Our Crazy Little Life

Germs and sickness have hit our little family hard this year. January brought a nasty feverish flu which revealed itself while we were driving back from California. Illness on car rides is a treat. February brought a cough so hard that stomach juice seemed to be spewing out with each cough. March brought another flu which I am happy to report all three children came out alive and well -- we did, however, lose a few pillows to the virus. April has brought the hives to me and distorted my face for a few days. Think Will Smith in Hitch. That was me. Yikes. Good thing those marriage vows include "for better or for worse." I did remind my husband of those vows. He, of course, rolled his eyes at me for the reminder and being the wonderful Love that he is, continued scratching my arms and legs while I rubbed my eyes and ears. One simply doesn't have enough hands to manage all the scratching necessary to survive the hives.

• My sisters kids managed to pick up our flu virus while visiting from Nevada and sent us spinning through another round of bodily fluid eruptions and such sad little faces.

• We are SO thankful for our wonderful carpet cleaner who cleaned out EVERY nasty spot! And thanks to my Mom for ordering us a fresh bottle of thieves. We've been out since last year when Kate dumped the whole bottle on Isaac's treasure chest. His room smelled of cinnamon and cloves for a very long time:)

• This blog is being ridiculous and not letting me space out my paragraphs -- hence the bullets:)

Update

While I write this, my two year old is bopping my head and saying "Excuse me, Mom. Excuse me." My six year old is asking for goldfish crackers and . . .what is the baby chewing on now!?

Duty calls. Be right back.

It's been quite a day. Today I caught my daughter eating whipping cream straight out of the container . . . that I'd thrown IN THE GARBAGE. No spoon needed of course. I had to pick stickers off the baby's head that she lovingly decorated him with. I folded laundry only to come out and find that the wash cloths got turned into snow for the train tracks. I had to solve a squabble about who gets to push the garage door opener this time. Big stuff I know! I had to wash puke out of Tinkerbell's friend's hair. My son decided to use one of the breast pump's hoses as A STRAW. After he finished his drink he tried to see if he could blow enough air into the juice box to make it blow up. Shortly after he decorated the bathroom mirror with bubbles. Kate has taken to carrying around the Yahtzee game (she loves the dice) and calls it her "happy box." It's cute and it makes her ridiculously content. Who knew?

On the bright side, my teething baby had a restful day and took two three hour naps! All the kids are now clean and resting. My Bill will be coming home tonight, even if it is six hours after his usual estimated time of arrival. My washing machine works. I got covered in hugs and kisses. My baby laughs so hard he snorts (a wondrous sound!). I have a peach cobbler cooling on the counter. I have a cold which has blocked my sinuses which in return has made diaper changing SO much easier!! I got to embroider a bit on my tea towels. My house is a wreck, but it is filled with life:) I should go clean, but I'd rather turn on my Playlist and soak in a HOT bath.

Tea Towel

As far as I'm concerned, tea towels are one of life's little luxuries. Craft Warehouse sells the basic towels in neat little stacks of seven. Thanks to my Mom, this tea towel got decked out in glorious vintage reproduction fabric and rick rack! My Mom also found the adorable vintage styled iron-on patterns at a little shop in Prosser. Lucky for me, my Mom had the project all put together for my sisters and I! We sat around one afternoon chatting and embroidering these sweet little towels! And since my Mom is so thoughtful, she graciously made lunch, had essential oil foot baths ready for us (mmmm I had tangerine!) and made us fresh smoothies! What fun times we have!

Inner Peace . . .

I feel so much different than the pregnant girl I was a few weeks ago. There is a deep contentment and peace that has settled deep in my happy, little heart. A few weeks ago I was growing weary and becoming more cantankerous with each day that I went passed my due date. I think it was when I called the hospital and asked them if they had "kicked anyone out" so I could come in and get induced that I realized how bad my attitude needed an adjustment.

Lucky for me, Noah came the day after that phone call and I've found the girl I'm supposed to be. What a gift he is to our family! What a joy he is to hold! And, oh how he makes my heart sing! Little life is the best gift . . . and I've got three little gifts to kiss and hold. My heart is bursting with contentment and thankfulness; my home is filled with joy and laughter.

Home for the Holidays

Ike is officially home for two weeks of holiday vacation. It thrills me to no end to have him home and not have to worry about the weather! Bring on the snow!

His backpack (or "packpack" as Kitty likes to say) came home stuffed to the brink of holiday goodies. He made a present for Bill and I (a cute little plate with a drawing of our house, his name, and "Mom" written twice on it). Oh! those gifts are too wonderful for words and he is ever so proud of it! I'll be happy to share it's cuteness . . . as soon as I get my hands on that camera:)

In other news, I went in to Sportsman's Warehouse to purchase a shotgun (Bill's wants one to go hunting next year) and found myself defeated and unable to make the purchase. I filled out the paperwork and found that I've yet to change the address on my driver's license. Ahh! Furthermore, my registration in the truck is still with our old address and I don't have a utility bill with the city! I've no government document that states we live where we live. Actually, I think the car may be registered in our new address so I have to check it out when Bill comes home. So there I was, defeated and had to waddle out of the store without a present for Bill for Christmas . . . Maybe I'll try again tonight.

Here's What's Cookin' These Days

Five months in and we're having a boy:)

The Chandelier has been Hung!

We've been spending the last couple of weeks settling into our little cottage (in a subdivision, but whatever) and making this place home. It's much like the last home since it has all the same things and the same dear people residing in it. I've come to the conclusion that a little extra space is wonderful, but it's those sweet little people and loving husband are all that I really need.

Today Bill got to work and hung my dining room chandelier. That very act in itself totally made my day, but he made my heart sing by not stopping there. He cleaned, he hung pictures and hooks, he washed the truck, and he grocery shopped for me. So we've slowly been getting this mess of unpacking straightened out! It's not easy adding unpacking to all the other daily chores, but it sure does feel worth every moment.

I would take pictures, but that camera disappears without a trace. I'll have to wait until Kitty finds it (which she's very good at doing by the way).

News

I should have known on our seventh anniversary date. I bit into a plump steak only to gag and grimace at the horrible flavor. Bill (trying to be sweet and romantic) traded me his seafood alfredo and ate the dirty tasting steak. It turned out that Bill's dish had an odd after taste too, but the "from the box" mashed potatoes (which I do not favor) went down the hatch with ease.

I should have known when I was tired and unmotivated to lift my lounging self from the couch. But, alas! perhaps I was just too tired to think or too scared to dream.

But two weeks after reading that plus sign on that pregnancy test, I'm starting to believe it (fatigue and nausea sure do help adding to reality:). Assisting God in the making of a miracle isn't exactly an easy task nor is it something one can complain about (and I sure don't want to get stuck out in the wilderness for whining about blessings from heaven). I must say, I'm quite fond of the idea of snuggling and kissing another little Love. If there's a little uncomfortable streak in my nice, cushy existence to get there, then so be it. After all, pregnancy doesn't last forever and in the end (should all go delightfully well) we'll get another little piece of heaven.

So if my blog gets neglected a bit, it's because the couch is just so cozy:)

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words (and I've got five pictures)

"I'm sorry, Mom. I spilled the salsa!"

"Oh, you did? Come show me."

"You won't get mad at me?" (Ike shakes his head no as he questions me.)

"I won't get mad at you. Thanks for telling me." (I see small dots of red salsa on the kitchen floor thinking that it wasn't so bad.)

Ike repeats, "You won't get mad at me?"

"No, I won't get mad at you."

He opens the door to the pantry with his wide eyes glued on me.

I walk into the room that smells of salsa, trying to breathe and not get upset. I look back at Ike. His eyes questioning me and his half-smile trying to convince me that it was all right. He waits for reassurance that he's not in trouble. I smile at him and pat his head and send him in the opposite direction.

What a day.

Home

Well, the anticipation is rising and we've yet to break ground on our new house. I'm not saying that I'm not thankful for this apartment, the amenities it provides, and of course who could forget no yardwork for the summer!? Apartment life is simple and cozy and yet I'm looking forward to all the comforts of home life.

What I'm looking forward to the most is the kitchen and dining space. Our hypothetical house has no formal dining room (seeing as how we are really informal people), but a kitchen/dining combo (very Walton-like actually). Even though its a combined space, there is plenty of room for a large table in which to share precious moments with our family and friends. I'm looking forward to the sitting area it provides so my little ones can sit in the dining room and work on homework or play games while we wait for dough to rise or for our casserole to bake. It's a terrific place for tummies to be fed and where little (and big) souls can be fattened!

As for now, we're definitely enjoying our cozy little kitchen where we bump elbows and have to shut the dishwasher if we want to open the drawer under the stove:) It's a small place, but small space means I get to frequently "bump" into all the people I adore.

We're in the Palace!

We've spent the last few days settling into our new apartment which Ike calls "The palace!" Ike and Kitty walked right in and made themselves at home. For the first hour or so in their new pad, they ran around exploring every corner, all while giggling with such exuberant delight. Ike asked, "This is our new house? Can we stay?" He's also a little concerned that we don't have a backyard, but I think his trip to the playground last night eased his disappointment.

As for us, we still have one more day before the sale of our house closes. We've been going over to the old house every night to get more things and tidy it up for the new owners. It's been exhausting, but a hard days work has us sleeping ever so soundly! This morning we are having the carpets cleaned and this afternoon the kids and I are heading over to tidy up a bit more. Tonight we have a few odds and ends to load up from the garage then we'll be done!

We are still waiting to hear if we'll be able to have a pre-construction meeting with the builder this week. We'd like to have our meeting on Thursday, but it's more likely they won't be able to do it that soon. As for now, we'll just settle into apartment life . . . which is much the same as house life (just without the yard work). As long as there are two sets of chubby cheeks for me to kiss and a handsome husband who walks through the door every night, this is home.

House Update

Our home is a disaster! I've been trying to pack and keep up with the housework, but no amount of cleaning seems to make the place look put together. We've got boxes stacked and paperwork flying around. The toys never seem to make it to there designated area -- they are everywhere! But we're making progress on the packing and the laundry stays folded so everyone looks nice while our little home looks like it could use a visit from Merry Maids.

On the progress report though, we've made an offer with a builder and they've accepted our offer! It's a beautiful home with lots of cottage-like appeal (it's either got the appeal or in my mind I can see it having that sort of appeal someday . . . whatever). On the plus side, it's got a great home school room that should be well in use come fall! We are very excited about that!

We've got an apartment agreement set up so we should move into it five days before the closing date on our house. That should give us plenty of time to set up house in the apartment as well as get this home scrubbed down for the new owners. We've got a lot of work ahead, but hopefully a wonderful outcome is around the corner.

Snow and Stint

Bill woke us up bright and early (so early that Ike still thinks it's night time). As we were leaving to take him in to the hospital, we opened the front door to find ourselves in the middle of a giant snow globe. This is quite unexpected seeing as yesterday it was 50 degrees! Ugh.

This posed a little problem seeing as I've NEVER driven in the snow and Bill HAD to get in to the hospital to have the stint taken out of his kidney (he's been calling to have it taken out for over a month now). Anyway, there was no time like the present to learn. I demanded I drive while he was in the car on the way over so I could get a crash course in driving in the snow. It must have been annoying to some/all to see our large Chevy truck (with four wheel drive and anti-lock brake system I might add) going so slow. But alas! We are home safely and weren't one of the three cars we spotted in the ditches (but I shouldn't start feeling smug about that since I still have some driving to do). Yikes!

Well, I'm winding down and getting myself psyched up for going out there again to pick him up. And I'm feeling a bit guilty that I'm not there with him:(

All in a Day

As I'm scooping up some dinner I hear (but do not see):

"I carry her, Mom. She's heavy!"

"What!" I come running!

"Here you go, Mom."

I pick up the dangling baby who is amused with her brother.

"She's heavy! Whew! My back hurts!" says our young and healthy little boy.

~

"We need to have a boy baby." Ike delares. "I make a good big brother."

~

Ike helped me make dinner tonight. He was super helpful and we made a beautiful turkey pot pie (which I ended up dropping on the floor, but that's beside the point). Anyway, once the pie was ready to go into the oven, Ike wasn't done playing in the kitchen. He wanted to make more pie. So I pulled out the leftovers we were unable to finish and he made a mean (and I do mean mean) soupy leftover pie (pictured above).

~

Kate's been crawling all over the place and a very quick pace today. Ike and I have made a game of it.

"Where's Kate?" I ask.

"I don't know! Let's go find her." Shouts Ike.

We both run to his room -- she's ALWAYS there! She's already learned where most of the toys are stored . . .

Pier 39 San Francisco

The view

Here we are!
Kate's here too!
Affectionate "little" creatures
My Guys
Alcatraz (and if I spelled it wrong it wouldn't surprise me)

Oh what a day!

I was trying to write in my blog earlier, but it kept translating my writing into some unknown language. Weird.

Well, I knew today would be a great day when I went through the Starbucks drive thru and their register was down. Yes, that translates into an "on the house" order of strawberry frapachino for Ike and a latte for me. How lovely! I was going to use the gift card my wonderful sister gave me, but didn't have to. It is still loaded! Guess I'll take my little man out for another date some other time!

When Ike and I got home from our little date, my Mom called and invited us over for lunch . . . AND dinner! Whew! It must be my lucky day! Not an ounce of cooking is to be done! On to top it off, my Mom has friends in town visiting that we'll get to meet.

My sisters both have cameras for their computers so I got to view and chat with my sister in Reno. I haven't got to do that before. It was really neat because we could see her adorable little son Alex play with his beloved trains and we could hear the coos of Isabelle. How fun! What an all around fantstic day!

Heavenly Scented Peonies!

Today my wonderful neighbor Phyllis brought me a large bouquet of light pink peonies from her garden! They are just gorgeous and I am enjoying them considerably! I am surrounded by wonderful people and get so blessed by their random acts of kindness! She also let me know that if I wanted a peonies bush she'd show me how to start one using roots (I think). Gardening is not something that comes naturally to me, but I'm a willing student. I had flower beds put in all the way around my house so I should probably learn more about plants and how to care for them.

Anyway, my sister also stopped in today with scissors in tote to cut off my tresses! Talk about another act of kindness! I am now sporting a short bob with feathery layers and soft auburn highlights. How marvelous! I am enjoying the change. Little Miss Kate also got her first haircut today . . . . about five little snips in the back to even out the length. She didn't mind at all.

The Fam

Bill came home tonight after a week of training. He is now an official Defensive Tactics instructor . . . and I don't think I've mentioned on our blog that he is also our small town's "officer of the quarter." He's had a busy couple of months, but he won't have to leave for training again for a long time . . . at least I hope not. We really miss him when he's gone.

Little man Ike is good company for me while Bill is gone. He tells me lots of stories, helps take care of Kate, and loves to join me in the cooking and cleaning. He wanted to have a picnic for dinner the other night so I let him set it all up. He spread his blanket on the floor and pressed out all the wrinkles. After that, he unloaded all of his favorite foods from the pantry and refridgerator. We sat among all the food and drank our smoothies:)

Kate is now all smiles and chatter. She adores her big brother and is content to sit and watch him. However, if he leaves the room . . . she wails!

Where's Mr. Fix it?

Ike got to feed Kate for the first time and he loved it! He always wants to feed her now.
We have been trying really hard to make sure she has her "soothie" instead of her thumb, but if that soothie falls out she goes straight for her thumb.
Boo. I love how wide eyed she looks . . . all the time:)

I thought I was getting a good grip on this housewiving job. You would think after almost four years in this profession I would have it down. However, I have come to notice that my talents are limited -- especially when Bill is out of town. The computer broke down and I had no idea how to fix it. Bill and my sister Heidi were on the phone trying to help me figure it out but nothing seemed to work. Well, after a day without a functioning computer you can see that it is fixed and I didn't break the thing after all! Sweet relief! I would explain how simple it was to fix, but I don't know the correct terms:)

I've also realized how much I depend on Bill in that I've NEVER changed a light bulb in this house (except for the lamps). I know it sounds ridiculous, but I am eager to change the burnt out ones just because I never have. I think if it weren't for Bill I would probably just use candles and forget the light bulb changing. Ugh. I am really not very much use around here. I had better become a superior cook to cover up all the things I don't know how to do:) Actually, I need to just buckle down and figure out how to do these things.

And to top it off, the window shades on the sliding door broke, the breast pump broke, and the memory card to my camera is full. I have some things to figure out . . .

Bill's Home

Bill brought home a bouquet of flowers for me (lilies are my absolute favorite!) and he brought a train for Isaac. Last night Ike woke up at 3:30 crying for his new train. He went to bed with it and I removed it when he fell asleep. (After all, it is a plastic toy so it's pretty hard.) Anyway, he woke up crying and saying, "I miss Diesel!" Bill went in and scrambled to find Diesel and once it was back in his sight Ike went back to sleep. This boy loves his trains!