This may come as a shock to everyone, but there are lots of jobs to do around our house. It's true. Xander loves to help out, but his ability to actually move the work forward is somewhat limited. One job that he can do very well is take messy diapers out to the garbage. He has become our default "dirty-diaper-taker-outer." Now, this job is not really as disgusting as it could be. By the time he receives the package, it has been placed into an old Walmart bag. The bag has been tied up so as to minimize exposure to any toxic contents. All he has to do is hold it by the handles, go outside and to the side of the house and deposit it in the trash can. Not too terrible, right. He often lets us know his displeasure at the assignment, but given the small amount of work he does overall, I'm not that concerned about it.
Apparently he is. Unbeknownst to us, he has begun protesting his lack of union representation through an act of civil disobedience. Taking these bags of human waste with a smile on his face, he has quietly been walking out the back door, stopping on the porch...and tossing them in the window well just to the side of the patio! Monday evening I happened to look down into said window well and there were at least 15 messy diapers piled up down there! I actually impressed myself with my reaction. First, I asked who had done this. Xander admitted it was him and I thanked him for his honesty. I then gave him a bucket and lowered him into the window well to clean up the mess. He pretty much freaked out in fear of spiders and whatever else might dwell down in those depths. I doubt he will ever put another diaper down there again:)
Jer
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Funny, Sweet Kids
Graci picks up some interesting expressions. She often says the word, "Curses!" Tonight we were playing a card game called "Set." (It's a cerebral game which is great for older kids and adults.) I got a point that Graci thought she was going to get. She exlaims: "Curses you! No offense, but Curses You!" No offense taken Grace.
Tonight we cooked out. After we were done with our hotdogs, we cooked s'mores over the grill. Christi says: "Lexi, do you want a s'more?" "No." "Lexi, a s'more is a marshmallow with chocolate." Huge grin: "SURE!"
I love listening to my kids say their prayers. They are so innocent and sweet. Apparently Jesi has recently learned the word, "ability." She went through each of our children in her prayer last night. "Please bless that Elli will have the abilibity to see someday. And please bless that Sophi will have the abilibity to have arms someday in heaven. And please bless that Graci will have the abilibity to have a healthy heart.... You get the idea. She is very sweet. I hope that I can have the abilibity to have the faith of a child.
-Jer
Tonight we cooked out. After we were done with our hotdogs, we cooked s'mores over the grill. Christi says: "Lexi, do you want a s'more?" "No." "Lexi, a s'more is a marshmallow with chocolate." Huge grin: "SURE!"
I love listening to my kids say their prayers. They are so innocent and sweet. Apparently Jesi has recently learned the word, "ability." She went through each of our children in her prayer last night. "Please bless that Elli will have the abilibity to see someday. And please bless that Sophi will have the abilibity to have arms someday in heaven. And please bless that Graci will have the abilibity to have a healthy heart.... You get the idea. She is very sweet. I hope that I can have the abilibity to have the faith of a child.
-Jer
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Some pics from my phone:)
If I had to use one word to describe Lexi, "meek" would be a strong contender. There is something so sweet and accepting about her. She can be a bit demanding when she wants something, but that is at least partly due to the culture change she experienced less than a year ago, not to mention how a lack of vision inhibits her ability to observe how other people interact with each other. Lexi has her MRI:
Lexi can fall asleep anywhere...and frequently does. The other day on the floor of the living room:
Graci had a school assignment last year where she was supposed to dress up as a historical figure, real or fictional. Christi is the master of coming up with a fantastic project from virtually nothing. Thinking through wardrobe choices, Christi thought of Graci's "Make-a-Wish" dress. By putting it on backwards, the ties would look like something from the middle ages. Hence, we have...Lady Katherine Rose. (A name Graci came up with herself:)
Jesi receives her t-ball trophy this year. You've never seen a cuter player:)
Sophi with her cousin, Katie Rose, at our annual family reunion. This year we were at Island Park, ID:
Taylor had a birthday party at the park this year. They played night games and had tons of fun:
Graci goes in for her back surgery. What a cutie:)
Christi goes back for her appendectomy. She's not quite as at peace with this process as Graci seemed to be:)
(Almost) All of Grandma and Grandpa Nelson's grandkids. Just missing the youngest two (Soph was taking a nap).
Grandma Nelson with three sleepy girls:
Taylor and Parker visit the "Up!" house. This was part of the Salt Lake Parade of Homes. The interior was decorated just like the movie. VERY cute!
-Jer
Lexi can fall asleep anywhere...and frequently does. The other day on the floor of the living room:
Graci had a school assignment last year where she was supposed to dress up as a historical figure, real or fictional. Christi is the master of coming up with a fantastic project from virtually nothing. Thinking through wardrobe choices, Christi thought of Graci's "Make-a-Wish" dress. By putting it on backwards, the ties would look like something from the middle ages. Hence, we have...Lady Katherine Rose. (A name Graci came up with herself:)
Jesi receives her t-ball trophy this year. You've never seen a cuter player:)
Sophi with her cousin, Katie Rose, at our annual family reunion. This year we were at Island Park, ID:
Taylor had a birthday party at the park this year. They played night games and had tons of fun:
Graci goes in for her back surgery. What a cutie:)
Christi goes back for her appendectomy. She's not quite as at peace with this process as Graci seemed to be:)
(Almost) All of Grandma and Grandpa Nelson's grandkids. Just missing the youngest two (Soph was taking a nap).
Grandma Nelson with three sleepy girls:
Taylor and Parker visit the "Up!" house. This was part of the Salt Lake Parade of Homes. The interior was decorated just like the movie. VERY cute!
-Jer
Friday, September 9, 2011
Cereal Box Saga
Teri, I’m seriously considering your offer. (:
After reading Jeremy’s posts I committed to not make the Walmart runs quite so frequent. As I was first reading them, I thought he was stretching things a bit, but the more I thought through the last couple of weeks, I realized he wasn’t stretching it at all—I had been calling him daily asking him to pick up various items. Yesterday I was determined that we would go Walmart-free. (: I guess that’s just not in the cards for us right now…
Let me backtrack… Wednesday after school, Parker told me he had to decorate a cereal box into a “writing box.” Ah… the first school project! (Actually, as I type that, I realize that’s not true. We’ve already decorated paper dolls for the first graders.) Anyway… I told him to call Jer, because he had already mentioned he was stopping at Walmart after work. (Surprise, surprise.) By the way, not all of these shopping trips have been for food. Sometimes it’s a “Mom, I need a padlock for PE,” or “Mom, we’re supposed to bring a different kind of notebook than what you bought,” or “Mom, I need a zippered pencil box I can put in my folder.” You get the idea…
So anyway, Parker called his dad and asked for a cereal box. It was kind of strange that he had to do this in the first place, as we are a cereal family. We ALWAYS have cereal. TONS of it. But we always stock up when there are big cereal sales and fill the storage room shelves full of it, and it has been a long time since there was a big sale. Currently, we only have the Malt-o-Meal bagged kind.
When Jeremy came home with two boxes of Cracklin Oat Bran, I was so excited. My favorite cereal, hands down. (Even though when we have brought it to church in baggies as a snack, children have been known to ask, “Why are those kids eating dog food?”)
The only problem with this cereal is the size of the box—too small for Parker’s project. Of course. So that evening, after his church meeting, Jer stopped at the store once again. This time he got Lucky Charms. We never get Lucky Charms, at least the brand name, so Parker was excited not only about the size of the box, but for the cereal itself. Score.
Except for one thing. The power went out. His idea to decorate the box from pictures on our computer wouldn’t work. And at this point, I was getting frustrated. It was late, he was supposed to be in bed, and we were working by the light of a candle. We tried some different ideas, but nothing was working. I finally told him he would just have to ask if he could have one more day. It was at this point that he decided to tell me, “Well, I guess that might work, ‘cause I don’t even know if it’s due tomorrow.” Thanks for telling me that NOW, sweet boy!
As it turns out, it wasn’t due until Friday, so we did have another day. And, you’re going to laugh… as I told him to fetch the Lucky Charms box last night so we could get started, Jeremy walked in holding it saying, “You mean, this box?” The box he was referring to was indeed the correct box. Except it had been completely cut up by none other than our sweet Graci. In her defense, she was only following the directions on the back of the box, which was to cut it up to create some sort of game.
At this point, the littles were already in bed and I was already out of gas. Like I said, I was committed to not make any more trips to the store, so I told Parker he would just have to borrow a box from a neighbor. Our cute Parker hates to do things like this, but I told him he would just have to be a man and do it. He went to our next door neighbor. He’s the nicest guy in the world, even if his rooster does wake us up in the morning. (As a side note, that should end today, as he has told us that rooster is their dinner tonight. Whew.) Parker came back with a cereal box, but once again, it was too small. He begged me to go the store, but I said we’d just have to try another neighbor. This time I called first and specified it had to be a big box. He went over to get it. Rice Krispies. In a big box. Except even though it was big (very tall) it wasn’t quite wide enough. Oh well, it would have to work.
We get to work on the computer picking out pictures. His idea was to put funny, crazy pictures of our family all over the box, collage style, with a caption that said, “I get my writing ideas from my unique family.” Pretty cute! We had a ball picking out silly pictures, and stayed up a bit too late doing so. We finally sent the pictures to the printer. After one page printed, the printer stopped. Two cartridges were out of ink. No problem, I think. Jeremy’s always got spares on hand. Except of course, tonight he didn’t. Which meant…
Another trip to Walmart.
Actually, I tried for Smith's first (it's closer) but of course, they didn't have the correct kind of cartridges. I did however, get a box of Corn Flakes that was just the right size!
Luckily, as I was at Walmart walking down the aisles like a zombie, I called my mom, who mentioned the fact that Elli’s birthday is today. A fact I already knew, and had thought of all week, but had spaced that whole day. I needed to get her present and little noise makers to share with her class, making it a good thing that I ended up at Walmart after all. (:
I shouldn’t admit that I sent Parker to bed and stayed up gluing the pictures on the box myself. I usually don’t do homework projects for my kids, but he needed his sleep and the whole thing really wasn’t his fault. It turned out pretty cute!
If you're keeping track, these are the cereal boxes we went through: Cracklin Oat Bran (1st trip to the store), Lucky Charms (2nd trip to the store), Honey Bunches of Oats (neighbor), Rice Krispies (other neighbor), and the winner, good old Corn Flakes. (:
So what do you think, can we make it today without visiting our second home???
--Christianne
PS. I’ll try to come back later to blog Elli’s birthday. We sure love you, birthday girl!!
After reading Jeremy’s posts I committed to not make the Walmart runs quite so frequent. As I was first reading them, I thought he was stretching things a bit, but the more I thought through the last couple of weeks, I realized he wasn’t stretching it at all—I had been calling him daily asking him to pick up various items. Yesterday I was determined that we would go Walmart-free. (: I guess that’s just not in the cards for us right now…
Let me backtrack… Wednesday after school, Parker told me he had to decorate a cereal box into a “writing box.” Ah… the first school project! (Actually, as I type that, I realize that’s not true. We’ve already decorated paper dolls for the first graders.) Anyway… I told him to call Jer, because he had already mentioned he was stopping at Walmart after work. (Surprise, surprise.) By the way, not all of these shopping trips have been for food. Sometimes it’s a “Mom, I need a padlock for PE,” or “Mom, we’re supposed to bring a different kind of notebook than what you bought,” or “Mom, I need a zippered pencil box I can put in my folder.” You get the idea…
So anyway, Parker called his dad and asked for a cereal box. It was kind of strange that he had to do this in the first place, as we are a cereal family. We ALWAYS have cereal. TONS of it. But we always stock up when there are big cereal sales and fill the storage room shelves full of it, and it has been a long time since there was a big sale. Currently, we only have the Malt-o-Meal bagged kind.
When Jeremy came home with two boxes of Cracklin Oat Bran, I was so excited. My favorite cereal, hands down. (Even though when we have brought it to church in baggies as a snack, children have been known to ask, “Why are those kids eating dog food?”)
The only problem with this cereal is the size of the box—too small for Parker’s project. Of course. So that evening, after his church meeting, Jer stopped at the store once again. This time he got Lucky Charms. We never get Lucky Charms, at least the brand name, so Parker was excited not only about the size of the box, but for the cereal itself. Score.
Except for one thing. The power went out. His idea to decorate the box from pictures on our computer wouldn’t work. And at this point, I was getting frustrated. It was late, he was supposed to be in bed, and we were working by the light of a candle. We tried some different ideas, but nothing was working. I finally told him he would just have to ask if he could have one more day. It was at this point that he decided to tell me, “Well, I guess that might work, ‘cause I don’t even know if it’s due tomorrow.” Thanks for telling me that NOW, sweet boy!
As it turns out, it wasn’t due until Friday, so we did have another day. And, you’re going to laugh… as I told him to fetch the Lucky Charms box last night so we could get started, Jeremy walked in holding it saying, “You mean, this box?” The box he was referring to was indeed the correct box. Except it had been completely cut up by none other than our sweet Graci. In her defense, she was only following the directions on the back of the box, which was to cut it up to create some sort of game.
At this point, the littles were already in bed and I was already out of gas. Like I said, I was committed to not make any more trips to the store, so I told Parker he would just have to borrow a box from a neighbor. Our cute Parker hates to do things like this, but I told him he would just have to be a man and do it. He went to our next door neighbor. He’s the nicest guy in the world, even if his rooster does wake us up in the morning. (As a side note, that should end today, as he has told us that rooster is their dinner tonight. Whew.) Parker came back with a cereal box, but once again, it was too small. He begged me to go the store, but I said we’d just have to try another neighbor. This time I called first and specified it had to be a big box. He went over to get it. Rice Krispies. In a big box. Except even though it was big (very tall) it wasn’t quite wide enough. Oh well, it would have to work.
We get to work on the computer picking out pictures. His idea was to put funny, crazy pictures of our family all over the box, collage style, with a caption that said, “I get my writing ideas from my unique family.” Pretty cute! We had a ball picking out silly pictures, and stayed up a bit too late doing so. We finally sent the pictures to the printer. After one page printed, the printer stopped. Two cartridges were out of ink. No problem, I think. Jeremy’s always got spares on hand. Except of course, tonight he didn’t. Which meant…
Another trip to Walmart.
Actually, I tried for Smith's first (it's closer) but of course, they didn't have the correct kind of cartridges. I did however, get a box of Corn Flakes that was just the right size!
Luckily, as I was at Walmart walking down the aisles like a zombie, I called my mom, who mentioned the fact that Elli’s birthday is today. A fact I already knew, and had thought of all week, but had spaced that whole day. I needed to get her present and little noise makers to share with her class, making it a good thing that I ended up at Walmart after all. (:
I shouldn’t admit that I sent Parker to bed and stayed up gluing the pictures on the box myself. I usually don’t do homework projects for my kids, but he needed his sleep and the whole thing really wasn’t his fault. It turned out pretty cute!
If you're keeping track, these are the cereal boxes we went through: Cracklin Oat Bran (1st trip to the store), Lucky Charms (2nd trip to the store), Honey Bunches of Oats (neighbor), Rice Krispies (other neighbor), and the winner, good old Corn Flakes. (:
So what do you think, can we make it today without visiting our second home???
--Christianne
PS. I’ll try to come back later to blog Elli’s birthday. We sure love you, birthday girl!!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
PS
A funny? side note...When I came home from Walmart last night, Christi saw the chili-chocolate bar in the bag. Knowing that I shouldn't eat it, she snatched it away and ran, trying to hide it from me. I was too quick for her and grabbed her arm. She called out to Taylor to come into the room so she could toss it to him. He didn't hear. I finally got it back from her, but not before my elbow accidentally smacked her nose. So now she has a broken toe, a broken tailbone, and maybe a broken nose...
Walking Walmart
Some people have to go the gym every day to get a workout. Me? I just count my daily trip to Walmart. Well, I do try to get to the rec center regularly, but I really do go Walmart almost every day. It's kind of crazy. It's never been this way before. But there's something about making seven school lunches that changes things a bit. There are certain types of items that just work well for a school lunch. If we're all eating at home, we can make a big pot of spaghetti or warm up leftovers for lunch. But when I'm packing for the kids I try to put in a sandwich, fruit, some kind of dessert, pretzels or chips or crackers. Then there's the snacks for the 1st and 2nd graders. And we just blow through it so fast. Plus, our pantry is tiny, so we can't stock up too much. I'm sure we'll get the purchasing down better as we go along:)
Yesterday as I wrote I forgot to mention one thing. I really enjoy making lunches for the kids. At one point, Christi and I talked about how much we actually save packing them instead of buying hot lunches. It's not that much. On an hourly basis, I'm probably making less than minimum wage by preparing them myself. But I really do enjoy it. It puts me right in the middle of the morning school rush with the kids. I enjoy getting them all packed up and waving to them as they run out to their carpool. They're good kids!
Abrupt topic change: why is it so hard to lose weight?!? I've been between 220 and 226 for a long time. Years. I know I should be around 190. So why don't I just do it? I did get down to 190 about 7 years ago. That lasted about three months. I feel so much better when I eat healthy and drop a few pounds. And then there's the other end of things. Mornings like today, when I have what a friend of mine calls a "fat-boy hangover." I've never had a real hangover, so I don't know what it feels like. But it can't feel a whole lot worse than this. I woke up at about 4am with some wicked heartburn, and it's still with me. Plus a headache. I just drowned my sorrows in a cup of alka seltzer. I use different remedies depending on what we have around. Christi's favorite is when I drink pepto straight from the bottle. She tells me it's hot when I do that:) So what did I ingest yesterday to precipitate this type of misery? Well, I started out very well. (I start basically every day thinking this will be the day that I really begin to eat healthy. And I'm not necessarily talking about a super-calorie-restrictive diet. I'm just talking about healthy.) By lunch time I had had a bowl of oatmeal, a banana, a tuna sandwich on whole wheat and some almonds. Pretty good. Then I got the cravings. Through the rest of the day, in addition to a good sized dinner, I had a large Butterfinger Sonic Blast (similar to a Dairy Queen Blizzard) a Skor bar, two bowls of Cracklin' Oat Bran and a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. And my bowls of cereal aren't exactly small. Then, just to top it off, I had to make a SECOND stop at Walmart to pick up something for a school project for Parker. Of course I meandered down the candy aisle. Actually, there was no meandering about it. I knew exactly what I wanted. Have you ever had chocolate infused with chili pepper. Sounds strange if you haven't had it, but it's actually quite delicious. But it's a "gourmet" chocolate item, so it only comes in the giant sized bars. It is dark chocolate though, so of course it has some healthy anti-oxidants in it, right? (Yes, I realize that is pathetic:) And so I proceeded to eat 75% of that giant chocolate bar to end the night off. And that, folks, is a great recipe for a "fat-boy hangover." May you never suffer through the consequences of such a binge. Actually, may I never suffer through the consequences of such a binge. You're on your own!
Jer
Yesterday as I wrote I forgot to mention one thing. I really enjoy making lunches for the kids. At one point, Christi and I talked about how much we actually save packing them instead of buying hot lunches. It's not that much. On an hourly basis, I'm probably making less than minimum wage by preparing them myself. But I really do enjoy it. It puts me right in the middle of the morning school rush with the kids. I enjoy getting them all packed up and waving to them as they run out to their carpool. They're good kids!
Abrupt topic change: why is it so hard to lose weight?!? I've been between 220 and 226 for a long time. Years. I know I should be around 190. So why don't I just do it? I did get down to 190 about 7 years ago. That lasted about three months. I feel so much better when I eat healthy and drop a few pounds. And then there's the other end of things. Mornings like today, when I have what a friend of mine calls a "fat-boy hangover." I've never had a real hangover, so I don't know what it feels like. But it can't feel a whole lot worse than this. I woke up at about 4am with some wicked heartburn, and it's still with me. Plus a headache. I just drowned my sorrows in a cup of alka seltzer. I use different remedies depending on what we have around. Christi's favorite is when I drink pepto straight from the bottle. She tells me it's hot when I do that:) So what did I ingest yesterday to precipitate this type of misery? Well, I started out very well. (I start basically every day thinking this will be the day that I really begin to eat healthy. And I'm not necessarily talking about a super-calorie-restrictive diet. I'm just talking about healthy.) By lunch time I had had a bowl of oatmeal, a banana, a tuna sandwich on whole wheat and some almonds. Pretty good. Then I got the cravings. Through the rest of the day, in addition to a good sized dinner, I had a large Butterfinger Sonic Blast (similar to a Dairy Queen Blizzard) a Skor bar, two bowls of Cracklin' Oat Bran and a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. And my bowls of cereal aren't exactly small. Then, just to top it off, I had to make a SECOND stop at Walmart to pick up something for a school project for Parker. Of course I meandered down the candy aisle. Actually, there was no meandering about it. I knew exactly what I wanted. Have you ever had chocolate infused with chili pepper. Sounds strange if you haven't had it, but it's actually quite delicious. But it's a "gourmet" chocolate item, so it only comes in the giant sized bars. It is dark chocolate though, so of course it has some healthy anti-oxidants in it, right? (Yes, I realize that is pathetic:) And so I proceeded to eat 75% of that giant chocolate bar to end the night off. And that, folks, is a great recipe for a "fat-boy hangover." May you never suffer through the consequences of such a binge. Actually, may I never suffer through the consequences of such a binge. You're on your own!
Jer
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Dab makes lunches!
Sophi call me "Dab." She can say "Daddy," but can't seem to put the "d" sound on the end of a word. This morning she sees me stumble into the kitchen to make seven lunches for our fantastic kids. "Dab?" she hollers out. "Yes?" I respond. "Morning, Dab." She truly is amazing, just the way she is:)
I grew up in a family where if you were served food, you ate it. Period. With a smile on your face and gratitude in your heart. (And for the record, that would still be my policy, if it were mine to make.) Christi grew up in a home where if you had different taste preferences, the head chef would make something different for you. (Which, for the record, is a very loving way to cook for your kids.) Early in our marriage, I tried to curb Christi's tendency to cater to the individual culinary appetites of our individual children. We had some "discussions" on this topic. I finally came to the realization that if someone is willing to cook 99% of the meals for me and my family, I better shut my mouth and let her cook whatever she wants for whomever she wants. (This is similar to the realization I came to that if someone is going to do my laundry, I better not complain that the shirts are hung up facing left instead of right. But I digress.) I will say that on the rare occasion that I do cook, the kids know that they will eat what is served to them. Period. With a smile on their face. Chili and pears from a can are AWESOME. Now eat!!! Actually, I've become a bit of a softie myself. For example, when I make mac and cheese, I will hold out some of the macaroni before I add the cheese. This is for Jesi, who likes it with spaghetti sauce. Anyway, you get the idea.
So when making lunches for seven kids who are used to being served foods that they personally prefer, there are a lot of things to remember. Graci won't eat chocolate. Jesi will only accept a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. No tuna. No turkey. No peanut butter and honey. And it has to be seedless jelly. Grape is best. Taylor prefers white bread for his sandwiches. Unless it's tuna. Then he prefers wheat. And the tuna has to made with fat free Thousand Island dressing. Not mayo. Graci prefers turkey, but will eat peanut butter and jelly. Especially if it's raspberry jam. But if you put it on wheat bread, she will only take about one bite of it. Parker wants ranch on both sides of his Turkey sandwich along with cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles. Taylor wants turkey AND ham (two slices of turkey, one of ham) with mustard on both sides, cheese and lettuce. NO TOMATO! Graci only wants a little ranch on one side, lettuce and cheese. Taylor prefers plain old traditional potato chips. No Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos, sour cream and onion or barbecue for him. He will settle for Sun Chips if that's all there is. Graci prefers Cool Ranch Doritos, Cheetos, Regular Doritos and Sun Chips. In that order. Elli will only eat a sandwich if it the second Tuesday after the full moon. Chips are the third Friday. She does better with a granola bar and pretzels. Got all that and have an hour a day to spare? You're hired!!!
Jer
I grew up in a family where if you were served food, you ate it. Period. With a smile on your face and gratitude in your heart. (And for the record, that would still be my policy, if it were mine to make.) Christi grew up in a home where if you had different taste preferences, the head chef would make something different for you. (Which, for the record, is a very loving way to cook for your kids.) Early in our marriage, I tried to curb Christi's tendency to cater to the individual culinary appetites of our individual children. We had some "discussions" on this topic. I finally came to the realization that if someone is willing to cook 99% of the meals for me and my family, I better shut my mouth and let her cook whatever she wants for whomever she wants. (This is similar to the realization I came to that if someone is going to do my laundry, I better not complain that the shirts are hung up facing left instead of right. But I digress.) I will say that on the rare occasion that I do cook, the kids know that they will eat what is served to them. Period. With a smile on their face. Chili and pears from a can are AWESOME. Now eat!!! Actually, I've become a bit of a softie myself. For example, when I make mac and cheese, I will hold out some of the macaroni before I add the cheese. This is for Jesi, who likes it with spaghetti sauce. Anyway, you get the idea.
So when making lunches for seven kids who are used to being served foods that they personally prefer, there are a lot of things to remember. Graci won't eat chocolate. Jesi will only accept a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. No tuna. No turkey. No peanut butter and honey. And it has to be seedless jelly. Grape is best. Taylor prefers white bread for his sandwiches. Unless it's tuna. Then he prefers wheat. And the tuna has to made with fat free Thousand Island dressing. Not mayo. Graci prefers turkey, but will eat peanut butter and jelly. Especially if it's raspberry jam. But if you put it on wheat bread, she will only take about one bite of it. Parker wants ranch on both sides of his Turkey sandwich along with cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles. Taylor wants turkey AND ham (two slices of turkey, one of ham) with mustard on both sides, cheese and lettuce. NO TOMATO! Graci only wants a little ranch on one side, lettuce and cheese. Taylor prefers plain old traditional potato chips. No Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos, sour cream and onion or barbecue for him. He will settle for Sun Chips if that's all there is. Graci prefers Cool Ranch Doritos, Cheetos, Regular Doritos and Sun Chips. In that order. Elli will only eat a sandwich if it the second Tuesday after the full moon. Chips are the third Friday. She does better with a granola bar and pretzels. Got all that and have an hour a day to spare? You're hired!!!
Jer
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Happy Birthday, Sophi!
Our little Sophi bear turned three on Sunday. I can't stand how fast she is growing up! She was treated to breakfast in bed (oatmeal, yogurt, and chocolate milk), small gifts from all the kids, and lots and lots of “Happy Birthday” songs. Of course, she LOVED all the attention.
As I think back on the story of Sophi, and the great leap of faith it took to pursue her adoption while already in the process of adopting Lexi, my heart is filled with gratitude. I am so grateful for the promptings of the Spirit that led us say “yes” to this little girl. We cannot imagine our lives without this precious daughter of God, and we are so humbled that she is ours.
A few things about Sophi:
She knows how to use the potty, and if we take her often enough, will stay dry. However she is terrified of wearing underwear, so I think it will be awhile before potty training is complete. Sophi isn’t picky, but especially loves fruit, sweets, and yogurt. She loves playing with her baby dolls. She is very particular about her bedtime routine. She needs both Minnies, both babies, her blanket, a sippy cup with ice water, and Aquaphor on her legs (for her eczema). You have to sing her “Jingle Bells” while dancing the two Minnies to the beat. (I think it’s her favorite song because we adopted her at Christmastime, so it was the first song she learned.) She says her prayers by herself. Then she wants a “poof story.” Which is basically a made-up story with lots of “poofs” in the middle, where crazy or funny things happen or someone unexpected shows up. I think we learned this from the Merediths. (: Sophi is starting to talk so much more, putting together short sentences and communicating most of her needs. She loves to go places, and starts begging to go as soon as she hears keys. She is a pro at whining, but is usually good to change her ways with a little reminder to talk nicely. She is amazing at figuring out ways to accomplish what she wants. For instance, she might put a wrapper in her mouth and walk to the garbage to spit it out. She is getting so adept at walking, but will sometimes take a spill, and it’s heartbreaking to watch her, because she can’t catch herself like most of us can. She sprained her weak ankle last Thursday and so is mostly scooting right now. ): Sophi started preschool today. She will go two days a week for two hours. It’s an early intervention preschool that is just fabulous, but I must say it was so tough to walk away to her screams! I am praying she will adjust quickly and that it will be a wonderful experience for her. (And that I can get a bit more organzized!) Sophi has a new "smile" where she scrunches up her nose and squints her eyes anytime there's a camera around. She is so loved by her brothers and sisters and they take such good care of her. Her nicknames are Soph, Sophs, Sophi Bre, and Butterfly.
Happy Birthday, Sophia Breanne!
I was at the store buying stuff to make a cake, and when I went to get the ice cream, saw these premade Pepperidge Farm cakes on sale "buy one get one free." They looked so yummy, so I put the other stuff back and got them instead. While it was nice to not have to bake, these are not as tasty as you would think for Pepperidge Farm. (:
The kids were babysitting Soph while Jer and I were busy, and this is how we found her on the couch.
As I think back on the story of Sophi, and the great leap of faith it took to pursue her adoption while already in the process of adopting Lexi, my heart is filled with gratitude. I am so grateful for the promptings of the Spirit that led us say “yes” to this little girl. We cannot imagine our lives without this precious daughter of God, and we are so humbled that she is ours.
A few things about Sophi:
She knows how to use the potty, and if we take her often enough, will stay dry. However she is terrified of wearing underwear, so I think it will be awhile before potty training is complete. Sophi isn’t picky, but especially loves fruit, sweets, and yogurt. She loves playing with her baby dolls. She is very particular about her bedtime routine. She needs both Minnies, both babies, her blanket, a sippy cup with ice water, and Aquaphor on her legs (for her eczema). You have to sing her “Jingle Bells” while dancing the two Minnies to the beat. (I think it’s her favorite song because we adopted her at Christmastime, so it was the first song she learned.) She says her prayers by herself. Then she wants a “poof story.” Which is basically a made-up story with lots of “poofs” in the middle, where crazy or funny things happen or someone unexpected shows up. I think we learned this from the Merediths. (: Sophi is starting to talk so much more, putting together short sentences and communicating most of her needs. She loves to go places, and starts begging to go as soon as she hears keys. She is a pro at whining, but is usually good to change her ways with a little reminder to talk nicely. She is amazing at figuring out ways to accomplish what she wants. For instance, she might put a wrapper in her mouth and walk to the garbage to spit it out. She is getting so adept at walking, but will sometimes take a spill, and it’s heartbreaking to watch her, because she can’t catch herself like most of us can. She sprained her weak ankle last Thursday and so is mostly scooting right now. ): Sophi started preschool today. She will go two days a week for two hours. It’s an early intervention preschool that is just fabulous, but I must say it was so tough to walk away to her screams! I am praying she will adjust quickly and that it will be a wonderful experience for her. (And that I can get a bit more organzized!) Sophi has a new "smile" where she scrunches up her nose and squints her eyes anytime there's a camera around. She is so loved by her brothers and sisters and they take such good care of her. Her nicknames are Soph, Sophs, Sophi Bre, and Butterfly.
Happy Birthday, Sophia Breanne!
I was at the store buying stuff to make a cake, and when I went to get the ice cream, saw these premade Pepperidge Farm cakes on sale "buy one get one free." They looked so yummy, so I put the other stuff back and got them instead. While it was nice to not have to bake, these are not as tasty as you would think for Pepperidge Farm. (:
The kids were babysitting Soph while Jer and I were busy, and this is how we found her on the couch.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Ten p.m. train of thought...
The kids are doing so great in school. I feel we have been blessed with especially good teachers this year. A few weeks before school began, Parker told me he had been praying this summer for a particular teacher. When we found out he had her, we were both seriously overjoyed. He comes home every day and talks about how awesome she is. I could say the same for all of the teachers my elementary kids have. As for middle school, it's different for me to know Taylor and Graci are switching up teachers all day. Definitely good in lots of ways, but it's hard to feel like I don't know the teachers yet. So far, no complaints from them-- so that must be good.
Jen, you asked if I liked school uniforms and the answer is YES! I didn't think I would, but now that we have done it both ways, I wouldn't change it for anything. I love so many things about it, including that my kids can always put their own outfits together, it simplifies things, it unifies the school, it keeps kids from getting judged on their clothing, it keeps kids dressing modestly, I like how the uniforms look, and I think it helps the kids act more professionally. (:
I was able to go into all five of the first grade classrooms and talk about Lexi's blindness and Xander's legs/feet. The kids were so cute and responded very sweetly. Xander was so happy to have me show up and was so matter-of-fact about his condition, much different from last year when he felt more self conscious. Lexi was happy to see me, but told me I wasn't supposed to be at school with her. (: I brought Sophi in and they were especially enamoured with her. The kids asked lots of questions and loved watching her do things with her toes. She was like a little rock star, and had them eating right out of her hands, er, feet. (:
*****
Speaking of Soph-- I took her to Shriner's Hosptial today and she showed off her walking skills. The doctors were duly impressed and are trying to figure out the best way to help even out her legs and give her some stability. We are trying some new shoes with lifts, and they are also making a brace for her. We had a cast made today and should be getting them in a few weeks. I don't think I ever posted a picture of her first shoes made by Shriner's. She used them to practice walking in her walker. Pretty cute, right?
******
Speaking of cute, check out our Jessica in her baptism dress.
Jesi was baptized last Saturday. It was a beautiful service for a beautiful girl. She wore the dress that Rosemary (Jeremy's mother) made for her daughter's baptism over 30 years ago. Graci had worn it for her baptism as well, making it extra special. Jessica was able to choose the program, and she wanted everyone in the family to participate, which I thought was really sweet. Xander was the chorister, I played the piano, Taylor and Parker spotlighted Jessica, Lexi and Sophi bore their testimonies, and Graci gave a prayer. The family sang a song together. My sister-in-law, Megan, gave a wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost and my mom on baptism. Baptisms are such beautiful events. I love the spirit that is there and the sacredness of the ordinance.
Jesi, we are so proud of your decision to follow the Savior into the waters of baptism. We love you with all of our hearts.
Thanks to our wonderful family and friends who came to her baptism.
*****
Speaking of wonderful people, I am feeling so, so much better due to the thoughtful people in my life. The cold I had turned into a sinus infection and bronchitis and the doctor said he was actually going to treat me for pneumonia because he felt that's where it was heading. Dealing with that on top of all the surgery stuff had me feeling so miserable. We continue to be blessed by such good people all around us helping in so many ways. I love the words "The errand of angels is given to women, and this is a gift that as sisters we claim." How grateful I am for the women in my life who have taken on the errand of angels.
*****
Speaking of angels, don't you just love this quote?
"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away." ~Dinah Craik
My Grandma Larsen had that quote up in her home, and as a young girl I committed it to memory because I thought it so beautiful. Today I was thinking of this quote and feeling so grateful for the people in my life that make me feel that kind of comfort. While it's good to weigh words, it is so freeing to have friends who just "get you" to the point where you don't have to worry about coming across the wrong way. I am resolving right now to try even harder to "sift" and to always have that breath of kindness!
*****
And finally, speaking of quotes, some of my favorite have come from Time Out for Women conferences. And, crazy enough, our blog has been featured this week on the Time Out for Women website. We are honored! TOFW loves to share stories of inspirational people, and I can't think of anyone more inspirational than our Sophi. (:
TOFW has been a great blessing in my life. I attended events in Nashville when I lived there, and in St. George with my sisters. The speakers there have uplifted and strengthened me-- thank you, TOFW.
Speaking of TIME, I think it's time I went to bed...
Goodnight!
--Christianne
Jen, you asked if I liked school uniforms and the answer is YES! I didn't think I would, but now that we have done it both ways, I wouldn't change it for anything. I love so many things about it, including that my kids can always put their own outfits together, it simplifies things, it unifies the school, it keeps kids from getting judged on their clothing, it keeps kids dressing modestly, I like how the uniforms look, and I think it helps the kids act more professionally. (:
I was able to go into all five of the first grade classrooms and talk about Lexi's blindness and Xander's legs/feet. The kids were so cute and responded very sweetly. Xander was so happy to have me show up and was so matter-of-fact about his condition, much different from last year when he felt more self conscious. Lexi was happy to see me, but told me I wasn't supposed to be at school with her. (: I brought Sophi in and they were especially enamoured with her. The kids asked lots of questions and loved watching her do things with her toes. She was like a little rock star, and had them eating right out of her hands, er, feet. (:
*****
Speaking of Soph-- I took her to Shriner's Hosptial today and she showed off her walking skills. The doctors were duly impressed and are trying to figure out the best way to help even out her legs and give her some stability. We are trying some new shoes with lifts, and they are also making a brace for her. We had a cast made today and should be getting them in a few weeks. I don't think I ever posted a picture of her first shoes made by Shriner's. She used them to practice walking in her walker. Pretty cute, right?
******
Speaking of cute, check out our Jessica in her baptism dress.
Jesi was baptized last Saturday. It was a beautiful service for a beautiful girl. She wore the dress that Rosemary (Jeremy's mother) made for her daughter's baptism over 30 years ago. Graci had worn it for her baptism as well, making it extra special. Jessica was able to choose the program, and she wanted everyone in the family to participate, which I thought was really sweet. Xander was the chorister, I played the piano, Taylor and Parker spotlighted Jessica, Lexi and Sophi bore their testimonies, and Graci gave a prayer. The family sang a song together. My sister-in-law, Megan, gave a wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost and my mom on baptism. Baptisms are such beautiful events. I love the spirit that is there and the sacredness of the ordinance.
Jesi, we are so proud of your decision to follow the Savior into the waters of baptism. We love you with all of our hearts.
Thanks to our wonderful family and friends who came to her baptism.
*****
Speaking of wonderful people, I am feeling so, so much better due to the thoughtful people in my life. The cold I had turned into a sinus infection and bronchitis and the doctor said he was actually going to treat me for pneumonia because he felt that's where it was heading. Dealing with that on top of all the surgery stuff had me feeling so miserable. We continue to be blessed by such good people all around us helping in so many ways. I love the words "The errand of angels is given to women, and this is a gift that as sisters we claim." How grateful I am for the women in my life who have taken on the errand of angels.
*****
Speaking of angels, don't you just love this quote?
"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away." ~Dinah Craik
My Grandma Larsen had that quote up in her home, and as a young girl I committed it to memory because I thought it so beautiful. Today I was thinking of this quote and feeling so grateful for the people in my life that make me feel that kind of comfort. While it's good to weigh words, it is so freeing to have friends who just "get you" to the point where you don't have to worry about coming across the wrong way. I am resolving right now to try even harder to "sift" and to always have that breath of kindness!
*****
And finally, speaking of quotes, some of my favorite have come from Time Out for Women conferences. And, crazy enough, our blog has been featured this week on the Time Out for Women website. We are honored! TOFW loves to share stories of inspirational people, and I can't think of anyone more inspirational than our Sophi. (:
TOFW has been a great blessing in my life. I attended events in Nashville when I lived there, and in St. George with my sisters. The speakers there have uplifted and strengthened me-- thank you, TOFW.
Speaking of TIME, I think it's time I went to bed...
Goodnight!
--Christianne
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Daughters, Daughters everywhere!
It's that time of year again-camping season:) No sports and no coaching from July to November! Eventually I think our boys will insist on playing football, but so far, they have been ok with the "two sports a year" rule. It really has been a good thing for our family to enjoy several months each year with very few structured activities.
Two weekends ago I took Graci, Jesi and Lexi on our second annual Daddy Daughter campout. Last year, Graci pointed out that I took the boys camping more often than the girls, and so a tradition was born. We went to the same campground that we went to last year: Clover Spring Campground. It's a little over an hour to get there, and it's quite a beautiful setting. In the foothills of the rocky mountains, the campground is next to a natural spring that feeds a good-sized river which provides water for a small rural town.
With Graci's back still somewhat sore and Lexi with some obvious limitations, including this being her first ever camping trip, it was up to Jesi and me to pitch the tent. It went pretty well. Jesi is a good sport and always wants to help. After the tent was pitched, we built a fire and had hot dogs, chips and s'mores.
Lexi had really wanted to come, and was happy to be there, but she just didn't get it. The whole evening she just kept asking: "Can I go to bed?" Once she was in bed, the rest of us enjoyed the fading campfire and the brilliant stars. I love camping!!!
That night was pretty terrible. As I was tucking Jesi and Graci in, I had an experience I've never had before. I glanced around the tent with my headlight flashlight on, and caught the bright reflection of two little eyes looking back at me from the corner. A mouse had somehow found it's way into our home for the night. Yikes!!! The girls didn't see it at first, and I tried to keep it that way lest they freak out. Graci kept asking what I was doing as I moved back and forth trying to keep Mr. Mouse on the opposite side of the tent from them. Eventually, they saw it. I was very proud of their reaction. Instead of squealing (like their mother would have), they were enamored with the cute little guy. Graci quickly dubbed him "Melchisedec" after Sara Crewe's pet rat in "The Little Princess," which I am currently reading to the kids. I chased him around the tent for awhile and was finally able to trap him under a pair of Graci's pants and toss him out into the wild from whence he came. A memorable experience. Then came the (lack of) sleep. Jesi kept having some kind of nightmare. She would start calling out in her sleep and I'd jerk awake and have to help calm her down. This wouldn't have been too bad were it not for the fiendish folks in the motorhome across the way. If ever there were people who deserve the cruciatus curse it is those oblivious campers who decide it's ok to run a 500 HP generator ALL NIGHT regardless of how entirely disruptive this is to the sleep of the poor folks who are trying to make it through the night in a tent! (Several alternative courses of action ran through my head as I lay there awake at 3am. Go turn off the generator myself. Pour sand in the gas tank. Etc. Ah, the musings of the sleep-deprived mind.) Enough said. (Taylor, Parker and I just finished the Harry Potter series, if you can't tell:)
The next morning, we had a small breakfast (Dad forgot the eggs!!!) of bacon, zucchini bread and kiwi fruit. Have you ever tried to cook bacon over an open flame on a hot-dog roaster? Don't! Fortunately, we had a frying pan with us for the rest of the bacon:) Before we took down the tent, the girls posed for a couple of photos:
Next we went for a small hike. Inspired by Eric Weihenmayer, who I recently heard speak in person, I decided to have Lexi hike right along with us. I talked her through things, but gave her very little physical help. At first she was nervous on the steep, rough terrain, but once we got going, she really enjoyed it, giggling every time she slipped. I had her hold on to my waistband and just follow me. Good girl, Lex!!!
To end things up, Jesi and I "braved" the cold spring water by dunking our heads in it. I know, a whole two inches, but it really was cold. And to get any deeper would have been pretty challenging without falling in.
So there it is. A great weekend trip. With three of my five daughters. Full of memories to store away now so I can have them years from now when these girls have grown up and gone. "God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December." James M. Barrie. The most powerful experience of this trip for me was on the drive there. We popped in a CD that Graci had received in the hospital. It had pop songs on it that had been redone with kids as the singers. One song hit me so powerfully. It's "Just the Way You Are," by Bruno Mars. I put it as the first song on the playlist for our blog. Listen to the lyrics and think about our girls. There's one line in the second verse that doesn't work for a father singing to his daughter, but other than that, the song perfectly expresses my feelings about my five little girls. Looking only at the physical, my girls have some differences and imperfections. But each one of them, in her own way, is truly amazing--just the way she is!
-Jer
Two weekends ago I took Graci, Jesi and Lexi on our second annual Daddy Daughter campout. Last year, Graci pointed out that I took the boys camping more often than the girls, and so a tradition was born. We went to the same campground that we went to last year: Clover Spring Campground. It's a little over an hour to get there, and it's quite a beautiful setting. In the foothills of the rocky mountains, the campground is next to a natural spring that feeds a good-sized river which provides water for a small rural town.
With Graci's back still somewhat sore and Lexi with some obvious limitations, including this being her first ever camping trip, it was up to Jesi and me to pitch the tent. It went pretty well. Jesi is a good sport and always wants to help. After the tent was pitched, we built a fire and had hot dogs, chips and s'mores.
Lexi had really wanted to come, and was happy to be there, but she just didn't get it. The whole evening she just kept asking: "Can I go to bed?" Once she was in bed, the rest of us enjoyed the fading campfire and the brilliant stars. I love camping!!!
That night was pretty terrible. As I was tucking Jesi and Graci in, I had an experience I've never had before. I glanced around the tent with my headlight flashlight on, and caught the bright reflection of two little eyes looking back at me from the corner. A mouse had somehow found it's way into our home for the night. Yikes!!! The girls didn't see it at first, and I tried to keep it that way lest they freak out. Graci kept asking what I was doing as I moved back and forth trying to keep Mr. Mouse on the opposite side of the tent from them. Eventually, they saw it. I was very proud of their reaction. Instead of squealing (like their mother would have), they were enamored with the cute little guy. Graci quickly dubbed him "Melchisedec" after Sara Crewe's pet rat in "The Little Princess," which I am currently reading to the kids. I chased him around the tent for awhile and was finally able to trap him under a pair of Graci's pants and toss him out into the wild from whence he came. A memorable experience. Then came the (lack of) sleep. Jesi kept having some kind of nightmare. She would start calling out in her sleep and I'd jerk awake and have to help calm her down. This wouldn't have been too bad were it not for the fiendish folks in the motorhome across the way. If ever there were people who deserve the cruciatus curse it is those oblivious campers who decide it's ok to run a 500 HP generator ALL NIGHT regardless of how entirely disruptive this is to the sleep of the poor folks who are trying to make it through the night in a tent! (Several alternative courses of action ran through my head as I lay there awake at 3am. Go turn off the generator myself. Pour sand in the gas tank. Etc. Ah, the musings of the sleep-deprived mind.) Enough said. (Taylor, Parker and I just finished the Harry Potter series, if you can't tell:)
The next morning, we had a small breakfast (Dad forgot the eggs!!!) of bacon, zucchini bread and kiwi fruit. Have you ever tried to cook bacon over an open flame on a hot-dog roaster? Don't! Fortunately, we had a frying pan with us for the rest of the bacon:) Before we took down the tent, the girls posed for a couple of photos:
Next we went for a small hike. Inspired by Eric Weihenmayer, who I recently heard speak in person, I decided to have Lexi hike right along with us. I talked her through things, but gave her very little physical help. At first she was nervous on the steep, rough terrain, but once we got going, she really enjoyed it, giggling every time she slipped. I had her hold on to my waistband and just follow me. Good girl, Lex!!!
To end things up, Jesi and I "braved" the cold spring water by dunking our heads in it. I know, a whole two inches, but it really was cold. And to get any deeper would have been pretty challenging without falling in.
So there it is. A great weekend trip. With three of my five daughters. Full of memories to store away now so I can have them years from now when these girls have grown up and gone. "God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December." James M. Barrie. The most powerful experience of this trip for me was on the drive there. We popped in a CD that Graci had received in the hospital. It had pop songs on it that had been redone with kids as the singers. One song hit me so powerfully. It's "Just the Way You Are," by Bruno Mars. I put it as the first song on the playlist for our blog. Listen to the lyrics and think about our girls. There's one line in the second verse that doesn't work for a father singing to his daughter, but other than that, the song perfectly expresses my feelings about my five little girls. Looking only at the physical, my girls have some differences and imperfections. But each one of them, in her own way, is truly amazing--just the way she is!
-Jer
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