Saturday, November 28, 2009

Cooking

We teach them to cook early around here.

 

cooking

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!


I am thankful that we are just passers through on this Earth. As beautiful as it is and as rich as the contacts we make here, it is nothing like that which is promised for those who love the Lord. He holds us in His hand and the rich blessing of following Him far outweighs any possible trials we may go through in the here and now. How great is that?


It's been a beautiful couple of days here. I saw the sun! :) The girls were so giddy with anticipation of Thanksgiving. I was so dizzy with their giddiness. It's the equivalent of "are we there yet?" What are you making Mom?! Look at the picture I'm drawing for my cousin Mom? Are we leaving in the morning Mom? Look Mom I finished the cross-stitch I was making for Grandma! Do you need any help Mom? I know boys are a lot of energy movement wise, but some days I tell you the honking that goes on in our little flock of geese is deafening. And, lovely. They are so sweet.


 

Monday, November 23, 2009

This Morning

It's a lovely morning here in the Northwest, as in it is forcasted to be cloudy today and not rainy.


It is a trying time of year for me. My Dad loves to tell a story about me that when I was a little baby, he'd take me out in the rain or the cold and immediately I would start crying. I feel like that on the inside now. Oh, where I live is beautiful. The terrain, the wide variety of activities within a short distance from one another, the green...but the constant rain... Well, I'm sorry, you probably didn't come to my blog to hear a lot of whining. I live in the jet stream and I live on the foothills. This time of year I dream of moving somewhere a little sunnier. In the late Spring, Summer, and early Fall, I wouldn't dream of living anywhere else. Our ties have us rooted here anyhow.


This morning, I felt like a "normal" family. Jon was taking his oldest (my step-daughter) to school and he and I got up early (as in 7:00) to get her ready to go. I cleaned, the other kids slept. We have such freedom with our business that we tend to not get up till 8:30 or 9:00 and often Jon doesn't leave until 10:00. I'm always so behind in my day because of this...at least this time of year when it's dark before 5:00. It seems like with most families the husband has to be to work by a certain time and that provides some routine. Of course, I know of other families where the Dad work swing shift. That would be a definite challenge. I am challenged enough to establish a routine for my family with a decently early bedtime and a decently early wake time.


I'm planning on going out and soaking in some light and doing a bit of shopping before the Thanksgiving rush. Then, I'll homeschool. Wish me God's blessings.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

My Big Two Year Old

My big two year old had her first potty success tonight. A poo poo on the potty! I've been telling her "poo poo" when I see her making that face and tonight she told me "poo poo" so we sat her on the potty and soon enough she had a success. It may be silly, but I couldn't be prouder.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Toddler Cuteness

My little Abigail just recently turned two. Don't you just love how God made children extra cute during the more challenging ages?


This morning as sister got Abigail up, Natalie asked Abigail if she wanted a banana whole or in a bowl. Up until now Abigail has been wanting to hold her banana herself. "I hold it.", she says. This morning though she said, "bowl, bowl, bowl." Later she got really upset and Natalie couldn't understand what she wanted. So, I went into the kitchen. For spoon she says something like "oon" or maybe even a little less intelligible. But she points in the direction of the silverware drawer. All their little communications at this age are such a struggle, but one, if everything is going normally, these little ones really want to do.


It's funny to me, Abigail loves to say, "no". Big surprise, huh? She was one of my cute little one year olds that was so compliant, I thought maybe she'd always just say "yes". She said yes before no, after all. But, sure enough, here she is at the twos loving the word "no". It doesn't matter what you say, she answers "no". Last night we were trying it out. And my husband said, "do you want a treat?" The automatic response, "no". But, then it was followed by "treat, treat, treat." She wanted the treat (but she didn't get one).


The other cute stage advancement Abigail is showing involves potty. We had her sitting on her potty last night. She didn't want to stop sitting on the potty. And, she didn't want her diaper back on. That is a welcome sign of readiness.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Red Robin

I am just really enjoying this photo of my middle daughter taken at Red Robin tonight. This one really captures her.


daughter_rr

We worked today, but we had a laid back day at the same time. We brought the kids into our place of business towards the end of the day and they played. Then, we went to Red Robin. Actually, I prefer my own cooking now, but it was nice to not have to cook.


We are really just so ambivalent about celebrating the holiday (Halloween) at all as it is so full of, well, evil. I'm so impressed looking at it from an outsider's point of view that this is the center of Halloween. Sure, kids just want to dress up. But, pretty quick it goes beyond that. And why should we be so comfortable with playing around with darkness? Anyhow, not to judge anyone, my kids want to dress up too. And we have before, just not this year.


A lot of the direction on this whole thing I owe to my husband. And I'm glad, really, because it always made me uncomfortable. I want to give my whole heart to the Lord and not to in any way give place to the enemy. It's funny. My husband grew up trick or treating. He doesn't have bad memories. He just matter of factly is grumpy about anything about Halloween. Not so with Christmas or Easter or Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July.


Anyhow, our kids don't want to not feel included in what everyone else is doing. And, I read on someone's blog that this is also Reformation Day. So, we were talking about doing something for that. I was going to make Pumpkin Bread. And I'm not sure how to tie that into Reformation Day. But, with working, I didn't cook that. But, I bought the cans of pumpkins (our pumpkins in the garden never turned orange this year...I'm thinking of putting them in a windowsill...does that work). Tomorrow. So, I feel guilty that I didn't do something for my kids...and my husband says to me, "so that's what we're supposed to teach our kids, that when we don't do what everyone else does, we have to make up for it?" (Tongue in cheek.) Or, he said something like that. Well said. I think.


Well, whether you agree with my judgement of Halloween or not, I hope you can appreciate the angst with which I wrestle things over in my mind.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Birthday

My littlest girl and my step-daughter happen to have the same birthday. It's so much fun to celebrate two birthdays on one day. It makes it a little more like Christmas because it's not all about one child. Our girls are so cute about wanting to surprise their sisters and be involved in the party preparations. This year we started having the older ones pay for their own gift out of their piggy bank. It's a wonderful experience for them. They are really thoughtful, yet frugal in their choices. Well, here are some pictures of the celebration.

mariah_bday_books


abigail_2_yr_old_books


abigail_2_yr_old


sisters_bday_2


abigail_2_yr_old_opening_baby


abigail_2_yr_old_baby_love


sisters_bday

Friday, November 6, 2009

Medical Day

It was a medical day today.


h1n1


The Shots


I gave in and got the H1N1 vaccine for two of my daughters (my oldest and youngest) and for me, complete with Thermisol (mercury) for my older daughter and me. I have very well-managed asthma that has occasionally gone totally South on me in the past. Real misery.  30-40% reading on my peak flow meter kind of stuff. And my eight year old has CVS, which she has gotten sick before from a cold and it causes her to not be able to keep things down at all, once for almost a week. So, despite my misgivings, and outrage at them STILL putting things like Thermisol in our vaccines, I got the vaccine. My littlest daughter got the one without thermisol, but it was "unavailable" to us who are older. We even had a flu like thing come through our house, but not everyone got it and it wasn't that strong or long-lasting, so I'm figuring it wasn't H1N1.


In the end I just figured I was going to worry about which was the right decision and I'd just get the vaccine and then put the worry behind me.


Abigail was cute as can be. Kids were there screaming before they even got the shot, just in anticipation. She, at first didn't know what was going on. Then I got a shot and Natalie (8) got a shot and then I picked up Abigail (2) to hold her. What a smarty she is. I pulled her sleeve down to bare it and she immediately grabbed her upper arm muscle to cover it. So smart. We all feel alright so far.


Dentist


Jon went to the dentist. We belong to an HMO. He called for a dental cleaning and they told him it was three months or today. So, he took today. In customary fashion, nothing wrong with his teeth. I tell you, he brushes his teeth so fast and only once a day and isn't consistent about flossing. But, never any cavities or any other problems. He tells them about the difference between him and I. I don't know why Jon tells me these things, but he tells me he says they say it's just how you take care of your teeth. He tells them about how many cavities I have gotten when pregnant. They tell him that extra cavities associated with pregnancy have only to do with being distracted. You have got to be kidding??? These people just frost me! (Am I not supposed to say that on a blog?) I brush my teeth like a maniac when I'm pregnant. They tell Jon there is no nutritional basis for cavities and that teeth cannot have minerals leached from them. I don't believe that is true either...I do need to brush my teeth like crazy. That's true. But, it is my belief that I have some genetic thing going on with both my teeth and my bones and my moods that I need to address nutritionally as well The medical community can be so narrow minded sometimes. Medicine + a thoughtful (rather than bureaucratic) look at nutrition = powerful. Medicine the way it is = not so helpful.