Monday, April 30, 2012
Guest Blogger: Anne Elyse
Anne Elyse will be giving our March update. :) Back in March she wrote this cute story in school about celebrating Papa's birthday...
Thursday, March 1, 2012
I Am an Elephant
Today is March 1, which means spring is sooo close even if we did wake up to about 1/2" of wet, slushy snow this morning - boo. I have seen a very few crocuses in bloom though and one cherry tree and pussy willow tree starting to blossom.
Every single year of my adult life around mid-February I start fantasizing about a tropical getaway and can even let myself get a bit depressed about. It certainly doesn't help that nowadays your facebook newsfeed is dotted with pictures of people doing just that - having the time of their lives on a tropical getaway. Even the kids are coming home with writing assignments that indicate they have been daydreaming of days at the beach that seem so long ago. Austin brought home an assignment just yesterday that went like this: "I like it when it is hot out because you get to play outside, go camping, and swimming. I like going swimming outside."
I've been reading Suze Orman's new book - The Money Class, which is basically about creating the "new" American Dream. It's about facing the reality of our economy as it is now and what we can do to secure a better financial life now and in the future. She talks about not only living within your means (nothing new to me as a Mormon) but living BELOW your means and within your needs so that you can start saving. She says your first priority is to face your financial truth by analyzing and tracking your expenditures, your assets and liabilities (something I do and have done for a long time). Next she says to make it a priority to build an 8 month emergency fund, so that if you were to loose your job you'd have money there or also just for those things in "life" that happen - medical emergencies, car breakdowns, etc. She talks about how doing this is certainly not easy in our society when we have so many voices urging us to spend, spend, spend. I am going to quote her, because she says it better than I can:
"I have a favorite saying that I recall whenever I need help to stand in my truth: The elephant keeps walking while the dog keeps barking. The elephant stays on course, moving toward its goal, regardless of the barking noise that swirls around him..." She likens the barking dog to the enticements around us to spend money - "the sounds of excitement coming out of restaurants, the persuasive ads, the pages of glossy magazines telling you about the must haves of the season." The elephant keeps walking, and surely and steadily it arrives at it's destination.
So, even though I could take $4,000 right now and take my family to Hawaii for a week or go to Disneyland, I am going to choose to be responsible and keep working toward our goal of rebuilding an 8 month's savings (we were set back by Keith's layoff last year), and not be distracted by temptations around me. Now, I am not at all saying that anybody who has taken such a vacation this year is being financially irresponsible. I'm just speaking for myself right now - my own truth.
Austin, these pictures are for you and me. I took these at Lake Roosevelt last summer, and I never posted them. These pictures brighten my spirit on days like today when it's cold and dreary and all I have to do is mounds of laundry and dishes.
Every single year of my adult life around mid-February I start fantasizing about a tropical getaway and can even let myself get a bit depressed about. It certainly doesn't help that nowadays your facebook newsfeed is dotted with pictures of people doing just that - having the time of their lives on a tropical getaway. Even the kids are coming home with writing assignments that indicate they have been daydreaming of days at the beach that seem so long ago. Austin brought home an assignment just yesterday that went like this: "I like it when it is hot out because you get to play outside, go camping, and swimming. I like going swimming outside."
I've been reading Suze Orman's new book - The Money Class, which is basically about creating the "new" American Dream. It's about facing the reality of our economy as it is now and what we can do to secure a better financial life now and in the future. She talks about not only living within your means (nothing new to me as a Mormon) but living BELOW your means and within your needs so that you can start saving. She says your first priority is to face your financial truth by analyzing and tracking your expenditures, your assets and liabilities (something I do and have done for a long time). Next she says to make it a priority to build an 8 month emergency fund, so that if you were to loose your job you'd have money there or also just for those things in "life" that happen - medical emergencies, car breakdowns, etc. She talks about how doing this is certainly not easy in our society when we have so many voices urging us to spend, spend, spend. I am going to quote her, because she says it better than I can:
"I have a favorite saying that I recall whenever I need help to stand in my truth: The elephant keeps walking while the dog keeps barking. The elephant stays on course, moving toward its goal, regardless of the barking noise that swirls around him..." She likens the barking dog to the enticements around us to spend money - "the sounds of excitement coming out of restaurants, the persuasive ads, the pages of glossy magazines telling you about the must haves of the season." The elephant keeps walking, and surely and steadily it arrives at it's destination.
So, even though I could take $4,000 right now and take my family to Hawaii for a week or go to Disneyland, I am going to choose to be responsible and keep working toward our goal of rebuilding an 8 month's savings (we were set back by Keith's layoff last year), and not be distracted by temptations around me. Now, I am not at all saying that anybody who has taken such a vacation this year is being financially irresponsible. I'm just speaking for myself right now - my own truth.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Manic Monday...Wish it Were a Fun Day
But not a Sunday, cuz that's not really MY fun day. The kids had Monday, January 30, off school (AGAIN). Don't even get me started about how many non-school days we've had around here. The plan originally was to have a fun day and go to Seattle to meet up with my cousin Monica and her cute new baby and do the Aquarium, but I was too broke to go anywhere. Yep, I didn't have $80 to go to the Aquarium since Keith pretty much missed a whole week of work due to our snow/ice storm. There is a silver lining in that cloud though. He did do a lot of snowplowing and made seven times what he would've made working one week at Auburn Mechanical - yay!! We just haven't been paid yet. Anyway, back to the story...
The day didn't start out too bad. I actually got to sleep in until 9, and it's pretty much a miracle I didn't get woken up by fights over the TV or Xbox. The fights came anyway around 10 a.m., so off to toy jail the xbox went and out came the chore sticks. Along with that came LOTS of whining and crying and moaning, which sent me into the speech about how, "Your father and I work very hard and sacrifice a lot so that you kids can have a nice home to live in and nice things, and yada, yada, yada." Well, maybe it wasn't really a speech, more like a "yelling." Yeah, I had a little flip out, threatened a lot, and got those kids to working doing the vacuuming, unloading the dishwasher and tidying up. I then made a phone call to Verizon Wireless. I shut myself in the bathroom so I could actually hear myself think. Of course about halfway through the convo, Tori is screaming. She opens the door, I gently shove her out, thinking she's just having a tiff with Tyler. A few minutes later, I get off the phone and she's STILL screeching, and thank goodness for Anne Elyse or I may have never figured this one out. She says, "I think she's got pepper in her eye!" Remembering she had earlier dumped the pepper out all over the table and was playing in it, my reaction was, "Oh, sh**!" That was exactly what had happened. I grabbed her to start rinsing her eyes in the bathroom sink. The poor girl didn't know what I was trying to do. All she knew was that her eyes wre on fire and her mom was trying to drown her. After that, she was really screaming. I ran upstairs and did a quick google search on "black pepper in eyes." One thing I read said to try milk. So I tried that. Then I started panicking that maybe this could be dangerous and could make her blind or something. So I called the nurse's line with our doctor's office, and they immediately connected me to Poison Control, which kind of freaked me out. They said I did the right thing by putting milk on her eyes and that it will probably just be irritated but not cause any damage. By this time she started to calm down, but she's was MAD at me and wouldn't let me hold her. It was the saddest thing. She was curled up on the floor with her night night and thumb in her mouth, and wouldn't let anybody hold her, not even sissy.
Today is Monday (AGAIN), but I have to say it was a good day, even though our power was out for most of the day (AGAIN). But it forced me to slow down a bit and take some time with Tyler and Tori. We went to the library and then played at the park, because it was SUNNY and 60 today (in February?). We also wrestled a bit on the couch. :) I got a huge mound of laundry folded, and we even had a non-hectic dinner/homework/FHE night. We had a good little lesson out of the Friend, and I made sugar cookies with frosting. I spent a lot of time today thinking about the two little Powell boys who lost their lives yesterday. (http://www.king5.com/news/local/Gasoline-found-all-over-the-house-of-Josh-Powell-138812474.html) I believe the grandparent's of these boys are in our stake. My friend Shelby who plays the piano for me in primary is very good friends with Susan's family, and she is really shaken up about it. I didn't know the family personally, but the story breaks my heart, and made me hug my kids a little tighter today. Austin even told me tonight that I had "nice hair." He says, "I like how you have it curled at the ends and the barrette with the hair pulled back at the top." LOL. Well, thank you!!
The day didn't start out too bad. I actually got to sleep in until 9, and it's pretty much a miracle I didn't get woken up by fights over the TV or Xbox. The fights came anyway around 10 a.m., so off to toy jail the xbox went and out came the chore sticks. Along with that came LOTS of whining and crying and moaning, which sent me into the speech about how, "Your father and I work very hard and sacrifice a lot so that you kids can have a nice home to live in and nice things, and yada, yada, yada." Well, maybe it wasn't really a speech, more like a "yelling." Yeah, I had a little flip out, threatened a lot, and got those kids to working doing the vacuuming, unloading the dishwasher and tidying up. I then made a phone call to Verizon Wireless. I shut myself in the bathroom so I could actually hear myself think. Of course about halfway through the convo, Tori is screaming. She opens the door, I gently shove her out, thinking she's just having a tiff with Tyler. A few minutes later, I get off the phone and she's STILL screeching, and thank goodness for Anne Elyse or I may have never figured this one out. She says, "I think she's got pepper in her eye!" Remembering she had earlier dumped the pepper out all over the table and was playing in it, my reaction was, "Oh, sh**!" That was exactly what had happened. I grabbed her to start rinsing her eyes in the bathroom sink. The poor girl didn't know what I was trying to do. All she knew was that her eyes wre on fire and her mom was trying to drown her. After that, she was really screaming. I ran upstairs and did a quick google search on "black pepper in eyes." One thing I read said to try milk. So I tried that. Then I started panicking that maybe this could be dangerous and could make her blind or something. So I called the nurse's line with our doctor's office, and they immediately connected me to Poison Control, which kind of freaked me out. They said I did the right thing by putting milk on her eyes and that it will probably just be irritated but not cause any damage. By this time she started to calm down, but she's was MAD at me and wouldn't let me hold her. It was the saddest thing. She was curled up on the floor with her night night and thumb in her mouth, and wouldn't let anybody hold her, not even sissy.
Today is Monday (AGAIN), but I have to say it was a good day, even though our power was out for most of the day (AGAIN). But it forced me to slow down a bit and take some time with Tyler and Tori. We went to the library and then played at the park, because it was SUNNY and 60 today (in February?). We also wrestled a bit on the couch. :) I got a huge mound of laundry folded, and we even had a non-hectic dinner/homework/FHE night. We had a good little lesson out of the Friend, and I made sugar cookies with frosting. I spent a lot of time today thinking about the two little Powell boys who lost their lives yesterday. (http://www.king5.com/news/local/Gasoline-found-all-over-the-house-of-Josh-Powell-138812474.html) I believe the grandparent's of these boys are in our stake. My friend Shelby who plays the piano for me in primary is very good friends with Susan's family, and she is really shaken up about it. I didn't know the family personally, but the story breaks my heart, and made me hug my kids a little tighter today. Austin even told me tonight that I had "nice hair." He says, "I like how you have it curled at the ends and the barrette with the hair pulled back at the top." LOL. Well, thank you!!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Fun With The Sharpie Marker
Victoria loves to draw, but unfortunately not just on paper. We now have red marker all over the wall in the boy's room, green marker on the wall in the girls' room, and black sharpie all over the cute little kitchen my parent's made for the girls, which happens to be white. I know you're thinking, "Just keep the markers up." I know, I know. I do, but she has a sister who also loves to draw and then leave markers around for little sister to pick up. The black sharpie was my fault. I found it in Keith's pant's pocket when doing laundry, and thought to myself what a great save I had made, because if it had gone through the dryer it certainly would've ruined the whole load of laundry. I left it on the kitchen counter, and she found it. I spent the afternoon getting high on nail polish remover trying to get the black sharpie off the play kitchen. Most of it came out, but it took some of the paint off with it. I will probably have to touch it up with some white paint (hoping my mom still has the same paint they used to paint it with). I've tried magic eraser on the walls, but it just takes the paint off. So, I'm going to have to paint over it in my spare time (yeah right)!
Here she is, chin held high and looking so proud of herself! And just like the dogs, scolding her for doing it just seems to encourage the behavior.
Here she is, chin held high and looking so proud of herself! And just like the dogs, scolding her for doing it just seems to encourage the behavior.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Helloooo!!??
I'm back!! Anybody out there? I've been a horrible blogger in the last six months or so, but I want to change that this year. I don't know if anybody really reads this anymore, but I don't really care. I just want to journal the happenings of our family. I mostly do this for me anyway! If you are still following us once in awhile, leave some love and post a comment. :)
Oh, man, it took me way longer than it should've to do a few changes on the template. My brain has been so entrenched in Wordpress, which is what I use for my photography blog, that I've almost forgotten how to use this. And it didn't help that they've totally switched it up since I last used it. I must say, even though Wordpress was a pain in the rear for me to learn, I think I like it better than blogger. Maybe I will have to convert this blog to Wordpress soon...
Anyway, today is a lazy day. It's Sunday and our plans were to go to church then head up to my parent's house for a birthday party for my mom and Keith (who have the same birthday), but....it SNOWED. When that happens around here, you pretty much don't go anywhere unless you have to. We live up a really steep hill that drops straight down a cliff on one side and no guard rail. So, yeah, we're not going anywhere today.
Perfect day then for updating the blog!
Oh, man, it took me way longer than it should've to do a few changes on the template. My brain has been so entrenched in Wordpress, which is what I use for my photography blog, that I've almost forgotten how to use this. And it didn't help that they've totally switched it up since I last used it. I must say, even though Wordpress was a pain in the rear for me to learn, I think I like it better than blogger. Maybe I will have to convert this blog to Wordpress soon...
Anyway, today is a lazy day. It's Sunday and our plans were to go to church then head up to my parent's house for a birthday party for my mom and Keith (who have the same birthday), but....it SNOWED. When that happens around here, you pretty much don't go anywhere unless you have to. We live up a really steep hill that drops straight down a cliff on one side and no guard rail. So, yeah, we're not going anywhere today.
Perfect day then for updating the blog!
Belated Birthday Updates
I think Anne Elyse was the only child that had her birthday blogged about last year. What a naughty mom I am. I really want to remember what the kids are doing and what they're like right now. I was a good girl and took lots of pictures on their birthdays, except for Tyler and Tori who lost most of their pictures when the puppy ate my memory card. That's a fun story I'll have to fill you in on.
In 2011, Austin turned 9, Anne Elyse 7, Tyler 6, and Tori 2!
We'll start with Austin. The kids and I were in Utah this year for Austin's birthday. We were so sick of our blah "summer" weather around here, we headed "eastbound and down" to my sister's house to get some HOT, SUNNY weather! My sister-in-law Stevie caravaned with me down there, and we had a great time. We spent Austin's birthday, July 28, at the water park with the cousins. Then I made him a curry dinner that night (his choice), and we invited Uncle Jim and Aunt Julie over to help us eat ice cream cake. He got a new BB gun for his present from mom and dad, a (generous) amount of money from Uncle Jim and Aunt Julie, a float toy from cousin Jack, and a very cool Army dress up outfit from Uncle Donavon and Auntie Eleasa, which they actually purchased for him when we visited Ft. Lewis up here in Washington in June. Uncle Shane bought him a very "manly" CTR ring when we met up with him the next day at Temple Square.
Austin keeps things very interesting around here. He can be quite a nut, and often says some really funny things but also can be pretty insightful. He is so inquisitive. He is always asking questions. Sometimes I have to say, "O.K., I can't answer questions right now. You need to wait until later." He will jabber your ear off no matter where you are. Just the other week, I'm very clearly taking a nap, and he comes in to start asking me questions! I was like, "I'm (was) sleeping?!"
Another cute thing he said recently was, "Mom, I think 2012 is going to be a good year for our family."
It's also neat to see him mature just a little when it comes to spiritual things. We were talking about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith translating it, and I said something like, "You know, there are a lot of people who might try to tell you that the Book of Mormon isn't true." He was so shocked to hear me say that. He was like, "What?! Well, it IS true. I know it is, because I can feel a burning in my chest when I read it." Now don't think he'll ever get up in sacrament meeting or primary and tell you that. He is VERY shy when it comes to speaking in front of a lot of people. He successfully dodged the microphone this year at the primary program, so he wouldn't have to say his part. We have finally gotten him to say the prayer or do a talk in primary, but don't ask him to sing. In fact, I have never in my life heard this child sing. Now that I'm the new primary chorister, we're going to have to work on that! He comes from a family with some musical talent, so I told him you never know, maybe you have a great voice and don't even know it.
He is motivated to do his cub scouts and Faith in God program, which is good. Now I just need to make more time to work with him on it. We've done very little in his Bear Book, and he's going to be 10 in 6 months!
Favorite color: Red and blue
Favorite food: ice cream and curry
Favorite book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Favorite place: Lake Roosevelt
Favorite xbox game: Cabela's Big Game Hunter
Favorite sport: football
Favorite TV show: Good Luck Charlie & The Military Channel
Favorite Movie: Spy Kids
Tyler turned 6 in October. He was kind enough to "share" his party with his sister, who's birthday is 6 days after his. Papa and Grandma, Uncle Ryan and Auntie Stevie, and Jack and Marlowe came down to our house for lunch - sub sandwiches. Both Ty and Tori are way into Cars, so we had a Lightning McQueen cake. After lunch we went to the movie theatre and saw Puss 'n Boots.
Tyler started all day kindergarten this year, attending on Tuesdays and Thursdays and every other Friday. Kind of a crazy schedule, but I actually like it. I don't know that he loves being at school all day, but it's good for him. He does well in school, and he's pretty obedient. Now that I've been in primary for a couple of months, I've been able to see him in there, and he sits so reverently and sings his very best, which is kind of ironic, because he really doesn't like going to church. I have to prep him that church is in 1 day or 2 days, etc. Pretty much every week he has a melt down about not wanting to go to church. I think part of it is he hates wearing "church clothes." He LOVES to wear pajamas, and in fact he has been known to lay out on his bed which pajamas he's going to change into when he gets home from school.
Ty says some pretty funny things sometimes. He still gets his pronouns mixed up. Recently he was playing the Cabela's hunting game, and you're only supposed to shoot the bucks. You loose points if you shoot the does. He says, "Don't shoot the females. He is laying him's eggs."
We recently became owners of a new puppy. Lulu is her name, and he loves to wrestle with her. He's very good about feeding Lulu and Ruger every day.
Favorite color: Green
Favorite food: apples
Favorite treat: Airheads
Favorite xbox game: Puss 'n Boots
Favorite TV show: Max 'n Ruby
Favorite movie: Shrek Forever After
Favorite person: Mommy
Favorite phrase: "Oh, for the love!!" (But it sounds more like "Oh, for the wuv!")
Last, but oh so not least, is Ms. Victoria who turned 2 on 11/1/11! This baby girl and her sweetness give me so much joy. She hasn't quite turned all the way to the dark side yet, although believe me, she can be a sassy pants. She's really starting to talk. She is always saying, "Mommy will you help me please?" Usually it's "Mommy help me. Help, help. Help me," when she gets impatient.
She gets sooo excited when Dad comes home. No matter what she's doing, she stops and runs to the front door or even out the front door to greet dad as he gets out of his van. She runs and jumps into his arms. She could be the poster child for the song "I'm so Glad When Daddy Comes Home."
She is a bit obsessed with the toilet right now, but has yet to do anything in it besides play in it, flush things down it, or swish somebody's toothbrush around in it. She loves that her nursery class at church on Sunday has a little bathroom for little people. It's a real toilet and sink, etc. but everything is toddler size. It is pretty cute. Her teacher handed me her soaking wet onesie last Sunday and said that she was a bit excited about the toilet. She snuck in there, stripped down, and then dipped her onsie in.
She's also got a thing for Toy Story. We have to watch it at least once a day. She says, "I want Woody." or "Watch a show. Woody?" Snuggling on the couch (with mom is even better), sucking her thumb with her "Night night" (blankie) and watching Woody is one of her favorite things to do.
Favorite food: pasta
Favorite treat: Beer!!! (Rootbeer), but she calls it beer. Better hope nobody is calling CPS on you when you're at the store and your 2 year old is shouting, "I want beeeerrr!!"
Favorite person: Mommy all the way, although sissy comes in a close second and Daddy too. Least favorite person is probably Tyler. She's recently learned how to stick her tongue out at him.
Favorite movie: Toy Story!!! Cars comes in a close second and also Shrek.
Favorite toy: Her baby dolls. She's very sweet with them and takes good care of them!
In 2011, Austin turned 9, Anne Elyse 7, Tyler 6, and Tori 2!
We'll start with Austin. The kids and I were in Utah this year for Austin's birthday. We were so sick of our blah "summer" weather around here, we headed "eastbound and down" to my sister's house to get some HOT, SUNNY weather! My sister-in-law Stevie caravaned with me down there, and we had a great time. We spent Austin's birthday, July 28, at the water park with the cousins. Then I made him a curry dinner that night (his choice), and we invited Uncle Jim and Aunt Julie over to help us eat ice cream cake. He got a new BB gun for his present from mom and dad, a (generous) amount of money from Uncle Jim and Aunt Julie, a float toy from cousin Jack, and a very cool Army dress up outfit from Uncle Donavon and Auntie Eleasa, which they actually purchased for him when we visited Ft. Lewis up here in Washington in June. Uncle Shane bought him a very "manly" CTR ring when we met up with him the next day at Temple Square.Austin keeps things very interesting around here. He can be quite a nut, and often says some really funny things but also can be pretty insightful. He is so inquisitive. He is always asking questions. Sometimes I have to say, "O.K., I can't answer questions right now. You need to wait until later." He will jabber your ear off no matter where you are. Just the other week, I'm very clearly taking a nap, and he comes in to start asking me questions! I was like, "I'm (was) sleeping?!"
Another cute thing he said recently was, "Mom, I think 2012 is going to be a good year for our family."
It's also neat to see him mature just a little when it comes to spiritual things. We were talking about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith translating it, and I said something like, "You know, there are a lot of people who might try to tell you that the Book of Mormon isn't true." He was so shocked to hear me say that. He was like, "What?! Well, it IS true. I know it is, because I can feel a burning in my chest when I read it." Now don't think he'll ever get up in sacrament meeting or primary and tell you that. He is VERY shy when it comes to speaking in front of a lot of people. He successfully dodged the microphone this year at the primary program, so he wouldn't have to say his part. We have finally gotten him to say the prayer or do a talk in primary, but don't ask him to sing. In fact, I have never in my life heard this child sing. Now that I'm the new primary chorister, we're going to have to work on that! He comes from a family with some musical talent, so I told him you never know, maybe you have a great voice and don't even know it.
He is motivated to do his cub scouts and Faith in God program, which is good. Now I just need to make more time to work with him on it. We've done very little in his Bear Book, and he's going to be 10 in 6 months!
Favorite color: Red and blue
Favorite food: ice cream and curry
Favorite book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Favorite place: Lake Roosevelt
Favorite xbox game: Cabela's Big Game Hunter
Favorite sport: football
Favorite TV show: Good Luck Charlie & The Military Channel
Favorite Movie: Spy Kids
Tyler turned 6 in October. He was kind enough to "share" his party with his sister, who's birthday is 6 days after his. Papa and Grandma, Uncle Ryan and Auntie Stevie, and Jack and Marlowe came down to our house for lunch - sub sandwiches. Both Ty and Tori are way into Cars, so we had a Lightning McQueen cake. After lunch we went to the movie theatre and saw Puss 'n Boots.Tyler started all day kindergarten this year, attending on Tuesdays and Thursdays and every other Friday. Kind of a crazy schedule, but I actually like it. I don't know that he loves being at school all day, but it's good for him. He does well in school, and he's pretty obedient. Now that I've been in primary for a couple of months, I've been able to see him in there, and he sits so reverently and sings his very best, which is kind of ironic, because he really doesn't like going to church. I have to prep him that church is in 1 day or 2 days, etc. Pretty much every week he has a melt down about not wanting to go to church. I think part of it is he hates wearing "church clothes." He LOVES to wear pajamas, and in fact he has been known to lay out on his bed which pajamas he's going to change into when he gets home from school.
Ty says some pretty funny things sometimes. He still gets his pronouns mixed up. Recently he was playing the Cabela's hunting game, and you're only supposed to shoot the bucks. You loose points if you shoot the does. He says, "Don't shoot the females. He is laying him's eggs."
We recently became owners of a new puppy. Lulu is her name, and he loves to wrestle with her. He's very good about feeding Lulu and Ruger every day.
Favorite color: Green
Favorite food: apples
Favorite treat: Airheads
Favorite xbox game: Puss 'n Boots
Favorite TV show: Max 'n Ruby
Favorite movie: Shrek Forever After
Favorite person: Mommy
Favorite phrase: "Oh, for the love!!" (But it sounds more like "Oh, for the wuv!")
Last, but oh so not least, is Ms. Victoria who turned 2 on 11/1/11! This baby girl and her sweetness give me so much joy. She hasn't quite turned all the way to the dark side yet, although believe me, she can be a sassy pants. She's really starting to talk. She is always saying, "Mommy will you help me please?" Usually it's "Mommy help me. Help, help. Help me," when she gets impatient.
She gets sooo excited when Dad comes home. No matter what she's doing, she stops and runs to the front door or even out the front door to greet dad as he gets out of his van. She runs and jumps into his arms. She could be the poster child for the song "I'm so Glad When Daddy Comes Home."
She is a bit obsessed with the toilet right now, but has yet to do anything in it besides play in it, flush things down it, or swish somebody's toothbrush around in it. She loves that her nursery class at church on Sunday has a little bathroom for little people. It's a real toilet and sink, etc. but everything is toddler size. It is pretty cute. Her teacher handed me her soaking wet onesie last Sunday and said that she was a bit excited about the toilet. She snuck in there, stripped down, and then dipped her onsie in.She's also got a thing for Toy Story. We have to watch it at least once a day. She says, "I want Woody." or "Watch a show. Woody?" Snuggling on the couch (with mom is even better), sucking her thumb with her "Night night" (blankie) and watching Woody is one of her favorite things to do.
Favorite food: pasta
Favorite treat: Beer!!! (Rootbeer), but she calls it beer. Better hope nobody is calling CPS on you when you're at the store and your 2 year old is shouting, "I want beeeerrr!!"
Favorite person: Mommy all the way, although sissy comes in a close second and Daddy too. Least favorite person is probably Tyler. She's recently learned how to stick her tongue out at him.
Favorite movie: Toy Story!!! Cars comes in a close second and also Shrek.
Favorite toy: Her baby dolls. She's very sweet with them and takes good care of them!
Christmas 2011
This Christmas will probably always be remembered as the year we had the stomach flu, and not just the 24 hour stomach bug, but like the 48-72 hour bug. Fortunately, the kids were all feeling much better by Christmas Day, but I was feeling under the weather still, and Keith was not feeling well at all. It all started early Monday morning when Tori woke up crying in the middle of the night with barf all over her bed. I picked her up out of her crib without realizing there was barf, so then it was in my hair and everywhere. So, yeah, her and I had a bath at around 2 a.m. I was up all night with her. Poor girl was puking about every 20 minutes for 5-6 hours. By Monday night she seemed better. Tuesday went without incident, so Wednesday I decided to take the girls to the Pt. Defiance Zoo. Keith was home that day, and the boys didn't want to go, so just the girls and I went. We had a good time. It was fun to be with just them. On the way home though, about 10 minutes after leaving, Anne Elyse started puking. Good thing I had that sandwich baggie from Subway handy. She was so good to keep the barf in the bag. Can you imagine trying to get barf smell out of your car? Actually, I can. My brother barfed in our station wagon when we were kids. My dad tried in vain to get the smell out. It was down the heat vents and all. We eventually sold it, because it stunk!! The whole way home (about an hour drive), I was feeling queasy but just kept telling myself it was because she was barfing. Nope. About an hour after we got home, I started puking and, well, other things. It was awful. I had aches and chills too. I was so sick at one point, I couldn't even get off the bathroom floor. Keith was gone to work at this point, so Austin did his best to be the man of the house and help take care of the kids. He was pretty worried. He called Keith, "Dad, Mom is REALLY sick." It was bad from about 5 p.m. until midnight at which point Tyler woke up puking. He and I spent the night on the sofa taking turns running to the bathroom or using the "barf bucket." By Thursday morning, I was feeling a bit better, or at least not puking anymore. Thursday afternoon, Austin came down with it. We thought maybe Keith had dodged the bullet. He was working the night shift that week, and came home early Friday morning, around 5 am. and collapsed in bed saying he didn't feel well. He never threw up, just had the diarrhea, but he was feeling yucky through Christmas day. And Keith is a real peach when he's sick. Can you say El Groucho? He even gets the luxury of not having to take care of sick kids when he's sick!
The kids had a blast with all their new presents they got. Austin got a bow, Anne Elyse an American Girl Doll, Tyler a Lightning McQueen remote control car, and Tori a tricycle. The big, family santa gift was the XBOX with Kinnect. It's pretty fun!
It could've been so much worse if we had actually been puking on Christmas Day. Thank goodness we weren't! Our church was at 9:30 a.m., and I'm just going to admit right now that, yes, we are sinners and we didn't go. If I hadn't been so wiped out by the flu/taking care of sick kids/and getting Christmas wrapped up AND if church wasn't so early, we probably would've gone. I just didn't have the energy to deal with it. However, I really did enjoy the spirit of Christmas still and enjoyed taking the extra time to reflect upon the birth of our Savior. There is nothing else quite like the feelings you can hold in your heart at Christmastime. I'm so grateful to have 4 kids that (drive me crazy) that I love and that make Christmas so fun and special.
This is the picture I used for our Christmas Card this year. I only sent 25 this year and didn't get to send one to everyone I wanted to (trying to cut down on expense). It turned out cute. I did a press printed card that was 5x5 in size and cut in a scalloped shape.
The back of the card read:
This is the picture I used for our Christmas Card this year. I only sent 25 this year and didn't get to send one to everyone I wanted to (trying to cut down on expense). It turned out cute. I did a press printed card that was 5x5 in size and cut in a scalloped shape.
The back of the card read:
Friday, September 16, 2011
Montana
Keith's sister Denise and her family (plus Uncle Garret) flew in from New York at the end of June. They spent their first night at Sara and Patrick's and the next day we met up with them off I-90 in North Bend to travel to Great Falls together. Keith's dad and his wife, Sue, had just moved to Great Falls from Rochester a few weeks previous, so not only did we get to visit with Great Grandma Mang while there, we also saw them. Sara and Patrick also came on the trip and Shane drove up from Salt Lake City. The only Mang sibling absent was Kyle. It was the first time everyone had been together (minus Kyle) in 3 years.
The kids did great in the car (it's about a 12 hour drive each way). We stayed at the Hampton Inn, which was pretty nice and got to eat out for every meal (now THAT was a true vacation for me, not having to cook). Denise and Ben stayed at the same hotel with us, so the kids got to see plenty of each other and swim in the pool in the evening.
We mostly hung out during the day at the park with a picnic lunch visiting with the Grandparents. We took a trip out to Fairfield to see the old family farm and to visit Great Grandpa Mang's grave site. Our last day there we took the kids to the waterpark, which was a blast. It was a short trip, only there for about 3 days but a lot of fun.
Denise and Ben drove back to our house from Great Falls, and by then it was the 4th of July. Kyle and Lindsey drove up from Vancouver with their boys - we had a house full! We did a picnic lunch on the river up by Mt. Rainier that day and then fireworks at the house that night. The next day we went to the Woodland Park Zoo, then Denise and Ben headed back up to Sara and Patrick's. Their last day here we met them at Edmond's Beach and then out to dinner at a yummy Mexi place before they drove to the airport. Anne Elyse really enjoyed having her girl cousins Katelyn and Ashley here, and her and Ashley especially hit it off (they are only a year a part) and had a great time together. Wish we could do it more often. Next it's our turn to head out to New York!
The kids did great in the car (it's about a 12 hour drive each way). We stayed at the Hampton Inn, which was pretty nice and got to eat out for every meal (now THAT was a true vacation for me, not having to cook). Denise and Ben stayed at the same hotel with us, so the kids got to see plenty of each other and swim in the pool in the evening.
We mostly hung out during the day at the park with a picnic lunch visiting with the Grandparents. We took a trip out to Fairfield to see the old family farm and to visit Great Grandpa Mang's grave site. Our last day there we took the kids to the waterpark, which was a blast. It was a short trip, only there for about 3 days but a lot of fun.
Denise and Ben drove back to our house from Great Falls, and by then it was the 4th of July. Kyle and Lindsey drove up from Vancouver with their boys - we had a house full! We did a picnic lunch on the river up by Mt. Rainier that day and then fireworks at the house that night. The next day we went to the Woodland Park Zoo, then Denise and Ben headed back up to Sara and Patrick's. Their last day here we met them at Edmond's Beach and then out to dinner at a yummy Mexi place before they drove to the airport. Anne Elyse really enjoyed having her girl cousins Katelyn and Ashley here, and her and Ashley especially hit it off (they are only a year a part) and had a great time together. Wish we could do it more often. Next it's our turn to head out to New York!
Fuller Family Reunion
While my sister was here in June we had a get together with the Fullers so they could all meet Katie for the first time. As has been tradition the last few years, we met at the spraypark near Uncle Bill and Aunt Diane's house. My cousin Shelley and her family were also in town from Alabama, and Aunt Jane and Elizabeth came up from Chinook. Sadly, my dad missed out since he ended up with the stomach flu (the same one I had when we were in Chelan). Always fun to get together and let the cousins play.
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