Trying to talk

Zach has been trying to talk lately. He's starting to repeat words that we say to him or that he hears. Last week he was watching "Dora the Explorer" on the computer with Eleanor when Dora said to say "Map" and Zach said "Ma", then Dora said to say "backpack" and Zach said "bapa". It's fun to listen to him.
He used to secretly get out the door at times to go outside, but now he says "ba ba" (bye bye) before he heads out the door so now I can catch him before he escapes. He's very proud of his talking.

Festival time

It's our town's festival day, so we went to the parade this morning. Of course Eleanor had to go potty during the middle of the parade. She ALWAYS has to go potty when we're in public. She has no problem going pee in her pullup at home, but it must NOT be done in public. I should be grateful that she has no problem using a public toilet, since Emily has issues with public toilets and usually waits until her back teeth are floating before she'll use one, but when I notice Eleanor's pullup is wet from peeing in it earlier, I get a little annoyed. After Eleanor and I missed the end of the parade, the girls bounced in the bounce house a couple of times, after waiting in line in the hot, hot sun, and then we came home, after walking a looong way to our car in the hot, hot sun. Matt (he's home, yay!) is out dropping off a canoe and getting his canoe that were used on his trip. My mom is coming over around 5pm to watch the kids while Matt and I go see "TopGun" at our local theater, which is celebrating it's 90th birthday, so we get to see the movie for 90 cents each. The theater is showing "TopGun" because it was the first movie shown when the theater reopened in 1999 after closing in 1956. I've never seen this movie on the big screen, so I'm excited! Plus, it's a night out with Matt, which I always enjoy.

Missing one

Zoe and Emily are home again :-) They had a fun time with their friend, but I think they're glad to be back home. Here's a picture of the shirts they painted at their friend's house. I think they did a great job on them. Emily's is on the left, and Zoe's is on the right.


We went to McDonald's for dinner with my parents, and then we went downtown to see a Navy ship arrive for our town festival this weekend. They usually have a ship to tour during the festival, but we've never gone on one. It may be a few years yet before we do because there is always a long line for the tour and the image I get of waiting with little ones is not pretty. I wanted to take pictures of the ship coming in, but of course I forgot my camera. That seems to be the story of my life this summer!

According to Eleanor, daddy is never coming home again. I do hope she's wrong! I'm anxious to see him tomorrow.

A penny here, a penny there

I spent a lot of time today putting our coins in rolls. So far we have $56.50. I recently read a tip in a financial guidebook to only spend dollar bills and to save the change. At the end of each month, you add up your change, put it in the bank, and put that money toward a debt. We have a lot of change kicking around, so I decided to add it up and put it to good use. It looks like I'm going to be able to pay off a doctor bill for Zach with our change :-)

It's pretty quiet around here with half of our family gone. It's a nice break for me taking care of 2 instead of 4, but I'll be glad when we're all together again.

Happy Pioneer Day

I was very happy to discover today that we can get BYU-TV through the internet. I stumbled across this on LDS.org. I had it on all afternoon while I folded laundry and the kids played "dino-world" that they created during craft time. For Family Home Evening tonight we watched some of the Pioneer commemoration broadcast. I'm excited we have BYU-TV to watch when we want to. I like how we can pick a day, current or in the past, and watch a program that was shown, or watch it live. I'm excited!

Matt is getting ready for his canoe trip with the young men, "Zion's Camp". He leaves tomorrow and he'll be back on Friday. Zoe and Emily are going to stay with a friend tomorrow and they'll be back on Thursday, so it will be me, Eleanor, and Zach for a few days. I can handle that.

I'm feeling pretty good during the day now, but I still feel sick at night. I feel like I'm improving, so I won't complain too much. I am looking forward to feeling good ALL the time, though.

Another artist in the making

Lately, Eleanor spends most of her time drawing. She draws people and then she wants me to cut them out for her, like she wants me to do right now. Here is a video of her drawing in her usual spot at the table. At the beginning of the video, she realizes I have the camera and says, "Can I see?" She loves to see the pictures on our camera after I take them.


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Here is one of Eleanor's creations. I love how her girl has eyebrows. She is showing signs of having her dad's artistic abilities.


Emily had her 5 year doctor's appointment yesterday. She is healthy, tall, and thin. She had 2 shots, which she did not like at all, but who does? She fought getting the shots and she cried for awhile when it was over. But she was feeling a lot better when we went to get ice cream. Emily was all done her ice cream when I got out the camera, but here's Eleanor and Zoe enjoying their treat.






Zoe finished her basketball camp this morning and then Zoe and Emily finished their first session of swim lessons. Zoe will repeat her class again. She needs to improve on her head bobs and doing the crawl stroke with rhythmic breathing without a kickboard before she passes onto the next level. Emily passed her class so she will be in Beginner 2 for the next session. She is very proud of her achievement.

Keeping busy

I was driving in the car with the kids the other day when Zoe spotted a house for sale (it was for rent, but she saw a sign and figured it was for sale). She got excited and asked if we could buy it. I told her I wanted a new house not an old house, and she replied, but it would be new to us. True I said, but I want a new new house, not a new old house. She agreed that sounded like a good idea and then her and Emily talked about what the house would look like. Zoe wanted it painted yellow, but Emily thought it should be pink...but then she changed her mind to white. They would have their own rooms of course, the house will have stairs. Zoe wanted a brown roof, Emily thought white would be nice...I think they decided on brown. They thought of men at church that could come over to help their daddy build the house. They got excited every time they thought of someone new because the more men, the quicker it will get done. Then they thought of the ultimate plan...daddy will take a day off from work, we'll invite all the men over, Zoe and Emily will go to school, and when they get home...the men will be done and Zoe and Emily will be able to see our beautiful new house. Sounds like a great plan to me!

The girls participated in a water carnival today at our town pool. Eleanor went first in the 3-4 age group. There were only 3 other girls in Eleanor's group. Eleanor came in first in the alligator race. She had to walk on her hands in the water with her legs behind her as she laid on her stomach. Emily did great doing the same type of race, but she had to push a ball with her nose as well. Zoe had fun running in the water with a ball between her legs. There were a lot of kids in her group. They all came home with a bunch of ribbons. They got a ribbon for each game they played, whether they placed in the top 3 or not. I tried to keep Zach entertained since he couldn't get in the water. I was ready to leave when Zoe was done and it was time to go!

I have the car this week to take Zoe to her basketball skills camp at her school. Basketball seems to be her sport. She really likes it and I think she's going to be a good player. I'm glad there are only 2 more days of this camp though because the other kids and I have to kill an hour and a half while she's there. Today we actually stayed in the gym the entire time to watch Zoe, but Eleanor and Zach were getting restless toward the end.

Having fun

Zach's new fun thing to do this morning was to climb into the bathtub with his clothes on and turn the water on. When I banned him from the bathroom, he went into the kitchen, climbed up on the table, and played with the bowl of cherries...taking bites out of them and making a mess of course!

We had a family day at the beach today and we had a lot of fun. It was hot, hot, hot. Perfect beach weather. I remembered to bring everything, except my camera. Emily made a friend and she played with her friend the entire 3 hours we were there. Everyone was happy and enjoyed the water. It was very delightful.

The pictures we've been waiting for

Being pregnant always seems more real after I've seen the baby. I'll have another ultrasound at 20 weeks. Part of me wanted to wait until the baby was born to find out the sex of the baby, but since the doctor wants to do another ultrasound, we'll find out the sex of the baby in September. We're all hoping for another boy. Zoe and Emily were disappointed when I didn't know the sex of the baby today. They are anxious to know!

Still waiting

The doctor's office called me again today to let me know that my doctor was at the hospital again for a c-section, so now my appointment is tomorrow afternoon. My doctor is on vacation next week, so the office claims that he will HAVE to see me tomorrow...we shall see. Since I don't have an ultrasound picture to show you, I'll show you some pictures and videos of Zoe and Emily swimming during their lessons today...



Zoe worked hard treading water, then she had to do a back float when her instructor told her to, then she treaded water again, and then she had to do the dead man's float on her stomach, then tread water again. She was pretty tired when the exercise was over.


Zoe's instructor tells her that she is an excellent diver. She does very well. On the video, someone jumps into the water and then Zoe does her dive by the lifeguard chair.

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Here's Emily swimming with her kickboard and doing the backfloat.




Emily is very proud of herself that she can jump into the deep end of the pool all by herself.

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Going to swimming lessons is one of the highlights of summer.

Ready for structure

I was going to post an ultrasound picture of our new baby this evening from my appointment I was so supposed to have this afternoon, but my appointment got rescheduled until tomorrow. I didn't find this out until I got to the doctor's office with Matt and 4 children in tow. The office had called me to let me know about rescheduling my appointment, but they called right after I had left for my appointment. So...stay tuned for a picture of magnus.

We are surviving here. I'm getting a little tired of just surviving, so the girls and I came up with a daily schedule to keep us busy throughout the day. Today was our first day with the schedule and we were gone most of the day, so we have yet to actually complete the schedule, but I'm glad that we have it for the days we are home all day. Here's a look at our schedule...

7:00 - 9:00am ~ Get ready for the day and cleanup (making beds, putting away pj's and any toys that are out)

9:00 - 10:30am ~ Computer time (Each girl gets a half hour to play...this gives me extra time to get ready and then recooperate from getting ready)

10:30 - 11:00am ~ Storytime

11:00 - 11:30am ~ Chore time (Not favored, but necessary)

11:30 - 12:00pm ~ Puzzle time

12:00 - 1:00pm ~ Lunch time

1:00 - 2:30pm ~ Movie time (gives me time to cleanup from lunch, rest, and/or get on the computer)

2:30 - 3:00pm ~ Craft time

3:00 - 3:30pm ~ Music time

3:30 - 4:00pm ~ Snack time

4:00 - 4:30pm ~ Outside time

4:30 - 5:00pm ~ Coloring time

5:00 - 5:30pm ~ Cleanup time

When I suggested making a schedule to Zoe and Emily they got VERY excited! I think they're tired of not having a routine, too.

sick, sick, sick

I am sick of feeling sick, and my children have been sick...and I don't think it's over yet. Eleanor woke up from her nap on Wednesday with a fever. She had no energy and she threw up in Zoe's bed when she woke up from another nap later on in the afternoon. She was back to her healthy self again on Friday, but Emily came down with a fever and had a bad headache Friday evening. She slept a lot last evening and today, her throat hurt today, but she seems to be on the mend. This evening Zoe said she felt like she was going to throw up, but she didn't. Then she complained of a headache, so it could be her turn. She's in bed now so we'll see how she feels in the morning. At least with Zoe, she is old enough to know when she is going to throw up and she'll go into the bathroom to do it, whereas Eleanor and Zach will just throw up on the spot...with no warning. I hate that! I hope Zach doesn't catch whatever is going around.

Here's Matt's way of dealing with the sick people around him...ignore them and build motors...no really he has been very patient and helpful. This is his new hobby when the children are asleep.



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New looks

Zach got his cast off today. He cried and cried when it came off and it took several of us to hold him down, but the mission was accomplished. The doctor said he's about 80% healed, but he doesn't need a cast on anymore for the bone to finish healing. He also said it may take Zach a few days to walk on his leg again, but he is walking around just fine. It's nice to see him with two shoes on again.
Here's Zach checking out his cast...



I also want to show you my new haircut. It's not much different from what I had before, but it's shorter with a few layers...

Sing it...We are family

My family, the one I grew up in...consisted of my parents, my sister who is 5 years older than me, and me. I have a sister that was born a few years before me, but she died shortly after birth. My parents were, are good parents. They did, do their best to take care of me and my sister. My parents had, have their struggles in their marriage, but they have managed to stay together, which I am grateful for. I'm proud and happy to say that I grew up in a two-parent home. They were good examples in our faith and did their best to instill those beliefs in us girls. I am so happy and feel blessed that I have been raised a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My dad did his best to teach us skills that we would use in our lives, such as cooking, gardening, and car maintenance. I regret my lack of attention and enthusiasm to learn what he had to teach, but I'm glad he's close by to get advise from when I need it. I must say that I do enjoy cooking now and I think I'm a pretty good cook...no one has died from my cooking yet :-) My mom has been a rock of faith for me and I'm glad she has become one of my best friends.
My sister and I had our fair share of fights and squabbles growing up. I can remember being the annoying little sister. I used to try to push her off her bed, but of course being the younger sister, I would always be the one getting knocked off. I always went back for more, though. When she got married at 18 and left me at home with my parents when I was 13, our relationship changed and we started to become friends. I would visit her during the summer when she lived in Texas and Louisianna . I enjoyed that time with her and being away from home, although I was always glad to be back home when the time came. I think it was around this time that I decided I wanted a big family because it could get lonely being the only child at home. Now that my sister and I both have 4 kids to raise and we live in different states, we don't get to see each other very often, but I always enjoy the time I get to spend with her when we do get to visit.
I love my family and I wouldn't trade them for anything...except for a new house and to be debt-free...just kidding!

Surrounded by love

Zoe and Emily started swimming lessons today at our town pool. I was worried that they were going to get rained out today since it has been cloudy and rainy all week, but the rain held off. They have lessons on Thursday and Friday mornings, so my mom will pick Matt up on those days to take him to work and bring him home. Thank goodness for a very generous, helpful mother!

I received a "soon to be mom" carepackage today from my very thoughtful mother-in-law. Eleanor LOVED my new "Blue's Clues" socks, which she then decided were Blue's ears.


My mom treated the kids and I out to dinner this evening. The Ground Round restaurant has a kids' night on Thursdays where kids eat for a penny a pound. It's quite a deal! The food is delicious and the kids get to take home a balloon that the "balloon man" makes for them. Eleanor had a cat, Emily had a pink swan, and Zoe had a blue swan. I say had because the balloons don't last very long the way they play with them.

At prayertime this evening...
Matt: "Eleanor, would you like to kneel down and say a prayer?"
Eleanor: "No!"
Matt: "Is that because you have lost your testimony or you're evil?"
Eleanor: "Evil"

Oh my gayness

I was listening to Dr. Laura today when a Mormon guy called in...who is gay. He wanted to start a relationship with another guy, but was hesitant because he didn't want to hurt his family, and it's not acceptable in the Mormon faith. Dr. Laura suggested that maybe he should switch to a religion that was accepting of gays, but the guy stated that he believed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was where he belonged. I'm wondering if he can really have a testimony that the church is true and still want to go against Heavenly Father's will for a man to be with a woman. He had mentioned that his Bishop and other people, including family had counseled him that he could learn to want to be with a woman, but he seemed pretty determined to be with a man. I feel for his mom and dad, who have 10 children by the way.

Not long after listening to this call on the radio, I went into the grocery store to pick up a few things. Several guys walked in before me who looked quite gay to me...judgemental?...somethings are just obvious. They happened to be in front of me at the checkout and I looked down at one of the men's feet and his toenails were painted white. Yeah, just as I suspected. Does your hubby walk around with painted toenails???

Why am I telling you this? Because it's on my mind, and it's time to blog. Maybe I'll have something more exciting to talk about tomorrow.
I did find it funny today when Zoe, our 7 year old, asked Eleanor, our 3 year old, how to play a certain game on the computer.

Grammie!

Doesn't this look like Zach is missing his mommy?
Well, he's being held by me and crying because his grammie is leaving.
When my mom and I got home this evening from eating out, Zach went straight to grammie. I just do not exist when grammie is around!

How many?

Today is pick your own topic day, so I'm choosing the topic of pregnancy because......................... I am pregnant with #5! In Maine, people fall over in shock if you mention having more than 2 kids, so this should be lots of fun telling people. I've already had the pleasure of telling the new receptionist at my OB's office when she asked, "Now is this your second?"...me:"noooo, my 5th"...receptionsist:"Oh!"...she was too busy falling out of her chair to say anything else...oh yes, people think I have my hands full NOW, just wait! I still need to get used to saying "5, this will be my 5th baby, I have 4 kids and 1 on the way, I'm speechless too, I'd help you up, but I'm pregnant you know, Yes, I WILL be busy, Yes, my hands are full."
I think people in Maine read somewhere that if they see a mom with more than 2 children they MUST say, "you've got YOUR hands full!" I try to hide my laugh when people say this to me now when I'm in public because EVERYONE says it. A new one lately has been "Are these ALL yours?" I took Zach to the doctor last week and I had the girls with me too. When the doctor walked in she says, "My! You've got quite a crew with you. Are they all yours or did you pick up some stragglers along the way?" So, it will be interesting to hear what people have to say when they see me with (gasp) 5 children.

I felt great when I was pregnant with Zoe. Then I felt a little sick for the first trimester with Emily. I thought for sure she was going to be a boy since the pregnancy was so different. I was more sick during the first trimester with Eleanor and threw up once or twice. Then I was really sick with Zach during the first trimester, throwing up more, and now I feel sick most of the time now in my first trimester, but I haven't thrown up yet and I hope not to. So feeling sick all the time makes me want to do NOTHING, which is why my house looks the way it does, I will fall miserably behind on scrapbooking and photo organizing, and my children's eyes will pop out of their heads from watching too many movies. I have to remind myself lots of times that this shall pass, but it feels like I will feel this way FOREVER! I can't enjoy eating, which is torture within itself. I love food! But nothing sounds good and I have a hard time enjoying what I'm eating. It's very depressing. If only I could feel this way when I want to lose weight!

Anyway, Magnus is due on January 26, 2007...7 months from today. But he'll be late like his siblings, so he'll be born in February. I'm hoping we have another boy. When I was pregnant with Eleanor, I knew she was going to be a girl and then had the feeling we would have 2 boys. Zach was born so now our second boy will be born...if only it were that simple...for awhile now I have been thinking of a boy AND a girl...twins? not likely, and I really don't want to go through another pregnancy, so I'm not sure what to think about this.

My mother informed me the other day that I am doing a poor job updating my blog and it is NOT acceptable, so I will try to do better...no rest for the weary around here!
My mom is a sweetheart, so no hard feelings toward her :-)

Baby's got moves

I told the kids we were going to the Goodwill store today and they were VERY excited. They were so excited that it made me wonder at what age are they are going to realize that Goodwill is NOT a cool place to shop and demand we go to Toys R Us or the mall.
I took some short videos of Zach playing with Zoe's new keyboard. He's foot stomping, body swaying, and head bobbing to the music...


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Matt was pointing to Zach's plumber's crack.

I.need.to.get.out!

Okay, I'm starting to go crazy here with no car. So crazy that having Matt pick us up after work to go play at the church gym while he goes to help someone move sounds delightful!