Once Upon A Time...

Cloth Diapering

2012-01-07T16:20:00.001-07:00

12 years ago I tried to cloth diaper my first son. That was back when I didn't know of any resources on cloth diapering except for my mom who cloth dipaered me as a baby. I had a bunch of prefolds, pins and plastic pants. Needless to say, it didn't last long...

Now, cloth diapering is coming back and is quite trendy--it's eco-friendly and there are so many adorable materials that moms go for. There is a plethora of information on the internet and many stores with baby supplies carry cloth diapers. I started using them on Benjamin last week and I love them! I have had fewer leaks (hardly any!) compared to using disposables and they are soooo cute, soft and absorbent. I am using mostly bumGenius 4.0, a few FuzziBunz and some Econobum prefolds and covers. So far, I like the bumGenius the most. I started using these when Benjamin reached 7 lbs. even though they say they only go down to 8 lbs. but I haven't had any problems.

But what about the poop, you ask? Well, yeah, poop is poop. You deal with it using disposables, too (ie. blowouts). And you can always wash your hands. :) Actually, I don't ever touch the poop. Just scrape it off and throw the diapers into the wash. Easy.

I am still getting the washing routine down. Trying to figure out what detergent to use (Shaklee powder, All Free and Clear, Vaska are they ones I'm toying with now) and what wash and rinse cycle works best on my Miele 4800 HE washing machine. I've had to do a ton of research on it all and had no idea it was such a scientific process! I've learned so much about laundry detergent that I never knew before. Like, did you know that Brighteners in detergent don’t actually make your laundry any cleaner? Instead, they absorb ultraviolet light and reflect back blue light, making your laundry appear whiter.

Oh, and lots of people are concerned about the debate between disposables in the landfill vs. the amount of water it takes to wash cloth diapers. Well, not only are disposable diapers super bad for the landfills, but it takes thousands of gallons of water to manufacture enough diapers for a baby to use for one year. So, it's a no-brainer in that regard as well!

Even though cloth diapers can seem expensive to buy at first (they can run between $15 and $25 each) you only have to buy so many and then you're done. I bought 21 diapers over the course of the past month or so and watched for sales and used online discount codes when possible. I spent $160 total on them (including shipping). This comes out to an average of $7.60 each and they will last me until Benjamin is 30-35 lbs. (at least 2 or 3 years). The average baby goes through $1500-$2000 in disposables in that amount of time. So, that's a HUGE savings! My favorite site to buy everything I need is Cotton Babies.

So soft and cuddly!

This Mountain

2012-01-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

The lyrics to the song "Blessings" are posted below and sustained me through my time in the NICU with Benjamin. I had heard the song before but never really listened to the lyrics until the day I went into labor with Ben. I had been out shopping for last minute baby stuff and heard the song on the way home and just bawled. I hadn't slept much in 4 nights and was at the end of my rope in some ways... or so I thought. Later, when I went into labor, two things were going through my head...

One was something a classmate of mine (Doug Linder) told me 16 years ago when I was in college. We were lifting something heavy and I thought I was going to drop it and he told me, "When you think your strength is gone, you actually have 50% left."

The other thing I was thinking was something my brother-in-law told me a few years ago before we climbed a 14er together and I hadn't slept the night before. He said, "You don't need sleep to climb a mountain."

Those two simple yet powerful words spoken to me helped get me through my labor with Benjamin that went through the night--and the next week of very little sleep.

Then, when the reality that my sweet baby was in the NICU and all that ensued, the following song was on auto repeat in my head. It helped me to somehow be content even in the horrible situation I was in. It helped me know that somehow, something good could come out of what was happening. And it made me realize that we are not just blessed when things are going well in life....we are maybe even more blessed when we are going through the trials of life. It is a hard concept because, of course, I was praying that Benjamin would be made well and that we could go home as soon as possible. But at the same time, the surrender I had to go through to give it all to Jesus and have faith in God (not just faith in the outcome I wanted) even though it was very dark and hard to "see" was maybe one of the greatest "blessings" I've experienced.

"Blessings" by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

Photo Shoot

2011-12-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours came to photograph our expanded family and she took some photos of Benjamin and me--pictures I will treasure!!! Here is a link to her website. And here is her blog.

Josh (12), Evan (7), Zach (10), Christian, Benjamin (10 days old) and me!

I can't decide if I like this one in color or black and white better.

10 days old

2011-12-22T08:22:00.001-07:00

And 6 pounds even!

Benjamin had three appointments this week and everything looks and sounds good! We are soooo thankful for his health and strength and very, very blessed. He is just the sweetest little bug. We just thank Jesus for his everlasting love, grace and peace that has carried us all during this time.

(See the post below if you want to know what happened after Benjamin was born.)

138 Steps...

2011-12-16T16:36:00.000-07:00

...from my room that I got to stay in at the hospital to Benjamin Lee's warmer in the NICU.

But let me back up...I had been having false labor for 4 nights in a row--thus, no sleep. Then on Thursday (Dec. 8th) Joshua had his first band concert which I had told several people was my goal to make it to before I went into labor.

And I was so glad I was there--moved to tears, actually. I felt that any time after that it would be fine to have our new baby. Well, God and Benjamin took me literally because once we got home I was laying down in bed, reading with Evan, when my water broke. It was 8:30pm and by 9:30 we had the boys off to our amazing neighbor, Jenny's house for the night and were at the hospital.

My contractions weren't progressing fast enough so they started me on Pitocin at 1:00am. My sister, Mindi, made it up from Colorado Springs to be with us for the labor and Grammy (my mom) stayed with all 5 of the boys. Mindi was a God-send during my labor and helped me take each contraction in stride--massaging my feet or my back and just being a great, peaceful support for me--exactly what I needed.

The baby wasn't responding well to the contractions so they couldn't 'up' the Pitocin high enough. By this time I had labored through the night and it was my 5th night of little to no sleep. I was simply exhausted. It was about 6:00 am when I asked for an epidural. Everyone was surprised since I'd never had one before but something in me felt it was what the baby and I needed. Once I had the epidural, I had Benjamin about an hour and a half later. It must have been what I needed to relax and what Ben needed to come out more quickly since there was meconium present and I definitely didn't want to have to have a c-section.

As soon as they handed my sweet baby to me, my first thought was, "He has such a big mouth!" as he wailed out a loud swamp tune. My second thought, which I verbalized, was, "He is so small!" I heard polite laughter to this--they were probably thinking I'd forgotten how small newborn babies are. But I knew something wasn't right. He was really, really little. And he looked really dark--a dark purplish red color. His apgar scores were 8 and 9 but as the morning progressed one of the nurses started coming to me with different test results. First, of course was his weight.

He was only 5 lbs. 6 oz. and 19 in. A full two pounds smaller than my other boys and he wasn't born any earlier than they were. All of my guys have been a week or two early. I was worried and almost embarrased, thinking, "Why was he so small? Was it something I did?" His glucose tests came back borderline low and the nurse (she told me later) just had a feeling that something else was wrong. Meanwhile, I was feeling confused about Benjamin. The confusion turned to anger as they found out what was wrong. I couldn't believe that no one had caught what was happening sooner...

Meanwhile, back at the house, my mom was watching our boys and Mindi's. They had fun staying at the hotel, swimming and watching cartoons.

In the end, my doctor found out that my placenta was compromised--a condition called placenta circumvallate which caused his red blood count to be very high which was making his blood very thick. My placenta didn't form correctly and was small, so basically it wasn't providing adequate nourishment for him. There is nothing to cause or prevent this condition but I sure felt so sad that my body hadn't been giving him what he needed. The high red blood count was making his glucose levels dip lower. Later, after the boys had a chance to meet little Ben,

he was admitted to the NICU low-level nursery where they put him on IV glucose, antibiotics and did a type of transfusion where they took out some of his blood and replaced it with fluids to, in essence, thin out his blood. We took the next two days to wean him off of the IV fluids as my milk came in. The thought was that, once he was nursing, his glucose levels would regulate and he would be able to go home Sunday or Monday.

Then, on Sunday night, Benjamin was fully off of the IV fluids! I was having dinner with Christian and the boys when Benjamin stopped breathing for a short time. He had a few of these episodes that night which put him directly into the main area of the NICU to be monitored more closely. His glucose levels had dropped again so, they reinserted his IV (which is a horrifying experience in itself) and started up the fluids.

This was the most stressful and scary time for me. My baby had stopped breathing and turned blue. Would it happen again? Was there something else wrong with him that they didn't know about? The doctor ordered a bunch of different labs and tests to be done. Little by little, everything came back perfectly. In the end, they chalked it up to him not being ready to be off of the IV fluids the first time and he basically "passed out" from having such low blood sugar. It took the next 4 days to wean him off of the fluids and make sure he was stable once he was off of them. There were a few little hiccups in there but he came out healthy and strong and a champion nurser!

Along the way, I literally saw God's hand present in so many details. From being able to get one of only two "sleep rooms" at the hospital so that I could keep nursing him, to each nurse that cared for Ben being a specific blessing, to the way the events played out and the timing of everything. For the last few weeks of my pregnancy, I really felt that the baby or I was in distress somehow. Now I know why. I think Ben needed to come out because he wasn't getting the nourishment in me that he needed and it just took a bit of time out in this world for that to kick in--specifically in the form of nursing. Throughout my pregnancy, I have learned more and more to trust my gut and not feel silly to tell someone if I think something is wrong. Benjamin has already overcome so many things in his short life. So many many people have been praying for him and me throughout my pregnancy and in this past week. God has moved mightily to provide the protection, peace, grace, strength and mercy needed for Ben and for me to get through this.

Thank you so much if you've read this far and for the prayers and love you have given us. I know each prayer was heard by God and was a part in the whole process of making him well! He is such a little miracle and already has passed up his birth weight. I think he knows that he has some big shoes to fill and a very special purpose for this life!

Josh and Ben

Evan with Ben

Zach and Ben

This was the scene at our house last night. We had sung Christmas carols and then Christian was reading a book to the boys--all 4 of them. I was overwhelmed by how blessed I am. It's so good to be all together again!!!

37 Weeks

2011-12-04T21:41:00.001-07:00

Today was my baby shower and I feel so blessed in so many ways! I'm not much for showing off my belly but I did take pictures at 17, 27 and now 37 weeks.

Grateful

2011-12-01T19:36:00.001-07:00

Why is it that I feel closest to God when I'm going through trials? A part of me wishes it wasn't so, but it usually is that way... I've been feeling the thoughts, prayers, heart-cries, and even dreams of many people all as extensions of God's arms and heart toward me. I haven't really gone through anything terribly trying....it's more like several near misses in regards to my pregnancy in particular. And I really believe that God and Jesus and the angels (however that works) are out there defending me. Keeping me, and my baby, from harms reach. It has me grateful beyond adequate words--but also on the verge of doubt at times. Like, "Is God really good and strong enough to keep this up?" Although, I'm pretty sure it has no bearing on his goodness or strength. Or I feel like my "luck" is going to run out. But it has nothing to do with luck, that's for sure. I just can feel his love through the love and care of family and friends and even acquaintances. One drop of concern touches my core--because it is an extension of God's perfect love.

Advent Season

2011-11-27T20:09:00.001-07:00

We got our tree today and lit it up. It feels weird not to go chop one down. The boys were amazed at how big and full and un-prickly this tree is--compared to the cute Charlie Brown ones we usually get in the mountains. I made home made peppermint cocoa with whipped cream--yum!--and we all settled in for some Christmas singing and tunes by the boys on the piano (Evan), clarinet (Josh), and harmonica (Zach) with Christian on the guitar.

Zach and Evan playing one of their Christmas duets....so adorable!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T19:53:00.001-07:00

This year, I was really looking forward to Thanksgiving and so were the boys (that includes Christian, of course). They love the meal and I love the time to just BE with family and loved ones. This year we couldn't join my family in Montrose so we spent it with our good friends the Keigans and had fun talking and laughing and stuffing our faces. I swear the boys went back for 4ths and 5ths!

Josh joined in the celebrating at school a couple of days before where the kids were supposed to dress up like they were the first Colonial Americans. He was too cute, especially using his football socks to make his pants look like the "knickers" that they wore during that time.

Starting a business: Survival Bracelets

2011-11-17T20:07:00.001-07:00

Evan (7 years old) is busy making and selling these cool para-cord survival bracelets. He has priced them at $1 for one-color bracelets and $2 for two-color bracelets. They are all the rage at school and a few kids have been making and selling them. Zach is also making some of his own design, but I think he is just giving his away. When the 4th grade class came into the library at school where I work, some of the kids had five of these on each arm.

Evan's taking orders...great for Christmas presents for the kids!

2011-10-28T12:21:00.002-06:00

Happy 12th Birthday, Josh!!!
We love you more than words can say.

I get emotional when I think about the journey he is on in his life. It is not one I could have planned out for him. It is his! I hope he will always keep his independence--that he knows who he is and what he wants to do in life. I hope he will see his dreams come true over the next months and years. And I am excited to see him mature into a young man...how that will not only impact his life but those around him. He has really taken to volunteering with younger children--at church in Sunday School, at the elementary school with my garden enrichment class. He is a quiet but natural leader for them. I can't wait to see how he is with our new little Bubba since he is so good with babies, too!

Pics from our early morning (my favorite!) Birthday celebration tradition.

Both Zach and Evan made Birthday Books for Josh. Here Josh is reading Evan's. Zach illustrated the characters in his book with hot glue which was really simple yet clever.

Awwww! They really do love each other!

Josh got a Flip Touch Video Camera. He uses his video camera nearly every day pretty much since he was three so it was about time for him to get serious with this filming business. He is excited to have one that can keep up with his cup-stacking now, too!

I love you, Josh!!!

Get Along Little Doggies

2011-10-22T18:50:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to go to the Harvest Farm which was filled with all kinds of fall activities including a petting zoo, pig races, rubber ducky races, the best corn maze, pumpkin cannons etc... etc... and this roping area that the boys spent a good amount of our time in. The pictures in this post are all just from the roping time. Everyone got in on the action...even when I got roped by a couple of the boys!

It's days like these when you can just soak up the beauty around you; the beauty of nature, the beauty of family, the beauty of just being together and goofing off.

Busy figuring out the right technique.

Got 'em!

Happy Harvest to you!!!

Fall Photos

2011-10-09T13:49:00.001-06:00


The 5 of us at Lily Lake near Estes Park a couple of weeks ago.


The wiggly cousins.

Zach, Evan and Josh

Evan, 7

Josh, almost 12

Zach, 10

Me, 27 weeks pregnant

Mindi, Sam, Jacob and Caleb (4)

Zach's 10th Birthday

2011-09-27T07:30:00.002-06:00

One of my clearest memories is the moment when Zach was born and placed in my arms. The rest of the world melted away in that instant connection with my little, soft golden boy. He still is that to me. So sweet and loves nothing more than connecting deeply with the people he loves.

Happy 10th Birthday Zachary!!!

Birthday Week

2011-09-24T17:16:00.001-06:00

We started celebrating early. Zach's 10th to be exact which isn't for a couple more days.

Zach is 10!?!?!

10 is one of those monumental years (like 30, or God forbid, 40!!)

We had a laid-back friend party at our house. The main event was capture the flag. I think the boys could have stayed and played all night!

Christian trying to light matches in place of candles that we couldn't find...which we promptly found AFTER Zach blew these out!

Then today we had Football and Soccer games. This is the first season where each of the boys are playing their games at a separate site. Of course, they were all at the exact same time this morning. It's a bit of a juggling act. Luckily, we had some good friends who were able to help out!

Josh is #17--the 3rd blue player from the left. Also, notice the football being hiked in the air!


Team huddle. They have a really wonderful coach.

Evan for the goal!!!

Whirlwind

2011-09-19T10:16:00.001-06:00

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind--mostly becauseschool and football have started. We've been thrown head first intothe world of Ft. Collins sports and the jury is still out on what Ithink about it. There were 5 practices a week for the first two weeksfor my 6th grader. It seems excessive to me but, well, I suppose notin the world of football.

This is Josh on his first day of middle school. Phew! We made itpast that milestone not without a few handfuls of angst on my part.But now that we're on the other side, I can say that it has beenreally wonderful so far! Zach started 4th grade with an outstandingteacher that Josh had previously. He connected with her rightaway--of course. And Evan started 1st grade and is blossoming inreading and loves homework and all that big boy stuff!

Having baby boy #4 on the way has also made things a bit moretiring and cumbersome these days. Things are going well and I am 27weeks along tomorrow. Due December 20th. My babies are growing up so fast! I can't believe we're going to have another one!

One Year Later

2011-08-11T11:07:00.000-06:00

Evan is 7 today on the 11th of 2011 at 7:07pm. If it all rhymes, it's magic, right? And believe me, this little guy is magic! He pretty much has me mezmorized much of the time.


Happy Birthday, Evan!!!

I am attempting to restart my blog with intention. It's interesting that it just so happens to be exactly a year from my last post on this blog.

Happy Birthday Evan!

2010-08-11T15:02:00.002-06:00

All-boy
Strength
Will-power
Thoughtful
Particular
Lego-maniac
Passionate
Loves to sing
Happy-go-lucky (until he's not!)
Connects
Blue-eyed
Freckled-nose
Observer
Star Wars
Soccer-monster
Loud
Agile
6 years old!

I'm totally in love with this little guy!

2010-07-18T16:36:00.001-06:00

2010-07-18T16:35:00.000-06:00

Oregon Coast Vacation

2010-07-18T16:03:00.002-06:00

2010-07-18T16:01:00.001-06:00

2010-07-18T16:00:00.000-06:00

2010-07-18T15:54:00.001-06:00

4th of July

2010-07-03T19:26:00.002-06:00

We're out here in Montrose at my parents new place. First days of our vacation and I'm just lazing it up....read a book and sat in the sun most of the day, took the boys swimming and....that's about it! Happy 4th of July!

You Capture--Chair

2010-07-03T18:24:00.002-06:00

My Great-Grandmother's chair.

Summer Sizzle and Get down low

2010-06-28T17:24:00.003-06:00

I did this for the You Capture challenge: Get down low. Zach jumping on the tramp.

Here is what had been digging holes in my garden for the past several days. I wasn't convinced it was a rabbit because there was no sign of nibbling going on. It's a bull snake who is very interesting to watch from several feet away but we are going to attempt to remove him because I regularly stick my hands in the lettuce where he has decided to make his home. I don't mind snakes but I really don't want to be bit. :)

Roses a Bloom

2010-06-20T21:48:00.006-06:00

This is the time of year when my front porch roses are in bloom. It makes me want to have all of my friends over to sit on the porch swing. I was trying out photographing them in the evening light. I touched it up just a bit on picnik.com Below is the original.

Water

2010-06-19T13:14:00.004-06:00

We found this splash park in Denver.

I wanted to play around with my favorite photo editing site: picnik.com What a fun, easy and free site to use and play around with pictures. It's awesome!!

Zach and Josh running through the fountains.

This is the closest to the original picture.

Joining in on the You Capture fun!!

1st Fruits

2010-06-15T16:37:00.002-06:00

Actually just the first fruit....one, almost ripened strawberry from my garden. I picked it anyhow. I couldn't wait. I knew before I popped it in my mouth that it would be ten times better than any I could buy at the grocery store. And it was! So sweet, juicy and still warm from the garden. Yeaaaaa!!!

My FUN!

2010-06-11T20:30:00.006-06:00

Chives in the garden. A delight to my soul!!! Especially since they came up from last year. A special surprise. :) This is MY FUN!! Check out "You Capture" for more FUN photos. (It's a photo challenge I'm joining to get me taking more pics this summer!

So the "mini-garden"(of snap peas) I tried in the egg carton a few posts back....well they were sorely neglected and, I 'm sorry to say, did not make it. But in the second bed I have lots of peas coming up now!

and spinach, lettuce, celery, thyme, basil, lavender, cilantro, chives, green onions, carrots, strawberries, green beans, bell peppers, broccoli, eggplant, kohlrabi, blueberries, raspberries, rhubarb, asparagus, sweet onions, tomatoes, watermelon, squash and pumpkins!

I forgot to get potatoes and still need to get a couple of apple or plum trees. I wonder if I can plant potatoes still?

This is such an exciting phase of gardening...waiting, dreaming, planning, pulling, watering, tending...the anticipation is almost too much!

I'm also reading Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver. (I want to try making cheese! Which she makes sound very easy.) The premise is to eat local, organic food from scratch. A growing goal of mine.

Summertime Fun

2010-06-08T15:42:00.003-06:00

Last week I turned in my teaching license application!! While in Denver, we decided to visit a local park. My one requirement was that it have a water park for the kids to play in. We have a couple in Fort Collins but sadly, they have decided to turn off the water to try and save money...this in a time when we have more water than ever--including flooding!! Oh well. We had fun at this park in Stapleton...

I love the clouds in this one and my boys running through the scene.

Then on Friday we ATTEMPTED to go fishing. I'm bummed I didn't get a picture of all 10 of the kids fishing...but I was busy! Busy untangling lines and getting poles working the whole time. After an hour or so and only one measly 4 incher caught, I called it. It was time for a picnic--provided ever so kindly by one of the other moms (Melissa!) who came. The three of us moms (Melissa, Susie and I) deserve an award for this lesson in patience under pressure. (eg. "Mom! Help! My pole won't work." Preceded by a meltdown or two x4 kids at a time!)

I wish I had a video of it all. It was comic in a not so funny way! But we kept our cool and the kids had a great time!

Finally! Time in the Garden

2010-05-23T20:24:00.004-06:00

Taken in our front yard.

Strawberries in our garden

I doubled the size of our garden today! The new portion will be for squash, pumpkins and potatoes and maybe some asparagus!!

A few things came back from last summer: lots of cilantro, some onions, chives and lettuce.

Hewlett Gulch

2010-05-16T17:27:00.004-06:00

The garden of nature out on the trail. Can you smell it?

Cody was having a hard time with these water crossings. He was pretty hilarious as you will see in the next pic of him.

Soothing to my soul!

I was so happy to be able to finally go hiking...the weather has been pretty cold and rainy and stormy so we finally got a good day and took off!

Super Cody!!

I did do some gardening last weekend but there's not much to show yet. Waiting... Waiting...

Earth Day Project

2010-04-25T14:19:00.002-06:00

Zach and I planted 35 trees today for my 1st graders...

After teaching my students about Earth Day this week they decided that they wanted to do a few things--make posters to hang up around school, plant some trees or plants and collect trash to recycle. So, they made posters and have started collecting trash in a box we designated as our recycling box in our classroom. To go along with a book we read, they have to collect 100 items as a class before they can participate in the planting project. Then I was trying to figure out how to get some trees cheap or, ideally, free. So, I stopped by Bath Nursery (on Prospect) and told them what I was trying to do. Lo and behold, they had a bunch of suckers that they said I could have for free! We dipped them in root stimulator and planted them in paper cups. Hopefully they will survive!! Just trying to figure out if I should keep them indoors since they will be in the classroom or keep them outside since that's where they've been... Any ideas?

First Harvest

2010-04-17T19:11:00.010-06:00

I made a Grilled-Salmon and Spinach Salad tonight. As I was out grilling, I spied my lonely chives...they were calling out to me! So I snipped a few and added them to our dinner. I know, it's just baby steps. But still so gratifying to be back in this season of pulling from the earth.

Zach, for the touchdown!

Today the boys had soccer (Evan) and flag football (Josh and Zach) games. They all played the best they ever have (partial thanks to the power of bribery--to get Evan to stay upright during his game and not start crying on the field!) It was a fun morning!

Yes, that's a girl on the opposing team! Go Josh!

Evan

Mini-garden

2010-04-11T14:10:00.005-06:00

Here is my tiny garden initiative for now. :)

I tried planting from seed years ago but it failed miserably. What seeds did come up, died soon after I transplanted them into the garden. I swore never to do THAT again!

Well, I figure that even if these little guys don't make it, it won't be a huge deal because it's only a few samples. And if it does work! Well, then I'll know to do more next year. For now, this is about all I can handle.

In non-gardening news: I am FINISHED with my teaching Portfolio and Work Sample!!!!! That's several hundred hours worth of work finished and graded--and the largest portion of my requirements to graduate outside of acutally student teaching! Yahoo! I cannot even begin to describe the relief and satisfaction I feel about that!

Also, Josh competed at the World Sport-Stacking (aka. cup-stacking) competition this weekend. He did so good that he got 14th on the cycle in his age division--out of 90 competitors. Then he went on to get his personal best while practicing. He got to meet and talk with kids from all over the world. 18 different countries participated and 32 states. It was a big deal. Zach got to jump in for a team that needed an extra player and now he's all pumped up about it too!

Josh, during his individual events: 3-3-3, 3-6-3 and The Cycle.

Below is his best time in The Cycle which placed him 14th.

Here's a great picture of his team--a combo of kids from Wellington Middle School, Eyestone and Rice.

I love the look of their faces in this pic--the ones in blue.

Zach had his face painted as a cheetah. Here he is doing his team relay.

A Gardening Journal (with Peppermint Tea)

2010-03-28T19:15:00.004-06:00

I was inspired today by the 70 degree weather and the opportunity/choice to work in my garden for the first time since I laid it to rest last fall. That seems very sad to me but I have been extra busy with student teaching and school so, I know you will understand.

I was inspired to change up this little blog and use it as a gardening journal. There is something about gardening that makes me want to write. When I garden, thoughts flow more smoothly through my noggin' and sometimes they want to come out. So, here I am. And I changed up my blog. I hope you like it! I actually paid money (just a wee bit) for it and I love it! Lena made it at this site. Check it out--she has lots of free templates and really inexpensive ones also.

Here is a really great gardening tool that I use as a guide for when I should plant different garden plants. All you have to do is type in the dates of your area's last freeze/frost and voila! it calculates when you should plant things. Sounds magical, doesn't it? We'll see...

But for today, I scraped away the old dead leaves which were matted around my garden beds. I removed the fall and winter debris and found some chives! onions! and strawberry plants growing. Then, I promptly covered them back up so that the next umpteen snow storms won't damage them. Such is life on the Front Range! And I love it!

Day 1

2010-03-07T16:14:00.003-07:00

Just here to say, no, I am not dead. Yet. Although I feel like it most days. Teaching 1st grade is amazing but being sick for weeks on end is not. Next week is spring break so I'm hoping for recovery time then. :)

Very little time...

2010-02-20T20:16:00.002-07:00

But today we took a trip up to Cameron Pass and went for our 1st cross-country skiing adventure with the boys. They all did great. Zach had one minor meltdown at the beginning which, I'd say, was inevitable. But in the end, he ended up being in the lead and stayed positive and motivated. Evan was too cute for words on his little skiis but he kept up just great. Josh is the endurance lad of the family when he puts his mind to it so I had no worries there. It was a beautiful snowy day and we all stayed warm and had hot cocoa on the drive back.

Well, I wrote this two weeks ago with hopes of posting pics but until more time flies by, I'll just post as it.

Grace

2010-01-24T08:55:00.002-07:00

God's grace has changed my life. Really.

Compassion

2010-01-14T18:43:00.003-07:00

The need in Haiti is agonizing to me. I want to go. I just may go.

But for now, I can give some support in at least this way. Compassion is an organization that focuses on supporting, loving, educating etc... children around the world. If you have any inkling of wanting to help out those in Haiti, consider giving to Compasson. Even a small amount will help. Every person's small amount combined together will make a large impact in Haiti. Compassion says that they have about 65,000 children that they support in Haiti and that at least one third of them have been directly affected by the earthquake. Or you could "adopt" a child from Haiti which means that you'd support them financially each month and send/receive letters from them. It's really a great experience. Really.

Of course there are a lot of other ways you could give but this is one that I believe in. :)

Christmas 2009

2010-01-10T13:00:00.001-07:00

From left to right:

Zach, Jerry (my dad), Jacob, me, Caleb, Mindi (my sis), Sam, Evan, Christian, Josh and Judy (my mom)

Lots o' Christmas Pics

2010-01-09T18:44:00.007-07:00

The look on his face says it all. All he really wanted for Christmas was a 5x5 Rubik's Cube. Now he's conqured it. You know, they make them up to 7x7....what will he do when he figures them all out? ;)

Evan and Grampy--the hugs that make it all worth it, right?!

I got a ton of pics of Jacob playing with and exploring this little farm that we got for the twins. He was enamored and luckily, his cars fit in it too!

Evan--after a nap and a hearty drink of punch.

Evan--Lego time

Little Mister Caleb. Too cute!

Josh and me snuggling during present time.

The Christmas tree at my parents new place. Everything is still bare bones in there because they haven't moved in yet but we make it work!

Zach-a-roo

Singing Christmas carols with Grampy.

Evan

Caleb the red-nosed reindeer!

Uncle Sam and Zach singing...

With Christian leading Christmas carols...a multi-family tradition!

Sweet Jacob

A bookstore on our trip into Ouray--our favorite tourist town...more pics below.

Box Canyon Falls ice park in Ouray

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T22:48:00.003-07:00

Our annual Christmas party complete with a hearty singing time with great friends, their kids (mostly pictured here) and good food and drink! I feel so blessed to have friends nearby who we consider family.

Zach got his Christmas present this morning--an electric drum set. We got an electric one since we don't have an extra room or basement. This way he can wear headphones and not get on mom's nerves! We gave it to him this morning since it is too big to take with us on our journey tomorrow. We are going to Montrose, where my parents bought a new house which they are renovating.

Zach has wanted to play drums since he was about 4. He was very excited to get this and played on it all day. He is a natural so we'll see where this takes him.

A Little Sad

2009-12-17T11:53:00.002-07:00

Today was my last day of volunteering at my boys school. And I am really, really sad about it. I have fallen in love with the kids I work with every day there--I will really miss them. And I am sad that I won't be able to be in my boys' rooms at all next semester. Not to have even a glimpse into that most significant part of their lives.... The tears just keep falling down. I know it will be ok in the end. And, I really look forward to "falling in love" with the 1st graders that I will be doing my student teaching with but today I'm just really sad about the end of this chapter for me and my family.

I am soooo very grateful that I've been able to be a stay at home mom all these years. It has been a gift that I didn't ever expect but I have been thankful for it. I really have. Christian has always worked so hard to provide for us and to be honest, God has just been really, really faithful to provide us with what we need. I don't know where this new path will lead me. I have a rainbow of emotions to sort through when I think about teaching and working full-time. Although individual moments can get me overwhelemed, I know I can trust God with the big picture and where he is leading me as a mom/wife/professional etc...

I do have to say that we've been very unexpectedly blessed to have a friend of mine be able to watch Evan every day after morning Kindergarten--AND that Christian's boss is allowing him to leave work in time to pick the boys up after school and be home with them. Christian will work a little bit from home. That way we don't have to pay for a lot of day care and Evan will be with someone we know and trust already. :) Not all is so sad. That is good. :) Perspectve, right?

Yearly portraits

2009-12-12T13:59:00.003-07:00

Normally, each fall, we pick a spot in our beautiful outdoors to take our kids portraits. This year is the only exception since we've had kids because I don't have a decent camera--just a fairly good 5 mp camera phone. That is to change soon (yea!!!) as I am getting a D-SLR (the Nikon D5000) soon. I'm feeling very spoiled for Christmas. But for now this photo will have to do for our Christmas newsletter picture.

I took this one with the Canon Rebel T1i that I tried out. I actually prefered the Nikon as soon as I took the Rebel out of the box. The Nikon was much sturdier, had smoother manual focusing, more user friendly menus, etc... This surprised me because I really thought I would like the Rebel better. Glad I tried them both!

I've been pretty uninspired about writing on this blog lately. Either I'm going to have to take a long break from it or change something up--like start a new one or something. However, with my student teaching coming up, I may not be able to blog at all?? Or maybe I'll start a teaching blog?

I think I'm ready now!!

2009-12-06T21:52:00.002-07:00

The other day, we had a Gingerbread House making extravaganza at our house. Our neighbor made the houses and organized everything for seven little bodies (mostly Kindergarteners and two younger ones) to make these delectable creations at our place. The roof caved in on Evan's but it really doesn't matter because, well, most of it has been devoured by now. :)

I finished my last assignments yesterday and I am done with this semester! Wow! That was intense. But now I am ready to celebrate the season. I have been wanting to blog every day like I did last year during advent but we'll see how it goes....

I got some Christmas shopping done in the lightly falling snow of Old Town Fort Collins this afternoon. Beautiful! Then we decorated the tree this evening. Pictures to come.

Merry Christmas!!!

Slurp your Blog on Blurb

2009-11-13T13:55:00.003-07:00

Pics taken on the Nikon D5000

I feel like I'm an alien when I talk about slurping blogs and blurb.com I just received my new blog book in the mail (thanks to TTJ!). Basically, blurb is a site where they import your blog (as much or as little of it as you like) and then you can use any one of the many templates (or make custom layouts) to put your blog into a book. I did mine in one evening so it didn't take a ton of time but I have done several digital scrapbooks before so I already know how to navigate these sites. It's free to do this. Then you, of course pay for the final book. Mine is a 12x12 to go with my scrapbooks which are also 12x12. I must say, it wasn't cheap (about $60) but that's AT LEAST how much I'd spend on making a traditional scrapbook. Plus it took WAY less time to put together. And, I am really happy with the quality of the book! This time I did a really basic set-up. Just wanted to get it done. I might try something more design oriented next time.

Speed-Stacking

2009-11-12T18:41:00.005-07:00

Josh has been waiting since about July to join the local Speed-Stacking club that meets after school. Zach and Evan have jumped on the band-wagon, too! Josh is pretty amazing...and proceeded to amaze, motivate and/or intimidate everyone else who showed up today.

This is a growing 'sport'. And by 'sport' I do mean sport. Not only does it completely engage both sides of the brain, it becomes addicitve, and competitive while involving teamwork, strategy etc... AND, after practicing for a 1/2 hour, Josh is literally sweating and his heart is pounding! They have the World Competition in Denver in April. Josh's personal best for "the cycle" is 9.05 seconds. Zach's is 14.80 seconds. Mine is 20 seconds (hee hee!). The world record is an AMAZING 5.93 seconds.

I caught this pic while he was in the middle of "the cycle". He is going blazinginly fast but the Nikon D5000 which I'm trying out at home didn't even bat an eyelash. Crystal clear. The pic of Evan yesterday (below) was from the same camera. I'm trying this one out for a couple of weeks and will probably try out the Canon Rebel T1i as well before I make a final decision.

A Little Sad...

2009-11-11T14:42:00.004-07:00

Today I called around to find childcare for Evan for when I start student teaching in January. I feel like a bad mom for sending him off to some daycare lady who I don't even know; for sending him to a strange house and kids HE doesn't know. He'll be going every day after his morning kindergarten. I know....he'll be fine. But that doesn't make me feel better right now.

I have a 10 year old!

2009-10-26T21:27:00.002-06:00

Yikes!

Josh turned 10 yesterday.

Double-digits.

Pre-teen.

I think my heart just skipped a beat!

Yup.

It did.

I seriously look at him and see my little 5 year old.

Or 2 year old.

Or even a wee babe.

Can I just pause time.

Even for a little bit.

I love this age he's in.

Ok, maybe I've been saying that for a while.

So, I'll just love this age

and love the next

and the next...

Anyways, Josh had a great, fun Birthday party yesterday. The boys and dads played keep-away/football for quite a while. Then I had the kids decorate the cake with all kinds of candy and icing of different colors! Very fun and easy. They played ball some more, opened pressents and played ball. The moms actually got to sit and have chai and chat for a while. (!) It was one of the easiest Birthday parties we've had at our house to date!

As Good As It Gets

2009-10-18T14:45:00.002-06:00

5 boys who are cousins and love each other so much! It warms my heart and I am so thankful for each one of these little rascally guys!

Evan (5), Zach (8), Josh (almost 10)

Part of the painful photo shoot posted below.

The Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-16T21:59:00.003-06:00

Jacob and Caleb came for a visit.

We went to The Pumpkin Patch.

Here is Josh walking with them.

They wanted to hold his hands.

Very sweet!

Mindi and I wanted to get our annual fall family pictures but the cards were stacked against us, I guess. Bright, bright sun (although we were thankful for a great afternoon!), wiggly boys, wind kicked up. But of course, true to form, we tried to force it... There was cheering, funny noises and even false bribery going on to get them to JUST LOOK at the camera, for crying out loud!

JJ and Caleb

It was all to (almost) no avail. (Thank God for photo editing a.k.a. picnik.)

Evan's face says it best as well as Zach who is trying so hard to put on his best smile yet is twirling his hair--a sign that he is tired and zoning out.

Besides forcing 5 little boys to pose for a photo shoot we had a great time! :)

Zach's 8th Birthday

2009-10-07T21:36:00.005-06:00

As pictured in the post below this one, Zach's actual Birthday was spent in the hospital waiting for Evan to be released. We had a friend Birthday party planned on that same day but had to cancel it since we didn't know what was going to happen with Evan. From the beginning, Zach said he wanted his party at Chuck E. Cheese which I was none too happy with. I convinced him that we'd have "just as much fun" (yeah, right, mom!) at the park, playing games. And it was the perfect day but alas, it did not work out. So, after his Birthday ended up being a cartoon-fest at the hospital, I felt that I had to make it up to him. Chuck E. Cheese prevailed! For my Zach-a-roo.

As happy as can be!

One thing about Zach is that he is the best friend you could ever have. He is gifted in that area. He is super fun and 'cool' and is up for anything. Plus he is aware of people's feelings and very kind. And in turn, he has some great friends. He would have invited more friends but I had to limit it to 4 school friends plus his two best buddies, Thomas and Kyle. It really ended up being a great time and I'm so glad I caved in.

1st Hospital Stay

2009-10-06T22:05:00.004-06:00

Two weeks ago on a Monday, Evan started coughing after playing outside in the cold. Within 24 hours he was in the hospital with pneumonia. It was not fun in any way, shape or form. I haven't even really wanted to post about it but figure, it is a part of life--his life to be exact.
He was in for 5 days. It was exhausting and reminded me of how bad off I am with no sleep...kind of like when the boys were babies. It has taken over a week to start to feel caught up on life. But I am so thankful that he got better so quickly and is doing well!

First night's stay. Evan was a little bit scared at first. There were so many people poking and bugging him and the 10 or 15 tries at the IV didn't help a bit. He just needed to rest.

A couple days later he was up for periods of time. A very kind nurse found a piggy bank for him to paint. They took really good care of him.

This was the last day--Zach's Birthday--waiting to go home. Grammy and Grampy bought Evan a fun game that we played to make the time pass more quickly.

Let the Games Begin!

2009-09-19T09:43:00.004-06:00

Football and Soccer season has officially begun!! Josh had his first flag football game this morning. He had a couple of really good runs, great "tackles" on defense and his team did a great job and had so much fun! He even tried giving high fives to some of the kids (even though he said it was embarassing for him :) Now he tells me he wants to play tackle. I was hoping to hold off on that for a while...

Zach and Evan play next. I bribed Evan a little while ago, saying, "If you don't cry at all during the game when you fall down, then I'll buy you a cookie at the coffee shop (and a latte for me!)" Evan is a really good player. But he falls down frequently. And, he tends to do this pathetic cry/pout when he does. Now that he is the best player on the team and getting to be one of the oldest, I'm thinking enough is enough already! :) NO CRYING (unless gushing blood or broken bones are involved, of course! And then, I'm allowed to cry, right?)

UPDATE: Evan did it! Although he fell down several times, he got right back up every time and played his heart out. OK, warning, major bragging ahead (not that there hasn't already been :). There was one boy on the other team that was matched up, skill-wise, with Evan and they were neck-n-neck the whole time. Every time Evan scored, that boy was right there with him and vice versa. But the thing that makes me the proudest is that each time when Evan scored, he went over to the other boy and said, "Good job, B." and gave him a high five.

Zach plays football later today...I'll update after that...

Zach's game was great too. His team was really young and inexperienced in the Spring but they all have improved a lot this season already. Just running in the right direction was the main challenge in the Spring--I think they all had that one down this time!! Zach had a couple of great runs and even scored a touchdown on a long run. :) Good times!

Now we're all little red from the sunny day. Today a cold front is moving in. I'll have to keep an eye on the garden....

9/11

2009-09-11T12:55:00.002-06:00

Today I walked under the American and Colorado flags at half-mast several times.

Oddly, at first I totally forgot what day it was and just wondered who had died. I had to be reminded, when I got in the school, that it was 9/11. A little embarrasing but, oh well. A bit later when I left the school, I was so thankful that I live in a place where I am free to walk in and out of a beautiful school that educates all children. I am so glad that we are honoring those who were killed and spared their lives for others by lowering the flags, at least. I was also thinking about children in Pakistan and Afganistan where they are fighting not only for equal education but for their very lives. 9/11 is a day in our history that will never be forgotton. But it also makes me wonder about the countries that are controlled by terrorists on a daily basis. There are many people in this world who live with the terror that we felt on that horrifying day every single day of their lives. That makes me stop and think...

Speed Cubing

2009-09-04T21:47:00.002-06:00

For the past two weeks, Josh has been working on the Rubik's cube. He is down to solving it in 2 minutes now. Maybe I'll post a video since there are many of them. He video tapes himself and then races against himself in the video. :)

Greg Mortenson

2009-09-01T18:34:00.002-06:00

"When it is dark you can see the stars." Greg Mortenson speaking of encountering trials.

Last night I went with some girlfriends to see Greg Mortenson speak. He wrote Three Cups of Tea. If you want to know more about his book, click over to my other post. He got several standing ovations throughout the evening from the nearly packed-to-capacity Moby Arena at CSU.

"No matter what happens tomorrow we can make a difference today." -Mortenson

He was a very humble man with a not so subtle Asian-ness about him. He has persevered through more trials than most people could even imagine...all in the name of love, education and peace. Love for his adopted family in Pakistan and Afganistan. Education for all children and especially girls in that area. Peace for that area of the world.

I got to shake his thick and calloused hand after waiting in the book-signing line for an hour. And he signed my copy of his book, Listen to the Wind, "To Josh, Zach and Evan. Peace!"

Random Thoughts

2009-08-25T16:24:00.003-06:00

1. Today was my first ever full day at school (in a teacher role).

2. I LOVED it!

3. I saw the first yellow leaves in our back yard this weekend!

4. We had a very fun bar-b-que this weekend that spontaneously grew at the last minute.

5. I am so thankful that I don't have to walk alone through the uncertainties and challenges of life. God is always there. I can always call on him but more than that, he is just always there. Plus, he has put people in my life that make the journey so much more bearable.

6. We had a Mercury spill in our car this weekend. Just FYI, Mercury is not something that you want to inhale, touch or injest. I didn't realize how poisonous it was to inhale it. Not to worry though, we are all fine.

7. I am going to see Greg Mortenson speak at CSU next Monday night with some friends. He's the author of Three Cups of Tea. I cannot wait!

8. Sadly, my Stumptown "Hair Bender" espresso (from Portland) is gone. But it was soooo good while it lasted!

9. That's all for now...Gotta go help with homework.

First Day of School--2009

2009-08-23T13:52:00.003-06:00

Josh is in 4th, Zach is in 2nd and Evan is in 1/2 day Kindergarten.

Grammy joined us for a couple days to come to the boys' Ice Cream Social the night before school started where they got to meet their teachers. Then, on Wednesday the boys started except for Evan who started the next day. I got to observe a teacher on the first day of school as well so that was good experience to see how teachers set the tone and deal with those first day expectations. Below is a picture of Evan going into his Kindergarten room. I was really sad to leave him but his teacher seems so welcoming and nurturing that I know he will have a great time. He even has a couple of boys in his room who he already knows.

Evan was a little shy at first even though he was so excited to go. Here is a picture of their classroom. There are only 15 kids in his class which is very nice (compared to 20+ kids that Zach had when he was in Kindergarten.)

I had a few crying spells that morning. When I went home, Cody, our Corgi, ran all over the house looking for the boys. Then we both sat down--he with his sad puppy eyes and me with my sad pouty face and hung out for a bit before I ran some errands. Oh, the pain of separation. It's funny how often it is the parent who has the hardest time with this.

Our dinner tonight

2009-08-17T21:50:00.003-06:00

came from our garden!

Green Living

2009-08-13T09:05:00.009-06:00

The green tarp is there in case we have a hail storm of which

we have had several. So far so good.

You know how there's so much talk about living green, right? When you look at all of the information it can be so overwhelming. Recycle, reduce waste, reuse stuff, use energy efficient stuff, use alternative energy sources, drive less, bike more, eat more local food, stop using plastic, save water, clean up our environment etc... etc... Well, I personally am sold on the overall idea but at times it seems the more I do, the more there is to do to be environmentally and personally responsible. It can seem like a downhill battle at times. But what I am noticing is that because of my general growing consciousness by wanting to educate myself and my children by reading articles and books (like, two of my favorites so far, Farewell My Subaru and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle--which I am reading right now) I am gradually learning to live more intentionally and responsibly.

Christian and I watched this worship sermon DVD (thanks Irene!) on the indescribable-ness of God. The preacher focused on the vastness of outer space to help illustrate his greatness. One thing he said was, do you think that God created this earth just to inhabit you and me? Sure, that's a big part of it. But this place we call earth is so dang amazingly beautiful that, at least in part it, was created to reflect his beauty and awesomeness etc... In light of that alone, I want to take care of my environment and my body and my family's bodies. There are a plethora of other reasons to take care of all of these things.

Anyhow, I realized the other day when we ate an almost purely local meal served at our dinner table that we are inching our way towards this above goal. Our beef is from a friend who I work out with. Our chicken is from a neighbor. Our eggs are from our chickens. Our veggies this summer are from our garden (just waiting for the tomatoes to ripen!). Some of our fruit is from our garden and I've been getting some at the farmer's market. Of course, there are lots of other things that we don't get locally but I was just excited to know that we are moving in the right direction! And seriously, it tastes SO good! All of these things came about because of individual choices we've made over the past 6 months. We didn't have to go "all out" one day and traumatize ourselves into living green. It's the small steps sometimes that add up to a bigger change.

The book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is eye-opening in this regard. I'm only on chapter 3 but it's a book of her family moving to a fertile land in order to eat almost exclusively local or from their own garden. I'm excited to learn more and keep going down this path. And I'm really excited that my garden has done so well this summer. I really had my doubts and didn't know if it was worth it. But it has been such a fun and rewarding endeavor.

Happy Birthday Evan!!

2009-08-11T15:39:00.004-06:00

Evan is 5 years old today! 5 seems like such a milestone. Plus he is starting Kindergarten and totally excited about it. This morning he got to open his Birthday presents from family. His brothers, especially, went out of their way to make this special for them. They picked out presents from around the house or made or put together things that they knew he would like, wrapped the presents and hid them for him to find. They also wrapped up "decoy" presents too so that made it more fun. Zach's card to Evan was priceless. It says, "I hop yow like the presents. Yow are my best frend forever. Hav a grat Brthday. From Zach. Evan roks!"

Evan has been really growing up a lot in the past six months. My little baby is becoming more and more of that young boy that tries so hard to keep up with the rest of the world around him (ie. his brothers). But he is really coming into his own and developing such an amazing little personality. He is very kind and thoughtful, polite, particular about how things are in his world,

very passionate (this can be good or down-right scarey!) and a very funny little guy once he gets warmed up to you.

I am so thankful for all of the time I have had with him. Especially the past two years when Josh and Zach were in school and Evan was my little pal. He has taught me to take time to smell the roses more; to slow down and enjoy the moment and not get so caught up in the schedule or the things I should do. He's helped me realize that sometimes we just need a hug or someone to be there with us through the messiness of life.

I've been having a hard time thinking about him going to Kindergarten this year since he is so young. But I know he will do great and love it. It's just that nervous ninny thing! Hard to let go.

Oh, and I really like his freckles!

Pet Chipmunk??

2009-08-09T23:02:00.004-06:00

So, it's Evan's 5th B-day on Tuesday.

We've been talking about getting him

a bigger bike with gears so that he can

keep up better on their bike rides.

We've also been talking about getting

a rabbit for him. Something he's been

wanting for a while.

So today I asked him which one he wants more:

At first he said, "A big bike!"

Then he thought for a moment...

"No, I think I want a bunny rabbit."

Then he thought again and exclaimed,

"Actually, I think I really want a chipmunk!!"

THAT would be interesting. :)

My Favorites

2009-08-09T13:13:00.002-06:00

Long, slow walks on the beach. Having no agenda or timeline.

I had three things I absolutely wanted to do when we went

to Oregon; see our friends, TJ and April and their girls, go

to the ocean, and go to Stumptown in Portland. Our coffee

shop, Everyday Joe's has had a history with Stumptown

that has made me partial to them. While Joe's no longer

brews with Stumptown's beans (which is totally fine) I am

still a fan. Here it is. And it was SO worth it!

Elevation Matters

2009-08-08T13:26:00.002-06:00

On our drive to Oregon, Josh was my very capable navigator.

Not only does he keep track of where we are, where we are

going, making sure I'm going the right way when I'm confused,

what time it is, how far to the next stop, what time we

should arrive there etc...but he also keeps track of the elevation.

Along the way, as true for mountan states, the elevation was

posted from time to time. He was very interested in this and

the trek it would take to get us to 1 ft. elevation which he proudly

posted on the beach as soon as we got there.

Fun at the beach

2009-08-08T13:07:00.001-06:00

The boys did lots of this...

2009-08-08T13:03:00.000-06:00

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, OR

2009-08-08T12:27:00.001-06:00

The Oregon Vacation

2009-08-08T11:06:00.000-06:00

Hello Ocean!! We love you. (Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, OR)

Has he won the Nobel Peace Prize yet??

2009-07-25T13:30:00.004-06:00

This book deserves a post or two from me. It's a true story about a man, Greg Mortenson, who, after trying to climb the mountain, K2, got lost and wandered into an isolated village in northern Pakistan. The people were so kind and hospitable as he recovered that he knew he had to do something to repay them. He promised to build them a school. Long story, short; he has now built about 50 schools in Pakistan and Afganistan. Central Asia Institute is the non-profit organization that he runs. I feel like it embodies so much of what I want to do in this world and how I believe it should be done. And I am totally challenged. Totally inspired. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. There is also a young adult version and a kids picture book called Listen To The Wind that tells the story to kids. There is also a program and website called Pennies for Peace where children can make a difference in other childrens' lives in Pakistan and Afganistan. I read the book to my boys and they all came up with ideas for raising money to help. I am so moved by his motivation and premise for building schools in that part of the world. Maybe I'll write more about it later....

Josh's 1st 14er

2009-07-15T22:12:00.005-06:00

While we were on vacation in Ouray, Uncle Sam took us on

a special hike--a 14er called Uncompahgre Peak. It is the 6th

highest peak in Colorado at 14,309 ft. Christian and I went

and so did Josh. Here he is at the top. He totally smoked me

the first 2/3rds of the hike but we made it to the top all

together. I can't believe his stamina and drive at age 9. He

didn't complain once during the whole hike. Then, at about

13,500 ft. elevation, Josh said, without breaking stride,

"Wow, my legs are tired all of a sudden." I said, "Just all of

a sudden? It's probably the lack of oxygen. Is is hard for you

to breathe yet?" (Because until that time he said it wasn't

hard to breathe.) Then he said, "Yeah, a little bit. Is it hard

for you to breathe, Mama?" I chuckled and said, "Yes, but

it's been hard for me to breathe the whole time."

Here's the peak we climbed from the alpine meadow below.

This was the most beautiful 14er I've done so far and one

of my all time favorite hikes ever. Here you can't see the

streams running down and all of the colors of the wild

flowers. The beauty literally made me start to cry a couple

of times. This was my 7th, Christian's 6th and Sam's 22nd

fourteener. Sam is going for all 54!!

Josh, having lunch at the top.

Uncle Sam on the right with their foster son, Branden, on

the left. The mountains in the background were breathtaking!

Christian, Josh and I at the top. We made it!!!!

More Vacation Pictures

2009-07-14T20:03:00.001-06:00

Evan at the lodge

I bribed Zach to let me get this picture of him.

Me with Caleb and Jacob (dogs, Cody and Coda) at the lodge.

The Worst Spent $70

2009-07-12T23:29:00.002-06:00

That would be riding on a little train for about 5 minutes to get
into this old mine, listening to a 40 minute technical speech on
mining and riding out for about 5 minutes. I couldn't believe they
charged so much for, oh, so little! But at least there was a bat
in the cave for a little excitement.

And I like the pictures we got--taken on my new Omnia cell
phone camera. My new number is (970) 568-6528 by the way.

My miner men.

Wild Babies

2009-07-11T20:25:00.003-06:00

Baby duck found on our vacation in Ridgway near the

lodge we stayed in. I would have brought it home if I

could have found it the day we left.

So far this summer the boys have found a baby duck,

a baby dove, a baby (unidentified) bird and a baby bunny.

In each case they have tried to "save" or "adopt" the animal.

Today after they got the bunny caged up with grass and

carrots (which I'm sure it couldn't eat) they realized that

it probably was missing it's mommy so they decided to let

it go. Each time I've looked online how to take care of these

wild babies, the best advise is to leave them alone and let

nature or their 'mommies' take their course. But really,

the duckling was almost too cute to pass up!

Roasting Marshmallows

2009-07-10T10:41:00.002-06:00

Last week we went on vacation with my family to Ridgway
and Ouray, CO. It was a very relaxing and even simple time.
Here Grammy and Grampy are with the boys after they
made a bon fire on the bank of the river where our lodge
was and are roasting marshmallows.

Funny things that happen when your child takes the camera...

2009-07-08T19:01:00.003-06:00

This is what Blacky, our Nubian goat, normally looks like!

Dog Show

2009-07-07T22:25:00.003-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, the town of Wellington hosted their second
annual dog show. It was a free event and open to anyone in the
community. Zach said he wanted to try it and I'm so glad he did!
He got 1st place in his group and I really think it was not only fun
for him but something he could do more of in the future if he wants.

Cody did great and had fun meeting lots of dogs. I think
he was the only puppy that placed.

Zach, displaying his blue ribbon at the end of the show where
all of the first place dogs got to compete for best in show which
was won by a Golden Retriever.

Sunrise Hike

2009-07-07T20:48:00.003-06:00

Every year around the summer solstice, Christian and his friend Doug

have gone for a sunrise hike up Horsetooth Mountain. This was their

tenth year. Over the years, different people have joined them.

Josh and Zach have each gone since they were five. Next year

will be Evan's turn. This year there was a whole crew (not including

myself! I like my sleep too much ;) that went.

Flying Free

2009-06-25T19:30:00.002-06:00

Loving the freedom of summer.

Loving the freedom of my boys' spirits.

Loving the freedom of being done with my classes!!

2009-06-20T22:36:00.003-06:00

"God is not found in the soul by adding anything but by a process of subtraction."
--Meister Eckhart

Learning to let go. What being poor in spirit means. I never understood that before. Just getting a glimpse of it now.

"Much of spiritual practice is cutting away what must be cut, and letting remain what must remian. Knowing what to cut--this is wisdom. Being clear and strong enough to make the cut when it is time for things to go--this is courage. Together, the practices of wisdom and courage enable us, day by day and task by task, to gradually simplify our life." --Wayne Muller

For those of you far away, I wish you could walk up our steps, be welcomed into our home and enjoy a latte or a beer, or a cup of water, and just hang out with us. The roses are in full bloom!

Gardening

2009-06-14T16:42:00.003-06:00

You can scroll down a couple of posts to see what our garden looked like a month ago. It has been raining here every day. Not much sunshine. Very odd for this region. They usually call this area, "high plains desert". But this spring it's been more like Seattle. I think the plants are loving the water but craving some shine! I'm excited about our garden but it should be interesting to see how things turn out. I had to transplant a bunch of plants that I started from seed because they all pooled in clumps instead of staying in the rows I planted them in. I'm guessing it's been from the daily downpours. Luckily, they've survived a few hail storms that we've had. At any rate, we've harvested a few strawberries and I saw my first blueberry today!

So, mother nature will have her way and in the meantime I will garden my little plots with care and patience; hope and expectancy.

I've been thinking lately how there is so much hype on living green and more sustainable lives. I've read a few books on different aspects of this lifestyle. My favorite so far being Farewell My Subaru by Doug Fine. They are stories of extreme living, usually written by single men or people without young children. While they are very inspiring and make me look more closely at the way we live, it's made me always wonder, how can I do that with three young boys? Like, how could I use bicycle power exclusively to travel with three young boys? How could we live off the grid with 3 young boys? etc... It mostly seems overwhelming to me. But at the same time, I know we are taking baby steps as we can handle them. But wouldn't it be cool if there was a story out there of a family with young children was living this way 24/7..... I'm sure there is. Let me know if you know of one!

Camping up the Poudre

2009-06-14T16:18:00.003-06:00

Our first official camping trip of the season
(as opposed to unofficial camping trips out in the back yard)
We went with Eden and Lori and their kids
Zack and Jazz
The Lower Narrows in the Poudre is a beautiful spot
right along the Poudre River which is very full right now.
We had a great time with them despite the fact
that somehow, our supposed reservations were non-existant
Luckily, there was just enough room at Eden and Lori's site
for us to squeeze in. It worked out like a charm!
Then, the morning after our first night. I got sick.
Still not sure if it was a bug or bad food/water.
But Eden and Lori were planning on heading back home
after lunch so I caught a ride home with them and spent
the rest of the day/night in bed. Meanwhile, Christian
and the boys had a blast, of course!

River of Spirituality Playlist

2009-05-26T22:50:00.002-06:00

I'm taking a course through Regis called
Adult Spirituality and Growth. We have an
assignment to draw out our spiritual life
journey. I decided to put a playlist to
mine. I've only sketched out my river and
am still trying to decide how to portray it.
Just thought I'd share these songs for now.

The Garden

2009-05-24T15:16:00.003-06:00

A couple of weekends ago we built these
garden beds. I am so cautiously excited
about the produce we will get. I still
have to plant raspberry and blueberry
bushes in the back bed. The last big part
of this garden is to put a fence around
it to help keep out goats, rabbits and
other curious animals, such as Cody.
Several of the plants were started by
the boys in their classes at school or
at church so, they have added interest in
it as well.
Carrots
Snap peas
Chives
Onions
Green beans
Spinach
Bibb lettuce
Red leaf lettuce
Strawberries
Tomatos
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cucumbers

I decided to not plant zuchinni or
squash because every summer we receive
a plethora from neighbors and friends.
I hope this works out! I haven't had a
lot of luck in the past with my gardens
so hopefully this year it will turn out!

Cousins

2009-05-18T19:22:00.002-06:00

We went down to the Springs this weekend to celebrate
all of the Birthdays and late Mother's Day. We went
out to eat at this restaurant, had some time to hang
out and play and then we went to the Colorado Springs
Children's Choir performance, "Oh The Places You'll Go."

It was a short but fun trip.

Nephew time

2009-05-18T19:13:00.002-06:00

Jacob and Caleb were here last weekend
for a visit. They are getting so big--
their 2nd Birthday is in just a couple of
days. It's so sweet how Josh, Zach and
Evan just love these little guys and
how Jacob and Caleb love them back! It's
cute because Caleb tends to call all the
boys, "Zach" even though he knows all of
their names. And Jacob calls Zach, "Guck"
and he calls me "Wee Wee" lol! So sweet.

Christian let Mindi and I go out for
dinner one night and he had to feed them
supper so the picture above is how he had
them set up while we were out.

Caleb and I.

So much to do....

2009-05-14T13:43:00.002-06:00

So little time!!!

I'm taking the equiv. of 12 credits right now
Trying to get our garden going
Writing a book
Reading the Twilight series (just finished last night)
Reading 7 textbooks for my classes
Soccer, Football and Softball

And then all the other stuff that we moms/wives do.

Craziness!
It's all good though
(except for the state of orderliness of my house)
Oh well ;0)

Josh's 3rd/4th Grade Musical

2009-05-11T19:59:00.004-06:00

Eric the Red

2009-04-24T20:46:00.003-06:00

Josh had his Viking play today. He was "Eric the Red" and played his part with vim and vigor (as his father would say).

New Herd

2009-04-23T12:32:00.004-06:00

Introducing....

Cody (#2)
Zach's new Corgi...a year and a half after he lost his Corgi dog, Cody (#1)

There are few things more precious than a boy and his dog.
I have to say, that even though I am not a dog lover, it's
hard not to fall in love with such a sweet puppy. I love his
disposition and actually look forward to the training process.

We also got two new goats yesterday, the black one is "Speedy"
and Evan has claimed him. "Jamie" is the black and white one--
named by Josh. They are Pygmy goats and we got them to be
companions for Blacky (our Nubian). Goats are not happy when
they are alone.

Cody had fun chasing the little guys!

Sunday Fun

2009-04-20T20:13:00.003-06:00

After church on Sunday we went for a hike.
But on the way there we stopped at a nearby
garden center where they had an open house,
activities for the kids and, most of all,
face painting!

Service Learning

2009-04-19T20:58:00.002-06:00

This video really touched me. Children can make such
a huge difference in this world! It is my passion to open
up that door to children. Give them the ability to
hope and dream big and then empower them to make those
dreams come true and change those around them, and
themselves in the process.

This is where it's at for me as a future teacher.
I long to do relevant and meaningful service learning
projects with my students. The problem, I know, is
that there is so little time for teachers to do
anything. But my heart says, how can we waste so much
time in not doing real-live projects where kids
make a difference in the world AND learn all the
school "stuff" they are supposed to along with it??

I could go on and on about this and I'm searching for
someone with experience in this area to have some dialog
with about the ins and outs of successful education
where service-learning is not just an add-on but is
what drives their program.

Zach's 1st grade musical

2009-04-18T12:17:00.004-06:00

Here's Zach's 1st grade musical. He was sooo

excited to perform and took a lot of pride in the

songs they sang. Very cute. I'll also just say that

we had his conference this week and he has

really changed and grown up a lot this year.

He's reading really well and excells at math,

being a very good listener and a kind friend.

His favorite subject this year has been science.

He now wants to be a "scientist who mixes things

together to make potions. And a cowboy, too!"

Fifth Disease....Not JUST for children

2009-04-16T21:34:00.002-06:00

Apparently, I have not contracted 5th disease
until this week.
Zach and Evan have had it for the past
couple of weeks--not a big deal for kids--
they just get a lacy rash that doesn't
bother them. There has been a huge
outbreak at their school since January.

I wanted to write a post about this because
I have known people who have had
chronic fatigue and chronic joint pain
which has gone un/misdiagnosed...

So, Fifth Disease is an underdiagnosed
viral disease that can cause (in adults)
debilitating joint pain, stiffness and swelling
as well as chronic fatigue... These symptoms can last
anywhere from a few days to months. If you have
these symptoms (or know someone who has)
ask your Dr. about Fifth's disease and getting
a blood test for the human Parvo virus
which causes it. Also, a lot of docs don't seem
to know much about it or just assume it is
just a harmless childhood illness. Not so.
I went to the dr. office today and she had
to go look it up and couldn't really answer
my questions about it since I had already
done a ton of research on it. I just thought
I'd spread the word because a lot of people who
have it end up having tons of blood work done
and are never checked for Parvo (NOT the kind
that animals have!) and go through months or
years without knowing what is really wrong.

2009-04-12T15:24:00.002-06:00

Coloring Easter eggs yesterday. My boys
have been asking to do these for months.
I should just buy a couple packs and do
this a couple more times a year since they
enjoy it so much.

Well, as you can see, I am focusing on my family and NOT
the chaos of the messy house around me. (If you could see
even more you'd see piles of clothes being sorted into different
sizes, dirty dishes and a lot of misc. stuff laying around.)
But the past few days have been just focused on the kids and
trying to help Christian get better....long story short Christian
got very sick and after a few days of trying to figure out what
it was, he found out it was a staph infection of scar tissue he
has on his abdomen. So, we've been just hanging out.

Josh got him a cute Get Well card today. It says, "Want to feel
better soon?" (with a picture of a dog drinking out of a toilet
bowl on the front). Inside it said, "Drink plenty of fluids!"

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T14:38:00.003-06:00

We had a quiet Easter celebration here at home
with a couple of simple egg hunts--one out back
and another initiated by the boys in their rooms.

Josh

Zach

Their Easter treats. (I'm not really into a bunch of candy
and stuff.) But they really enjoyed and were thankful for
this simple spread.

One of the things I got for them were these eggs that turned

into dinosaurs. Evan's working hard to open his.

Very clever of whoever thought to make Dinosaurs related

to Easter in some way. My boys, at least, were all over these ;)

The Birds

2009-04-07T15:55:00.003-06:00

I know that birds freak some people out.
But I have a growing fettish for them--
particularly the raptors.
I am known to pull over on the side of the road
because there is a hawk or an eagle
flying overhead.
I totally freak out to the tune of,

"Oooh! Oooh! (Head hanging out window and pointing violently)
Look! There's an eagle!!
Is it a bald eagle?!
Oooo!
Look, boys!" etc...

I picked up a bird guide at the library the other day
and we've had fun sitting out
on the tramp
or down by the lake
to watch the birds
and try to identify them.
Since there is a lake down behind our property
we get birds like, Bald and Golden eagles,
Great Blue Herons, and Pelicans among other water birds.

Evan and I sat down by the lake today and watched
the pelicans and the lone Heron
and read books
ate blackberries
threw rocks in the lake...

Totally chilled out.

I need to remember my camera next time
so I can post a picture.