It's time to say good-bye to 2009 and say hello to 2010. As I get older, the years get harder to say good-bye to. I look back at images through the year and see my kids getting older and once again it's like a smack in the face just how fast time goes by. After the Christmas rush it's a reminder not to get stuck in the minutia of day to day things. But it's hard. I do good for a while and then get bogged back down. So, I'm making it a New Year's resolution. My implementation plan is not clear yet, but I'll think of something.
Anyway, this post has taken an extreme turn from what I had planned so let's get things back on track. I have been enjoying a much needed break from photography (with a few minor exceptions) and most importantly some much needed time away from my day job and major quality time with my kids. I've decided this is the best way to get rid of excess PTO = )
What have we been up to you wonder? Let's see. One day it went something like this. Dog pukes. Not sure how long it had sat there before Schuyler found it and it was finally cleaned up. Yuck. The 2 younger kids are napping so it seems like a good time to paint the basement, our latest project in getting the house ready for market. Oh no, kids don't sleep very long and I'm not done. Dog manages to bump both sides of her rear-end into the wet paint on wall. I stop and clean dog off. Use this as an example and warn kids again. Eli can't resist being away from mom and bumps new shirt and new jeans into paint. He is devasted for his clothes. I reassure him I can get it out however he is already running back to his room to hide behind his chair. Yes, this is what he does when he's ashamed, feelings are hurt or he knows he's in trouble. Back to the point, painting is put on hold.
Want another story. One Sunday a.m. I turn cartoons on for the kids so Mark and I can get a few extra zzz's before church. Once awake, Eli climbs on my lap with his beloved blankie. He say's he doesn't feel well which is quite obvious when he no sooner gets the words out and is now getting sick all over me. Hmm, smells like fruit juice. Eli and the girls claim he's had nothing to eat or drink. Hmm. We take him to bathroom and he gets sick again. He wants to take a bath so we make a luke warm one. About that time Mark comes in with the vitamin jar which was completely full last night and is now 1/3 empty. Looks like we foundd the culprit. Within seconds of the discovery, Eli is getting sick again. This time, there is proof as we see regurgitated vitamins. I think this will be a lesson learned for him!
There are xmas stories and othe non-important happenings but they will have to wait for another day.
Here's an internet toast to 2010 - - New Beginnings...
- New Challenges...
- New Possibilities...
Our house is bounding with much enthusiasm and excitement. Translation: this means the kids are bouncing off the wall with anticipation. Rising at 5:45 am and no naps!
It looks like we will be snowed in. The forecast is constantly changing but we are expecting somewhere in the range of 6-12in with blizzard like conditions. We were supposed to be celebrating xmas eve with my side of the family but are postponing until later.
We had a pleasant visit with Santa last week. It's sure nice of him to stop at Daddy's work = ) All 3 kids actually sat on his lap this year. Eli kept asking if the big man would bite him?! Here is what they told Santa they wanted: Schuyler - High School Musical 3 DVD, McKenzie - everything in the whole wide world (yes, those were her exact words) and Eli - snacks! Really, snacks, where did that one come from.
Eli, as might be expected from a typical 3 year old boy, managed to open one of his presents while I was in the laundry room. Nice!
From Luke 2:8-14 “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
My Eli! You really have come a long way in the last year + some. Yesterday we met with LPS to evaluate if we need to continue services with them. We sat at the table and they did some assesments with you. I'm sure they seemed like fun games as you smiled the whole time. They asked questions until you hit a "ceiling" or a point where you could no longer consistantly answer the questions correctly. I think you enjoyed the challenged = ) While she couldn't show me exact results, we know that you are now testing at and well above the verbal and expressive language requirements. When we started the program, you were barely below one of the required levels, but for the other, you were well below the required level. Almost into the level of "severe", whatever that means. It was the source of many frustrations for you, which resulted in behaviors I didn't know how to deal with. We will never know if you were just a late talker, your sisters did all the talking for you, or if working with LPS gave you the boost you needed. What I do know is I'm EXTREMELY proud of you and all you have accomplished. In a few short weeks, you will be 3!! Wow! Things I love right now is that you can count to 20, you can recite your night time prayer and lead dinner time prayer (and are often the first to remind us when we forget). You are sweet and sensitive mixed with a little mischevious.
Mark and I enjoyed a day up in Omaha last week! My dad braved taking the kids to a movie and over night!! Thank you! We got the majority of our xmas shopping done and enjoyed dinner and after drinks with my brother and SIL. It's been a long time since we've done that and I LOVE that my bro is close again! We went to Dario's Brasserie. Everything was simply wonderful. Top notch food, fine beers, and an elegant french-style ambiance. For beer, I chose the Lindemans Framboise, which is a beer with a mix of raspberries. I strayed from my usual dark, Guiness like beer. However, we all chose a variety and tooks turns sampling so I did get a sip of the St. Bernardus Abt 12, a nice dark beer! For my entree, I chose the Mussels blue cheese. I HIGHLY recommend going here if you have the opportunity.
A summary of Thanksgiving in pictures.
Long trip down. Eli watching Shrek. Not pictured is the girls in the back watching High School Musical.
After a little while on the road he's out! Yeah = )
Did I mention eating? In typical Thanksgiving fashion, good food and desserts were plentiful. Eli helps himself to 2 servings of dessert.
Play time. Pick-up time. Play time. Pick-up time. You get the drift.
Lots of love and chillaxin'!
I'm FINALLY getting around to changing my blog header. It's going to take me at least a couple of tries to get things just right. So, the blog is in a state of ever changing flux at the moment. Don't be surprised if you see a couple of different "faces" during the the process = )
For Schuyler's bedtime prayer, this is what she said, "Dear God, Thank you for all the snow and cancelling school so my mom could stay home with us for 3 days. Maybe you could do this again in January." How very sweet is that?!
Being off the past 3 days has been good. At times, I wondered if we were going stir crazy but yesterday was truly a good day. We played lots of games... sequence, which Eli is now into, Sorry, and the Wii! Tuesday and Wednesday we enjoyed sledding down the walk path next to us. Thursday, they got the streets plowed so we could leave home. We went up to Southeast High School for some more intense sledding. Mark had got a couple more sleds so there was no fighting and everybody was sharing!! It was very apparent to me that Eli is NOT so little. Seems like the past few years I've had to carry or help him up the steep slope. Not this year. Not only can he make it up all by himself but he doesn't want mom's help nor her hand. In fact, he's able to carry the sled up and on multiple occassions (after I tried to help) he told me, "I do it by myself"!
Last night we listened to Polar Express on cd. I need to go to the library and get more books on tape/cd.
Here are my 2 of my 3 snow angels = )
This one was not wanting me to take his picture. "Don't take my temperature!!". I'm sure he meant picture but for the record, he doesn't like his temperature take either!
This ones love the snow and was screaming with glee! Some of our neighbors may beg to differ on the sound. See, you must live with her to know her different screams = )
does the time go? This post will mostly be randomness as I just don't have the time I would like to devote to it right now.
Last week I found a sign written in Schuyler's handwriting and it was taped to Schuyler and Mack's bedroom door. It said, "I want to be left alone." Does it have to start so soon?! It's a little bit heartbreaking. It's independence and the need for space.
Eli is a master puzzler. The kid has an addiction. He's good. Really good. It started with 20 piece puzzles and it's now up to 50 or 60. Wow!
Mack is happy that the lights are up on our house. We did it the weekend before Thanksgiving, when it was warm. Everyday when we get home, she plugs them in. We finally put the tree up this week. She was ready to do it the minute we got back from our Thanksgiving break. Never mind the unloading, unpacking, laundry etc... that needed to be done. According to her, everybody else had their tree up. It took 3 days to get it up and decorated, with activities and what not. It passes her inspection of beautifulness (barely). Apparently, it needs more ornaments. I wanted to tell her it was because of her and her siblings we don't have as many as we used to. However, the rest of the house is not beautiful in her eyes. I think she has been looking at too many potterybarn magazines or better home and garden. So, I will be attempting to beautify my home. This is NOT my forte so I'm seeking inspiration - on a budget please! Leave me a msg or send me an email with suggestions. I don't want to let my daughter down = )
I know some of you enjoy your beer and adult beverages as much as I do. I highly recommend Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale. They had samples at the grocery store and my hubby picked it up for me. I evidently am grocery shopping at the wrong time!! They don't have these samples when I go, which always tends to be with 3 kids!!!
