Memorial Day

Thank you doesn't quite seem enough...

Spirit, that made those heroes dare

To die, and leave their children free,

Bid Time and Nature gently spare

The shaft we raise to them and thee.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

We took the kids out to the Memorial Day ceremony at our local cemetery today.

Last night I was talking to the girls about Memorial Day and about all the men and women who have died to protect us and our country. About their grandfathers who fought in wars - for them. About those fighting right now! We talked about how not all countries are free - free to learn, to worship, to play, to do any of the things that we do without a thought.

Avery said, "Well what about all the oil we spilled in the water in Florida? Our country wasn't good about that." (Oh I LOVE her!)

"Yes, I explained, we don't do everything right...but we still live in an amazing country and we can never forget how it became that way...that way hopefully we can become that way again."

A lot for them to understand but I think walking though the flags and viewing the grave sites of veterans...they at least understood in a small way.

And as they grow they'll understand more...that this freedom doesn't come without a high price.

Weekend Review

We had a simply amazing weekend.

From start to finish.

From camping with my brother and his family, to spending almost the entire weekend outdoors in the wonderful weather, to eating every meal but breakfast outdoors, to a little sunburn, to accomplishing projects and starting new ones and remembering those who fought to give us the freedom to do all those things...

Now I just cant seem to figure out whey every weekend is not a 3 day weekend!

We may have packed in a bit too much for Contessa.

By this evening the only on with any patience remaining for her was, of course, her Bo-bo...

And Tess knew it. And stuck close to her.

Now its not even 7:30, all the kids are in bed, the washers are running and Im headed to the couch to snuggle and watch a movie with my absolute favorite person.

Good night!

Bring on the Sun!

It. Is. BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE!

I have a feeling they are going to sleep really hard tonight!

focus

This can be a hard time of year for me.

Four years ago I said good-bye to my dad for the last time as he and my mom headed out on a trip to California.

Oh, if only I'd known that he wouldn't come back.

I would have taken longer to say good-bye.

I would have...the list could go on and on and on.

Allowing myself to look back on the morning he died is horrific for me. The gut wrenching pain and shock can come rolling back very fast. Scary fast.

I don't let myself go there very often in fact.

Instead I try to keep my heart focused on the truths that

God has showed us since that time.

This morning I needed to hear some of those truths and they showed up in my inbox.

(I LOVE how God works. I LOVE seeing how much He loves me...enough to send me encouragement I need before I ask.)

II Corinthians 1:8-9

'We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.'

What's most amazing to me about Paul's writing here is that he does not go on and on about the hardship. Although it was more than he could bear! We know it was great, but Paul doesn't expound.

He doesn't focus on it or dwell in it.

Instead he reminds us that the hardship was for a purpose.

A purpose greater than us.

A purpose that we might not fully understand on this earth - but will someday.

A great reminder for me this week.

Its Thursday

And I am random.

Dont expect much more than that from this post...I have no deep thoughts...I haven't had any in quite awhile actually...

So here's the randomness:

I havent done any laundry since Friday...a week ago. Cant wait to start that! :)

We are camping this weekend with Nick and his family. We couldn't get a spot so we are going to be in our yard. The kids are still very excited!

Jordan fell down the steps on Wednesday morning and likely has a cracked a rib or two. Not fun. He was holding Tess and although he had the wind knocked out of him...he managed to keep her from getting hurt at all. He is mostly worried about his golf game. I am mostly worried about who is going to carry all the laundry down to the laundry room!

The weather is GORGEOUS and this weekend promises much of the same. We've been eating lots of meals outdoors! And grilling and all that makes me insanely happy! But I am so ready for corn on the cob...

Being a stay at home mom is awesome. I am still loving this decision and am so thankful for being able to make it happen. I cant imagine my life any other way now.

These pictures are just from lunch today...and yes, three of us are still in our pjs...and I am not apologizing for it!

This is my kids craft table. I love it. My kids sit here for 75% of the time we are indoors. They do art constantly. We got it 2 years ago. Its pottery barn. And it does not clean up well. I buy washable art supplies. Why will it not come clean? I spent 30 min with the magic eraser on it this morning but there are still marker, crayon and pen fragments...suggestions? oh, and the chairs were cheap - from Target...and they wash up easier than the not so cheap table! urgh!

Avery had to color at the dining room table while I was cleaning 'her' table this morning...she would do this all day long.

This is where they display their art. Its one of my favorite 'things' in the house.

Only 4 more days left of school!! I cant wait to have Lauren home for all our days.

I got a new vacuum. It cost neither an arm or a leg. Maybe a toe. And it works great. Loving it! And its bagless which I should have done a long time ago.

I cleaned my fridge this morning...ahhhhh! Love that feeling.

I clean my kitchen cupboard doors and knobs weekly. HOW do they get so dirty? really?

My kids all still call us 'mommy' and 'daddy'. Never mom and dad. Do kids normally do that for this long? I dont want them ever to stop. Well, I guess I should say I dont want them to be old enough to stop.

I miss ibuprofen. Tylenol does nothing for my headaches.

I really dislike Amelia Bedelia books. I dont know why. But I cannot read them. I make Lauren read them to the others if they pick one out.

Avery and I are doing Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons...she loves it. And between that and the Letter Factory and Word Factory videos she watches she is already starting to catch on. Its fun!

Contessa is a naughty tantrum throwing, hitting, pinching almost 2 year old. She yells no at us, stomps off, hits, Im pretty sure I've even seen her roll her eyes at me. She has will power and a stubborness that I did not know could exist in a child. Recently she screamed for 10 minutes and threw shoes at me for not letting her go outside by herself. Then after time out and a stern 'talking to' she gave me the SWEETEST hug and said, sorry mommy...love you...And I melt. and the cycle repeats. Our other kids DID NOT DO THiS!!!!

But oh my she is sweet and snuggly and loving and precious. And playful and funny and smart! Such a combination!

This is her latest thing...she takes out all the kitchen wash clothes and stacks them on the bench. Then when she is done she puts them back. It keeps her busy for very long periods of time. So I've just had to give up the idea of having my wash cloths folded in the drawer. What's the point anyway?

And that's Thursday.

My how time flies...

Its hard to believe that not that long ago Christina was a TINY little infant and now she is graduating from high school.

I was about 16 when she was born. And then a few years later when her brother Ryan was born Jordan and I were at UNI. We babysat them constantly and got to 'practice' being parents on them. It was so hard when they moved away!

And now they are all grown up!

Congratulations Christina Jo!!

My brother Jeff (10 years older than me), Christina, Amy Jo (my sis-in-law) and Ryan.

And before I know it...she'll be doing the same thing.

my favorite night of the year

The kids and I got home mid-afternoon today...home to steaming hot Iowa.

Oh, and I took the 3 older kids and my mom with me to St. Louis to Christina's graduation. Jordan and Tess got to have some bonding time at home.

Anyway, we arrived just in time for my favorite night of the year. (insert massive amounts of sarcasm here)

Since it was in the 90's today it meant we had to put the window air conditioner in our room. Our house has central air but our bedroom does not.

Every year we have to do it I swear it will be the last and we will move before the following summer.

And yet, here we are.

And to our credit...we are still married.

Seriously, what is the deal with that project? Could it be my perfectionist husband? or perhaps me? the wife who hates to be hot more than anything else in the world?

oh heat and humidity how I loathe you.

Home

Due to the rainy weather we have a rare day to just be home today!

Since the weather has gotten nice I swear we are never home, at least not for a full day.

If we aren't spending time with friends or ourselves in the awesome weather we are running errands and racing around.

I asked Sully what he wanted to do and he screamed, 'Play Games!'

And since my only task for the day is laundry I can oblige that request.

Four of us will be leaving tomorrow for St. Louis to celebrate my niece graduation from high school.

And so in keeping with the 'game Friday' theme...

Any guesses which two are staying behind?

(no fair guessing if I've already told you...

which is probably everyone who reads this...so its really not much of a game!)

for crying out loud...

Tess decided that she didn't need a nap today. She just spent sometime in her crib talking and playing.

I finally went to get her and I told her that she had to be good all night and if she wasn't she would go to bed early since she didn't take a nap.

She looks at me, completely serious, points to her chest and says, "I a princess! Then flashes her gorgeous smile.

Uh, nice.

I think I may need a nap.

So Long Preschool

Today was Avery's last day of preschool.

She told me that she is 'officially' a kindergartner. (You'd be so proud, I didn't cry at that.)

Everyday after school Lauren waits for Avery at the preschool building.

Then they wait for me to step out of our house and motion them to cross the street.

They always hold hands...

Until they start racing...

And they are awesome friends.

I see their friendship sticking. For life.

They are really good for each other because they are so different.

Just the way good friends should be together.

And I got this special treat today...

I've mentioned before that I can see our Elementary playground from my window.

Its close enough that I can pick out my kids.

Today Avery's preschool class got to try out the 'big kid' equipment and as they were wrapping up Lauren's class came running out for recess.

I happened to look out at the right moment and see this:

They spotted each other and Lauren ran over to Avery. They gave each other a big hug and then Lauren patted her head and went to play as Avery was getting in line.

I really like knowing that they will always have a friend on the playground.

I love it.

Now if they'd just stay 8 and 5.

Vacuum help

I've waited as long as I could wait...but my vacuum is going to the vacuum graveyard.

And of course I thought I'd ask all of you for suggestions in its replacement.

We have mostly hard wood on the main floor with area rugs. I vacuum the hard wood as much as anything else so I need a vacuum that can get really low. Our carpet upstairs has a fairly long knap...(is that what its called? spelled?). Basically it needs to be able to cover it all...

Also, I don't want to spend an arm and a leg cause its a vacuum for crying out loud.

So if you have anything wonderful to say about your vacuum please comment or email me!

thanks!

The Why...

And of course here's why we get away...

because I don't want to lose 'us' somewhere in the middle of 'all of us'.

And he's amazing too and I don't deserve him either.

Combos

These two are quite the twosome...they are more alike than even I realize. They are really quite good buddies, who of course can fight like only a sister and a brother only 18 months apart in age can do. They are so similar in size that I'm often asked if they are twins. They both laugh easy and play HARD.

And I fear that the first day of school in August is going to be a huge shock for Sully. He'll be losing his playmate and he'll be left with his mom and 2 year old sister...not a very fair trade for a 4 year old boy.

I hope they can remember all the fun they've had!

always running and chasing each other...and screaming...

and lots of laughter....

...and wrestling.

But then again, maybe I don't have to worry so much, because he's really good with Tess.

And Tess likes to run and chase and laugh and scream and wrestle too...

So then I just go back to where I started...worrying about my heart when she leaves.

so glad to be back

Well the house is still neglected but we had such a great morning.

I am finding that either the older I get, or the more kids I have, or the combination of the two makes me have a terribly hard time leaving my kids.

I really struggled to leave this past week. And yes, I did have fun while we were gone.

But I was so anxious to get home.

So we left the house and went to a little nature preserve this

morning so I could just enjoy them.

They had a blast. And I got to just follow them and watch.

We walked the short trails...

And played on the two different bridges.

Here Tess and Avery are making it sway!

Tess just cracks me up in this picture.

Although its hard, I know going away is good.

I guess the reminder that I am just about the most blessed woman in the world is good for me.

And I like feeling in awe that I get to call them all mine.

Monday

Its Monday?!

Jordan and I were lucky enough to spend the last part of last week and all weekend in the Ozark's with my bible study group and the husbands. The weather didn't cooperate but we did get in a boat ride and A LOT of relaxing, fellowship and laughs.

Now its Monday and its time to strip beds and mop floors. However, it looks beautiful outside so that may get scratched for sometime at the park instead!

Trouble

That's what we should have named her.

Trouble.

She forced me to call Poison Control for the first time a few months ago.

And today...

She forced me to call the dr. to find out what you do when your baby eats a penny, or a quarter, or a nickel...or possibly a combination. (The verdict is still out on WHICH she ate...its coming through Sullivan...)

We know she had money in her mouth and that she swallowed it. We just dont know how much.

The dr. said if she's breathing, she's ok.

Sure.

Now I guess we watch for it to 'pass'.

Fun.

And Tess, I mean Trouble, really, you are child #4...you aren't supposed to shock your mother like this.

Going fast

I had an OB appointment today.

Everything looks good.

I had the kids with me and Sullivan was so adorable about hearing the heartbeat. He couldnt stop smiling. He was in total amazement. Very fun.

Then my dr. performed minor surgery on the heel of my foot to remove a deep splinter I got yesterday.

It hurt.

He used some scary looking instruments and I think he had a blast digging around in there.

I told him next time I want an epidural!!!

Seriously ow! I was about coming up off the table!

So when all that drama was over I scheduled my next appt. and the receptionist had me schedule my ultrasound too...which I'll have at 22 weeks. I scheduled it in June. NEXT month!

This pregnancy is going by SO fast!

I haven't decided if that is good or bad!

A Mother's Work

I've been a mother for a number of years now...not long compared to some...but almost a decade!

And it seems to me that moms as a group are always looking to the future -- whether it be looking out for a danger up in front of our children, planning for their next meal, next test, or their choice of friends or higher education...

We get pretty caught up in their futures, planning for them, praying for them.

I think for me at least, I see this 'work' that I do and I dream about some future rewards.

I see graduation stages, prom dresses, academic honors, athletic achievements and then I look at my four little ones and I dream even bigger.

But this week I heard something on the radio that made me stop my dreaming of the future at least for a bit. I'm going to tell the little phrase I heard and add in my own thoughts and story to it...

You see as a mom of three girls I dream of three weddings in my future. I see each of my daughters standing at the back of a church, clutching their daddy's arm, walking to the front and being handed off to 'Prince Charming', the one they've dreamed about and the one I've been praying about!

I see the pretty pure white dresses -- reflecting their pure white hearts.

I dream about helping them select those perfect gowns - of shedding tears as they come out of a dressing room saying, "Mom, this one's the one!"

But the radio announcer reminded me that the day in the bridal shoppe that I am dreaming about will come soon enough...and until then I have a bigger job to do than selecting a pure white dress...

My job is teaching, preparing, praying, displaying, molding...their pure white hearts...reflecting the love of their Savior and belonging to Him first.

What a task! What a responsibility! What an Honor!

So while we dream about those 'big' days in the future -- we have awesome work to be doing now.

Building pure white hearts with the help of our Heavenly Father.

Now there is a job description.

And luckily we have this promise to encourage us along the way,

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Happy Mother's Day, 2010!

And thank you, Lauren Elaine, Avery Elizabeth, Sullivan Joseph, Contessa Caroline and sweet #5 for giving me this amazing honor and for teaching me along the way.

The word 'love' really doesn't even describe how I feel for each of you...

You can't make this stuff up people.

Its chilly and rainy outside today so I tackled my sadly neglected house and the kids played dress up and super heroes all day long!

At one point I was in the kitchen and Sully came running in,

"Mommy! Look! I'm a confused Superhero!"

I had to ask him to repeat himself at least three times.

A 'confused superhero'? Really?

How does he get that?

How does he know that having on two costumes would make a 'confused superhero'?

How does he know that is funny?

I swear I about called Letterman...or Yale.

Then about 4 minutes later I caught myself saying,

"Sullivan! That headlock you have on Contessa is MUCH too tight, ease up!"

(not let her go, STOP, go to time out, get away...no, just ease up. Wow.)

I never knew that!

I learned this today:

My baby now has fingerprints! Believe it or not, the baby created them while swimming around in the amniotic fluid. As he or she moved the hands, the skin on the tips of the finger formed unique ridges and folds. That's why no one else on earth has the same fingerprints, not even identical twins!

Isn't God super cool!?

Random

I've got nothing inspiring to blog about.

And of course when you have no words...you take pictures of your baby.

Yes, right now I take more pictures of her...she's the baby.

That's how it goes.

The weather has been great around here but SUPER windy. Typical Iowa spring. But the sun is shining, the birds are singing and everything is green! And in the evenings it tends to calm down.

I'm an organizing fool. Remember how I was going to gut every room in the house and pitch and organize before Spring hit? Well I completed the main level but didn't get to the upstairs before my pregnancy induced coma hit, then we went on vacation, then I had to recover from vacation, then we got sick...so now I'm doing it. Cleaning kids clothes out, dusting, sweeping, rearranging, touch up painting...awesome. And one thing is for sure...we have WAY too much stuff.

As far as the pregnancy goes...Im feeling great. Thank goodness! I think I'm 14 weeks. Maybe 15? I go to the dr. again next week.

We have no names. None.

And I told Jordan today that I have officially named the baby #5.

He responded with his top names...Hector, for a boy, which I think he is kidding about and Hadasha (or something like that - Esther's Hebrew name apparently), for a girl, which he was NOT kidding about.

Seriously. Help. Or charge him with a crime for suggesting names like that.

School is winding down...I'm excited to have Lauren home with us all day. We are going to have a fantastic summer.

Oh, and she is insanely cute.

Just call us 'Sandy and Danny'

The 1950's...and murder!

Last night we attended a Murder Mystery Dinner Party with our Sunday School Class

It was a 1950's theme.

Totally fun!

Just getting dressed up was extremely fun!

Jordan's grandma made this poodle skirt for his mom and although I could not

zip it all the way or even think about buttoning it...it fit.

If you haven't done an event like this you should try it.

Something totally different to do and a fun way to get to know people.

And of course...there's murder.

Here's our poor friend Beth after finding her politician husband had

been the last victim of the night.

Pointing fingers....(Turned out he was the REAL bad guy!)

All the ladies...

All the guys...

And, yes, I did...win best dressed for the ladies!

I was slightly excited!

And here I am with the best dressed for the men...Jason.

Nice uh, wig/dead animal/old mop...? :)