So I was at Costco the other day...

This holiday season was ridiculously crazy. There were so many ups & downs, Hans & I were sure there was a hidden video camera somewhere in our car with a reality show host just waiting to pop out. But there wasn't and so instead of watching our chaotic lives on television, will be blogging about it instead. (nope to being a celebrity. dang.) Until we get around to focusing our chi, (ie: getting our suitcases out of our living room) I wanted to share something small, but sweet.
On Tuesday, I took all 4 kids to Costco because we had nothing but a small assortments of granola bars and Capri Suns in our fridge. (3 weeks of vacation, what can one expect?)
As we were being checked out to leave, one of the older men with the marker by the door drew a smiley face on the back of the receipt. (like they always do when kids are there). Before he gave the receipt to Conrad, he leaned in and said to all the kids, "Promise me that you will all share with each other and love each other all of your lives." He then looked at each child and asked them, "Do you promise?" All except Quinn said yes.
I hope they keep that promise.

Trying not to miss the opportunity to make Christmas memories

Amelia is 4!

My little girl is growing up. She has always been beautiful, but her personality is even more radiant. She is helpful, obedient, caring, and thoughtful. I love Amelia.

I am surrounded by talent of all ages here in Minnesota and our babysitter Katie Rundall, took Amelia on a photo shoot for her 9th grad photography class. She captured Amelia beauty and sweetness. I love her thick, long and dark eyelashes. (Sometimes I can't resist putting mascara on them, just because.) And her long, golden hair, that she let's me brush, braid and curl, but never cut, "Just a trim" is her phrase.

For her 4th birthday, (which was on October 12th.) She invited all of her girl friends for a Fancy Nancy/Pinkalicious tea party. The girls had crepes/pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream and maple syrup, hot chocolate & apple juice. (those were the "tea-ish" drinks.)


We read books, made fancy bracelets, and when it was time to go home instead of a swag bag they took home a "fabulous" tutu. (They were super duper easy to make and cost about $2-3 dollars each.) Notice in the picture, (Amelia's the one on the right.) that she doesn't have to be the center of attention. She was so happy to be surrounded by friends and that is how she truly is, humble and loving.


Okay and for the finally, my amazingly talented friends Sarah Smith & Christa Ogden made this OUT OF THIS WORLD cupcakes

Amelia also lets me play photo shoot with her. It was raining and I wanted to work on my shutter speed. She looked so adorable in PINK, and 5 different necklaces, 3 bracelets and a Hello Kitty watch that actually tells time. Her facial expression is hilarious. I love you Amelia.

Trick or Treat

My kids totally crack me up! They were crazy this Halloween or should I say fierce?

Conrad originally wanted to be a mad scientist again, but then he remembered that he had an authentic Arab head dress, from Saudi Arabia, (a friend of ours went to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.) so with a little shoe polish and sunglasses he became a Saudi. (I think he looks like my brother Mason.)


No Arab would be complete without a white sheet and camouflage Birkenstocks.

My friend Stacy Miller (Noah's mom) painted all four of the army guys faces. She said while she was painting each of their faces, they had their game faces on. (see above) When she finished, they ran to the mirror, admired their reflections with an "Awesome!" and told her that she was their official camouflage expert. (now that's awesome.)

Riley originally wanted to be Concussion on the movie Zoom, but we couldn't find red, burgundy or maroon sweats anywhere. (go figure we live in maroon and gold U of M country.)
He remembered that some of his friends were going as army guys and since he had every piece of clothing in camouflage, he decided to work it. (even his Converse and socks are camouflage.)

These are the very serious army guys with their camo and Nerf guns:
Riley, Noah, Marvin, & Emil.

Amelia was going to be a butterfly and I had visions of her being a magnificent monarch with huge hand painted wings. I almost had her convinced until she wanted to be Fancy Nancy to go along with her birthday party. For a split second she wanted to be a princess, but Fancy Nancy was going strong and then on Halloween day she wanted to be a butterfly again. I had no amazing wings or black and orange tutu, but she knew what she wanted and what a butterfly ought to look like. She found her pink butterfly headband, (no she didn't want antennas), pink fuzzy wings, pink tutu, pink galoshes and some pink hair spray. Of course no butterfly would be complete without tons of glitter and a black velvet unitard. It was a little chilly that night, so of course she donned her denim jacket and toted her gold trim purple leopard print treat bag. (She rocked it like the fashionista I knew she could be.)

Quinn has admirer of all ages. A friend from church gave him this oh-so-adorable pumpkin sleeper complete with beanie.

He stayed home with me and slept all of Halloween, while I passed out candy.

The Mighty Quinn

The Mighty Quinn is growing like a weed. He smiles all the time, (except for pictures) he giggles when tickled and has a whole new batch of nick names. Amelia calls him "Little Quinners" and tells me that "Baby Cakes is cryin'!" Riley calls him "Jiggly Puff" & "Magmortar" after 2 of his prized Pokemon cards. And Hans (in a high pitched voice) calls him "Quinny Quinny!"

I must admit I was worried that the Conrad & Riley would be ambivalent about Quinn's arrival and that Amelia would be jealous, but they are all madly in love with their littlest brother. So much so that when they come home with their friends they say to them, "Come look at Quinn. Isn't he so cute? Do you want to hold him. You can kiss him if you like." It warms my heart that they adore him as much as Hans & I do.

Quinn at 3 months giving peace a chance

Conrad wearing Quinn (3 1/2 months) in our zebra sling

Conrad [fake sleeping (his idea) for the picture] and Quinn (4 months and real sleeping)

Sickos....

This week, our little family has fallen prey to the back-to-school-&-change-of-season sick monster.

(Note: This is not related to the change of season or back to school)
Riley had another seizure (#2) on Tuesday morning on the bus to school. Conrad caught it. He told the bus driver, counted how long the seizure lasted and then called me from a friend's cell phone and while we were talking, the ambulance came. Fortunately, the seizure only lasted 57 sec. (according to Conrad) Riley was able to go to school 2 hours later with no problem. I was hoping that he we wouldn't have any more. Maybe he won't.

Conrad said this experience humbled him and made him realize that he needs to be nicer to Riley. He looked at Riley later that night and said, "You have to sit by me on the bus from now on and Mom I need a watch so that I can time his seizures more accurately." Conrad is feeling the mantel of being the oldest sibling. I'm glad. He stayed calm under pressure. That's a good thing.

But that's not all...

This last week, Amelia had a nasty night time cough that crept into her throat around 2 a.m. every night.
Hans started having a sore throat on Friday and by Sunday he went to the clinic and sure enough it was flat-on-your-back-with-the-fever- Strep. That Sunday night around 11:30 Conrad started puking until he couldn't puke any more. (Poor little guy. There's nothing more exhausting than watching your child dry heave at 3:50 in the morning.)

Fortunately Quinn and I are healthy. (knock on wood.)



Sweet Amelia was playing Florence Nightingale by bringing Hans water, covering him up with her blankets (notice the pink?) and patting him on head.


*I was going to end the post, but as I reread it and looked at Amelia's smiling face next to Hans' sick face, I realized that my kids are good kids and they love our family and want to help each other because... well they love each other. It's nice to have a realization of that from time to time.

You've got to be kidding me...

Snow?

squeamish

Fall has hit Minneapolis with all the usual gusto of turning leaves, cooler temperatures, windy nights and illness. Our family seems to have a stuffy, drippy, sneezing sort of illness. We've tried to guard against the cold, flu and the ever popular H1N1 swine flu, but last night poor Conrad suddenly came home with an upset stomach, cold sweats and then minutes later, massive puking.
My first thought was, "Oh great. Time to pull out the Clorox disinfecting wipes. "
Conrad took a bath and I began the questioning, "what did you eat? You haven't been sick earlier today, so what happened?"
Come to find out that he and his friend, Crystal, (a fellow bunny enthusiast) had been playing, running skipping, laughing and then she accidentally stepped on the tip of a shovel. It was like the cartoons, with the whole "shovel handle to the face" gag. Apparently, the handle hit her mouth so hard that it knocked one of her adult teeth loose, with blood and bruising to go with it. Conrad came home soon after taking Crystal to her parents and the nausea started as he was coming home.
I had to laugh a little that my fearless, carefree, 9 year-old future veterinarian became a little squeamish at the sight of blood. Come to think of it, he did look a little green when he came home. Poor guy.

13 going on 31

Yes, that was me 18 years ago. I know. Yikes. The crazy, curly, poofy hair, the clothes, the beaded necklaces, wait.... that would still be me. (even the ice cream part.)

My aunt LaVona sent me this picture. It was taken in Thrify's, back in the day when there were Thrifty's Drug Stores and Thrifty's ice cream. Instead of hand scooping the ice cream with a traditional scooper they used a cylindrical shaped one. It was very cool (no pun intended) because it was so novel and what was even cooler (lol) was that the frozen flavors were super cheap.

My parents were out of town and Mason & I were staying with my Uncle Barry and Aunt La Vona. They took us to get some ice cream at Thrifty's. This was a rather normal event and all then of the sudden, LaVona put the candle on my double scoop cone, (I think it was mint chocolate chip and chocolate malt crunch) lit it and then sang Happy Birthday to me in the store. It was great to ring in my teens and one of those fun memories that always puts a smile on my face. Thanks Uncle Barry & Aunt La Vona.

Newsletter article for September

A lesson I keep learning on Tithing

Hans and I recently paid tithing. Then within a few days after I gave the tithing envelope to the Bishop a car repair bill came due, a bill for a conference that Hans attended, a doctor bill and student loans seem to flood our mail box. Hans and I (him more than I) try to be frugal and stay on top of things, but it seemed that I had not kept track of all the bills, and I was worried. I had the thought, “Maybe I can call the Bishop back.”

My thoughts raced with doubt. “We only have enough money for another month and then that’s it. How are we going to make it another month? I have to pay rent next month and buy groceries and gas and etc. I can’t ask my family or Hans’ family for money, they don’t have much extra either. I should have waited to pay tithing until after Hans received his next stipend. When does he receive his next stipend? We aren’t going to be able to do it.”

My anxiety level was making me sick to the point of tears. I then cried a quiet prayer, “How are we going to do this Heavenly Father?” As I my heart started pounding harder and faster, my thoughts then turned to my patriarchal blessing and scriptures. Malachi 3:10 kept repeating in my mind “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse… and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

My next thought was, “Call Hans and ask when the stipend will come.” After talking with Hans, my heart rate went back to normal speed; we would have enough for our needs, just like God had promised in the scriptures (even if I never balance the checkbook).

I know that God will bless us for paying a full tithing because I have seen His helping hand in my life when I have kept this commandment. I have a testimony of tithing because I do it. In John 7:16-17, “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

We can only gain a testimony of tithing by paying a full tithe. And with that testimony, our troubled hearts will be calmed and God will do as he says and pour out His blessings to all of us.