Adventures again.....

THIS IS THE TRUCK IN THE HAND OF

THAT HIT THIS HEAD

WHICH WAS FULL OF CORNBREAD

THAT GOT STUCK DEEP INSIDE

AND BROUGHT THE MEN THAT RIDE WITHIN

Yes, they remembered us from last week. Gabriel is OK, except I've been informed by the ER doc that he has particle pnuemonia- whatever that is. Gabriel and I spent about five hours in the ER. He had his blood drawn twice, got strapped into the baby XRAY thing twice, and had his temp taken rectally four times with never a cry. Just before we left he had to have an antibiotic shot which the tech informed me would burn inside his veins for several minutes. He didn't cry about the shot. About thirty seconds later he started screaming, and he cried about a minute and stopped. The tech said 'that's one tough kid.'

Now I have blogged. Ian's been asking and asking me to put something up. I hardly know what else to say, except that I've got to get my home work done ASAP and get ready for my birthday present this weekend! I'm getting to go on a scrap booking retreat, YEAH!

By the way, this is what Micaela was doing while I was at the ER. I had promised my friend Julie to watch her daughter while she helped a friend. Shea is Micaela's best friend. Micaela was very happy.

Memorial Day Weekend

Becky, Micaela and Nathaniel are proud of their bead necklaces.

Gabe loves corn on the cob.

Science class with daddy. Food coloring and water are a big hit.

We apologize for taking so long to post anything, but we are about to begin another round of college courses (Ian's final semester) and have been boycotting the computer. We had a great weekend. We didn't go anywhere, didn't work, and didn't do any homework. Becky has been reading "Teaching the Trivium" and has been very inspired by it. She has read several chapters to Ian who also enjoys the insight provided by the authors. Ian took apart the weed eater on Saturday to the delight of the children. He had all the parts laid out on the patio while Nathaniel drooled over the "engine". Micaela asked daddy what every part was and what it did and Gabriel just wanted to get in on the grease. He finally fixed it earning him a "manly-man" badge for the weekend. The puppies have been growing rapidly and are a joy to watch. It is late and we are tired so this is ending now, tomorrow I hope to cajole Becky into writing the blog.

We love you all.

Our daily adventure...

Ok, this is pretty embarrassing, I guess. If you'll all remember, we had a gas leak last fall. I've been a little nervous about it ever since. Today I put the kids down for a nap and shut the door (as I always do), and then I decided I would lay down myself and rest. I tried to sleep for about 15 minutes, but I kept hearing the kids playing. I did what every parent should do, right? I got up after about the 50th offense to punish my merrymaking nappers. I opened the door and a terrible rotten egg smell just about knocked me down. Gas. I was afraid. I got the kids out of that room and went to check the closet where our former leak had been. Worse. I got a little scared. I got the kids to wait by the door, grabbed everyone's shoes and went to the back door to get Nathaniel's shoes. I opened the door. The smell was AWFUL. I panicked. I tried to call Ian at work, and couldn't get a hold of him, so... I called 911. Wouldn't you? What if I had fallen asleep and woken up two hours later to find three kids who wouldn't wake up? The fire dept came with their truck which of course was quite a show for the kids. They ran in the house all dressed up, came out, and informed me that they're laying asphalt on the road behind my house. Yeah. I'm a good mom, right!

Recital

This is Micaela ready for rehearsal

This is when they are supposed to be singing, but Micaela thought the black lights (that made their wands glow and the tape on the stage glow) was much more interesting.

Here she is singing 'like a diamond'

This is Micaela pointing her toe. She forgot to point the wand at her toe.

I didn't get Micaela's plie, but you can see she was going to do it.

Micaela performed at her first recital yesterday. There were two showings, but no flash photography, so I have no photos. Sorry! I have a friend who took pictures using a digital camera with a massive lens (as big as Ian's palm). I spent half the time wondering exactly how much light that lens could gather in the dim room. It didn't use flash, but she said she's very slow to email, so I don't know when I'll get the pictures. I have a few of the dress rehearsal, but the lighting was really bad. Micaela's group was first. They were standing on stage when the curtain lifted, and during the rehearsal, they were still playing around with the lights while the little ones practiced.

Her class were twinkle stars. They had black leotards, sheer pink skirts, and sparkly star wands. Their music was Mozart's rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It went through the song twice, and the first time, they were supposed to sing and do hand motions with their wands. The second time they actually had little steps to do. During the first performance, only one girl did any of the hand movements to their song. Micaela was standing on the end of the line away from the teacher (who was hiding in the wings), and she kept leaning out to see what the teacher was doing during the steps. The oldest girl in the class (who is also the shortest) kept telling the girl next to her she was in the wrong spot and pointing at the tape on the stage. It was really cute, but exhibited virtually no skill or design.

Ian and the boys came to the second performance. The girls did much better because their teacher had learned that they needed to practice right before they went on. Micaela did several of the hand motions and all of the steps, but in the wrong direction. She and her neighbor pointed their toes and wands at each other and laughed at how silly it was. She did a very studied plie, forgot to do the second, leaned out to look at the teacher, did a very exaggerated bow, and ran off stage. She was supposed to have been the last on stage, but she managed to come in third. It was really cute, and I was proud of her. Ian was extremely proud of her. Isn't it silly? I met her at the dressing room at intermission with a pink rose and told her she was beautiful. We ran outside to ask Daddy if he liked it, and he gave her two more roses. She was very excited, and she made everyone stay to see the older girls perform. She had made me sit through nearly the entire dress rehearsal the day before and the whole performance that afternoon. She absolutely loves the dancing.

The boys were very good during the ballet- when the lights were out. As soon as the lights came on they seemed to be always yelling or crying. That was pretty funny too.

Also, Micaela got to wear make-up. She was thrilled. Her favorite was the mascara because she'd never gotten to have any before.

Saturday Morning

Well, we had an eventful morning. It began with Ian running at around 1:00am for the Relay for Life. He ran for an hour around a track and saw lots of people and youth from our church. He said it was a lot of fun. He didn't get home till 3:30 because he'd had to go buy water. We'd been out all day yesterday. So, I thought, I'll get up with our early risers and let him sleep in, right? WRONG! They did get up early (of course), and I changed Gabriel's diaper in the semi dawn light. I couldn't really see it, but I knew it was poo as soon as I opened it. I wiped him very well and noticed Nathaniel squatting and grunting. I laid Gabe's diaper aside and asked Nathaniel if he needed a diaper. At this point I saw little globs dropping from Nathaniel's back to the carpet. We rushed to the bathroom shutting Gabe up in the toy room on the way. I cleaned Nathaniel up as best as I could and left him to go clean the carpet. Ian was already awake and spraying the spots. So I hosed Nathaniel off and diapered him. While Ian was cleaning the spots, I picked up Gabriel's diaper that I had left on the ground. As soon as I had it in my hands, a scorpion crawled out of it! I screamed and dropped more poo on the carpet. Ian was about to scold me, and then he saw the scorpion. He made all the kids get off the carpet and sent me to check Gabriel's bottom. It was fine, but his diaper was already wet. We set out on a scorpion hunt and moved every couch away from the wall to vacuum. We found cows, hens, books, duplos, paper, doll toys, a wooden strawberry, and several pieces to Micaela's games. No scorpions. The mystery must continue.... where did it come from? We may never know.

Pictures

Gabriel and Nathaniel like to play horse. Don't send any stick horses please.

Boys really, really like rain boots.

I suppose it was the flower bed and the water hose that attacked, but...

Today we have successfully trashed our entire house. How did it happen? I really couldn't say except that we took Micaela to ballet right after lunch and I didn't get the dishes done. It spiraled down hill after that. Also, I didn't get dinner made before church, so we fed the kids hard boiled eggs and potato salad. Ian and I are pretty hungry and very determined not to go out or go to the store, so it looks like we're going to have bed time snacks of oatmeal and peanut butter. I'm consumed with food right now, so I'd better move on before I get lost on the topic.

In other news... Today I started a new Bible study. I'm hoping to keep myself accountable to actually finish this book and to work on it daily. In the first day's lesson, I was encouraged to set a goal and name a sin that prevented my achieving that goal. They basically told me that the goal is to KNOW Jesus, and anything else is either icing on the cake or self-righteousness. So my goal is to know Jesus. I'd say that the sin which prevents me from knowing Christ more is laziness or lack of perserverence/diligence in applying myself to know him more. I'm making a pretty public confession, so everyone should check up on me once in a while. The study lasts a year and lessons run by weeks. I'll keep you posted.

Everyone knows that Micaela wants a cat. Today two kittens were playing in our backyard. They were so sweet pouncing on each other and rolling all around. She really wanted to keep them, but they were obviously wild. They ran away.

Nathaniel and Micaela got balloons at church tonight. Nathaniel walked outside into the parking lot and let go of the string. Ian immediately got ready to console him, but Nathaniel didn't make a sound. He stood perfectly still and watched it ascending. Ian dragged him to the car. Nathaniel kept his face glued to the sky and hung out of the door to watch it completely disappear. He never said a word. I think he's a scientist at heart and that was an experiment: he was developing his powers of observation.

Gabriel the gripe is extremely cranky right now. Either he's getting sick or his 8 teeth coming in are finally getting to him. He really is having a hard time.

Ian is complaining that my potato salad gave him a soar throat. I really can't fathom how the two could be related, but I guess you just can't please everyone.

The Birthday

Here's the table set and ready... Here's Micaela and Bitty waiting for the guests to arrive...
This is Micaela arranging her hat...

Here she is pleased at being sung to...

Bitty's new outfit and stroller received a lot of attention!

Micaela loved the Cinderella outfit, but Shea preferred the nightgown...

They both enjoyed playing with the dolls and their furniture when everything was over!

On Mother's Day we celebrated Micaela's fourth birthday party. It went really well. Micaela and I made all the decorations and set the table with fine china and stemware. Everything was beautiful. Porshe came home with us after church to help make sandwiches and get everything ready. We had lemonade, flower shaped PB&Js, heart shaped wild turkey salad sandwiches, and fruit salad followed by herbal tea, cookies and chocolate dipped strawberries (Micaela dipped the strawberries), and then cake and ice cream. It was a very elegant affair with three rowdy preschool girls and one very hungry nursing boy! The girls adorned their straw hats with flowers, sang I'm a Little Tea Pot, played Poor Kitty, and generally ran wild after the presents were opened. Micaela thouroughly enjoyed herself and her best friend Shea. She was exhausted by the end and took a three hour nap afterwards. I took a pretty good nap too!

Thank you all for the beautiful gifts! Micaela has loved all of them. Most of the late ones arrived today, and she's played with them all evening. Bitty has had many changes of clothes and eaten way too much baby food this evening. Oh, and just in case you wondered what we did today...

Micaela wanted to paint her new doll house furniture.

I was cleaning up the kitchen and living areas all day, so I thought I'd 'clean' the play room tonight after the kids went to bed.

The Produce Co-op

These are our baskets on produce day. We've already had half a bag of grapes and four apples!

Well, I figure you guys probably think I'm crazy, so I thought I'd explain. You'll still think I'm crazy, but at least you can appreciate my thrift. Our produce co-op orders many cases of fruits and veggies at wholesale prices, and then we split them up between the members. The produce is trucked in every two weeks when we all meet together to unpack and sort the food. I think it's a lot of fun, and it's a lot cheaper than going to the store! Here are some pictures from this morning. I meant to take another when the boxes were empty and the baskets were all full, but I forgot. I'll take a picture of our baskets full, and post it in a minute.

Micaela, Nathaniel, and Gabriel love to go run around and play in the gym (it's our church gym) while we're there, but we have to watch because they also like to sample everything. They're indiscriminate thieves, and I caught them stealing today out of unpacked cases and my friend De'Etta's baskets (sorry De-Etta, I stopped them and I figured you wouldn't notice my 3 thieves among your 9 ;') Oh well, I guess it's ok. To give an idea of the prices, I'll let you know that I spent .24 per avocado (out here they're 2 for 3.00), .17 per apple (.93 a lb in the store), and .87 a cateloupe. I also buy carrots, oranges, lettuce, potatoes, onions, strawberries, pineapples, peppers, pears, and tomatoes from the co-op. Usually I can count on the food to be fresher and nicer than in the store as well. SO... someone in Tn needs to start a produce co-op like this BEFORE I move. It will really help my grocery bill.

He's dying to eat something and wondering, do I have to eat the tomatoes?

The Great White Hunter

I have been reprimanded. I was supposed to have written that Ian got both Toms with one shot! Everybody say ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh, aaaaaaahhhhhhh.
Daddy went hunting this morning with Jim from church. He's holding Jim's gun in the photo because his was already back in the case. Jim is from eastern Kentucky- like Harlan or some other teeny tiny H town out there. Jim can clean a turkey fast. The boys were in awe. Micaela was in shock.

It was really cool to get to see the whole birds. Micaela wants the feathers.

Nathaniel liked watching them clean the bird. Here they are pulling the leg apart. I had no idea fresh turkey would smell like fish when you clean it.

I wish I could have taken more pictures, but the kids and I had to run pick up the produce from co-op. Nathaniel was very sad to leave. Needless to say, we're having a turkey tonight!

Today was fun!

A picture for Michelle....

So this morning I was feeling a little frustrated and after breakfast I sent the kids out into the back yard so that I could clean up the kitchen. I swept, mopped, did dishes, and scrubbed every groove in the kitchen cabinets, periodically checking on the kids. Each time I went to the window, I saw Micaela on top of the play house clapping her hands, yelling some song, and stomping her feet to her own beat. Then she would spy me from her perch and plop down on her bottom to slide down the roof laughing and screaming the whole time. She landed on her butt in the grass every time. It didn't deter her though, she'd just get right back up. She tried to coax Nathaniel up to the top of the roof, but after trying a couple times, he decided rooftops are better left to cats and crazies.
I took my final final today after lunch. School is officially over for 20 days anyway. While I was testing, Ian took Micaela to ballet. She's getting ready for her spring performance. Her outfit came today, and she informed me that she's supposed to be listening to her music every day. I guess her teacher figured out that we haven't practiced at all this week. Oops! After class, Ian took the kids to the park. He says that Gabriel is an excellent climber. He climbed the tallest play equipment with no help (or supervision) and he fell, but Ian says no worries, he caught himself several times on the way down so he didn't get hurt. Nathaniel spent the afternoon chasing after Micaela and swinging on his belly.
Afterwards we all went home for dinner and baths, went to church, and got ready for bed. The kids had a really good day, and they were tired. Micaela did get up after going to bed. She came out and asked to pray for Granddaddy. We had prayed for him the night before because he was sick, so tonight she asked that God would heal him and bless him and make him better because she loves him.
Now for the kicker. Ian and I are sitting up at 11:00pm making carob ice cream (it tastes like a Wendy's Frosty) and trying to decide if we like the name Asher Yoel. No scoffing! This is serious! Asher means happy and fortunate, Yoel (prounounced Yo-El) means the Lord is God. So we're asking for input... Asher Yoel. What do you think? Be careful... you may end up with something worse like Asher Obediah or Asher Azariah!

Not to leave out the boys...

This is Gabriel, cheerfully waiting for crumbs to fall...

And here is Nathaniel. He was pretty busy with dad, I think...

Party Preparations...

Well, I've learned two things: It's useless to prebake cookies for events more than two days away. They won't make it. Everybody's eating them even though they're frozen. Ok, I confess the worst offender is very pregnant. The other thing I've learned is that I'm not creative or artistic, but Micaela is. Yes, she made at least half of the paper flowers- the half that looks better. I didn't think she could do it as I grudgingly showed her how, but she took over and started going to town! She made flowers and talked just like a big girl. It was really fun. This morning we made the place cards and the sample hat. The hat will be bitty's, although bitty's head is a little too big. We'll just have to add some ties to tie it around her neck. So, if you talk to Micaela and she tries to tell you about her beautiful flowers, these are they!

Where have we been?

An Ode to Papa...

Micaela made Nathaniel a Birthday Cake! (No, they never wear clothes..)

Breakfast at the sandbox...

Well, it's not been a very busy week, but it has been relaxing. Our last assignments were turned in on Wednesday, and we've spent the last few days planning Micaela's fourth birthday. She'll be having a flower tea party, and the girls will be decorating straw hats with ribbons and silk flowers, making necklaces, playing games, and enjoying a four course tea with their mothers. Her birthday falls on mother's day this year. Micaela, Ian, and I are making cookie dough tonight. I'm also making invitations and paper flowers, since we can't afford many real ones :) Micaela's going to make pressed flower place cards. She pressed lots of wildflowers last week, and I'm going to open up the press tonight to see how they did. Does anyone else have any creative, inexpensive ideas? Micaela wants everyone to know she wants things for her bitty baby. For those relatives who want to send her a gift, you can shop for her favorite things at American Girl She also loves dress up and pretend play. And she is begging for a cat and a trampoline. I think that both of those things are out of the question.
Ian is getting excited again about separating from the Air Force. He told me today that he'd like to put the house on the market in July; although, he thinks we will try to stay here till the baby is several weeks old. We just paid for my tuition and both our books for the summer semester yesterday. It took about 2/3 of our checking account balance. That shook his resolve a little, but then he got a message from the training manager at TVA that he wants his application changed and resubmitted soon, and that gave him hope.
The kids have been spending a lot of time outside because the weather has been so nice. It has rained quite a bit (for Texas) lately. Our garden is looking pretty good, and Micaela's flowers look nice. The boys have been digging in the bare areas in the yard after the rains. Micaela is the instigator, but the boys have been staying so filthy! I haven't taken pictures yet though, because I'm usually trying to herd them to the tub without staining the carpet.

Micaela's Own Recipe

The chef who should not be making dinner...
Micaela is very hungry this evening. She has requested that I try her own recipe. Here it is:

***Bean Sandwiches***

Ingredients:

M&Ms (properly spelled nm-n-nms)

Cashews

Green Beans

Honey

Celery

Place all ingredients on 'sandwich bread that you make' and enjoy.

Now she's volunteering to get the eggs, milk, and "eest" for me so I can make the bread.

I guess that's a clue for me to finish dinner.

Mary's little red girl doesn't like the sun.
Donna's chocolate didn't either.
Our little buff boy was howling over it.
Kaythy's little girl tried to escape.

We took the puppies outside today for 'exercise.' I thought if babies need tummy time, puppies must need yard time. Really, I thought it would be fun to see if their back feet got any more traction in the yard. They just slide around in here. No one liked the bright sun, and they all commenced whining after about 10 minutes. Oh well, we'll try again another day.