How do you spell Relief?

I spell it K I D S A R E A S L E E P I N B E D.

Conversations

Me: Hannah, Brenda won't be able to watch you anymore so we are going to have to find you a new babysitter.

Hannah: But I don't want to be a baby again.

My baby is 4!

Hannah turned 4 on December 17th. It was such a crazy day and we ended up not being able to celebrate until 9pm! So, she's in her jammies....Megan made her a lovely chocolate chip cake from scratch...it was so yummy. She got some really nice gifts from Auntie Jenny, Zane, Grandma Jo and also from Grandad. Thanks everyone!

Merry Merry Christmas

We had such a lovely Christmas! Thank you to all who helped make this such a wonderful Christmas for us....we love and appreciate you more than you know! More photos to come...time is not on my side lately!

Conversations (overheard at Walmart)

Lady: Well, I keep running into you don't I? What are you up to?

Old scruffy guy in a motorized wheelchair: Whatever the hell I feel like!! and I'm gettin' good at it too!!! (you have to imagine the voice....all gravely and loud)

The Big Move

Well...we are finally moved and settled. Remind me to never ever move around this time of year again!!! This is the third time....what's up with that? We are getting ready for Christmas and I'm looking forward to being home this year....(I worked last year).

So much has been going on....we've had choral concerts and band concerts...and probably the biggest thing to report is that Josh and Zack's High School one act play won first the district competition and they went on to take STATE!!! To give you some perspective....that is like your high school basketball team winning the STATE championship!! It was so exciting! Aaron, Megan, Matthew and I were able to travel to Kearney Nebraska (2 hours away) to watch them win! They did a play called "The Balken Women". It was very dramatic and intense. Zack played a Commandant in the Serbian Army and his performance earned him an award! Josh was in the ensemble and his performance was also excellent. I'm very proud of both of them. It was one of those days when all the crappy teenage stuff seems worth it! LOL!

Well...time for me to go to work....Merry Christmas to my many friends and family!

Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Watcha gonna do? Watcha gonna do when they come for you....

I think perhaps tonight was the cherry on top of my PWT experience. We went to Zack and Josh's play and Joe and Hannah were not the best or easiest children and I, already having much stress, did not take kindly to their actions...so they were told in the van that they would be going to bed as soon as we got home. This news was not welcomed with open arms...it was actually received with much screaming and gnashing of teeth. By the time we got home I had calmed down considerably but those littles were still somewhat upset...The next 30 minutes were filled with tears and pleading and crying and a lot of screaming...at one point I said to Hannah (Megan told me this later...I don't even remember it)..."boy, someone's gonna call the police, they're going to think we're murdering you over here". I was able to get their teeth brushed, get jammas on them and finally get them in their beds and all was quiet. I was singing to Hannah when someone rang the doorbell. It was Officer Moody with the Lincoln Police Department. Someone called about the screaming children. He came in and went in each room and chatted with both Joe and Hannah. Luckily when he asked them if they were hurt they both said "no"...whewwww....what a relief! I'm glad Joe didn't tell him I was "torturing" him...because that's what he was saying while I was so cruelly making him go to bed. I did tell Officer Moody that I was glad he came to check on them. After he left Megan, Matthew and I had a nice laugh about it. Another PWT moment to check off my list.....

ps...do you know what PWT is? Any guesses?

Moving on...

We are moving again. I wish we were moving back to Utah but it's not meant to be....yet. Maybe someday. For now, we are moving across town and into another ward. Our kids will go to the same schools for the rest of the school year and then we will see. Moving is not my favorite and we've done so much of it. Hopefully one of these days we will find a place to settle in and STAY! In the meantime I'm gearing up for the stress...which, if you know me at all you know, I do not deal well with stress...m&m's are my friend right now....good thing they're on sale at Walgreens...

Things I hoped to never hear...

Mommy you're starting to have a beard.

Thank you

We came home a couple days ago to find a nice surprise in the mail box. Auntie Jenny, Auntie Jo and Zane had sent birthday presents for Joe and some new clothes for Matthew!! How lovely!

Gotta love the photos!

juvenile delinquent

I got a call on Friday and I'm sorry to say it wasn't my first. He was in the office again...had a bad day. First he came at someone with a fork in the lunchroom...then he was pushing and shoving kids out of line...then the biggest topper...he ripped off a girls hat as he yelled "YOU ASIAN GIRL!!". Yep...it was a proud day for this mother...

I knew it would be a different experience sending him off to school...he has such a huge personality! The boy who disrobed every Sunday in his first year of Primary...the boy who jumped off the exam table right into his Doctor's arms because he had "become" Wolverine...the boy who would rip his shirt right off wherever we were because he was The Hulk...He's also the boy who loves his mom so much he would like to marry her...the boy who tells us he loves us all the love in the planet...the boy who brings me so much laughter and joy.

Oh, the joys and trials of motherhood...Wish me luck at my meeting at the school today!

Fine Art and a Smart Mama

Look at this picture...
This morning Joe showed it to me and said "guess who this is?"...I looked at it and looked at it and wanted to blurt "HELLO KITTY!" ...but, this is Joe we're talking about and I KNEW kitties were not his thing...so, I finally looked at the hands...

Any guesses?

Dear Joseph Henry

The other night Dad came home with pictures. He found the film and decided to get it developed not knowing what would be the outcome. He brought the pictures home as a surprise for me. I was so thankful! I always wondered what happened to the pictures from this event. The event being your birth. So much has happened in our family since the day you were born. Two big moves and another sister added to the family among many other adventures. Looking at these pictures brought back so many memories and feelings. I felt so excited and so nervous. I'd forgotten how painful having a baby was....man it really hurts and looking at these pictures reminded me of how much! I wondered how having another baby would affect your brothers and sisters....it turned out that it was wonderful! We all LOVED having you with us. You had more attention and care than any other baby ever (at least that's what I think). I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute with you. Now you are six and I still adore you and think you are wonderful...just can't honestly say I enjoy every minute! LOL

I LOVE this picture...I love my midwife Sandae and you can see why, she is so loving and caring.

I think this one is my favorite...the look on Lia's face is priceless!! And I love the look on my sister's face...been there done that. (She has attended four of the six births) (sorry Jenny, I included a picture of you). Kim looks so intrigued and my Aunt Jo and cousin Christine look amazed.

Every thing happened so fast. You were born just two hours after arriving at the hospital and only 4 hours after my first contraction. I love the smiles in this picture!

I absolutely LOVE this picture! I wonder what I was saying to daddy. When I asked him if he remembered he said I was probably saying "he's bald!"...(you, not daddy).

I gave the older three kids the option of being in the room and Josh and Zack wanted to be there but not in the room...they were waiting in the waiting room and after you were born they came right on in. They were very excited to see you! Especially Josh...he loves babies!

Everyone was so happy and excited!

Your first close up.

A sweet baby boy~

Me with my wonderful midwife, Sandae.

A brothers love

A gigantic thank you to my wonderful sister in law Michelle, she is the awesome photographer!

Giveaway

go here http://fivegreatkiddos.blogspot.com/2009/11/ju-ju-bemine-giveaway.html to win a cute ju ju be bag. And to see a very fun blog!

Conversations

Joe: Mom, I don't give Paris (a girl at school) Eskimo kisses anymore...now I just give her hugs

Me: You really like Paris don't you.

Joe: Yeah...I think I might marry her when we grow up.

Me: Oh really?

Joe: Yeah...she's black (a slight pause)...we'll have black babies!!(another slight pause)...and white ones too!!

The Zoo

Last Thursday Aaron and I had a day off on the same day! This has not happened in quite some time....so, although there were dishes to be done, laundry to do, and many many other things to be done....we went to the Omaha zoo. We only had a short time before we had to go get the older kids from school but we enjoyed the gorillas the most! It was fun to go with just one kid...well, two counting Aaron.

And for your viewing pleasure I've included a small clip of Hannah's singing abilities. I know we "enjoyed" this little song for the entire hour we drove home....I wonder if I should teach her the other verses...

Oh the things they say...

We were picking up a pizza at our favorite, "Little Cheesers", and when I went in to pay I walked past one of the employees who was hanging out in front of the store having a smoke break. When I came back to the van Megan told me that Joe had asked if that lady was a HOBO!! I didn't even know he knew that word!

Stages

Yesterday all of sudden I had no idea where Hannah was. She's such a sweet girl most of the time and can find things to do to entertain herself. She does like to sing and talk while she's playing so I usually can hear her playing and suddenly I realized I couldn't hear or see her! I panicked. I was running through the house yelling her name I was frantic! There have been a couple other times this has happened and both times she was not in a good place....once when she was very small (she was crawling) we found her under the furnace! (the furnace was up on blocks). The other time I found her stuck out in the van and it was HOT and she was sweaty and it was probably one of the most scary moments of my life....anyway, I do digress. So, here I am yelling for her, running through the house and then I opened the door going out to the garage and the garage door was open! I ran out yelling for her and the neighbor boys pointed down the street and there she was riding her big wheel. I ran down to her feeling a mixture of relief and anger, when she said so sweetly "mom, I'm practicing riding my bike". I looked and there she was pedaling! Her usual way of riding her bike is to push off with her feet....but here she was using the pedals and it was working! So, I did what I didn't have time to do.....I walked with her around the block so she could practice. As we walked/rode every once in a while she needed a little push....to get over a hump in the sidewalk. I thought how interesting it was that while she was learning to ride her bike...Zack and Josh are learning to drive a car....while she needs me to give her a little push now and then and a reminder to steer the bike straight the boys need me to tell them when to slow down and when to merge and they also need me to keep my eyes open even if I want to curl into the fetal position and kiss the ground when we're out of the car. They are all in different stages of learning....but they all still need a little or maybe a lot of help. As we walked and rode around that block I thought about my children when they were born...they were so tiny and helpless and they needed me for everything!!! As they grow they learn and it's our job to teach them and as they learn they need you to do things for them less and less. Parenting is learning to let go... a little at a time....and I think that is the hardest part!

I need help again!

Please go to my friend's website and help me pick the best pictures of Hannah and Joe (www.staciepowersphotography.com). Stacie is such a wonderful photographer! She had the fun idea to meet at the park and take pictures of the kids in their costumes and she got some darling shots! She was able to really capture their personalities! So, let me know which ones you like the best of my kids so I can pick! I want them all!

Oh, and be sure to check out the ones of Hannah with the other two little girls...those are my friend Brenda's kids. She watches Hannah for me when Aaron and I both working and Hannah loves her girls!!

Halloween

These pictures are in random order.

Joe went as the Thing from Fantastic Four

Hannah and Joe....don't ya love the crossed eyes?

Hannah is Cinderella and she was sure to tell everyone at every door she went to!

Matthew went as a biker demon...yeah...that's my boy!

Megan and Murphy as a flower and a bee.

Murphy, getting his costume on.

Josh is a cowboy.

HELP

Sometimes I feel so alone....does anyone else struggle so much with their teenage daughter....mine is barely 13 and I just feel like we are two completely different species! I am a touchy feely person...she HATES to be touched. I NEED to talk things out....she prefers to NEVER talk about anything. How do I let her know how much I love her? I remember when she was born and I was so excited to finally have a girl. I've always been so lovey dovey with her and tried so hard for her to always know she is beautiful and special and now I feel like she does all she can to push me away. Does anyone else go through this? Does anyone remember being like this with their own mom? Is there a chance for us to have a good relationship?

Conversations

Hannah: I know how to say "shoe" in Spanish

Me: Oh really? How?

Hannah: Bunky Bunk

Me: Ooooohhhhhh.....

not enough sleep + baby thigh highs = a lot of inappropriate laughter

I worked this past weekend. In fact I just got done working 8 days in a row. By Sunday I'd gone 3 or 4 nights with about 5 hours of sleep a night....not enough! So, by Sunday I was feeling a bit loopy. I took Aaron's car to work and then he took the van and we met at church. I called home in the morning and asked Zack to make sure Hannah was dressed in a matching outfit and I told him to make sure she had tights on. I told him they were in my top drawer (I had to hide them there from Joe....but that's another story.) So, I got to church first and after the opening song my family filed in. Hannah looked cute...she was wearing the dress I told Zack to put on her and the correct shoes (I can't tell you how many times I have been mortified to see what she was wearing on the Sundays I have to work and am not home to dress her). She also had on tights, or so I thought. About half way through Sacrament Hannah decided to come sit on my lap...she got up there and her dress came up some and I noticed that what I thought was the waistband of her tights had fallen down to her thigh....so I went to pull them up and thats when I noticed she was not wearing tights, she was wearing thigh highs!....a few things ran through my mind in that couple seconds... where did she get them? Who makes thigh highs for babies? Why did she have these on instead of her tights? That's when I realized what they were and I began to laugh...not out loud, we were in church, ya know! But my body shook with silent laughter, my family could not figure out what was wrong with me they all wanted to know what was so funny! I could barely manage to whisper the words through my tears of laughter..."Hannah is wearing my knee highs!"

How was a teenage boy to know?

Conversations

Mom: Joe...Dad won't let me kiss him! (Joe walked in on us playing around..in a playful way...not a naughty way...)

Joe: You guys don't need to kiss...you're already married.

A Right of Passage and a Milestone

So...Joe lost his bottom tooth yesterday. He was so excited and couldn't wait to go to bed! How lovely is that? He was very happy to report that the Tooth Fairy came and left him a dollar! He's looking forward to spending it tomorrow. I think he's leaning towards a new hot wheel car.

My boy is growing up!

On Thursday evening we went to the Pumpkin Walk at Joe's school. Just Hannah, Joe and I went. We walked to the school and then we went on a 1.25 mile walk. Hannah made it almost the whole way by herself and then she needed a ride on my shoulders. She used my hair as her reins......that was fun......but anyway, if you know Hannah you know that she is super shy (except at home) and when people talk to her, she normally responds by saying "uuuuuuuhhhhhhhhnnnnn" and burying her head into me or Aaron. Well....when we finished the pumpkin walk we got to pick out a little pumpkin to take home and we had some juice and a bag of popcorn. The gal handing out the juice asked Hannah if she had fun on the walk and I was waiting for the rude sound she usually makes and the burying of her head....but what she said was...... "Yes" and she smiled.

My girl is growing up!

Teenagers

It's all true...everything you've ever heard about them....it's as true as can be!

Sometimes....

I really really wish I could keep my tears to myself!

I wish I could be super smart.

I wish I could know exactly what to say and when to say it.

I wish I could make everything all better.

I wish could keep those dang darn stupid tears to myself!!!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

It has been a wizardy week! The Wizard of Oz opened on Thursday night. Parents night was Tuesday night, the kids and I went that night and Aaron and I went on opening night. The play was so good! I achieved one of my goals and was able to attend every performance. I've wanted to do it and was able to finagle it this time. I left so much undone at home, though, and now I'll have to pay the price for that. I also didn't have to pay each time because I volunteered in the concession stand. I've wanted to be more involved with the older kids and their activities this year. I can't believe how much hard work goes into a play and how much the kids deliver! Wow! It was just an awesome show that got better each time I saw it (six times in all). Probably the cutest thing was when Hannah leaned over to me when Zack was on the stage and said "Mom! Zack is just like the wizard and the wizard is just like Zack." She loved it! We all did. It was so funny to watch her and Joe skipping around the house this morning singing..."We're off to see the Wizard".

Way to Go North Star!

Here are some pictures...in no particular order.