Valentine's Day Sweeties

Anna was sweet on Valentine's Day and initiated breakfast in bed for me, which everyone helped to prepare. Later that night we had a Valentine's dinner together; it was a very sweet night with my favorite sweeties.

My breakfast was wonderful; they even managed to make coffee for me. I drink coffee every once in awhile but Derek never drinks it. When we got married I didn't have it as often since he didn't care for it and then with subsequent pregnancies/nursing periods, I ended up drinking it rarely. In the last couple of years it has made a slight comeback and I make it maybe once a month on average. That being said, when it came time to make coffee that morning, Derek was clueless. The kids knew where I kept the coffee, but Derek spent five minutes looking around for a filter. He was unsuccessful but he noticed there was an old filter with coffee in it that I had accidentally left in the coffee maker when I had last made coffee-- a few weeks ago. In his non-experience he figured that it would be fine to re-use that old one... it's all coffee, right? So he threw a little fresh coffee on top and ran it.

Before I knew this, I actually drank some of the coffee. I didn't drink much since it tasted a little off and, although I'm no coffee connoisseur, I don't like odd tasting coffee. I didn't even think of it again until later when Derek told me the 'can't find the filter' story. I cringed and laughed and showed him where the coffee filters are-- right underneath the coffee!

Our Dinner

Dessert

My sweet little boys.

One of my sweet girls.

Catchin' Some Air

Luke can really do some cute bouncing on this thing. He'll bring his legs up and tuck is knees into his chest, he'll move his feet in and out as he bounces, he twists, he tries to bounce on his knees, he does it all! It's so cute to watch him go, like a little machine. It's been great indoor excercise for everyone during these last few rainy weeks.

He used to suck his other fingers...

When I noticed (a long time ago) that Luke had a penchant for finger sucking I started taping the one he was sucking because he would do it all the time, not just when he was tired. I'd tape the thumb, he'd move onto the pointer finger; I'd tape that one and he'd move on to the middle finger or one on his other hand. At some point I must have missed the boat because he ended up 'hooked' on the middle finger on his left hand.

For over a month now we've been taping it from the time he gets up until bedtime or he'd have it in his mouth the whole time. Granted, he doesn't suck any of the other fingers anymore, but he'd have this one permanently inserted in his mouth if it weren't for the tape! My other thumb suckers never sucked their thumb outside of being very tired or at naptime and I hope Luke gets the message soon so we can move on from the daily tape routine.


This picture makes me want to go get him and snuggle him!

Rainbows

We've seen a lot of spectacular rainbows the last few weeks, even onces that span the sky with vibrant colors-- like the ones kids color but you hardly ever see. We only got one picture out of all the times we saw them and it is so pale; but it has been such a common, enjoyable occurance lately that I thought I'd share it.

Book Time

I give the kids book time regularly, almost every day. A little over a year ago Anna really took off with her reading and now she's wrapped up in any book she gets her hands on during many of her free times. Jack can read well and is now starting to enjoy the story part of reading and can spend much longer absorbed in books than he did a couple of months ago. Leah just started reading lessons (at her request) a few months ago. She recognizes all of the letters now and knows most of the sounds they make; soon she'll be blending and onto the true reading but I'm taking it slow with her since she's pretty young. She still loves to look through the pictures for quite awhile.

I have been reminded recently how much I love to have the kids around and how much I love to spend time with them, even though at times I can get drained and weary. I am so thankful that we can homeschool and that we can spend so many hours together a day enjoying each other, learning together and learning how to live with one another in a God-pleasing way. I hope they remember fondly these years when they are older, as well.

Making A Bird's Nest

How to get a second degree burn while making a bird's nest:

1. Understand that this bird's nest is not of sticks and mud, but of shredded wheat, chow mein noodles and melted peanut butter and chocolate.
2. Have your mom tell you that we'll be mixing everything up together and then shaping it into nests with your hands.
3. Watch your mom drop the just melted (very hot) peanut butter and choclate mixture on your shredded wheat and chow mein noodles.
4. Stick your hands in promptly... she did say 'with your hands', right?
5. Scream very loudly and take the fingers out, shaking peanut butter and chocolate mixture all over the kitchen.
6. Get comfort from your mom who is concerned but trying very hard not to laugh at how funny the flying chocolate/screaming Leah thing is. She really loves you and cares about your fingers, she just has this odd thing for laughing at other people's fear and pain-- she's trying to overcome it since it can be perceived as not very kind... although it really IS funny stuff (and I have a sister who will back me on this one).
7. Listen as mom explains that we were going to mix it all with our spoon and then form it into nests.
8. Get bandages on the two fingers that have blisters as big as the fingernail.

Leah is sooo tough that I knew it must be something big when she cried/screamed, but it really was a funny situation in the end and she is fine-- now. She usually takes pain very well and doesn't cry/react much. When she got her 2 year old shots, she didn't even flinch let alone cry, and there were several of them. A few months later we were at my sister's house and she was in a position where she could reach out and touch the pilot light on their heater... which she did. She came calmly walking to me in the kitchen with her finger up and whining a little that it hurt... she TOUCHED A PILOT LIGHT and had a huge blister/burn.

Everything healed well and quickly. Here are some pictures of the harm:

Trying a Little Catch Up

Sometime in January we went back to Disneyland. There were a record number of days in the 80's this January so we were breaking out the short sleeves and even shorts sometimes and I started to wonder if we were back in Phoenix and summer was starting already. But the last few weeks the rain has kept us inside a lot-- winter came back. I'm glad to not have to face 90's in March... or April or May!

I've never been a big fan of spinning around or theme park rides in general (even kids ones). When I was younger the most I could handle and enjoy was a swing, a merry go round and a sommersault. Now I get dizzy when I do a sommersault, merry go rounds make me feel nauseous and swings are just as unsettling. I guess it happens with age, right? Or maybe it is just me. Regardless, with a history like this I was never, ever tempted to ride the teacups at Disneyland. So how did I end up on the ride? Three excited kids. I was probably the most nervous person in that short line, and thankfully it was short or I might have changed my mind. I wasn't afraid for my life, but I was afraid to lose my lunch. Thankfully, it went very well! I told the kids that we couldn't spin the thing in the middle for my sake and they were fine with that and the ride wasn't bad at all. Wouldn't think it would take me 34 years to get up the nerve to ride the teacups...



Getting ready to start. I'm already holding the center wheel to keep it still!

Waiting for Alice in Wonderland.

On the top deck of the Mark Twain.

I love this face.

Arizona

We were in Arizona a long weekend from Thursday until Tuesday and after Friday I forgot to take out my camera, so these are the last of the AZ pictures... our Friday night fun with the Pati's. Thank you to all of you who fed us and took time out to spend with us, we had a great time and miss you all!


The boys-- less Luke.

The girls.

I Love These Kids

I was thinking that I should try to post a little to the blog and found myself instead looking at some pictures and videos of the kids and enjoying it so much that I wanted to go wake them up from their peaceful sleep so I could cuddle them. I decided against that for tonight and thought I'd try to do a quick little start to some catch-up pictures and blog stuff.

Early January we were back in Arizona for a long, busy weekend. We had a lot of fun and did a lot of driving. On one of the days, Mr. Mark took the kids (and us) to the newish Phoenix Children's Museum. The kids had a lot of fun and it was a really well done museum.


Luke was fascinated with the wind tunnels and had a lot of fun chasing balls and scarves around and pushing them back in. Leah and Jack enjoyed it as well!

Making one of these things go is harder than you'd think-- meaning it takes coordination! I did manage it, though, and so did Anna for a little while.

They all spent awhile shopping and checking out in the grocery store.

Anna made and served some of the best pizza ever!


I'll get more updates from the last month or so up here shortly... I hope!

Maybe that last title was wrong...

Has it really been a month (almost) since my last post? And that was a meager post at that! Title should have read, 'Down and Out, be back in a couple of months'. I'm going to take a shot at updating... someday. Maybe tonight? Maybe not. Turbo Tax and I are going for round 2 to finish up those taxes. Happy Valentine's Day (and maybe St Patrick's Day, too at this piont)!