Krantz's of the Palouse

Eli's 2 Year Stats

2012-01-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit late in posting this, but here is the info on our youngest son!
2 years old
28 pounds
34 inches
Busy, healthy, wonderful little boy

I was comparing to the other two, at least height wise, at 2 years old and Hannah was a tiny bit shorter with Isaac being a tiny bit taller. Not a whole lot of difference.

Eli loves to have books read to him, climb, laugh, wrestle, put coins in his tootsie roll bank (he can do this activity for over an hour), paint, listen to music (he calls music zugurt), dance, snuggle with Mommy, bake, play in eater, play with his brother and sister and just about anything else active! He can count to 12, knows most of his colors, and like the ABC's (I'm not sure about him identifying any yet). He keeps us busy and on our toes! He is a delight and life is wonderful with our third baby!

Christmas Break

2011-12-23T22:30:00.000-08:00

Our first week of break has been eventful! We started out with Eli's ear tube surgery and a day of taking it easy... not so easy with a busy 2 year old! We made another special dinosaur cake to have on the evening of his real birthday! He loved it.

We moved on to a having some friends over for a morning and we made graham cracker Christmas huts (cheap and easy gingerbread houses) and made red and green play dough. It was great fun. Hannah and I went Christmas caroling with a group from church. Hannah found this to be a wonderful experience. She was so sweet and sang out the carols!

Last night we went down to Lewiston to see the big light display. It was amazing! Eli was in heaven. He loves Christmas lights, and he just couldn't get enough! Hannah and Isaac thought it was amazing too. It was quite cold though, so we didn't stay as long as we had hoped.

Tonight we went to a fun Christmas party as a house of a good friend from church. Hannah was very excited to wear a beautiful dress. Isaac was just excited to go to a party and Eli wanted to make sure he was going where Mommy was going. It was a fun time and Eli was in his glory, finding yummy snacks, trying to blow out candles, passing out the holiday coasters that looked like big peppermints and sitting by the fire that was "nice and warm." Hannah and Isaac drew beautiful pictures and chatted with people they knew.

Tomorrow will be fun with Christmas Eve festivities at my parent's house and then church in the evening. The kids will be opening a special gift before church, their new Christmas clothes. They will also get their Christmas pajamas to wear that night. Such fun!

Eli's Birthday Party

2011-12-19T13:30:00.000-08:00

Resting at Home After Surgery

2011-12-19T13:28:00.000-08:00

My Baby is 2!

2011-12-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

Everyone says that children grow up fast... and with my third, it has gone faster and faster. Almost the blink of an eye. It seems impossible that it was two years ago that Eli was born. He has been and continues to be a precious gift wrapped up in a huge amount of energy! I love this little guy so much... my third baby that I really didn't think we would ever have. God is so very good!

For his 2nd birthday, we gave him a new set of ear tubes. Almost to the minute, two years later, the same Dr. that delivered him was giving him new tubes. Everything went very well and he just about back to normal now. We celebrated his birthday on Saturday with good friends and family. He loved his dinosaur cake. I'll be posting pictures soon. He was surrounded by most of his favorite people and he got to skype the next day with those who couldn't be with us. All of my children are blessed with many people who love them deeply, again, God is so very good!

Some of my favorite things about Eli lately... when he wants to be held he says, "Eli hold Mommy." He likes is "nuggle" time. He loves Christmas carols and likes to sing along. He is amazing at putting things together. I think he has some pretty good dance moves. He is happy. He gives slobbery kisses. He is 90% potty trained during the daytime. He adores his big sister and big brother. He has beautiful hair, just like his Daddy. He runs everywhere he goes. He likes to put his "Papa Ken" cowboy boots one all by himself. These are just to name a few.

Coffee with Wonder Woman

2011-12-14T20:44:00.000-08:00

Tonight I am sipping coffee from my Wonder Woman mug... given to me by my wonderful Mom and Dad. I love this mug. It makes me smile. Sometime I wish I was Wonder Woman, but I'm not. I find that when I try to be, when I try to succeed in my own strength, I fail miserably. I was never meant to do it on my own. Instead, the joy of the Lord is my strength. He lifts me and carries me and gives my His strength. When I am resting in him, that is when something wonderful and amazing happens. Why can't I remember this all the time???

The Law of the Land

2011-12-13T22:19:00.000-08:00

Deep Inside the Christmas Tree

2011-12-13T22:17:00.000-08:00

Sitting on Santa's Horse, Shadow

2011-12-03T20:36:00.000-08:00

Here Comes Santa Claus

2011-12-03T20:30:00.000-08:00

Waiting for Santa to arrive.

And here he comes... Palouse style!

It was very exciting to see Santa on an Appaloosa!

Eli kept calling the horse a donkey, silly boy!

Hannah was the only one who wanted to sit on Santa's lap... this is the first year she has wanted to.

Aaron surprised us this morning and took us to the Appaloosa Horse Museum for a fun morning with Santa! The kids loved it. They made cards, sat on saddles, sat on Shadow (Santa's horse), decorated horse shaped sugar cookies and ate yummy treats. It was a good morning on the Palouse!

Trying For a Christmas Card Picture...

2011-11-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T13:42:00.000-08:00

Decorating Cookies

2011-11-30T13:41:00.000-08:00

Fun in the Snow!

2011-11-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

Fun in the Leaves

2011-11-30T13:38:00.000-08:00

I Love My Daughter

2011-11-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

The other day, Hannah was talking to me about a friend of hers and she referred to her friend as the "tiny" person. I asked her what that meant, and she said that her friend was short. I talked with her about being careful with name calling, that referring to her friend as "tiny" might hurt feelings. She looked at me with a blank look. Now, Hannah is tall. So I asked her what she would feel if someone called her a "big" girl. Another blank stare. She said with a huge smile, "I am a big girl." Her innocence and confidence brought a sense of joy to my heart. I hope she is always proud of being a big girl! I hope her confidence never waivers. Even though I'm sure she was referring to the fact that she is almost 8, I know she has no second thoughts on her appearance.

I know, being from good German blood, that Hannah will not be petite. She will be tall like most of my family. I was never petite. In high school I was quite thin, but never saw myself in that light. I always saw myself as a "big" girl, like that's a bad thing. I look back at pictures now and just sigh. I was tall and thin. In some areas of my life I have always been confident, but not in my appearance... the curse of the American girl. I am so happy that Hannah is confident in herself, in her appearance. I want to do all that I can to help her keep that confidence, not to be overwhelmed with the feeling that she has to look a certain way, or weigh a certain weight. I want her to remain self assured of who she is, the beautiful person God has created her to be!

I know that part of helping her remain confident, is showing her my confidence in myself. Yikes. But of all the things that could motivate me to find my own sense of confidence, Hannah is by far the best motivation I could ever have. Yes, I am a big girl. I am tall. I have the hips that successfully delivered three babies and I will never look like I did in high school... pregnancy, childbirth and age will do that. I do want to be in better shape, and taking care of my body is important. I strive to be in better shape, but it should not define who I am... where my confidence lies. I strive to find my strength and my confidence in the knowledge that I am created by a loving God who has wonderful plans for me, who made me and shaped me just the way I am. I pray that I can show just that to Hannah everyday, and that God will show it to me!

I love my daughter!

Weaning Weekend

2011-11-15T14:39:00.000-08:00

Yep. This is the weaning weekend. Some of you may be surprised that Eli is still nursing, but I nursed all my children on demand until they were 18 months and then began the slow wean. I am an extended breastfeeder and proud of it! I don't really ever bring it up because I get a little tired of the weird looks I get... only in our culture. Anyway, this next weekend is weaning weekend. Eli turns 2 in December, and I have had all the kids weaned by the time they turned two. I think Eli will be the most difficult. I have told him that this is the last week and we are counting down. Really he only nurses before bed and in the morning. Bedtime will most likely be the most difficult for him.

I am having mixed emotions about this. In the past 8 years, I have spent 6 of them nursing my children. This will mark the end of a significant era in my life. In one way I am ready to be done, in another way I just want to hold on. But, I know it is time and it will be good. It just is a BIG marker that means all my children are becoming more independent. All in all, I am more excited about this than not, but I'm sure it will be a weekend of mixed emotions. So this week, my last nursing sessions with Eli will be extra special, full of much love and many cuddles.

I'll let you know how it goes. I'm praying Eli is ready and it goes well!

Trick-or-treat Bucket Making

2011-10-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

Autumn Looms

2011-10-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Time!

2011-10-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

Eli Pictures

2011-10-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

Eyeball on a platter anyone?

Eli

2011-10-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

This little guy is just as cute as can be... he also has no fear and thinks everything is funny! He is experimenting with tantrums. It really is kind of funny to watch. He screams and stomps his feet super fast. Most of the time I tell him that tantrums are not allowed, he says "OK" and stops. Sometimes however he keeps going and ends up sitting in the orange chair where he promptly stops the tantrum and seems to forget what was going on. He is off doing something else. The attention span of a 21 month old.

He is talking more and more, using lots of phrases and repeating everything we say. Note to self... he is repeating everything I say... watch my tongue! He has a deep and abiding love of dinosaurs. He likes to watch BBC dinosaur shows. He loves dinosaurs book and stickers. He dreams about dinosaurs too, he tells me about them when he wakes up.

Eli gives the great tight hugs and loves to hug Aaron and I at the same time. In fact, he will always interrupt a Mommy Daddy hug to join in on the snuggle. He loves is siblings and asks for them when they aren't around. He wrestles with them and brings books to them so they will read to him.

Our life with Eli is busy, but wonderful. He helps fill our days with laughter, love, snuggles and fun. I can't imagine life without this crazy little boy! Thank you God for our busy toddler and his zeal for life!

Happy

2011-10-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to say, that within a few days of cracking down, my two oldest children were back to their normal selves! We did a lot of talking and I did a lot of positive reinforcement for the behaviors we like to see. Everyone was a lot happier in our house and that is the way we like it!

We have a few medical issues on the horizon... blech. Hannah's stride is not right, so we need to see if it is something that will correct itself as she grows or if we need to do something about it. Eli is now short one ear tube. Isaac is scheduled to see a dermatologist because he doesn't sweat adequately. We're hoping to get all this taken care of in this calendar year.

October is a busy and fun month and I LOVE the fall! The cool weather, the amazing colors, pumpkins, leaves, cornstalks, the fields... everything! I made pumpkin spice muffins tonight and they are the perfect taste of fall. The kids love these muffins too, so all 18 should be devoured by tomorrow night. The trick is using spelt flour. Perfect.

This Parenting Thing

2011-09-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

This parenting thing always seems to have a new twist or turn! Now that Hannah and Isaac have started school and are riding the bus, they have had the opportunity to meet a lot of children in our neighborhood. I love that they are making lots of new friends. However, I am not loving some of the other stuff that is coming from all these new friends. Knowing that parenting styles and parenting supervision vary greatly from family to family, Aaron and I are working on figuring out what is best for our kids when it comes to playing with the neighborhood friends. The past 2 weeks have been tricky in our household. Both kids have pushed boundaries, made very poor choices because the other kids are doing it, been snappy at one another and all around become children that they have not been before... and we are not about ready to tolerate it. Yesterday was the day the straw broke, so this week I am cracking down. Yes they can play with their new friends, but the boundaries are tight. Yes, I may be known as the strict Mommy, but my children are going to know how to be considerate, how to make good choices, and how to be safe. They will know that faith and family always come first and that treating one another with respect and kindness is very important. They will know that sassing or back talking to a parent or any adult is not OK... just as inconsiderate and mean talk is not OK with peers.

I have really great kids. They are loving and kind and helpful. They love God and usually are good listeners. As a Christian, I want my children to be able to share the love of Jesus through their words and actions... and I pray that it becomes a natural part of their personality and who they are.

I know they need to learn to make good choices when many choices surround them. Consequences for poor choices will most likely be the best teacher and I can't protect them from that as much as I may want to. I know I won't do everything right as a mom, but I want to do the best I can. I'm finding that with each age, the challenges change. Toddlerhood is rough at times, but early elementary can be too! So I will cover my children with prayer, give them as much love as I possibly can, empower them to make good choices, applaud their good behavior and point out the wonderful gifts God has given them, tell them how thankful I am to be their mother, and endure the pain of watching them suffer through natural consequences when they make poor choices. I will be strict with them and keep their boundaries safe and yet give them an environment in which they can thrive. This will be a continual journey as a parent... and I will let them know when I make a mistake and I will ask for their forgiveness when needed.

This parenting thing... always and adventure!

Not Exactly My Plan

2011-09-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Do things ever go "not as planned" for you? Well, they do for me. Such is the life with children! At least it keeps me on my toes. We had planned for a sort of low key, relaxing weekend. We've had very busy weekends since school started. The only plan I had for Saturday was do to a little work at preschool and then have dinner at my parent's house since we have relative visiting. Aaron was gone in the morning for a teacher training. So we headed to the church and I got to work while the kids played. It took a bit longer than I thought it would and the kids headed over to Mimi and Papa's house while I finished up. My Dad put some shelves together for the preschool too. I finished preschool stuff and things began to go downhill.

I went over to pick up the kids and Eli wasn't looking so good. His cough was quite a bit worse and he felt like he had a fever. He was very tired. We got home and he wasn't wanting to eat lunch, so I put him down for a nap. He was crying everytime he coughed. I quickly made lunch for the other two and called the clinic. I was able to get Eli in! Aaron was home in time so I didn't have to take Hannah and Isaac to the clinic too. Eli had woken up after 30 minutes of sleeping, so I didn't have to try and move him to the van while he was sleeping.

Oh, before I forget, we came home to a dead fish. Hannah and Isaac were distraught. So I got to take a moment to explain life and death to them and let them cry about Fishey. They decided to draw pictures of the fish to help them feel better.

We got to the clinic and he started screaming as soon as we started to walk in the room he got his shots in last time. He was not going to go in that room. Good memory. He didn't want anything to do with the nurses and didn't really like the Dr., not our normal Dr. Turns out he has an ear infection... one tube has fallen out. Ugh. He may have some throat stuff too, but the Dr. couldn't get a good look. Either way, and antibiotic was in order.

I got tot he pharmacy and they had not received the prescription. The Dr. had sent it to the wrong place. Ugh again. The pharmacist was able to track it down because the clinic had closed and we couldn't reach the Dr. So our wait was little longer than anticipated. Got the medicine and headed to the van.

Surprise. Low tire. Headed across the street to Les Schwab to get it fixed. Another 45 minute wait. So we walked back across the street to wait at the golden arches. The nail was removed from the tire and we were good to go.

The rest oft he evening was crazy... then it was time to try and get Eli to take his antibiotics. Long story short, he puked it up everytime I tried to give it to him. I got him to sleep and called the hospital to see if they could help me track down the Dr. to get a new prescription. They did and we have a new antibiotic to pick up this morning. Eli slept much better than I thought he would, so his looking and feeling a bit better this morning. I am still tired.

I am thankful we were able to get meds for the little guy and get him on the mend. I'm just reminded that flexibility is key is surviving this parenting thing! I do like the extra snuggle time I get when the kids are feeling under the weather. They usually don't slow down long enough to snuggle up for very long.

So, fall has fallen and the germs are here. I'm ready for the excitement!

Happy Grandparent's Day!

2011-09-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

Animals at the Fair

2011-09-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

Fun at the Fair

2011-09-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

First Day of Sunday School!

2011-09-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

First Sickness of the School Year

2011-09-13T13:54:00.000-07:00

It started with Isaac. It moved to Hannah and then Eli. Amazingly we got through this first bout of sickness without any fevers, doctor's visits or puking! I leap for joy! All three have come through with just runny noses and an occasional cough. This time last year we were dealing with H1N1 flu, strep throat, and ear infections. This year, 2 surgeries later, we are doing well. I should knock on wood. We are hopeful that this will be a healthier year for us!

After a break from my bike, I am up and riding again. It feels good to be back in the daily swing. My legs are tired, but a good tired. I want to reach 1000 miles by the end of the year. I am confident that I can do it. I have a lot less stress when I get to ride so that in itself is a good motivator!

Eli is doing very well on the potty. I have had a few days that he tells me every time he needs to go, but he's not doing that everyday yet. And he seems to only tell me. Hmmm... He will occasionally tell his babysitter, but rarely will he tell Daddy. He certainly won't tell Mimi and Papa. I wonder what goes through that little mind!

Isaac is having a great time at Kindergarten. We have discovered he does no sweat, so we will be seeing the Dr. to make sure there isn't anything else we need to be concerned about. We just have to make sure he stays cool. This could make sports an interesting challenge in the future. He says such funny things everyday and I am enjoying my time alone with him after Eli goes down for a nap. We chat about his morning and read together. We also are starting some number games and other fun things along those lines. It's great time with him!

Hannah is growing up very fast in the world of 2nd grade. She has little fashion chats with her friends and has asked for a cell phone. Our answer was "no." We got the, "But all my friends have one." I'm sure not all of them do. Anyway, she is content for the moment that we will revisit the conversation in a few years! She is so smart and just loves school. I am so very proud of her!

And Eli is awake, so I am done!

First Week Down

2011-09-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

We are officially in the fall routine of things. Aaron and I both started back to teaching this week, and we are back in a groove. I've decided to get up every morning at 5:30 in order to have a different type of start to the day. I'm able to shower before the kids are up and I am usually able to get in some devotion time before they wake up. I'm then able to take a little more time to pack a good lunch for Hannah and make a yummy, healthy hot breakfast for all three kids. We're able to sit down together for breakfast and have a good start to the day. Thus far we have been able to get to the bus stop on time, so they have ridden the bus to school all week. I can always drop them on my way to work if needed. This is proving to be worthwhile, although I am not a morning person at all. I'll adjust.

We are off the the fair this afternoon. My parents are coming along for the fun. We always enjoy the atmosphere, animals, exhibits and a few rides. The kids can't wait for cotton candy! I'm taking the camera, so we should get some fun pictures. I'll make sure to post a few!

Labor Day Threshing Bee

2011-09-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

First Day of School!

2011-08-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

Lentil Fun

2011-08-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

Living in Pullman brings all kinds of wonderful opportunities... including the annual Lentil Festival! We had a great time this weekend celebrating the lovely lentil. On Friday night we headed out to the street fair where we enjoyed all kinds of freebies, the kids played silly games and attacked the inflatable obstacle course. We ran into lots of people we know and haven't seen all summer and just enjoyed time together.

This morning Aaron went fishing with my Dad and my sister's husband, so I took the kids to the parade. We met up with some fabulous friends, Eli's godparents, and enjoyed all the things the parade had to offer. Antique tractors, rodeo queens, high school royalty, politicians, dancers, marching bands, WSU athletes and of course... LOTS OF CANDY! I was so proud of my kids as they bubbled up with excitement and cheered for our soldiers as they marched past. My cousin Bryan is serving in Afghanistan right now and we pray for him everyday. It is always a great deal of excitement for the kids to see one of our service men or women! Eli enjoyed it all and found much delight in eating smarties. He was, however, not delighted to see the clown. He wanted nothing to do with that strange creature.

And now our lentil celebrating is done. Tomorrow we will head to church and then up north for a church picnic in the mountains. We are looking forward to that. I'm guessing we will be exhausted at the end of the day, but it will be a good tired I hope. Then Monday we really start focusing on school with Isaac's Kindergarten Open House that evening. He's getting pretty excited about it!

The End of Summer

2011-08-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

Summer went by way too fast! Now I am preparing my daughter for 2nd grade and my middle child for Kindergarten. I think this is most difficult for me. This will be my first year teaching at Concordia without having one of my kids in class with me. On top of that, Eli will stay in our home with his fabulous babysitter... he's always been at the church with the babysitter. So we have a few changes this year. They are good changes, but will take some time getting use to.

A few days ago I took Hannah for her big haircut and then we picked up my Mom and spent a morning shopping for school clothes and next years summer clothes... love those clearance racks! I didn't spend more than $3 on one piece of clothing (except for Hannah's first day of school outfit) and we shopped at Old Navy and Macy's. Good clothing! I should lay out all the clothing I purchased for less than $80 and take a picture to post. It is quite impressive! I love such good deals. So the kids are ready for next spring/summer except for shorts and shoes.

Tonight we head out to the Lentil Festival street fair. Should be a good time. The kids have a lot of fun and I take some Excedrin before we head out! It really is fun... where else would we have a celebration for lentils?

We are enjoying these last few days of summer break. The sun is shining and we are sledding down grassy hills, playing on the swimming pool, sliding on the slip n' slide, biking, scootering, eating popsicles and enjoying time without a schedule. Such a lovely time.

My Little Artists!

2011-08-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

12 Years Together!

2011-07-27T22:43:00.000-07:00

Since I was sick on our anniversary we had to postpone our evening out. We went out last night to celebrate 12 years of marriage! It was a wonderful evening, and we even dressed up!

Generations

2011-07-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

Good Times With Family

2011-07-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

Vacation Pictures I Like

2011-07-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

Vacation 2011

2011-07-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

Perspective

2011-06-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

I have had some grumpy days lately. I'm tired, I'm not reaching my goals as quickly as I would like, Eli is a VERY busy toddler that has no fear... I am always on. One night as I was trying to make dinner and all the kids were in my "one butt" kitchen with me asking me to fulfill all of their immediate needs, I said in a fairly loud voice, "I need a vacation from being a Mommy." As soon as it came out of my mouth I felt a massive amount of remorse. Isaac broke into tears afraid that I was going to leave him. Hannah was just quiet. Eli didn't really change his behavior and still insisted that I hold him. So I explained to my children that sometimes Mommies need some time to be alone, that alone time can make us be better at being Mommies.

The next day I was still feeling grumpy, and I was praying for God to help me change my attitude and my heart. Throughout the day there were several things that caught my attention and made me think about my perspective. An Arthur TV show even helped convict me. God works in mysterious ways. I needed to change my perspective. I began to think of my friends who have had children die too young. I began to think of people around the world who don't have homes to keep clean. I began to think about people who dig through the dump to find clothing to wear and scraps of food to eat. Many other situations flashed through my mind. I suddenly felt very selfish, arrogant, humbled and wrong. God changed my perspective.

I haven't been so grumpy since then. Yes, I am still tired and those grumpy feelings keep trying to bubble up to the top and make a stinky debut. But my perspective has changed. I will be thankful for my many blessings and search out ways to bless others with the blessings God has entrusted to me and my family.

Funny Question

2011-06-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

The other day a person asked me what I do with all my time during summer break. Obviously this was a person who does not have children. I had to giggle inside, and replied "I'm a Mom." Enough said. So, this is what I do with all my time...

I do not sleep through the night, I am up to tend to my 5 year old's sleep walking or occasional nightmare, or cuddling with my needy 18 month old, and occasionally am with my 7 year old who can't sleep.
I am up by 6am at the latest to begin daytime caring of my children.
I read a book to the kids.
I continue potty training my toddler.
I read another book to the kids.
I make breakfast while holding my toddler who wants to see everything. My 5 year old pulls up a chair to watch as well. My 7 year old is sometimes still asleep or lounging on the couch.
I sometimes get the dishes to the sink before my toddler is off an running.
I read a book to the kids.
I help the kids get dressed.
I continue potty training my toddler.
I read my toddler another book (usually the same one I have already read 3 or 4 times).
I help the older kids figure out that there is something to do, that they have toys that are for playing with downstairs and that they don't need to haul them all upstairs. Sometimes this works. Not always.
I watch as my toddler dumps out all his toys and then run to the kitchen to unload the cupboards.
I do a quick clean up after the tornado only to turn around and find my toddler on top of the table trying to eat the leftover oatmeal that I failed to get to the sink in an orderly fashion. He has also tried to drink the milk leftover in his brother's cup and he is covered in milk as is the table.
I strip the toddler and take him to go potty. He runs around the house naked as I get new clothes. He runs even faster when he sees I have clothing to put on him. He laughs and we play chase. I catch him and sing silly songs so he will stay still long enough to get clothes on.
It is now 8am.

The rest of my day is quite similar to this...

So what do I do with ALL my time? That's a long answer!

Our Little Eli

2011-06-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

18 months has flown by. It seems unreal that my baby is already 1 1/2 years old! He is such a great little guy with all kinds of personality! He can climb like a monkey, enough that within the next few weeks we will be moving him to a toddler bed for his own safety. He loves to dance and usually requires Hannah to be his dance partner. He has quite a large vocabulary that grows each day and we are able to understand him more and more. He is almost potty trained. In the past 10 months I have only had to change 3 or 4 poopy diapers. He prefers wearing his training pants over diapers. He tells me half of the time that he needs to go potty and all of the time when he needs to go poopy. I can't complain! He is STRONG both physically and in his will. I thought my other children were strong willed... nothing compared to this little guy. This will be a challenge!

Eli loves books, music, airplanes, cars and lawnmowers. He love to go "whee" down the slide. He has NO fear. He always remembers to say prayers before mealtimes and adores our Pastor. He loves his Bible. He likes Johnny Cash, bluegrass and country music best.

We are so thankful for this little guy with his enormous amounts of energy, strength and smiles! What a blessing!

Eli is 18 Months Old!

2011-06-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

Fishing Fun!

2011-06-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

Need I Say More?

2011-06-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

Rain

2011-06-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

As I type this, I am listening to the gentle rain falling outside. It has been cool all day... nothing new. This has been a very chilly and wet spring. But tonight, I find the gentleness of this rain refreshing and peaceful. Maybe because the kids are all asleep and Aaron is at Bible Study so I have a rare, quiet moment alone. Maybe because the Palouse is a beautiful green now and the rain highlights the amazing color of the hills. Or maybe I am just feeling peaceful and remembering how much I love the sound of rain.

I am finishing up work. I hoping to be done by Friday, but I think it is more likely that I will be working on Monday too. Lots of clean up goes on with a preschool! Plus I am doing me best to get things ready for fall so I can wait longer to go back to work! We'll see how that goes. There is always a lot to get ready in the fall.
We enjoyed our first of hopefully many fishing trips. The kids were very successful! They had a great time and then Isaac fell in. It wasn't warm enough to just let him dry and he was a bit traumatized by the whole event, so we went home a bit earlier than planned. He told me that he knew he should have brought his scuba gear. :)

I think we plan to go fishing again next Saturday. It is free fishing day in Idaho, and there is a reservoir that we want to go to. We don't have to get a non-resident fishing license! Praying for good weather and good fishing!

More Fishing Pictures

2011-05-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Fishing Adventure

2011-05-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

My Preschool Graduate and Drummer!

2011-05-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

And Even More Fun at the Park

2011-05-14T21:14:00.000-07:00

More Fun at the Park

2011-05-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

Fun at the Park

2011-05-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

Feeling Better

2011-05-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

My household is finally feeling better again. The coughing is sparse now, so things are looking up. We had a beautiful spring day, almost 70 degrees. There was a gentle breeze and wonderful sunshine. I wish we had more of the days! After school we played outside, Hannah and Isaac were on their scooters. Eli and I played in the sandbox and took frequent breaks to point at the crop duster flying nearby.

Aaron is gone the next three evenings as he is part of the interview committee for the new principal. I took the kids to Pizza Hut for dinner. They did a fantastic job! I was so proud of all three of them. I didn't feel frantic once! It was a great dinner out. We got home and played a little longer and then I got all three showered and ready for bed. We read the Bible, did devotions, said prayers and they were all in bed by 7pm. Eli was asleep by 7:20 and the other two by 8:00! I feel quite successful. I put in 7.5 miles on my bike, did some toning exercises and am now ready to tackle the dishes on my counter.

Aaron should be home in about 45 minutes and I think we will enjoy an episode of NCIS. We are halfway through season 5. Great show!

3.5 weeks left of preschool and then summer is here. Still can't believe it, but I'm excited for a summer without a move! I plan to enjoy my summer wholeheartedly!

Hunting at Mimi Karen and Papa Ken's House

2011-04-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

Love!

2011-04-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Easter Morning Action

2011-04-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Easter Egg Fun

2011-04-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

Cartwheels

2011-04-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

Hannah has been working hard learning how to do a cartwheel. She is getting better with each passing day. Isaac too is trying to master the cartwheel. He is also improving. Papa Ken was over tonight to borrow a tool and the kids decided to show them their skills. Eli was watching with great intensity and began to give his own little show. She stuck he butt out and waddled backwards giggling. He stopped and spun around a few times, giggling. Then, he tried a cartwheel! He put his hands down on the ground, grunted and moved his feet to the other side of his hands. He then fell on the floor with a sigh, looked at Papa Ken and giggled. It was hilarious!

Spring?

2011-04-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

I'm ready for a spring full of nice warm weather, blooming flowers and lots of good time to spend outside. Thus far, we have only had a few days like that. I am thankful for those days, but am longing for a few more... so are the kids!

Yesterday was fairly nice so the two oldest went scootering outside. Hannah took another tumble... I think she tries to go way too fast and then loses control. Anyway she had some nice abrasions on each knee and one on her elbow. Plus she was quite upset that she tore a hole in the knee of a new pair of pants. We just turned them into a new pair of shorts! Hannah is excited that she gets to bring her mealworms from school home this Friday. Ugh. Her mealworms are now big gross black beetles. I'm hoping their life span is short and they stay in their bowl. However, she is very excited about it...

Preschool took a field trip out to see some major farm equipment this morning. I had prayed for the rain to hold off until 11:30, and God granted my request! It began raining right at 11:30! It was a great morning of climbing all over large combines, tractors, trucks and other stuff. Isaac didn't want to leave.

Eli is enjoying his moments of time outdoors. He is trying to figure out how to run fast and is ALWAYS on the move. He is climbing with greater speed and intensity with each passing day. He show very little fear and finds himself to be quite funny. He is super cute!

My parents are now official residents of Pullman!!! They are still at our house, for a couple more days. It sounds like they will begin to move in to their home on Friday. It will be a process for sure, but they are happy to be here and we are happy to have them!

And that's the news!

Happy 5th Birthday Isaac!

2011-04-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

No Rest for the Weary

2011-03-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

Poor little Eli is down and out again. His cough returned and his sinuses are is nasty shape along with goopy draining out of his ear. At least the tubes are working!!! So we went into the clinic this morning. He was given a shot of antibiotic (thank goodness, I don't think he would have taken the oral) and some phenegren to help him rest. He also has about 6 teeth trying to come through. This little guy is feeling miserable. He napped well with the meds and he was a bit more perky this afternoon. So before bedtime I gave him Ibuprofen and he nursed. He fell asleep and promptly woke up puking. Great. I have no idea how much of the ibuprofen was absorbed. It was down 15-20 minutes so I can't re dose him. I clean him and myself up and give him the suppository to help now with the vomiting and help him sleep. About 15 minutes later he gives me the poopy grunt and I take him to the toilet and he has diarrhea. So I have no idea if the phenegren will even help. This could be an interesting 6 hours until I can re dose everything. At least the antibiotic was a shot!

I'm feeling much better. I'm eating normally again and have most of my energy back. Yippee!

Hannah and Isaac started swim lessons again this morning. They did quite well and are enjoying it! We are getting ready for a visit from Mimi Marci. We are all excited for her to come. Hopefully we will have a germ free house. Isaac's birthday party will be on April 1 in the morning. he chose an owl party. He really likes the move "The Guardians a Ga'Hoole." We got the movie for him for his birthday and a beanie baby of the hero owl Soren. I've had to be creative in figuring out just how to do an owl party, but I've figured it out!

Unbelievable

2011-03-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, I am down with the flu. Felt great last night, just a little tired. Then about 1am, the pukes hit. Aaron asked, is it a bug or something I ate. I had no idea. Then through the monitor we heard Eli puke. Most certainly a bug. I was hoping it was a quick 12 hour deal, but I am still down with a 101.8 fever. Eli is fine. No fever, no more pukes, just a little grumpy and tired. Aaron went off to school, but by 7:30am I knew there was no way I was going to make it through the day taking care of the boys. I could hardly move. Thankfully the school found a sub for Aaron, and he was able to come home. I slept, and slept and slept. I was able to keep some Tylenol down, so the aches aren't so bad at the moment. This morning even my fingernails hurt. Aaron is staying home tomorrow too. What a good man!

I haven't been this sick in quite a long time. It is a good reminder to why we chose not to have any more children. The pukes remind me too much of my pregnancies! No... I AM NOT PREGNANT. The fever proves it!

Can This Be Over?

2011-03-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am constantly nursing a sick child. Eli is doing great, but now Hannah is sick again. She has a deep cough and yucky nose. I'm praying it stays out of her ears or she will also be getting tubes... we probably should have had that done for her some time ago. I am ready for warm weather and healthy children. Hannah and Isaac start up swimming lessons again on Saturday. I would hate for Hannah to miss her first session. She would be devastated.

I am feeling like I am ready for spring break. I week at home just to BE. I'm looking forward to extra time with the kids and no pressing schedule. (I am just tired. Taking care of sick children takes a lot of energy.) My Mother-in-law will be here. We always have a good time with her! Aaron's spring break doesn't match up with ours, he gets the next week off, but he will be spending a lot of that helping my parents move here.

Anyway, please say a prayer for Hannah. We are hopeful that it is just a cold.

Eli Update

2011-03-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

We are back from the follow up appointment with our Doctor. Eli is still making a good amount of bronchial noises, but he is breathing through them and his coughing is doing a good job of clearing stuff. He is done with his antibiotic so we will wait to see if he improves or not before putting him on another one. No fever right now, but he wasn't looking all that great when we headed off to the Dr. He is also working on some molars, so that just adds to the poor little guy's issues. Anyway, we are in a holding pattern as we wait to see what his lungs are going to do. Prayers are appreciated!

Dragging

2011-03-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

This time change thing has really done me in this year. I can't seem to get in the groove, neither can the kids. I just am dragging from it. Why do "they" insist on this anyway? What exactly is the point now?

Eli sees the Dr. tomorrow as a follow up to all the crazy stuff last week. He still has a nasty cough, and today I thought it might be a little worse. I don't know for sure. Although, from 3:30pm on he would not let me put him down. I finally put him in the backpack while I made dinner and he was mostly happy with that. He is pushing through a molar. One point is through. I think a few other molars are on their way too. He keeps spitting out his meds. This is new. He has always taken them quite well. This time it is a battle and usually a BIG mess. Tomorrow morning is his last dose of antibiotic... at least for that round. I'm curious to see how the check up goes. He just isn't his normal self yet.

My parents have found a great house here in Pullman. It is just across the street from the church, my workplace. They will move in on April 15. It is coming quickly and we are all quite excited for it.

Isaac is busy trying to figure out what he wants to do for his 5th birthday party. So many ideas... We will have to narrow it down soon because he turns 5 in less than a month! That doesn't seem possible.

Hannah is excited for an upcoming birthday party she was invited to this Friday night. It is an almost sleepover, just like her party was. It is for a set of twins, so it is double the fun! She feels very old and grown up these days. Isaac doesn't take to that all too well at times!

I am over 250 miles on my bike. I didn't get as much time on it last week, but Eli took priority. In the past two days I have gone 19 miles, so I'm feeling good about it. Alas, I am not losing much weight, but I am toning up. I am happy with this, although a few pounds shed would be encouraging as well. I know I am not drinking enough plain water... I need to improve on that and it will make a difference.

All is Well

2011-03-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

The surgery was quick and easy and everything went quite well. It took a little time for Eli to come out of it, but he is back to himself. Thanks for all the prayers for him!

Tubes for Eli

2011-03-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that Eli is running a slight fever, he will be getting tubes in the morning. Please pray that it goes well and especially that tonight goes well. He doesn't sleep well when he isn't feeling great and he wants to nurse to be comforted and get back to sleep. Well, he can't eat anything after midnight tonight. This could be tricky. He is not going to be happy if he wakes. So, please pray for an excellent night's sleep for our little guy.

My Boys and Their Blankies

2011-03-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

Fun Pictures

2011-03-01T11:33:00.000-08:00

Getting the Job Done

2011-03-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

Our Snow Storm

2011-03-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

More Things I Love About My Husband

2011-02-26T09:48:00.000-08:00

I like to brag about my family... and I mostly do it about my kids because they grow and change so much and so quickly. Aaron is my constant. I don't brag about him as much, but I should. Like I said, he is my constant.

Aaron is always willing to help someone in need. He will drop whatever needs to be dropped to help someone. He will open doors for older ladies, women with their hands full of children, older gentlemen who are navigating with a cane... anyone who needs help. Many times he opens my car door for me, if he is along for the ride. He hugs our children and ask for hugs from them. He wrestles with our children, something only a Daddy can do right.

When we have our disagreements, he will sit down and listen. We don't yell, we don't raise our voices. We just talk it through. Yes, we both get frustrated, but we both feel safe in our time together. This, I think, is something to brag about.

I believe wholeheartedly that God has richly blessed me in my husband, my children and our extended families. None of us are perfect, but we do know perfect love and that, I pray, shines through us everyday.

Should Have Known...

2011-02-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

Yes, I should have known that Hannah would come down with a fever from an ear infection this week. Why? Because I am very busy this week. Aaron couldn't stay home today and I really needed to be at preschool, so she came along and watched a movie in the nursery while I taught. Isaac had about a 20 minute screaming tantrum during preschool because he wanted to be with Hannah. Hannah kept asking me questions while I was trying to teach and I was about to go crazy. We left at 10:45 for the clinic and I had a mini meltdown. I feel better now. Hannah is on antibiotics again and hopefully is on the road to recovery.

My parent's house has an accepted offer so they will be coming tomorrow to look at houses in the Pullman area. They are just going to have to ignore the embarrassing state of my home. I know they will be happy to just be here. It's me who has to accept the state of my home. For some reason I feel like a failure if my house is not in good order when people come over. Ugh. I am glad they will get to come to the art show at preschool!

I am excited for the art show tomorrow night. The ladies working on it are doing a fantastic job and it is so fun to see how things are coming together. I just need to relax and enjoy!

Spring?

2011-02-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

Aaron is back, and life is back to a fairly normal routine... except we have a lot of snow. Not as much as our friends and relatives in MN, but we have snow. And it is suppose to get REALLY cold this weekend. Yuck. I thought spring was on the way. Anyway, we are staying warm in our house and just enjoying life.

I am happy to say that I am almost to 170 miles on my bike! Something I feel quite proud of. My legs hurt today so I only went 7 miles. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Eli is our little climber. He is proving to be worse than Isaac was. He now is able to get on the dining room table without much trouble. he thinks he is pretty big and is quite proud of himself. He also stayed dry from 9:30 am on! He got mad when I went to put a diaper on him when we were headed to the store. He wanted his Mickey Mouse underwear! He kept pointing to them and making a fuss that he wanted them. We put them back on when we got home. Turns out he could have worn them and we would have been OK! Amazing.

Struggles

2011-02-17T14:26:00.000-08:00

There are times that I look at my obligations in life as a mother and a teacher and a wife and wish that for just a moment I could take a break from them. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE my children and my husband and I couldn't ask for a better job. Everyday I am thankful for these things in my life. But then an opportunity missed makes me a little bit sad. An opportunity that I wouldn't miss if I didn't have obligations. I have been struggling some with this as I will be missing an opportunity to spend some girl time with a great group of friends. However, Eli is not yet weaned, not even close, and the trip is while school is in session and Aaron is teaching too so he wouldn't be able to care for the other two kids anyway. I am glad for my friends, and I know some of them will be reading this. I want them to have their time together, but I have been struggling a bit that I won't be part of it. I want to go, but I know I can't. It is hard to not get something you really want. Do I need it? No. But I really, really want it. Does my family need me right now. Yes. Needs outweigh the wants.

So as I biked today I turned to my verse of the day. I try to meditate and memorize a verse each day as I bike. Today is was Romans 15:13. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him. that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The words joy and peace as I trust in Him resonate with me today. May God fill me with joy in all circumstances... even when I want to pout because I can't have my way. May God give me peace even when I struggle. The key to all of this... as I trust in Him, the God of hope. Then I will overflow with hope, and not be concerned about anything because of the hope that God has placed within me. The greatest desire of my heart has always been for my family, to love them and raise my children in a loving and Godly way that they may also know the God of all hope. In this season of my life that means that I can't go where I want to go because my youngest child still needs me in a very real and physical way. But, I have hope that someday I will get that much wanted time with my friends... when this season is past.

Nice

2011-02-16T20:37:00.000-08:00

Last night I got just about nothing on my to-do list done. Instead I spent most of the evening... and night cuddling with my fussy toddler. It looks like one of his teeth is just about to make it's debut. Finally. I can't wait until teething is over.

Tonight he is sleeping soundly... at least for the moment. I was able to get the bedroom rearranged and I really like it. I have a few more items to find homes for, but I am happy with how it is all coming together. That being said, don't even ask how the kitchen looks at the moment.

I am ready to have Aaron home again. I miss my evenings with him. I have a routine down to manage all three kids getting bathed and to bed on time, but I miss the tag team. We do make a pretty good team! The kids are missing him too. Eli walks over to the door to the garage a little bit before dinner time, when Aaron usually comes home. He is looking for Daddy. Hannah and Isaac keep wondering and asking how much longer until Daddy gets home. They like chatting on the phone with him, but it isn't the same as wrestling. I am glad it is only a week away.

So tonight, I might try to work on the kitchen a little bit, at least unload and load the dishwasher. It is impossible to do while Eli is awake. He tries to help a little bit too much and ends up climbing inside the dishwasher. Not so good. Speaking of climbing, he is becoming an avid climber. He reaches new heights everyday... literally.

Seasoned Mother

2011-02-15T15:53:00.000-08:00

So I didn't get all the things done I thought I would last night... instead I got a chic flic from redbox and enjoyed a movie. I did get some work in the bedroom done and a bunch of laundry. But I enjoyed delicious tea and a romantic comedy. It was very nice.

I've decided that I am a seasoned mother... one that attempts to take three children on her own out to dinner at a sit down restaurant, with no playland. Actually they did quite well. Eli was a bit restless until the pizza arrived, but he ate off his plate without throwing it. He especially liked the pizza sauce. He didn't scream, just jabbered away like always. He also loved drinking ice water from a straw. BIG boy. He has been doing so well eating at the table off a plate that I think we might move him to the table with a plate here at home. Hannah was quite a lady and Isaac was just his silly self. They both are old enough to know how to politely order their food for themselves and they do a pretty good job. Anyway, it was a successful event and I feel quite accomplished.

I already got my 10 miles in so tonight I plan to finish up in the bedroom and deep clean the other upstairs bathroom. When those are done, I need to get some longer term planning done for preschool and get Label for Education out in the mail. Lots to get done!

Gettin' er Done

2011-02-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

I'm highly motivated to accomplish some looming tasks. Mostly because I have time to kill this week, I need to keep myself occupied. Last night I reorganized our big walk in closet... something I've been wanting to get done since we moved here. I also deep cleaned the master bathroom... something a bit overdo (I won't admit how overdo). I got in 10.25 miles on my bike last night too. I caught up on some preschool paperwork stuff as well. In the afternoon I did some clearance shopping for next fall clothing for the kids and took the kids on a trip the Dairy Queen. They were very happy!

Today I plan to get more things done. I am going to clean and organize the master bedroom... something I've been wanting to do since we moved here (do you sense a reoccurring theme?). I also plan to go through Hannah's clothes to sort out the things she has outgrown. She just went through a big growth spurt. I need to do the same with Isaac's clothing. So I have big plans... more ahead for the week! I also got 10.75 miles done right after lunch!

Tonight I will spend dinner with three of my favorite Valentine's with a surprise visit at Pizza Hut! Hannah had a coupon for a free mini pizza and it just seems like the right time to go! Poor Aaron will miss out as he is gone for the week. We certainly miss him.

Eli is potty training now. He has his training pants which he loves. He tells me every time he needs to go potty, but the problem is that he pees the second he walks into the bathroom. He doesn't hold it until we get him on the toilet. I'm certainly not complaining. I just have to be quick on the draw. He'll catch on soon enough. He does great with the poops! I'm just amazed that at almost 14 months he is doing what he is doing!

Isaac is reading more and more words and is getting quite good at his writing. I am very proud of that little guy and all the wonderful skills he has! He couldn't wait for preschool today and all the fun stuff we would be doing for Valentine's Day.

Hannah is healing well from her road rash. She has a new best friend at school and they seem to get a long very well. She was super excited for school this morning and the party they will have today. She had a nightmare that she missed the party!

Aaron is across the state doing MSP stuff for the state standardized test. He really enjoys the work and the people he gets to work with. Not many people are chosen for these things, so he is in the "in" group for state math and science stuff! I am very proud of all of his accomplishments too. I married a very smart man!

So that is what is new here. I'll let you all know just how much I get done this week!

Argh...

2011-02-09T20:46:00.001-08:00

Silly Eli

2011-02-09T20:46:00.000-08:00

Eli Says WAKE UP!!!

2011-02-09T20:44:00.000-08:00

Their Nest and Hannah's Road Rash

2011-02-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

Ready for the Coffee House!

2011-02-09T20:41:00.000-08:00

They Love Each Other!

2011-02-09T20:40:00.000-08:00

Over 100!

2011-02-09T20:07:00.000-08:00

So I have had my bike for 2 weeks and 2 days and I have gone 102 miles! Not bad. I must say that I am quite proud of myself and I feel as though I have found the answer to my stress relief. I am feeling good! It is unfortunate that my house feels the pain of some of my time going elsewhere, although Aaron has been a big help with the dishes! I aim to get 1-2 loads of laundry done a day, but that doesn't quite cut it. I'll get it down one of these days.

Eli will be getting ear tubes on March 8. I am looking forward to the ear pressure being relieved. He just isn't able to drain off that fluid, so this should be a HUGE help.

Hannah's road rash is healing quite nicely. She has a good story to tell her friends at school!

Isaac had major heartbreak this week as he asked his dear friend Ava to marry him and she said no, that she was already going to marry someone else. Isaac was devastated. He held off the tears until she was no longer around. So we talked about it and he decided he still has time. She might change her mind. He has such a soft heart and he adores Ava. He has told me before that it is his job to protect her from danger. This he has done on several occasions, confronting other kids at the playland who were intimidating. They listened and stopped. He really is quite a gentleman!

Road Rash

2011-02-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

Hannah made an up close visit with the sidewalk yesterday. She was riding her scooter and bam, hit the sidewalk. She was very brave about it, but she has a nice abrasion and her face. It is swollen and looks horrible, but she is a trooper. We are taking care to keep it very clean and keep her from picking at it. We would like to avoid a scar. I'm sure it will not be the last time this happens! We are very glad she was wearing her helmet or the whole side of her head would be raw and maybe more.

Hannah and Isaac built a nest to sleep in last night. It looks like a huge bird's nest! Blankets are the twigs on the tree and the pillows are suppose to be leaves. The slept there all night last night, cozy and warm. I will have to post some pictures. Very cute!

Eli is on antibiotics for his ear infection and as always, his tummy is not too happy about it. He has, however, told me every time that he has needed to go poopy. He has been able to hold it until we get to the toilet. This is no easy task with such nasty diarrhea. He has also been telling us when he needs to go potty. So I ordered some training pants for him and we will make the switch. He sure seems ready. I'll hold on to the diapers for a little while and he will wear his night time diaper until he is ready to night time train. I see no reason to hold of on the potty training if he is telling me now. Just go with it I guess!

Aaron and I really have fantastic kids. Such fun loving, creative children. I am very proud of all three of them!

I'm looking forward to a great week. I know it has wonderful things in store!

Looks like Tubes

2011-02-03T11:45:00.000-08:00

While I didn't get to see our normal Doctor this morning, Eli does have another ear infection, just one ear this time. This is the 4th in 4 months, so I have a follow up next week with our normal Dr. to talk about tubes. Eli's tummy doesn't like antibiotics, it's two weeks of diarrhea for the little guy. I am going to do three doses a day of infant probiotics this time around to see if we can help his system out a little bit.

I did get 30 minutes in last night and 11 miles, so I was feeling good. I'm finding it to be a great stress reliever even when I am tired. And there is a lot of stress that comes along with a sick child.

So hopefully these meds will kick in gear and our little guy will be feeling better before we know it! Isaac was a champ this morning, great listener and good big brother. I do have fantastic kids!

Baby With a Fever

2011-02-02T19:53:00.000-08:00

I still call Eli my baby, even though he is a full blown toddler. I just can't quite let go of baby yet! So, my baby has a big 102 fever. Yuck. I'm sure it is an ear infection. I took him in yesterday with a low grade temp. He had fluid in his ears, but not an infection. He is massively teething, molars working their way through. I'm sure that fluid has now turned to infection. He is grumpy, nursing ALL the time, not wanting to sleep, uncomfortable... classic signs of his ear infections. This will be his 4th in as many months. I think I will ask about tubes. This was a long, dreary road with Hannah and I think tubes would have made a huge difference for her. So, in the morning, we will be off to the Dr. again!

A grumpy baby who doesn't want to sleep has kept me from my biking, but being a Mommy comes first. I am going to try and get some time in after I finish this since Eli is actually sleeping at the moment. Ibuprofen took down his fever and we got some ear numbing drops in. We'll see how long it lasts. I'd like to get a good 30 minutes in, but that might be wishful thinking.

Cautiously Optimistic

2011-01-31T14:19:00.000-08:00

Things are looking better than they did last night. I ended up bringing him to bed with me in the guest bed, nursing and falling asleep with him. He slept all night without waking right next to me. Whatever it takes to get some good rest into my little guy so that he can rest well on his own again. Today he skipped his morning 1/2 hour nap and is now napping soundly in his crib by himself. He has been asleep 1 1/2 hours so far. I am hopeful that we may have jumped this hurdle.

I just finished 9 miles on my bike, and did 5.5 yesterday. A little shy of my goal, but I can probably fit another 1.5 miles in this evening. Feeling good!

Frustrated

2011-01-30T21:56:00.000-08:00

I am frustrated, the kind where I need to scream into a pillow. For the past three days Eli has refused an afternoon nap. I know children sleep better when well rested, so this is just spiralling downward and out of control. Tonight he is refusing to go to sleep. It slept for about 2 hours and then woke up. He will not go back to sleep. I have tried everything out of my bag of tricks. Now Aaron is with him and I am venting. He needs to sleep... I need him to sleep. I am fundamentally against having my children cry it out. It goes against every maternal fiber in my body, but if this doesn't improve I may have no choice. If it comes to that, I will have to leave the house. I can not handle my child screaming for me and me ignoring it. I am really hoping I don't have to go that route.

At the moment Eli is quiet. Maybe Aaron was successful in this endeavor. I need some chocolate.

Saturday

2011-01-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

My day started out in a fantastic sort of way. I woke up feeling refreshed. We had breakfast. The kids went to work at their Saturday chores, Eli was in a good mood. Aaron began to fix the leaky kitchen faucet knob. Then Eli was showing many signs of needing a morning nap, so I got him ready to go to sleep. Aaron and Isaac got ready to go to their Daddy/Son date to the movie theatre. Hannah finished up her chores and played in her room. The boys lefts, Eli went to sleep and Hannah was content playing in the basement. I biked 8 miles, took a shower and got ready for the day. I was doing a few things around the house and heard a noise over the monitor. It didn't sound like Eli. Then I heard it again. I peeked in his room and he was laying quietly playing with his Leapfrog Scout Dog that was given to him by his Mimi Marci and Papa John. He was happy as could be. I LOVE when he wakes up in a good mood. The rest of the morning was beautiful.

The rest of the day wasn't so beautiful, but I am going to focus on the morning and be thankful for a great Saturday!

On Monday I will have had my bike for one week. The only day I didn't get time in on it was Friday, because Eli refused to nap. When evening came, I was just not in the mood to workout. But, I have gone 42 miles on it so far and hope to put another 16 miles on in the next 2 days. If I can keep it up for the month, it should become habit.

TANTRUMS

2011-01-28T13:50:00.000-08:00

Eli has figured out how to throw a good little tantrum. Since getting home, he has really shown his stuff. I think a lot of it is because he is a bit constipated and his tummy hurts. We are trying to remedy that. He is, however, very focused on things that he wants and will let me know when our ideas don't agree. He is refusing to nap this afternoon, probably because of his tummy, but maybe he just is being stubborn. I don't know where he would get that trait. So he screams, arches his back, gives me nasty little looks and does not give up easily. I'm giving in because it could be his tummy. If that wasn't part of the equation, I would march forward to win the battle. But today, he wins.

So, I won't get my biking in... maybe tonight. I went 7.5 miles yesterday. I would like to get at least 8 miles in sometime today. I was a little sore yesterday, but feeling good today.

Of course Isaac would choose today to nap, not a day that his brother is also sleeping. This is another natural law that no one tells women before they become mothers. Sigh.

It may be a long afternoon. Hopefully the little guy can get things moving and he will return to his happy little self. Or maybe he will assert his new found tactics and the war will be on.

Happy With Myself

2011-01-26T13:46:00.000-08:00

I went 9.5 miles on my bike today. I'm quite pleased with my progress and that Eli has remained asleep for my biking endeavors. Isaac gets his computer time while I pedal away so all is well. I borrowed Isaac's MP3 player and Jars of Clay helped me along the way. Awesome!

Now I need to catch up on what I used to do during that time... clean up the kitchen/dining room and do the breakfast and lunch time dishes.

My Newest Purchase

2011-01-25T19:36:00.000-08:00

I had some Christmas money I was trying to decide what to do with. I had planned to get a coffee maker, but I held off. I had been thinking about getting a stationary bike, but I didn't want to spend a huge amount of money on it. So I watched craigslist and the local classifieds online and found a very nice one for just the amount of money I had! I bought it yesterday and couldn't be happier with it. I have struggled to find a time to get some exercise time in. I can't really leave the house because of the kids, and going on a walk with them doesn't work because of naps and pick up time from school. So, I am hoping this is the answer. Yesterday I was able to get 20 minutes in and went 6 miles. Today I biked for 25 minutes and went 8.5 miles. I'm feeling good about this! I have a ticker set up on my iGoogle page to see how long it takes me to bike 1000 miles, but I haven't figured out how to put it on the blog page. Any help would be great!

Eli and Hannah had check ups yesterday. Eli had his 12 month well child in December but was vomiting (at the clinic) and had a double ear infection, so he wasn't really a well child. So, at 13 months, Eli is 22.5 pounds and 29.5 inches. He is somewhere between the 25th and 35th percentile for both. Doing great. Hannah is in the 75% for height and 50% for weight. Also doing very well. They both got shots. Eli was a little off today, but not bad. Hannah is a little sore on her arm, but not bad. She's tough.

Well, I need to get the dishes cleaned up and settle down to watch an episode of CSI Miami. Gotta love Horatio!

Happy Birthday Hannah!

2011-01-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

So Much Going On

2011-01-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

I have found myself with little free time lately... not a big change from the norm, but just a lot going on. I did enjoy having an extra day off this past weekend. I got caught up on a few things. Then out hot water heater went out. Of course it happened on a holiday and the part couldn't be ordered until today. It is going to be overnighted and will be here tomorrow mid morning. I am hoping to have hot water restored by tomorrow evening. So for now I am heating water on the stove for bathing and washing dishes. Good times. That's a lot of hot water for a family of 5 to get clean. This is when I plan one dish meals in the menu plan!

Eli is walking a lot more now. He will be 13 months tomorrow. I would say he is walking half the time. It is so cute to watch him toddle around. He is signing more and more to use the bathroom. Such a big boy!

Preschool has been going very well. Enrollment for next fall is already over halfway full. It opens to the public on March 1. I don't think there will be many spots open. We'll see how it all unfolds. We are planning an elegant art show and silent auction for out yearly fundraiser. It should be a fabulous time. It will be a lot of work, but a fun event for everyone.

There are lots of Doctor and Dentist appointments coming up. Swim lessons don't start again until March 24, so that gives us a bit of a break from that.

My parents were here over the long weekend to help celebrate Hannah's 7th birthday! They also took the opportunity to look at houses. Their home is on the market and they are getting ready to make the move over here. I am very excited to have them close by.

As I said, Hannah turned 7 on the 14th! We took cupcakes to her classroom and then in the evening she had an Almost Slumber Party. The girls went home at 9pm. It was a lot of fun. Giggling everywhere! We had pizza, cake, ice cream, games, gifts and a Barbie movie. Everything was pink of course! Isaac had a friend over too... just made things easier and less possibility for drama from the siblings!

It is hard to believe that my little girl is 7 years old. Where did these past 7 years go? I am so proud of the person she is and the character she is developing. She really is a beautiful girl inside and out! I'll post birthday pictures when I get the chance!

Time at the ER

2011-01-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

I spent a good portion of the morning at the ER with Hannah. A good friend was able to take Isaac to preschool for me, so he didn't have to endure the waiting around. Eli was a good sport... I love the backpack. Thankfully so does he! Hannah was complaining of massive, throbbing pain in her head. It hit quickly and she refused to move at all. She rarely complains of pain, even with massive ear infections. She also said she heard something pop. Then she said she could only see straight ahead. Off to the ER we went. It seems that she could only see straight ahead because she couldn't turn her neck. It looks as though it is a muscle strain on the right side of her neck. We are watching it closely though... just to make sure.

I am thankful for wonderful people who can help out on quick notice. Thanks Kimberly for taking Isaac. Thanks Rebecca for subbing at preschool. Thanks Holly for offering to pick Isaac up from preschool. I really am surrounded by wonderful people. What a blessing!

Simple Things

2011-01-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

I see that it has been quite a long time since I last blogged. It has been a busy month, and a relaxing month all at the same time. Aaron's parents were here over Christmas. It was nice to be home and have them here with us. We had a wonderful time, other than the fact that at one point or another we were all sick. A nasty virus going around. Hannah and Eli had ear infections to accompany the virus. Yuck. But we laid low and had a relaxing time with family.

Eli turned one. It seems nearly impossible that an entire year has gone by since his birth. He is walking a little bit, a few steps at a time. Crawling is still his method of movement because it is so fast. Hannah turns 7 next week. I'm not nearly old enough to have a 7 year old! She is very excited to be 7. Isaac is excited for the party!

The new year of course brings thoughts of goals and new ideas for the year ahead. I want to spend more time nurturing my relationship with Jesus Christ, the living God. I plan on doing my best at living simply. Not just saving money, but enjoying the simple things more and more. I plan to continue to get myself well within my healthy range of weight. I don't want to be at the top of that range, I want to be smack dab in the middle. I want to always be growing as a wife and mother... figuring out how to do those things well. As I look at those things, I think all in all it is just working at living in a healthy way in many ares of my life.

I am excited to see what God has planned for 2011. I'm not looking for big, huge things... just the wonderful blessings of the little and simple things in my daily living.