Naptime Reflections

Searching Out the Small Blessings

2011-12-24T15:52:00.004-05:00

Today is Christmas Eve. By looking out the window it looks more like the beginning of Spring but I'll take that sunshine! So our house has been hit with a nasty stomach bug that is sweeping through the entire family. We hardly ever get sick and when any germ enters our house it is usually always contained to just 1 or 2 people. So needless to say that today is not feeling very cheery. But today the Lord has shown me many small blessings.

1.) We are blessed to be able to have a house with 3 bathrooms. I don't think I need to elaborate on that one.

2.) We are blessed that Lovebird has had a very mild case so far and are praying it stays that way. Mommy is not up to taking care of an extremely sick baby......and neither is Daddy.

3.) We are blessed that our children have handled the disappointment of canceling all of our Christmas plans with complete understanding. I think I may be more upset than they are!

4.) I am so thankful for the beautiful sunshine. While I know that many are upset that we are not having a white Christmas, I REALLY needed to see the sun shine today.

5.) I am so thankful for Netflix and Apple TV.

6.) I am so thankful that my kids are just as excited for our Chicken Noodle soup Christmas Eve dinner than they were for the Turkey one.

7.) I am thankful that my mom risked the germs to bring over more soup, Gatorade, Saltines, and Popsicles. Mosheh and Gershom are thankful that she took them outside!

8.) We are blessed that despite everyone not feeling 100% we still get to spend the holidays with each other.

12 Days of Christmas

2011-12-17T22:45:00.000-05:00

So I had read about a great idea on another blog about doing a "12 days of Christmas" for your spouse in the busy days leading up to Christmas. So I took a trip out and picked up gifts for every day. It has been a fun new tradition that I think I will add to our annual holiday happenings.

First Covering of White

2011-12-17T10:32:00.000-05:00

As soon as there was enough snow to somewhat cover the ground the kids were out sledding.
Cuddlebug is actually doing much better in the snow and stayed out for about 20 minutes. Now she still always ends up crying and coming in because she gets cold but we are making progress.
It helps when you have a great big brother who always carries your sled back up for you.

And of course there was hot cocoa waiting inside as soon as fingers, toes, and noses got too cold.

Decking the Halls

2011-12-15T19:11:00.000-05:00

"You need to put all the same color in the same group. See?!?!?!"

"I so got this."

"Daddy I don't think you are doing this right. Let me just get up there and I can show you the proper tree assembling techniques."

Pictures of the finished product coming soon!

You Know When Life is Too Busy......

2011-12-15T08:10:00.000-05:00

......when your 3 year old walks inside and then lies down and falls asleep on the foyer floor. We must slow down.

Last Themed Cake

2011-12-14T21:06:00.000-05:00

So B.W. informed that since he was 11 this would be the last year he would pick a themed cake. Now considering I still do themed cakes for Prince Charming we'll see if he sticks with that statement when the big 12 rolls around. B.W. wanted a Lego cake and I had some grandiose plans of what I could do but because of the craziness with remodeling and trying to get ready for the holidays I went with an extremely simple cake.......and B.W. loved it so that's all that matters. He also got to celebrate with some dear friends so that made it even better.

Legoland

2011-12-14T08:53:00.009-05:00

B.W.'s birthday gift was a trip to Legoland.
The kids aren't too fond of spiders so they were very theatrical at the thought of a spider this big.
Ready to take on Darth Vader.
Lovebird loved this elephant. For her there weren't too many things to do but she just loved riding in the stroller and taking it all in.
The girls enjoyed the "Girls Only" area.
The kids took a little class on how to make the Sears tower.
Cuddlebug had a little help from daddy.

Everyone had a great time.

We then headed to Rainforest Cafe for an early dinner. We timed it just right and the restaurant wasn't busy at all which meant the noise was about 1/10th of what it normally is. It made for a much more enjoyable dinner!

Moments Like These

2011-11-30T20:50:00.000-05:00

So the Thanksgiving didn't quite go as planned at Uncle B's and Aunt K's. The turkey was underdone, the stuffing was overdone, and Plan B had to be activated which was going and buying chicken at Martin's. But all of that doesn't matter.

It's moments like these that make a Thanksgiving meal.
The three kids enthralled with Great Grandma, her stories, and looking through the Christmas catalog she brought with her.

Operation Christmas Child

2011-11-30T20:40:00.000-05:00

The kids were so excited to pack up their Operation Christmas Child boxes and send them off. Cuddlebug had been talking for over a week about "her friend" who was going to get her box. They all spent much time picking out the perfect gifts for each of their boxes.
Now we wait to see where each of the boxes final destination will be!

Why?!?!

2011-11-30T20:35:00.000-05:00

"Why have they waited so long to give me this delicious thing they call a French Fry?!?!"

Thankful Party and Why I Can't Leave Prince Charming Unattended

2011-11-30T20:30:00.000-05:00

So we don't celebrate Halloween and we were so excited when a fellow church family suggested having a "Kick off to Thankfulness" party a few weeks into November. The kids were to dress up in a costume of a Bible or book character. The kids were very excited about this.

B.W. decided to go as David.
Lovebird was his little sheep.
Curly Bear went as the woman who poured perfume on Jesus feet. She really wanted to be a Bible character since the other three were going with that theme and it took us a looonnnnggg time to come up with something.
Cuddlebug wanted to be a rainbow since that is her favorite Bible Story. So we made her into "God's Promises".

Now the days leading up to the party were absolutely crazy busy! I felt like I had about ten huge projects to get done in a few days time. So while I ran to make some copies for the kids folders for the church service I asked Prince Charming if he could fit the rainbow to Cuddlebug and put the ties over the shoulders so it was the right height. I wasn't gone for more than 10 minutes and was texted this picture.
I text him back and tell him I think he needs to loosen it up a little bit.

About 2 minutes later I get a text that says,"Oh shoot, I caught it on fire!"........"You better come home."

Thankfully by the time my few errands were done he had things under control and our little rainbow was running around the house. Now I still have never heard the whole story on how he set the costume on fire. He and the kids have been very tight lipped about the matter. Hmmmmm.......

Too Much Birthday

2011-11-30T20:12:00.002-05:00

Well I think this picture doesn't need much explanation. Lovebird was a tad out of the ordinary the day after her big day and pretty much screamed every time I put her down to clean up anything.

The Big First Birthday

2011-11-30T20:05:00.005-05:00

Lovebird enjoyed a very relaxing first birthday that included snacking on her favorite snacks, reading books, going for a walk, taking some pictures, and getting to eat her first slice of cheese pizza. We then had a few family members come over for cake and gifts.
The "easy" cake I had planned turned out to be a tad more difficult than expected but the end result was great.
The birthday girl changed into her "cake eating" outfit and was all set. Yes there were a few wardrobe changes throughout the night because mommy couldn't decide on just one outfit. So there was a "Meet my Guests" outfit, a "cake eating" outfit, and then a casual "End the Night" outfit. It did feel a little Academy Award but she was cute in them all.

"Ummmm......why are you setting my cake on fire?"

"Oh dear, now they're singing.....all on different keys."

"Maybe if I clap for them they will stop."

"Oh good, the clapping worked."

Now I wish I could say that she dove in.......but she barely touched the thing. It may have been she was full from her earlier dinner of her first piece of cheese pizza or maybe she just wanted to be a lady and not make a pig of herself but she didn't smear cake everywhere like I was expecting.

I think she was more concerned about getting back to work on her new laptop.

Lovebird is One!!!

2011-11-15T22:09:00.005-05:00

Give me an O!

Give me an N!

Give me an E!

Lovebird is one!!!

3:04pm on 11/15/2011: Exactly 1 year old

You Know You're a Homeschool Mom When......

2011-11-08T18:29:00.003-05:00

.....you have to reheat your coffee after every three sips because you keep forgetting about it and then you find it the next day in the microwave......beacuse you forgot about it the last time you reheated it.

Our Home: {Why We Choose to Homeschool: The Sibling Factor}

2011-11-08T13:57:00.000-05:00

One of the reasons I love homeschooling is the sibling relationships that I see being nurtured. This wasn't an original reason we chose to homeschool but one of those benefits that we've seen before our own eyes. I see this with all the homeschool families around us as well. I'm not saying that if the older kids were not home all the time they wouldn't love their younger siblings but there is a definite difference that happens when the family unit is together all the time. Here are just a few of my observations.

1.)The older ones get to know their younger siblings better because they are not away from them for 6+ hours a day. B.W. is probably Lovebirds favorite person after mommy. And I'm sure that when she is done nursing big brother will slip into that top spot quickly. If B.W. was a little older we know that he could totally handle watching all of his siblings.

2.) Age is not a factor. Whenever I hear the words homeschool kids and unsocialized I always laugh. This has not been our experience at all! I love how our kids will make friends with just about anybody. They can also carry on a conversation with any age including adults. When I've been around kids who are not with their siblings through out the day it appears that age does play a factor. I don't hear my kids say, "That is for babies." or "They are too little to play with." We have had friends over before and have heard this. I loved B.W.'s response. "Well lets play with the little ones for a little bit to make them happy and then we'll play something else." I wondered if as my kids got into those teen years if age might become a factor. By the teens I've seen who are homeschooled it won't be. I love seeing a 6th grader be totally accepted by a 12th grader at co-op. Age is just not a factor. In adult life it's not a factor so why should it be as a kid. You don't ever say, "Sorry, I only have friends who are between the ages of 40 and 45." Well I hope you don't!

3.) They are great friends. Believe me, my kids can definitely get on each others nerves and fight with each other. There are always going to be personality clashes. It's natural. But in the end my kids do love one another and miss each other terribly when someone is missing. They also know that in the end family relationships are the most important. They see Prince Charming and I have close relationships with our siblings as an example. At times when the older ones are fighting with each other I talk about how I have many friendships but with time some of those fizzle out but the ones I know will always be there are the friendships with my sisters and same goes for Prince Charming and his brothers.

Seeing our kids become best friends with their siblings wasn't a reason we chose to homeschool but has definitely now jumped high up on the list of why we continue to choose to.

Balloon Time

2011-10-23T18:53:00.001-04:00

Sign of Fall: Leaves, Leaves, and a Few More Leaves

2011-10-23T18:48:00.002-04:00

Celebrating Tabernacles

2011-10-23T18:22:00.008-04:00

We decided to head down to Brown County and camp to celebrate Tabernacles.
We brought the dogs along with us and they loved it and we loved having them with us. It made us want to get the RV even more. Our dogs are a part of the family so we love when they can join us on vacation and with an RV they could always come along.
Cuddlebug couldn't wait to drink hot cocoa.....or hot cocu as she calls it.
Lovebird was trying to call the nearest five star hotel after she stole daddy's phone.
"I don't know why they don't trust me when they get the food out for meals?"
Daddy and the older two climbed to the top of the watch tower.
Cuddlebug chose to keep her feet on the ground. She's not real fond of heights.
We enjoyed the absolutely beautiful weather and loved being outdoors.

For some reason napping in a tent causes awful bed head.
While we took down the tent and cleaned up Cuddlebug found some pretty flowers to pick.

It was a fabulous time.

Almost 1!

2011-10-23T12:50:00.001-04:00

In another month we will be celebrating a first birthday.
And I'm not ready for it! Just like I'm not ready for little Lovebird to be crawling all over the place like she is.
But I can't wait for the birthday and I know that this one is not going to disappoint us in the cake smashing.

Seasons Changing

2011-10-22T21:57:00.001-04:00

Fall is here.

And it's beautiful.

Note: We were trying to figure out how tall this tree is so you will notice Curly Bear standing at the bottom of it with a tape measure. It's 82 Feet!!! That is one big tree!!!

Week of the Cousins

2011-10-18T17:00:00.000-04:00

The kids had been counting down the days until the cousins were to come and stay with us for a whole week.
Our house was a tad louder than usual.
Dinner time was a tad crazier and messier than normal.

But more fun was had than usual!!!!
Preschool science experiments took over the kitchen.
Does it sink or does it float?
Trying to make a run for it. It rained every day so the kids were wanting to go play outside soooo bad.
Much coloring happened. Cuddlebug loved having some other kids join in her school activities.

The Wanderer.

Everyone had a great time and we can't wait to have them come back for the holidays!

Your Word

2011-10-18T16:48:00.000-04:00

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" Psalm 119:105

Missing our Pool Days

2011-10-18T16:35:00.000-04:00

Oh how I miss our daily trips to the pool. Just looking back at these pictures I can feel the afternoon heat of summer!
Actually, the day these pictures were taken it was freezing! Lovebird was protesting a tad about being put in for the mere photo op.
Then there is Curly Bear and B.W. who could really care less about the temperatures and will take any chance to be in the water.
Cuddlebug spent much of her summer sitting on these stairs. This was most definitely her favorite spot.
And why did Cuddlebug and Lovebird like going to the pool? Snack Time of course! We wouldn't be there for more than five minutes and Cuddlebug would be asking if it was almost time for the whistle to blow so she could have a snack. Our last trip Daddy let the kids pick out a treat from the vending machines. Lovebird didn't think it was fair she didn't get any Skittles so she just sat and begged. It worked. Thankfully we caught the fact that Cuddlebug had sneaked her one. We then had a nice conversation about choking hazards. We are already looking forward to next Spring when the pool opens back up.

Girls Night: Tennis

2011-10-18T16:26:00.000-04:00

So the girls decided to head out for some Girls Only tennis.
This one will be some stiff competition one day!

Catch Up: {Summer Fun List: Cedar Point}

2011-10-18T15:12:00.001-04:00

At the end of the summer we made a last minute trip to Cedar Point so we could mark that off of our Summer Fun List. Most kids were back in school so the park wasn't too crowded.
While Daddy took the older two on one of the big roller coasters I took the little ones to a show. Cuddlebug absolutely loved it and I'm pretty sure we could of just stayed here all day and she would have been totally content.
There were hardly any kids there so Cuddlebug got all the characters pretty much to herself for the "Dance Party". She thought this was just the best thing ever. She absolutely loves characters and when at Disney your time is always so limited with them.

We finally joined back up and it was time for the Jr. Gemini. Always the first Cedar Point coaster that each kid rides to break them in.
Curly Bear is in the very front while Cuddlebug and Daddy are a little farther back. Everyone loved it.
There are the older two. I feel like most of the pictures are of the little ones since I was with them with the camera most of the day while Daddy had the older ones on the bigger rides.
Here is B.W. walking back after riding the big swings. He probably didn't need to take his tennis shoes off......but you can never be too careful I suppose.
Lovebird finally gets to get in on the ride action. This is seriously one of the only rides she was allowed to ride. She loved it!
B.W. was a great big brother and rode with Cuddlebug so Daddy could take pictures.
And then Curly Bear took up the rear in the caboose. It was a fun and relaxing day. By the end the big kids had rode the Gemini, the Iron Dragon, the Coal Mine ride, and the Blue Streak. They also rode the Woodstock Express along with Mommy and Cuddlebug. By next summer I bet some even bigger coasters will be added to the list.

Derby Worthy

2011-10-18T13:09:00.000-04:00

I think we need to head to Kentucky because this hat is most definitely Derby worthy. Don't you think so?

So Many Words

2011-10-18T11:59:00.000-04:00

There are so many words that can describe Curly Bear.

Caring. Kind. Giggly. Determined.

Spunky. Mischievous. No Fear.

Sweet. Loving. Cuddly.

Thoughtful. Passionate. Curious.

Beautiful. Tender Hearted. Sensitive.

The things Prince Charming and I love about this girl are too many to mention.

Forever Memories

2011-10-16T15:06:00.001-04:00

So yes I suppose I should have been paying better attention during our church service but I just had to take this picture. I love how there are so many little ones playing quietly and then B.W. is listening so intently in the middle of it all. These will be treasured memories forever.

Catch Up: {More Summer Fun List}

2011-10-16T14:46:00.006-04:00

We did make it through most of our Summer Fun list. It was a very busy summer but it was also a very fun summer!
We went to see Cars 2. This picture was taken out in the hall of the theatre. After Lovebird decided she wanted to give her critique of the film in the middle of it.
We went to the zoo with friends.
The Bigs.
The Littles. Plus Curly Bear in the background making sure no one fell off.
I let the kids wash the cars. They also washed each other.
If you tried to take the hose out of Cuddlebugs hands she would spray you. Her plan worked.
The kids had the best time and we got a job done.
We went to the World Pulse Festival. Well we actually were only there for 45 minutes and then right before the Newsboys were suppose to come on a bad storm blew in. The kids were incredibly disappointed but rumor is that the Newsboys will play next year so hopefully we will be in town.
You can see the dark skies in the background. This was the same day and almost the exact same time that the tragedy at the Indiana State fair grounds took place. So even though the kids were disappointed it was a great lesson in how blessed we were that everyone was safe and unharmed at the concert we were at.
To lessen the disappointment we went to the Chocolate Cafe. Cuddlebug enjoyed her chocolate covered pretzel.
The kids rode their bikes around the neighborhood while the littles and I walked and were pushed in the stroller.

We also made it to the root beer stand but didn't get a picture. There were a few things that didn't get done but there is always next summer!!!!

Catch Up: {Disneyland}

2011-10-16T14:37:00.007-04:00

We are a Disney vacationing family. We love going to Disney World. We love the parks. We love the restaurants. We love the shows. We love the hotels. We absolutely love Disney World. So because we were so close to Disneyland we thought we would see how it compared. We did remind ourselves that this was going to be different than our usual Disney experience.
Prince Charming took our traditional picture of coming out on to Main Street. Ummm.....it was a little anti climatic. The castle here definitely couldn't compete with the one that has its residence in the sunshine state.
This was Lovebird's first Disney experience on the outside. Our last trip I was pregnant with her.
Waiting in line for the Pooh ride.
"Dad, this isn't going to scare me is it?"
We forgot Lovebird's hat so we picked her up a new Minnie baseball hat. She loved it. Or I should say she loved chucking it out of her stroller and watching us go and retrieve it.
We didn't wait in any lines to see characters except for the chief mouse himself. Lovebird had to meet Mickey!!! She was smitten just like Cuddlebug was and still is.
Whenever I saw Tangled things I would think of how much the other two girls would love it. As you can see, Lovebird was exhausted from all the Disney fun.
Rapunzel's tower. The two other girls want to go to Disneyland just so they can see this in person.
"Mickey, We're moving to Florida!" Just kidding! While Disneyland was different it also had an old school charm about it. We did have a good time!!!

Catch Up: {California}

2011-10-16T11:03:00.004-04:00

For our 12th anniversary we took a short trip to the golden state.
Lovebird was our little third wheel. She did a fantastic job for the long flight and overall was pretty good for the trip. She went into her first church nursery at Calvary Chapel. That part she didn't enjoy as much but was happy to see us when we came to pick her up.
Lovebird with her new friend E out on the boat.
Our view.
We spent a whole lot of time shopping and having a mall right across the way from our hotel made it that much easier. It was a great time!

Catch Up: {More Beach Pictures}

2011-10-16T10:56:00.003-04:00

Catch Up: {Ludington}

2011-10-16T09:57:00.005-04:00

Nothing says summer like going to Ludington!

Going to the beach was of course on the daily "To Do" list.

Lovebird loves the sand. She also loves to try to eat the sand.
Grandpa chose to stay in the shade.
While Uncle B chose to take a nap in the sun. Can you guess who was hurting later that night?
All ready to go out on the boat.
Go cart races were fierce.
B.W. was so excited that he was tall enough to drive his own this year!
And as always we ate our weight in ice cream.

Catch Up: {Summer Fun List: Blueberry Picking}

2011-10-16T09:45:00.003-04:00

Blueberry Picking is another summer favorite. It's so much easier than picking strawberries too!!!
B.W. likes doing things like this but he normally gets a little bored with it and ends up helping keep the little ones occupied.
Curly Bear on the other hand LOVES picking, and any sort of gardening for that matter, and could be out here for hours. She is the perfect mix between loving the city and loving the country.

Then there are the little ones who pick.....and then eat their harvest.....and then take a rest in the morning sun.

Cowgirl Attitude

2011-09-17T05:23:00.000-04:00

Spoiled Rotten

2011-09-16T17:18:00.001-04:00

To say that our dogs are spoiled..........I suppose that's an understatement.

My How You've Grown, Lovebird!

2011-09-16T04:18:00.008-04:00

So I haven't had a Lovebird post in a few months and my has she grown!
She loves playing outside and loves playing with her older brother and sisters.
Lovebird has mobilized! She isn't up on all fours all the time and she still prefers her perfected scoot and roll technique.
She is taking after her older sister Cuddlebug and is having some of the same eating and food issues but she is continuing to grow and that makes us happy. She does love to eat!
At 10 months she weighs 16lbs. 14oz. and is the tenth percentile. She is such a little peanut!
Lovebird enjoys playing with her cousins and she's learning the word "gentle".
She loves practicing her standing skills......but I'm in no rush for my baby to start walking!
Lovebird went from having no teeth to 4 teeth in a matter of a few weeks. She is growing up quickly and that first birthday is fast approaching.

Insomnia

2011-09-08T00:53:00.000-04:00

Some of us suffer from insomnia.

While others of us don't.

Catch Up: {I Love My Aunt)

2011-09-02T01:09:00.001-04:00

I love my Aunt!

I also love her hair!

Catch Up: {Curly Bear Turns 7}

2011-08-29T02:19:00.010-04:00

Curly Bear had a great birthday. There were a TON of activities planned. The festivities started the night before with cake and some gift opening.
I was convinced by my husband that because we were leaving for the cottage the next day that buying a cake would be easier and much more practical. He had seen this cake a few days earlier at the store and thought the birthday girl would love it so I ordered it just in time. She did love it!
Curly Bear got to open a few of her gifts.
She loved what her big brother picked out for her. Ahhh...they do love each other.
The next morning it was time for the big gift.

O.K., so it is a very little "big" gift but you can tell by the face that it was a huge surprise.

I think we now own almost one of everything from the Apple store. The iPod was put to use immediately on the drive up to the cottage.
We met Uncle B and Aunt K and immediately started the joint birthday festivities. The birthday buddies of course picked House of Flavors for lunch.

We then headed to AJ's for a game of laser tag.

And to end the day Curly Bear got to have a good laugh at the Dance Revolution rematch. I can't begin to describe how hilarious this was. I think 7 is going to be a great year for Ms. Curly Bear.

Catch up: {Summer Fun List:Strawberry Picking}

2011-08-25T08:12:00.003-04:00

Picking strawberries is always the first thing we mark off of the Summer Fun List every year. Curly Bear is definitely the one who could pick all day and never get bored. The girls made visors to wear the day before we went picking and were so excited to wear them out.
Cuddlebug filled a little box all by herself. She still is not real fond of strawberries but she did eat a few when we got home.
What goes with a big bowl of strawberries?
Fresh baked biscuits of course! Yes, we let our kids eat strawberry shortcake as dinner the day we go out and pick. If pancakes can be considered a meal then I think strawberry shortcake can be considered one as well!

I Will Catch Up!!!

2011-08-22T23:46:00.003-04:00

So as usual, summer has gotten the best of me and I haven't been keeping up with blogging. Swimsuits have definitely been worn a TON this summer. Between going to the beach and heading down to the pool there's always a pile of suits waiting to be washed not to mention a mountain of towels. But that is exactly why we love summer!!!! Over this next week I'm determined to catch up and upload all those summer fun pictures. Well that is when we aren't at the pool or the beach!

Our Newest Family Member

2011-06-10T08:27:00.000-04:00

Gershom Doggin

We decided to adopt another puppy......because we are absolutely insane! He really is the cutest ball full of energy I have ever seen. Thankfully the energy is short lived and he does calm down after about 15 minutes of doing circles on the main level of the house. Gershom will be two on July 10th but he still acts very much like a puppy. Mosheh is tolerating him well although when the puppy energy comes out there is still growling going on.

Sign of Summer: One Moulting Dog

2011-06-01T18:50:00.000-04:00

This spring it has been SOOOOO nice to not be messing with Mosheh's disgusting ear like last spring!!! I know that some may think we are absolutely insane for spending that kind of money on a surgery for a pet.........but it was worth every penny!!! He is now much happier and definitely smells much better. Last spring when Mosheh started losing A TON of fur I thought it was due to the awful infection and all the antibiotics.
Nope. That was just normal spring shedding for him. Or as we say, "He's moulting." You can literally pull out handfuls of hair at a time. This week I've been spending 30 minutes a day pulling out fur in hopes that I can give him a bath soon without needing a plumber afterwards. Even though I have hairballs all over my house and I'm vacuuming at least twice a day.......I love him. And he knows it. Have you ever seen a 65lb dog think they are a lap dog? There is some upcoming news on the pet front in our house. Stay tuned..........

Preschool Training

2011-06-01T11:42:00.007-04:00

"Mommy, can I help?" is heard in my kitchen pretty much every day. It is always followed by, "Can you please get my stool?". Cuddlebug absolutely loves to help in the kitchen. I've learned after many years of homeschooling that the kitchen is the best classroom for this age. Yes it gets messy at times. There have been many eggs dropped on the floor, much flour thrown around, and many spills but in the end it's always worth it. Cuddlebug's favorite is to make cookies. This kid is just like her daddy and LOVES to eat the cookie dough left in the mixing bowl. She has asked many times to make cookie dough and not bake it just so she could have some dough. All the other kids enjoy eating the dough as well and we now have a "rotation" of who gets to lick the beaters and who has to settle for a spoonful. It's a unanimous vote in our house that it always tastes better straight off a beater.

Here Cuddlebug is watching the rhubarb cobbler bake. Another favorite in our house. Everyone loves it....except for me. Those are my favorite desserts to make because I know that I won't have to spend extra time on the elliptical afterward!

Grey Hair

2011-05-29T14:34:00.001-04:00

Curly Bear is and always will be the reason for every grey hair I ever get. This picture was taken AFTER she climbed down from the very top of this tree. Her girliness mixed with no fear still cracks me up.

Homeschoolers Have Talent

2011-05-27T12:19:00.002-04:00

The kids participated in a Homeschool Talent show. There were performances and displays.
We joined the R-Crew for some handbell songs. The kids did great and they had a lot of fun.
OK so with their concentration faces on they look as though they are being forced to perform. Trust me, they loved it! They also displayed their photography projects and Curly Bear had a baking display.
As usual, the littles sat quietly and watched the older ones perform. Well, Lovebird watched as soon as her hat was off her eyes.

First Beach Day!!!!

2011-05-26T13:21:00.000-04:00

We made it to the beach!!!!!

A few days after Mothers Day we did make it to the beach. I still wasn't feeling great but I was NOT going to miss another perfectly beautiful beach day!

Lovebird enjoyed her first trip to the dunes.

Can you tell that the kids were a tad excited?

The 2011 rock and shell collection has begun.

Because the water is so cold the kids couldn't swim but it was perfect weather to climb the dunes. Now B.W. and Curly Bear are pretty much completely opposite in their attitudes. B.W. is laid back while Curly Bear is super competitive. So naturally she would make sure that she barreled down the sand with no fear of falling in hopes of beating her brother. B.W. on the other hand is more cautious and knows that if you fall you will be spitting out sand for hours.

Yes, that little sand tornado is Curly Bear. As soon as she fell I thought we may have a broken bone and for sure a mouthful of sand. She hit HARD!

No way! She was up and laughing hysterically. There was no way she was going to let go of her lead so she was off running again within seconds. I still have absolutely no idea how she didn't get even a grain of sand in her mouth! It was a great first beach night of the season.

6 Months

2011-05-26T10:17:00.001-04:00

I feel like I just did a 5 month post and now here I am again. Lovebird is extremely strong. Her exersaucer is her favorite right now. She likes to have it all the way down so she can push up and stand on her own. She loves to talk to each of her animal friends . Whenever she comes to the pandas though she gets very serious and scolds them. Obviously the pandas have some attitude issues. Her 6 month check up went great and she made it to the 15lb mark which put her just under the 50th percentile. Again, she cried for just a second for her one immunization. She is one tough cookie! Which is kind of funny considering that the first 24 hours after she was born she would screech anytime she was moved and didn't want to.

Signs of Spring:Signs that Summer is Right Around the Corner

2011-05-24T14:58:00.000-04:00

The swing set is being used daily.

Curly Bear is upside down even more than normal. This would be why she has a rule that if she has a dress on she also needs leggings or shorts.

Our fridge is always full of fresh veggies and fruit that don't look like they have been shipped across the country. I can't wait until they are coming from the garden!

Dishes like this are being served instead of soup.

We are loving our new patio set!

Freshly made lemonade has taken the place of hot cocoa.

Oh, and pants are optional under your tutu......as long as you stay in the house.

Not According to Plan But Still Blessed Abundantly

2011-05-23T23:43:00.002-04:00

At the last minute we decided to split the Mothers Day festivities into two days instead of trying to cram it all into one. On Saturday we went out for lunch at Uptown Kitchen. My absolute favorite! I hadn't been since they moved to the new location and it was fabulous as always. We then did some quick errands before we had to head to church.

On Sunday I woke up to breakfast being made for me. I had been up about five times that night and I eventually ended up sleeping in the family room. I tried to pretend I was sleeping but after an hour I gave up. My family may be the noisiest chefs I have ever heard. Breakfast was lovely. We were then suppose to go to the beach for the day.......but that didn't happen. After breakfast I started not feeling well and thirty minutes later I realized that it was going to be one of my "excruciating, I'll take any pain medicine I can find, I'm not going anywhere" chronic pain sort of days. I was disappointed and the kids were disappointed. Curly Bear offered to drag me on a sled up the dunes. I told her that I didn't think that would work for more than five minutes. She tried really hard to convince me otherwise. I was so glad we had already gone out to lunch the day before! Thankfully by that night things were back down to a bearable state. A medicated state, but bearable. There was one point that my organic eating, natural living, completely against medication self was begging Prince Charming to take me to the hospital to get some "good" pain relievers. I was dreaming of a morphine drip. Even though our plans were messed up I still enjoyed Mother's Day with many cuddles, many kisses, funny songs sung for me, and an all day movie day with my family. I am abundantly blessed!

You Know You're a 4th Child

2011-05-06T07:41:00.000-04:00

You know you're a 4th child when........you get put into a diaper box because your big sister made a crib out of it for you.
You know you're a 4th child when.........instead of your mommy rescuing you......she grabs the camera so she can get pictures first.

Mission Photoshoot: FAIL

2011-05-05T07:42:00.002-04:00

So while we were getting ready for church on Resurrection Sunday I packed up the camera so I could get some pictures of the kids at church. Let's just say that getting ready that morning was a little chaotic. I guess we have become quite used to going to church on Saturday night instead.

While I did have good intentions.......this was the only picture that was taken. I know, it is soooo dark. My absolute favorite lens was starting to go out but we didn't realize it until just this past week. So at the end of the day we thought we would try to get a few pictures of the kids.
Again,dark! I think you can also see by Cuddlebug's face that picture taking was not going to happen. We aborted the mission rather quickly.

A little talk with daddy.....

.....along with some cuddles.....

.....followed by some kisses was all that was needed.

However, by the time Cuddlebug was calmed down it was time for Lovebird to eat so that was the end of that photo shoot.

Sacrifice

2011-05-04T09:39:00.000-04:00

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 5:7

We had a great time celebrating Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. The older kids were so excited about the Seder. They have always enjoyed it but this year it was counted down a week before. I guess it's a sign that they are getting older. Cuddlebug on the other hand wasn't so sure about all of it but she did make it through the entire Seder this year! It went much smoother than last years "Red Grape Juice spilled on my Curtains" fiasco.

Unleavened Bread was a tad challenging with Cuddlebug and she did get some "leaven" before it was over. This kid was pretty much a mess when she was told if she wanted a peanut butter sandwich it would have to be on Matzah. Her reply was, "But I don't like MATZAH!!!!!".

It was a wonderful time of remembering and celebrating.

5 Months

2011-05-03T13:24:00.001-04:00

Lovebird is 5 months old and growing cuter by the minute. She has turned into the laid back, loves everyone kind of baby. She is pretty much smiling all the time unless she is hungry. So there have been a few times when she was seeming that she wasn't getting enough to eat and daddy was pushing to feed her some solids. She has been completely enthralled by everyone eating around her so we gave it a try.
She didn't hesitate to take her first bite of the Organic Brown Rice cereal.
At first I thought she was going to like it.

"This stuff is awful!"

I have mixed some banana's into the cereal which she liked better. She doesn't have solids daily yet and only gets them when it seems like she's not getting enough from nursing. But soon the baby food making will begin!

Signs of Spring

2011-05-02T22:08:00.001-04:00

Signs of Spring are popping up everywhere! Finally!!!
Summer clothes, sandals, and picking Spring flowers are a sure sign that warm weather is coming to stay soon.
Landscaping and outside projects have begun! The sod that was destroyed last fall by our raccoon friend was pulled up and new sod has been laid.
The side yard is completely completed!!! Prince Charming laid the last 1500 square feet of sod and now we are hoping that everything will blend together so the strip down the center of the yard won't be so noticeable.
The side deck has been repaired from all the ice damage from the awful, cold winter and the post that never was done last fall is in place. The goal was to have most of the major outdoor projects done by the end of May and I'm feeling confident that we actually might accomplish that!
Another sign of Spring: The first bunch of rhubarb from Grandma's garden arrived!
And the absolutely disgusting bowl of morel mushrooms soaking in brine is on my kitchen counter. Praise the Lord these things are only in season for a few weeks! Now the taste isn't that bad but the look of these things soaking just grosses me out!

Glad my God is Bigger than that Problem!!!!!

2011-04-19T22:26:00.004-04:00

Last week I went in for my yearly ovarian cancer screening and ultrasound. The bloodwork came back great and so did the ultrasound. I did kind of laugh as I was walking out of the office though. My Dr. said she thinks I have endometriosis and that is what is causing my awful pain that I get at times. The other big symptom is infertility. Hmmmm......so far have definitely not had a problem with that! Even after I had my one ovary removed we have been blessed with Cuddlebug and Lovebird. I have now been diagnosed with almost every major issue that would cause infertility and all I have to say is.......I'M GLAD MY GOD IS BIGGER THAN THAT PROBLEM!!!!!

Movin' On Up

2011-04-04T17:49:00.000-04:00

Cuddlebug is moving up to the next level in gymnastics which means now she will go in without mommy or daddy. Her last class both mommy and daddy came in with her as a special treat.
I love Lovebird looking at her big sister. "I could so do that if they would let me try."

Cuddlebug's favorite.

So Prince Charming told Cuddlebug to go down the slide and stand up with her arms up. She decided to try that on the top of the slide.

Pencil roll gone haywire.

Parachute fun.

So the one thing I'm really going to miss about being in with Cuddlebug is that it keeps my eyes off of Curly Bear and all of her "Give Mommy a Heart Attack" skills. The last week of the session she started doing round offs off of the big beam.

I'm Not Sure!!!!

2011-04-01T19:09:00.003-04:00

So today is April 1st and I'm not sure!!!! What am I not sure about you ask? I'm not sure if I can take one more day of feeling cold! The older I get the more I despise Indiana weather. I'm so tired of feeling like I'm frozen from the inside out. One time somebody asked me why I always have some sort of jacket on and I replied, "Because with the jacket along with the three other layers under it I'm just above absolutely freezing!". I keep having people tell me that we are having some great spring days. Hmmmm......lets mosey on over to weather.com and get a report. Right now it is 39 with a chance of rain/snow mix later this evening. Seriously?!?!?! Oh and did I mention that I killed the first mosquito yesterday. Something really doesn't seem right to spray the kids down with bug spray, put on their winter attire, and send them out to play. Am I the only one who sees this?

I think I'm so done with the cold for the mere fact that now that Prince Charming works from home on top of homeschooling we have basically become hermits from the months of January to April. I basically would have to bribe myself with a trip to Starbucks just to get out and go grocery shopping. Did you know that kids will eat Udon noodles, peanut butter on tortilla shells because of no bread, and popcorn for lunch every day if you let them? It's harder to convince the husband this is a good lunch though. But when it comes down to him having to go to the grocery store he pulls up his chair and digs in. Oh, did I mention that Prince Charming doesn't handle cold either? Oh well. Someday it will be warm here again. But until then I'll be Praising God for the big, warm house that does its best to keep me warm. That doesn't mean I won't be dreaming of Florida just a tad though.

4 Months

2011-03-29T12:54:00.002-04:00

So I've been taking the day to catch up on blogging and realized I had never finished Lovebird's 4 month post. She is still quite the happy baby. She's sleeping well at night and eating like a champ. Prince Charming and I are getting a little concerned she's not getting quite enough milk so we may start her on solids at 5 months instead of 6. We don't want the same thing to happen like it did with Cuddlebug. Lovebird loves sitting in her Bumbo chair and started rolling over. She doesn't do it often because she doesn't like being on her belly.
Just like the rest of the family she is not fond of cold weather. Anything under 55 degrees is considered cold weather in my book.
She is still such a peanut but incredibly strong. The Dr. was amazed at her strength at her check up. She weighed in at 13 lbs 6oz and was 26"long. She also received one immunization and barely flinched for it. Crying is for babies you know.

Birthday Bash 2011: Day 2

2011-03-27T23:25:00.000-04:00

So having two birthdays back to back is completely fun and absolutely exhausting. We try to focus on the fun aspect of it and then plan on resting the full week after to recuperate.
Cuddlebug chose McDonald's for her birthday lunch out. Not the fanciest choice but it could always be worse......Chuckee Cheese! We then headed to the Curious Kids Museum.
We daydreamed about our upcoming beach nights as we looked over the bluff. Come on summer!!!!
Cuddlebug took a few minutes to take it all in and then she started in on the fun. Apple picking is always a favorite.
Lovebird looked a little envious of all the fun that was going on. As soon as this one is walking there will be no stopping her!
There was much building going on at the earthquake tables.
So I don't think I would stay in a building built by Cuddlebug if it was in an earthquake zone.
B.W. on the other hand was on to some structural sound engineering.
The big bubble was a hit as usual. Cuddlebug wanted so bad to try this but would get scared every time the bubble started to go up around her. Maybe next time.
Cuddlebug doing some serious work on the computer. Some screen came up and it had the words "Warning" and "NASA" in it. Whoops!!!!

The Braille typewriter was another favorite for the older kids.
Cuddlebug treating B.W. in the back of the ambulance. Not quite sure why he is getting a shot in his chest. Her mischievous smile is a little concerning to me.
After the museum it was back home so we could get ready for people to came over for cake. This Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake has been talked about for the last six months. The actual making of all the pieces for the cake was easy but getting everything balanced and structurally sound was a challenge. I literally finished this cake as Cuddlebug was coming down the stairs. I barely made it.
She did a great job at blowing out her candles. All that practicing at our Shabbat dinners paid off. We then opened gifts and then all the kids were sent to bed. Everyone was so exhausted. Another fun Birthday Bash completed!

Look Who's 3!!!!

2011-03-27T11:12:00.000-04:00

"I'm 2!"

"Oh wait......I'm 3!"

"Is that right?"

"Yep! That's what my shirt says. See!"

Happy Birthday to our ever so sweet Cuddlebug!

Happy Birthday Prince Charming!!!!

2011-03-26T22:35:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Prince Charming!!!

The Birthday Buddies.

So I had been planning Prince Charming's cake for over a month. I was then thrown a curve ball when he went to go work for one of the company's represented and I had second thoughts. Now his favorite hobby was his career. I still went with the idea in the end. He did make a comment jokingly about me making him a great work cake which almost resulted in him being punched. Considering I had very little sleep I wasn't quite in the joking mood. Even though it took me about twice as long as I had planned I was happy with the end result. I did have a panic moment when the grey frosting looked rather lavender but as soon as I put the black accents on it looked grey. Praise the Lord! I didn't want another "2009 Pink Car" incident!!!

After we had family over for cake we headed to Indy to have an early dinner at Don Pablo's which was followed by some shopping. It turned into window shopping considering we had all the kids with us. Prince Charming actually likes to shop. Maybe a tad too much. But when we have the kids in tow we always seem to be done MUCH sooner. Our kids are absolutely wonderful out in public but between maneuvering the stroller and making sure we aren't missing anybody it just seems to be exhausting. We will definitely be going back to Keystone when we are down in Indy for the homeschool conference in June. It was a wonderful day!

Mission Completed

2011-03-11T08:55:00.000-05:00

He finished it.....in one day! I figured B.W. would take a little longer on this detailed Lego set but as usual it was done by the time he went to bed on Monday night. He was determined to finish before Grandpa left so he could show him it all completed. This kid loves his Lego's!!!

Hot Shot

2011-03-10T18:58:00.000-05:00

So this little hot shot rolled over from her back to her tummy yesterday. She even got her arm out from under her right away and pushed up as if to say, "What do you think I am, a newborn?". Later in the day she tried it again but couldn't get that arm out from under herself. Completely frustrated and irate would be an understatement on her feelings about the issue.

Sick Day

2011-03-09T08:47:00.000-05:00

So I've declared that today is an official sick day at the O Academy. Curly Bear came down with a fever last night and this morning B.W. and Cuddlebug are both not feeling great. Since daddy is away on business and I'm alone to manage the troops I figured a sick day was appropriate. I have quite a bit of organizing to do and I need to scrub the kitchen floor so it will be nice to get all those things checked off the "To Do" list today.

Accessorize

2011-03-06T08:22:00.000-05:00

Cuddlebug has a new obsession with purses. She usually has more than one stuffed to the brim with her little treasures that she wants to take where ever she goes.

Memory Moment

2011-03-04T06:45:00.000-05:00

I love this boy.

3 Months

2011-03-03T11:26:00.000-05:00

Our little Lovebird is 3 months old! She is past the fussiness of her newborn days and is more adorable by the day. She still loves to be on the move whether it's in her swing, bouncy seat, stroller, or the Baby Bjorn.
She gives us the biggest toothless smiles and has started to laugh.
She is still little and is wearing 0-3 month clothes and probably will be for awhile.
Lovebird is also learning to love tummy time.....sort of. She is VERY strong and can already scoot herself. It's never in any intentional direction but the mobility is definitely starting. Mommy and Daddy are not ready for this! She still prefers to be upright rather than on her tummy and has started to master sitting in the Bumbo chair. It is quite the work out for those little stomach muscles but everyday she can sit longer and longer in it. She has also started to love bath time and will kick and squeal with delight when she's in the water. I can't wait to take her swimming this summer. She's getting so big!

30th Birthday: Day 4- Superdawg

2011-03-02T12:05:00.000-05:00

So on our way back home it was pouring down rain and only 2 degrees above freezing which made for some stressful travels. But we weren't too stressed to detour to try Superdawg. So because we do not see the need to have cable we end up watching PBS when we aren't watching Netflix at night. One of our favorite shows is the Hot Dog Special where they document all these great hot dog places all over the country. After the kids watch they always want a hot dog which is kind of funny since we don't really eat any pork. Hebrew National hot dogs, now that's another story! Superdawg is one of the places that we thought would be fun to try someday and so we looked it up and realized it was on the way.
The kids loved trying to "dig" their hot dogs out of the never ending fries.
Ahhh a real beef hot dog! So I'm not one who would order a hot dog but I must say that these were pretty good.
We then headed back to the interstate to make the trek home. Because of our shopping purchases and the humongous stroller in the back we had to put a van seat down so B.W. and Curly Bear had to sit right next to each other. Thankfully they did fairly well and when I looked back this is how they had fallen asleep. We stopped by Grandma and Grandpa Mayberry's house to pick up Mosheh and then headed home to relax for the rest of the day.

30th Birthday: Day 3- IKEA and Rainforest Cafe

2011-02-28T08:40:00.001-05:00

So Lovebird fell in love with the comfy hotel beds.
This day was set aside for some major shopping and all major shopping needs to involve IKEA. We found these great wardrobes for when we redo our master bathroom. After IKEA and our 50 cent fat-free frozen yogurt cones we headed to Woodfield to do a little more shopping. B.W. bought a Lego set that he has been looking at for some time. I think that helped make up for his time spent at American Girl. We then headed to one of our favorite places to eat.
Rainforest Cafe! So Prince Charming and I have become addicted to a few dishes here not to mention the awesome desserts. The actual "rain forest" atmosphere can be quite loud and distracting at times but our addictions always let us overlook that. The meal was ended with the traditional volcano. Lovebird slept through our entire meal so it proves my point of her needing NOISE to nap good.

After our shopping we let the kids swim for a little bit and then it was back to the room for baths and then a movie. Cuddlebug got to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the iPad since the movie didn't interest her. It was a fun and exhausting day.

30th Birthday: Day 2- American Girl

2011-02-26T22:31:00.000-05:00

So for Curly Bears birthday she bought a Lanie doll with her birthday money and then we told her we would take her to the American Girl store. Well..... pregnancy, summer craziness, our Florida trip, and then the "Vacation Flu" of 2010 kept us from ever going. So we decided to stop by on our way to the hotel while we were in the city for my birthday.
So do I really need to tell you that she was excited. This picture says it all.
She finally made it.
I was so glad they had a display of her Lanie doll. And yes, her and Lanie are matching for this trip.
This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip. B.W. was such a great sport and a great big brother. He tried to share in Curly Bears excitement and walked around with her and pointed out some of the cool things that were there. I know he would have much rather been at the Lego store.
She made her decision for her purchase and was so excited. We will be going back at some point, maybe her next birthday, for a "Just Girls" trip. To be quite honest, I can't wait to go back and have more time to look around and eat at their cafe. That store is pretty amazing! Someday if we ever go to New York with daddy for business we'll check that one out too. Curly Bears favorite thing to tell people about her daddy's job is that the office is right around the corner from the American Girl store.

30th Birthday: Day 2- Aquarium

2011-02-25T11:00:00.002-05:00

The next day we headed into the Windy City and went to the aquarium. B.W. was in his element here and liked sharing all he knew about every sea creature we saw.
The oceanarium was a favorite.
So when we went to the Tulsa zoo a few years ago the kids fell in love with watching the penguins and it was no different this time. I think they could watch these little guys for hours and never get bored with it.
Lovebird was all ready to see the aquatic show.
The dolphins were the favorite.
Watching all those animals jump and do their tricks is exhausting!
It was a great time and we can't wait to go back! We bought a membership so I see many Chi-town visits in our future.
Grandma and grandpa got to join us which added even more fun.

30th Birthday: Day 1-Gifts and Skating

2011-02-24T20:06:00.008-05:00

So Prince Charming planned quite the birthday weekend for me. It started by opening gifts in the morning.

My wonderful husband bought me a wonderful camera. Here is a picture of both.
That night we headed to the same roller rink where I had my 6th birthday party. Oh and if you are wondering what I looked like then.........
...........just take a look at the cake. Yes, that is a picture of me when I was 6. This is what happens when your husband along with your children go to order your birthday cake. You end up with an embarrassing picture adorning a Strawberry shortcake cake. It was delicious!

So our kids had never been to a skating rink so it was so nice to have the whole place to ourselves.
Now I think there were better pictures of B.W. skating but this one cracks me up!
Curly Bear did get the hang of it quickly and wasn't a permanent wall fixture.
Cuddlebug absolutely loved skating and was very comfortable skating off on her own.
So when I was 6 I got to ride in this big skate and somehow my husband convinced the owner to overlook the age 10 limit. My kids thought this was absolutely hilarious!
It was a great night with family and friends. The only thing that was drastically different from my 6th birthday to my 30th was how sore I was once I got home. The next morning I woke up feeling great though and all set for the next day of birthday fun!

Everyone Has a Job

2011-02-18T08:06:00.000-05:00

So in our house everyone has to pitch in. After our Canada unit study we decided to make Nanaimo bars. Cuddlebug got the job of smashing the graham crackers. This literally kept her occupied for 30 minutes!

Bounce, Bounce, Bounce

2011-02-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

B.W. is quite good at calming our little Lovebird down. This exercise ball is probably the best $15 ever spent.

Super Bowl Fun

2011-02-16T11:09:00.003-05:00

So we normally don't watch the Super Bowl and if we do it's only for the commercials. The only team we follow is Green Bay because if we don't my dad will not speak to us. Yes, my family is the REAL kind of packer fans. Not the kind of fans that only watch and wear green and yellow when the team is looking good but the kind who are die hards to the end. When I was little I used to get my dad and my grandpa going when I would say I liked the Lions merely for the fact they had pretty blue uniforms. So because Green Bay made it to the Super Bowl we would most definitely be watching. Despite the adults in the house not feeling well we still had a great time.

The kids were all decked out in their Packer gear. Cheeseheads included.

Is this not the cutest cheerleader ever? We were elated the Packers won and of course it was in usual Green Bay fashion of a nail biter to the end. They can't do it any other way. Those true Packer fans know exactly what I'm talking about. I almost let the kids have Monday off of school because the Packers winning the Super Bowl is equivalent to a National holiday in my family!

Goals: January Update

2011-02-05T08:30:00.002-05:00

So it's been one month since I laid out my old/new goals and to keep accountable I'm reporting on my progress. I am overall happy with how I did in the month of January. I didn't focus on all ten this month so some I was more successful at than others.

1. Make teaching my kids first priority.....everyday. We did excellent at getting ALL of our schoolwork done this month. We are in a good schedule now of morning school and afternoon school. We passed the 100 day mark which is always a great feeling!!!
2. Focus on having fun. Some of the fun things we did this month were making a volcano, making a 3D drawing, and doing some fun chemistry experiments. When Prince Charming was away on business we also had late movie nights, banana splits, and s'mores. We have had to postpone a museum trip with friends a few times because of weather but I'm hoping to accomplish this in the near future.
3. Bible Study. I did fairly well with this one but there is no excuse why I can't be doing the study like I want every day. I will definitely work harder towards this goal in February.
4. Reading. I read one book in January!!!! Now granted I finished at 11:58pm on January 31 but I did it. It kind of felt like cramming for a test. I read "A Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family". It was a great book and I took away a few new ideas. Now I technically don't consider our family an all out large family.....yet. But I do like reading books written by homeschooling moms with multiple children for the mere fact that they have many different age levels. This is where the challenge comes in for me. If I had all my kids working on the same curriculum things would be easy! But juggling two elementary students, one active toddler, and nursing a baby in the middle of it all.....that's my challenge.
5. Craft Day. I did not accomplish this goal.
6. Hospitality. We did have some friends from co-op come over for a sledding date. This months weather was so awful that I didn't want to make people get out of their houses! I did do a fairly good job at keeping the house at that "1 hour" rule though.
7. Exercise. O.K. but needs improvement. I think I exercised about twice a week and my goal is four times.
8. Start new ministry. Still more to come on this later.
9. Date nights. We went out once this month. Again, the weather kind of kept us in.
10. Blogging. While my January blogging was light I feel like I caught up quickly and actually am on top of things. That's a HUGE improvement!

So all in all I considered it a pretty successful month as far as goals are concerned.

I am out of here!

2011-02-04T14:32:00.000-05:00

So Prince Charming had to go out of town for a few days for business. It was weird to not have him here during the day but the time seemed to fly by thankfully. There were library trips, movies watched, popcorn by bowlfuls consumed, and always a special treat before bed. I always find that if I focus on fun things to do at home it always makes the time that daddy is away easier. Considering this was the first time in seven months he has had to travel I can't complain much. When we were getting ready to go pick him up at the airport Cuddlebug came down with her bag packed. She had packed it herself and was all ready to go and see Mickey Mouse again because according to her he is missing her dearly. Yeah, I'm pretty sure this one will live in Florida at some point in her life as an adult.

Tradition

2011-02-03T07:34:00.000-05:00

Curly Bear and I had a chance to head out just the two of us and see Fiddler on the Roof with my parents and sisters for my moms birthday. It was a fabulous show and even though it didn't end until 11pm Curly Bear was on the edge of her seat the entire time. Fiddler is one of our families favorites and we can probably sing every song in the show. At one point I had to touch Curly Bear on the shoulder and tell her to quit dancing. She didn't even realize she was doing it! While we were there I remembered the two of us going to see My Little Pony Live right before Cuddlebug was born. It made me sad to think how much bigger my Curly Bear is in just that three year period. Everyone had a fabulous time and thankfully Lovebird behaved herself and took a bottle for daddy.

2 months

2011-02-02T09:24:00.000-05:00

Lovebird is two months old and I don't want to believe it. She has gone from fussy most of the time to very content in what seems like overnight. Don't get me wrong, she still has her fussy moments but who doesn't? She weighed in at 11lbs 2oz at her check. Which is hilarious to me because she just now is starting to outgrow her newborn clothes and the 0-3 month attire is finally not humongous on her. I'm not quite sure where she is hiding that 11lbs! She has started pushing herself up during tummy time. That is when she isn't protesting tummy time. She is also the girl of a million expressions just like her older sister.

She can go from the frowny face........(This one is especially for you Liz. I know how much you love the frowny face.)

.......to the content face........

.......to the all out smile in a matter of seconds.

B.W. almost always brings a smile though with his silly faces. She adores her brother so.

Sledding with Friends

2011-02-01T12:20:00.003-05:00

The R-Crew came over to do a little sledding. The dads and the big kids headed to Wilson Park and then came back to let the little ones join in on our hills.
Cuddlebug was excited to try out the new Mickey sled that daddy had found for her.
There were many laughs.
And as usual Cuddlebug was the last one out and the first one in. She is more of a sunshine girl if you haven't already picked up on that.

Snowed In

2011-02-01T11:10:00.001-05:00

One Saturday we awoke to a ton of snow and no plows in sight. Well there actually was a plow in sight but it was stuck in front of our house. It did finally manage to get out but then we didn't see another plow for a day or two. They did send a front end loader up which the kids thought was pretty cool.
Cuddlebug is actually starting to like playing in the snow.
We even bundled up the baby to get her out for a few quick pictures.

"Daddy says he wants me to climb in there!"

"I'll try it."

Of course it didn't take Curly Bear long before she dived right in to daddy's igloo.

It's a perfect fit!

New Year, New Goals, and New Names

2011-01-26T17:56:00.000-05:00

So I had a goal of catching up with my 2010 blogging by January 31 and I was done eleven days early! Can I get a woo-hoo?!?! So as I look back over 2010 I realize that as far as goals I had made I failed miserably but the Lord showed me that life can still go on abundantly even when it's not going according to plan. Or should I say my plan. So here in 2011 I'm sticking with my same goals (and hoping to be successful) on top of adding some new ones. So here is the list...........

Make teaching my kids first priority.....every day. While we always do school some days I feel like I'm just trying to get through and I really want it to be a fun adventure every day. So some of the changes I'm making is making appointments later in the day, running errands after the kids are in bed or on the weekends, and doing my best at starting on time. I have also started monthly planning for school, meals, and basically life in general. This is making things go much smoother. Someday I would love to be able to do once a month grocery shopping but in this season of life that seems overwhelming to me. Maybe someday it won't.
Focus on having fun! This kind of goes along with the first goal. I do love to have fun but I'm one of those people that also loves to check things off of a "To Do" list. This makes me not fun at times.
Bible Study. Last year I was trying to read through the Bible in 90 days with some friends. Then I got pregnant.......and....well....I completely dropped the ball. I hope the ladies I was doing the study with understood because sadly I haven't talked to them much since dropping the ball. This pregnancy I wasn't sick but I was completely and totally exhausted. And it lasted the WHOLE pregnancy. So Josh bought me some great Bible study guides for Christmas and so I'm going through Isaiah right now.
Reading. Another goal from last year that I completely failed at. I would love to read at least one book a month.
Be crafty at least one day a month. I love being creative but I feel like I never make time for it.
Be more intentional in my hospitality. The big thing to keep this goal a reality is to keep the house tidy at ALL times so I can be open to inviting people over whenever the opportunity arrives. Even if it means they will be walking in the door in an hour. That is my goal for housekeeping. That in one hour I can have the house presentable. So far this year I've been doing fairly well at accomplishing this. I don't mean every room in my house has to be spotless but the main areas where we host people do have to be somewhat in order.
Exercise at least 4 times a week. Isn't this on every one's list?
Start a new ministry the Lord has laid on my heart. More on this later.
Have two date nights with my Prince Charming a month. This doesn't mean we have to go out but it does mean we can't watch a movie while he works and I plan for school the next day. That is a pretty lame date night don't you think?
Keep up with blogging. I want to make sure I have a record of our life when the kids are young. Since I don't have time to keep up with scrapbooking this is the way I need to do it for now. With that, I've decided to give my kids and husband nicknames on my blog. I really don't like doing the first letter of their name thing like I've been doing and I don't like the idea of going back and putting their full names. I almost did this but I still just don't feel quite comfortable with it. So now we will have...........

B.W.

So this was the only one I couldn't find a good nickname for. I talked with him a lot about possible choices but we never could come up with something we agreed on. For now we'll still use initials but tack on the middle one.

Curly Bear
She was given this name by her big brother before she was even born and we haven't used it since she has gotten older. It's good to hear again! Side-note: We really had no idea that she would have such curly hair and I can remember telling her brother that chances are she wouldn't. I guess I was wrong!!!!

Cuddle Bug
This one has a cuddle in her pretty much any time you ask. She gives out hugs and kisses continually and one of my favorite things she says right now is,"Can I kiss the baby?". Whenever anyone leaves our home fellowship she is right there with a hug to say good-bye.

Love Bird
This one like her older sister also loves the cuddles. I think she has been cuddled and held 95% of her life so far. She knows when she has been laid down and will awake immediately if she was sleeping. She has a onesie that says Mommy's Little Lovebird and I love it because she loves to cuddle and her middle name means little bird.

No picture available due to computer issues......and a lazy mommy who doesn't want to upload pictures again at this moment

And my wonderful husband will be referred to as Prince Charming or Prince Geek. He is a Prince Charming but at times I think Prince Geek may fit better. Come on, anyone who enjoys learning new computer programming languages as much as he does is most definitely a geek! But he's a cute geek.

Too Much Celebrating

2010-12-29T02:53:00.002-05:00

O Come Emmanuel

2010-12-28T02:51:00.003-05:00

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

First Christmas

2010-12-27T02:49:00.002-05:00

Ten years ago B wore this on his first Christmas.

And now S is wearing it for her first Christmas.

Christmas Morning Fun

2010-12-26T02:32:00.002-05:00

New pajamas are always a great way to end the Christmas Eve festivities. Because of grandma being sick we stayed home all day Christmas Eve and Christmas day. It was relaxing but felt weird.

I know this picture is blurry but I thought it was hilarious that Mosheh beat all the kids down.

The kids love giving each other presents. I think that is what causes the most excitement of the morning. B couldn't wait for L to open her pink Hexbug she wanted.

H received this Angelina Ballerina from B, L, and S.

Mosheh enjoyed his special treats.

The kids giving daddy his gifts from them.

Do I look as tired as I felt? I think I do. My best Christmas gift was a wonderful, uninterrupted nap after gift opening.

H loved handing out the gifts.

"Mommy, I got a Hexbug too!!!"

We could barely tear B away from his new Star Wars book to open the rest of his gifts.

It was a great and relaxing morning.

Wishing you and your family......

2010-12-25T17:41:00.000-05:00

1 Month

2010-12-15T02:27:00.000-05:00

How can you be 1 month already? You are settling into a better routine. You are a tad colicky. You love to be on the move and your favorite motion is bouncing. You are in love with your bouncy seat for this reason. Bouncing on the exercise ball with you always means instant calming down. Soft blankets are your favorite and there is now a rotation of them in the laundry at all times. One month later and you are still in newborn clothes. Your siblings are constantly holding you and you have come to enjoy it. You are simply adorable.

First Snow

2010-12-14T02:22:00.000-05:00

"Are you ready?!?"

"Hold on tight!"

"Let's do that again!"

"Thanks brother for carrying the sled back up that big hill."

"Let's cuddle, drink hot cocoa, and watch a movie to warm back up."
First Snow Day= Success

Singing their Hearts Out

2010-12-13T02:19:00.002-05:00

B and L did fantastic again in their choir concert with the SB Children's Choir. Despite the awful roads to get there the night was wonderful. Daddy made sure he ran out to get L her rose for after the show even in the snowy weather.
H sat quietly for the entire concert. Ahhh...that training in sitting still is paying off!
S was also wonderful and cuddled mommy in her soft blanket while listening to the glorious music.

The Festival of Light

2010-12-10T21:26:00.000-05:00

"I am the light of the world."
We received a pretty great Hanukkah gift this year.

Slumber Party

2010-12-08T21:20:00.000-05:00

The kids couldn't wait to put up decorations and then watch Willy Wonka. The old version. Because I knew it was going to be so late by the time the movie even started we told the kids they could bring down the sleeping bags in hopes that they would fall asleep. H was out before they even made it to the factory but the older two watched the whole thing and then went to sleep right away. Mommy and Daddy barely made it through the opening credits before starting to doze on and off. As you can see in the lower left hand corner, Mosheh watched the movie too. I think he was more watching for any loose popcorn that happened to fall on the floor.

Getting that Perfect Shot

2010-12-06T21:10:00.000-05:00

"Get your hands down. I can't see your face."
"Stop moving for 5 seconds please."
"Almost got it."
"Perfect!"

We're in the Double Digits

2010-12-05T21:05:00.002-05:00

I can't believe B is in the double digits. For his 10th birthday he asked for a Galapagos Islands cake. I can always count on him to stretch my cake decorating abilities. We had a nice relaxing day and then we had church at night. It was our joint fellowship with the other home church so we met at The Post. Could you get a better spot for a 10 year old boy to spend his birthday?!?! After service and the meal the kids along with the dads played basketball and dodge ball in the gym. There were also pool tables and other fun activities. It was a great time.
While it didn't come out the way I had exactly planned I think it's pretty good considering I had about four hours sleep and had about an hour to decorate it before the baby had to nurse again. B loved it and that's all that mattered.

Happy Birthday B!

First Bath

2010-12-01T20:59:00.000-05:00

So it was time for the first bath and we had already come to the conclusion that S would not enjoy her first bath like H had.
Waiting for it..........
There is the reaction we were expecting.
Thankfully she survived the traumatic experience of being bathed and once she was back in warm pj's all was right with the world again.

Teaching the Important Things

2010-11-28T20:55:00.000-05:00

Big brother teaching his new baby sister the importance of Star Wars.

Future BFF's

2010-11-25T20:47:00.000-05:00