It has been too long since I last posted. I only have a handful of readers, but I wanted to thank all three of you for your devotion in reading this on occasion. I really feel like I've let each of you down for not posting more! I want to get my act together, but it is just so hard to make it happen. With occasional computer trouble, periodic illness and my latest issue with the Celiac's thing...well, I have been a little cabobbled from this latest fly in the ointment. I keep telling myself it is all in my head, but changing my diet has really tormented me. I have lost all desire to bake and cook. Finding something to eat {that tastes good and is filling} has become such drudgery. AND what's worse, I cheat sometimes and eat gluten then feel lousy again. What has happened to my self-discipline I said I was going to have?!!? It is all self-defeating behavior I have to find some way to squelch. The thing that bugs me the most is it shouldn't be such a big deal, but yet it has really affected me. I am going to go to a support group next month and figure it all out! I have never seen myself relying on support from anyone, but I need some help sorting this thing out!

Moving on:

It is almost Christmas! Can you believe we don't even have our tree up? Tonight I went in the attic and got a wreath to hang on the front of the house just so our neighbors don't think we have absconded tradition and are skipping Christmas this year. Of course, I really want to put my energy in focusing on the true meaning of Christmas. I want to rethink the way we do things here! I want some new traditions. Ones that use less money and are more meaningful, and teach the kids to be less selfish. I have a friend that has been doing this for a few years now. Instead of giving actual gifts, she makes a donation to Living Water International in the name of the recipient. Another thing she does is found here: www.rethinkingchristmas.com. Yet another friend is involved with this new movement: http://www.adventconspiracy.org/blog/ These are my PRE-Christmas wishes. Wish me luck!!

happy birthday little bear

22 october 2009

Once upon a time, there was this little bear who lived with his mama and papa. he loved anything electric. his first words were light and fan. everywhere he went, as a toddler, he would look for electronics, and try to play with them. he could sit for hours playing with an unplugged telephone, or a mouse, or a keyboard. as he grew, he started to take things apart and fix them. Once, he took a digital camera apart to see why it wouldn't work anymore. he got an electronic set for his 8th birthday and made lots of simple circuits with them, but soon he started taking laptop computers apart (with a little help) to fix them. he had become so enamored with electronics, that he decided that one day he'd get a job with apple computers as a design technician or engineer. he just loved computers so much that he wanted to use them all the time. he did anything to be able to play on the computer. now, this little bear was such a good bear. he always did what he was told and always tried to help his mama with anything he could. he'd mow the grass and take out the trash, wash the dishes and feed the fishes, clean his room and even use the broom...anything for his mama...always secretly hoping she'd let him play on the computer. So finally it was his birthday and she let him play all the computer games he wanted to, but instead he chose to play with his little sister. what a nice little bear!
the end!

Well, it is your 11th birthday and you are sweeter than ever! I Love you, little bear! (i promise i will stop calling you that when you turn 12!)

thank you for:

• making me laugh!
• making me so grateful to be your mother!
• helping me when i need it!
• helping even when i don't need it!
• being kind to your brothers and sisters!
• being a good sport!
• doing your best in everything you do!
• keeping me company when i'm sad or lonely!
• being easy to teach!
  
• loving math and reading!
• being good and helpful at school!
• singing and playing the piano so nicely!
• always smiling!
• being honest and true!
• loving Jesus and His gospel!
• being a good example!
  
• being patient!
• being you!

getting physical

i had the pleasure of going to a physical therapist today. i didn't really know what my doctor was thinking sending me to PT even though we have determined the reason for all my pain is extreme ANEMIA!!!! he doesn't know what is causing the anemia, but i have been taking LOTS of tests to figure it out. so far, we have ruled out: lupus, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. still on the list: ms, three different dysplasias, cancer, and celiac's sprue, which is IN the family. (I'm pulling for the CELIAC'S SPRUE, personally) so, with my current diagnosis, i am on 325 mg of ferrous sulfate three times daily.

WHAT A JOY!

as for the Physical Therapy, what a great idea!! it was nice to have someone tell me:
-that my core muscle strength is the equivalent of a sixty year old (just call me granny)
-that sometimes moms lose their pregnancy weight, but don't strengthen their core muscles (wonder how this happens?)
-that if i didn't get in-shape, the pain will only get worse
-that my posture is poor and need to improve it
-that "for having five kids, [i] wasn't that bad" (i think this was supposed to be a compliment)
-that buying some$250 sneakers might be the best answer to my problem (who does she really work for?)

i am so excited to have someone tell me how to get in shape. really, it isn't that bad, considering if i do my part, i will soon be more comfortable and pain-free. plus, i would rather get in-shape now, rather than wait until i can't move at all.

monkey dreams

A conversation I just had with Ben.

B: Mama, how did Mogli (he watched the Jungle Book last night) get to where he could jump from way up high like that?
Me: He was raised by wild animals and he became really strong, and had to be quick to stay alive...(then I remembered who I was talking to. Ben thinks he can do anything). Weeeell, Actually that was just a movie and he had ropes attached to him to keep him safe when he jumped.
B: Well, I still think I could learn to jump from way up high. Can we bring the ladder inside?
Me: No, little kids actually break arms and legs by jumping from way up high.
B: But I will start low and work up.
Me: naugh, maybe you ought to stick to cart wheels.
B: (with a very wistful look) Well, maybe I'll start looking for a monkey village. I want to meet a bunch of monkeys. (then he started jumping up and down, screeching like a monkey and clapping hands)

son of my right hand

Benjamin in Hebrew means son of my right hand. And this kid lives up to that definition. He is constantly by my side telling me all sorts of funny and serious things. He is always on the look-out for ways to help me. He is such a funny kid. One thing I really like about him is he puts his heart into everything he does. He won't even stop to pull up his pants if he is busy building sand castles. {He will probably be upset with me in ten years for posting this...right now, he could care less}






Another thing I like about him is his willingness to share anything and everything he has. He has given countless "treasures" to friends and cousins. All without asking anything in return. Just today, he gave a hard earned penguin trinket to a friend that was visiting us today. He ran extra laps at running club to earn this special piece of prized plastic and he gave it away. He has given his favorite Thomas the tank engine back pack to his cousin, his candies from school to his siblings, he even tried to give another cousin his favorite toy (space shuttle) that he plays with daily. He likes things, but he tells me he likes to share with people more.






Another thing: This guy sings ALL THE TIME! He has a lower tenor voice and has vibrato (at the right spots) and can really belt it when he wants to. I absolutely LOVE listening to him. His favorite songs to sing are Bella Noche, I can't wait to be King, and any of the primary songs. Plus he makes up little songs too. Yesterday he sang a song he made up and it was so precious. After he sang it he said, "Mama, do you like the song I pulled out of my head?"







He is my dreamer, too. He has dreams every night and loves to tell them to me each morning. I'll never forget the night he dreamt about a large snake that was trying to gobble him up...it was SO real to him. Lately, he has been dreaming about our house being on fire. What is so sweet is he always comes to rescue Sarah. (he is so gentle and patient with her {most of the time}).





His birthday is coming up in a few weeks and I can't help but remember when I was pregnant with him, the doctors told me he wouldn't make it. That I was so sick that he would most likely spontaneously abort. That if he did survive the pregnancy, he would be severely handicapped and retarded. They thought I ought to end the pregnancy for my health and safety. And can I say that I'm so glad I didn't listen to them! What do doctors know? He is neither handicapped nor retarded. He's a normal boy {which means we have our normal allotment of mishaps associated with being a boy}

I am so grateful for Ben, my little blessing!

Silly wabbits!

Look at what my rabbits have been up to:





Those little rascals burrowed out of their pen.






I reached my arm {with camera} deep down into the recesses of the burrow to take these pictures. It was so amazing! I knew that rabbits burrowed, I just haven't seen it before.







They were very sad for me to fill it in with dirt and water (to compact the dirt). I am certain they will do it again!

School...a month late

I feel so bad that I haven't made an entry in so long. Here we are the last day of September and I am finally posting pictures of the first day of school. That was a month ago. PA-THE-TIC! oh well! At least I'm doing it now.

Here is my kinder-boy! Ben LOVES his school, his teacher, his new friends, his back pack, his lunchbox, etc. He loves that he is one of the BIG KIDS! He is even enjoying learning. His favorite time of the day is "choice time", and he usually chooses to play with the pumpkin spice scented play-dough. So he comes home smelling like pumpkin pie.


Yep, she went to school wearing this lovely little head band from the 4th of July parade. Sarah was skeptical of school, but has gotten used to the routine. She goes to her pre-school two hours twice a week and is having a blast playing with her new friends. I am so happy that she has something to do {other than wash windows and vacuum at home}. PLUS it allows me to volunteer at school this year! BONUS!!

Here is the crew coming home from their first day. All went well. Everyone is happy with their new teachers and classes.


They seemed a little aprehensive at the start of the day.

Just checkin' in!

It has been a long time since I've posted anything...it was a busy and long summer! I have so many pictures to download to the computer and share, but it won't happen until I find the special photo card reader. Until then, I will just say, the kids started school this week. Only one kiddo left at home, and she is begging for some school-action. I am planning to start a little joy school thingy for her, if I can find some other stay-at-home moms interested in participating.

Other than that, my super chemist is happy to be working again, and all of us feel so blessed that mommy doesn't have to go get a job! It isn't his "dream job", but it pays our bills. And thank goodness we don't have a car payment or credit card debt. We are living proof that if you obey the counsel of the brethren and stay out of debt, you will be better off when hard times hit.

Suuuu-ma-ti-ime, and the livin' is eeeeasy

My garden is GROWING!!!
The key to a successful garden {for me} is an automated sprinkler system and lots of free rabbit manure! (note: black box in corner of garden is my rabbit house. I made it earlier this year and it has become home to Coco and Snowball. It is slowly being overtaken by the neighbor's Passion flower vines, which I think is great because it makes great shade!) The rabbits have a symbiotic relationship with our garden. They make the fertilizer, then eat the goodies from it. (i.e. cabbage, spinach, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.), then make more fertilizer, and...you get the picture! So this is how we grow organic and reduce our carbon feet prints {there ARE 14 of them in this house!!!}





The Big boys went on a four mile roller blade extravaganza yesterday. They went to visit some friends that weren't home, then to mow my husband's aunt's grass that had already been mowed. {we are not sure how her grass got mowed} They had fun raiding her candy cabinet, none the less.

Here is what Miss Moo is up to:


As many of you know, she loooooves to read. She has read 12 small novels since Monday. Her favorite series is The Happy Hollisters. She has nearly read all of the books in the series, {some of them twice} which have around 180 pages each. This doesn't include all the "little" books she reads to her little brother and sister. What do I do with her?!!! I am so very glad she loves reading, but c'mon, there are so many OTHER fun things to do! I guess, once the cousins are around, she will just hang out with them and swim the summer away.



TOP GUNS...got these guns from the roadside {the earliest form of free-cycle}
The kids enjoy them immensely, but I, on the other hand, am ready for them to find a quiet resting place, out of their reach. The gun B is holding was actually hiding out at G-ma & G-pa's house for the last year. Tucked away in an inconspicuous spot in their storage shed. G-pa just grins and changes the subject every time anyone asks if HE was the concealer of such a GREAT toy. Okay, I have just been informed that I have my guns mixed up. The one B is holding is not the famous one that stayed in G-pa's shed. I will have to do another post with a picture of that particular gun. {it is EVEN bigger than both of the ones pictured!}



CAME ACROSS these old pictures of little Saskatoon {one of her many nick names} This was taken at a beach in La Jolla two years ago {we were attending a wedding for one of Bill's friends}. It is hard to believe she was ever so small.




Here is Sar-sauce pretending to be asleep. She calls herself "Rosalia the sleeping baby" {see older post}.



Here she is dancing to daddy's music in my old ballet tutu. It should fit her in approximately ten years.

DUMPSTER DIVIN'

We all enjoyed a lovely day at the community center yesterday with free food, free jump house fun, free crafts, free bike helmets, free concerts, etc. It really was a lot of fun, until 9 pm last night when I asked Aaron where his retainer was...Do I need to say anything more?
NO, he had not seen it since lunch.
Yes, he had worn it there.
NO, he did not put it back in his mouth.
Yes, he remembers putting it in MY pocket.
NO, it wasn't there.
YES, we adorned ourselves with gloves and flashlights, and set off to look for it at 10:20 p.m. YES, we actually looked through approximately 30 bags of icky, slimy, half-eaten food.
YES, we did find it!! I was so relieved to find this $800 mouth restructuring appliance. I was a little mad, too, but mostly happy to have such a supportive husband.(Not every man would help their wives dig through garbage)
You may ask, WHY would the dentist give a retainer to a 10 year old boy?
I must say: I dunno'!!!!

All for the sake of a nicer smile!

I decided to do a little spring cleaning today. I had done quite a bit on Saturday, but decided under my bed was TOO dusty for my liking. So, I decided to move the bed and do a little vacuuming. As I moved the bed, I noticed some red marks on the floor. The more I moved the bed, the more marks showed up. I stopped moving it and decided to take the mattresses off and get a better look at the wheels of the bed. Upon doing this, I found that the three wheels toward the headboard end were covered in a red powder. This was very bizarre because it must have been there since the bed was installed back in 2007 because we had not moved the bed since then.

This is the clothe after cleaning two of the wheels.

Here are some of the better shots I got of the rug. It doesn't appear as bad in the photos as it does in person. The lighting and the camera causes it to look much lighter than it is.


here is a different view of some of the spots.


Yet another view.


In this video, I cleaned the wheels. In the other video, I tried to clean the spots a little. It didn't clean up very well, so I stopped.

More fun videos

Here are two of my monkeys at the park



Here's a video of Grandaddy pushing the little guys on the swings. We had so much fun while mom and dad were here. Miss you guys!

My little lamb

I came across this video of Sarah singing Mary Had a Little Lamb.
She is MY little lamb! Of course, she became indignant as soon as I
told her the next phrase in the song.

Not M.I.A. just busy!

Have four weeks really passed since my last post? I feel like I am in a time-warp.
What a busy four weeks!
Let's see... (if I can remember the order of events)
Week 1.

• We spent time with Lisi and her five kids here in San Jose for their Spring recess.
• We celebrated Grandpa T's birthday by going out to dinner and eating Carvel Ice cream cake.
• We rode Grandpa's bus to the Russell's house in Granite Bay on Conference Saturday and stayed the night.
• Sunday we watched the first session of conference with the Neffs and Russells.
• The Neffs went home just after the first session and we left shortly after.

Week 2.

• the day before Easter, we went to the mall to see some model trains with the Cox's, who treated everyone to Carvel's Ice Cream sundaes.
  
• We spent Easter with my in-laws. We had a lovely ham dinner in which I did nothing to help prepare. {score!} Aaron and Jacob hid eggs for the younger three to hunt. Our hunts are not like other hunts. Ever since our first egg hunt, we have had the kids bring all of their eggs to a common basket and we re-distribute the eggs throughout the lawn, making a never ending hunt for the plastic eggs.

Week 3.

• This was spring break for the kids and we mostly stayed home and played ball and worked different projects around the house.
  
• The kids and I went to a local "TEA" party
• This week also included my 34th Birthday in which we celebrated by going to Taco Bell. (We even ate cookies and had juice...we go all out, here!) Mom and Dad sent some lovely flowers.
  
• We completed two Science fair projects in two days!!! (I consider this a mighty miracle)

Week 4.

• We handed in the projects and attended the Science Fair
• Thursday, we went to the cub scout Blue and Gold Banquet where they served dino-chicken nuggets, baked potatoes, and Jell-O (I love when they have kid-friendly meals at church!!!)
• A friend treated me to a movie The Soloist, and some food at the Cheesecake Factory. (A late birthday present which was unexpected but fun!) When we were leaving the theater, we went out the wrong door and ended up on the roof of the building. To get out, we had to climb from one set of stairs to another, with a drop-off below us. We had a hard time crossing because we couldn't stop laughing. I wish I had taken a camera.

This is Sarah with Pops


The gang eating lunch at the Russell's

Breakfast for fourteen children is quite a sight

Some of the gang after Paul's b-ball game

In the back of Z-bus

waiting for the Chocolate-covered strawberries to be done



That brings us up to date! Except for one little story. Last night, while I was at the movies, William took care of the kids and got them ready for bed. Before putting them in their beds, he showed them a few Youtube videos of things like Britain's Got Talent and Charlotte Church singing, and The Sleeping Beauty(this was not a Disney cartoon BTW!). Now, you might think that's no biggy! BUT he also showed them some videos of dead people that have been embalmed. (What in TAR-nation?) He showed them Eva Peron, a pope, a 40,000 year old wooly mammoth (naturally preserved in ice and found recently), and a little two year old named Rosalia Lombardo, a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty. This last one is so amazingly well preserved that she actually looks like a little girl fast asleep. So here is the conversation that was recounted to me:

William to Sarah: Look, Sarah there is a baby. What is she doing?
Sarah: She's sleeping.
W: Is she going to wake up?
S: No!
W: Why won't she wake up? (he didn't tell her that she had died)
S: She is asleep!
W: But won't she wake up?
S: No! She died! She is stuck in a box.
W: What does it mean to die?
S: When Jesus was put on the cross, he got holes in his hands and feet and died.
W: Did Jesus wake up?
S: Yes, after three days.
W: Will the baby wake up?
S: Jesus will come and pick her up and she will wake up again.

This floored him, and it really amazed me too, that a 2.5 year old could understand the concepts of death and resurrection. I guess she listened to the lesson I gave in Nursery. It is proof that they do listen and do understand all that they are bombarded with. Makes me want to teach her the multiplication tables (just kidding!! but wouldn't it be nice if we could up-load all the information they are to acquire in the next 18 years in the first 2-4 years?)

pictureless post

today was an uneventful day! aren't you so glad you took the time to come to this site and figure that out? I guess I just feel like rambling. What a great place to do that!

I have read some interesting blogs recently.
I have really gotten the BLOG-BUG.
It is so fascinating to me how many people do it.
How many different forums there are.
How many MORMONS are blogging.
How much you can learn.
AND
How much time you can waste.

To think, just a few months ago I was truly oBLOGvious to what the BLOGosphere had in-store for me.

It is the new-age journal with or without pictures and videos.
I love it!

I guess we did plant our garden yesterday. {the weather has been so lovely} we planted zucchini, yellow crook-neck squash, corn, tomatoes (three heirloom varieties), bell peppers, green-leaf lettuce, spinach, green beans, carrots, sugar-snap peas, beets, parsley, dill, cucumbers, and cantaloupe. tomorrow we will plant pumpkins! GOOD EATS!!!

I love to garden!

Monday at our house!

Here is what is going on at our house today:
As you can see, we have a few sick kids watching the tube. Currently, their favorite movie is The Ugly Duckling. I picked it up last year at Target for $1.00!



This is our birthday boy. He is happy with one yellow balloon from Trader Joe's. Jacob will turn nine tomorrow.




Here's a classic Aaron. He just loves to help with anything to do with electricity. We will NEVER have a dead light in the house thanks to him.



Here, we have a five-year-old that likes to pretend he has a real dog. Ben spends a lot of time talking to this little guy. I think he was showing Dame-O
some birds on the fence.



BTW: It is once again a terrific feeling to be wondering when William is coming home from work!

Super Rabbit!!

This is another HARE story.

It is about a boy who loves his Rabs. Coacoa is the sweetest, most gentle, and patient Hare we have ever met. He loves to be carried around like a baby and loves to nuzzle. He also likes to "groom" the kids if they lay on the floor. I don't like him licking them so I have them sit up.


Everybody loves Coacoa!





The kids thought it would be funny to feed him out of the baby potty. Silly boys!!

hair today, gone tomorrow...

Sarah got a new hair-do. Ben started it and I had to finish it. You will see before, during, and after shots of her new look.

The kids watching an airplane in the sky


This is Ben riding in the rain


Sarah in the rain.

This is after Sarah's haircut


This is Ben giving Sarah a haircut. The whole right side was very short

It will grow out in no time!