Christmas and Beyond

I just realized that the only pictures I have from Christmas this year are all of Abe! He is just so cute. And plus I think I must have subconsciously felt bad for forgetting about him at the store that I had to make it up somehow!

Snuggling the puppy Hilary and Brittney gave him

Looking very pensive in Uncle Drew's arms

Getting gooshed by his Christmas bear

Getting attacked by his Christmas bear.
Jon and I couldn't resist this bear because it has the cutest overbite, and when we both saw it we immediately thought of Abe.

Oh, and I did get a pretty cute video of the kids on Christmas morning. I love it that the first thing Asher did, before checking for presents, was to see if Santa ate his cookies!

And I think Rose's favorite present was the "tinky bell" wand that Santa put in her stocking. She has carried it around for almost two weeks non-stop. She is really into Tinker Bell right now and is always making sure that everyone knows that she is "Tinky Bell". Whenever I make her food that she likes she always tells me, "Thanks mom, this is good tinky bell food."
It is pretty cute.

Plus it makes for some pretty exciting days to have Captain Hook and Tinker Bell at my house!

We also had a good New Years Eve. We invited some friends over but their kids ended up getting sick and so it was just the five of us, which was really fun.

We ended up roasting marshmallows and making s'mores in our fire place. The kids got really excited about going "camping" (which they equate with s'mores) and set up the tepee that Santa brought them for Christmas and filled with blankets and pillows.





We really had a good time.

Oh, and just so you know chewy chocolate chip Chips Ahoy cookies make GREAT alternatives to graham crackers and chocolate for s'mores. Really, they are awesome.

Oh, he is so cute!

Rosie Roo KaChoo

Jon has taken to calling Rose, "Rosie Roo KaChoo" and it is starting to catch on. For some reason it seems to fit this little girl's personality... sweet and goofy. Man I love this little girl. She has all of us, including Asher, wrapped around her little finger and knows how to get what she wants using her feminine charms... and if that fails... tantrums. She is getting really good at tantrums.

This picture was taken way back at Thanksgiving. She is riding the American Girl doll horse at my dad's house. She figured this out herself. Like I said... she is sort of a goof.

All ready to go cross- country skiing. She loves it. Asher on the other hand screams the whole way. We tried to take them a few weeks ago and it took us an hour to go 1/4th of a mile because Asher decided he didn't want to ride on the sled and that he wanted to walk. He kept sinking in the snow and screaming the whole time. We've since got him a fancier sled and he likes it a bit more. Hopefully Rose keeps up her love of cross country skiing because we would love it if one day we made it a family tradition.

Wearing Asher's underwear... don't ask.

We think that Rose might have a milk allergy because for the last several months she has had a really runny nose, runny stools, and was throwing up a lot-- at least once or twice a day. A few weeks ago a friend was talking about her little boy and his milk allergy and a little light bulb went off in my head. As I was researching milk allergies I also found that one of the tell-tell signs of a milk allergy is that it is a child's favorite food. The article I read said that children with food allergies often crave the foods they are allergic to. Rose is a milk and cheese-a-holic.

We've taken her off cows milk the last few weeks and it really seems to be helping. She has stopped throwing up and doesn't have a runny nose anymore. Yesterday though I gave her some pudding that had milk in it-- I caved and gave into a tantrum-- and a few hours her runny nose was back. I'm thinking we are on to something with this.

Do you think she will hate me some day for posting this picture?

Oh, well.

I know it seems WAY early but Rose has really been interested in potty training lately. Several times a day she pats her bottom and says "poo". At first I ignored her thinking she was way to little to start using the potty, but then just a few minutes after she told me she was "poo" she pooped her pants. It has happened several times since. I've been trying to put her on the potty now when she tells me she needs to go. She's only gone once-- and that was sort of fluke-- but I think she is getting ready.

Is 17 and half months way too early to be potty training? I've heard that girls sometimes are ready much earlier than boys. Any suggestions on this one?

The Bad and The Good

The Bad

We came home from spending Christmas with my family to find that ALL the pipes in our house were frozen solid. It really shouldn't have been that much of a surprise because it got down below zero several days and our house has no insulation in the walls. Really... it doesn't have any. We are putting a bathroom in our upstairs bedroom and Jon was able to drop the pipes right through the exterior wall. I guess 100 years ago they didn't believe in insulation yet. Oh, the joys of an old house! Remember OHDD? I think we have a confirmed case. Surprisingly though our heating bill isn't too high and our house stays remarkably cool in the summer... don't really know how but I'm not complaining.

Anyway, last night we heated our house up to about a thousand degrees in order to thaw out the pipes and ran a space heater in front of our main water pipe. We waited several hours hoping the water would start flowing again. No such luck. We had to tap into our food storage water supply in order to flush the toilet, make dinner and quench the parched lips of a demanding two year old. I've realized that we have NO WHERE near enough water for a real emergency. We had about 20 gallons stored and it hardly lasted us one night. We were humbled and realized we need to store about 4 times that much. I also gained such a greater appreciation for how wonderful indoor plumbing is and how much easier my life is because of it. I tried to make bread last night and after having to pour my water out of the big barrel, heat it up in the microwave, wash my hands in snow, and not have a way to clean my dishes I realized that I live a pampered life compared to most women in the world. At least I didn't have to build a fire to cook it over or boil my water before I used it. Gee whiz!

We went to bed hoping our space heater would do the job but this morning there was still no water... meaning no shower for me... meaning I was grumpy. Around 10 AM we finally figured out that the water line from the street to our house was what was frozen. We called the city and they came and worked their magic. Luckily none of our pipes burst (that we know of) and I was able to take a shower and wash my dishes. I now have a new understanding of the scriptures that talk about Christ as the living water. Nothing can get clean without water. A life without water is dirty and stinky. Ponder on that for awhile :)

Okay now for

The Good

We had a great Christmas with my family. I think my kids are going through attention withdrawals because there is no possible way Jon and I can give them the same amount of love and adoration they got from their grandparents, uncle and aunts.

It was also so much fun to see them open their gifts. I don't think Rosie really knew what was going on but Asher got the hang of Christmas and gifts real fast.

The Bad

Rosie has a major bald spot on the back of her head. Asher never had one this big and I feel bad because I think it means she doesn't get held as much as he did. Or it could just be because she sleeps in her swing. Or because she is super curious and is always wiggling her head around to look at people. Hopefully it grows back before she hits Jr. High.

The Good

Asher had a really wonderful birthday.

I wanted to make him a basketball cake that was shaped like a basketball. It turned out pretty good but Jon decided he wanted to frost it. After battling about the amount of butter that went into the frosting, what color it should be, how much should go on the cake, and how it should be applied I am happy to report that we are still married... though I might have to frost the next cake when Jon is in bed. He actually did do a great job even if it wasn't quite what I would have done.


Okay and one last sequence of pictures... just because he is cute. Asher got finger paints for his birthday and as I was trying to get a picture of him painting he gave me several different responses when I asked "Give me a smile!"

#1

#2 # 3

What a goof.

Hope you all had a great holiday!

If Your Parents are Divorced, You Might Relate to this Post

After almost 6 years of being divorced, both of my parents got remarried this summer.

In July my Mom got remarried to Wayne.

They are a good match for each other and seem really happy together. I wish I had more pictures from their wedding but I was running the video camera and didn't take very many. But my sister-in-law took a whole bunch that I am excited to see. But here is Asher climbing all over the chairs before the ceremony.

Then just a week ago my Dad got remarried to Janie

whom we all really like and who makes my Dad giddy like a school boy and glow like a glo-worm.

Janie also has a little girl, Hannah, who is just about the spunkiest, cutest, and capable ten-year-old I've met.

Doesn't she have the most amazing blue eyes?

She is pretty cute and fits perfectly into a family where all the girls either have to have a name that starts with an "H" (Heather, Hilary) or be named Brittney (my littlest sister and sister-in-law).

(Wow, look at how much air my brother gets, I didn't do too bad myself!)

They had the most beautiful reception at Janie's sister's house.



Complete with flaming crepes... totally cool.



It was classy and romantic... it felt magical... like something from a movie.


(I was relieved when I saw this picture that you can't even tell I'm nursing Rose!)

I am genuinely incredibly happy for them both. I've been praying for years that they would both find someone to start over with. Both my parents are wonderful people and it really is a miracle and a huge blessing that they both found people to love again.

BUT

despite my being thrilled for them, it has been a hard transition for me. I think I was a little naive about how it would feel to have my parents get remarried. I was sure that because I am grown up, happily married with two little kids of my own and live hundreds of miles away from them that I wouldn't be emotionally involved. But it has been harder on me than I expected. It isn't that I don't like Janie, Hannah or Wayne, in fact I really love all three of them, but it is kind of hard to see your parents-- who for most your life were married to each other-- make vows to someone else.

I won't go into the specifics of why my parents got a divorce (that would fill a whole blog in and of itself) but it has been a hard 6 years with lots of twists, turns and ups and downs. My brother, sisters and I were just starting to get used to life how it was and had started to be at peace with our parents being divorced. Now our family life is all shook up... again. Not necessarily in a bad way, we really love Janie, Hannah and Wayne, but it is a change-- a big change-- and it is going to take some getting used to. We have to re-learn how to be a family and figure out how we all fit together.

Still, I know that having Janie, Hannah and Wayne in my family is an answer to my prayers. Over the last several years I've prayed so hard that my parents would find stability and happiness, and that my brother, sisters and I would stay close friends. I know that God has helped to make the best situation possible out of the crazy mess of my parents divorce. I also have faith that if He was able to take a hurt, broken and divided family and piece them back together once before, that He will have no trouble in taking a happy, loving, somewhat shaken up family and make it work. I know it is going to take time, and I'm sure there will be some tears shed (we are going to be putting two semi-teenage girls together in the same house), but I have faith that everything will work out for the best. And when it comes right down to it this new family arrangement just feels right ... even if it is kind of hard.

Sewing Camp and a Burst of Energy

For the last few months this has been the extent of my creative powers.

I've thought of about a gazillon projects I could (and should) do, but haven't had the time or the energy to do them.

But last week my littlest sister Brittney came to stay with me for the week while Jon went with his scouts on a backpacking trip. We decided that we would have "sewing camp" so that Brittney could learn to sew.

It was a lot of fun and Brittney did a really good job. She made a pair of PJ pants, a cute peasant-style PJ shirt and a tailored pair of slacks (which pushed MY sewing abilities to the max because we had to alter them and change them ALOT to get them to fit and look cute) and we both learned a lot.

Asher LOVED having his aunt stay with us and the first thing he wanted to know every morning was where "Ni Ni" (his name for Brittney) was. And I REALLY appreciated her help because I don't know how I would have survived a week by myself with Asher and a broken foot-- which by the way the doctor says is now completely healed! Yeah!

After Brittney left I was still bitten by the "sewing bug" and decided to get some of the sewing projects done that I've been wanting to do-- and if I do say so myself, they turned out pretty good!

My first project was to make a bumper and sheet for Baby Bird's cradle. This is the cradle that Jon and all his siblings slept in when they were babies and which Asher slept in.

I made bumpers for Asher but they are blue and I wanted something more girly for Baby Bird. I didn't actually make the bumpers, they are hand me downs from my cousin, but I cut it down to the right size and sewed the lace and ties on. Now I just can't wait till there is a little baby laying in it!

Since I was still on a sewing kick I made a curtain for our bedroom window, it isn't anything really fancy but it was my first time making curtains and I am kind of proud of it. If I get ambitious I might make one for the other window in our rooms so that it is a little more balanced.

I think this splurge of crafting energy probably counts as an official "nesting instinct" because it has also been accompanied by an OVERWHELMING need to get my house clean-- which is happening little by little. It is kind of nice to have a little burst of energy--but who knows how long it will last :) I am starting to feel like I am ready for her to come now. I have a place for her to sleep AND don't have to wear the walking cast any more. So all my nightmares about having to be in labor with a broken foot are behind me now and I am really starting looking forward to meeting the little person who keeps kicking my bladder.

Do You Celebrate Ground Hog Day?

My husband's family are the only people I know who truly celebrate Ground Hog Day-- I mean beyond the token action of watching the movie by the same name. They have Ground Hog Day traditions, which as much as I dearly love them, I thought was completely bizarre when I first joined the family. The first tradition isn't that strange, they eat "ground hog" (sausage) and pancakes for dinner. I can understand this one. But the second tradition is the strange one. After eating dinner they take all the leftover pancakes, which are usually a lot because they make extras, and throw them on top of the fridge. Yes, really. The rules are that you have to make a wish, then stand about 10 feet away from the fridge with your back turned and throw your pancake over your shoulder and try to get it to land on top of the fridge. If your throw is successful then your wish will come true, if not you keep trying till you succeed. It is a really fun tradition that usually ends up in lots of giggles and flying pancakes.

I really have NO idea where this tradition came from or why it is associated with Ground Hogs Day, and Jon and his sister didn't know either. So if anyone happens to have any insights that might explain it, I would be interested to know. But it does leave me curious to know if other people have Ground Hog Day traditions, besides just watching the movie, or if my in-laws are just wonderfully and beautifully unique?

Oh and Happy Ground Hog Day!