Our house

So these are the latest crazy things about our house. A week ago it was cold. Like really, really cold and windy. Normal people would stay inside and enjoy a nice movie and some hot chocolate. We wait to see what crazy thing our house will do. This time we got frost on the screws that hold on the wall plate of the light switch.

Oh yeah and the silly house thought about burning down too. We heard a pop that night. We were concerned and then thought maybe it was a little wind chime that blew down and broke outside. The next day I was home with the kids. This time I was in the kitchen and heard a big pop, followed by smoke and a burning smell. It was the overhead light in the kitchen. The breaker tripped and I called Joe. He came home, took the light off the ceiling and found this. That black stuff would be the char. So I laugh about it now and I'm happy to have a husband that can run to the hardware store and get a new light up and going in a few hours, but on a more serious note I'm so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that hears and answers prayers. We thank him everyday for our home and pray that it will be a safe place for our family. This was an answer to that prayer. There have been a lot of home fires in this area this winter and I'm so grateful that our home was safe and no one was hurt. I feel so lucky to still have my family photos and special little things I've collect through my life, though they are only things they each have memories attached to them. Mostly I'm glad the kids, Joe, and I were protected. This house is an adventure!

Cora's First Food

Cora, despite what one might think, has reached this beautiful plump state receiving nourishment only from me. On December 19th, two days after she turned 6 months, that all changed. She ate Organic Oatmeal for her first 'real' meal. She downed it like a trooper. Since then she has decided that food is not nearly as exciting as that first time and she swishes it around and spits it out. She is still interested in what we eat and was willing to try some potato from my plate. With the other kids I may have been concerned, with her, she'll eat when she wants too. Obviously, she is well fed. In addition to the exciting food news, Cora, on December 17th, got her first tooth. The little imp. I told her that would make her a big girl and I want that little toothless grin for longer, but she, being the rebellious type, went and got a tooth anyway. It was followed by a second one today(both on the bottom in front) Soon there will be piercings and tattoos I just know it!

Catherine's Play

Catherine's class performed a play, it was more of a reading with some props. She was the mom and Charlie. They worked on it for several weeks. She was very excited about it and more so because Joe took off work and Syb and Dick came down to see her. Here she is meeting her fans before the performance. She did a great job of speaking clearly and she not only knew her part from memory, but she knew all the other parts too! After the play we took her out of school during her lunch and recess to go out to eat at Subway. Our tiny table barely held all of us and it looked like Christmas morning with all the wrappers everywhere. It was a great day for Catherine.

I seem to have misplaced several kids

Oh, the laundry has eaten them! Do you ever feel like this? No matter how much I wash and fold and put away, it gets dirty, unfolded, washed and put on my bed.

Lovin' the Strata Christmas

Our boss is always really generous at Christmas time and this year was no exception. We got to choose from among several items. One was a spa gift certificate. I was looking at the services when Aaron came in. He saw that they offered Hydrotherapy, which is basically a nice bath with jets and smell goods. So he decided he wanted a bath for Christmas. I said, "I can give you a bath." He replied quite animatedly, "Mommm, I want a professional bath, in a professional tub, by a professional person." I can just see him talking to his friends at school. "What did you get for Christmas?" "An xbox 360." "Cool, I got a day at the spa!" We all had a good laugh at his expense, but he was a good sport, when I told him I was going to blog it, he said he changed his mind...........he wanted a massage instead.

Fishing for Cora

I couldn't decide which picture to use. Cora is not a binki baby. She likes to give it a good bite and spit it out. So she had a lot of fun with this game. She would finally get to latch on, Joe would pop it out and they would do it all over again. She loves to be teased like that. She loves to be tickled and play peak-a-boo and do anything that is a little unexpected.

Cora's New Tricks

I can sit up. Or at least have gotten big enough to kind of balance here before I tip over!

I also turned over from my front to my back. I hate tummy time and Mom thought she would leave me on my tummy when tucking in Aaron. As soon as she turned her back I flipped over. Ha that will show her. No one saw me do it. I'm a nice girl though so I did it one time for the family after that. They were so excited and so was I.

Jacob's Trip to the Dentist

This looked so much worse in real life. Jacob had his first cavity. He was super brave and thought it was so funny that the Dr. put a tiny pillow in his mouth. (the cotton) Then he got home and kept biting his lip. He couldn't feel it, so even though we told him not to, he kept biting it. Needless to say we stayed away from places that might have DCSF workers present. Catherine did the same thing several months earlier. I was so worried that she was having an allergic reaction that I called the dentist. He assured me that she would live.

BUMBO, BUMBO, BUMBO.......warning contains diaper talk, for those without kids you may find this graphic

Joe and I joke about Cora and the bumbo. She seems to have a gift for the BUMBO BLOW-OUT. You have to say that using the Sunday, Sunday, Sunday monster truck show voice. 'You can wear the whole diaper, but you'll only poop in the edge' Luckily for her she is cute and voices her discomfort so we can take care of things before they get too messy. Here she is pre-blow out, chewing on a toy. She looks like she is practicing for when she will get to eat corn on the cob. You will notice that a tornado called Jacob has been through the house and left her in the midst of the path of destruction. He was kind enough to leave her with a toy, often times he (without intending to) plays with her by taking away her toys so she will look and him and then he goes away, leaving her with nothing.

Crazy Mom

I've debated how I would write about this, so you are getting a diluted, but honest version. Last Mother's Day a friend gave a talk in church. Usually the Mother's Day talks are happy little 'isn't mom great' talks. She took a different approach and let everyone know that motherhood is the hardest, most wonderful thing in the world and some days she wanted to pull her hair out. Today it all came to a head and I had one of those days. I thought about Jesus saying to become like a little child and I had a child-like kicking screaming fit. It was very therapeutic and everyone should try it now and then. After my pity party I started thinking about a talk I heard about feelings and emotions. The nuts and bolts of it is there are things we feel, like worry, frustration, fear and the emotions we give off. Mine, like many people, tends to be anger. I decided that I was so frustrated because I've been spending time on everything for everyone and feel like I don't really exist as an individual. I'm not saying the world should revolve around me, but on days that I feel I can't go pee with out the world falling apart, something is wrong! So laundry be damned I'm going to sit and write for a while because it makes me happy. (ok so there is a load in the dryer!) I hope if any of the rest of you are feeling overwhelmed with all life has given you, you know you are not alone. Yes in calm, reflective moments I see the many blessings and joys.......and that is why I like to blog about the good times.

Baby got back!

I love this picture. That is a pinchable butt! I'm so glad Cora is a girl......I can get away with putting her in Jake's blue clothes, I might get some opposition from Joe if I dressed a boy in pink. Ahh the fourth child. She will never have anything of her own. Which reminds me of my Christmas ah-ha moment. I've been meaning to get out the baby toys for Cora, but that required going through them and washing up the ones I wanted to get out and I never found the time. So one day I told the kids you can each pick out a Christmas gift for Cora from your toys. Here is the bin. Just be sure they are nice and clean and have new batteries. The kids were surprisingly thrilled with this chance to give her Christmas gifts that they themselves provided. They spent an hour or so playing with the different toys cleaning them and picking just the right ones for her. Much better deal and less stress than shopping and I now have one more thing checked off my list. It is a win win Christmas experience.

Busy Busy

I got an email from a friend of mine who said he had checked my blog and I haven't updated it. Someone cares that I update it! That is so much fun. So here's all the stuff that has been keeping me too busy to write. 1. Work, I'm grateful for a paycheck and the flexibility I have, but wish money grew on trees so I could spend all my time with the kids, Joe and friends. 2. Sick kids. Jacob and Aaron are both getting over bronchitis (wow I got close enough that spell check was able to pick that one up!) Caf had a cold and now little Cora has a stuffy runny nose. She still is smiling though! In addition, to these little inconveniences............we woke up Sunday morning to a winter wonderland. It was beautiful. By Monday our driveway was slick and I couldn't get out. Joe of course got me up to the road and I was fine from there. I've gotten so spoiled as a wife. I would have never thought of asking someone to dig me out and put down salt for me, now I can't imagine doing it myself!

Speaking of Joe. He thinks Cora wants solid food. I don't know what makes him think that! I'm holding out until she is 6 months old, but I might not be able to stop her and dad from getting a midnight snack.

Aaron has started wrestling again. And yes we are taking a collection for his braces! Why did he get Joe's love (or lack there of) for school and my teeth, poor guy. We like wrestling because it gets out a lot of aggression and tires him out!

Catherine has been working on a super secret sewing project for Christmas. My friend Donna is helping us. Cora absolutely loved her husband Willie. I think it was the cheeks that they have in common. She just smiled and laughed at him as he made funny faces.

Joe built the kids a fort in the basement, using 3 60 inch plasma boxes. The middle has a courtyard where they hide the ammo to attack any innocent passerby that might look like they need to be beamed by a stuffed animal, ball, or random hard plastic toy.

Well lots more to post, but Aaron needs to be picked up from wrestling and then Joe has to go to the bank, I'll try to get him to take some pics so we can see what he is up to. Then it is the full time job (mom) until the kids go down and then part time job for me. Thanks for the kick in the pants Ryan! I will post more soon.