Opening Decmeber

Sunday school store day...also decorate your own cookie day.

1st cello concert of this school year

baby in a basket

making chocolate pretzels. did you know that if you let your kids eat dipping chocolate with a spoon they will love you forever? true story.

E won the messy award.

Christmas play...J was a Russian spy and E was part of the heavenly host.

We let the kids open their gifts from us before we head west. They'll get one more in CA, but I was NOT going to haul them all out there just to haul them back.

Christmas Card Fail

I know I'm not alone when I say that Christmas cards are an undertaking. Trying to get your kids to all look the same general direction, and not look like they want to kill something is quite a feat. I'm even okay with them not having a the perfect smile. I used to want that, but I've let it go. My friend let me borrow her fancy camera to take my Christmas card photo and it took two different days to get something usable. Then there is the lighting. Some were to dark, others too grainy. Ugh. BUT...it's my own fault for looking at craft blogs by the new era of momtogs and slipping into the trap of comparison. That and there's that first Christmas card that set the standard, "Oooo, I love your Christmas cards, but that one is my favorite." It's the Christmas I was prego with V and the older two are leaning on my belly. I love it too. BUT it's not happening again folks! I am releasing myself from Christmas card perfection. Well....maybe....

Closing November

We're going to close this month with bullet points and pictures...ahem...

• visited both classes of the kids on Wednesday before T-day. J was having a class meal where he learned how to properly set the table, push in a chair for a young lady. His teacher also went around to each kid and expounded on something that he was thankful for about each student. It was really beautiful to see the kids respond. You could tell that some of these kids might never hear it at home. E's class had a feast of snacky things but the teacher changed the time of when they were going to do it so I missed it! Boo. But I still stopped in and grabbed a pic of her and her teacher who J had in first grade too. We love her!

• Thanksgiving day was cold and rainy, but still a really good day and Den's parents. I made the annual cheese ball turkey ( i don't make the cheese ball, i just turn it into a turkey), dolls joined in on the fun, and V and Joash were said to look like the E trade babies as they sat in their high chairs. We dropped into a couple other family drop ins later that night and it was so good to see everyone.

• Then on Friday I decided it was time to say goodbye to someone. I have an issue with holding on to the past. But I believe in personal growth and saying goodbye was a big step for me. Van didn't quite understand.

"Why mommy? Why?!?!?"

"Because it's time, my love. It's time"

"I still don't understand."

Goodbye James....we had some good times. I still have small mementos of you hear and there; magnets, a picture, your 3 films. But I can no longer have you cluttering my life. Farewell.

Take a moment and wipe your eyes if you need to. Okay, ready to move on?

• Friday night Den and I built the tree and put on our sad little lights. EVERY strand was only lighting up halfway. Odd. Part of me wonders if it's not our electricity. Saturday we decorated.

• Also on Saturday we had our own turkey dinner. A simple menu of turkey, stuffing, and baked sweet potatoes. We also broke out the china and the sparkling grape juice. Nothing was actually broken. The bird was beautiful and deeelish...thanks dad for the tips!

• In closing our two youngest crack us up. It's so fun to see their personalities come out when they are young. Dennis took these two pictures.

um....can you say perfect baby bum? However I must admit that I'm a little reminded of George Costanza.

Dennis said when he first saw V like this, he was snuggled up with his cheek on the Millennium Falcon. He moved while Den went to get the camera.

*this post is dedicated to my dearest Carla who gave me James many moons ago....

Student of the Month

For "displaying exceptional efforts to show courtesy by listening to teachers and friends, showing kindness each day and using manners."


I have to promise her a goofy picture to get her to take a normal one like above.

six months

What? Six months? I really hate to use cliche's, but it truly does go so fast. I still see him as a newborn, but really he's an almost crawling, 2 toothed, 6 month old little man. I think it's even more bittersweet knowing he's (theoretically) our last baby. sniff.

Festivities for the Girl

"Mommy...am I seven right now?" is what I was asked yesterday morning. My girl wants to know things exactly how they are. She is just a joy in our life and I'm so glad that in the middle of my 3 boys God blessed me with a daughter. She has spunk and wit and a sense of kindness that I've been witnessing her share with others when no one is looking. Love her.

Saturday afternoon we had an Asian themed friend party complete with chopsticks and "sushi". I was extra thankful for the gifts my family had bestowed on us from there travels to Japan and China (my brother and his wife lived there for 5yrs) to help with the details. The girls made their own fans, carried rice (cotton balls) with chopsticks from a post to a rice bowl (for miss kitty), pinned the fan to the doll and were actually fairly successful in eating their snack and dessert with chopsticks.

Any pictures you see and think, "Wow! What a great picture!" was probably taken by dear Tina who stopped by and did some snapping. Thanks Tina!

Sunday afternoon was just us and of course she had to blow out candles on her actual birthday. It's a rule for me. Before that she had her requested lunch of tomato soup from the can. I had leftover butternut squash soup, thank you very much. I'm over MSG in a can.

Then she opened gifts from us and my parents and Grandma Linda.

Thanks Grandma Linda for the tea set!

Giving brother hugs as he gave her all his silly bandz. True love.

Outfits for her and doll.

Opening her most favorite gift from my parents.

Not this doll.

This one, Lanie. (She is also wearing a shirt that I made my attaching socks for sleeves)

"May I take Lanie exploring?" Lanie is a girl that loves exploring the outdoors so that is what they did for the rest of the afternoon.

They stopped to read a book together.

Then they invited me to go for a walk and do some bird watching. I believe Lanie saw the most as she had binoculars and never offered me a peek through them.

Then we said goodbye to Dennis has he left for Maine for a week.

We had some company in the evening that brought ice cream and of course we had to light another candle! Thanks Owen and Mia!

It was a full couple days but I know she felt loved. So after tucking everyone in and cleaning up the kitchen what does one do at 10pm?

They remember their promise to make birthday treats for a first grader. And they are thankful that they had JUST barely enough chocolate to dip the red velvet cake balls and pray that there really are only 25 kids.

7

Now that soccer has finished I feel like we are slowly entering a more balanced pace of life. I know there are people who have all four+ kids in 2 sports each, plus music lessons, and weekly play dates, 3 pets and all the while being team mom for each sport, class helper and in charge of the church bake sale, not to mention their part time job. Kudos to them. I'm come to accept my limits and I'm okay with it. The city of comparison is a dangerous place and I 'm never satisfied when I visit there.



So while the kids are at school, it's me and the two youngest boys. I'm relearning the stages of toddler hood with V. I forgot about the "I'll do it myself" stage or as V puts it, "my turn." I remember now. He is such a fun guy though. Such mix of the other two. He's a goof and a joker, loves to get crazy, but has the ability to sit and focus on something and play by himself. This is what I caught him doing yesterday.




He was so proud and kept saying "I did it!"



This little man is still happy 90% of the time. His two bottom teeth have both broken through and they can get in the way of his race for the title of "Perfect Baby". Yet usually if he's fussing it's about food or it's bedtime.



He loves when the kids read to him.

Applesauce

E had her last soccer game and her coach passed out medals. The rose was from Aunt Denise who coached a different team but had one for her (and for me too!). I think she got more into towards the end. I'm thankful that it's done and we will have our Mon. and Wed. nights more free. With the kids getting home so late from school I always felt rushed. I don't think she's in love with it enough to have to do it again next year...but we shall see!