{family pictures}

Our family pictures were taken a little over a month ago, and I really do love them.  All of that hard work paid off.  :) Also--thanks to our fabulous photographer, whose patience, talent, and bags of candy made all the difference.  ♥ you.

.....

{family}

{five kids}

{girls}

{boys}

{mom and dad}

{ryan}

 {kate}

{emma}

{henry}

{jack}

.....

My wall isn't big enough. How am I ever going to decide?

{halloween...finally}

Okay, so this has been on my list, well, since Halloween.  These past couple of weeks have just had so many extra things crammed in that sitting down and going through Halloween pictures has been at the bottom of the list.  But better late than never, right?

We had a wonderful Halloween.  I felt a bit rushed, since we got home from Chicago the night before, but once I let myself relax a little bit, I enjoyed it a lot more.  :)

Halloween morning I made orange pancakes and black cinnamon roll pancake sauce...a bit hit with everyone.  

We had some fun plans during the day, but ended up skipping them due to Emma not feeling very well. I was crossing my fingers that she would feel better by that night, because she was so looking forward to what we had planned.  Fortunately, she was up to the festivities, and by that evening, was much better.

A couple months ago we went on a delightful surrey ride in downtown Midland, and when we returned them, we had the brilliant thought that they would be perfect for Halloween night--to take the kids trick-or-treating in. We couldn't wait to try it out!

 

After the obligatory pictures on the front porch, we headed over to our friends' house--surrey central.  We decorated our surrey with garland and a few other things, then hopped in our for our ride around the neighborhood.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  Crisp air--but no jackets needed.  Many a year we've bundled everyone up in snow coats, and quickly made our way to a few houses. This year was lovely--only sweaters for the girls, and a thermal under the boys' costumes.

The boys very quickly caught on to this whole idea of knocking on doors and getting candy.  They could not get in and out of the surrey fast enough, and as soon as we finished at one home, all we heard was "mo", "mo" (more).  I'm pretty sure they thought they had stumbled on to the greatest thing ever.  Ryan did a few houses with us, the ran back home to man the front door and handing out candy. For me, I love that the surreys are pedal-powered--a great workout on a night that's bound to have some candy-eating involved. All those calories burned just means the more candy I can eat, right?  :)

What a blast. I think we've discovered a new family tradition, and decided to reserve them for the next five years. :)

.....

The week before Halloween, a local city forest hosts a Halloween walk.  It takes you along a path lit with lanterns, and at several stops along the way, tells a story and passes out candy.  This year they went with a Dora and Swiper theme, which my little ones loved.  We go every year, and it's one of those traditions we just can't miss.

It was such a fun way to get excited about Halloween, dress up in costumes, and enjoy a night out as a family.

.....

Can you believe Thanksgiving is now in a couple of weeks?   Can someone please stop the next month or so from going by so quickly??!!

{i'm in love}

I just thought you should know...I have a new love interest.  

Yes, it's true.

My old vacuum (and I'm not just using that term lightly...it was at least 8 years old) died last week, in a poof of smoke and a huge spark that flew out the back and scared poor Ryan half to death. I was thrilled.  ☺

Vacuuming and I have had a very long-term relationship. Some might say I'm a little obsessed, and now I'm willing to acquiesce that point.  What's better than those lovely carpet lines?  Not much, I say.

For a long time, when we lived in apartments, I would vacuum up to seven times a day, but at least four...after each meal and before bed.  We almost always had carpet under our kitchen table, and if I was going to vacuum after a meal, I might as well vacuum the whole house, right?  Once we moved into a house, the frequency changed some--all those extra square feet! I still vacuum the main floor at least once a day, so my vacuum is really important to me. What can I say?  We all have our quirks!

My craziest vacuum moment happened while we lived in Denver, during Rick's internship.  We didn't live in the greatest area (really, it was downright scary), and to top it off, we ended up not bringing a lot of our things, including the vacuum.  After a couple weeks of no vacuuming, the floor was beginning to look terrible, and drive me crazy.  I REALLY needed to vacuum. So I took Ryan with me, and we went door to door, asking to borrow a vacuum.  Yes.  I got some very strange looks, and I was surprised to find out how many people don't even own one.  Seriously?  How does that work?  Anyway, I finally found someone willing to let me, a perfect stranger, borrow their vacuum for the day.  I must have looked and sounded pretty desperate, I mean, who does that? I was never so happy though, when that carpet was clean. 

Okay, so enough reminiscing...

I really do love this vacuum.  It fit my budget, had everything I was looking for, has the most incredible sucking power I've ever seen (I had to empty out the canister THREE times yesterday when I vacuumed the house, and I thought I had pretty clean carpets--shows you how much our vacuum wasn't working), is light and easy to carry. 

Today, I am a happy girl.  ♥

{racing in chicago}

A few months ago I was itching for the next race, decided to run another half marathon, and was thrilled when my friend Brook wanted to join me for her first half. I really enjoy training with someone, and we had such a great time getting ready for this race together. This particular race was in Chicago, one of my most favorite places to visit. We had some fun things planned for our family to do as well, and I couldn't wait!

We left bright and early Friday morning, and were hoping to arrive early afternoon.  Unfortunately we hit some major construction traffic, and it took us two hours to go four miles.  The kids were in a state of rebellion at that point, and we still had ninety miles to go.  We survived, thanks to copious amounts of fruit snacks, but hey--you have to do what you have to do, right?

After we checked into our hotel (which was right downtown and a screamin' deal on priceline), we bundled up and headed out to get something to eat.  This proved to be a little more difficult than I originally thought, as we strived to find a place that was family friendly, and had even a small selection of gluten-free items. As we searched we did enjoy a nice walk downtown, and the boys were especially fascinated by all the cars, honking cabs, and droves of people.  

After dinner, Rick dropped me off at Charlie & Brook's hotel.  They didn't have kids with them, and staying with them meant a quiet night's sleep, and not having to wake little ones in the morning.  Rick was a trooper to take all the kids by himself that night and the next morning--it made a huge difference, and I am grateful!

The next morning came quickly, and after we ate breakfast and got dressed, we headed out for the starting point.  Their hotel was literally a 5 minute walk, which was perfect.  The day was BEAUTIFUL, and we could not have asked for better weather.  I like to run in cold weather--the colder the better--because I get so hot, so running in the low 40's is exactly right for me.  The sun was shining brightly, the sky was blue, and it was perfect.  This race was a costume race, and we were completely entertained by all the clever and sometimes crazy costumes.  With about 6000 runners (5k and half combined), it was busy, and very exciting.

The race went well for me--I felt good the whole time. It was so fun being with Brook and Charlie--he definitely kept us entertained. :)  Brook did really well, and I'm SO proud of her!  She hadn't been able to run the last couple of weeks due to a knee injury, and despite all of it, she pushed through and finished strong. Her determination was inspiring, and I'm glad I was there for it! ♥ Rick and the kids were at the finish line, and there is nothing better than having them there to greet me.  It was wonderful!

After the race, we headed back to our hotel so I could shower, and do the girls' hair.  :) We were ready for a trip down the Magnificent Mile!

The girls had been looking forward to this trip for a long time, because it meant a very special outing to the American Girls store.  They are getting American Girl dolls for Christmas this year, and I really wanted them to have the experience of the store--it is incredible.  We had to talk about it many times before we left, so they would understand that even though they were choosing their dolls, they wouldn't actually receive them until Christmas.  I know--it's a lot to ask, but they were sure they could handle it. So, off we went--the girls one way, and the boys the other way.

They looked and looked--through both gigantic floors--at every doll, outfit, brush, and comb.  We scoured shelves, compared hair and eyes, and looked at all the clothes.  We get the catalog each month in the mail, and they had already poured over it, each going in with the doll they thought they would get.  In the end, Kate ended up with something different (which totally surprised me--she had been dead set on one particular doll for at least a year), and Emma left with the very doll she had in mind in the first place.  They also got to choose one extra outfit, and it was really, really fun to see their individual tastes and personalities come through.

While we were shopping, Rick took the boys to the Lego store, which they were equally excited about.  All of my boys are Lego maniacs, and could stay there all day.  We joined them when we were finished, and stayed another two hours!  We left with more Christmas presents for the boys (I'm almost done, yay!), and everyone was happy.

We spent the rest of the day exploring, EATING, walking, and eating some more.  After cheesecake, Garrett's popcorn, and delicious meals, I had definitely eaten all the calories I burned while running.  Totally worth it.  :)

When we got back to the hotel that night, the kids were asleep in ten minutes.

It was SUCH a fun trip!

I'm already looking forward to the next races--I think I'm addicted.  :)  There is a series of three half marathons in January, February, and March--specifically for those that like to run in the winter.  I actually prefer winter running--I get hot so easily, that I MUCH prefer it over the summer heat.  Rick and I are both excited about it, and it will be a great way to keep motivated during the long winter.

After Halloween yesterday (pictures coming soon), and being gone last week, today I'm playing catch up.  A day to stay in jammies, be cozy...sounds wonderful!

{haunted gingerbread houses}

I don't remember how this tradition started, but it simply isn't Halloween without making haunted gingerbread houses. The kids look forward to it for weeks---I'm sure it has nothing to do with the loads of candy and frosting we go through.  ☺

It ended up being a beautiful afternoon, after days of rain and gloom, so we decorated outside, which I was excited about.  I know that winter is close on the horizon, and I'll take every "outside" day I can!

 

The boys didn't really get the whole house thing, but they sure picked up on the candy part right away.  They each had bowls of candy for decorating, but wouldn't let us touch it to help them--they just wanted to eat it.

Emma was very intent on her work, and rarely moved from her spot at the table.  She is very meticulous, and likes things just so.  She ended up with so much frosting on her, she needed a bath after we finished!

Miss Kate was busy talking while she made her house, and loved every minute of it.  She is most definitely my social girl!

 Ryan was all business. He sat across from Emma, and I heard not a peep out of either one of them. 

Now it's time for the  the best part of gingerbread houses...eating them!

{4:11 AM}

Early this morning I heard noises coming from the nursery. Despite not waking up to alarm clocks, middle of the night phone calls, and even a 5.9 earthquake, I can pick up the slightest noise from my little ones.  I glanced at the clock, saw it was just past 4am, and silently prayed that they weren't getting sick--Ryan had just been home for a couple of days because he wasn't feeling well, and I had tried my best to keep him quarantined from the others.

When Rick walked in to check on them, he was surprised by a pillow flying toward him.

They had all the lights on,  and were heavily engaged in a pretty serious pillow fight. Pillows and blankets were everywhere, and even the cribs had been moved to what I can only guess to be a better strategic position. The whole "double trouble" thing?  Totally true. Really--how is it that that came to pass? You just wake up and decide, let's have a pillow fight??

The question then became---where do we put one of them for the rest of the night? They actually don't fall asleep in the same room--they have to be separated.  One of them always starts out in the pack 'n play we set up in Ryan's room (he's such a good sport about it), and is then moved to their crib once they are both asleep.  We didn't want to bother Ryan in the middle of the night, so Henry came in to bed with us.  

It was a looooong night.

.....

These boys are just so darling, I can hardly stand it. They are at one of my most favorite stages--learning new words everyday, and hearing their little voices come out and talk about the things they've probably been

thinking, but not able to communicate.  Everything is a discovery, everything is exciting, and they take the rest of us along for the ride.

We had their 2 year well checks a few weeks ago.  I love to see their progress measured, and compare it to even a few short months before then to see how much they've grown. My girls have always been very close in size--both weight and height, despite being fraternal twins.  For a long time they were the exact same height and weight, and it wasn't until they turned 4 years old that a slight difference started to emerge.  Now Kate is 1 inch taller, and 1 pound heavier, although they still wear the same size clothes and shoes--makings things really easy for me.

The boys are a totally different story.  Henry is a big boy, plain and simple. Not chubby, just big.  So much so that anyone who sees them together thinks that Jack is tiny.  Jack is actually at the 99th height percentile for a 2 year old, and he is following the same trend that all of my other kids have--tall and thin. If you line him up with any other 2 year old other than his brother, he's on the tall side.

Henry, on the other hand, is at the 99th percentile (for height) for a 4 year old.  His weight is at the 99th percentile for a 3 year old.  He actually is only 3 inches shorter than Emma, and weighs the same as she does, and she's in the 90th+ percentile for height, for a 5 year old. He eats like a teenage boy, rivaling Ryan (and sometimes Rick) for food consumption. We joke that he's our Pittsburgh Steeler, although I don't know how much Rick is joking.  LOL. He doesn't know his own strength, and at 2 years old, doesn't understand that most people don't like to be tackled.  :)  

Buying clothes for these two is much harder, especially considering my obsession penchant for matching clothes. I'll be okay for another year, but with Henry in 4T, it won't be long until he moves in to boy sizes, while Jack is still in toddler sizes.I might have to go into therapy once that happens, but I'm hoping I can find stores that carry matching clothes for both boys and toddlers.

How did the past two years go so quickly?  No matter how big they get, they'll always be my babies. ♥

{weekend in review}

I don't know why I feel like writing about this weekend. No earth-shattering news, or exciting trip out of town--just a pretty normal couple of days.  Maybe it's because Rick took Friday off so we had more time...and we even had not one but TWO dates. It could also be that I've only written once this month, and I'm feeling the urge to keep up with my goal to write at least weekly. But it's probably just that the ordinary days are often the very best ones!

Okay, so it started on Thursday night with dinner at the country club...

Rick received a promotion at work a couple of months ago, and that evening was a promotion dinner held in his (and the others that were also promoted) honor.  We got to dress up a little, eat YUMMY food, including the most amazing dessert ever, and celebrate the hard work efforts of Rick and his colleagues.

.....

{Since Rick was home on Friday, it became "flu shot day".  Trying to get seven people in and out for flu shots can be kind of crazy, but thanks to a tip from a friend, and filling out all the paperwork ahead of time, it actually went pretty quickly. Hysterics were actually kept to a minimum this year, thanks in part to the flu mist, and in part to suckers, stickers, and an empty waiting room.}

{After shots were done, we took the kids to breakfast--something we don't do often, but love.  The place that we went to has yummy chocolate chip pancakes that my kids love to get, but I knew that Emma would no longer be able to have.  I called the manager earlier that morning, and asked if it would be possible if I could bring in her own pancake batter, and if they could use that to make the chocolate chip pancakes.  To my utter delight and gratitude, the manager quickly replied that he would love to do that for her--I could have kissed him right through the phone. She got her pancakes, and was in heaven.  It was so kind of him to do--we will definitely be back.  He even washed our container and brought it back to our table! My kind of guy. ☺}

{After breakfast, Rick went to work on our library/music room makeover, while I went grocery shopping and did a million different errands.  It was so nice to get these done on Friday, and then still have another day to play! The room is getting closer, and the boards will go up on the wall this week.  I really need to start deciding which pictures I want on the wall, how to arrange them, and look for some frames.  I want them to be ready to go up when the room is finished, but I know that's pretty ambitious.  We'll see.}

{Rick and Ryan went on a Scout campout Friday night, so it was just me and the littles.  We cozied up on the couch and watched one of the two movies I've seen a MILLION times for the past 4 weeks (right now it's either Cars or Finding Nemo--my boys are obsessed), had treats, and I let them stay up a little later than usual. It was a good night.}

.....

{I actually slept in on Saturday morning for the first time in weeks.  Okay, so I still got up at 7:30am when my kids woke up, but it was much later than my usual 5:30am running time.  Since Rick was gone, I needed to wait until he got home so I could run, and that day it was nice to go a little later.  That afternoon was a Stake RS Women's Conference, and then time for date #2!  We went out for dinner with friends to a new restaurant we've been wanting to try, and it was YUMMY. The movie Moneyball was next, and I really enjoyed it.  Brad Pitt wasn't a bad deal, either.  ☺ I'm feeling a little spoiled with all that one-on-one time, but the timing is perfect.  Rick is one of his busy times now, and we won't see much of him for the next few weeks.}

.....

{Sunday was the Primary program, which happens to be one of my most favorite days of the year.  It's just always fun to see what the kids will do and say...

As usual, the girls were polar opposites.  Kate was bouncing around (but still in her seat, thank goodness), winking and waving, and thoroughly enjoying the fact that she was in front of everyone.  Emma, on the other hand, was all business.  She looked either straight ahead, or right at the chorister if she was leading a song. She was taking it all very seriously, and I knew she was really nervous.  Crowds and being center stage are definitely not her thing, and I could see especially as she got up to say her part that she was scared.  I was so proud of her--she did it--it was only one line, but it was a lot for her to do, and she did it well.  Kate also managed to not do anything crazy (which very well could have happened) and did a great job.  Another milestone?  Jack and Henry both made it through the entire meeting without having to go out.  I'm not sure how much that has to do with the girls...}

{Our Sunday treat was caramel apples. A perfect ending, wouldn't you say?}

{ramblings}

{Jack & Henry learned how to say no. It wasn't their first word, or even their second or third.  In fact, it was 27 months and at least 15 words into their verbal life before we heard "no" or "mine".  Now that they've discovered this new found skill, they are taking the opportunity to practice it as often as possible.}

{Independence is overrated when you're the mom of two year olds. I think it's because they have impeccable timing, and their little independence wants to come shining through in the middle of the grocery store, or when we have exactly 4.2 seconds to get out the door, or when it's super late at night and all I want to do is go to bed. I know, I know--they came by it honestly.}

{We had our family pictures taken last weekend.  It's like going to the prom x 100.  Weeks of choosing coordinating clothing for 7 people, all while trying not to spend the amount equal to the national deficit. Then it's spending two hours getting kids dressed and doing hair, then finally throwing your own clothes on and realizing you're a sweaty mess because you feel like you just ran another marathon,and finally chasing all your kids around and trying to get them to smile for an 'nth of a second while your fantastic and very patient photographer tries her best to capture a smile...on each face. Whew.  I get tired just writing that out. The end result?  Pictures that really capture our family--and that I am in love with.  I love posed pictures where everyone is looking ahead and smiling, but my most favorite photos are the ones that capture us--who we are, and where we are in life. Our life right now is not perfectly posed pictures. It's five kids, with four of them being 5 and under. It's runny noses, and sticky faces, and not wanting to stand or sit long enough to smile, and being too busy exploring the rocks and sticks to be held, and wanting to twirl around to see how far your skirt will go out. It's just as it should be.}

{Rick is finally home after weeks of traveling. (Can you hear the Hallelujah chorus in the background?)  He has had a trip every single week since the end of July (except one), and it's wonderful to have him home again.}

{It's volleyball season again.  I LOVE it.  I look forward to each week--it really does get me through the long winter.  I love seeing my friends, and the competition--working hard, getting sweaty, and hitting the ball really hard.  ☺}

{I'm finally getting into a good routine where school is concerned.  The most difficult thing has proved to be keeping the girls' papers straight--same grade, two different teachers.  This week only one of the teachers sent home a book order, and it didn't have the teacher's name on it.  Normally that wouldn't be problem, but I had to contact both teachers to find out where I needed to send it back to. I finally came up with a filing system that I love, and I think it's really going to make a difference.}

{We are making progress on our library/music room!  The paint is all on, and now that Rick is home, we can start on the board and batten.  I can't wait!}

{I'm on the countdown for my next race...a half marathon in Chicago called the "Monster Dash".  I am super excited about this one--there are 13 bands playing music along the way, people dress up to run, and the course is downtown and along Lake Michigan.  I've loved training with my friend Brook, who is running her first half and doing awesome. My family is coming with me to cheer me on, and I really can't wait!}

{I am in heaven.  I cannot express to you my full love for the fall season--I {love} it.  The trees are incredible right now--oranges, yellows, reds--it's breathtaking just driving down the road.  I'm trying to enjoy every minute, because I know it's going to go too fast.  It's a little strange, having 80+ degree weather at the same time, but I'm not complaining!}

{We eat a lot of rice.  We all love it, and since Emma can eat it, it's become even more of a staple.  A month or so ago, I was having a conversation with my friend about cooking rice.  I told her that we had received a rice cooker for our wedding, but after moving it at least 6 times and never even opening the box, we finally got rid of it.  Since then, I've always made it on the stove or  in the microwave.  She couldn't believe that with all the rice we eat I didn't use a rice cooker, and actually brought one over to me--she had just bought a new one, and gave me her old one.  Seriously?  I don't know WHY I waited this long to use one.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  You can make your rice ahead of time, and then it will switch to warm, and sit there until you're ready for it.  It makes perfect rice, every time.  It's easy to use and to clean.  I am changed woman.  ☺ After using it again last night, I called her to sing her praises once again. }
.....

Okay, so that was a lot of rambling.  LOL.  Can you tell I've been without adult conversation for awhile?

{saying it out loud}

I talk about my kids a lot on this blog, which makes sense, since I'm a mom, and my life literally revolves around them--pretty much every waking moment.  I don't talk as often about their dad--my husband--in as much detail, but I've been feeling really grateful lately, and I know I haven't been very good about expressing that.  So, how better to do it than on a blog where a thousand of our closest friends can read it?  Lol.

This week was my birthday, and he really made an extra effort to make it a special one.

1.  He planned a surprise date night the weekend before my birthday, which I did not expect at all, since he had been out of town and was supposed to be coming in late.  He walked in at 4:30pm, and told me to be ready by 6pm--and not to ask questions.  Okay, people.  Me, not ask questions?  That's like asking the sky not to be blue.  Boy, did I ask questions.  I was also just a tiny bit concerned (and expressed that a little more openly than I should have) that we had 5 kids that hadn't eaten (nor had I cooked, thinking it would be pizza night), I hadn't showered in at least 2 days, I still needed to fit my run in for the day, I had already made another commitment for that evening, plus I had million errands to run for some responsibilities I had the next day. As soon as he walked in the door, I had planned to leave and get everything done. What can I say?  He had been gone all week, and I honestly was a frazzled mess.  Does this happen to anyone but me? I almost backed out, but in the end I went, and had the best time.  It was fun, relaxing, and perfect, and I even got a pink furry crown and whoopie cushion.  ☺ (don't ask...)

2. He was out of town this week as well, and was actually gone on my birthday.  The prospect of having him gone that day and especially that night wasn't really very appealing at all, and even though I knew we would celebrate later, it just wasn't going to be the same.  That morning I worked in the girls' classrooms, then came home and actually took a nap when the boys went down.  I honestly can't remember the last time I did that, and it felt really good.  All of a sudden, I was awakened  by Rick, who wasn't supposed to be home for hours.  He had gotten up at 3:30am in order to catch an early flight and make it home that afternoon--just to gave me the rest of the day off.  I took full advantage of it, and spent the rest of the afternoon (and evening) shopping and enjoying a day all by myself.  It was wonderful, and how grateful I am to an extremely thoughtful husband who sacrificed his own sleep to give me the best birthday present ever.

3.  A girl should not have to make her own birthday cake, and I never have.  I mentioned a few months back a cake that I really wanted to have, and Rick marked it on his calendar so he could remember.  It may have not been the prettiest cake, or even the best-tasting cake to anyone else, but to me it was perfect.

A few other things...

*He is a very talented woodworker, and has made a lot of the furniture in our home.  I always have a running list, and I love that he is so willing to do it, and that he loves it so much. The current project?  Re-doing our music room, and as we speak he is working on the board and batten that will go around the bottom half of the room. He also helps me A LOT with any projects I have going on--and I pretty much always have one or two in the works.  Never a complaint--always willing to help and sacrifice his own time--I am a lucky girl, I know.

*He is FUNNY.  He has this quick wit that gets me laughing all the time.  I love being married to someone who makes me laugh.

*Even though he knows he locked all the doors and windows, he will still pacify my paranoia and OCD tendencies when I ask him at midnight if he has locked them, and make him go check them again.  He will also stop on the way through the kitchen to get me a drink. Or a treat. Or whatever else I may have forgotten!

*He's really supportive of anything I choose to do, and does everything he can to help make it happen. When I started long distance running, he was my biggest fan and supporter, and still is.  He has taught me a lot, and I love that we can enjoy it together. He is much faster than me, but he'll still gladly come with me when I need a running partner. 

*He's thoughtful. He thinks of the little things, like buying my favorite treat at the grocery store, or mopping the floor when I've had a long day, or using his lunch hour to go to the store for me so I don't have to take 4 little kids inside. I could write a lot more of these little things, and I appreciate each one of them.

*He loves me for who I am, weaknesses and all. He still thinks I'm beautiful even when I haven't showered for 2 days, or when I look my very worst, or when I'm having a "fat"day and think the world is going to end because the scale went up exactly .4 pounds.

*He works really hard to provide for us, and I also appreciate the work ethic he teaches to our children.

*He is good and kind to everyone he meets--no matter who they are, or where they come from, or what they do. 

.....

So, today I'm grateful, and I just wanted to say it out loud.

I love you, babe.