2 months??? Where did you go?

Oh my! I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted last. Sorry to my dedicated readers, however few of you there are. :) I'll try to do better as the year winds down and 2009 begins!

Today has been another typical day at our house.. Serenity stayed home this morning from school because of a stomach ache. About 11:30 she decided she could stand the pain and went to school. (I think she's trying desperately to NOT repeat last year's attendance record which included many missed days of school.)

I decided that since she was a trooper I should probably do the same and brought Alex to preschool. (this is no easy task, with Isaac and Elijah in tow!)

The little boys rested well, after a fun-filled vacuum experience. Isaac has taken to "bakuuming" with me. Thankfully, all my base molding is solid wood, not to be dented or scuffed by my hard working 2 year old. As usual, I found myself doing something unintended as I cleaned the floors.. under the refrigerator.. yuck!

I spent the quiet hours of nap time editing, chatting and talking on the phone. It wasn't overly restful for me, but I was able to make my first sale as an Independent Demonstrator for Uppercase Living. Thanks sis. ;)

Upon the big kids getting home from school, I realized that my darling daughter wasn't feeling any better. She spent the snack time lounging on/near me at which time I discovered her roasting forehead. To my surprise, her temp was 102.5! Poor girl.. Ask-a-nurse reported that there have been several cases of a fever virus going around... I quickly responded with a comment I had made a few days ago.. that we're all seemingly healthy.. As with most of life, it's bound to change!

In an attempt to be a better planner and healthy eater/food preparer, the split pea soup is fragrantly simmering in the crock pot awaiting Ben's arrival home from work.

That's it for now as the rest of the day is a mystery. I hope yours goes well.

Reno/Sparks Trip - Day 3 & 4

Day 3 has been pretty boring. Nothing major to report. One of our favorite parts of the day, mine anyway, is stopping at the Starbucks in the lobby for our daily ration of coffee and pastry. Yum!

Day 4 was nice. After we woke up, we dawdled around and ate a late lunch at the buffet in the casino. We then went on a nice drive in the country.. no plans, just to see what we saw. It's amazing how the countryside can be so rugged and cold looking, even when it's hot out! The temperature was warm here but there always seemed to be a nice breeze, keeping us from roasting. There was a blue haze over the sky during our stay.

Here are some more pictures from our adventure.

Reno/Sparks Trip - Day 2

Elijah and I slept in today.. we were TIRED from the long travel day. Ben had to work so I didn't see anything wrong with being lazy all morning. For a late lunch, the three of us went to The Round Table and had some tasty pizza.

After lunch, we went back to the room for Ben to rest before the big VIP event for Scheels. Not long after that, we put on our pretty clothes and were out the door. It was a great night, tons of people. I'm glad to say that I attended the event.

The mayors of Sparks and Reno, the Nevada Governor, the Scheels CEO Steve D. Scheel, and the President of Scheels Steve M. Scheel, along with a bunch of other important people attended.

Here are some fun pictures from the night.

Reno/Sparks Trip - Day 1

The view is lovely sitting here in Reno at the Grand Sierra Resort and Hotel. Elijah and I have been here since Thursday. We flew in to join Ben at the Grand Opening of the Reno/Sparks Scheels Store. We went to the VIP event last night and it was amazing! The store is HUGE; literally the largest in the world.

Our flight here was uneventful. Elijah did very well up in the air. From the moment we arrived at the airport, he started jabbering and I don't think he has stopped since then. Everywhere we went people stopped to google at him, and he would give the biggest, sweetest smile imaginable. What a lucky mom I am to get to see his sweet face every day.

Here are some pictures of our first day in Reno. Check back soon for more.

Camping 2008

As many of you know, I tend to take A LOT of pictures. Out in the woods, with the bugs and the trees doesn't change that fact. I admit, I may also have a slight obsession with my adorable children too. I can't seem to get enough pictures of them either. And that, mixed with the excitement of seeing my family leaves me with an even bigger challenge in restraining my clicker finger. So, it's taken me a couple weeks to get through the 400 images I took! Sorry!

Anyway, we had a great time camping August 22-24 at Elk Horn Resort and Campground again this year. Tenting was great! The wind was pretty ferocious but it made the first night all the more memorable. We celebrated two birthdays, made new friends, ate, laughed and giggled, blew bubbles, ate, had a silly string fight, swam, made an urgent trip to Detroit Lakes for a bee sting, shivered, ate, ran around, played, and in general just enjoyed each others company.

I had a great time and I hope we can do it again next year! Thanks Mom & Steve!

Old time favorites..

With good intentions of getting groceries every day this week, I still haven't! In an effort to provide a healthy snack for the boys today, I offered them one of my favorite snacks as a kid. My mom would cut up an apple then let me dip it in a little cinnamon and sugar. Yum!

Alex didn't know if he'd like the idea but with much hesitation tried it. To his surprise, he liked it, promptly stating, "mom, sometimes you have good ideas."

Well Alex, I do my best, even if my ideas aren't to your liking. :)

My goal for the day: being a "good mom"

For some reason, I've been very bogged down lately with edits and business related stuff. The kids have been pretty patient with me so I wanted to give them a fun day with mom.

We opted to go to a park to play with friends and have a picnic. It was very nice to get out of the house and play with the kids. We stopped at McD's on the way to grab Happy Meals for each of the kids to eat. It was great to see our friends and catch up a bit.

The kids played tag and ran and screamed, in general, had a fun time! Thanks for sharing the day with us A. people :), hope we can do it again soon!

After a quick stop at the bank, I surprised the kids with a treat at the icecream shop. Isaac zonked while I was in the shop getting them a scoop of yummy icecream. He'll have to eat his later. For now, it's naptime and I'm proud to say that the kids had a nice time today.

What a day!

It's a crazy life having 4 kids. There isn't much I shouldn't expect on any given day, but I sometimes forget that and discover somewhere in the midst of a minor freak out that I'm expecting too much and that my kids are just that, kids!

I find myself laughing at them, especially when they come to me like this


No wonder I'm crazy, I live with a bunch of cross-dressers! Ha, ha!

Our little Elvis?

For anyone that's ever seen Elijah, you know he has a TON of hair.. it's the first thing noticed, by practically everyone, since the day he was born. Here are some wild child hair moments, some natural, some, not so natural!!! (and some too cute not to share)

My only concern is when should I cut his hair? He can't sit up yet, so how would that work?

A blue and white zebra?

Life is always a bit unusual at our house and it was no different today, maybe just a bit more colorful?!

I laid Isaac down for his nap as usual, nothing overly challenging about that, except for recently he's been getting up out of his cool toddler car bed and running for the door as I leave. To counteract that little frustration, I've found myself turning him around and placing him back in his bed and pretty much RUNNING! haha!

On this particular day, the kids and I had made a quick trip to Dilworth for some all too necessary stuff shortly before lunch. As we were leaving town, the thought didn't even cross my mind that Isaac would fall asleep in the 8 minutes it takes to drive home. (although I'm not sure why I didn't think of it, since he typically DOES fall asleep if we're in the car any time after 10:30 am) Today was no different, he fell asleep just a few minutes from home so I was hopeful that he'd still take a "decent" nap once we got home and had some lunch.

After we ate, it was time for nap, I even let him stay up a bit later since he had had the four minute refresher nap. After the brief screaming, running out the door bit, I thought he'd go back to his bed and go to sleep just as he had done every day for several weeks. As with anything Isaac does, I shouldn't have expected him to do the same thing he had done in the past. For several minutes I could hear him talking, which is quite common for him as he goes to sleep, but the unexpected, completely shocking thing occurred after he was quiet, for a LONG time at which time I thought he had gone to sleep. After an hour or so, I heard his little voice and knocking on the door. UGG! He hadn't gone to sleep at all. I went to the door expecting to have to put him back in his bed in hopes that he'd actually GO to sleep. Much to my surprise... my lovely little blond son somehow found a BLUE sharpie marker! Here is what he looked like, AFTER he woke up 3 hours later.

Fun in the garden of life

It's amazing how you find yourself amidst the life you've created for yourself (usually filled with turmoil and angst) only to have the realization that life isn't about all the things you want or the stuff you have but in all actuality, it's about the people you have around you. Friends, family, relationships, etc. They're the glue that keeps you from coming unraveled.

I've always had a select set of friends; relationships that grew over time, ones that I never thought would end or could end. It wasn't until I moved away from home, away from my "select set of friends" that I realized how important those people truly were. As the years passed and my friendships faded, I found myself questioning how life could be so harsh. For a long time, I was in a state of non-friendedness. (yes, it's late so I'm making up words!) I didn't have anyone, aside from Ben and my family, to call my friend. It was very hard to be in that place.

All along, I've known that friendships are like flower gardens.. they must be taken care of, they must be tended to in order for them to grow. Recently, I had the chance to fertilize a friendship and I was thrilled, and still am, at how good it felt to simply laugh and enjoy the company of friends. I am not the keeper of many, but I can honestly say that the friendships I have are good ones. They're friendships that I count on, with people I have grown to care very deeply about. The pains of days gone by seems to be lessened in knowing there are people around that are willing to catch me, if I fall.. and for me, that's a BIG deal because I would have a long fall if my bubble were to burst.

Thanks for putting up with all my antics ladies. You know who you are! Love ya! :)

Camp

For the past 3 years, Serenity has gone to bible camp with her cousin. Each year they've had a blast and insisted on going the next year. It's so fun to see the excitement they have, not only to spend that time together, but to spend it away from parents and in a completely different environment.

They had a new challenge this year.. a less than cohesive room-mate situation. I could envision a problem after the five minutes I spent in the room with the roommate helping Serenity get her bunk made and her things unpacked.. poor girls, that's all I have to say!

Needless to say, girls will be girls and the drama was only magnified with the addition of the roommate. They had a good time avoiding the roommate and laughing at all the odd things she had to say. Ha, ha.

Who knows what next year might bring?! Thanks for all your help and support in making Serenity's camp experience a delightful one!

Too long..

Okay, so I've been busy.. really busy! I've been out of town two times for a week each time (6 hours driving time each trip), not to mention planning and hosting Isaac's birthday party, celebrating my father's-in-law birthday, packing for, delivering to and picking up Serenity from camp, editing, packing orders, taking a bunch of candids of the kids, meeting my new niece Mady, sessions, blah, blah, blah... Oh, not to mention my addiction to Facebook games.. thanks L. & S.

This week is going to be just as busy as the last month, but I'll be staying home for it. But in this moment, I find myself very tired so I must get sleep so I have the energy needed to endure the rest of the week. Sweet dreams!

Isaac's 2 year stats

Isaac had his 2 year check up this morning. The boys and I made the trek to Fargo while Serenity was at volleyball camp. The clinic has gotten used to us and our stroller of kids coming to visit, even the pediatrician seems to recognize us.. (does that mean we're there too much?!)

Isaac was a good patient except for shutting the lights off in the exam room a few times. (maybe it's because I pre-medicated him expecting shots)

Some of the expectations for reaching his 2 year birthday include sleeping in a toddler bed (something we've avoided), speaking at least 50 words (the kid doesn't stop talking), starting to potty train (eeks!), walking up/down steps unassisted (as terrifying as it may be), running, climbing (um, it's a given), feeding himself with silverware, and a few other things that have slipped my mind. He was given an A+ for the year, in fact he hadn't been to the doctor except his regular check ups!

My little peanut has grown to be quite the average sized 2 year old!
Height: 34 1/2 inches 53% up from 31% at 18 months
Weight: 27 lbs. 6 oz. 36% up from 13% at 18 months
Head: 50 cm 83% up from 80% at 18 months

In keeping with my other children, he's big headed! ha ha! We only hope for the best in the next year for Isaac. (and for our sanity to remain intact)

Isaac is officially 2!!

Today was Isaac's birthday. For those of you that know him, he's been doing the terrible twos thing for quite a while. I'm secretly hoping that maybe he'll just be done with the challenges of his age but then we'd miss all the cute things he'll do as he grows.

In the past year, Isaac has grown so much! Not only is he two inches taller than big brother Alex was at age two, but he has such a different personality. Life would be much less interesting if we didn't have our little blondie running around.

Since Ben is out of town for work this week, the kids and I had a very small celebration for Isaac's birthday. The big party will be held at a later date at which time we'll be overwhelmed with Elmo!

Here's a fun video of Isaac and the other kids at our little party. Comment with all your birthday wishes. :)

Thanks..

My dear friend recently lost her grandmother. As a memento, she asked me to make something special for her mother to remember her grandmother by. I gladly accepted the request.

As I was sewing away on the project I began thinking of my grandparents and all the fond memories I have of them. I found myself saddened with the thought that I may soon be in her shoes and the thought stings my heart in a very unpleasant way. I've endured only a few losses in my life, and those were fairly significant. I find myself breathless and my heart aches at the thought of losing my grandparents. I've always had them in my life and I can't imagine a day when they might not be there. I know that's completely selfish but it's true. I love them all so very much.

So, with that thought, I want to say thank you to my friend for sharing your loss with me, for reminding me that I am so blessed because of you and my whole family, especially my grandparents. I can only hope your pain subsides quickly as the waves of times gone by fill your heart with happy memories. Those moments are what make up life.

Death is only a reminder of how special and important those that are lost truly are.

Elijah - 2 months

Elijah has been with us now for 2 whole months! Every day we look at him and are amazed at how sweet he is. Life has given us many challenges and with a simple glance at our children, we're reminded of how blessed we really are.

Up do!

Every year for dance, I've done Serenity's hair.. this year was no different. I hoped to find a style that was easy and fast, just in case I had to deal with the other kids. Thanks to YouTube I found a nice style that worked well.

Serenity was a pretty good sport about the process this year. In years past, she wasn't as patient or cooperative. Each year I'm completely overwhelmed at the transformation made on my little girl.. it gives me a glimpse of how beautiful she'll be in years to come. :)

Good ole dawg!

Annie is our crazy German Shepherd Dog. When I was out taking pictures of the swingset, Annie was looking so cute that I had to take some of her too. As the mother of a 9 year old daughter, it seemed strangely similar to taking pictures of her.. I struggled getting Annie to sit still, I struggled to get her to look at the camera. I whistled, I meowed, I made an array of odd noises and nothing happened! It was a challenge I wasn't prepared for, but it all worked out. My pooch is a bit weird at times but somewhere, deep down, I love her.. Sshh, don't tell anyone though.

Hello Swingset!!!

Okay, we've kept you in suspense for a few weeks now. The trampoline was taken away on clean-up day and the kids didn't seem to mind at all. A few days after its removal we had a swingset kit delivered. Here's how it all came about...

On Mother's Day we did some price shopping with the kids and informed them that we would be getting them a swingset, they were totally thrilled! It was even more exciting for them because we let them pick the one they wanted, even though both Ben and I wanted a different one. After the kit was delivered, we worked all weekend on construction but still had a lot to do. It was soo hard (for me) to stay inside and not work on constructing it for them during the week. With the unpredictable weather lately, it made completing the project more challenging than it should have been. It didn't help that I wasn't home one weekend and there are little kids running around all the time keeping us busy. We managed to get a few things done here and there along the way. For Serenity's recital, Ben's parents came to visit. Naturally, Grandpa Bruce couldn't keep his hands off the unfinished project and he and Ben completed the swingset in a few short hours.

The kids were elated! It's so fun to see them outdoors having a good time. :) Check it out.

Serenity's Dance Recital..

Serenity works hard all year at dance. She takes Jazz, Tap and Ballet at a local studio. The recital always comes at the end of the school year, this year was no different. The rehearsal, (pictures coming soon) was Thursday night last week (May 29), her last day of school (pictures coming soon) was Friday the 30th and the recital was Friday night.

It was a crazy week last week but we all survived and managed to have a great time as well.

Check out the pictures!

Oh so busy..

Time keeps flying by and so many things keep happening! I'm working on tons of pictures that need to be posted but time isn't my friend lately. I'll be better, until then, be patient! Thanks!

Good morning?

Nothing says good morning mommy like a 23 month old holding their finger out to you saying "ackie mommy". Ugg!

Isaac has been unzipping his jammies for a while now and when permitted, which has yet to happen, he can undo his diaper. This morning he put the two together and found that poopie isn't a good thing to discover in a diaper!


I'll leave it at that! Yuck!

Have a happy, "ackie" free day! :)

Artsy Fartsy anyone?

I've always leaned toward the creative side of things.. I'm not afraid to take on a craft project, of any sort. My latest adventure is making tissue paper flowers for a baby shower I'm co-hosting for my SIL Amanda. She's expecting her first baby and it's a girl!

I started making the flowers this afternoon and I'm already struggling with maintaining my focus on the project.. I've already lost interest in the traditional paper flowers and found some other really neat ideas online. (I'd post the link but there are some inappropriate pictures that appear after the how-to video.. not sure what's up with that, gross!)

So, I'll be working on flowers and posting my completed projects when I'm done. Wish me luck! What do you do that's crafty?

6 weeks...

It's been six whole weeks since Elijah joined our family. We're all in disbelief that it has flown by so quickly. I've already begun to notice how he's growing and changing. Naturally, it's very exciting to watch but it's also bitter-sweet to know that he's my last baby. I find myself loving every moment with him, just as I did with the other kids, but this time it is somehow different... there's less urgency in going places, less upset when he wants to eat, again. He's such an easy baby, doesn't require much of anything except our love.. which we are all more than willing to share with him. :) I can't imagine what the next six weeks will bring, I can only hope for the same joys and maybe some real baby smiles?!




Life is good and for a few moments a day, it's actually peaceful to be surrounded by my kids, the ones I've longed for and prayed for, the ones I've cried over and sat back in amazement over, the ones I've nearly pulled my hair out over but have somehow found myself in awe over, it's such a blessing to know in my heart that they are each gifts to me, to remind me of the others, to wonder and smile about. I've been given so many things in life and there is nothing more special than they are.. wow, to be a mom! Tomorrow when there are crumbs on the table and the laundry is piled as high as the washer, when someone doesn't want to eat what I've made and they absolutely must be outside or else they'll scream, I can only hope that I'll relive this feeling of sheer peace and remember that these are the moments that make up life.. good and bad, it all balances out and it's all worth it in the end.

Happy Mother's Day to you and yours! Every day is mother's day, it's just not celebrated. :)

The last jump

The time has come to get rid of our trampoline. We've had it for a few years and have really enjoyed ourselves with it, but as the big kids have grown bigger and with the addition of the smaller kids, we decided for everyone's safety it would be best to say good bye. The kids took the news amazingly well, not a single tear was shed, not even a whiney complaint. Here are some pictures of the kids' last few jumps.

Trampoline

(clean up week is this week for us so it was the easiest way to get rid of it too!)

Stay tuned for updates on our surprise for the kids!

Tag anyone?

I've been tagged by two close friends, Liz and Stacie, and now have the pleasure of running around in circles chasing people in an attempt to tag you.. oh wait, this is virtual tag!

Here are the rules for playing.......the rules of tagging if you are inclined to following rules {if rule following is not your bag, do as you please, but heed the warning: the next time i am at your house i will dip my finger into your peanut butter jar. it will be awkward for all of us.}

1. link to the person that tagged you.
2. post the {very important} rules on your blog.
3. list 6 very unimportant, random nothings about yourself {should be an easy one}

-I broke my foot one summer between 5th and 6th grade. I tripped over my other foot?! What a clutz!

-When I grow up, I might like to become a nurse. (putting aside my years of education to be a teacher AND my current passion of being a photographer)

-I like banana flavored anything. (okay, maybe not "anything" but banana flavored food items for sure.)

-I've thought about getting a tattoo. (I don't think I ever will because the thought of a distorted ladybug on some weird location of my body scares me, ha!)

-Ice cream anyone?

-I'm afraid of the dentist! Eeks!


Since I have few blogging friends, I only have a few people to tag... so, you're it!

Price Family Blog
Hawley Family Blog

3 weeks of Elijah

It's hard to imagine that Elijah has been in our lives for 3 weeks already! He's so sweet and innocent and little and we love him so much! :)

Because he's just so darn cute!

I had to post a picture because it's of my adorable little one... This is pretty much how he is, he's very calm and makes very little noise. Oooh! So sweet!

Elijah is 2 weeks old...

Elijah has been with us now for nearly 2 full weeks. A lot has changed in our lives, aside from the addition of a new member to the family. We've realized even more how blessed we are by each and every one of our kids... each of them is unique in their own way, they each have their own personalities and even though we may not get along all the time or agree all the time, we love them, ever so much.

Elijah - 2 weeks

Elijah had his 2 week doctor's visit today. Here are his statistics:

Weight today: 9 lb. 1 oz. (60%)
Birth weight: 8 lb. 5 oz.
Length today: 20 3/4 inches (54%)
Birth length: 19 1/2 inches

The doctor was very pleased with his growth. He wasn't overly concerned about his pumpkin color and while we were at the appt. Eli's umbilical cord finally fell off.

Photos.. oh how fun!

There are very few days in life that something couldn't be captured in photos and saved forever in our memories.. as life grows more and more busy, it seems that the opportunities still arise but for some reason capturing them doesn't happen as frequently. I'm working on taking the time for the special, and not so special moments.. just to save as memories of the real life we're living.

Here are a few more pictures from a recent photo session that I thought were worthy of sharing, just because they're so darn cute and they show what our lives are really like here... Yes, Isaac LOVES to hold Elijah, as much as he can!

4/12/08

Something to think about...

I received this story in an email today and it really touched my heart. I hope it does the same for you...

Saying Grace in a Restaurant

Last week, I took my children to a restaurant.

My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace.

As we bowed our heads he said, 'God is good, God is great. Thank you
for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream
for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!'

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a
woman remark, 'That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today
don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!'

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, 'Did I do it
wrong? Is God mad at me?'

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job, and God
was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the
table.

He winked at my son and said, 'I happen to know that God thought that
was a great prayer.'

'Really?' my son asked ..

'Cross my heart,' the man replied.

Then, in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose
remark had started this whole thing), 'Too bad she never asks God for
ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.'

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son
stared at his for a moment, and then did something I will remember the
rest of my life.

He picked up his sundae and, without a word, walked over and placed it
in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, 'Here, this is
for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is
good already.'

The End

I love this story!

Sometimes, we all need some ice cream.

I hope God sends you some Ice Cream today!

And there were three..

My sweet boys... These are a few days old, but still cute! :)

Brothers

Welcome Elijah!

I couldn't tolerate the pain from my contractions any more last night so I decided to make my way to the Labor & Delivery floor. I called and warned them that I'd be coming with the details of what I'd been experiencing. Little did I know, the on call OB had already expected that I'd be having my c-section shortly after I arrived.

Without going into all the surgical details, everything went well. We welcomed
Elijah Joseph at 9:23 pm, Thursday, April 3, 2008. He weighed in at 8 pounds 5 ounces and is 19 1/2 inches long. As you'll see from the pictures, he has lots of hair (with highlights!)

Elijah Joseph

Big sister Serenity and big brothers Alex and Isaac are so excited about their new baby brother!

Thank you for all your prayers and support! Love, T, B, S, A, I, & E.

Bobner is coming tomorrow!

I had my final OB appointment yesterday. Each day this week has brought more and more changes in my contractions. (pain, frequency, duration, etc.) After speaking with my doctor, he said if I absolutely had to, I could reschedule my c-section for Friday, which is now tomorrow! After the night I had last night, I'm SOOO glad I did. I was awake most of the night from the contractions, which were even more painful than the night before.

The doctor checked my cervix yesterday and I was still closed.. but things are happening, and I won't go into the gross details.. you're welcome. ;)

Bobner's heart beat was 148-ish and my BP was 123/80.

Stay tuned for more details as they arise. I'm sure I'll be posting lots of pictures as I find the time. Thanks for all your prayers and support along this journey.

Oh son...

What a day my son has had. Isaac is always surprising me with his new antics and today was amazingly the most crazy day he's had!

1. Breakfast - Isaac discovered that the milk left in the bowl after eating cereal makes hair really sticky, especially when you dump it over your own head and laugh as it drips down your face.

2. The soap incident (the next post down)

3. Making dinner - Today I bought Bobner a bouncy seat and had is sitting on the table, thinking it was safe from Isaac and vice versa.. ha, ha.. WRONG! I was making dinner at the time and turned around to find my 21 month old sitting in the bouncy seat with the music and vibration on! He was perfectly content and looked very soothed.. I hope that's how it works for Bobner.

4. Dinner time - We're all sitting around the table eating and talking like we regularly do. I turned and looked at Isaac and realized his fork was on top of his head, balanced amidst the noodles and sauce from the Swedish Meatballs.. Ugg!! I couldn't help but laugh..

Tomorrow is a new day, but good grief, what can I expect?!

What will he do next?!

It's always interesting at our house, rarely a dull moment even during naptime... Today is no different, and it's only 9:00 am!

I was putting an order together at the kitchen table, Alex was in the bathroom and Isaac was playing in the studio (or so I thought... hint, hint..)

I went to help Alex and caught a glimpse of Isaac in the studio.. with his back to the door, hand soap dispenser on the floor next to him... ugg! I walked in the studio and said his name in a stern voice to which he startled and made the most guilty face - eyes wide open, mouth saying "uh-oh".. he had been caught! Much to my surprise, he was cleaning up his very large soapy mess with a towel --> he knew he was wrong! I couldn't help but smile inside knowing that he had learned his lesson, the only troubling thought is that my 21 month old is already trying to hide things from me... hmmm... how scary!

Look at that belly!

In the past, I had maternity pictures taken and loved the whole experience! With Bobner, I didn't really think I wanted to do them because I've been in shock the whole pregnancy. Ben convinced me to do the pictures anyway, especially since he'll be our last baby.

Over the weekend, we had our last adventure out of town before little Bobner arrives. We traveled to Ben's sister's house for Easter and she happens to be my photographer when I can't manage to do it myself. The last time we did maternity pictures, we were both pretty new to the photography scene so very few people have seen the pictures. I am proud to share the beautiful pictures of my large brood and growing belly. Thank you Saima for your time and patience! I love them all!

Maternity Pictures

Oh Beanjamin!

It has been a whole new world recently for us. I've been enduring some added pregnancy related pressure and pain so Ben has had to chip in with the household responsibilities. (and I can't thank him enough for doing so!)

Last night at dinner was no different. It was my turn to carpool for dance class so I didn't get home in time to make dinner. Ben came home from work to make pizza for us instead. In an attempt to participate in the dinner making, I opted to make some baked beans. I opened one can but didn't take the top off. About the same time, I felt some pretty intense prego. pressure so Ben insisted that I go sit down. As I turned to walk away, I heard the strange sound of Ben shaking a can of beans all over himself and the kitchen. In an attempt to make the beans, Ben had shaken the can of beans to help mix the bean juice into the settled beans, making it easier to get them out of the can... He just didn't realize that I had opened the can already.. Anyway, after the initial shock factor of having beans all over, literally, all over (face, shirt, pants, & feet) we had a REALLY good laugh. Sorry Ben! And, thank you for helping out!

Bobner - 35 weeks

I had another OB visit yesterday, I'm down to less than 4 weeks now! Everything went well, my B/P was 108/60 but I did have a little protein in my urine (no concern to the doctor though). Bobner's heart rate was about 160, I gained 2 more pounds, and my tummy measured about 34 cm. Out of curiosity, I had the doctor check my cervix and as I suspected, I'm water tight.. ha, ha! The doctor has so little concern about me delivering unexpectedly that he told me I didn't have to do the weekly check next week, that I'd be fine to wait two weeks.

For those of you that are concerned about my traveling, and you know who you are, he has no issues with me traveling.. and as he mentioned, there's adequate medical facilities all around, IF something happened.

Needless to say, I'll be pregnant for a few more weeks.

Ben and the kids were testing out baby names as they wrestled on the floor last night. Ben would call one of the kids a name from our very short list and see if it sounded right.. I don't know if the whole thing helped with name selection much, but everyone had a good time. :)

Kids say the darndest things...

It's nap time at our house so Isaac is sleeping and Alex is supposed to be playing quietly or something like it.

I've been relaxing in front of my laptop and the tv so Alex has zoned in on the tv like always. As I was about to change channels from a cooking show to something else, he said he wanted to watch it, so I kept it on the channel. The host has been making some sort of potato soup.. as he's explaining the cooking details for the potatoes, he mentions that you never want to put anything cold with warm potatoes because it makes them gooey. Alex turns to me and says, with finger pointing right at me, "we don't want gooey potatoes for dinner tonight, okay!" Ha! What a kid... :)

My Screamer...

In the last few days Isaac has turned into a screamer. Not just any old scream either, of course it has to be the kind that makes your whole body cringe in anguish. I'd like to say that the scream accompanies some sort of pain but it seems to show it's nasty face any time it wants.. when I'm on the phone, when I'm trying to talk to the other kids, when he doesn't get what he wants, when the sun and the moon aren't perfectly aligned... Ugg!!

Needless to say, if you'd like to communicate with me or anyone else at my house, I'd recommend doing it via email or IM. (I've been telling my clients for over a year now that if they need to get a hold of me, it's better to email since it's much quieter, thank goodness they all have kids and understand.)

Share your thoughts, please!!

The baby shower has come and gone...

Greetings world! I woke up Saturday, the day of my baby shower, and was totally freaken' out! I was an anxious wreck, almost as if my shower were the actual birth of Bobner or something far worse. I waited impatiently for my friends to arrive so we could be on our way. I tend to get anxious like this before photo sessions, pacing the floor, looking out the window every 15 seconds, "what-if"ing... it's not a pretty site. I even asked Ben to let me vent/yell at him for a little while in an attempt to feel better.. the crazy part is that he knew exactly what was going on and why I "needed" that relief, HA! I didn't end up utilizing his tough skin, even though he started off by saying something to antagonize me. Maybe next time!

The drive to my dad and step-mom's went really quick.. I'm sure it had nothing to do with my lead foot or the non-stop chatting in the car. My friends Liz and Stacie, as well as Serenity and Stacie's little guy Preston, were all piled in Ben's car. We tried to be quiet while Preston slept but it was impossible, he was able to get a nice nap in anyway.

Bobner's Shower

The shower was scheduled to start at 2 pm. I haven't had a baby shower since Serenity was a baby, in other words, 9+ years ago. My lovely step-sis's (that includes you too Amanda) and step-mom went all out for me, the decorations, food, cake, games, etc. were all way too much, but it felt really nice to have all the thought and effort put on me, obviously not something that happens much in our crazy household. :) Thank you ladies, sooo much!

I was completely thrilled with all my gifts, they all helped a little more in the realization that I'll be having a baby in about a month... eeks!
Here's a quick list of the wonderful things I received:
-744 diapers ranging in size NB - 2 (Serenity says with that many diapers we could have two kids! um.. NOOO way!)
-3 large wipe refills AND 3 boxes of wipes
-13 blankets, this includes receiving blankets, super soft, fuzzy blankets and a hand-made baby blanket
-16 outfits -spring, summer, fall, and winter.. this kid will be dressed well!
-bath necessities... soaps, lotions, wash cloths, etc.
-books and toys, including a very sweet photo album from cousin Eva Mae :)
-other baby stuff like bibs (including both "I Love my Grandma" and "I Love my Grandpa"), sleepers, onesies, baby proofing stuff, several Gift Cards, etc..
-AND, I even received goodies for me at the shower too!

After all the gifts and games were played, we all enjoyed a super, yummy strawberry swirl cake from "the Cake Lady."

The whole day turned out so great, I am just overwhelmed with all the thoughtfulness and unexpected gestures made for me. I can't even begin to express my gratitude to everyone that went out of their way to make the day perfect, not only through their planning and creativeness, but also the gifts, and of course attending the shower. I just hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as I did. Thank you, all! :)

Bobner update..

I had another OB appointment yesterday. Nothing big to report. My BP was 118/62, his heartbeat was apx. 140 and I measured appropriately for his gestation. I brought up my concern again about the Braxton Hicks contractions that I've been enduring. Dr. B. wasn't overly concerned but did give me the option to have another ultrasound to ensure/reassure that I wasn't experiencing another placental abruption. As was hoped for, everything looked well. I was amazed to see the difference in size from my last ultrasound.. I'm growing a giant!

I was able to schedule my c-section for April 8th, so mark your calendars! We opted for this date for several reasons... As many of you know, this is my 8th pregnancy, so the 8th was symbolic of that. April, the 4th month, is symbolic of this little guy being my 4th living child. I'm not big on symbolism, but it seemed to be the deciding factor in this situation. (it also happens to be my niece's birthday and the day after my uncle's birthday)

My next appointment is in two weeks, then weekly after that!! I think I might actually be having another kid or something?!

Sledding

The weather has been a challenge this year but today was a beautiful, sunny day. Ben had the great idea of taking the kids sledding. We tried to keep it a surprise, but it was impossible given we'd be dressed in winter garb toting sleds.

We gathered up our pants, boots, mits, hats, and jackets and piled in the van. Being 33 weeks pregnant, I didn't foresee myself going down any hills, so I escaped the house wearing jeans.

Since this would be Alex's first official sledding adventure, we knew it would be a blast, not only for him but Isaac (and the rest of us) too! It didn't take Alex long to make his way down the hill, again and again. His smiles and laughter were proof of the thrill he was enduring.

Isaac's face was the perfect reminder of the joy this simple family activity truly was, excellent idea Ben, thank you!

We all managed to make at least one trip down the hill, including myself! (check out the pictures below!!)

When it was time to go, we all loaded our stuff in the van and shared some hot chocolate on our way home.

Sledding 2/24/08

Note to self: Kids get really tired and fall asleep early after being outside having loads of fun. :)

Thanks Annie... ouch!

So, my lovely pooch made another escape today. It all started when Alex was helping me unload the van from our Sam's Club shopping trip. He had just brought a box of something in the house and was coming back out the door when Annie bolted. I was at the end of the side walk and thought I could grab her before she ran past me. I stepped toward her and was able to get my hands on her but only the tip of one finger in her collar.

Note to self: One finger in the collar of a fleeting German Shepard isn't a good thing, avoid at all cost.

As Annie ran past me, the one finger I had in her collar, my pinky, wasn't enough to stop her and it let go.. literally. I knew in that moment that my finger was broken. After the groceries were unloaded and put away I called Ben about coming home so I could go to the doctor. It wasn't long after that when a passer-by stopped in the road to play with a crazy wandering German Shepard... Me being me, I couldn't let some stranger take my big dumb dog, so I poked my head out the door and told him that she wouldn't come in. Thankfully, he was able to coax her out of the road and returned her to me with little effort.

After a long trip to the walk-in clinic, my suspicions were confirmed - my finger is indeed broken. For up to six weeks, I will be sporting a lovely splint while my finger heals. I just hope my finger returns to its original shape and color!

(By the way, I'm still not talking to the dog either!)

The day after V-day.

Valentine's day has come and gone and we all survived! The kids all ended up with lots of valentines and each enjoyed sharing their goodies with each other, at least the written ones. I opted not to attend the MOMS Club Valentine's party so we missed out on a fun lunch with tons of friends, but were able to come home after my OB appointment and relax. (I even got a nap in!)

Alex had to decorate a container to receive valentines in for school. With little enthusiasm for any sort of project, I convinced him to color some cute print outs from the internet. He selected a few cute pictures and colored them very well. We then cut out the pictures and glued them to an ice cream bucket, two on the bucket, one on top. I then cut out a small slot for his preschool friends to drop their valentines in. The idea was pretty simple but it turned out cute, even if one of the bird feet fell off before the day was done.

Serenity's week of parties went well. Her dance class shared goodies and it turns out that by the time we got home, she only had 3 pieces of candy left. Her school party sounds like it was a lot of fun. A bunch of crazy, "love struck" 4th graders sounds like a HUGE head ache to me, but who am I to judge.

I decided to be very simple with my valentines this year. I woke up early and made the kids Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls with pink frosting. Later, I baked a double layer, heart-shaped strawberry cake with strawberry icing. For a change, I went with the strawberry cake instead of the chocolate on chocolate that is the favorite of everyone else in the house. For Ben, I purchased a large box of candy that I told him we could share. My romantic side has been squashed by Braxton Hicks contractions and lots of rib pain.. sorry dear!

What was the highlight of your V-day? A special dinner? A lovely box of jewelry?

Valentine's Day is coming...

Life is always full of challenges and today was no different.

1. I thought it would be fun to make Valentines with my kids, something we've done a few times over the years. I had mentally prepared myself for a "project" with the kids. To my surprise, both Serenity and Alex decided they didn't want to make anything, at all.. not even the Valentines boxes to put their boring, store bought Valentines in.

2. I ran through a list of parties my kids will be attending for Valentine's this year and found myself a bit overwhelmed.. Serenity -class room party: 16 students + classroom teacher, music teacher and PE teacher, not to mention the friends in other classrooms; -dance class: 12 students + the teacher. Alex -preschool party: 18 students + 2 teachers; -MOMS Club party: amount to be determined, 14 thus far, with 5 potentials. Isaac - MOMS Club party: sorry bud.. you'll have to share with Alex this year, unless I feel ultra handy with the pen. These are just the parties.. they'll each want to get something for each other and Ben and me. My kids are so loving and helping them understand this crazy holiday is always fun, even if I don't get to do it the way I want to.

3. As with every holiday, I find myself searching for the perfect gift for Ben. This Valentines is a bit different... I don't find myself running out to actually purchase a gift. Does this mean that I've moved past the joy of giving in our relationship? Does it mean that I've stopped caring? Does it mean that I've lost my mind? Does it mean that I've run out of ideas? I think it's a bit of everything, not to mention being pregnant for the 8th time, living a constant drama fest from the inside out! Whatever I end up getting him, I'm sure he'll feel the love. ;)

My pregnant body has turned against me..

Or, should I say Bobner has turned into super stretchy baby? He doesn't seem to enjoy the cozy haven my body has surrounded him with. As an act of rebelling, he reminds me regularly that he's cramped in the small space, more-so than any of the other kids ever did. He tends to rest very little throughout the day, especially if I'm eating and if I take a shower, yikes! Look out stretch-marks, here he comes! It's scary to think that at birth he could be a brute like Alex was, 9 lbs. 6 oz. just doesn't seem very pleasant, especially after having Isaac at 5 lbs. 15 oz. (don't get me wrong, the added weeks of growth are vital) As it is, I find myself wondering what God has in store for birthing this little guy my body is hosting...

Cancelation

Today was no different than the average mid-winter Saturday... a few things planned for the day but nothing too crazy. It's always nice to have something planned, that way I know that the world is still going around, and maybe I might get a chance to enjoy it.

Our region of the world is quite frigid this time of year so it's never out of the possibilities that the weather will dictate what our lives will be like at any given moment... why would today be any different?!

When I woke this morning the wind was blowing wildly and I could barely see the trees across the street because of the blowing snow. I let the dog out, and 3 minutes later, she can in looking quite aged.. she had gone from her normal dark colors to being completely white with snow! Of course she proceeded to shake all the snow off.. on me! Thanks Annie.

As the morning progressed I checked with the appropriate places, internet, radio, directly calling people, to see if the day was a bust. As it turns out, it is! So, now a jammie day has commenced, and I sit here with little to do. Ben woke up at 8:50 to take Serenity to basketball at 9:00, it was canceled. It's 10:00 now and he has been napping on the couch for 45 minutes now. The 25 minutes of his morning were used to pet the dog, eat a muffin and have some juice. How lucky am I?!

The one event I was looking forward to for a few weeks has also been rescheduled.. No Cookie Lee Jewelry Open House for me today. :(

Dare I say I may even contemplate income taxes as the highlight of my day? Yikes, I've lost it.

Baby Shower...

I've been given the privilege of having a baby shower thrown for me by my step-sisters (thanks ladies). Since this baby will be my last, I'm having a sense of bitter sweetness, in so many ways. At the same time, I'm running into a huge dilemma in preparing for the baby and shower... this will be my 3rd baby boy and, although they aren't born in the same month, I've always thought the clothes could be handed down so I've kept their clothes. (this of course didn't work from Alex to Isaac because Isaac was so small compared to Alex.. 5 lbs 15 oz vs. 9 lbs. 6 oz. -- a hint from God?)

With the upcoming baby shower, I'm struggling with my morals.. do I register for clothes or do I just go with what I have? Do I look at newer and better baby things, like swings, bouncy seats, and other things, even though he'll be the only one to use them? Do I need to waste people's money for the sake of current fashion or newer technology? (yes, I've thought about this many times) So, maybe I'll just register for diapers and wipes.. lots of them! What to do? Help me with this struggle..

Isaac's "18 month" check-up..

With all the sickness we've had lately, I didn't know if Isaac would make it to his long overdue well-baby check-up today or not. Everyone was healthy upon waking this morning so we ventured out into the freezing cold to the doctor.

Everything went well with the visit. Isaac is on schedule developmentally for his age, which is good since he was premature. His stats are as follows: 13% for weight, 31% for height and 80% for head circumference. He had two vaccinations too.. much to his disliking.

Brrr... It's cold inside!

The weather in the midwest is always unpredictable and this week is no different. Yesterday it was a nice 30+ degrees.. today, -15 with -50 wind chill. Of course, living in the midwest means your house is insulated differently, but as we learned this evening, it's always helpful to have heat for your house!

Our power went out around 4:50 pm and unfortunately our house only has electric heat. So, the boys and I hung out in the semi-dark until Ben and Serenity got home and then we all packed up and went out for a long dinner. Before we left, it was estimated that the power would be fixed by 9:30 pm. When we returned from dinner, about 7:50, it was estimated that the issue would be corrected by 10:30. UGG!!

After sitting in th warm van we opted to stay home until 11:00 and if the power wasn't on by then, we would go to a hotel. So, we made the kids wear two pair of jammies and we all camped out in the living room upstairs under piles of blankets. It was soo quiet since the boys were asleep most of the time and there were no noises in the house. About 9:10, the power came on and we moved the kids to their beds... the temp was 57 in the house... brr! My nose was so cold as I sat in the candlelight doing a crossword puzzle that it started to run. It will be so nice to go to bed in our own warm bed tonight.

Ugg.. Men!

Is it just my man or men in general?

Isaac got sick last night.. vomiting everywhere and on both Ben and myself. Ben immediately gets the "eeewww" face and removes his soiled clothes, drops them to the floor and then removes himself from the situation leaving me and my pregnant self to deal with the kid and the mess. (which just so happens to be right next to and under the refrigerator!) This is how the post-vomit experience goes every time at our house. Don't get me wrong, it's not that the whole thing doesn't completely gross me out too, but it is always the woman's job to clean up or does being the mother come into play as well? Oh the woes of life..

Crazy!

Ben had to go out to get the newspaper and Alex insisted that he go with.. The two of them came up with this on their own. Keep in mind that it was 0 out! "but it was only out to the end of the driveway and back." (notice Alex has no shoes OR socks on!)

Ice Maker..

It's hard to imagine wanting ice water with the extreme cold we've been enduring lately, (-20s, with up to -50 wind chill) but, it's something I've always wanted year round. Not to mention our family guests that snicker at the thought of buying ice!

For Christmas I received an ice maker kit from my FIL and it finally worked out for him to come up to install it last weekend. With much frustration and irritation due to leaks, overflowing water, more leaks, not to mention several trips to Lowe's and Menards, he left for home Sunday under the impression that the ice maker was working properly, no leaks!

As it turns out, within a few hours of the in-laws leaving, a drip developed in the back of the refrigerator so we shut off the water and grumbled.

Knowing my FIL, it didn't take long to hear that he planned to return this weekend to complete the job. With his great knowledge of mechanics, he formed a small insert to place in the copper piping to keep the pipe from collapsing, thus eliminating the leak! We thought we were in the free and clear... but as it turns out, nothing could be that simple. Our next challenge arose when I opened the refrigerator and heard the ice maker filling. Odd thought.. After a few hours of contemplating the internet, the manuals, etc.. the electrical problem was fixed and it was a success! ICE at last! Thanks Bruce!

Bobner update..

I had an OB appointment today, everything looks good, I'm 28 weeks tomorrow. Bobner's heartbeat was 145-ish. My blood pressure was good, even though I had had a horrible morning with the other kids. My weight gain was acceptable, +4 pounds. Nothing out of the ordinary.. I had to have the typical glucose test done and that went well - no results yet, but I'm sure it will be normal. My OB said I only have one more monthly appointment left until I start being seen every two weeks.. EEKS!! It's going too fast! (how many pregnant women ever admit that?) We also discussed the dates for my c-section.. I can go as early as April 6th, or wait until I go into labor, it's up to me. :)

Moon Sand... an unfortunate tale

Okay, so "Santa" brought Alex some moon sand this year, a blue and green bucket. For those of you that don't know what Moon Sand is, here's the product description,

Moon Sand is a specially formulated sand that molds just like dough, yet It will never dry out so you can use it again and again. Moon Sand can be squished, carved, molded, or sculped into any shape your mind can imagine.

Alex had a bucket of this stuff earlier this year but was forced, by me, to throw it away after he and it created a very large moon sandy mess all over the kitchen table, chair, floor, and his entire outfit for the day. As it turns out, "Santa" made quite a mistake in thinking that giving Alex a second chance with moon sand would be okay. This very morning, Alex opted to get out his moon sand to play with. I was optimistic for a while but as the playing continued, Alex found himself encircled in a 3 foot moon sand trap. The moon sand had attached itself to his shirt, pants, the chair he was sitting on, and surrounded him on the floor. Bleep, bleep!!!

So, please tell me, what is a mother to do? I can't very well blame "Santa" since he obviously had good intentions, but really, how can one play experience drive me to want to call the makers of moon sand and literally rip them a new one? I'm not a violent person, but honestly, this product is any mother's worst nightmare!

Estrogen Fest

My dear friend Liz has hosted a girls only night, semiannually for a few years now. The night has been appropriately termed Estrogen Fest. This was the first time I've been able to attend so I wasn't sure what to expect. As part of the event, each guest was asked to bring an appetizer or dessert and a couple white elephant gifts to exchange.

The night was very tasty and fun. I ended up coming home with a pretty lame gift though, a Valentine's Bear and a very small stinky candle. I learned my lesson about white elephant gifts though, it's perfectly acceptable to bring stuff you don't really like yourself and are certain no one else might care for either. So, everyone consider yourself forewarned!

Thanks for hosting a great night and as always for chatting into the night!

The name drama continues

As I sat in my chair watching tv and surfing the internet last night, (after watching Grey's Anatomy and ER), I found myself overly bored. What to do? As Bobner kicked and reminded me that I am indeed pregnant and due in 3 months, I looked at baby names. I've given up looking in the 5 or 6 name books we've acquired over the years because new names pop up all the time and those books are at least 4 years old.

In the past, naming our children has been no easy task, but this time it seems to be even more daunting. There are a few names that Ben doesn't completely shrug off, those include:
-Levi
-hmm.. and that's about it!

As I searched, I came across the name Elliot, again, which I've personally loved for a long time.. and, to my surprise, as I blurted out the name, he said it was okay!!! I nearly fell over and asked him why it was okay now and never before.. UGG, as always, he couldn't give me an actual reason, just that it's okay.

Did you say Bobner?

If you know my hubby Ben, you know how challenged we are, more specifically I am, to name our last child. We've come up with a name to hold us over until the birth of our 3rd son.. Bobner. We have no intention of actually using this name and realize we'd be totally mad to name any child such an unusual name, but it keeps us thinking of a real name.

I've spent many hours searching the internet, reading name books and even ideas from friends and family, but nothing seems to ring his bell. Please comment with your ideas.. I'm calling on the blog world for help... I'm desperate!

Christmas at the Jensen-Hoy's

Our last Christmas celebration for Christmas 2007 was at my dad's and his wife's house. Between the two of them, there are 5 adult children (4 of which had significant others with), 5 grandchildren and 4 grand-dogs, all of which were visiting for the weekend. Luckily 1 of the adult children, wife and dog live close enough so they didn't have to spend the nights. With good food and lots of laughs, and very sleepy kids, we all enjoyed spending time together since it doesn't happen as often as we'd like.

Cousin Sophie

My brother John's little girl Sophie, is about to turn 18 months old. I've been asked many times to take her pictures but haven't formally had the opportunity. Over this weekend, we were visiting my dad, his wife and the family for our Christmas gathering and I brought some of my photography stuff to do a large family picture. I nabbed the chance at getting Sophie's picture cause she was super cute as always and really cheery! Although she didn't have a pretty dress on like I would have loved, she looks adorable!