Sunday, November 30, 2008

Take three hundred and sixy two...



I tried, unsuccessfully, to snap an informal photo for Christmas cards.

I may be biased, but I think I have really cute kids. They just aren't very good at all being cute at the same time. Eyes closed, eyes open, one smiles, one is crying, all are crying, my hat itches, I am hungry, why do I have to, what are we doing, can I have a fruit snack...this is nuts. I know why people pay photographers for this sort of thing, only I am not sure I could emotionally handle a photo shoot right now. I think I will just send a link to my blog and say if you want to see the kids look here. Merry Christmas.

My sister was home this weekend. It was super great and wonderful. I miss her so much. She held the baby and put her to sleep and I actually folded laundry. We visited all day together. I felt so blessed. My bathroom even got cleaned, but that is another story.

I wanted to go to Crooks to visit the Christmas house that helps the Make a Wish foundation. I had really good intentions. But, we had a full family meltdown at suppertime and it just wasn't going to happen, maybe another night?


great grandkids

cousins
Lester and the girls

Making apple turkeys at Grandma Bonnie's.
Baby Nora makes an even dozen grandkids (I have two brothers and one sister) with the oldest being 10 years.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Splish Splash

Guess who decided it was time for her bath?





Other appropriate titles considered for this post include;

  • How to make your older brother really mad.

  • How to scare the dickens out of your mom and your dad.

  • How to make your mom and dad look pretty darn stupid.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Weekend Photos

Every morning Nora wakes up with both legs in one leg spot. One night she wore one of those baby bags and woke up with the zipper in the back. She isn't really that small, I think she just misses being a ball.
Maleah must have pulled Addi up the hill 100 times. I guess I would love being outside if all I had to do was sit in a sled,too.
A quick mommy forced shot that didn't turn out too bad.
Snow bunnies!
Addi is in her usual spot, she loves to eat!
Eyes wide open, I don't think they are gonna be blue.
She does this all the time, now. It cracks me up. Don't look at my messy floor :) Ahem, I think she got my junk!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Why we had Chinese for afterschool snack...

That would make a good book title, don't you think? This post is for Karen, you better get your blankie ready...you are gonna need a whole night's sleep after this one...as if!

This is a true story, no one's names have been changed and I even left out my typical exaggeration because, believe it or not, I couldn't even make this stuff up.

I woke up this morning with good intentions. I hummed my morning song, learned years ago in church camp from Pastor Krueger and his lovely guitar...
"Good morning God,
Good morning God,
and not good god it's morning.
Good morning God,
Good morning God
Dear God it's a beautiful day, "

That is one moment in history I would return to in a second. Church camp rocked!
Anyway...


I went through the motions of morning like I usually do. Make the coffee, get out the cereal bowls, unload the dishwasher, change a diaper or two, lay out clothing and toothbrushes. Then I heard a sizzling sound...I forgot to put the carafe in the coffee maker! Hot coffee all over the counter top and dripping to the floor.

So, I get things cleaned up and sit down in THE CHAIR. That would be the nursing spot. Soon I hear a splash and a ting. Someone spilled their cereal. A very tiny voice floats from the kitchen, "I'll clean it up mommy, don't worry."

Get the first-grader out the door and switch nursing sides to see a visitor at the door. An uncle looking for dad's help. Dad is sleeping 'till noon, I say and decide that while I am up and the baby is screaming anyway I should make supper. So I cube a round steak and throw some of my garden canned 'maters and carrots and potatoes in for a stew. Baby is still screaming so we take a nursing break. Before long it's 11 am and I have to shower. Got to get to town for a !@#$ haircut that I scheduled BEFORE dad picked up the night shift. So I pump, wake up daddy, jump in the shower, put clean clothes on and head out the door with wet hair for the second time this week, hey at least people know I am clean!

Get to town, get the hair cut and come out to a FLAT TIRE! I am not kidding. Just another typical day in mommyville. So I drive real slow like across the street to HyVee gas. I pull up to the free air box and get my cold, no jacket or gloves, body out to get the hose. I undo the cap and push the thingy on the other thingy and hear a faint wheeze. Nothing happens. My new do is blowing in my face as I contemplate that the tire actually looks flatter now than before. I notice the attendant boy looking through the window at me, oh what I would give to be 9 months prego again. I get back in the car, speed dial the hubby and ask him what to do.

"Did you turn the compressor on?" WHAT? You have to do more than unscrew the lid and put the thingy on the thingy? HUH? Curse, curse, cursity, curse, curse... CURSE. I scan the car and find some huge black gloves. I put them on and venture out again in my damp clothes with my damp hair blowing in my face and no it doesn't feel like a Pantene commercial. I look at the FREE AIR box.

Down at the bottom right hand corner it has a round button and this word,

START.

Curse, curse, cursity, curse, curse... CURSE.

I fill the tire with air. I am starving and head to the Chinese counter for lunch. My kids love Chinese food, it is such a treat for us. I buy the family meal with an extra side of fried rice that costs me more than a whole box of brown rice. I cringe.

About an hour later...

We are sitting at the table at mowing down on Chinese food when my first-grader comes in and shouts, "RICE! Mom, you make the best after school snacks."

That beef stew will be even better tomorrow night for supper, don't you think?

Monday, November 17, 2008

Monday musings...



We received some adorable baby gifts this weekend. I wish I was a newborn, I would look crazy good in pink and chocolate brown polka dots, I just know it ;) The new Carters line is all so cute and all the other brands are following suit, I think.

I have been kicking myself all morning (sorry to cry on your shoulder, Carey) for missing out on a great deal on a Britax carseat at Target.com. This time of the year there are SO many online deals you would have to be on indefinitely to see all of them. Anywho, I found out the deal was a misprint anyway so I didn't really miss out on anything. A whole lot of stress for nothing, what else is new.

It is frigid here. Addi LOVES to be outside. She would sit in that stroller all day if I let her. Her nose gets so red I think it may fall off, but she doesn't complain at all. I think she will be a daddy's girl...always out and about. I have told more than one person this week already that she is the glue that keeps this family together. Nothing helps make things better like a good laugh and she lives (and loves) to crack us all up. We adore her and totally make fun of her. Just tonight she stepped in a box of kleenex and couldn't get free. Here is a video sample of her antics from yesterday...


Nora is getting better at sleeping in chunks of time instead of only an hour or so. Last night I think she may have slept 3 hours. I can't really remember, I was too tired to look at the alarm clock. It felt like a longer amount of time between feedings.

Gavin is out hunting with dad. The meatloaf is in the crockpot and the cheesy potatoes in the oven. Maleah has a reading rally tonight and I may actually be able to attend if the baby allows it. Wish me luck, will ya?

ps - actually got the thank yous written this weekend now we will see if they ever get sent

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

just so you know

When I was cleaning the computer desk/hutch out today I found my list of who to send thank yous for Addison's baby gifts and baptism cards. So, I think there is probably no hope of me ever getting anything done this time, as I have yet to even make a list. Nora gets baptized tomorrow in a private service at the church because Daddy works weekends. I will forever be behind.

Just so you know...