Little Sparkle

Taco Bell Birthday Girl

2010-10-06T09:36:00.005-06:00

We don't go out to eat very much. Getting 3 kids to behave and enjoy paying too much has to be worth it, so when we do go out, it is somewhere fairly nice. A few months ago, we were discussing where to go out, and Kaci requested Taco Bell. I told her that we were not going to go there, and probably never would. She thought about it for a minute, and said (in a sing song voice) "We Will S-OOoomeday!!!"

So, guess where she asked to go for her birthday dinner? Mmmhmmmm... She could have picked ANY restaurant, or had her Mom who is taking culinary classes make her ANYTHING, and she picked Taco Bell!

Do you know how easy and cheap it was to make her day??? It was the BEST part of her birthday, she walked/danced in the door with her birthday dress and tiara, and the whole meal was magical. She sampled everyone's food and loved every bite! In fact, when she was going to bed that night, I asked her what her favorite part of her birthday was. In her sweet sleepy voice, she said "Taco Bell!"

Even when we saw that the employees couldn't even hang a sign right side up, we still walked in the door and trusted they could read instructions on how to prepare a taco!

Have Mercy

We had a fun time celebrating her birthday. She asked for a scooter for her birthday. Her sweet Daddy showed up at the school with her new one, and Shanna's for him to ride, and let her ride home like the big kids.

Kaci showed the maturity of grown up girl, and said that her carrot cake could have white frosting this year. (If you look at pictures from past birthdays, she has always wanted bright pink frosting on her cake.) That pleased me a lot, because I have this thing about food coloring. (It is similar to my thing about Jello.) It also pleased me that she still loves carrot cake. I made carrot muffins for her 2nd birthday, and that is what she always asks for.

We missed having Shanna here to help her celebrate, but hope she's having a fun time at Eco Week. We are having a BIG party this weekend, we invited her whole school class, as well as friends from the neighborhood and church. It should be crazy and lots of fun!

Eco Week!

2010-10-04T13:07:00.005-06:00

Shanna left for Eco Week this morning. They are going to Pingree Park, the same place I went for Eco Week when I was a kid! She was really excited. We have been packing all weekend, which has been a struggle. She had a long list of things to take, and conditions up there could vary from nice weather, to rain to lots of snow! We had our rounds about which shirts she would take... (yes Shanna, it is important to still look presentable even though you are "roughing it") If she would take shower items (yes, showering is important even though you are "roughing it") etc etc... I let her set all her gear out, so that she would have the experience of deciding what to take, but "helped" her pack it all neatly into her suitcase! She left with a smile, I guess that's all that counts, right?

Shanna with her BFF Caroline

Sara helping to say "Bye Bye Sha-Sha"

And they're off! I hope she has a fun time, they'll be hiking, doing a ropes course and lots of other fun activities. I miss her already!

Happy Birthday Kaci!

2010-10-04T06:31:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet Kaci!

I love being your Mommy.

I love how you make me giggle!

I love how you have the best "bed hair" when you wake up in the morning.

I love how you sing and dance and twirl and spin, not caring who is watching you.

I love your sense of adventure, how you are never afraid to try new things.

I love your sweet voice, especially when you say "Mommy"

I love your knock knock jokes, and how you taught Sara to tell them too.

I love how smart you are.

I love your sweet snuggles.

I love how your smile lights up my day!

Happy Birthday Sunshine!

Sunflower Farm

2010-10-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

We went to the coolest farm this weekend. They had a zip line, huge tree houses with nets and bridges to play on, they had ponies to ride, goats and sheep to feed, tractors to play on, horses and cows to pet... We had a blast!

Kaci and Sara got to ride a pony. Sara wasn't too sure at first, but she was loving it by the time her turn was over. I felt bad that Shanna was too big to ride, she has been wanting to ride a horse for a long time. Shanna did have lots of fun on the zip line. She has been building zip lines for years. (Remember the story about her trying to hook Kaci's car seat up on the one she built in the backyard when Kaci was a baby?!) I helped Sara go down it a few times by running alongside, holding on to her. My Dad came with us, and the girls had so much fun playing with him. He even found a hammock for a quick nap in the shade!

My Bad...

2010-10-03T18:50:00.005-06:00

Once upon a time, I kept a blog to update family on our daily lives...

Then we moved and I stopped because we saw the grandparents more often.

Time went by....

Stories were told...

Kids grew up, and I think I forgot to blog about how much I enjoyed each moment....

Today, Tyler and I reflected on memories on my blog. He reminded me of when I used to post pictures and captions of what happened each day...

I know I need to start again. I barely have time to sit down in front of a computer, but I want my kids to read about how I feel about them.

I need them to know how much I love them.

Do you ever wonder how much your parents loved you??

I recently found a home video of me, when I was 6. I was sitting at the breakfast table, eating cereal. I was so happy, my grandparents were visiting, my Dad hadn't left for work yet. I was so excited to go to school.

I see that innocent girl, and want to hug her. I want to protect her. I know the trials she will go through, and I want to tell her that things will be amazing.Whatever is thrown her way, she will overcome them. Se will be blessed, but she will suffer. It is almost an out of body experience to want to hug the little version of yourself to prevent heartache.

I have survived times things that I don't understand. How am I supposed to lead and guide three little girls' lives that I am trusted to lead??

My daily life is a balance of guidance, organization and vision for five unique lives. There are lunches to make, homework to supervise, laundry to do, floors to mop and bathrooms to clean.. things to organize and futures to shape.

What keeps us going? Is there really a recipe?

I have decided that mostly it is hard work and dedication.

Just keep doing what you know best.

And try harder the next day....

And so my story continues.

Lory State Park Hike

2010-05-31T10:53:00.000-06:00

We had a fun hike last night at Lory State Park

Kaci's Preschool Graduation

2010-05-31T10:16:00.001-06:00

Kaci had her big Preschool Graduation. She had the best teacher, and we loved her school. The last unit they did was American History, and that was also the theme of their graduation. They learned to play handbells, and did a few patriotic songs with their bells. She was pretty sad that school was over, but is so excited to start Kindergarten!

Shanna's 10th Birthday

2010-05-31T09:46:00.001-06:00

Shanna turned 10 on May 5th. She had her first slumber party. (Yikes!) It actually went pretty well... We were all exhausted the next day though.

Her friends thought I was crazy. (Maybe they already knew that though) I made a big point about how they were ladies now, and needed to be on their best behavior for dinner. They went as far as changing into Shanna's dresses, I had a nice tablecloth on the table (plastic) and served their first course. After I cleared their plates, I came over and dumped spaghetti and meatballs all over the table. I'm sure their parents heard all about it the next day!

I can't believe my beautiful daughter is growing up so fast. I love you Sha-Sha-Shananigans!!

Mother's Day Pictures

2010-05-09T22:20:00.000-06:00

I had an amazing Mother's Day... I am so lucky to be loved by so many people!

My Sweet Girls

2009-10-27T20:49:00.004-06:00

I love the days where you see your kids shine and you wonder if you might be doing something right! (There are many days in between where you second guess your parenting skills and wonder how to find more hours in the day to teach more lessons and skills.)

I love Kaci's teacher. She always finds something to praise Kaci about when I pick her up. I never feel that she is sugar coating things, or saying things just to talk. The things she says are genuine, and always make me feel good. (Well, there was the one day when she praised Kaci's soccer goalie abilities. She said she came up with a great new strategy, and that was to lay the goal down so that balls couldn't be kicked in and cross her arms and smile a smug smile... that might have been a little sarcastic!) Today, she told me that Kaci is the only kid who can tie her shoes. Not only does she tie her own shoes, but other kids go to her to tie theirs. I love that she is so willing to help other people.

Shanna is always the underdog. She gets ignored and passed over because her younger sisters need more attention and yell louder. Yet, she is always quietly helping, and never asks to be noticed for her contributions. The one constant thing that I hear from each one of her teachers is how kind she is to her classmates, and how enjoyable she is to be around.

Now, for little Sara... well, maybe it is her age, and maybe it is because she is child #3, but she is definately a firecracker. She likes to kick the fake pumpkin on our coffee table like it is a soccer ball, sneak up the stairs when no one is looking, bite my cheek when I am expecting a kiss. BUT, at the same time, she loves to be read to, loves to snuggle and watch TV, and is AMAZING at her phonics. She knows what sound every letter makes. (I won't even get started on how annoying the movie is that she screams about if we don't watch EVERY time we are in the car.)

My kids are such a joy. They might wear me out, and I want to check out instead of doing laundry and dishes and bedtime, but it only takes a sweet voice to say "I love you Mommy" or a sweet sleepy snuggle to charge my batteries enough to make it through another day.

I am so blessed!

Happy Birthday, Sunshine!

2009-10-05T00:02:00.000-06:00

To my sweet Kaci:

You are sweet, happy, spunky, silly, groovy, beautiful, graceful, cute, adorable, stylish, innocent, trusting, sweet natured, and I can't believe I am lucky I am to be your Mom! You bring me so much sunshine and joy every day. I hope you feel my love every day. Thanks for making me so happy every time you smile! I can't believe it was 5 years ago that I held you for the first time. You have grown up so fast, and are such a smart and beautiful girl.

You are so special to me!

Love, Mommy

Monday Morning, 9:15

2009-09-21T09:16:00.002-06:00

I think I am becoming too much of a perfectionist to blog anymore. I keep thinking I need to get Kaci's first day of school pictures up before I can blog anything else... When I go to edit those, I think about how I still haven't given the grandparents a single framed picture of Sara to hang on their wall so I start editing a picture of her to print. Then I remember that I need to start laundry, then I see a dirty countertop that needs cleaned...

As I started writing this, I was putting Sara down for a nap. It is a rainy Monday morning. Shanna doesn't have school, Kaci does. The dishes are done, bills are paid, 3/5 of us have eaten breakfast, laundry is started, baby is now asleep and I am headed downstairs for a quick workout. How's that for a random update?

First Day of 4th Grade!

2009-08-19T10:01:00.004-06:00

Shanna started 4th grade today. She was excited, but really nervous. I hope her day is great and she comes home with a big smile! Kaci misses her, she was asking at 9:30am if Shanna's school was almost over. I miss having her here too, but am excited to have her back in school and get our routine back in order again. Dance started this week also, we will be busy busy!!

I was looking back at her previous first day of school pictures, and I can't believe how fast she's growing up!

4th Grade

3rd Grade

2nd Grade

1st Grade

Kindergarten

She informed me that she is already half way to being in college... Is there any way to slow down the next 9 years?? Sweet girl, stop growing up so fast!

Summer Fun.. Swenson Style

2009-07-07T21:17:00.005-06:00

Washing the dog...

I love these people... and the dog.. (the dog most of the time, the people all of the time) I love seeing my kids being able to experience moments like this. Look at this hot man who is their Daddy!!!

Summer fun also means letting child #3 stuff her mouth full of chocolate.... fully knowing it will stain your clothes. She is enjoying it though!

Oh my sweet Kaci... she got to be "Bat Girl" at Shanna's softball game tonight. She was so proud... and so cute!! Notice the chocolate on her face too!

Sara was fussy, so Shanna gave her an old binkie. Sara loved playing with it...

She especially loved the challenge of picking it up off the floor with no hands!

Sara loves flowers!

This summer has been crazy, busy and also fun. We have been swimming lots, biking, taking care of our garden and flowers and looking forward to a weekend in the mountains!

Money, Spiders and Butterflies

2009-06-12T22:04:00.002-06:00

We took the girls to Denver today for a tour of the US Mint. I have no pictures, because along with purses, strollers and bottles, cameras were not allowed. I guess if I was responsible for $80 billion worth of gold, I would take precautions like that too.

We didn't even bring our good camera which was a bummer because we went to the Butterfly Pavilion after our tour. It would have been so sweet to photo the girls' faces as the butterflies flew around them.

We did however snap a few pictures with our grainy cell phone camera of Kaci and Rosie. Who is Rosie? Rosie is the tarantula who lives at the Butterfly Pavilion. You get a sticker if you hold Rosie. I don't know where Kaci gets her sense of adventure, but she was the only one who wanted to hold Rosie. I love that she's up for trying anything. She wasn't scared, and even went back to hold Rosie again.

Sara might end up being adventurous like Kaci because she was reaching for Rosie. I didn't think pictures of a one year old holding a tarantula would be very appropriate though. We'll let her hold Rosie next time maybe.

Summer's Here!!

2009-06-08T23:49:00.002-06:00

I have been so bad at keeping my blog up to date. I don't seem to sit down until I fall into bed at night. I have been wanting to post pictures of the last few months, so here's the quick (meaning sitting and editing a slide show for the past hour) way of showing them off!

Shanna turned 9, (I need to get the pictures off the other computer to post of her parties)We had crazy end of the school year events. Field trips, days at the park, Kaci's preschool graduation (kind of... she isn't quite old enough for Kindergarten next year) Shanna's last day of school, Sara started walking and then turned one... Every day has been full of adventure!

I am still trying to settle into a good Summer routine. I feel like I am either too lazy or too much a Drill Sargent. I am loving having the girls here, especially Shanna. I feel like I never get to see her during the school year. We have been riding bikes and hoping for nicer weather so that we can swim lots.

Happy Summer!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Sugar & Spice

2009-05-01T17:10:00.004-06:00

Kaci wants to do "Big Girl" stuff. We made cookies three days this week. I love her sweet smile and funny off the wall comments...

I took my eyes off of her for one minute...

2009-05-01T17:05:00.002-06:00

Oooohhhh... is she a handful!

In My World...

2009-04-27T21:05:00.002-06:00

You'll find this funny if you have seen Horton Hears a Who... You know the part where the little girls says something about "in my world, everyone's a pony and they eat rainbows and poop butterflies..."

Well, tonight Kaci was eating milk and cookies and was drinking her milk with a spoon. I told her to stop and to pick up her cup to drink.

She says, "Well, in my world, people use their spoons to drink milk."

(I am trying not to laugh, because we have been working very hard about teaching them not to argue...)

So, I told her that in her world, she still has a Mommy who can tell her what to do, and that she better put her spoon down and pick up her glass to drink.

And she says "well then you better go back to your world, because people here don't like rules like that."

I was bursting at the seams trying not to laugh and to be the stern parent who doesn't-like-being-talked-to-like-that. It didn't work so well. She is so hilarious...

Screeching Sara

2009-04-24T15:04:00.002-06:00

Sara's new trick is to screech like a screech owl when she thinks she is being ignored. Should I mention that she thinks she is ignored A LOT?

I think this picture came after she screeched for 5 minutes straight and we gave in... The look of victory

Praying in Spanish

2009-04-24T13:57:00.004-06:00

Kaci was praying yesterday. (Who else would come up with this stuff?) She stopped in the middle of her prayer, and said "I think I am going to start saying my prayers in Spanish." I told her to finish her prayer, and after she did I asked her why she wanted to start praying in Spanish.

"Because... there is only 1 God, and like 100 different languages. Just because someone doesn't know English doesn't mean they can't pray, so God has to know every language."

(At this point, I am trying not to laugh. She is so serious about it, and her eyes are bright blue and sparkling.)

"You know what else Mom? I don't know very many words in Spanish. But that's ok, because sometimes I say words in English that I don't know either. Little kids who live in Spanish don't know all their Spanish words, and God still hears their prayers."

Oh what a sweet girl. It is so hard to keep a straight face when the little wheels inside her head are spinning this fast!

Eyes

2009-04-10T09:54:00.003-06:00

How could you ever say "no" to these eyes?

Sweet Baby Girl

2009-04-09T19:51:00.002-06:00

"Do Dogs Get Married?"

2009-04-01T21:07:00.002-06:00

What would you answer if your 4 year old asked you that question?

I answered "No, Dogs don't get married."

Tyler nudged me and said "way to go...." and winked at me. He then told me to "wait for it."

Kaci says "Well then how do dogs have puppies?"

Tyler saved me and went on to explain that Dogs probably get married in their own language, and we just don't know about it... That little girl has so much going on in her sweet head!

See the Resemblance?

2009-04-01T18:31:00.003-06:00

"I'm gonna hug her and squeeze her and love her and kiss her and call her George"

You can laugh at our little Elmyra, but it is a daily battle for us.

Kaci, stop squeezing your sister!

But MOMMY, I'm just hugging her!!

You need to click on the picture to see Kaci's expression....

Spring Break

2009-03-23T15:03:00.002-06:00

We had such a fun week! We planned at least one fun activity a day. The weather was great and we had fun playing in the sun. We went to the park, the farm, the library, ice skating, Chuck E Cheese, Fort Fun, bike rides, walks, the fair, watched tv and movies.... It was fun to show the girls more of the town where we grew up!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

A Kaci-ism

2009-03-09T22:26:00.002-06:00

One more for today (Can you tell I found some computer time tonight?)

It is always a struggle in the morning doing Kaci's hair. Her hair is so easy to do curly (get it wet, scrunch it up, and you're done.) But, she wants straight hair like Shanna and me. I can do it, but it means I get it wet, blow dry it and curl the ends. (And convince a 4 year old to hold still for all of that.)

This morning, we had the conversation again. This time I tried a new approach. I told her that Tyler's hair is curly. She thought about it, and said "but Daddy's hair is brown." I said that it was blonde when he was a little boy. She thought about it for a while and then said...

"Well, what happened? Did he eat too much chocolate?"

Tyler's Photos

2009-03-09T22:07:00.000-06:00

I love it that Tyler has found his escape from all of the craziness and stress. When he comes home from being at the lake taking pictures, he is so relaxed and happy. These are some of the amazing pictures he has taken.

Amazed

2009-03-09T21:57:00.000-06:00

Tyler has been going out to a reservoir to take pictures of eagles right by our house. This picture is just amazing to me. I think I'll have it framed for his office. I'll post some of his pictures of eagles next...

The Front Door...

2009-03-09T21:49:00.000-06:00

I have waited a long time to post these pictures... Our front door in Utah was "The Picture Place" It was the backdrop of so many happy memories and great pictures. If I could have taken down the door and brought it with us, believe me I would have. These are the last pictures in front of that door (unless we get crazy and run up and take some before the cops come sometime in the future!)

Also, here is a picture of the wall in the garage where we measured the girls. Don't worry, we wrote it all down and have a new chart now that I transferred the data on to. And last, every great cowboy rides off into the sunset, here are some great pictures Tyler took from our backyard before we left.

It is very bittersweet to look back at the pictures now that we are settled here. The house and yard don't even come CLOSE to comparing to our last house. But, this is temporary. The reward of having our families close is priceless and we are really enjoying being here. We miss our friends and familiar settings, but I am hopeful to keep our friendships (You know who you are!!!) and create new familiar settings. Who knows... maybe we'll even have a new "Picture Place" soon!

Dance Recital... 3 months ago

2009-03-09T21:37:00.000-06:00

I know, I have lots to catch up on. Right now I am like a kid who is supposed to be doing homework, but is doing something much more fun instead. Here are pictures from the girls' dance recital in DECEMBER. (Hey, cut me some slack, we were in the process of moving!)

Look At Me!

2009-03-08T16:37:00.003-06:00

Sara is pretty pleased with her new mobile abilities!

Happy Birthday Grandad!

2009-03-07T21:24:00.004-07:00

We had a fun Mexican Fiesta celebrating my Dad's birthday! It is so great to be here, able to celebrate special days like this!

Dad, I hope you had a great birthday! I love you!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Recharge

2009-03-06T22:46:00.002-07:00

Tyler and I got to go out for a while by ourselves tonight. (THANKS MOM!) It is so great to be able to laugh and relax and enjoy being with him. We went (gasp) shopping... something that would normally be a grouchy time ("Put that back, no we're NOT buying that... I SAID put that back..." Have you ever been shopping with three kids?) But we joked and looked at the things we wanted to, and it was great.

I feel like my battery has been recharged. We got home, and it was refreshing to see three sets of sparkly eyes smiling at us! (Except Kaci burst into tears when we got home and asked if we could go on another date, she wasn't ready for Nana to leave!)

Circle of... teeth

2009-03-05T00:13:00.004-07:00

Shanna lost one... Kaci has most of them... Sara is working on getting her first one.

I had no idea that Shanna had a loose tooth. Maybe I was in denial because she has no permanent tooth to fit the space where this baby tooth fell out. I should be grateful that this is the only short coming I have seen in her life. She is beautiful, smart, healthy, sweet... but she has no new tooth there. We now have to figure that out.

She started the day by brushing her teeth like normal, eating breakfast like normal, but then came home from school with a tooth hanging out in a kinda (really) gross way. We told her she could choose whatever dinner she wanted if she would just pull it and end the agony. (Don't get me started on the drama on loosing her last tooth...)She picked a chicken salad from Smashburger and American Idol on TV, I said "Wahoo, I don't have to pull a tooth!"

On a different note, Sara is working on getting her first tooth. I was so excited for Shanna to get her first tooth, I was thrilled when Kaci cut her first one, but the THIRD time around, I am a little smarter and am already saying "OW" about Sara getting her first tooth. She has been really fussy and not sleeping well, so I guess it will be a good thing for her (and me) when it finally cuts.

Kaci is just the sweetest girl... writing a letter to the Tooth Fairy, telling her that she brushes her teeth really well, and hopes hopes hopes that her tooth will be the newest star in the sky soon!

I am just lucky to be on every stage of the journey with these sweet girls.

My Doll, My Sister

2009-02-28T18:34:00.004-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Early Walker??

2009-02-28T16:47:00.001-07:00

Shanna and Kaci didn't walk until they were older than a year old. Sara thinks she needs to show them up. She is so determined to wiggle out of our arms every time we hold her. She has the right idea on how to walk, now she just needs a little meat on her bones. (She is just 14 pounds!)

I love this little sunshine!

Valentines Day

2009-02-20T14:28:00.002-07:00

We are having so much fun being close to our families.

On Valentines Day, we had a bunch of Tyler's family over for fondue. My Mom watched the girls earlier in the week, and Tyler and I actually got to go on a DATE!! It was so great being out alone.

Last weekend, Shanna got to have a sleepover at her Grandad and Grammy's house with her cousin Samantha. They went bowling and to lunch the next day. It was only her second sleepover ever. She had so much fun!

Here are some pictures from the girls' Valentines Parties at their schools, and also of our nephew Camron's birthday party at our house.

Make a Smilebox photobook

Who Cares?

2009-02-06T21:36:00.003-07:00

This moving experience has been good for me. Everyone who knows me will say that I am Type "A", I like things in their place, and I plan what we are eating for lunch 2 days ago.

I have tried and tried to organize this new house and unpack the boxes, but there are 3 little girls who need me. The baby who is attached to me at ALL times, the 4 year old who needs a nap, but won't sleep unless I pin her down, and the 8 year old who is still trying to feel comfortable in her new school and needs me to pop in frequently. Then there is laundry and cleaning and bills and work... And other junk we wish would go away...

Yet tonight, I feel at peace. We had dinner, the girls got ready for bed, the kitchen is clean, we watched a movie and ate popcorn and laughed together.

Who cares about the rest!

Watch Out World!

2009-02-04T21:13:00.001-07:00

Sara decided to crawl today! Notice that I didn't say "she learned to crawl" because she just took off like she has been doing it forever. She didn't get up on her knees, it was more of an Army crawl. She is so fast that at times her arms were holding up her whole body because her legs were going faster then her arms! I need to video her tomorrow, it is the cutest thing ever!

The Wheels On The Bus...

2009-01-25T23:05:00.003-07:00

We just can't stay out of the car if we try. Tyler's sweet grandma passed away and so off to Idaho we went. Another road trip with snow and ice, sleepless nights and cranky kids. It was great to be there though, I love Tyler's family and have so much fun being around them. His Grandma was loved by so many people. As I was listening to her life story, I started to think about my own life and what people would say about me right now.

Knowing how to introduce kids to death is a hard thing. It is part of life, but you also want to protect them from pain and situations which they are too young to comprehend. When Shanna was little, we were at a funeral and she asked who made the statue which looked like the person who had died. After telling her it wasn't a statue but the person who had passed away, she had nightmares for a long time. We decided this time that neither daughter would go to the viewing. Shanna picked up what was happening pretty fast and showed an interest in seeing her great grandma. She got close enough to see her, but decided to keep her distance. Kaci was distracted at the viewing and had no idea we were at a funeral home. The next day at the church, I kept her in the back room for the family prayer before they closed the casket. Somehow, she got a look up front and said "Mom, someone is laying down up there." I told her that it was Great Grandma and that she looked a little different because her soul had gone to heaven. She said "I need to go see her. I have never seen an angel before. She is so beautiful."She was so sweet and respectful. She gave Tyler's mom such a sweet hug after seeing her great grandma. Shanna was timid and sad yet grown up and composed. Sara was loud and bubbly. There is something about the innocence and joy of a baby that makes even hard situations have a ray of sunshine in them.

We are getting settled back into life now. There are boxes everywhere, but slowly the house is coming together. The girls are getting used to our new schedule and seem to be happy. Shanna had to get glasses yesterday and looks cute in them. (Did Mom of the Year know she needed glasses before the school did? Um, no...)

Well, lots more is going on, but this took over a week to write and post, so I better just leave it at that. It is once again time for bedtime, and unpacking. (After bedtime is about the only time we get stuff done.) It feels like Groundhog's Day. Wait... it really is Groundhog's Day! :)

First Week

2009-01-09T23:04:00.003-07:00

So, we're getting the hang of it here! The girls both started school this week. Shanna's school is a Core Knowledge school. I don't know a whole lot about, but the school has really high test scores, so it must be good! She is ahead of the class on some areas and behind on others but she is a great student so I am not worried about her. Her school is really nice and new. It is 2 stories and has art and music classes, which Utah schools don't have so she is really excited. She has made friends easily, which is a huge relief after some of the struggles she had at her last school.

Kaci started preschool at a school inside a gymnastics place. Preschools are 2 -3 times more expensive here than we are used to! Ouch! But, it is SO good for her. She is a different kid the days she has school. She goes 3 times a week, and once a week she has gymnastics and Spanish. Her school is also a Core Knowledge school. She adjusted really well. She is always a wild card as to how she'll react to change. We were so pleased when she walked in the classroom like she had been there all year and joined the other kids!

We are slowly getting the boring stuff like insurance, banks, utilities, etc... set up and changed. You take for granted how easy it is to just write a check each month when you've lived somewhere for so long. The whole process of research, getting quotes, filling out applications, trying to remember our new address (!) is really time consuming!

I am feeling really anxious for our stuff to get here and to get unpacked and settled FAST. I am ready for life to be at a more comfortable, organized place. We took the girls to a movie tonight and it felt so great to have some fun, "normal" family time again!

New Year, New Adventure

2009-01-07T20:42:00.002-07:00

It has been a long time since I have posted, but LOTS has been going on. Here's a quick summary because I am typing on my phone and the battery is almost dead:

Offer on the house, trip to Colorado (turned out a week later to be for nothing because the new house fell through) dance recitals, Christmas parties, lots of cleaning and packing at 2 am, lots of tears and hugs as we said goodbye to great friends, moving a week after Christmas, driving 2 cars, 2 kids, 1 baby and a dog over icy roads for 12 hours, waiting a week to move into our new home, finding new schools, new insurance, new doctors, new dentists, new dance studio, colds for everyone and the dog staying with my mom until we move into our house!

That's our New Year in a nutshell. I am so ready for things to settle down. Our moving truck comes on Sunday, then the unpacking begins!

6 Months Old

2008-12-04T19:34:00.003-07:00

To My Beautiful Sara:

You are a miracle. You are so loved, so cherished. 6 months ago, our family was blessed to have you join us. You are sweet and beautiful and make me smile.

You are my sunshine baby!

My Name Is Kaci, And I Am Afraid Of Santa

2008-12-04T19:23:00.002-07:00

She is so afraid that she gets tears in her eyes if you talk about her sitting on his lap this year. She asked if she could just mail her list and not sit on his lap. She asked if she could sit on Shanna's lap, instead of Santa's lap. (She was NOT afraid of him last year.)

Finally, we got to the bottom of it:

Shanna has been mean to Kaci... Kaci told on Shanna the other night for reading after bedtime, and Shanna told her that she wouldn't read to her anymore, wouldn't help her shower anymore, wouldn't be nice to her anymore...

Kaci is so afraid that Shanna will get coal in her stocking, that she is afraid of Santa.

That warms my heart so much. This little 4 year old would rather bypass Christmas than see her sister be disappointed. I love my kids. (Even the ornery one who caused all of this!)

It's Monday!

2008-12-01T21:03:00.002-07:00

Quite seriously, I HATE MONDAYS. Every one if them. I would ban them if it was possible.

This Monday:
I had to wake Kaci up at 8:20 for school (she had me up before 7 every day of Thanksgiving break)
I had about 16 loads of laundry to fold which are now in the car (don't laugh) because we had a showing on the house
We had more mice to take care if in the garage (everyone knows who took care of them, right?)
We woke up to a LOT of water in the garage because of a hole in the pipe by the water heater. Think scraping wet paint out of the closet...
Did you catch that we had a showing on the house in the middle of all that craziness?

I know, I should be thankful that the above things were my struggles, not something serious. BUT, to me, it was a Monday!

Me Man, You Woman

2008-12-01T00:41:00.002-07:00

So, the last time I checked, men don't posess (much) more ability to deal with unpleasant situations than women. I like to do things for myself... It's not so much of a "girl power" thing, more of just being a responsible, contributing half of a relationship, and a strong proactive person.

Well, that's in an ordinary situation when mice aren't involved.

Ooohhh... Mice. Let me just say for those of you who haven't been in my house, I KEEP A CLEAN AND SANITARY home. If anything, I fall more to the OCD side of things... Cleaning the range with glass cleaner after each use, wiping the counter right before bed so that it shines when the sun hits it on the morning, vacuuming the same way each time... I promise I keep a clean house.

That being said, let's get back to the mice. We have them. It's not the first time either. After we built the house, we caught 12 or 13 of them. Last week I heard one in the kitchen. We set a trap and caught it. Who dealt with it? Tyler.

When I was getting the Christmas stuff out of the garage this weekend, we saw evidence of more. We set up traps. Today, we caught 2... Guess who dealt with them?

Guess who goes to get milk from the garage fridge so that I don't gave to see the traps? And the dog bed in the garage... And taking out the trash... Tyler does. He gets totally wigged out when he has to deal with it, but he won't let me help.

Unless I am missing something, there is no genetic or physical difference between us which would make "mouse hunting" his job. Yet, it is just another way that he protects me.

He is so amazing, and mouse problem or not, I am so lucky to have him in my life!

Take Two

2008-11-30T21:37:00.003-07:00

I wasn't kidding about another photo shoot... only this time we ventured out to our backyard. (See, I'm a quick learner!)

Smile!!! (Or Fake It)

2008-11-28T18:40:00.004-07:00

What a day... we decided that one of the things we would do (as opposed to the only thing we would do) today was take some pictures of our family. From the start, it was a struggle figuring out what to wear, doing everyone's hair... Sara's feeding and sleeping needs.... FINALLY we all got in the car and started to drive around looking for the perfect place to take pictures. We drove and drove and drove.... all of the sudden from the back seat, Shanna said "My tummy hurts and I'm really hot." (This is the same kid who rides roller coaster after roller coaster right after eating.) The next thing we heard was "I threw up."

Oh yeah... all over.

So, home we went, clothes and shoes went in the washer. We found another outfit and shoes, cleaned up her face and hair... uuuhhhh... Did I mention how afraid I was to have kids because I can't handle it when they throw up???

We found the perfect spot... about 3 blocks from our house. Most of the pictures didn't turn out great because of the shadows of the late afternoon. BUT, we were determined not to give up! There were several moments when Tyler and I looked at each other and laughed like patients at a mental hospital!

Here are some of the pictures (and outtakes of the day.) We had so much fun today we might just try it again tomorrow. Anyone want to come with us???

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Rockin Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T18:28:00.003-07:00

Here's Miss Spunk, thoroughly enjoying her first drumstick! Can you just imagine having this much energy under your feet all the time?

She suddenly got up out of her chair and started walking around the table.

I said "Kaci! What are you doing?" She looked at me with her big innocent eyes and said "I thought you said we were going to go around the table and say what we're thankful for!"

Oh am I thankful for her sense of humor! We just about fell over we were laughing so hard!

It was so much fun having my brother here. He came early in the day, and we cooked together. It all turned out great and it was special to have him with us!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T00:52:00.002-07:00

I regularly read a blog that inspires me. I rarely post emotional posts, but when you feel inspired, sometimes you feel emotional. Here is the post: Bring The Rain Here is my response to her:

"Angie, this is the most beautiful post ever. I love reading your thoughts and words. I ache for you yet also admire your strength and faith.

To make this quick, I struggle to admit that I am thankful for my angel baby of December 18, 2002. (and another one in 2003) As I see Christmas lights go up each year, it tears the scab off of my heart. Somehow each year I work through the hurt and I find joy and the Christmas spirit by the time Christmas comes, but the pain and tears are so fresh and painful. These were the words I needed to hear today.

I hope your family has a beautiful day of Thanksgiving tomorrow. Now that I admitted the hard part, I can admit the easy one... I am thankful for you, your strength and the inspiration you are to me. May you feel the sun shine on your face!"

I challenge each of you to read her post, (read her story to understand what she writes about) and then think about what you are thankful for. It's a lot harder than you think.

Traditions

2008-11-27T00:44:00.003-07:00

When I was a little girl, I thought that noodles went with mashed potatoes and gravy. My Grandma Tiller always made them, and it is what I think about when I think of Thanksgiving. (Even before turkey) I really debated this year if I was going to make them or not. But, here it is, 12:45 am and I made them. Traditions are so important, and if my kids think about having noodles and gravy on their mashed potatoes, I will have succeeded. (Plus, if I didn't make them, either me or my brother would have complained about missing having noodles tomorrow.)

It kind of goes beyond what food you are serving on your table. What traditions are you serving to your kids? I hope that someday, each one of my girls thinks to make egg noodles at midnight and think of their Great Grandma.

Confessions

2008-11-24T21:27:00.002-07:00

Do you ever feel the need to air your dirty little secrets? (Whenever Kaci hears that song on the radio, she says "You're my dirty little secret Mom!) No, I don't plan on airing all of my secrets, but life has been so crazy I might just bust at the seams if I don't admit to some of the following:

1. We had such a day on Saturday tearing our dishwasher apart that we actually thought it would get better by leaving the house. We took all 3 girls to the mall AND the grocery store. Any reasonable person would know that's a bad idea...

2. I really truly actually threatened the girls that they couldn't go to church unless they cleaned up their rooms. (Does that go against any commandments?)

3. We put a dog leash on Kaci's bike to keep control of her when we walked to get Shanna from school. (Can you imagine the looks we got? Look all you want but it really worked and you'll probably see us doing it again!)

4. Now when Kaci stuffs too much food in her mouth at dinner, we just point to the bathroom and tell her to clean up after herself when she's done... We also tell her the same thing if she has a potty accident because she is being lazy...

5. I let Shanna eat hot lunch at school this week just because I was too lazy to make it. (She thought she was winning!)

6. Kaci was telling me what she learned about the first Thanksgiving. I didn't correct her when she started calling the Indians ALIENS because it was too cute and funny!

7. Shanna is testing the Santa theory by asking for a bunch of stuff she knows we'd never buy for her. Included on the list are: 2 puppies, a Sugar Glider, a motor-scooter, to know if Jacob likes her, a laptop and a video camera. We are debating on forcing her to change her list, or just let her find out the truth.

8. I am cooking a whole turkey for Thanksgiving (I was just going to do a turkey breast) because Shanna came home from school talking about this new food called "drumsticks."

I could keep going, but I think that's enough for one day!

We are looking forward to a great Thanksgiving. I hope to sleep in at least one day... the girls are excited about seeing the parade on tv tomorrow. My brother is coming for Thanksgiving dinner and is (please Bryan!) bringing some sushi. No Black Friday shopping here... I went to Costco yesterday and just about had a panic attack. I might go to the grocery store for a few last minute things, or I might just call it good and not! It is raining here, it is the perfect holiday feeling. We just need some popcorn and puzzles and we're set!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It Takes A Whole Village To Raise A Child

2008-11-20T11:34:00.002-07:00

Shanna has really been struggling lately. She has had such a hard time making friends and with her self esteem. Last week it got really bad with a group of girls, and she has gone from being happy and bubbly to not wanting to go to school each day. It is heart breaking as parents to watch. We are looking for ways to boost her self confidence and are hoping for some help.

She won a spot from her school (one of 6 spots) in their Story Telling Festival. They had to memorize a story and re-tell it in their own words. She is going to the District competition tomorrow morning. I think it would be a huge boost for her if she could get some e-mails or phone calls tonight wishing her good luck!

We are working with her at home, and her teacher is helping watch out for her at school, but maybe some extra love would help make a difference too! Thanks!

Babbling Baby

2008-11-20T08:01:00.003-07:00

Sara hit a new milestone yesterday... babbling. I love it. Instead of one syllable grunts and the normal crying, her little bottom lip moves and she babbles this whole string of words known only to her. It is the cutest thing ever!

Happy Baby!

2008-11-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Tyler!

2008-11-18T07:48:00.004-07:00

We had fun helping Tyler have a fun birthday. The girls piled in our bed and gave him presents and a card in the morning. We let Shanna come home from school to eat lunch with us, and then we went to the park before going out to eat. I hope he felt our love!

Here's some pictures from yesterday:

Miss Sass

First Time Playing On A Slide!

Monkey Girl

Doesn't Look Like They Are All Yelling "Mooommmmm!!"

Sara is signing "I love you!"

Smooth....

2008-11-13T20:38:00.003-07:00

Last night, I thought I was ahead of the game... making dinner before Shanna had dance. I was putting a tray of asparagus cannellonis into the oven (it was in a pyrex dish on top of a cookie sheet with a loaf of bread.) Sara was fussy, I tried to set her down so I could put the tray into the oven. She didn't like that one bit, so I decided I would be talented and put the tray in one handed.

Guess, what? The glass dish slid off the cookie sheet. There was glass EVERYWHERE, along with pasta, pasta sauce and bread.

The icing on the cake?

Sara thought it was funny!

The Story...

2008-11-12T22:32:00.003-07:00

I finally got the story tonight when I took Shanna to dance.

A man walked into the kids consignment shop directly next door to the dance studio. (The Chinese restaurant which I thought was robbed was one door over from the consignment shop.) He started arguing with his ex girlfriend. She asked him to leave, he refused. She called her boss, and then he pulled a gun to her neck. Luckily the owner heard what was happening and called 911.

The girls were dancing (their dance studio is a store front shop with big windows all over) and the teacher saw 5 men in regular clothes (SWAT) run past with machine guns. (Don't you think at this point someone from the police department would go into the studio and help keep the kids safe and let them know what was going on?) The teachers hurried all the girls from the different classes into the back classroom which has no windows and they locked the studio.

They did finally arrest the man, but he escaped at least once. So, Shanna was right... 5 guys with guns (not bad guys though) one man was arrested and he got out of the car... then they got him again.... I was impressed with how accurate her description of the situation was, down to what the people looked like. I feel so horrible that it happened, that I wasn't there to protect her. She seems to be fine though. She wasn't scared to go back to dance, and was quite matter-of-fact that the police did their job in arresting the bad guy. I just wish those innocent eyes didn't see what they saw. The other thing that keeps going over in my mind is that we almost went into the consignment shop after dropping Shanna off to get Kaci some new ballet shoes. The only reason we didn't is because Sara had fallen asleep.

It scares me how easily and fast life can change.

Lockdown

2008-11-11T20:45:00.002-07:00

When I got to Shanna's dance tonight to pick her up... I saw a bunch of cop cars. She told me the Chinese restaurant next door to them had been robbed, and all of the people at her dance studio went in the back room for a while with the doors locked.

I didn't see that one coming... I'll have to update tomorrow after I read the story in the paper and talk to the people at the dance studio. She said she saw a bad guy with a gun, but I am guessing it was an officer not in uniform. (At least I hope) She said she saw them handcuff one guy, but she heard her teacher say there were 5 robbers...

So scary. I am glad she is ok. She said she was scared but tried to be brave. She said a lot of girls were screaming and crying, but she wanted everyone to be quiet so that the bad guys wouldn't find them. She said that the teachers and moms who were there were helping people to be calm, and she didn't freak out. (I wonder if she was more brave because I wasn't there?) She doesn't seem scared anymore, but I hope she doesn't have nightmares about it all.

She Really Said This

2008-11-09T20:29:00.003-07:00

"Moooommmmm.... Kaci put deodorant on the wall, but we wiped it off."

All I can do is laugh

What Kind of Parents Are We?

2008-11-09T20:18:00.002-07:00

Take away the whole Costco experience... we may STILL qualify for the worst parents ever.

Kaci came home from preschool with the "purple" song... they are learning to spell colors through songs. She sang:" P-U-R-P-L-E spells Purple. P-U-R-P-L-E spells Purple, Like the grapes on the vine, and the Kool-Aid is fine, P-U-R-P-L-E spells Purple" Then she said, "Miss Katie said Kool-Aid is really yummy. What is it?"

Oh yeah, she is 4 years old and she doesn't know what Kool-Aid is!! I knew what it was.... My Mom only put half the sugar in, but still I knew what Kool-Aid was!!

So tonight (at bedtime) Tyler took out a glass pitcher, put A WHOLE CUP OF SUGAR in it, the tiny flavor pack and filled it with water.

Kaci LOVED it. She downed it like it was the best thing she had ever tasted.

Did I mention IT WAS AT BEDTIME?????

Fall Pictures

2008-11-09T15:31:00.002-07:00

I have been so crazy busy lately... between keeping the house clean for showings, going through closets and drawers trying to get ready for the move when our house sells, I haven't had much time to post pictures. Here's a slide show I put together of some fun times we have had lately.

The girls have been playing together nicely (for the most part) They are enjoying the nice weather playing in their playhouse and with the dog.

Sara has such a fun personality lately. She laughs and blows bubbles and gets so excited when her sisters talk to her. She has been eating cereal and bananas and loves to be included at dinner time. She also loves to grab my plate or the food on it! She just about was successful in tasting guacamole the other night!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Public Safety Announcement From Kaci

2008-11-08T20:24:00.003-07:00

When your parents tell you to sit down in the shopping cart, they mean it. The loud thump at Costco tonight was my head hitting the floor.

Election Night

2008-11-05T13:46:00.004-07:00

We made the election a learning process for the girls. They came to vote with us and then last night we printed an electoral map for them to color as the results came in.

Coloring + Competition = fun in our house!

Halloween

2008-11-02T15:38:00.002-07:00

We had a fun Halloween. Sara was a ladybug (that was easy since it has been in our closet since Kaci was a baby!) Kaci was a unicorn, and Shanna was an ice skater. She wore a costume that was mine over 20 years ago! She wore my skates around her shoulders and was so happy.

Our friends Sherry and Rick brought their kids over and we had fun trick or treating together. One house was decorated for Christmas and the people were dressed up as Santa and Mrs. Claus and gave out ice cream cones! It was fun. I carried Sara and Tyler carried Kaci on his shoulders, so we were exhausted by the time we got home.

Things were so crazy that I didn't get a picture of all 3 girls together. Maybe next year I'll have my act together better!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Questions that you don't want to answer

2008-10-30T21:59:00.002-06:00

The other day in the car, Kaci peppered me with questions. They came fast and she was persistent.

They started innocent like:

How does a radio work?
How are cars made?
Why do cows moo?
How are clocks made?

Then came the kicker....

"Well, how are persons made?"

I remembered Dr. Phil's advice on this, so I gave her a little information and then waited to see if she'd ask more. I told her "God makes people"

The car got really quiet. (If Kaci is quiet, she is either into something or is thinking really hard) So, I tried to change the subject. I asked her if she could see the baby cows out the window.

She said "well, back to the how you make persons, I have a question." (oh great. I don't really want to have this talk right now....)

"Does God have an assembly line when he makes people?" (like how I told her cars were made.) "I wouldn't want to be the guy who plugs the eyeballs in!"

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2008-10-25T14:14:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday Grandma! Sorry this is a day late... but we were thinking about you!Hope you had fun!!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Through Kaci's Eyes

2008-10-22T07:36:00.001-06:00

Moving is a hard concept for kids. Kaci has never moved and I don't think she has even seen anyone move. She was devastated when we told her we were going to sell our house. We let her talk for a while, and now I can understand. Here's what she's worried about:

That we were going to pack a suitcase like when we go on vacation, and never see the rest of our stuff again. After we told her we could take everything, she keeps coming up with new questions like, Can we bring my bike/bed/lamp/rug/toothbrush/dog/table/toys etc..
She doesn't like that we leave our house when we have a showing. We are letting strangers in. I explained how a realtor makes sure the people don't take anything, and that they can't have the key unless we give them the permission. She said "but still, they are strangers and they shouldn't be here."
She loves this house and doesn't want a new one
The play set that Daddy built can't come with us
I talked about selling our trampoline so that we don't have to move it and then get a new one after we move. (Oh yeah, Mom of the Year moment... I said "we can find the same one because the store where I bought it... oh I mean there are places in Colorado that probably sell the same trampoline that Santa made for you... nice)

All valid points through the eyes of a 4 year old. Shanna is just beyond excited, and Kaci is when I remind her that we'll be able to see her grandparents lots after we move.

She told my Dad on the phone the other day "I'll see you in a few years when we move to Colorado" (I don't know if "a few years" to her means tomorrow, or in a few months, or if she doesn't really think we are going to move.)

Then, last night she was being onery and I told her that after we move, I'm just going to send her to Grandma's house if she's naughty (Sorry Grandma, I won't really do that) She said "cool" So then I said that Grandma will make her scrub her kitchen floors. She got really serious and said:

"I'll never be naughty again after we move to Colorado."

Can I get that in writing?

Repeat After Me: SLEEP IS GOOD

2008-10-21T08:22:00.002-06:00

Last night was night 3 of no sleep. Getting them to GO to sleep, and then STAYING asleep... Having 3 kids between 8 and 4 months, we saw it all last night. What they need to realize, is that I am a MUCH happier person with a little (ok more than a little) sleep. If they want a happy Mommy, they better learn to sleep at night!!

Any Barney fans out there? Sing with me... "Everybody needs a nap you know...."

Fun At The Corn Maze

2008-10-19T17:18:00.002-06:00

We took the girls to the corn maze yesterday. (Which by the way is in the field behind our house) It was fun getting lost and letting them choose which way to go! After experiencing our adventure, I'd be worried if they really got lost in a corn field! It was funny... we came out by the haunted maze patch. At least it wasn't dark when we were there...(they only do the Haunted Maze after dark) or it would have been a disaster! Can you imagine running through the dark corn maze with three kids being traumatized??

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I don't make this stuff up

2008-10-19T10:11:00.001-06:00

This morning, I actually said:

Band-aids are not stickers and it's not ok to decorate the couch with either.

Rag Dolls

2008-10-17T20:38:00.005-06:00

Last weekend, Shanna asked me if we could make some rag dolls. (Sure, don't you keep rag doll supplies and patterns on hand?) After saying "NO" about seven times, I started thinking about if I wanted to be the Mom who always says "no" or if my kids would look back on their childhood and say "we did cool stuff"

So, out came the sewing machine and scrap fabric and patterns from the internet. They are so pleased with how they turned out!

Silly Sara

2008-10-17T20:33:00.003-06:00

Sara has developed such a cute personality!

"I'll eat you!!"

"Are you talking to me?"

Ever laughed so hard you fell over?

Sunshine Girl

Changes

2008-10-16T11:48:00.002-06:00

This is going to be a surprising post.

We have put our house on the market. The house that we have brought 2 new babies home to, the house where so many memories have been made, the house where tears have been shed and happy times have been celebrated. We have worked and worked to landscape the yard, build a play set and pond, create a huge garden, and also to maintain it all.

But... When we moved to Southern Utah 9 years ago, we never meant for it to be forever. We wanted a little distance to start our life together and then move back closer to our families. Little did we know how hard it would be to pull up the roots. Tyler and I have learned to trust and rely on eachother. We have created an environment for our family which is unique, but works well for us. We have been through just about every emotion together, as well as some drastic highs and lows. I don't believe it was necessary to be out on our own in this world to have the strong relationship that we do, but there were definately times it would have been easier to ask for help rather than figuring it out on our own.

For the first time since we have lived here, we are no longer tied to partners and obligations. If we don't take this opportunity to move closer to our families, I am afraid that we may never have the chance again before our kids are grown. I want them to really know their grandparents. I want to be able to see our parents more. I want to be closer to help them with things and also to be able to have their support at times.

So while I am excited for that goal to happen, I am very anxious about the unknowns. Life is comfortable here. We love our house, our friends, our neighbors. We have a great dance studio and schools for our kids. I know where things are at in my favorite stores. We have doctors and dentists that we trust. We have a pretty comfortable routine. All of that is about to be uprooted and changed. Will I know how to put all of the pieces back together?

Sisterly Advice

2008-10-10T21:02:00.003-06:00

The girls crack me up when they shower. Their voices echo through the house, but they don't know that! They have some pretty cute "confidential" discussions. Tonight Shanna was giving out advice on boys.

"Hey Kaci, do you want to know how to tell if a boy likes you? Trip in front of him. If he likes you, he'll help you up!"

Does anyone else have visions of being back in high school and falling flat on your face in front of the coolest boy in school and all of his friends? That didn't happen to me, but there was one painful day that involved me on a bike and a Jeep full of older boys driving by...They didn't stop to help by the way. Neither did the owner of the parked car!

No girls, I don't think this is the best way to find out if he likes you! But I'll never tell that I heard the conversation either.

Lazy Friday Morning

2008-10-10T10:58:00.002-06:00

Saturday mornings are not so relaxing anymore, but today was. Tyler and I had a nice hot quiet breakfast together after Shanna and Kaci went to school. Sara sat with us, peaceful and happy... It was a great start to my favorite day of the week!

I don't wanna grow up...

2008-10-09T21:10:00.005-06:00

Being responsible sucks. I wanted to grow up so bad when I was little... now some days I just wish my parents could tuck me into bed again and the only responsibility I had to deal with was going to school.

Being Responsible means...

Taking 2 kids to the dentist in one day and trying not to flinch when one throws up because of gag reflexes and the other has a panic attack over having sealants redone
Scheduling flu shots for everyone and 4 month shots for the baby (and knowing what that day will be like!)
Cleaning the play room for 2 hours today and having it messy again tonight
Trying to fit all of the tree branches in the trash tonight so that I can trim more next week
I would tell you more (because there is lots) but I have to go right now and change another diaper and rock a cranky baby to sleep

It has been a day... At least tomorrow is Friday, right??

Our Sweet Kaci

2008-10-08T11:06:00.002-06:00

I love putting together these slide shows of our girls. I forget how much they change month by month. Here's a look back at the past four years with Kaci.

Kaci, you are so sweet. You can make anyone's day happy. You are so loved!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Birthday Pictures

2008-10-07T21:55:00.001-06:00

Here are some pictures from Kaci's birthday

Make a Smilebox slideshow

It's All Fun and Games Until...

2008-10-07T21:08:00.003-06:00

Remember the "Angry Clown" pictures?

Well, it turns out that Kaci is allergic to face paint.

Yeah... go ahead and scroll down to see the pictures again. Notice how much of that little face is covered with face paint.

She woke up yesterday with a red rash on each cheek in the shape of a heart. (She had her face painted with hearts on Saturday for her birthday party.) Then, today she woke up with the rest of her face covered with a rash.

It looks like the poor kids has an infectious disease. Does anyone want to borrow her to get out of a social obligation?

Angry Clowns

2008-10-05T21:12:00.001-06:00

I have some great birthday pictures to post, but it will have to wait until tomorrow when I can sort through them all. But now, I will share some pictures of "Angry Clowns. "

The girls asked permission to paint each other's faces. I was expecting maybe some messy hearts and flowers...Not Angry Clowns.

Don't even ask me what got into them or what values I am teaching them. I have no idea. I really thought twice about posting this, but it was too funny not to. At least they didn't get to Sara.

YOU THOUGHT WRONG

2008-10-05T21:00:00.002-06:00

That's what Kaci said to Tyler tonight when he told her that "Special Piggy" was in her room. (I guess the real "Special Piggy" was on the couch.) You see, there are 2 identical "Special Piggies" Just like a mother can tell her newborn twins apart, so can Kaci with Special Piggy. One is special, one is just a pig.

My Baby (And my rambling thoughts at 1am)

2008-10-04T00:48:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow (well technically today) is Kaci's birthday. I still see her as "My Baby." I know that Sara is an infant, but Kaci still hasn't grown up in my mind. I still think of her as a baby, needing me every step of the way.

It catches me off guard when I realize that she is not so little anymore. Shanna seemed so grown up when she was turning 4. With Kaci, I just wish time could move slower. She is growing so fast, from her feet looking foreign and big, to her intelligent mind. (Ask her how to spell YELLOW or what her phone number is.) I think I blinked too long and now she is a little girl.

She is such a joy... she is happy and funny and sweet. She is also a mystery card. You never know when she's going to throw a kink in the day. I am terrified to take her to a restaurant because she has this thing that if she puts too much food in her mouth, she chokes and throws up. Yeah, not so much fun in public. Also this week, I found that she has a PHOBIA of firefighters. (Not just like "oooh... they're scary." Her face turned pale and she got shaky when I told her they were coming to her school.) Yet at the end of the day, her sweet kiss makes everything happy, and her sweet snuggles in the morning make my day start great.

I have been getting ready for her Tinkerbell party tonight... the presents are wrapped (thanks to Daddy) her room is decorated (thanks to Daddy) her cupcakes are made and the party activities are ready to go.

I'll tell you about her cupcakes if you won't get mad at me for making you fat. I'm serious. White Chocolate... Cream Cheese (2 packages) ........ (Do you feel your hips getting wider??) Well, just wait a minute... and a CUP of BUTTER.

I had a little taste. I have been so good working out and eating healthy, but this recipe sparked my interest. Cream cheese and chocolate... yum.

I do have a safeguard in place for not eating too much... I put it on cupcakes. (I know, it is weird, but I don't like cake) AND I made the frosting PINK. Food coloring weirds me out. I think this is due to "Green Eggs and Ham Day" as a kid. Scrambled Eggs should not be green.

Here's another confession: I get tears in my eyes when we sing Happy Birthday to my kids. I feel like their whole life flashes in front of me, from the moment I found out I was pregnant, to the first time I heard their cry, to their first steps, to their first day of school... Their birthdays are special and exciting to them, but they are also a defining moment in my life.

Tonight, I am remembering 4 years ago, the sleepless night before I had Kaci. Knowing that at 5:30 am I had to check into the hospital and that I would soon meet this new person growing inside of me. Tomorrow I will remember Kaci's first cry and how emotional it was for me. I will remember the amazing bond of sisterhood that I saw when Shanna fed her from a tube attached to her finger. I will also remember the look in Tyler's eyes when he held Kaci for the first time. He is such an amazing Daddy and I love the unique bond that he shares with each of our girls and how it has been special and unique from the first time he held them.

So, Happy Birthday to my special daughter. Congratulations to Tyler and me for the last 4 years of raising this mysterious gift... Thank you to Shanna for helping so much and being so patient with her sister and also with us....

Kaci, I hope that today will be special and happy and fun. You are so sweet and spunky and adorable! Love, Mommy

Yard Work Saturday

2008-09-27T14:06:00.002-06:00

Kaci had trash duty

Slave Labor

2008-09-26T21:26:00.005-06:00

Hello World, This is Sara. I am just a baby and you won't believe what this crazy lady made me do today. First of all, she should hold me. all day. Right?

Well, today, she didn't. She actually wanted me to take a nap. In my cradle.

It is her purpose in life to hold me and make me happy, right?

So, this is what happened next....

First, she made me SIT UP... for a long time. It was hard.

Then she made me do laundry. You all know how much my Mommy HATES to do laundry, right? Well, she hates it so much, I had to help.

I did manage to learn something from my sisters about goofing off, and I ended up playing "this little piggy" more than I folded towels.

So, how was your day?

i like my thumb

2008-09-26T21:24:00.002-06:00

There's A Robot On The Potty

2008-09-24T21:31:00.002-06:00

You thought I was kidding, didn't you??

What would you name this picture?

Potty Protector
Warning: Don't open the lid
Seat's Taken
Look before you sit

No, I have no idea why this robot was placed here. It was one of the first things I saw this morning (I think one eye was still closed.) I think we can all guess who put it there!!

Dinner Was Funny

2008-09-24T20:28:00.003-06:00

Tonight we grabbed a pizza after Shana's dance and came home to eat. Kaci asked for Parmesan cheese on hers.

I said "No, we're doing easy tonight."

She said "Can we do hard in the morning?"

She was serious... not trying to be funny. She just wanted to know if she could have Parmesan cheese on her pizza tomorrow!

Pure Joy

2008-09-22T21:30:00.002-06:00

Do you remember the warm summer nights as a kid, sitting on a swing and just feeling happy?

Creepy Crawly

2008-09-22T21:12:00.003-06:00

Tyler found three webs and spiders attached to some plants in our pond. You can't really see the true colors of it because of the flash, but they were yellow and black and gross. The webs were really cool though. I googled it and I think it is a yellow garden spider, which is harmless. You never know what you'll find lurking in our backyard!

Peeking yet again

2008-09-22T10:41:00.002-06:00

Laughter is a great way to start the week! This is SO me...

Kaci or Sara??

2008-09-21T21:46:00.005-06:00

This is crazy!! We were looking through pictures today and realized that Kaci and Sara could be twins as babies!! Try to guess who is who. Comment with your answers!

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Happy Birthday Kim!!

2008-09-21T21:07:00.000-06:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

It's So Good To Be A Baby!

2008-09-21T19:20:00.002-06:00

Sweet Happy Girl

2008-09-21T17:23:00.004-06:00

Pretty Girl

2008-09-21T17:18:00.003-06:00

Oh Leave Me Alone Already!

2008-09-21T15:31:00.002-06:00

Sitting Up!!

2008-09-21T15:23:00.003-06:00

Look at this big girl, sitting up! I love this baby stage where she can hold her head up and is getting chubby!

"Man Friend"

2008-09-21T15:16:00.003-06:00

If Shanna sees this post, she'll have a fit. BUT, it is too cute that I am going to post it anyways. Someday, I'll want to remember it.

She has had a crush on Robyn's son, Jacob on and off since kindergarten. I guess it's on again. She came home from school and said, "guess who likes me?" Without waiting for me to guess, she said "JACOB!"

She said her friend told him at lunch that Shanna likes him, and that he said "YES!" (Her cheeks are all rosy as she is telling me this!)

I asked her if that meant he was her boyfriend now.

She said, "Yeah, I guess... but actually I think of him more as my MAN FRIEND!!!"

What does that mean?? (Other than we are in BIG trouble when she is a teenager!)