I hate. Never

It seems I will somehow remember the little things our kids say.  There are many each day that crack me up.  Perhaps a way to remember the "phases" in life we go through...........so here are a few of Grants:  When he is really really mad he will just yell things, like, "I hate" and then "never" in a growlish type of scream.  He had figured out the word "angry" and is often in touch with his "anger".  He will say, "I am angry" and then clench his fists, teeth, jaw, and even butt cheeks I'd imagine all while steam pours out of his ears, and his face turns beet red with sweat dripping down his forehead!  Love him to pieces but he really can get angry.  He had a run in with mustard tonight as he would not stop spitting at Amelia at the dinner table.  After the 8th spit or so, we put a dab of Grey Poupon on his tongue and he really hit the fan.  He was so mad and screamed at the mustard, hates mustard, and told the mustard to go away.  Derek say's he'll probably never like mustard.......hey it did slow down the spitting:)  He also randomly calls us all: pomegranate, roasting pan, cornucopia, chocolate, and so on.

Last Saturday I made the kids homemade buttermilk pancakes, as this is a tradition in our family.  I was asking the kids what they wanted to drink and threw out milk or juice as options.  Then I said milk would probably be better because juice is too sweet with all the syrup and pancakes.  My sweet little Millie at 5 says, "but mama your my sweetest mama ever, and that's just full of sweetness, so that's a problem". I thought my heart was going to melt on the spot!  Millie has the most wonderful prayers.....she is at a tender age and really just loving Jesus and is so intent and heartfelt.  She loves to say her prayers, and is so sincere and loves to go on and on:)  just love her so much and love her sweet spirit:)

Lucy is busy working on her special report on sea horses.  She brought her brainstorming sheet home and so so excited with her sticky note that said, "I need to go to learning experience on the internet" and she worked and worked on it for a while.  Then today she was home for early release and wrote her whole rough draft and is so proud of herself.  She has been knitting a scarf with Mrs. Kuebrich's class, she is getting the hang of it, and working hard:)  My little lulu is kind, sweet, sensitive and just a delight.  She is a great big sister and came down tonight and asked if there was anything she could do to help me.  I was so blessed.  This little girl warms my heart.

Ellie is getting so big.  She just finished her cereal box book report, on Runaway Ralph.  So cute how she designed it and worked on it, and put Grant's little motorcycle in the box as the prize!  She is working on her karate and is an orange belt along with Lucy. Her and I have a great time together!  We went out on a date this week at Baja Fresh (Ellie's fav) and chatted and talked about school, and friends and just caught up.  I love how we can visit about everything!  I hope we can always hang out like this together:)  Ellie is the sweetest little thing and I just adore her, and her tender little ways with her brother, even though he is a stinker!  She is loving her new ipod Nano and jamming out to the music..................

Coming Clean

Ahhhh........it's January. A time for all the decorations to be put away, all the extra cookies to be thrown out, and a feeling of freshness, cleanliness, and new beginnings!  We all enjoyed a really festive and full holiday season.  We were able to attend many Christmas parties, see the Eugene Ballet Company perform the Nutcracker, make Gingerbread cookies and houses, decorate the house and make it magical...........we had about 4 Christmas' by the time we celebrated with all of our family!  What a wonderful quandary to have so many people that you love and that love you back it takes four Christmas'.  I also was blessed to turn 35........to me age is just a silly old number and really just means I am so blessed to have had another year of health and happiness here on this earth.  Each day I am thankful for:

Husband. Children. Extended Family.Health. God. Warm Beds. Beautiful Home.Yummy Food. Hot Water. Stellar Mini-Van. Money. Financial Stability. Energy. Love. Good Will in the World. To be an American Citizen.........

I say these things not to sound boastful but to truly be grateful.  We really don't want for anything and have so much to be thankful for.  Right down to the families that we were born into who made us who we are today, and taught us how to be great parents, polite adults, Proud American's, with tact and manners, and appreciation for holidays and tradition.........little things like thank you cards, and bedtime routines, recipe's and family tradition--all of these come from having this instilled in us, and I hope to send our children on their way with all the goodness that I was sent with...........


Here's to a great 2011!!

Christmas

It seems every year that after the turkey gets eaten..........those blasted 50 gallon Rubbermaid bins come out and send me into complete anxiety mania!!  We love decorating for Christmas, even Derek will put a Santa hat on and put lights and scenes of snow all over the house, village carolers, trees, candy canes, lots of lights and of course nothing but a fresh cut tree!  The kids enjoyed their visit to Sunrise Tree farm in Kings Valley.  We selected and cut down our tree ( only hand saws allowed as to keep the old fashioned feel).  Then we ate these decadent cupcakes, with hot dogs and hot cocoa by the bonfire.  The kids had a blast.  So after three days of decorating, getting the tree and decorating it, now we (actually Derek) are on to the outside lights!  I'm hoping to get our bins put away today, and just be ready to enjoy the season.  I am really going to "try" to just enjoy the moment and not get stressed out about the details that don't matter.  Isn't it about baking cookies with your kids (ones that they like) and not giving every plate to the neighbors (and telling your kids they can't have more than one because they're for the neighbors).  I say the strings of twinkle lights strung all over our kids rooms' from the ceiling that they adore we will just embrace.  They are totally ruining my pottery barn efforts in there, but they are happy and that's what matters.  Taking in the snow days when there are a million 5 minute trips outside and then a pile of water all over the hardwood floor, and 5 loads of laundry.  I will have many years to decorate a tree how I want (and have the ornaments STAY ON THE TREE), and rooms that will look perfect, but be perfectly quiet, and an immaculate  house, that will have no children laughing.......so my prayer is that I will be able to cherish each chaotic, messy, uncontrollable moment and be grateful for every gift (even if I get lavender lip balm from Derek) because I really need nothing, and have every reason to be joyous and content knowing I have a million reasons to be grateful.............and I will re-sight this line again when my IMac is still at Apple on Christmas morning..........

Happy Turkeys......

Thanksgiving was great........we were able to celebrate with lots of family and friends as well.  I guess when I say "great" I mean the build up of planning meals, shopping for ingredients, baking pies and sweet potatoes (which I hate).  It was really fun and started the kick off Wednesday night as Uncle Brock from LA came and took all the girls bowling, and to see Tangeled!  When they returned we all had waffles and bacon for dinner, and watched movies all night, and had Brock for a sleepover which the kids were thrilled about!!   Millie crashed about 10, Grant 1030, Lucy 11, and Ellie...........well she would stay up all night, so she went to bed when we all did around midnight:)  We spent the next day finalizing the last details before heading over the Grandma and Grandpa's for a traditional dinner, and some Christmas Caroling by the piano, and playing the Wii of course!

The actual dinner was one to be remembered or actually hope I get to forget.........Grant decided to have a complete meltdown as we were all sitting down to dinner.  I think the lack of food (picky toddler syndrome) and the lack of sleep (won't nap at Grandma's) had finally caught up with him and he turned quickly into a holy terror!  I spend the meal puting movies on........first the Inrcedibles and then Cars just frantically trying to make him happy so everyone else could gobble gobble.  Finally he landed on a movie and about 10 minutes later was sound asleep in Papa's chair passed out! I got to go reheat my dinner and eat in peace at last:)  That's the beauty of blogs, because one day our holiday's will be calm and quiet and we will miss this right?  Overall it was fun and a fun time was had by all!!

CRANKY.......

Do you ever just feel cranky for no reason?  I know I have a million and one things to be grateful for.  The kids had no school today, so we ventured off with the Gourley's to a fabulous pumpkin patch AKA: fun farm with lots of games, slides, rides, animals, donuts, kettle and caramel corn, and of course the tractor rides and dark spooky maze!  The weather was amazing, sunny and crisp - a perfect fall day!  Had a nice quiet drive home and picked up a pizza on the way home (so mom wouldn't have to cook).  When I came home to the remains of breakfast waffles (yes, homemade and I feel like a great mom) and left over milk on the island, my cheerful mood began to fall.  I am working on this.  Not getting so overwhelmed with the mess, clutter, shoes, toys, papers, mail, bills, dishes that I just hit the wall.  I got noticeably more cross as each hour passed in the evening.  The kids were in bed by 7:30 but I SWEAR IT FELT LIKE 9:00 TO ME!!  As we know all good things must backfire.........they spent the next 1.5 hours coming down and telling us how the other onee was making snorting noises, and coughing, and singing just to annoy them, and this went on and on and on until about 9:00!  Now it really was nine whereas before it just felt like 9.  Then I started feeling like my computer was slow, my house was a mess, blah blah blah..........so here I am as my crabby little self, and realizing I have so much, and really can't complain about anything...AT ALL!  So I think I'll just go find something to watch on TV and take my cranky self to bed:)

peace now..........pay later

After getting Millie delivered for a play date with her friend Claire, I came home and put Grant to bed!  He was a little crab and I was ready to roll up my sleeves and get our house looking "un lived in" again.  So I put Mr. Down, and got to work.  This was 1:00 and he talked until 3:00!  He did fall asleep, and slept and slept and slept.  I went up to wake him at 5:30 but he was sleeping so peacefully I couldn't bare to wake him, as he has been fighting a cough for a month now.  So we went about our business and enjoyed getting some fun aps on the "pod".  We decorated cupcakes on it, played rat rides the motorcycle and many more........Derek and Ellie were gone, so Millie, Lucy and I had a fun time.  Grant finally woke up at 7PM!!!!!  He had been in bed for 6 hours.  Needless to say, It's 10pm and he is watching Jay Jay the Jet Plane while sticking fruit snacks to his face (yes, he looks like he has a scary case of the measles).  I'm hoping he is wanting to go to bed soon......So while the peace was great, I am paying the price now:)  But he is so cute, I don't mind all that much.  The girls have been teaching him to count in spanish.......all week it's been, "Uno Dose, Trace CRAPPER, Cinco, Says  We love it  and just laugh at him:)  As soon as he finishes his banana (AKA telephone to call Elmo) and jumping off the couch we are off to bed........................

Game Day!!

I realize it's been a very long time since my last post.  It's a combo of four kids, summer chaos, school, and yes I will admit spending time on facebook or watching TV instead!  At least I'm honest.  We had a great weekend; started Friday night watching Lucy cheer at the hometown football game, then had a spirited day as the Beavers played and WON!!!  Amelia played soccer (that little dart has an undefeated record, and scored another goal on Saturday)!!  The girls were off to see the new "Owl Movie" and then back here for a blessed evening of good food, family and friends around the table............finished off with a bonfire of smores and vampire stories (thanks Ellie and Brock) as Lucy screamed that she was scared and would never go to sleep again!  Oh, and the slug.....well, Derek thought it would be fun to put it on the plank in the fire and SLOWLY watch it roast--so gross that finally he chucked it into the hot coals for a fast death. 

This morning was lovely as the girls and I went to church.......we had our last service outside which was a little chilly but a great reason to snuggle up together on the blanket and just be together.  We played with each others hair, and rubbed each others backs, and really got to "feel the love".  Great sermon on being content and how as we grow closer to God we are more and more able to be content with the abundance that we have.  To know we have all we need in Him and in our many blessings that no amount of money can buy, like family, wellness, and the daily comforts we enjoy!  Came home to an amazing pot roast dinner, home made rolls, and salad with the season's first pumpkin pie!! A perfect fall Sunday.............After having our friends over tonight (with a family of 6) and having fed two extra guests last night, and bringing my neighbor dinner for 7 on Thursday, and Wednesday I had 10 lovely ladies in for pumpkin bars and coffee..........that may also be why my blogging is minimal:)  I have blessed and fed, and shared with many people this week!  That is why I feel so happy and blessed because I'm able to bless others!