Reality

Every Saturday the boys have the job of loading the wood up in the family room for the week.  We heat our house solely with our wood burning stove.  We do have a heater and we have used it, but honestly there is nothing like the heat of a wood burning stove.  It is so cozy and warm and since I am a California girl at heart...I like it warm!  Jed took this pic of the kids last week.  The boys had talked Kate into helping them on this particular day (they do that quite often...funny how agreeable she can be when they are sweet to her).  I love this photo because it captures reality...Kate's fancy dress, even when she is hauling wood. Davis' hair sticking straight up in the back.  Owen looking like he'd rather be anywhere but posing for a photo....Love it. 

Cinderella and Prince Charming

About ten days ago now I took the kids to the county library.  We go quite frequently in the summer time, but during the school year we only make it once or twice a month.  When we do go, however, we load-up on the books. 

Owen always comes out with a stack of "Hardy Boys" books (thank you Franklin W. Dixon for writing a gazillion books!) and a couple other random books that have caught his eye. Above is a very typical picture of Owen.  On any given day you will find him like this....don't even think about trying to talk to him when he is in this state.

Davis would love to be reading "Hardy Boys" as well, but is appeased with a couple of "Magic Tree House" and "Geronimo Stilton" books.  He cannot really read them on his own, but his reading is coming along.  His biggest obstacle is that he is impatient and wants to read like Owen NOW.  I laugh sometimes because of the guesses that he makes.

"Fancy Nancy" remains at the top of Kate's list as well as "Angelina Ballerina" and any book she can find with pink on the cover. 

Finally, Gracie is obsessed with anything Disney Princess.  Those are always the books that she seeks out.  This time she found the beloved "Cinderella" book and has been in heaven ever since.  I actually noticed that she even brought it with her in her church bag today.  The other day I was reading it to her and she got to a page where Prince Charming is kissing Cinderella's hand.  She pointed to it and said, "Look Mommy, she has an owie!"  Cracked me up!  I love those moments when I get to see things through the eyes of my children. 

Our Shining Star

This week Kate was the "Shining Star" at her preschool.  Of course she was too shy to do much more than whisper to Teacher Cindy once we got there, but she was so excited to share all of her favorite things, show pictures of her cousins and friends, and be in the spotlight.  I have never met a person who craves attention and hates it at the same time.  Here is what Kate shared....

My name is Kate Elisabeth.
My eyes are green.
My hair is blond.
I am 4 years old.

Some of my favorite foods are: pizza, tacos, apples, strawberries, hamburgers and cheese sticks

If I had three wishes, I would wish:
1.  To sleep in a tent for infinity days.
2.  To have a birthday for infinity days.
3.  To play with friends for infinity days.

Things I like: my scooter, bbq sauce, ice cream, playing shopping, barbies, flowers

Things I do not like: dogs, mashed potatoes, playing Star Wars, playing with grown ups, doing my night time jobs, picking up the boys from school (she said she only likes this if she can get out of the car)

When I grow up I want to be all of the girly stuff (ballerina, princess, zoo keeper mermaid)

She then showed her tap shoes, Fancy Nancy books, scarf that Grandma Nila made her for Christmas, tea set pieces, her Tiana barbie doll and pictures of family, cousins and friends.

For such a small girls she has quite the complex personality.  Often we are baffled by it. We look forward to seeing where she goes in life.  Whatever she does, we know it is going to be BIG!  Love you Kate!

Life Changers....

In the month of December I had two separate experiences that were honest to goodness life changers.  Brace yourselves, you are about to get an earful....

First, I was called to JURY DUTY.  Now, I love our country, really I do.  I love living in a place where I can have a say in what happens in my government.  I also REALLY REALLY love being in my kids classrooms and at their different functions the week before school lets out for the Summer and the week before the Winter break.  For this reason I always WAY overextend myself during both of these times. So, when I got summoned to  jury duty the week before school was letting out for Christmas vacation I started to panic.  I knew that I couldn't get off by saying that I needed to be at my Preschoolers Polar Express party, but I was hopeful...there were over 100 people summoned after all and surely I looked frazzled enough that they wouldn't want me...WRONG.  I went the first day and was excused for the day.  The second day I didn't even have to report...whew...then on the third day I not only had to report, but I was selected for the jury.  Sigh.  Now if I am totally honest, my biggest issue was not the time away from the kids or having to juggle everything.  My biggest hang-up was that I would have to sit in that jury box for who knows how long.  I don't know if it is a control issue or what, but lately I have been feeling really claustrophobic when I am put into situations like this where I feel just plain trapped.  This may seem dumb, but I said a lot of prayers about jury duty.  I finally prayed that if for some reason I was to be on this jury, that I would have the ability to be calm and relaxed about it all.  In the end, certainly with some divine help, I did it.  I was there from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and I survived jury duty.  I got in my car to come home and called Jed to tell him that I was on my way.  He asked me how it went and I admittedly burst into tears.  We had let the accused off because really there was a lack of evidence (for the record in the end one other man and I voted guilty--I just couldn't ignore the feeling in my gut, but I understood logically why the others voted not-guilty).  I took comfort in knowing that the majority of the jury felt like I did.  Without going into details I felt like the bubble that I have built around myself and my family was punctured that day.  It was one of those "blah, I don't wanna be a responsible adult" moments.  I don't want to know that this man is out there on the same streets that my babies are walking down.  Ugh.

The other life altering experience came by way of a funeral.  Now I will admit that I did not know the man who passed away.  His mother is a friend of mine, so when her son at 30 or 31 was diagnosed with Leukemia (shortly after my friend Megan passed away from it)  I followed his battle with the disease and time spent in remission.  A few weeks before Christmas he was given a couple weeks to live...and that is exactly what happened.  He died just before Christmas, leaving his sweet wife and 4 year old son behind.  The thing that was amazing about this family was that they had been TOTALLY prepared for this trial and were able to turn their will entirely over to the Lord.  It was unbelievable.  I have known other people who have died young and I am not sure why their loved ones were not prepared in this same way, but to hear this widow talk about letting go of fear and letting the Lord direct her path...It was amazing.  Truly life changing for me.  Here I am anxious about being trapped in small spaces and panicking over jury duty and she is looking at a future as a single mother, without her sweetheart and she is filled with optimism and hope.  Inspiring.

So, in 2012 I hope to let go of my fear.  I hope to be a better mother, wife, friend to others and friend to myself.  Here's to new beginnings...

Happy New Year 2012

 You know that you really like your friends when they invite you up for New Years Eve and the 4 hour drive (each way), with four kids, for just a 24 hour stay is completely worth it.  Thank you Ezra and Lisa for once again hosting our family.  Our time with you was the highlight of our Winter Break.

 I was seriously trying to figure out how to recreate this whirlpool at home.

 

Natalie and Davis busy making Flubber!  I love Davis' tongue when he concentrates!

  

Getting ready to ring in the New York New Year...Man, we were a rowdy bunch.  Perfect way to start off 2012...

 

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Last night these kids pushed me over the edge...Two weeks of vacation, fun, staying up a little too late, getting up too early, playing, playing, playing and FIGHTING.  I was going to be a crazy person, so I resorted to my, "If I hear any more fighting I am going to tie your hands together until you learn to get along!"  It was secretly fun for me to watch them eat dinner, clear the table, make hot chocolate for our Family Night and watch the Rose Bowl while being tied together.  It's interesting, but I have noticed they are communicating much better today.  

By the way, Davis is mortified that I am posting this.  That makes it even more effective. :)

Christmas 2011

 This year, the boys actually understood the story of the Nutcracker, so they set up our nutcracker and a tough Lego ninja to guard the presents...just in case any over sized mice decided to descend on them.  

 The kids had to wait "patiently" for Mom and Dad to be up and ready.

 We first opened our stockings, gifts from Santa and had breakfast before heading to church.  As soon as we were home from church we were back in our pajamas for the rest of our relaxed Christmas Day.

Please tell me ours was not the only house that looked like this when the day was done?!?!?!

Other December Highlights

 I took the three big kids to see the local production of the Nutcracker.  Several of our good friends were in it, which made it extra fun.  Good job George, Aiden, Avery, Lauren and Allison!

 On Christmas Eve, our dear friends, the Courtrights joined us for dinner and of course they spoiled the kids with LOADS of gifts. 

Miss Carol finished the girl's new stockings, just in time for Santa's arrival.

Hunter

Sometimes I find really interesting things in the laundry.  Usually I find rocks, Legos, the occasional tissue (not my favorite), etc.  After Thanksgiving I found this picture of my nephew, Hunter, in the pocket of Owen's pants.  Owen was missing his cousin, so he was carrying around his picture.  Another reminder that my boy is tenderhearted after all.  Thank you Hunter for being a kind and fun older cousin.

I crack myself up...but apparently so do other people...

For the past several years we have been invited to a Christmas party hosted by some friends of ours.  As part of the party we are asked to bring a white elephant gift.  I have fun trying to think of something clever to bring each year.  At last years party I was listening to our host gripe about the goldfish that their kids had won at the Halloween Carnival at our church....BAM--That sealed the deal in 2011 we would bring a goldfish to the party as our white elephant gift.  Everyone would hate us, but it would be hilarious.  It was genius! Well, all year long I giggled when I pictured one of our friends opening the gift with a look of horror on their face....NO, not a goldfish!!!!  The day of the party I took the girls to buy this cute little creature and then placed him in a canning jar.  I made the canning jar visible from the top of the bag with the hope that someone would see it and think it was a jar of my peaches or pears.  You cannot image the shock on my face when two gifts prior to our gift being opened, somebody else opened not one, but TWO GOLDFISH!  Seriously?!?!??!  I laughed so hard.  Another friend had gotten the idea on-line!  Man I hate the internet sometimes.  There goes my "creative" idea....Oh, well.  At least we all got a good laugh out of it. 

Who's older?

 I know that I have posted about this before, but I absolutely adore Kate's dance classes.  Her teacher, Miss Phyllis, is a gem.  She runs the classes from a studio in her home and at the end of 6 or 8 weeks they perform at a local assisted living facility.  It is fun to watch the kids perform and even more fun to watch the joy that they bring to the residents there.

As a side note...Kate asked me recently who was older me or Miss Phyllis?  Really?  Hey if I am half as agile as her when I am 70+, I will be thrilled.  You should see her do the splits!  Definitely impressive.