Easter...

So, here I am again. I found my way back to the computer...and I've got some more stories and pictures. I guess I'll start with the most recent and work my way backward...? We've had an eventful Easter this year. On Saturday, we were lucky to have breakfast at church and then some activities, including an egg hunt and the EASTER BUNNY! Camryn was quick to point out to everyone that the life-size bunny wasn't real. (Thank you, Camryn-stater-of-the-obvious.) After church on Sunday, we had a little hunt in our living room...due to the most unusual rain...hahaha. The kids had so much fun hunting that they wanted to continue setting up egg hunts for each other for the rest of the day! But, the mean parents that we are, we veto-ed that idea. Instead we put all the candy into one giant jar and looked at it for a while...and ate some. :) Then we it was 'put away', we went on to other activities. Little did the parent-folk know that the wee ones were helping themselves to handful after handful of the yummy loot. When we the parent-folk caught up to them, the jar was 4/5 empty! Then the real fun began! I'll save that story for later...

Another trip to Urgent Care

I'm trying to be a good mom...a good example...but sometimes things just don't work out like you/I plan. I went to clean the kitchen at church a few days ago and had 3 kids with me. (Not that that's anything new!) I opened the curtain between the kitchen and the rs room so that the kids could play in there and I could 'keep an eye on them'. Well, I don't ever recommend letting your 5 and 3 year olds watch a 1 yr old! They dumped out the diaper bag full of toys and goodies...and Sadie found all the little wrappers and garbage. You know, all the shiny fruit snacks wrappers and granola bar wrappers...Calvin and Hallie opened some string cheese for her to eat with her wrappers. (Is anyone beginning to panick?) So, I was done cleaning the kitchen and went into the rs room to begin to pick up when I saw Sadie with fist-fulls of 'goodies'. I started taking things away from her when she started to protest and then choke! I managed to get all the cheese out of her mouth and hands just in time to see the shiney wrapper in the back of her throat. At this point, mid screaming and choking and spitting up, I'm trying to do the finger swab to get the wrapper. I'll tell you, that does not work!! She kept choking and having moments of no breathing...I felt completely helpless. Finally, she stopped coughing and could breath well enough. I layed her down to try and look in her throat again and I couldn't see anything!

It was then that I determined that she needed to go to urgent care. But, of course, it was time for afternoon kindergarten for Calvin. I rushed home to retrieve the backpack and drove him to the school.

In the end, the doctor was very nice and reassuring. He said that her breathing/lungs sounded very good. That she didn't seem to be in any pain or discomfort...that he couldn't see anything in her throat. So.........he told me to watch for possible breathing changes and any fever (which might mean it has lodged somewhere and is now causing an infection). Do you think I slept much that night?

Thankfully, Sadie seems just fine. I suspect she will 'pass' whatever it was soon. I need to be more careful about what all my kids have access to, I guess. I'm so grateful to still have our Sadie with us!!!

This is my life:)

The Highs and Lows of Hallie

Yesterday, Hallie discovered that she could do a new trick on the rope swing. She found that if she stood on the side of Calvin's bed (the railing), holding the rope in her hands, and then jumped up onto the rope, she could reach another knot higher to swing on. (I realize this may be confusing to some of you who don't know what our kids' room looks like...) She was sooo excited that she called Camryn up to see just what she could do. As she completed the feat and continued to swing, she declared: "Camryn, I am so happy with me!" Gotta love the simple joys.

Now, contrast that with what has been going on today with Hallie. She emptied every puzzle out of the hall closet and put them all together...all over the kitchen (floor, table...). And she didn't bother to put any of them away when she was done. Then she got the leggos out and bowls and a plate. She was giving them a bath, of course. And this 'bath' ended up all over the floor. And she didn't bother to put any of this away...or clean it up. Then, she went up stairs and emptied our linen closet of all the towels and sheets that she could reach. And then, got into my conditioner and body wash. She took it to her room and poured it out under Calvin's bed. Thank you, Hallie. (I just bought the stuff like 3 days ago.) Need I go on?

cold, colds,...and more snow?

So, here we are...all scrunched onto the 'love' seat for a family photo. It's hard to tell from a photo but, we are all at varying stages of a nasty cold...you know, the kind that comes with coughing fits, sneezing fits, and you can't- breathe-through-your-nose-at-night cold. Anyway, I guess the photo's pretty good. I just wish Hallie had eyes. :)

If you notice that the tree is above our heads, you are not seeing things. It really is above our heads. Brian, the genius that he is, made a corner table to place a shorter/smaller tree on this year...yes, we have a toddler. Plus, we didn't want to rearrange our family room to accomodate a bigger tree...really, where would we put it? Anyway, it has worked out great! Nobody has touched it. On the other hand, each child has found out how to crawl behind the couch and under the corner table...to hide with various christmas goodie. yay.

So, in the first picture you'll find Camryn, Calvin, and Hallie. We have had snow (and ice) on the ground for two weeks now. And the rain has returned so we are hoping that it will all melt. But boy is it a slow process. I think that it snowed all day on Christmas day...don't expect that to ever happen again here! It has been fun but, we are ready for it to go...it's taking on too many ucky colors...yellow, brown, black...pink? Anyway, the kids have had a lot of fun sliding around and tromping through it to the park. I tried to make a snowman with them, twice. And both times a young boy who shall remain nameless decided it was better to knock it over. Oh, well. Boys will be boys.

A Day in the Life

So, I couldn't let this one pass:) Our beloved Calvin has become very musical of late. This morning (10 minutes ago), with chopstick in hand he began to sing and direct his own version of 'Called to Serve'. Here is it: "...awkward, ever awkward, as we glory in His way....duhm...duhm... duhm...' !!! (over and over again) How wise he is. It is awkward for us to glory in His way! Let's let Him have the glory:)

Okay, I'm back...

This is a picture of Hallie and Sadie at a pumpkin farm near our home in Enumclaw. This was a field trip for Hallie and her preschool...they let Sadie and I tag along:) We had a lot of fun on the hay ride, feeding the pigs, chasing the chickens, and running from the goats. The goats really liked jumpin up on Sadie in the stroller...not so fun for mom!

This picture was taken at a different pumpkin farm in Enumclaw. At this farm they had a huge section just for kids...including a 'corn box'. Camryn and Calvin really enjoyed this area. Brian got an action shot of them jumping into the box. We also enjoyed: roping a cow, water games, a corn maze, mini bike races, animals to pet, and a hay ride....among other attractions.

It really does take a lot for me to get on the computer and actually get something done! As we speak, Brian is trying to help Camryn with homework as he eats his dinner, while Calvin also gives instruction, Hallie tries to distract her, and Sadie...well she's probably chewing on a book! I'm sure that the room is falling apart as well! Anyway, I thought that I would relay a cute comment from Hallie yesterday. We went to get an oil change on the suburban and she found the crayons and coloring books right away. (yes, they have those :) I love that place) She was coloring away while I was trying to keep Sadie off the floor. I noticed that she was coloring the eyes of the character's face (don't know who it was exactly) yellow...so I said: "wow Hallie! you decided to color the eyes yellow...interesting". And she responded: "yes. I am very creative." hah, haha. i couldn't restrain myself from laughing out loud. I guess maybe it was only funny to me...you have to know her delivery. anyway...

we went to the doctor today for Sadie's one-year check-up. she's right on track. I didn't expect anything different. We were all so happy to get her car seat turned around! I think even she was happy!

until next time...play...run...engage in magical fun...be present...be aware...imagine yourself anywhere!

Halloween:)

Well, so I'm not very good at taking pictures and following the kids around trick-or-treating and pushing a stroller! I think I took 5 pictures and none of them are very good. We had some friends come t-or-t with us in our neighborhood...Their mom got some great shots so I'll have to get hers up here somehow. Anyway, the dragon, witch, tooth fairy, and bunny all had a great time. It was amazingly warm and not raining!!! Poor Hallie had to stop me a couple times because her tiara was falling off as her tights were sliding down and her skirt was getting stepped on (by me). Oh, the joys of a home-made costume! She was very cute. I may just get the kids back in their costumes for pictures...am I crazy?