Friday, February 28, 2014

February Goals!


FITNESS:

I made this much more complicated this month

Run ten 8 min miles
one 10miler
two 8 milers
one 7 miler
two 6 milers
400 push ups
2 miles of lunges (I have .25 to do at work tonight and I will be done!)
2 miles swimming
10 days of strength training (9 days done, planning to stop at the weight room at work...a little cheater, but maybe ok)
walking

HOME FRONT:

kitchen floor
buy new dishwasher (toe kick and floor are done, maybe we will have time to buy one this weekend?!)
kitchen trim

bedroom closet- clean out and dejunk
clean carpets housewide
Entertainment center- clean out
Toy cabinets-clean out
Boys room- clean out
Put up third bed in boys room
Deep clean and declutter second bathroom
Go through 6 boxes in storage room (perfect to do while watching Olympics!)
finish deleting pictures
back up files
make Berean's yearly book (started!)
continue scanning

MISC

Taxes
1st 4 weeks of Beth Moore Fruit of the Spirit(lost the book half way through month, working on James instead)
Read 4 books (maybe...did not read any?!)
Blog 18 times
Lots of school and standardized test prep! (we have had a good school month and I have spent most of my free time giving D spelling words)
Kid's dental appointments!

SOCIAL:
date with 4 kids  (maybe a little cheating...I took the boys to a movie, Bre had a dance recital and the Children's Museum was the special thing for the girls for the month.
playdate for Berean with friends
special play session with friends for boys
2 times out with friends for me
People over x2
Date night

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Boy Meets Girl

We are working on some creative writing in our homeschool.  Deacon is writing  a story about Steve, a Minecraft character.  He has perfected the art of writing short, choppy sentences in order to avoid commas.  He gets his hatred of comma usage from his mom.

Roman is writing a series of chapters about his stuffed animals.  For awhile "Big Yoda" was the bully, but that apparently was eerily similar to one of Deacon's stuffed animals, which led to a fistfight about D's stuffed animal being a bad guy.  "Big Yoda" is now "Big Bunny" and the generic-ness of it has eased all tensions.

Roman is also writing a comic book.

This got me thinking again about blogging out about how Noah and I met, our dating years, our engagement and the beginning of our marriage.  I would like to get the details down on paper before I grow old and senile and forgot them.

I have considered this as a possibility before, but have always rejected it.  There are a couple of reasons.  First of all, both sets of our parents read this blog.  Now, I want the story to be an honest retelling of our lives, which obviously, our parents were a part of.  I am a little leery of opening up a story that was viewed by so many, with many different perspectives.  Also, from our early years the things that I remember are disjointed, odd things, and I do not always know the reasons they stick out in my mind.  The longer I live the more I realize that the things that I remember and the way that I remember things and the way I drive myself are all very unique.  You all may find my quite strange by the time I am done with the retelling.

So I am considering it yet again, and I just may write the story.  Maybe it will keep me amused during these long, cold, never-ending days of winter. We'll see.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Very Important Things

that I have been doing...

1. Lunges. Lots and lots of lunges- I am getting stronger though, and I can tell that I am improving!

2. Taking apart my oven door so that I can clean it.  No, I am not normally like that, but this oven design has multiple pieces of glass that you can't easily get out to clean, but things still drip down into there, so basically, we have streaky oven glass all the time.  Anyway, I ended up with an extra screw.  Hopefully not too important :)

3. Potty training Ever!  We are almost there, I think.  She has been doing great, and it doesn't hurt that she can hold it for  a loooong time.

4. Being crabby.  Seriously, I need to get out of this funk and try to set a new tone for this household.  I know that the kids take their cues from me, and the cues that they are getting are not positive ones.  

5. Putting our kitchen back together.  No dishwasher yet, but we are getting there!

6. Looking out the window at snow.  Drifts as high as the neighbors 6 foot fence.  It is bad, people.  This may be one of the reasons for #4 above.

Well, must get going and see if I can find some more pictures of prairie animals.  Prairie is a word that I struggle with spelling correctly...thank goodness for spell check!

 

Sunday, February 23, 2014

QOTD

I know that I have been posting a lot of these lately, but between Deacon and Berean there are funny quotes everywhere these days!

Everyn is in the midst of potty training these days.  A couple days ago she came up to me with a suspect looking substance on her face.  I asked, as all good mothers do, "Goodness, girl, is that poop or peanut butter?!"  Deacon heard me from the other room and came back with this helpful advice, "If it is on her hands or her face, it is probably peanut butter.  If it is on her butt or her legs, it is probably poop."  Thanks, Deke.  Incidentally, it was peanut butter.

Tonight I was carrying Berean into the Y, she whispered in my ear, "Mom, I just can't stop loving you!"

And from facebook...

QOTD:
The Shirtless Snowboarder (who had a shirt on today): "I'm going to try and hit that jump...hopefully it won't lead to my early demise."



 QOTD: (found on a scrap piece of paper): "Woop Woop Mother Styl. Hay Mom woop woop Mother Styl. Sometimes I get mad but you feed me. You clothe me. Shelter me. Woop woop Mother styl" (future rapper in the making?!?) 

 QOTD: (Ever was standing at the top of the stairs screaming because she wanted to be carried down the stairs- she is perfectly capable of walking) Deke sees her crying and runs up the stairs, picks her up, baby talks to her and carries her down. Then he says to me, "Mom, we could call that 'The Good Brother'. It is like the 'Good Samaritan'. Dad walked by the crying baby, and he didn't help her. Mom walked by the crying baby, and she didn't help either. Then the Good Brother walks by and HE is the one that takes time to help the baby." #whathappenswhenyourkidsknowbiblestories


 QOTD:
J: "Why did Molly send you home?"
D: "I don't know. I don't think it had anything to do with me snow boarding with no shirt on."


 QOTD:
N: "Sweet Tarts and blue cheese are not good in the same burp."


 QOTD:
D: "They're making space nuggets on the Millennium Falcon. What sort of animal do you suppose they'd butcher to make space nuggets?"
L: "A space cow?"


 QOTD: B: "I am an angry Queen!" and we all know there is nothing worse than that...

 QOTD (Watching the pairs skate):
D: "Dad, I'm pretty sure you and mom couldn't do that as well as they can."
N: "Really?"
D: "Yeah, Mom's too big."
J: "I'm almost as big as Shawn White"
N: "I think our problems start where neither of us can really skate."


 QOTD: Taxi Cab Confessions:

B: "When I was a baby I ate stolen candy. I broke some stuff. I cried a lot."


 QOTD: D: "going to bed every night is so boring"
Where we found the boys sleeping after Deacon stated that sleeping in his own bed every night was boring.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Children's Museum!

Berean and her friend at the museum!

Silly girls!  These two could have stayed and played all day!

The dino even has safety goggles thanks to Roman!

Lincoln loves the museum too!

The boys are getting a little too old for most of the displays, but they still had fun!

Ever really liked hoarding the flowers...

and occasionally planting them!

Berean is the child who currently likes to get her picture taken.

The boys!

Valentine Girl!

Hearts

Berean got really into Valentine's Day this year.  We spent hours making Valentines.  She made  a "heart crown" that she wore for two days straight (along with one gardening glove and a gigantic fake diamond ring that her brother won for her at an arcade), and of course, she got flowers, candy and a card from her Daddy!
(as Deacon ate his Valentine's Day doughnut he declared, "this is the best Valentine's present I have ever received!")

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

My Time

Actually, labeling this post "My Time" gives me shivers, because it is the name of our clocking system at work. It does not bring about feelings of peace and tranquility for me, but rather feelings of wanting to beat one's head against the wall.

The time of day that I love the most is those amazing hours after the children go to bed, where it is quiet and when I can do what I want to within my own house.  I need 2-3 hours after the kids go to bed to unwind and recharge before I go to bed myself.  If I can get those hours, I am golden. 

When the kids were younger I had even more time, because they would go to bed so early.

I was not gifted with sleepers, however, and that is growing more and more apparent.

They are going to bed later, and still getting up at 7 and my time is scooting backwards, and I feel like I am losing my mind.

I am probably an extrovert at heart, but I am an innergized person. I need to be alone to recharge, because even though I love being with people- people (my children included) drain the energy right out of me.  

I have a friend that told me that everything shifted as her children got older- they turned from being more needy and demanding during the daytime hours to needing her more in the evenings.  They were up late doing homework and processing their days and they needed their mom.  She shared that was a hard transition for her, because that was time that she liked for herself.

This will be a struggle for me as well, I can see it coming.  I don't know what the solution is, maybe Noah and I will have to take turns being the "on parent" while the other locks themself in a room.  Maybe I will have to insist on a hard and fast homework done, mom off duty time.  I don't know, but as I feel my temper getting shorter as the evening goes on, and as I wake up and get started with my day feeling drained instead of recharged- I know that I need to figure a new system, something that will not short change them, but will also not kill me.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Redneck Snowboarder

My neighbor sent me some pictures of my little shirtless snowboarder.  I guess when it is finally 20 degrees warmer than it has been, clothes must come off.

Monday, February 17, 2014

10 Random Facts of Life

1. I don't like pictures of children with Santa, especially if the children are screaming and looking terrified.  It is just not funny. I am not sure why I just thought of that.

2. I came across a dress that I wore for high school graduation pictures- it still fits :)  Score one for the home team!

3. I am not a germophobe, and I don't mind using public restrooms if necessary..I have a really hard time, however, entering a bathroom and using it if I see someone come out of it right before I go in.  Even at home.

4. Along those same lines, they switched up the configuration of the charting area near our staff bathroom.  Now, when you go to the bathroom, there is a whole row of computers with people charting on them facing the bathroom door.  Very awkward and no one likes to use the bathroom anymore.

5. Apparently, today while out playing with the neighbors, Deacon removed whatever coat or shirt he was wearing for an epic snowboarding run. No shirt, just snowpants.  That's my boy.

6. Everyn is perfectly capable of peeing on the potty and is able to do so independently, whenever she so chooses.

7. I secretly love ice dancing.

8.  You know all of these lunges that I am doing?  Well, the results are dramatic.

9. Deacon managed to get 95/100 words right on his spelling test when the reward was going to the Lego Movie. Apparently the spelling problem is more of a lack of motivation vs. a lack of ability.

10. Grandma is going to be home tomorrow!  Just in time for me to tell her that I need her to make Roman and Lincoln glittery star costumes for the musical that they are going to be in- the trick is that the costumes can't look glittery, because the boys are very anti-sparkles and uncomfortableness.  Wish us luck.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

My Mom!


Here is my brave Mom who is on a zipline through the jungles of Thailand!

Friday, February 14, 2014

February Goal Update

I feel like I am going to have so much time this month because I took two vacation days! Also, I will be watching a lot of the Olympic coverage, and am hoping to get things done that I can do in front of the TV.   I am guessing that things will come up and I won't be as productive as I intend, but you never know! Ha.Ha.Ha. Actually, I have gotten very little accomplished off the list this month.  I am not sure if it is going to get better as the month goes on, we will see.  Trying not to get hung up on lack of progress- it is just the way life goes sometimes.

FITNESS:

I made this much more complicated this month

Run ten 8 min miles (8 of them are done!)
one 10miler
two 8 milers
one 7 miler
two 6 milers (one done)
400 push ups (in progress)
2 miles of lunges (this is REALLY HARD- I have done .55miles)
2 miles swimming (.25 done)
10 days of strength training (3 days done)
walking

HOME FRONT:

kitchen floor (we have worked on this, but we can't install until we get the new toe kick which involves multiple steps and honestly, I don't know if this project will ever get done, but it all starts with the toe kick...)
buy new dishwasher (can't do until we get the toe kick and the floor...even though I am drowning in dirty dishes, I am just not sure when this will be reasonably accomplished)
kitchen trim

bedroom closet- clean out and dejunk
clean carpets housewide
Entertainment center- clean out
Toy cabinets-clean out
Boys room- clean out
Put up third bed in boys room
Deep clean and declutter second bathroom
Go through 6 boxes in storage room (perfect to do while watching Olympics!)
finish deleting pictures
back up files
make Berean's yearly book
continue scanning

MISC

Taxes (almost done)
1st 4 weeks of Beth Moore Fruit of the Spirit
Read 4 books
Blog 18 times
Lots of school and standardized test prep! (we have had a good school month and I have spent most of my free time giving D spelling words)
Kid's dental appointments!

SOCIAL:
date with 4 kids (ok to have N do a couple, possibly a movie with all boys together this month)
playdate for Berean with friends
special play session with friends for boys
2 times out with friends for me
People over x2
Date night

FINANCES:
choosing not to fixate on finances this month. We are being reasonable and working toward some long term goals, but frankly, life is too busy right now to do substantial cost cutting measures.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Game Time!


I love it when they play games together, and I love it even more when they give their giant baby sister the extra cards so that she feels like she is one of the big kids!

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

"Find someplace to sleep..." he said


I'm pretty sure when Noah said that, he wasn't thinking of the treadmill.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Juggling

If you know me in real life, you know that I am a planner, a list-maker and that I always have big dreams and goals.  I constantly challenge myself.  I don't always succeed and some of my goals on my list remain there month after month and year after year without being accomplished- but, I am always trying.

The other morning while running on my treadmill I started watching a netflix movie on my Kindle.  The movie was I Don't Know How She Does It.  (once again, no one knows or cares that I am writing a "review" of this on my blog).  I remember reading about this movie when it first came out and thinking it sounded like it may be good, but then quickly decided not to bother with it when I saw it's lousy reviews and PG-13 rating.  Yes, I avoid PG-13 rated movies unless they have been specifically recommended to me by a trusted source. (this movie did have strong language at times and some coarse humor).  It is about a woman who is juggling career and family.

Anyway, this movie struck a chord with me.  No, I don't have a fancy job- who cares if I go to work with baby pee on my shoe, if it doesn't happen at home it will probably happen at work.  But some of the scenes in the movie echoed my own life so much that I didn't know whether to laugh or wince.

The movie ended and I was left thinking about it all- the juggling of motherhood and work, the pursuit of happiness for your family or happiness for yourself.  And the guilt that we as mothers feel - both the guilt brought on from within as well as guilt brought on by the judgementalism of other mothers. 

I appreciated the fact that the main character did not quit her job at the end of the movie.  That is not always the solution to the problem.  And of course making your family suffer while you pursue your own dreams is not a good outcome either.  Ultimately the main character decided that she needed to let some things that were less important become less important.

I do a lot of reflecting in my life and am constantly trying to tweak and refine my goals and the things that are important to me.  I am always asking myself, "how can I streamline my life and make the most use of my time without giving up the important things?"

The things that I admire about other women helps me to see what I consider to be important and what I have no inclination for in my own life.

For example:
*I admire creative people and would love to find time to be more creative.
*I admire women I know that are in very "equal" relationships- ones where their husbands don't put them in a box- and I am grateful to have a husband that doesn't treat me like a domestic servant/nanny
*I admire women who enjoy their children and actually love to spend time with their children- and I want to make sure that I make having fun with my kids a priority.
*I admire women who love to hang out with their husbands- even if it is just painting a room together. I am grateful that Noah and I actually do get to spend time together and I am glad that he likes to hang out with me.
*I admire women that still invite people over, even if their house is not as clean as they would like it to be- these are often the most creative women that I know, or the ones who actually play with and spend time with their kids- you can't have it all, and I am still daily struggling with those priorities and decisions.
*I admire women who have interests outside their home and families
*I admire women who take their children out and explore new places and the outdoors
*I admire women that get that it is ok if not everything that they do/make/create looks straight off of a "domestic diva" pinterest page.

It is a work in progress- this life I lead;  but constantly improving, adjusting, striving is what I like best :)



Friday, February 7, 2014

Too cute not to share

 QOTD:
L: "Mom! Roman is pushing my buttons!"


QOTD: D:"Dingos will eat small children. I find that very irritating."

QOTD: B: "sometimes I am really shy of Jesus" Me: "why is that?" B: "Because he is just so mighty and strong. I am a little shy of him because he is soooo powerful".

 And finally...from depressedalien.com....


 

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Suburban vs. Mini-van

*no one is compensating me or sponsoring me in any way for this blog post. All thoughts and opinions are my own based on the vehicles that I own and drive or have owned and drive*

When we first got married, my Dad gave us the car that I had been driving- a Dodge Dynasty that had belonged to my Grandparents.  That was a great and faithful vehicle for us.  Noah had purchased a VW Golf the year before we got married.  That car was maybe not as great and as faithful, but it was Noah's baby, so it's high maintenance-ness was tolerated. [It wasn't that bad, and it got ridiculous gas mileage - N] And we owned it for almost 15 years, so that wasn't too bad.  [230,000 miles, that's not bad at all - N]

In 2005 when Roman was just a baby we bought a mini-van.  My car's life was slowly coming to an end, and we thought the extra space would be nice for our little family of two kids.  Twenty months later, Lincoln was born, and we loved the extra space.  That van has served us well, and, since Deacon was able to move out of a booster right before Everyn was born, we have been able to fit our whole family in it for the last two years- five kids and all.

The van is great for trips around town, but it's ability to accommodate seven people and all the stuff brought along for camping trips and road trips is somewhat questionable.  When Noah's car officially drove it's last mile in the fall, we had to seriously sit down and decide what we were going to do.

Through a series of events, we now own three vehicles.  Noah has an older Lexus to drive to work as his commuter car.  I will probably start driving it to work on the weekends as well  because it gets the best gas milage of the three, and we both have pretty long commutes.

And then there is our van and the new-to-us Suburban.  I told Noah a month ago that I was going to write this post comparing the two, and he said he was looking forward to reading it.  I then proceeded to tell him all of my points, so I doubt he needs to read it anymore. [Yet, here I am, editing it :) - N]

Van PROS:

1. Stow n' go seating: I love this.   When the seats are up, it lets you have extra storage under the floor on trips for things that you don't really need until you get there, or for things you hope you aren't going to need at like jumper batteries, first aid/emergency supplies, etc.  And, when you need to haul  10 bags of leaves to the compost pile, you can easily just flip the seats down into the floor, and you are good to go.  Just as long as you have a babysitter for the kids that you are now going to have to leave home.  Because your seats are folded down.  You're following, right?

2. Room between captain's chairs and front seat: in the space between seats in the van, there is plenty of room for the 31 bag I use for swimming stuff, bags of groceries, and a folded up pack-and-play. This means I can walk to the door, open it, and put Everyn in her carseat and drop my most commonly carried items right there.  No need to open up the trunk.  When we return home, I can grab her and the bags also with only one door opening.  On trips, the space holds blankets, pillows and small duffel bags of kids clothes.  

3. Smaller: it's easier to maneuver and park, and the gas mileage is better.

4. Ability to haul stuff: you actually can haul a lot of stuff in a mini-van, despite what the tool rental guys at Home Depot seem to think.  And, the bonus is, if I decide to buy a massive new dresser at a garage sale, I can fold down all of the seats ALL BY MYSELF.  I still have to find a babysitter, but at least the vehicle can now accomodate the dresser.  Small victories.

Van CONS:

1. Only seats seven: we're at max capacity.

2. Not a truck: there's no 4 wheel drive.

3. Less all around space; this is especially true when we're loaded down for a long haul.

Suburban PROS:

1. Comfort: There is just more room, and the seating is more comfortable.  The kids like it because they have more space width wise, and Noah and I also have more space in the front seat.  It is unfortunate that it doesn't have the bench seat in the front, because I always like to sit right by my man, but I guess I can overlook that.  

2. It seats eight, so we can bring an extra person with us, which is huge, because with five small people, it is nice to have someone else help chaperone.  Like an aunt or a granny nanny.

3. Storage area in the back is much larger.  Approximately twice as large.

4. Heated seats.  It's Minnesota.

5.  What can I say?  It is a massive truck with big wheels.  It has a throaty V8.  It is fun to drive.  Noah likes the 4 wheel drive.  [Noah also enjoys the rear wheel drive ;)  -N]

Suburban CONS:

1. Some wonky positioning of  LATCH system anchors: they aren't on all seats we want them on, and they are on seats that don't make much sense.  Despite their best efforts, Noah lists this one as an engineering fail by a design engineer with only two kids.

2. No space for the swimming bag without opening the trunk :(  [And those goofy design engineers neglected to put a physical key lock on the gate, so you either have to have the electronic key, or stop off at the drivers door to unlock it. -N]

3. Gas Hog.  Thirty gallon tank.  Ouch.

4. No stow 'n go, which requires extra help to haul something massive.

5.  It's too big.  The side effect of having all that space inside is the thing is huge.  It handles pretty well on the road for something that big, but parking and tight maneuvering can be cumbersome.

Conclusion:

I like driving the Suburban, and the kids are happy.  We have a big family, so we need a big vehicle, and I think the Suburban is a good choice.  But, I will tell you this, mini vans are made for people with children, and for busy families.  If I had four or fewer children I would hands down, no questions asked, drive the mini van.  It is slick, it is convenient and it is set up for my life- pick ups, drop offs, hauling stuff- I am a jack of all trades, and I can move people and seats around without any help for whatever suits my purposes that day.  And the gas mileage is better.  But, we have five kids, and for that many, the Suburban will allow us a more comfortable drive and that spare seat that makes life so much easier.

Winner?  We're keeping both until something dies.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

TWO YEARS!


This is Berean's new bed.  Her daddy made it for her.  It's pink.  The butterflies and her name aren't on it yet, but they will be.  Her new sheets and her new quilt aren't on it yet, but they will be.  For now she seems perfectly happy with her Bob the Builder sheets and covering up with an old Care Bear sleeping bag that belongs to her aunt.

I guess it just proves that kids don't need all the fancy coordinated things to be happy.  Her room does not match and there is no theme, but that makes it hers- it is filled with all of the scattered crazy things that make her happy.

Would she love a room that is perfect matched and perfectly decorated?  Probably briefly.  For the moment of surprise.  But soon her own style would sneak it's way in; and it wouldn't look so Pottery Barn anymore.  And that is okay.

She likes the purple lamp on her wooden table.  She likes the odd assortment of pastel bunnies she rescued from Great Grandma's home.  She likes the fish, and the owl, and the chicken that Grandma painted.  She likes her white wooden B and Everyn's white wooden E.  She likes the sketches of Diego and Baby Jaguar that her brother drew for her and the dilapidated blue chair where we read stories. She likes her pink bunny from Grandma Joyce, and her pink crazy eyed dog from Deacon.  She likes her pink pig pillow pet and her polka dot blanket.

In fact, she likes her room so much that tonight at supper she announced that she would like to get in her bed and stay there for TWO YEARS!  It seems that she is so excited about her birthday, and she feels like she just can't wait anymore, that she has come to the conclusion that just sleeping until the big day would be a good thing.

Noah was teasing her a little and asking her, "Wouldn't you feel lonely up there all by yourself?"

"No," she answered.

"Why not?" he pressed, "I think I would get pretty lonely being in bed for two years."

"I wouldn't," she replied.  "Don't you know that we don't have to be lonely because God is always with us?"

"Good answer."  I don't think he was expecting that.

"He is the one that keeps us from being scared," she said.  "That is his job.  To keep us from being scared and alone."

Sweet dreams, Baby Girl.

Monday, February 3, 2014

February Goals!

I feel like I am going to have so much time this month because I took two vacation days! Also, I will be watching a lot of the Olympic coverage, and am hoping to get things done that I can do in front of the TV.   I am guessing that things will come up and I won't be as productive as I intend, but you never know!

FITNESS:

I made this much more complicated this month

Run ten 8 min miles
one 10miler
two 8 milers
one 7 miler
two 6 milers
400 push ups
2 miles of lunges
2 miles swimming
10 days of strength training
walking

HOME FRONT:

kitchen floor
buy new dishwasher
kitchen trim

bedroom closet- clean out and dejunk
clean carpets housewide
Entertainment center- clean out
Toy cabinets-clean out
Boys room- clean out
Put up third bed in boys room
Deep clean and declutter second bathroom
Go through 6 boxes in storage room (perfect to do while watching Olympics!)
finish deleting pictures
back up files
make Berean's yearly book
continue scanning

MISC

Taxes
1st 4 weeks of Beth Moore Fruit of the Spirit
Read 4 books
Blog 18 times
Lots of school and standardized test prep!
Kid's dental appointments!

SOCIAL:
date with 4 kids (ok to have N do a couple, possibly a movie with all boys together this month)
playdate for Berean with friends
special play session with friends for boys
2 times out with friends for me
People over x2
Date night

FINANCES:
choosing not to fixate on finances this month. We are being reasonable and working toward some long term goals, but frankly, life is too busy right now to do substantial cost cutting measures.