the middle of their walk through the woods,

but presumably, we're on our way to happily ever after.

The End.

It's as Easy As...

2011-08-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

Playing on a slip and slide is as easy as...

One

Two...

Three!

Life's A Beach

2011-08-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

How to enjoy the beach at

3 months

2 1/2 years

Almost 7 years

Going to the Shore is quite a tradition around here.

The kids (who can speak) think we need to make it one of ours!

Can it be?

2011-08-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

Are you really three months old already?
Are you really laughing already?
Are you really sleeping 6-8 hour stretches at night?
Are you really wearing size 2 diapers?
Are you really wearing 3-6 month clothes?
Are you really approaching 15 pounds?
Are you really holding your head up fairly well?

You are?

You sure grow fast!

Big Boy Bed!

2011-08-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

Nothing more needs to be said!

10

2011-08-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

After 10 years...

We've moved on to our second set of pots and pans, kitchen knives, and tupperware
We've worn out a car
We've lived in 4 states and 2 countries
We've bought 2 houses
We've fixed up two houses
We've sold one house
We've done IVF twice
We've brought three children into this world
We've been to Disneyland, the Eiffel Tower, and Stonehenge
We've fought water leaks, rodents, insurance companies, and frustration together

I suspect 10 years ago we started this journey with a more romantic notion of what spending every day together would mean. While it hasn't always been what we expected, we've weathered it together, and come out on the other side closer than we were before.

I love you Scott! Thanks for 10 wonderful years. And here's to looking forward to the next 10!

This is Funny, Right?

2011-08-10T12:34:00.000-07:00

Our budding comedian continues to develop his repertoire. The other day he was putting his shorts back on after a potty run and pulled them up Steve Urkel style.

He looked down, giggled, and said, this is funny, right mom?

Yes dear, you made me laugh. Now, let's go take your picture.

Now, promise me one thing. You can be witty and fun, but never the class clown, got it?