Fall 2014

Oh my.  It's happened again!  I completely skipped a month of blogging.  In fact it's been almost 2 months.  Whooops!  I guess this time my excuse is that I have given up blogging and even reading to concentrate on other endeavors for a bit.  This time it has been photography, quilting, and Thanksgiving/Family/Christmas!  I took some killer pics of the kids in October and have been practicing my editing skills via Picasa.  You're welcome for the Christmas card by the way (can you believe I actually sent one?!?!).  I have also been attempting to complete Mikey's baby quilt (can you say finally?) by Christmas.  It is not looking like I will make that goal either (previous goals include his birth, the summer, his first birthday...then I gave up!)...but I am hoping while Gil is in Honduras in January that that might just get it done.  So 2nd birhday....not bad for the third kid right?!?  That will free me up to learn to crochet so I can complete 4th baby's blanket by...at least the 3rd birthday!  Also, Christmas.  It seems that it takes up so much time these days, what with kids and all.  Plus my sister Alissa came back from Hawaii in November for 3 weeks and we had 2 Thanksgivings, a Thanksmas, my family's Christmas weekend at a waterpark resort.  All that with the cooking and cleaning and getting the tree and putting up stuff and ordering gifts and shopping for gifts and wrapping the gifts and making the gifts.  You get it.  So I guess we have been busy which is nice.

Yesterday Gil's sister came from Alaska with 2 young children and no husband (he is coming in a few days).  Yikes, I know.  But we are totally excited about seeing them today or tomorrow!  Jude has his last day of school tomorrow with an early dismissal and a community coffee in the morning where they are going to sing their Christmas songs.  Then the Christmas concert is Friday night after being postponed due to a bad weather day on Monday.  Saturday we are off to Missouri to celebrate with the Buhmans and then to CB for a few days to spend more time with the Ridenours.  We will be home for Christmas morning which I so love as that is where I always was Christmas morning growing up.  And after Grandma Mary Lou's that night we are pretty much done with family things.  It will be nice to have the week after Christmas to rest and recuperate as Gil will be leaving for Honduras again of course shortly.  That is the black lining of the Holidays for me.  Looking "forward" to two whole weeks alone with kids.  I don't know how people do it!

Oh, I should probably also mention that I am now I believe somewhere close to the third trimester.  Almost 27 weeks I think.  Anyway I am getting huge and my feet and back ache, but I don't take pregnancy selfies anymore.  Sorry, I know you were hoping for one!

Here are some pics as our signs of life this fall!

Our kids are cute aren't they?  The first ones are all from my photo shoot that I did alone mind you.
Gil was helping harvest that day.

The "little" tree in the kitchen.

The "BIG" tree in the living room.  We opted to go to a tree farm in West Point instead of Missouri Valley this year (on the absolute coldest day of the year!) to save some time and gas...but we did pay about $100 more for these babies.  Yeah...

this girl...

Her name is Cora.  We have been spending quite a bit of time together lately and I just feel that it is time to record her wacky ways once again.

Here is a top 20 list of "Cora Quirks"
1.  She loves her owl hat and/or any other accessory she can find to add to her ansaumble
2.  She will not wear anything I pick out for her even if it is her favorite outfit.  She must pick.  And let me tell ya...it's not always pretty!
3.  She is very opinionated with the way things look.  "I do like you're hair mom, but I don't like your pants."
4.  She wants just a little binit (bit/minute) of something to eat
5.  She likes the same songs every bedtime:  Away in a Manger, You are my Sunshine, Jesus Loves Me, and Jesus Loves the Little Children
6.  She is a picky eater.  Won't eat hamburgers or hotdogs, but LOVES plain chicken dipped in ketchup. 
7.  She is still obsessed with Frozen and will be nothing but Elsa for Halloween
8.  She likes to tell stories that never end (and often don't make sense)...and...and...and...and...
9.  She is very touchy and just can't. keep. her. hands. off!
10.  She likes all things girly and carries around all of her girly things (anything pink or purple mainly) in a basket or bag
11.  Attending Cubbies (Awana church program) is the highlight of her week.
12.  She loves to paint and color.  Purple is her favorite crayon!
13.  She wants to paint a rainbow when she grows up.  That will be her occupation.
14.  She also desires lots of animals including a purple cat and sheep.
15.  She loves watching Caillou on the ipad.
16.  She learned how to pump a couple weeks ago and could go forever on a swing now.
17.  She loves helping with the babies
18.  She only wants to wear her hair down with a headband or in a side braid (like Elsa!)
19.  She starts all stories or comments with "You remember..."
20.  Everything that happened in the past was last night.

Some infinities are bigger than other infinities

 

As I stated in a previous post I have a new job. AKA I quit my job.  Now I am full time mommy and even get a couple extras to tag along with us on our days.  I am glad that I waited a while before writing about it.  I think I have a new perspective than I did right at first.  At first, like all firsts, I was a little panicked and unsure of myself and wondering what I had done.  Now that I am about six weeks in or so I have gotten used to it as I knew I would.  I can see the benefits more clearly (although I do admit there are still costs).  The number one benefit is pictured above.  These three sweeties/monsters.  It is incredible how much you can love someone who can also drive you so--to use Jude's phrase--"up a nut!"  I guess that is family for you:) 

 

The place for a mom of young children is complicated to say the least.  I am not going to get into a which is better discussion because I have no idea and I don't think there is an answer. But when I was teaching I always felt a little out of place, like I shouldn't be there.  I felt like I was missing out on being home.  But it is something you don't know how you'll feel until you're there.  So now I'm here.  And I still have that feeling.  Like I should be doing more, making more money, being more busy.  There is always a feeling I guess because after you have kids you are not just you.  You are you plus the little guys/gals (not to mention husband!).  You are plural.  You long to be apart from and with them all at once!

 

I have had four great pieces of advice/words of wisdom that have really impacted me in my new job recently.  1.)  My OBGYN asked about the kids one day and I mentioned how they are super loud and fight constantly.  She has four kids herself and replied something like, "sounds about right, that's how we show love in a family".  That made me feel so much better that day.  Like I wasn't failing (and *might* not go insane) because my kids are loud and fight.  It's just love people!  2.) I read an article by a woman who was describing her two jobs.  One was a psychologist and one was a mother.  She referred to her children as demonic angels or something like that and I could totally relate.  She also mentioned which job was more difficult.  I will let you figure that out!  3.)  I read another article in which the author (a stay at home mom) described her revelation that her occupation was a luxury for her spouse and how much it positively impacted him.  That also gave me a boost.  4.)  Finally I just finished the book 'A Fault in Our Stars' which I sort of liked but probably wouldn't recommend.  Anyway there was a quote, probably a theme, that I did really enjoy.  It was that some infinities are bigger than other infinities.  That doesn't make any sense.  But the book related it to times in our lives.  Moments, even, that impact us 'forever.'  I could relate to this when thinking about the time in my life of having small children.  I have been a mom of babies/small children now for five years.  That is not a huge big time compared to the 32 years I have been living.  But honestly it feels a little like infinity.  Like it will never end...but it will.  Shortly.  And it will impact me forever.  So it is a small infinity.  Even though some days themselves feel like infinities, these diapers and naptimes and books and toys all over the house and screaming and crying and laughing and fighting, will all come to an end for me in my house. 

 

So I have decided that I am going to enjoy this short infinity as much as possible.  I don't know who first said this phrase, but I completely agree, "The days are long, but the years are short."  Eventually I will go back to work outside my home and have another infinity there, but right now I am in the middle of an infinity here and I am thankful for our little infinity.  It will be a "forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful."

food cravings and aversions...mostly cravings!

Here I am at 12.5 weeks.  Maybe it's 13.5...I don't know, I've done this a few times now so whatever!  I have been on the up and up now for about a week as far as the blaaahhhh (picture me making a sick face and sticking my tongue out...only way I can describe it!) feelings of the beginning of pregnancy go, so before I'm in the this-is-the-best-I've-ever-felt-in-my-life feeling kicks in (also known as the approximately two week long period where you feel great since you've been feeling blaaaahh for the past three months and before the I'm-so-big-and-uncomfortable-I-just-want-to-lay-on-the-couch-and-watch-tv-while-eating-icecream-with-someone-rubbing-my-feet period which will last for the next approximately six months), I wanted to record what this feeling has been like this time around. 

I. Need. To. Eat.  That pretty much sums most of it up.  In the morning I eat usually cereal.  And while I'm eating I feel great.  But then I get done and realize it was too sweet.  Yuck.  Can't be having anything too sweet these days.  That includes chocolate.  I normally love chocolate.  If I'm feeling aversions to chocolate something has to be up.  In this case it is a fetus also known as a tiny crazy monster out to make eating food a major and unending chore.  Gil got a chocolate mousse cheesecake a few weeks ago and I could only take one bite.  He didn't mind...

Ok.  Breakfast done.  10 am arrives.  I'm STARVING!!!  Like I must have forgotten to eat the last five meals or something hungry.  I begin each pregnancy with this optimistic thought:  "This time I will only gain 25 pounds and will have self-control."  "Hahahaha," says tiny crazy monster living in my uterus, We'll see about that!  EAT!"  So what can I do?  I open the bag of potato chips and chow down.  Tiny crazy monster prefers lots of sodium!  Luckily the monster will tolerate sweets as long as they come from fruit.  So yeah, healthy option!  It's just that cutting an apple and opening chip bag are not on the same level of difficulty!  Peanuts and peanut butter have been a favorite this time.  This week I've been hooked on ants on a log...YUM!  Food-food is also delicious and meal time is chow down time!  This might mean that I've been cooking better, like as in more real meals, not healthier ones. 

I have also been more indulgent this time.  Like forget about the 25 pound rule.  I don't care.  Bring it on.  I need to eat and right now and potato oles and a smoothie is the only thing that will do so I will drive there and buy that for myself right now thank.you.very.much!

Here are some yums:
motzerella sticks
anything blueberry (for each pregnancy, weird!)
peanuts/peanut butter
apples (especially with caramel), any fruit really
orange juice
sausage
lasagna
salad (varying dressings depending on the moment)
Oh, I had shrimp and lobster alfredo from a restaurant last week.  Double YUM!
chips, especially potato sour cream and onion
Gatorade
Pizza
potato oles
Yogurt smoothies
Chinese

Here are some yucks:
Chocolate
...see mostly cravings!

Well, here's to not gaining 100 pounds this time around:)  Cheers!  (I'm gonna go have a snack...it's two thirty and I'm SOOOO HUNGRY!).

Summer 2014

Summer is once again over...sort of...Jude went off for his first day of school last Thursday (kindergarten!), but I did not.  I have decided to take a few years off of teaching and stay home with my kiddos plus a few extras.  I have also decided not to determine how I am "feeling" about this choice for at least a month as I am not one to adjust well to change and I know it will take a while to get into a groove and schedule and make this the new normal. I will have Cora (hopefully my big helper), Mikey (currently a terror on two toddler legs), a current 9 month old, and soon a six week old.  So I think I should be kept rather busy!?!?!

But back to summer.  It was another good one and we sent it off yesterday with a visit to the zoo which was a total blast and all the kids LOVED it.  Thanks for coming along John, Carolyn, and Brittany!

Here are a few more highlights:

beautiful lillies

I painted a barn quilt!

did a little fishing and had a boondocks party

got on the boat only once

Jude painted a "redwood" cross for Gil

lots of cousin time and fun at the fair

I painted my kitchen table and chairs!

Jude played tee ball and took swimming lessons

Jude showed his bucket calf ("Mikey calf") at the fair

Jude went to kindergarten!

And came home on the bus!

And we had a fun day at the zoo...

That just happened!

I went to Hawaii a couple weeks ago.  WAIT...did you hear that?!?  I WENT TO HAWAII!!!!  It really happened!  This has been one of my dreams for my life for a long time.  Then my baby sister moved there.  Then my parents bought me and my other sister tickets so we could go visit said baby sister.  IT WAS AWESOME!!!!  First I got to go to Hawaii.  Second of all I got to spend a week with my sisters.  Third it was Hawaii.  Fourth I got away from mommyville for a while (it was very hard, but also very wonderful.  Thanks to all who filled in for Gil and I during this week because as luck would have it Gil had to be in Philly for three days and wasn't able to experience a mini Honduras type single father thing.  But he did great and the kids did great and the grandparents and great grandparents did great and I did GREAT!).  Fifth I went to HAWAII!!!!

 

If you would like a complete annotated viewing of my approximately 700 photos please clear at least two hours of your time, line up a sitter, and let me know!  Gil will no longer be available to assist in viewings (he apparently has seen enough).  Sidenote:  our wedding contract included a trip to Hawaii which this trip did NOT fulfill.  I will be back beautiful islands.  I will be back!

 

Here is a sampling of the wonder which is Hawaii.

 

Me jumping on top of a pillbox after a hike.

palm tree

view

mountain

Katie and I with Alissa and Tyler

Pearl Harbor Memorial

Hanama Bay

Hanama Bay

Sunrise

Sisters

The Two Travelers

Birthday Boy (and Girl!)

Jude got his first bike!

Birthday Breakfast (he also got a few legos and lot of other great stuff including a quilt handmade by grandma Carolyn!  I will get a pic of that sometime!)

Jude turned 5(!) on April 18, while Cora turned 3(!) on May 22.  It has been a little hectic around here (trying to get away from using the word 'busy') so they get a dual post (sorry guys!).  By the way *I quit my job* which is going to be another post title soon, so I hope to be on here a little more regularly again...we'll see since I hope to have a *new job*!

Ok, on to Jude.  Jude the dude.  The Jude-Man.  He has been waiting ALL YEAR to turn 5 like his friends at preschool.  Yes, he was a big 'ol preschooler this year!  Each morning we went to school together, I saw him at recess and lunch and buckled him into the suburban to go to Nicole's house.  It was nice.  But all year his friends have been turning five and he just couldn't wait.  He is at the younger end of the class, but is still the tallest one.  We debated for a while about waiting a year for kindergarten (mainly I debated because it is a decision and in my mind all decisions need months if not years of debating in my mind), but we believe he is certainly ready for kindergarten socially, academically, and all the other -llys!  So yes, at the conclusion on preschool he is finally five! 

Jude loves building structures out of anything and everything he can find in the house and that mom and dad will let him use.  He recently began loving to color and draw and write letters and words.  He has quite an imagination and is always telling stories (some true some not so much). He is getting good at helping outside with getting eggs and watering and even helping feed his new baby bottle calf that he hopes to show at the fair this year.  He loves to paly in the sand box and is still working on pumping.  Jude plays well with Cora (usually) and is very good with Mikey almost always.  One of his most common phrases is "I'm serious" or "Are you serious?"  He has become quite the big boy!  We love you to space Jude!

Birthday Breakfast

With her Fluttershy from Sarai in her new princess tent (from us)

Cora turned three this week.  A couple weeks ago she had a co-birthday party with her cousin Skyler who turned 2 on the 13th.  It was in the park in Allen and such a beautiful evening!  For a year now whenever Cora wakes up and we ask how she is doing she says, "I two."  So the morning after she turned three she didn't really know how to respond...guess we're gonna have to work on that!  Cora is getting excellent at telling her own stories and often retells events that have recently happened in her own words and then concludes with a, "right mom?"  She is becoming much more aware of what is going on around her!  She LOVES dressing up especially with accessories and insists on wearing a skirt or dress each day and her "princess jammies" each night.  She still loves her ponies, but has also gotten into other dolls.  She is not afraid to get dirty though and loves to be outside as well.  She is 100% potty trained (I won't mention the incident at the park birthday...it's worse than you think...) and is starting to go by herself!!!  She still LOVES to hug and touch and generally give lots of affection.  She is almost always happy and smiley.  Lot of love sissy-poo!

Michael: One Year

 Happy 1st birthday Mikey!

 I know that I haven't blogged since August...I have just decided it is something I cannot squeeze in and if I think about it I feel guilty, so I just forget it!

But my baby turned one (almost a month ago now!).  So I think it is time to get back on the old blog!

Here are some photos that capture the party. I got a new camera with our Christmas money this year and have had fun using it.  Can't wait to figure it out more.  I did do a one year session with Mikey, but haven't had a chance to edit yet...when I do (hopefully before his second birthday) I will attempt to post a few.

Anyway, we had a great party.  Jude and Cora kept running around saying, "Best party ever!"  And Mikey liked it too!  I made an elephant cake and got him a first birthday shirt and hat.  We also got to facetime with Mitch, Minette, Sarai and Alissa and Tyler.  Man this year has flown!

Dear Michael,
You bring us so much happiness and joy.  We can't imagine our family without you!  You have great smiles and really great giggles.  Thank you for all your open-mouthed kisses!  You love to "cut the pickle" and clap and wave.  You are working on saying a few words, but you definitely get your voice heard!  I love your crazy blond locks and bright blue eyes.  You love to chase balls around the house and your latest favorite is climbing all the stairs. Preferably when I don't notice!  You also love to wrestle with daddy and to read books.
We love you!
Mommy, Daddy, Jude, and Cora
P.S.  Jude says he loves to push you in the dump truck
P.S.S. Cora says she loves to let you play with Spike when she is playing with ponies.

Mikey's new tractor from Mitch, Minette, and Sarai!