Sunday, November 30, 2008
Adding a new Christmas tradition
We put our Christmas tree up yesterday, which you already know if you read the previous blog. We turned on the Christmas music and had a good time going through all of the ornaments and putting them on the tree. Over Thanksgiving my parents came out and my mom brought with her the cookie cutters we used to use to make sugar cookies. Thanks Mom! So I had been dying to make sugar cookies, primarily because I LOVE sugar cookies with icing and red hots on top of them. Call me crazy (DON'T) but it is just the perfect combination! Anyway, I decided I would undertake the stress that is allowing four small children (mind you that is 8 hands and 4 mouths jabbering incessantly!) to help me make the cookies. I let the children actually 'cut' out two cookies each and then I did the rest. After I had baked some, I made this really delicious icing I found the recipe for that had almond extract and corn syrup in it. I mixed some different colors up and even bought some pastry type paint brushes so we could 'paint' the cookies. Below are some pictures of our unprofessional-but-still-cute cookies!
Tradition....TRADITION!
So for those of you who don't know, every year we (my family) each buy a new ornament, and the only ornaments (one or two exceptions taken) on our tree are our yearly additions. We like our ornaments to represent who we are as individuals. Those all combined speak volumes about who our family 'is' and what our interests over the last year have been. Kris, late as usual, does not have his ornament; however, this year he has actually ordered it already and it will be joining the tree as soon as it arrives. So here are some pictures of our 2008 ornaments.
Here is Kaleb's choice-the picture is blurry and I apologize for that but I am not taking another one now. He wasn't really into Star Wars the movies so much, though he does enjoy playing the Wii game with Daddy. But this ornament has a button to push and makes noise, so I think he liked it primarily for that.
This one is Abbey's. She has really loved dancing and talked about ballet quite a bit all year. Oh how I'd love to be able to put her into a ballet class. It could be really good for her coordination...but I can just see it now...she's such a free spirit...everyone around her would be in synch and flawless...and she would be there on the side dancing however she wanted to her heart's content! 
This one is the one Olivia chose. She keeps calling it her "Sleeping Beauty ornament". While she still likes Dora, she seems to be moving on towards Barbie and the Disney Princesses. She needs to STOP growing up!
Katherine has really taken a liking to Tinkerbell. Her room is Tinkerbell. Her birthday gifts centered around Tinkerbell. So it was fitting that she chose Tinkerbell for her 2008 ornament.
Some of you may remember that I became quite obsessed with the book "Wicked" and the music, and had I had the opportunity to see the musical, I would have been equally obsessed with that! So it only seemed right to choose a 'Wizard of Oz' ornament this year as mine.
And with the exception of Kris' ornament that we hope to add this week sometime, here is our tree. Each one of these ornaments tell a story and I think that this is my favorite tradition that we have.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Too long...
It's been too long since I wrote last. Same old excuse-I've been busy. Work just doesn't seem to slow down even though peak season was SUPPOSED to be over with 2 months ago! Oh well...business is good so I can't complain. More claims means more success for this budding little start up company I am a part of.
It is almost 1am on Thanksgiving morning. I am waiting for my cheesecake to cool so that I can put it in the fridge. (I had to go back in and edit this because in my sleepy state I actually had typed oven). It has now decided to crack on top-I read somewhere once how to prevent that from happening but if that is the worst thing that happens this Thanksgiving, I will be content. One year I forgot to take my turkey out of the freezer until the night before. It spent the next 8 hours in cold water and was still partly frozen. I believe we ended up having dinner quite a few hours later than I had anticipated that year!
This year my parents have joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. I am very happy about this and thankful that they were able to make it here. It means a lot to me to have them here with us. I am sad that my sister wasn't able to make it this year-it's been tradition for the last 4-5 years for her to come here for Thanksgiving. Katherine is trying to make me feel better by volunteering to get up at 4am on Friday to go shopping with me. I doubt we'll get up that early, but I think it will be fun to have her join me. Really I think she just wants a bagel from Bread Co.!
There really isn't anything 'new' or funny to report. I did start physical therapy for my rib that is out of place but it's nothing exciting to write about, though I do believe it is helping with the pain.
Here is a small list of things I am thankful for (there are many more but I will only list the first few that come to mind):
As always-Diet Dr. Pepper and Red Hots-not necessarily together!
My children...sometimes I am moved to tears by how deep my love for them goes. It's the most amazing thing in the world to love a child!
My husband-he is a great man and husband and a truly amazing father.
Our 'new' church and the friends we are making there.
My parents and the opportunity they gave me as I grew up to learn about God and discover the amazing gift He gave us in offering his only son to save even me.
Food-I love food. I shouldn't love it as much as I do!
Music.
The priviledge of having a home to go home to each day.
Technology (cell phones, computers, advances in medicine-we are truly blessed in this day and age)
Naps
It is almost 1am on Thanksgiving morning. I am waiting for my cheesecake to cool so that I can put it in the fridge. (I had to go back in and edit this because in my sleepy state I actually had typed oven). It has now decided to crack on top-I read somewhere once how to prevent that from happening but if that is the worst thing that happens this Thanksgiving, I will be content. One year I forgot to take my turkey out of the freezer until the night before. It spent the next 8 hours in cold water and was still partly frozen. I believe we ended up having dinner quite a few hours later than I had anticipated that year!
This year my parents have joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. I am very happy about this and thankful that they were able to make it here. It means a lot to me to have them here with us. I am sad that my sister wasn't able to make it this year-it's been tradition for the last 4-5 years for her to come here for Thanksgiving. Katherine is trying to make me feel better by volunteering to get up at 4am on Friday to go shopping with me. I doubt we'll get up that early, but I think it will be fun to have her join me. Really I think she just wants a bagel from Bread Co.!
There really isn't anything 'new' or funny to report. I did start physical therapy for my rib that is out of place but it's nothing exciting to write about, though I do believe it is helping with the pain.
Here is a small list of things I am thankful for (there are many more but I will only list the first few that come to mind):
As always-Diet Dr. Pepper and Red Hots-not necessarily together!
My children...sometimes I am moved to tears by how deep my love for them goes. It's the most amazing thing in the world to love a child!
My husband-he is a great man and husband and a truly amazing father.
Our 'new' church and the friends we are making there.
My parents and the opportunity they gave me as I grew up to learn about God and discover the amazing gift He gave us in offering his only son to save even me.
Food-I love food. I shouldn't love it as much as I do!
Music.
The priviledge of having a home to go home to each day.
Technology (cell phones, computers, advances in medicine-we are truly blessed in this day and age)
Naps
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Before I forget
There are so many cute things my kids say and do. Half of them are forgotten and lost in the busy-ness of life. So before I forget to write this down, I am taking a short break at work to record this funny memory.
Olivia LOVES to sing lately. She has always loved the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Recently she has started singing a new version she has learned at school. And she sings it almost everytime we drive somewhere. She knows all about traffic lights apparently and to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star she sings:
Twinkle twinkle traffic light
On the corner shining bright
Red means stop, green means go
Yellow means go very slow
Twinkle twinkle traffic light
On the corner shining bright
Now just in general maybe the song isn't impressive but when a three year old with an adorable little voice sings it, it just makes me smile!
Having said that, another song Livvy has been singing is The Wheels on the Bus. The last couple of days I have listened to her singing this, doing little motions as well. There was one verse however we just could not understand. For the daddies on the bus she would raise her hands in the air and say what sounded like "cheese and pepper" or "bread and pepper". But each time I asked if that is what she was saying she would say no and look at me like I was crazy. Last night however I finally figured it out. She was singing for me and when she got to the daddies on the bus she raised her little arms and belted out "breathe the pepper". I said "Are you saying BREATHE?" And she got excited because I finally understood. So then I said "BREATHE THE PEPPER?" And she said "yes" and was excited that I figured it out. Finally it made sense. So I said "Do you mean READ THE PAPER?" She said "NO." She proceeded to raise her little arms and again emphasize that the daddies on the bus "BREATHE THE PEPPER". It was SO funny. So apparently rather than reading the paper the daddies on the bus throw their hands in the air and "Breathe the pepper".
All too quickly this cute age is going to be gone...
Olivia LOVES to sing lately. She has always loved the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Recently she has started singing a new version she has learned at school. And she sings it almost everytime we drive somewhere. She knows all about traffic lights apparently and to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star she sings:
Twinkle twinkle traffic light
On the corner shining bright
Red means stop, green means go
Yellow means go very slow
Twinkle twinkle traffic light
On the corner shining bright
Now just in general maybe the song isn't impressive but when a three year old with an adorable little voice sings it, it just makes me smile!
Having said that, another song Livvy has been singing is The Wheels on the Bus. The last couple of days I have listened to her singing this, doing little motions as well. There was one verse however we just could not understand. For the daddies on the bus she would raise her hands in the air and say what sounded like "cheese and pepper" or "bread and pepper". But each time I asked if that is what she was saying she would say no and look at me like I was crazy. Last night however I finally figured it out. She was singing for me and when she got to the daddies on the bus she raised her little arms and belted out "breathe the pepper". I said "Are you saying BREATHE?" And she got excited because I finally understood. So then I said "BREATHE THE PEPPER?" And she said "yes" and was excited that I figured it out. Finally it made sense. So I said "Do you mean READ THE PAPER?" She said "NO." She proceeded to raise her little arms and again emphasize that the daddies on the bus "BREATHE THE PEPPER". It was SO funny. So apparently rather than reading the paper the daddies on the bus throw their hands in the air and "Breathe the pepper".
All too quickly this cute age is going to be gone...
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Physical therapy? I don't have time for that.
Since I last wrote, Livvy got her stitches out. She is healing nicely and will have a lovely little scar underneath her chin.
I have gone back to the doctor for x-rays on my back-which came back normal. The doctor gave me different meds which didn't help with the pain at all and told me if I wasn't better by Monday (this past Monday) he would send me for physical therapy. So they called today and I will be getting the information and have to schedule physical therapy. Yeah I don't have time for that-if it helps great. And I will go for the therapy but I am anxious when I think about having to schedule it around work.
Things I don't like right now:
The nagging pain in my back.
My son constantly getting in trouble at school.
The public school has way too many half days or days off.
The mess that calls itself my home.
So that you don't think I am too negative, things I love right now:
Listening to The Silver Hand by Stephen Lawhead on my way to and from work.
Diet Dr. Pepper.
Listening to Olivia sing a song about traffic lights to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Abbey's bold fashion statements...tonight there were pink pants with purple shorts over them, a pink/purple striped shirt and then an Easter sun dress over all that and sparklly pink shoes.
Katherine reading a book "Cassie" that I read as a girl.
Kaleb-just Kaleb in general-he's a sweet boy who like his mother has trouble believing there is good in him.
I have gone back to the doctor for x-rays on my back-which came back normal. The doctor gave me different meds which didn't help with the pain at all and told me if I wasn't better by Monday (this past Monday) he would send me for physical therapy. So they called today and I will be getting the information and have to schedule physical therapy. Yeah I don't have time for that-if it helps great. And I will go for the therapy but I am anxious when I think about having to schedule it around work.
Things I don't like right now:
The nagging pain in my back.
My son constantly getting in trouble at school.
The public school has way too many half days or days off.
The mess that calls itself my home.
So that you don't think I am too negative, things I love right now:
Listening to The Silver Hand by Stephen Lawhead on my way to and from work.
Diet Dr. Pepper.
Listening to Olivia sing a song about traffic lights to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Abbey's bold fashion statements...tonight there were pink pants with purple shorts over them, a pink/purple striped shirt and then an Easter sun dress over all that and sparklly pink shoes.
Katherine reading a book "Cassie" that I read as a girl.
Kaleb-just Kaleb in general-he's a sweet boy who like his mother has trouble believing there is good in him.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!
It was a crazy week. I started the week out with upper back pain. I decided to grin and bear it until Thursday when I could bear it no longer. I went to the doctor and found out that I had a rib out of place. The doctor adjusted my back and gave me a prescription for a muscle relaxer and ibuprofen. As I was driving out of the doctor's parking lot, my throat and ear started hurting. I hoped it would go away-it did not. Friday morning I went to my new friend-the Walgreens Take Care Clinic only to find out that while I did not have an ear infection like I suspected, I did have strep throat. And let me just say that for NOT having an ear infection, my ear sure does hurt even after three days on an antibiotic and round the clock ibuprofen. I did feel well enough today to attempt church. Halfway through I was regretting that I got out of bed-but overall I do feel better than I have been.
The reason for my subject line is what happened after church. I am not sure exactly what happened. Katherine said she tripped Livvy. Kaleb said Katherine ran into him, who then ran into Livvy. But what we do know is Livvy fell down and smacked her face into the pavement outside of church. I held her and saw that blood was pooling under her chin. I rushed her inside and blotted it with wet paper towel. It looked pretty deep and despite my body shaking with anxiety I handled it pretty well. I knew she was going to need stitches. So we spent our afternoon at the ER and Livvy now has 5 stitches in her little chin. Poor girl. Overall though it has been a pretty rough week medically. It's gotta get better right? That's what I keep telling myself.
The reason for my subject line is what happened after church. I am not sure exactly what happened. Katherine said she tripped Livvy. Kaleb said Katherine ran into him, who then ran into Livvy. But what we do know is Livvy fell down and smacked her face into the pavement outside of church. I held her and saw that blood was pooling under her chin. I rushed her inside and blotted it with wet paper towel. It looked pretty deep and despite my body shaking with anxiety I handled it pretty well. I knew she was going to need stitches. So we spent our afternoon at the ER and Livvy now has 5 stitches in her little chin. Poor girl. Overall though it has been a pretty rough week medically. It's gotta get better right? That's what I keep telling myself.
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