the sharp five

now we are seven...

2012-01-25T09:56:00.000-06:00

(title dedicated to Amy G and the rest of 12squared)

the heavens smiled down on us and delivered our van about 10 days early!!

we are so happy to have our whole family here in Germany!

As Shane and I sat in the Quest Luv and ate Burger King (i'm embarrassed to admit how much we've eaten there over the last month, it's just that they take debit cards...and speak english!) we pondered the adventures taken with/in our beloved van child.

It's been through the Texas desert, to the rim of the Grand Canyon, gambled in Vegas, trekked through the Rockies, sailed on the flat plains of Kansas and Oklahoma, and of course survived the sweltering summers of the Natural State. Now, here we are in Europe.

It underwent a bit of drilling for the front plate, passed the safety inspection, and was fully prepared to spread it's wings on the autobahn. And it rose to the occasion. We just have to brush up on the whole metric system thing, which of course the Quest is equipped to translate with the touch of a button.

I, on the other hand, am still a work in progress.

We pulled up to the school at 2:30, and the kids bounded toward us with cheers. The Quest received the kisses it deserved.

It's been a long separation, 5 weeks.

Shane has been promoted from public transit to Lil' Red. Not sure how long that will last, he's ready for his own automobile. Apparently something with 4 wheels, not 2.

around h-berg

2012-01-23T10:11:00.000-06:00

after we took pictures of the new house we wanted to get a few photos of our new town...

then we drove up to the castle.

this looks like something out of a storybook, with the smoke coming from the chimney

we didn't do an official tour that day. we weren't as prepared for the cold temperatures as we should've been, but we will be back for sure. i hope i never tire of walking through castle ruins....

future con't:

2012-01-17T15:21:00.000-06:00

shane and i called the room with the cool lights...not really. we just wanted the kids to be on the same floor. which, we'll probably end up regretting later-

sure hope one of those brass pointy things doesn't drop into one of our eyes one night...

anyhoo, this is the back/side yard. it's a good size. pretty flat for futbol practice, and a perfect spot for a tomato plant.

that's shane, theo and col. robbins. he's the current occupant and a really nice guy.

back in the living room is a fireplace. can't you tell? so the deal is, you have to load the wood through a little hatch in the entry way and you use it as more of a stove...interesting. see below.

now down to the basement

the doorway to the left is a small bedroom, and the doorway with the pillar is the mother in law apartment. or, YOUR bedroom. yes, you.

small bedroom.

guest room.

a kitchenette,

bathroom- minus bidet-

+ shower.

giant laundry room, with european washer and american dryer, and huge orange heating unit.

and we're back to the front door. there are a few other fun little things about our place, but you're just going to have to come see for yourself. seriously.

that concludes the tour of haus der sharp.

aside from the cool roof lines, rustic wood floors and superb celestial lighting in the master bedroom, my favorite thing about this house (and europe in general) is the toilets. i love that they are attached to the wall. i love that the tanks are hidden in the wall.

look back at the pictures, you'll see what i mean.

living with four boys you learn to appreciate things like this. spillage is much easier to clean up when there are no cracks to seep into...

where we live, present and future

2012-01-16T15:21:00.000-06:00

Present:

this is where we are staying right now.

we are on the bottom floor, those are our windows. you can see the "rolladens", or outside blinds.

(there's lil' red on the right)

the kids get a big kick out of this sign. it's right by the entrance to our apartment.

en route to the streetcar stop

we see lots of solar panels. tyler is always the first to point them out. i think he's impressed by the concept.

random zigaretten machines spread throughout neighborhoods, this does not impress my children.

esso stations play an important role in our lives, we get to buy gas at american prices here. we have a special rations card...they also sell our favorite candy for cheap. we heart esso.

still heading toward our train stop. there is star 2, a good place to eat. they know us there, mainly because we stick out like sore thumbs, but we're okay with that.

georgi platz, the town center, and our stop.

there she is, #23, our life line.

and here is where we de-train. it's the bismarck platz. lots of shopping, eating, and where we went to the christmas market.

Future:

this is the side of our rental. we just signed the lease. it's on kurfurstenallee strasse. it's not as hard to pronouce as it looks, try it. the side of the house faces the street, in fact, i had just gotten out of the car when i took this photo.

walking up the sidewalk to the front door.

finally, the front door.

entry way

downstairs/master bath. that is a bidet with the wicker basket on it. i dunno.

opposite view of the entry way

kitchen with american fridge that housing gives us- i think i'll have the movers put that in the basement, because....

we have a euro fridge right over there. and that little thing on top is the icebox. so, yes, i will need the fridge. just not killing my kitchen feng shui. plus, i don't think you can open the oven all of the way with it in there.

i'm pleased with the amount of cabinet and counter space- just gotta get that fridge out.

living room. man, i miss my furniture. i think it'll look great in this room.

dining room. i'm hoping to convince our landlord to paint it white. if you look next to the windows you will see the mechanism used to lower the rolladens. they're over the doors too.

and....we're upstairs. this is the landing, which might be just be my new sewing headquarters. still working that one out in my head. to the left will be ry's room.

and here it is. i am in love with the floors.

she has a shared balcony with ty, which scares the be-jeezus out of me.

kids bathroom. i adore the ceiling lines upstairs. i'm pretty sure that is what sold me on the house.

this is ty's room. what a lucky kid.

he gets a loft. it's the first time he's had his own room since he can remember. he promised to share it with everyone...except theo. he's not allowed.

he has big plans for this space.

i love that the little triangle window opens.

and finally, cannon and theo's room. it'll just be cannon's until this summer. but it's the biggest room in the house, and that's how we sold it to him. compromising with the loft room was tricky.

the balcony doors open, but only to a juliet balcony, i think it's called. however, i plan to never open them. knowing theo, he will try to fly down.

and this will conclude the tour for tonight. my computer is tired, and so am i. i will post the rest of the house tomorrow.

stay tuned...it's quirky!

Patrick Henry Elementary it is!

2012-01-10T12:28:00.000-06:00

(here is a shot of our sweet ride. jealous?)

the kiddos started their new school yesterday, it went really well. coming from a mom who has started my children at a new school several times- this was, by far, the warmest reception yet!

cannon's teacher called us on the friday before to ask us to come in on saturday so we could meet her. it worked out so well. her name is ms. drew. she is a single lady, and has lived here for 7 years. she has also taught in england, and plans to stay with dodds schools for her whole career. she loves the opportunity to travel and teach. we really like her!

cannon's class

cannon has two friends from his church class in his class at school, it made his first day so much easier...and also lunch with his mom!

as for ty and ry, we didn't find out their teachers until monday morning. they both had a set of "meeter greeters" come to the front of the school and introduce themselves and give the kids a tour. each grade has their own counselor, so they were there to meet us also. they quickly went from nervous to excited as soon as their welcoming committee showed up!

ty's crew

ryli's teacher is ms. bowker, and ty has ms. van burden. ty also lucked out- the one boy in his church class is also in his 4th grade class.

ryli's crew

pick up went really well, the kids were bouncing off the walls. or so i was told. i couldn't make it, shane had to get them...i was busy failing my driving test. boo.

all in all, i'm really impressed with the school.

we are going to try out the german schools when we move to Kaiserslautern, i hope.

in other news...

2012-01-10T12:25:00.001-06:00

- i failed my driving test as previously mentioned. here's the thing. shane didn't study and he missed 7. you can miss up to 15. so i thought, maybe i don't have to study...i missed 27. that's right. shane has a gift, i don't have it. it's confirmed. so, i'm re-testing tomorrow. ugh...

theo is the proud owner of 1 barely seen shiny

molar. this little tiny bit of tooth has been haunting us for - well forever it seems like. i'm sure as the rest of it surfaces, as well as it's 3 counterparts, we still won't be getting much sleep and theo will continue to scream. sigh.

his new favorite things to do are be a puppy, in that he crawls on the ground and will come up and lick you, and also play with cars. complete with sound effects. so sweet.

we think we have found our house. we will know for sure tomorrow. it's actually between two right now, but we are very happy to have a choice to make...

we went to the american church on sunday. it felt very american, and comfortable. i told shane that i felt like my american self was cheating on my german self. i so desperately want to learn the language and make this experience authentic. i constantly find myself reminding myself to seek the challenge. it's difficult.

we ate turkish food for dinner last night. it was our third time at this particular place. it's called star 2. there are alot of these kebab places out here. the meat they cook is turkey (they call it doner, pronounced doo-ner) and they shave it off of this huge rotisserie, make fresh flat bread and then make these delicious sandwiches. they add a yogurt sauce, kinda like taziki. last night i actually had a falafel plate with couscous and salat. the best falafel i've ever had.

one of the best things about these places is that they make fresh pizzas too- which happens to be the perfect combination for my little sharps.

who knew the turkish could make such delicious pizza??

a little bit of sunshine

2012-01-03T15:28:00.000-06:00

we woke up to sunshine. a rare occurrence.

we stayed in our pj's for most of the day.

the wind was blowing and the temperature dropped, and the sun hid behind the clouds.

we watched a little cnn international- the only english speaking channel we get- and rio about 40 more times.

theo is cutting his one year molars. his life sucks right now. he sure does like his sister's calico critters house, though. every now and then i see him try to climb inside.

it makes his sister crazy...

i really need to figure out schooling for these children, it's making me crazy.

happy tuesday.

Frohliche Weihnachten

2011-12-25T16:15:00.000-06:00

we haven't done a thing today except, sleep, eat, open presents, play and talk to loved ones.

the kids woke up at 8am. we turned on the lights, opened the blinds, turned on the christmas music and let the kids open. theo slept in.

we started a new tradition this year, the kids only got three presents plus their stockings. we made the decision last year and have spent the year reminding them, to soften the Christmas morning shock...

the kids got a kinder "uberraschung" (surprise) egg in their stocking. they were chocolate with a little surprise in a capsule in the middle. oddly enough, both boys got a different car and ryli got some kind of shark thing.

everything went swimmingly. not one explanation was offered, not a complaint was made, and somehow, the kiddos spent the entire day busily playing with their new surprises. that alone was a gift indeed.

we were able to talk with friends and family, and were constantly reminded how far away we are.

in turn, it made us recognize how close the six of us are, now that it is just us. one of the biggest reasons we made this decision in the first place.

theo is moo-ing away at his new farm animals. cannon has already completed his lego sets. ryli is making sure her calico critters are tucked safely in bed- with the real working lights in the off position. ty has barely given his ds a break from pokemon black, and shane and i are stealing their delicious german chocolate every chance we get.

Happy Christmas, from our new home in Deutschland.

a scotch tape christmas eve

2011-12-25T15:54:00.001-06:00

we woke up later than we wanted. we can't seem to kick the time difference thing.

we left the apartment later than we wanted. our kids tried to talk us out of going anywhere. they hadn't left the house in two days. we forced them out.

we needed to run to the PX (a store on base that sells a little of everything, american and tax free- kinda like a mini-walmart), we were also planning to sign up for cell phones and open a bank account.

(theo hearts germany)

we only got one thing accomplished and that was getting to the PX. everything closed early. my kids fought the ENTIRE time we were out, i tried not to hurt them, or myself. ryli was even reprimanded on the train by a sweet old lady for putting her shoes on the seat. she was really sweet, and i was glad that she did it.

we got home from the worst christmas eve errand running trip EVER, and tried to reclaim the holiday spirit. shane told the kids that those who wanted to have a grouchy christmas could go to the grouchy christmas room- which was the kids bedroom- and that was our tactic for the rest of the evening.

(that's right, our stockings were hung with scotch tape)

they each ended up in that room at least a few times, except for theo. he's too young for the grouchy christmas room.

(our make shift tree in the corner on the right)

so i made spaghetti, baked cookies, did a puzzle, spruced the place up with a little personal christmas cheer, and the kids participated when and where they wanted.

they played our charlie brown christmas game, wrote a note to santa, set out the milk and cookies and called it a night.

they were ready for bed earlier than 10pm for the first time since we've been here. which, was glorious.

theo stayed up to help us wrap presents, the only rule i gave him was that he couldn't touch anything meant for him. and he didn't.

then, shane and i were ready for bed earlier than we have been since we've been here...3am. theo tried to squeeze one more hour out of us to no avail....

tonight

2011-12-22T19:11:00.003-06:00

i house hunted. theo kept me company. this was taken about midnight local time.

Cannon's 6th & Weihnachten Markt

2011-12-21T19:02:00.000-06:00

We woke up to snow on Cannon's 6th birthday. Pretty fabulous for our first morning in country. Shane had to get up for inprocessing. I think the rest of us slept until about noon. Poor Shane.

At one point I heard the kids toast their hot chocolate to the snowy first morning in Germany. A moment forever burned into my memory.

When Shane came home, we packed up the kids around 5pm, and our new friends lead us to the Heidelberg Christmas Market. We knew we had to do something pretty special for our Cannon. Unfortunately for all parties involved, Cannon threw the tantrum of a lifetime because a.) his pants weren't tight enough, b.) he didn't want to wear his snowboots, and c.) because I wouldn't tighten his belt before I made him put his dreaded snowboots on.

Seriously, life changing.

We ended up carrying him to the train stop (1/2 mile), in his socks. his will finally caved and the snow boots were strapped on. By this time he'd forgotten all about his pants not being tight enough (they were sufficiently tight).

Anyhoo. We got off the train at Bismarckplatz and started our first authentic German experience. It was pretty darn spectacular.

As we strolled we discussed the many dinner options, and when left to the birthday boy to choose, Pizza Hut was the winner. Shane and I saved our appetite for the local fare.

In defense of the German Pizza Hut, it was unlike any American Pizza Hut. We were seated. We ordered water and got sparkling water, pretty common I hear. The menu was loaded with options, and the service was very nice.

Oh- and the toys that came with the kids meals were wooden, not the plastic made in china garbage. That was my favorite part.

After the kids ate, we met back up with our friends (shane's co-worker and wife). We ventured further down and found some dinner for ourselves. We tried kinderpunsch, a spiced non-alcoholic wine. Very tasty! We also had kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes) with applesauce, schweinebraten (marinated pork steak sandwich), and nutella crepes (heavenly). Certainly not a healthy, well-rounded meal- but it was great to indulge in the traditional foods...

Heidelberg Castle illuminated

The kids rode a little train, and watched the iceskaters.

After all of the eating and perusing we headed back to the train for "home".

We stopped to listen to carolers sing "angels we have heard on high" in german. It gave me chills, it was magical. Another one of those moments.

Cannon and I had a snowball fight by moonlight on the walk home, another one of those memories.

Once we got back to the apartment and warmed up we let Cannon open a few presents, then I was assigned Lego duty.

Shane and Theo crashed, so the kiddos and I popped some popcorn and stayed up until 2:30am building Hogwarts Express.

When I tucked the kids in, we prayed together, then all told Cannon our favorite things about him. It made him feel special. He is such a sentimental guy.

And that, was our first real night in Heidelberg, Germany.

auf weidersehen

2011-12-20T23:30:00.000-06:00

we said some hard goodbyes, loaded our belongings, and hit the road- just like a circus.

first stop- adams field/ little rock national airport. we managed to get all of our luggage checked for free, the cost, however, was breaking the printer. we wreaked all kinds of havoc at the continental counter and we hadn't even gotten our boarding passes.

not good.

our handmade luggage tags were a gift from holly, they worked perfectly!

for the first time in the history of our family we cleared security without setting off any alarms. a miracle.

we found our gate, boarded our prop jet, and headed to houston. all was well.

in houston, we had to skip over 4 terminals to get to the international terminal. we grabbed a quick dinner, pizza for the kids and charley's for the adults.

before we knew it our flight to frankfurt was boarding and it was time to say so long to american soil.

we occupied almost an entire row, and we realized after we sat down in our seats that ryli was either sitting next to an open seat- or she would be sitting next to a stranger. the flight was sold out...so a stranger it was. it lasted for about 60 seconds, when she got up and approached us with giant crocodile tears and begged us not to make her sit by a STRANGER!!!!!

logistically there was no way around it. i had to be next to theo and the boys needed a little supervision. the final solution was for theo to ride on my lap (for 10 hours) and out ryli in the middle seat, between me and shane so that he was still able to watch the boys.

it.was.a.long.flight.

we finally arrived in frankfurt around 11:45am local-4:45am little rock.

customs was a breeze, we located our bags fairly easily. the trouble came when we had to figure out how to get all of us, a stroller, and three luggage carts out to our shuttle. that meant me, shane and ty were pushing carts, ryli was pushing the stroller and cannon had two free hands because he didn't want to pull his carry on. booooooo.

we were all incredibly tired and grouchy at this point.

it 45 minutes to realize that out shuttle driver was on a bench right next to us. he finally pulled the sign that said "Herr Shane Sharp" from behind a phone booth. i almost told him where to put that sign...but he wouldn't have understood me anyway.

it took us about an hour to get to heidelberg. driving through frankfurt seemed like any other big city, except that all of the signs were in the other language.

we all slept until heidelberg. i'll never forget when i opened my eyes. it was the most quaint little place, right out of a story book. the houses were in rows, bicycles everywhere, roads made of cobblestone. i instantly fell in love.

Our Thursday

2011-12-15T23:13:00.001-06:00

Shane woke up at 5am to drive our Quest to Dallas.

The rest if us slept a bit more, then prepared for school and had breakfast.

I took the boys to school and kept Ryli with me. We had a special matinee date at The Rep to see A Christmas Carol...starring her future suitor, Joe.
(thank you, McCurdy's!!!)

After we headed to school for all of the holiday festivities.

Then I farmed out Cannon and Ryli for last minute playdates, ran a quick errand to the mall, picked Shane up from the airport (from Dallas), picked up Cannon, picked up Ryli, then went to have Brinner with the Toblers.

The kids decorated cookies while the adults visited.

Then it was back to the hotel for another belated bedtime. I've almost completely given up on bedtime.

Our days are full lately.

It's a good thing.

zombies with the friendlies

2011-12-11T00:02:00.001-06:00

we are packing in every little reason to spend the night with our friends...this time it was a walking dead marathon at the griffins' lair. some of us are bigger fans than others- but more than anything, it was fun just to be together.

our children are like cousins, of sorts. it's so sweet to watch them come together, then break off into their own little groups for play.

once we finally talked them into sleep, we put on our zombie hats and prepared some munchies. just as it should be.

but first, these sneaky girls presented me with one of the most amazing things i've ever been given- a busy book for my busy theo for the plane to germany. a labor of love, no doubt.

it.is.incredible.

as a family, and an individual, we are overwhelmed with the amount of love that runs through these people. i know for certain that i am a better, more fulfilled person because of the griffins, toblers and hartzells. my heart is heavy, and i plead with them almost daily to come with us. this journey would be so much more fun with them...

unfortunately, i was the first to call it a night...about 2am. everyone else was up until 3am and they even got up earlier than me.

but really- i don't get any real sleep.

we ate a delicious cinnamon toast breakfast from the pioneer woman, and then said our goodbyes.

our schedule suddenly seems pretty full. the packers will be here monday...

the countdown is on, 7 days left in america.

Ryli paints the town December

2011-12-06T22:04:00.000-06:00

Ryli performed with the rest of the 3rd grade for Jefferson's annual holiday program,

"Painting the town December."

It was really cute, and my Ryli shined in the spotlight.

She even got to play the Xylophone!

She had a few parts, and she spoke and sang (and danced) with enthusiasm and smiles.

The program was based on all holidays celebrated in the month of December, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

This is a BOY on her left...she stressed about holding a boys and for weeks! Then, HE wouldn't hold her hand!

I'm a proud momma. I sure do love watching that girl perform.

(videos below)

pt 1

pt 2

pt 3

pt 4

pt 5

pt 6

pt 7

pt 8

the end.

Giving Thanks, with my favorite people

2011-11-28T09:11:00.000-06:00

We started out our Thanksgiving festivities Wednesday night, with a yummy meal of mexican with the Griffins, in their new town of Hot Springs. Then we really partied hard with a sleepover...and played Scrabble and ate lots of junk food.

The next morning we woke early to watch the parade (a tradition in our family, even if I'm the only one that watches) and started all of the cooking. Slowly, the Hartzells and Toblers trickled in. Shortly after everyone arrived we kindly asked the men to take the children to park, and leave the ladies to do our work.

Spending time in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on Thanksgiving dinner with my best friends was perfect for my soul. I'm already feeling the pains of missing them desperately...

Once the good sports returned with all of the kiddies in tow, we blessed the food and filled our plates.

The. food. was. amazing.

The kids barely ate...what kid would want to sit and eat when they are surrounded by so many friends.

The grown-ups sat around the table and visited. Some of us nursed our babies, some of us ate more and more, one of us broke a chair- but I wouldn't dare tell (LARRY), and some of us puzzled.

After dessert, we said our goodbyes, and we were homebound. A few preparations were made for the family portion of Thanksgiving.

Again, a wonderful meal, cooked with love, surrounded by special people, and a rainbow of personalities.

We came home and tucked our babes into bed. Then I started my Black Friday plotting. I wasn't as excited about it this year. I didn't see a lot that I wanted, and the midnight time change sort of threw me off.

Thanks to Teriney, and the fact that I couldn't just sit at home when EVERYONE was out bargain shopping, I headed out.

We actually had fun, it wasn't too cold, and I was able to find a few neccessary purchases. I got home around 2:30am, and crashed hard...

It was the perfect Thanksgiving, and the perfect beginning of the end of our time here in the LR!

(another AMAZING part of Thanksgiving weekend, was when we got together for Just Dance...and a coupla guys got their groove on...)

i laughed so hard i cried.

Spidey

2011-11-25T15:45:00.001-06:00

Theo found this mask at Sue-wee's... He loved it! He kept it on as he walked around the house, then outside. Every time it fell off he would say " on, on".

little bear cole

2011-11-23T12:29:00.000-06:00

i had to make a little something to keep Cole's ears warm over the winter. it's the first time i've done earflaps...i really like how they turned out.

doesn't he look so snuggily...

i miss him terribly.

Design Mom told me to: luggage

2011-11-22T23:00:00.001-06:00

So, I haven't officially blogged about it yet, but.....

we're moving to Germany! We are beside ourselves with excitement, anticipation, nervousness...and also heavy hearted to say goodbye to amazing family and friends. (i'll write another post on this news soon)

Today, our luggage arrived- all 12 pieces. Design Mom is a blog that I follow. She recently moved her family to France. She highly recommended this luggage, so like any true follower...I listened.

Shane teases me, rightfully so. But how can you argue with tried and true? (there were plenty of other positive reviews on these beauties)

Theo loved the boxes-

Cannon passed the climb inside test-

and Shane and I started thinking we might need to get the luggage it's own rental car.

Ryli just wanted to pose and show off her new shirt, a Mini-Boden knock off that I threw together!

Happy trails to us!

Cannon's Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-18T22:10:00.000-06:00

Cannon was a pilgrim today. A very shy one. In fact, he barely even looked over at his momma and baby brother. He was all business.

I really could've used a third arm for this event. Even a fourth. I was manning the wonder baby, plus my Nikon, plus video-ing with the iphone. At one point I was also squeezed in some snack feeding and baby chasing.

video: (it's long)

It was all worth it though. Cannon was adamant about me being there, and on the front row. (of course I wouldn't have missed it)

He explained a few weeks earlier that they were practicing their program and that he only liked one or two of the songs. There was one song that sounded country, and he didn't like that one. He is very particular about his music choices.

In the middle of one of the songs, the little girl next to him got a little excited with an arm movement and accidently knocked Cannon's hat off. His chin quievered, and he looked to me for encouragement. I told him to pick it up, he shook his head no. Then his teacher told him to pick his hat up, and he did.

Catastrophe avoided.

After the program, they feasted!

I contributed about 75 pumpkin muffins...that didn't get opened...that were then donated to Ryli's class for fun Friday

this picture is pure sweetness

and Cole makes 5

2011-11-14T22:44:00.001-06:00

grandkids, that is. Cole makes one for Blake and Heather.

which means i'm a real aunt now! so exciting!

he was born 11-11-11, at 9:40pm. 9lbs, and 19.5 inches long.

it's so magical to watch first time parents. and, that little Cole is a piece of heaven on earth.

Heather and Blake are naturals. it's a beautiful thing.

there is no agreement on who he looks like, or what feature belongs to which relative. i see a lot of different people in his expressions.

he is definitely a Hendricks.

i love him as if he were my own.

ready to go

2011-11-09T23:06:00.001-06:00

Yesterday morning, as the kids were leaving for school, Theo grabbed his tie and a lunchbox...only to be left behind. His disappointment lasted only but a minute- he adores his SuperWhy and mommy snuggle time. We also usually share a multi-grain bagel and then he steals the ice out of my water.

Blogging from my phone

2011-11-07T18:42:00.001-06:00

Nursing my baby to sleep.

I painted my nails last night. It's been awhile.

I finished this blanket for Theo today. I made his owl shirt last week.

Success!

shane goes to the crystal mines...again

2011-11-02T23:03:00.000-05:00

this time it was with Ryli. she was so excited to get her hands dirty...i was just glad that Shane was able to take the day off and attend.

she dug well, came home with a bucket full. nothing the size of her head (like last year). but that's just fine.

speaking of heads, she loves that newsboy cap. she tries to wear it to school everyday. i'm pretty sure she gets shot down the minute she walks in her class:)

bring on the candy...

2011-10-31T08:38:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween!

from top to bottom: cannon's bat, ty's skull and ry's monster

i am happy to say that not only did my children not opt for commercial costumes this year, they also wanted more traditional "scary" jack-o-lanterns. i'm not sure what makes me happy about that, it just does.

we have a lot of spooky fun planned for this evening!

trunk or treat 2011

2011-10-27T10:20:00.001-05:00

i usually opt to make one handmade costume a year, for the sake of my blood pressure and general procrastination.

this year was ty's year, he's actually the only one that asked. he wanted to be a jester, inspired by a lego mini-figure (probably my most favorite of his choices to date). he even picked out the fabric. the pattern was simple, and actually a lot of fun, when i wasn't making careless mistakes (like serging a sleeve on inside out).

ryli wanted to be a hip hop dancer. unsure of what a costume that like entailed, we narrowed it down to one of her recital costumes, easy, and done.

cannon decided after a many mind changes that he would be a soccer player. again, easy and done.

i bought theo some skeleton p.j.'s last year, for this year. they even glow in the dark. done.

i rushed through yesterday making a jester hat, chili for the cook off, and treats for the cake walk. we also had some "official" business to tend to, which put a damper on my plans...but in the end, we made it!

trunk or treating is a tradition with our church, and we always love it!

shane was in charge of decorating the car...and that's all i have to say about that.

larry the terrorist:)

miss harper lee

where's waldo?

pumpkin patching with Cannon

2011-10-19T21:55:00.000-05:00

Theo and I bundled up and accompanied the Jefferson Kindergartners to the pumpkin patch. It was cold. The sun hid behind the clouds, and winds were gusty. Theo refused to wear a hat or stay covered in his stroller.

Cannon and I went and found the hot chocolate. It helped.

I was talked into going on the hayride, and so glad I was. Cannon got to pull his choice pumpkin from the vine- which is something we haven't done in the past. A very authentic experience.

After we returned from the hayride, I chickened out. I asked if I could leave. Theo needed some rest and Cannon was not about to let me leave without him.

We took our lunches and ate at home, with our cozy forced air heating and protective walls. It was nice to have a quiet lunch with my #3. Although #4 kept us entertained with all of his usual shenanigans.

I'm afraid the older two are gonna have to pick out there pumpkins from the grocery store this year because we are officially running out of time!!!

workin on the railroad

2011-10-18T11:41:00.000-05:00

we dedicated last saturday night to family pictures. this is something i force everyone to do one time a year. i put up with a lot of eye rolling, grumbling and general grouchiness, but i persevere, bribery in tow.

if i didn't insist on a family photo, i would be failing as a mother- and therefore a human. so there it is.

pure torture.

this year, though, they might've enjoyed it just a little.

i let them climb all over a real life train.

they got filthy.

here are a few of my faves-

i really wish this one was centered better- it's my favorite of him...

Pictureless

2011-10-12T09:37:00.001-05:00

Blogging from the ipad = no pictures :(

Lately, we been on our usual weekday schedule of dance and musical theater for the girl, and lots-o soccer for the boys.
Even Theo seems to be kicking the ball around these days.

Shane is nursing the laptop back to health.

I am fall sewing up a storm. It's also my month for 12squared. I'm stoked, check it out.

A few things worth noting:

Cannon has requested the training wheels to be removed from his bike. He hasn't quite mastered the 2 wheel process, but is determined. He has also taken a strong liking to basketball...Shane couldn't be happier!

He seems to be doing a lot better with his Kindergarten attitude. This week the kids have a short week and I told him he was on his own for lunch. He's done great!

Theo has started making requests by way of uh-uh-uh and reaching his arm up toward the direction of whatever he has his heart set on. He usually gets it. Typically, it's spatulas, measuring spoons, Teddy grahams, a sippy cup, or my sewing scissors. (he doesn't get those) He also really likes to eat markers and stamps. He's also started saying "a ball" when we get in the car. It's his favorite thing to hold on a drive.

Tyler has decided to be a hacker when he grows up. A criminal; every mothers dream. The problem is, he would be really good at it. He is doing surprisingly well with his retainer and still maintains the title as the bookiest book worm in the family. He is the coolest super geek I know!!!

Ryli has been doing a lot of writing. She and a few of her friends have started a newspaper, she is in charge of the nonfiction stories. She takes after her dad.

And that about wraps it up for the post with no pictures.

We are doing family picture this weekend- I'm outfit planning- which is always stressful!

taking note: youngest to oldest

2011-10-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

theo:
6 teeth, 3 on top and 3 on bottom.
started walking september 24.
saying and waving bye-bye, only when he feels like it.
adores bear and the big blue house and sesame street.
knows how to work his dad's ipad.
walks across the coffee table and ironing board like it's a catwalk.
still.doesn't.sleep.through.the.night.
unwillingly adjusting to shoes.
loves strawberries, tomatoes, turkey, ham, chips, z-bars, whole grain bagels and sippy's of water.
tries to sneak out the door anytime it's open.
recently got splinters on his belly from crawling around on the deck.
loves to tease his daddy by turning the xbox off and on, usually in the middle of something very important.
lights up a room with his smile.
his belly laugh is contagious.
he owns the place.

cannon:
has a pretty bad case of kindergarten anxiety.
asks for chicken nuggets for lunch everyday.
the only kiddo to eat pesto pasta with his parents.
still has an intense lisp.
loves soccer.
loves to wrestle his dad.
still appreciates snuggle time with mom.
legos are his #1 toy of choice.
drawing pictures for special people is his newest hobby, he frequently rolls up his pictures and leaves them on one of our pillows.
his best friends are aiden, bram, max and definitely shane.
wants to be a scientist when he grows up.
wants to be a breakdancer for halloween this year.
he is our local softy.

ryli:
a dancing queen.
she loves to read and write.
has a new pet tad pole-- named tad.
cycles through american girl, barbies, webkinz and other general stuffed animals.
has a fiery little attitude.
loves to craft with her mom.
is an amazing help around the house.
loves to prepare dinner.
still prefers dirty over clean.
appreciates thrifting.
best friends--lucy, hazel and kate.
has installed security cameras at random places thoughout the house.
about 2 months ago, she kicked out a pane in her window while trying to scare a spider.
cares about grades.
money saver.
she is our local sass-cat.

tyler:
mr. in charge.
ready and willing to keep everyone in the house corrected and on the straight and narrow.
bookworm.
first one out of bed, bedmade, dressed, breakfast eaten, teeth brushed, hair done and sitting on the couch usually before anyone else is out of bed.
militant about his watch wearing.
all of the above and still ridiculously silly.
the pickiest eater in the family.
doesn't care about grades.
desperate for a pet kitten.
money spender.
likes soccer.
best friends-- sean, gary and cole.
helps when asked with chores, as long as it's indoors.
an intense disdain for mosquitoes and poison ivy.
plans to be a world traveler as soon as he's 18.
will support his travels by offering to do yard work for locals.
wants to be a jester for halloween.
gaming, legos, reading and movie watching are his favorites.
he is our local drill sergeant.

together- these four can spend some serious time up in the playroom in their clubhouse. they are each other's best friends and worst enemies. they love their baby to pieces. they are spiritual creatures. they cannot resist the temptation to tease each other, even with their lives threatened.

He walks

2011-09-25T22:13:00.004-05:00

This guy has spent the last couple of weeks polishing up his toddling skills- this weekend was the big weekend.

He has taken off, and he's not looking back.

I love watching him go...but I am looking back.

I miss his infancy.

And,

I'm thrilled for what lies ahead. He is one fiery little spirit.

Shameless

2011-09-20T22:21:00.000-05:00

peeking out from under the covers for the second time today.

a fine little napping partner, indeed.

Theo and the...

2011-09-15T07:58:00.003-05:00

shoes.

lime.

iphone.

bus.

clean teeth

2011-09-13T22:37:00.000-05:00

my three are cavity free!

Football and Croup

2011-09-09T12:03:00.002-05:00

Last Night was the season opener for the NFL. I fully prepared with junk food and and earliy-ish bedtime for the older 3. Theo was fighting a nasty cold and losing a battle with a bottom tooth.

I found a spot on the couch and dabbled in a little embroidery (thanks to Emily S), Shane rocked our sad little guy. We munched and checked our fantasy football teams.

As the night wound down and the game was coming to an end we became a little more concerned with Theo's deep cough and the resulting restlessness. He was sounding barky. He would fall asleep for about 20 minutes, then wake up crying because he couldn't catch his breath.

Having experienced something similar with Ty when he was 2, I knew to turn on the shower and stand in a steamy room for Theo to inhale and sooth his swollen throat. This didn't seem to help much.

By 12:30am his breathing was very labored and my momma senses said it was time to head to the ER.

We got to Childrens Hospital around 1am, we were triaged, taken back to a room, and had a breathing treatment with epinephrine by 1:15am. We had a team surrounding us as soon as the nurses heard him...

I've said it before and I'll say it again, AR Childrens Hospital is like heaven on earth for little ones.

I was so worried we would have to endure an IV...and all kinds of other needles. It wasn't even mentioned- thank goodness for both of us.

He responded well to the breathing treatment and crashed hard as soon as he was able to breath better...and with the help of a little nursing.

Around 4:15, they said it was safe to go. They discharged us with a perscription for amoxicillin for a sneaky little ear infection (which really explains alot) and we were on our way.

He didn't make a peep for the rest of the night.

We all slept in a bit, though the older ones didn't have a clue what had happened.

All anniversary plans have been postponed- which is oddly similar to last year.

We have the rest of our lives for date nights, I suppose.

And, I'm truly okay with that.

not-so Labor Day

2011-09-05T21:57:00.000-05:00

We lazied around the house for the most of the day. I took advantage of a fabric sale, Shane mowed the lawn, and Ty nursed a low grade fever with an afternoon nap.

For dinner we went to the Hartzells. We ate our weight in grilled goodness and indulged in dessert.

We sat outside and enjoyed a fabulous, yet unexpected fall evening. The kids were overjoyed with the opportunity to be outdoors without breaking a sweat.

We headed home for an early bedtime...back to laboring tomorrow.

Shane's 35th

2011-08-23T08:27:00.000-05:00

The celebrations started on Friday the 19th. We enlisted our babysitter, and spent the evening eating the sushi and shopping. Just the two of us. Shane has wanted some new work attire and it was the perfect opportunity to get him outfitted...then Sunday we had our regular monthly family dinner where Shane and I picked the menu and were showered with birthday wishes.

Later that night,

Theo and I waited anxiously for the clock to hit midnight, he decided to cut some teeth in celebration of his daddy's birthday.

We wished Shane a Happy Birthday as soon as it became official...then it was short incremental naps for the rest of the night.

Later that day, Theo and I picked Shane up for lunch at Pei Wei. Somehow we landed a free Chicken Fried Rice. Birthday miracle?? I think so.

After school, the children and I had some top secret business to tend to. Then it was off to Larry's for dinner with friends. We held off on dessert pizza because we had a "special" dessert planned back at the Griffins.

Before he could enjoy dessert I sent him on a scavenger hunt...back to Henry's room, then to the trampoline, then to the shocks on the Griffin-mobile, then finally back to the living room for a waiting box, with and box inside the box, inside the box, inside the box...and so on.

When he finally reached the prize...an iPad2, he was speechless...which left me a little worried.

We enjoyed a special dessert that was designed completely around the taste buds of my main man, carmel cake, pralines and cream ice cream with homemade butterscotch topping. Heavenly....

We said goodnight to our crew, and by 11:30pm, Shane finally decided to open his gift.

I wiped my brow, and was grateful that he was over the initial shock and ready to embrace the technology. Let me just say that he hasn't put it down since.

Happy Birthday, my love. I live to surprise you...

ty has a small mouth

2011-08-18T16:32:00.004-05:00

so much so, that it is finally time for orthodontic intervention.

ty had his impressions scheduled for today. when i arrived at school to check him out for his appointment, i found my #3 sobbing.

he missed his mama.

so he accompanied us to the appointment.

cannon dried up his tears just in time to be a helper-

his special chore was wrestling the wonder baby so i could take the required photographs...

i rather enjoyed this part. he is very finicky about what goes in his mouth. it was fun to watch someone else make him squirm.

there, i said it.

i'm the meanest mom in the world.

he's going to need an expander to widen the roof of his mouth. it will come in the form of a retainer, half glow in the dark blue and half glow in the dark red. we will pick it up in two weeks.

he's beside himself with excitement..

after the ortho induction, we headed home for lunch, then it was back to school for one more hour. i went with cannon to his watermelon party. they also have a kinder"garden", so went out to learn about that.

i skipped out a few minutes early to drive the bambino around until he fell asleep.

cannon met me at the car a bit later, brave as can be.

me and my shadow

2011-08-17T20:32:00.000-05:00

or should i say theo and his shadow...

we lunched with the kiddos today. cannon informed me last night that he had eaten by himself that day. we visited about it for a minute, i teared up. he smiled and reassured me that it was no big deal.

i'm grateful for such a supportive son.

i made the decision immediately that we would hang with him for his next lunch. ryli asked me to join her as well. when i told ty, he had to take a minute to check his mental calendar, and then decided he was free as well.

he. is. too. cool.

but that is another post in itself.

anyway, i packed up our lunches and headed up to the school.

ryli was first, with lucy and kate.

then it was cannon's turn. he hasn't come out of his shell yet. he's very happy, but very quiet and observant. we were joined by his friend max, who was having an especially rough day. he missed his mama.

one of the lunch monitors was not being very nice to all of these sweet 5 year olds. that was when cannon told me that they weren't allowed to talk. when i heard this lady yelling at the kids i jumped up and went and found the principle and asked her if, indeed, the kids weren't allowed to talk. she said that wasn't a rule and followed me back in the cafeteria. the mood of the monitor changed quickly. we're going to be keeping a close eye on that situation. cannon headed off to nap time with a smile, and more reassurance for his mom.

then ty came in. his friends grant and sean joined us. he was definitely less interested in dear old mom, and theo was getting restless. i spent about 15 minutes with him, didn't dare kiss him goodbye and headed out the door. i did sneak in an i love you, though. it was reciprocated with his usual, "i do too".

i'll take it.

later that afternoon...

2011-08-15T23:43:00.000-05:00

i wanted to catch their first impressions on their way out. unfortunately my memory card for the nikon bit the dust on the way out the door, so i grabbed the trusty point and shoot.

two of my sweeties on the way out--all smiles!

they had a great day!

my oldest sweetie--with a big smile!

first day of school always means an afternoon treat. we rounded up the troops and met at cheeburger for shakes.

theo and i opted for mousse mountain- it's a little less "milky"

the crazy boys shared stories,

and pit farts. it was lovely.

i made the kids their favorite dinner. my friends would've thought ramens...but no, penne alfredo.

with hopes and dreams of an early bedtimes, my three were still bouncing with nervous energy until nearly 9pm.

it's going to be a long, tired week. but i welcome it, and so do they.

first day of school: 2011

2011-08-15T23:17:00.000-05:00

everything went according to plan. i woke up about 15 minutes later than i wanted to, i blame theo for that one.

i'm pretty sure he's finally cutting his bottom two teeth.

by 6:40am the house with buzzing with nervous energy. breakfast was baking, i showered, prepared lunches, tidied hair, and loaded backpacks.

the morning flew by. as we hurried to the car, i stopped the kiddos to catch a few pictures.

we walked into school promptly at 7:50am. the halls were packed with parents, kids and teachers. theo clamped onto his daddy for dear life.

(we ran into the griffins on the way in)

we dropped cannon off first. he was quiet, but confident. he let go and didn't look back. sigh....and tear.

next was ryli, i barely caught a picture of her before she bolted inside. done.

last was ty. he requested that i not walk him in. i looked pretty surprised, apparently, because he quickly back peddled and said i could. i smiled at him and told him i understood, and that i loved him. sigh, tear...and done.

as we walked up the stairs and out the door (i walked back to cannon's room for last peek), i noticed theo still had shane's collar still clutched tightly in his tiny fist. it was symbolic.

i'm glad he came home with me.

and just like that, i have three in school. and a 1 year old at home who now has my undivided attention.

i'm grateful for this time in our lives, and also a little melancholy.

necessary preparations, and a pity party

2011-08-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

it's back to school time. we're all stocked up on hair cuts, clothes, shoes and supplies.

friday was the meet and greet. after a summer long speculation,we finally learned of the kiddos classroom assignments. needless to say, we are all content.

cannon- ms. dorman. a sweet lady who offered hugs. a good sign, and my sweet bubba seemed comfortable. he has been given a car as his object. every time he needs to find his cubby, or anything else that is assigned to him he will see a car by his name. not a bad choice. (i guess this is to help the children who don't quite recognize their name yet)

ryli- ms. feingold. it would've been ty's choice for a 3rd grade teacher had he been given one. we entered her room to hear music playing, a beach ball volley-ing, and a sweet little reading corner complete with a soft couch and bright chairs. ryli was at home...even if she has to make do without her bestie.

ty- ms. itzkowitz. he has a hard time with her name. he keeps calling her iwokitz. he'll get it soon, i'm sure. he also landed in a room without his closest friends. thank goodness for lunch and recess.

last year we met lucy for a mani- this year we did our own in home version. the girls love picking out matching colors and accessories...the mom's had fun too.

we came home, prepared dinner, and curled up my girlie's hair.

we spent some time contemplating the perfect outfits, did a little bedtime reading and then said our family prayer.

as i tucked each of my little ones in bed, i reminded them of how spectacular they are. i reminded them to be extra curious of their new environments, and to be a good friend to everyone.

tomorrow morning i plan to lure them out of bed with the traditional first day of school cinnamon rolls. i'll pack each a treat filled lunch complete with a love note, and also repent for all of my grouchy moments over the summer.

i'll remind them to miss me, and their baby, theo. i know their baby will desperately miss them.

my arms already ache for my cannon. i'm not ready to let him go.

he, however, is bursting with anticipation.

and so it goes...

the beginning of the end.

boohoo.

(with a tiny little cheer for a clean house)

the day we found out the Griffins were moving.

2011-08-12T08:11:00.000-05:00

we woke up to rain. we met for lunch. Becca shared her big news- her house had sold.

it had been on the market for about -12 hours before an offer had been made.

they're leaving in 3 weeks. i suppose it was meant to be.

after the children (and moms) tired of chickfila, we moved the party to baker park.

(miss harper lee and my new friend ben. he likes to flirt with me.)

after some bike and scooter riding rain drops started to fall.

appropriately, we moved the party to the Griffins.

for some reason it seemed very important to spend this afternoon with our friends.

we will miss them dearly, but can't wait to see how Billy rocks the world of chemistry.

we'll always have Florida.

and these two will always have their pinky swear

i am

2011-08-01T22:50:00.003-05:00

32 today. my kids let me sleep a little late, then i walked out to all kinds of warm wishes. i worked on my 12squared block, then argued with Theo about a nap. he won, and i was late to my birthday lunch.

oh well.

lunch was delicious.

i came home to several hidden surprises. they were perfectly sized and well thought of. my big birthday present i received in June.

my card from the kids included stick figure self portraits. ty gave himself a mohawk and a beard. shane left a stash of m&m's, ryli made me bow complete with a heart shaped picture of...herself. cannon built me a lego ship and made me a rug.

ry even called me a big batch of love. perfect.

shane set me up with a fridge pack of cfdc...my poison.

he also bought me a new full length mirror. fancy? no. but something i've really been missing on sunday mornings since theo broke ours.

then it was off to walmart for groceries. my 4 did not have birthday mercy on me.

i forgive them.

my parents paid me a birthday visit with flowers and a cake. both were lovely.

then my main man came home and swept me off to a dinner amongst adults, our best friends.

(hartzells were missed)

it was a perfect evening, despite the heat.

after dinner at bravo's and a little perusing at anthro, we headed back to the griffins for dessert and games.

none of which would've been possible without our trusty babysitter, sue-wee.

it was a happy birthday.

the end.

sunday, rainy sunday

2011-07-31T23:52:00.001-05:00

it's been a long time coming...rain. my soul has been thirsty for summer showers, so has my grass. it hit at the most perfect time of day- upon arriving home from church. just in time for a nap for me, and dancing for ryli. she just can't help herself.

then, after naps, dinner and baths i went to work on some projects. ty followed me in and asked if i had any extra fabric to make some blankets for his webkinz. i pulled out a few scraps and told him to go to town. shortly after, ryli joined him.

as we worked on our projects i did a little eavesdropping on their conversation.

it seems ty has been managing a homeless shelter for his animal friends. these blankets were a blessing for all of his chilly occupants. he also thanked ryli for her hamster's kind donation. apparently, a bag of money had been left at the doorstep of this shelter to feed his animal friends.

oh man, i love this guy. and ryli for her charity. and cannon for going to sleep early. and theo for his gusto.

and shane, for all of the above.

crash bandicoot

2011-07-27T09:54:00.001-05:00

this guy is whirling through our house, and leaving his mark on everything. he has emptied an entire extra large bottle of sanitizer on the floor (which means he had to unscrew the lid). he empties ziploc containers, climbs on anything he can hike his little round knee on top of, unrolls entire rolls of toilet paper and even recently discovered that if he pulls hard enough, he can open the oven!

it's quite possible that my memory doesn't serve me, but i feel pretty certain that my others weren't this mischievous this early.

i also find it interesting that at child 4 this kind of behavior is endearing. had it been child 1, 2 or maybe even 3, i might have pulled my hair out.

at any given moment you can find him sitting right in the middle of the coffee table, and i fear the days for my lampshades are numbered.

yes, lampshades.

(for the record, he just cut his 2nd tooth. it's his top left. so now he has 2 top teeth and 0 bottom teeth)

it's a sushi social

2011-07-23T21:58:00.000-05:00

we invited friends over for sushi, time's up...and brownies.

thanks for a great night, folks.

the final meet

2011-07-20T11:20:00.000-05:00

last night was ryli and cannon's final swim meet. not sure how they finished, we had to leave early for a bbq.

because it was a home meet a few of us volunteered to help. they handed me a stop watch and put me to work. man, it was HOT.

one of my favorite parts of the summer is watching my little fish swim. i love that they get to do it with their friends, and that we get to hang out with our friends. the coaches are AMAZING...we truly love our little pool "family"!

highlights from the 1st birthday

2011-07-16T11:26:00.001-05:00

to say that he enjoyed his cake is an understatement. he dug in as soon as it was placed in front of him. he also discovered that he likes hot dogs, he didn't care for all of the chaos that comes with opening presents, and he loves a green ball.

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a few milestones: he cut his first tooth in Las Vegas, around June 30th. it's the top right one. the top left is due to cut through any day. still no sign of his bottom teeth.

he has mastered the art or turning around to climb down stairs, or off a bed.

he has said what sounds like about 3 different words: dog, duck and cat. he also babbles bock bock bock when he sees anything that resembles a bird or chicken.

he loves fruit and vegetables, namely tomatoes, cucmbers, avocados, blueberries, apples and cantelope.

he loves to test boundaries, and giggle about it.

he loves to read books and throw balls. he has a funny habit of touching the ball to his mouth before throwing.

he still doesn't sleep through the night, an all night nurser.

he still seems to be lactose intolerant.

his siblings adore him.

he's spoiled rotten because of it.

not sure on his stats, we are awaiting the well baby that will happen early August...as well as his first immunizations.:(

1st Birthday's are 100% completely bittersweet.

I love my Theo.

Theo's 1st

2011-07-15T22:37:00.000-05:00

Today, I stole an hour and took Theo downtown for a few photo's. Ryli was an excellent apprentice.

First stop, the State Capitol.

Next stop, an abandon warehouse downtown. (not approved by Shane)

He's a busy little subject.

Swim Meet 2011: 1st and 2nd

2011-07-13T14:16:00.001-05:00

Last night we braved the humidity and heat for Ryli and Cannon's first swim meet of the season. We were out of town for the last one and the very first one was cancelled because of rain. So last night we swam against two teams, St. Charles and Colony West.

It's always fun to cheer for my two favorite swimmers.

Ry competed in the freestyle and backstroke. She placed third overall in the backstroke.

Cannon competed in the freestyle and butterfly. He placed second overall in BOTH categories. He's pretty dang proud.

We're proud of how much they enjoy it. We also really enjoy the potluck that always follows an away meet.

Did I mention that it was near 110 degrees with the heat index???

Summer Vacation Days 3-5

2011-06-29T22:15:00.000-05:00

Phoenix, or should I say, Surprise was fantastic. We did exactly as we planned. Stayed up too late, ate delicious food, spent some quality time in the pool, and scouted out fabric stores.

We were even able to have dinner with another one of Shane’s mission buddies and his family. A mini-reunion of sorts.

The kiddos swam their hearts out, literally in their swimsuits from 9am until 10pm.

Tyler developed a strong liking for Piper. He even recorded a goodbye message for her on her Flip. One of the sweetest sides of Ty I’ve ever seen.

Ryli and Lennon clicked like long lost sisters, Crue and Cannon buddied up right away and Theo and Major participated in a few staring contests.

We love and cherish our time with our Surprise peeps, and we’re already planning our next visit.

Day 4: landed us in Las Vegas. We drove out to the NW area and checked into Hotel Kundanani. I got to meet Miss Aubrie for the first time and Theo introduced himself as well. We ordered in some Café Rio and the kids threw on their suits to cool down from the desert heat.

Michelle and I planned out our shopping extravaganza, which started on Day 5.

Day 5: was all about the fabric and outlets.

Shane took the kids to see Cars 2, and then the Disney store. He was a champ at providing the girl time that I so long for with my Michelle.

Summer Vacation Day 2: NM to AZ

2011-06-26T21:47:00.020-05:00

The kids were full of energy last night after we checked into the hotel. Unfortunately the pool was closed and we had nothing to offer except threats of time outs and back tickling to calm their nerves. They finally gave in around 11. Of course we felt guilty for the threats after they were fast asleep.

We actually made it on the road around 7am. It helped that we hit the mountain time zone and gained an hour. We flew through New Mexico, stopped in Holbrook, Arizona for gas and lunch, and made it to the Grand Canyon around 3pm. Another bonus hour because Arizona doesn’t observe daylight savings time (genius!).

The kids were impressed with the canyon, as Grand as it was, for about 10 minutes. Then all they could talk about was finding a gift shop and some water. The temp was about 92 degrees, windy, and dry.

We did find a gift shop and the kiddos were able to spend a little money. Then it was off to Phoenix, by way of Flagstaff, Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona.

The drive was incredible, and dare I say, more impressive then the Grand Canyon. We could not get enough of the scenery. Sedona will always have a special place in my heart.

Soon we will arrive at the Kidd’s. Some of our favorite people on the planet. We always stay up way too late and leave, asking ourselves why we don’t live right next door to them.

Theo hasn’t slept nearly as much today. He has been the most challenging part of the trip so far. The other kids have done SO WELL.

Also worth noting, one of our rear brake light covers has come loose. Shane noticed it flapping in the wind when we stopped for gas in NM. He used his electrical tape to try to keep it attached…

Who would have thought a mini-van could get even cooler???

Summer Vacation Day 1 (LR to NM):

2011-06-25T23:43:00.038-05:00

I’ve decided that road tripping with older kids is fun. We got each of them their own childrens road atlas. Ryli has used it the most. She has commented more than once that this is her favorite trip she’s ever taken. She is her daddy’s navigator while I sit in the back with the babe. The older boys sit in the middle immersed in Pokemon.

This morning we got a later start than we were hoping for. No surprise there. We got to OKC around 1pm, and met the Deschamps for lunch at Pops. It was a fun stop on the historical Route 66. We talked and ate non-stop, which is always amazing in my book. We had Root Beer bread pudding for dessert…DELISH! We plan to stop on the way back so we said a quick “see you soon,” and were off for 7 more hours.

We’ve had NUMEROUS potty breaks, lots of snacks, watched several movies and Theo has slept well.

I have to say that as I sit in the back row of my mini van and ponder the people in front of me, I am so grateful for these moments. I feel like this road trip allows me to bottle up my family all for myself, even if only for this day. I watch their conversations, watch Ry gaze at Shane as he explains windmills and wild fires, sing lullabys to my sweet Theo, and observe Ty and Cannon contemplate a game of chess. I even got to see the sun set over the desert, which is especially pink (and beautiful) due to the fires.

I have to say, I’m so glad that flying wasn’t an option for us.

Cannon is 5.5

2011-06-20T23:15:00.000-05:00

being born 5 days before Christmas makes the rest of the year a little anti-climatic. so, right around Cannon's 5th birthday last year we discussed having his "friend party" in the summer for his half birthday. he really liked the idea, i really liked the convenience...so it was. (and also crosses one thing off of the ever growing list of things to do during the busiest time of year)

cannon really wanted to bowl with his friends. we reserved the venue, invited the friends, grabbed some balloons and cupcakes and called it a party.

only, the bowling alley didn't have a working air conditioner. in arkansas. in june.

it was rough...but my bubba had a great time with his friends.

mission accomplished.

day camp is a go

2011-06-17T23:02:00.000-05:00

last year Ty wanted to go to cub scout day camp. so he went. for one day. he said it was too hot (it was), and there were too many mosquitoes (there were). he decided he didn't want to go back, and i didn't blame him.

this year, when he said he wanted to go to day camp, i made him think about it. we also told him that knowing what he knew from last year that if he signed up he was committing.

he signed up, and low and behold after the first day he didn't want to go back.

we made him.

on the last day of day camp, Ty confessed that he wished camp was year round like school.

makes a mom proud. it was a defining moment for young Tyler.

the kids and i joined in to catch the rocket derby and closing ceremony on that last day.

ty can tough things out. also, some things are worth working for.

Charlotte: update

2011-06-15T10:39:00.000-05:00

she's an industious lady. 3 egg sacks, 1 hatched, lots of babies. not sure how many are going to survive...

Ty's soccer fiesta

2011-06-13T22:28:00.001-05:00

we wrapped up Ty's spring soccer season with a pool party. there was even a slide.

Ty spent most of his time with his good friend, Sean, playing "fifi's". thus, not allowing for many photo opportunities.

all boys walked away with a trophy, which always makes for an amazing night.

can't wait for the fall!

another sunday stroll

2011-06-12T21:58:00.001-05:00

we took off for another Sunday adventure after church. this time to Lake Catherine State Park. we packed up some dinner and set out...in search of a waterfall.

i dressed more appropriately this time, Hazel in her pink sunglasses, the men with their stowaways...

what we found was more of a water trickle.

and baby ssssnake. yuck.

the hike ended up being about 2 miles, not as nice as Petit Jean, but a fun day nonetheless.

Sue-wee turns **!

2011-06-11T22:46:00.000-05:00

We had to make a special dinner and dessert for the birthday girl!

We sure love our Sue-wee!

summer pool days, begin

2011-06-08T22:38:00.000-05:00

Solomon, he's an adrenaline junkie.

Theo is warming up to the idea of swimming, but still prefers to be near the food.

Cannon, threatening Bram, no doubt.

And, the girls. Sharing snacks and secrets.

Hello Summer.

Ryli's big day

2011-06-05T22:25:00.001-05:00

and she shined like a star..

Ry practices

2011-06-04T22:11:00.001-05:00

Ryli had her dress rehearsal this morning. She's had a touch of pink eye, so we went without make-up.

She is performing in three numbers this year, which makes for a very busy backstage experience. They are dancing at UALR this year. A change from the typical Robinson Auditorium. I really like the venue, it's smaller, it feels a little more personal. The kids seemed like they "fit" on the stage better.

summer grilling

2011-06-03T22:06:00.000-05:00

swimming and eating with the Toblers...it's a tradition.

Memorial Day Weekend (picture overload)

2011-05-30T09:27:00.000-05:00

We started out the weekend right with the opening of our neighborhood pool. The water was FREEZING and young Theo wanted nothing to do with it. The older three were thrilled to be swimming again and barely noticed...

We also had the pleasure of attending a triple baptism, and we picked up an early birthday/Christmas/anniversary present for me! (more on that later)

Then Sunday it was an early Sacrament meeting at our old/new ward. Baby Harper was to receive a name and a blessing and Shane was asked to stand in the circle. It was great to be in our old building and see old friends...which oddly enough we will be seeing again every Sunday. The ward boundaries were realigned last Sunday and we will now be able to attend the church that we have been waving at as we pass it every Sunday. So many mixed emotions on this subject, but change fuels my fire and I always welcome it. The change goes into effect this week.

After 4 hours of church we rushed home, changed and packed up some dinner for a picnic at Petit Jean. The Toblers met us for a hiking adventure. We backpacked Theo in (thanks Griffins), and Ty, Ry and Cannon were in heaven. I wore flip flops. S.T.U.P.I.D. We agreed upon the Cedar Creek Trail, headed in and immediately got our feet wet.

my little sci-girl stopped to take notes and draw pictures of all of her discoveries

After about half a mile we found a place where the creek widened, became very shallow and had my kids stripping down to their underwear written all over it. I got the camera ready. The rock shelves were covered in moss and therefore very slippery. Solomon took off right away with Joe hot on his trail. Theo, again, uninterested in the water. The water was cool and soothing. It was something out of a movie, a very peaceful experience, until...

Joe found the tiny leaches. He had a quick consultation with Shane and decided that indeed, the party was over. Ty, Ry, and Cannon were barely wearing their underwear at this point, their clothes were soaked. I was freaking out. (these leaches were tiny and easily mistakable as dirt, but still leaches) We quickly began the de-leaching process and got the heck out of there.

We hiked out and had one of the most picturesque picnics I've ever had.

Good times.

parents nite-thursday

2011-05-29T22:13:00.001-05:00

parents were given a front row seat to watch the girls practice their rectial numbers. at the beginning of the year Ryli was invited to attend a class that was actually a year ahead of where she was supposed to be. i am really impressed with how she has risen to the challenge.

i do have to say that it is really hard for me to sit and watch and not want to just walk up to her and fix her arm positions, or have her slow down a bit. i need to let her figure it out. i stink at letting her figure it out.

the theme is "going to the movies." her ballet number is to Hook's "Tinkerbell's Flight". Her tap number is called "Poison Ivy", and her jazz number is to Tarzan's "Trashin' the Camp."

i can't wait to watch my girl bask in the limelight this Sunday!

when i'm not herding my baby...

2011-05-28T22:32:00.002-05:00

i'm making stuff. (sometimes even dinner)

my go-to birthday gift lately. (your daughter might be getting one of these)

some shorts for my guys evergrowing backside (2t).

Helvetica tee's. I have to give a little credit to American Apparel for the idea. It's cuter with applique in my opinion. The guitar and "D" shirt are for a very special little one in Vegas. The "C" is for my bubba.

And this dress is for his baby sister, Aubrie. This is one of my favorite dress patterns by Sandi Henderson. I love elastic and the straps that tie up...it really allows the dress to grow with the girl.

And these. These are for some very special newborns in Haiti, thank you to all of the ladies from church that donated, repurposed and helped me stitch these little knotted hats up. A true labor of love...

one of Shane's friends from Acxiom had their 1st baby recently. I made her a quilt. It's an oversized log cabin block. I backed it with seersucker, which I LOVE! This was a lot of fun to make, and I always love gifting handmade for new little ones.

Finally, a spiderweb for Jen. It's this months block for 12squared...

Kindergarten ready

2011-05-26T22:34:00.003-05:00

Cannon graduated from pre-school today. He was so nervous for the ceremony. He recited a bible verse, "Love one another" John 13:34. He also had to identify the spanish word for green.

All of the children received a trophy for a special talent. Cannon's was the "Eager Reader" award. He is the only one reading in his class...(thanks to his dad for that one)

I made a couple of taxi totes for his lovely teachers, he was particular about who would receive each one.

His best buddy, Aiden...sharing some refreshments...

His teachers have been heaven sent. Ms. Lori and Ms. Dawn. We couldn't have asked for a better experience for him this year!

We heart Noahs's Kids!

Saturday night: raising the ISO

2011-05-21T21:56:00.000-05:00

i took these pictures in the dark. raising the ISO = grainier pictures. just messing around.

but I also wanted to capture a few things...like Ty wanting to sleep in his "tent", and Theo's busted lip. he got his hand caught under his knee when he was crawling and did a face plant. it was his bloodiest accident yet.

Cannon falling asleep in our bed, but only to his favorite music.

and Ryli, just because.

i may have a weird thing about pulling teeth

2011-05-17T21:42:00.002-05:00

Ryli lost her first tooth today.
She started asking me to make her a tooth fairy pillow at the first sign of loose-ness. My answer was always that I would, as soon as she lost it (in hopes that she would let me pull it out sooner rather than later.) I wiggled it everyday. This afternoon we were sitting in the sunroom watching Word Girl. She reluctantly opened up and I went to work. As soon as I pulled on it I knew it was gonna come out. She was shocked when it did. It bled a little, but she was so excited. She immediately went to my fabric stash to show me what she wanted. She picked a fancy Japanese Lecien.

Here is what I came up with.

love those little hands

Now, my Ryli has a sweet little lisp.

Kohl's Soccer Tourny & 10 months

2011-05-15T23:10:00.002-05:00

This weekend has been a soccer-ful one. We started out Saturday morning with a garage sale extravaganza. It was the Otter Creek neighborhood sale, and I walked away VERY happy. I do plan to take a photo of my finds...then we pretty much spent the rest of the weekend at Burns Park.

The Griffins came to keep us company for the first game and the Hartzell boys for the second game. It means a lot when our friends come out and show their love.

The weather proved to be chilly, especially near the river. Shane gave Cannon some cold hands...

These guys wrestled and giggled while Ty did this-

It was a fun event, if you don't mind playing stacked teams, games starting an hour late and officials who either don't make calls or obviously favor the other team. Ty did enjoy himself, and walked away with a medal and sunkissed cheeks.

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Another important event, my babe turned 10 months around 7:20 this morning.

At 23lbs, he's wearing 2t bottoms and 18-24 month tops, crawls like mad, eats everything, loves to bang things together, slept through the night for the first time (and only time) on Friday night, loves to be in the same room watching his brothers and sister, loves Baby Einstein dvd's, hates being confined in anything like a saucer, jumper, high chair or stroller, and has just recently started doing this thing where he pushes up onto his feet while he crawls. Kind of like a bear crawl, but he doesn't move, it's his down dog.

Time is flying too fast, but I sure adore watching this guy grow into an individual.

me+ry time

2011-05-12T23:17:00.000-05:00

She had her dance pictures tonight. We got her all made up and headed for the studio. For some reason I thought she would still have class but she didn't so we made other plans. It was impromptu, and perfect.

We settled for dinner and gelato and ZaZa's. It's my favorite place to eat here in LR. Any place with gelato is Ry's fave. As a bonus they have a TV in the loft and we were able to catch American Idol.

It was nearly a perfect evening, because then James got sent home. Cannon shed a tear, seriously.

(hello, eyelashes)

that's a wrap: Cannon

2011-05-10T23:52:00.000-05:00

We finished up the 2011 Spring Soccer season for Cannon last night. It was also the hottest day of 2011 so far. Shane coached, and we may or may not have ended the game a few minutes early. The poor Sharks were so red-faced.

Afterward the kiddos were awarded their much anticipated trophies. Some kids just play for the trophy. Not Cannon though. He was born kicking a ball. Shane did have to pull his trophies out of his bed tonight after he fell asleep.

(I would've taken a picture of it first)

Aren't they cute?! We celebrated with a picnic dinner at the park with the friendlies...

He is all heart.