Charity

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of the world.

I'm not certain if the above statement is true, but it seems to be used a lot.  As I was awakened this morning by a crying kid and had to climb out of my warm cozy bed I realized how darn lucky I am to be able to climb back in to my warm cozy bed.  A lot of people aren't so lucky.  Our directions from Jesus are quite clear.  He talks about taking care of the poor numerous times.  We are to give to the poor and show them God's love.  As I was nice and warm in my bed, I thought about how Christians have totally fallen short of this.  Think of those mega churches.  If Joel Osteen would take a pay decrease and live a modest lifestyle, their church would be able to house the homeless and start an outreach, maybe even buy enough food to fill a local food bank? Instead this guy lives in a mansion on a hill and he isn't ashamed of this fact.  He brags about it in one of his books and tells me I can too have the dream house I want, if I just practice some positive thinking.  He is nothing more than a glorified motivational speaker.  But that is a topic for another day. :)  Back to charity.  Our job as Christians is to provide for the poor.  We were blessed with abundance so we could show our faith through giving.   

James 2:5. Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 

 Luke 6:20-21. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

God will provide you with all you need, what you do with the excess is up to you.  Just remember when you leave this earth you can't take it with you.  And when you stand before God, he won't be looking at your financial portfolio, or how big your house is or how many cool gadgets you own.  In God's eyes we are all equal and status, wealth and beauty mean nothing.  You can't buy your way in to Heaven. God gave us the greatest gift of all, Jesus.  And now it our turn to repay the favor by taking care of the heirs of the kingdom (the poor) while they are still here on earth.

 

Generosity

Every year around this time I am struck by someone's generosity.  A co-worker at Boyd's took Russ under his wing and for the last 5 years has bought our family Christmas presents.  He has been a real blessing to our family.  Thank you, just never seems enough. My heart swells when I see random acts of kindness.  It is so nice to know that despite all the crap going on in the world there are still people who genuinely care about other people.  I know he will probably never see this, but I want to let him know that he and his family have been a true blessing to our family and we are thankful beyond words.  Thank you for making my kid's Christmas special every year. 

The Dream

My Grandpa is undergoing chemo for cancer.  He is 80 years old and choosing to fight.  My Grandma actually came to me in a dream and made clear that he isn't going anywhere.  My Grandpa was hospitalized last month and never told any of us. The night he was hospitalized I had the dream.  My Grandma told me that "Gramps chose Sally."  I had no clue what that meant and it just stuck in the back of my head.  I was actually telling my Dad about the dream when he broke the news of Gramp's cancer.  Now the dream makes perfect sense.  Which freaks me out, because in the dream she also told us to leave our house.  So who knows?

'Tis the Season

I have plenty to complain about.  The reality of having 4 kids has hit, hard.  Kids are expensive and even more expensive when you have to buy 4 of everything, pretty much all at once.  Christmas is a nice reminder that you're poor.  Our NW Natural bill went up $30 (even being on a budget plan) with no warning.  I spent over $200 to clothe my children for the winter and they still prefer to run around naked.  The time has come for new beds for the kiddos, at the tune of $350, and that is the cheapest option at this point.  I hate disorder and my house is a disaster.  We painted our hallway and the family room and still haven't recovered from the chaos.  Our grocery bills are going up, because our kids are eating more.  Our health insurance has gone up,  our washer is still acting up and our kids are so whiny lately, that it takes all my strength just to get through the day.  Sounds depressing, huh?  Well, I love it.  On those days where I can't stand it anymore, God is right there, holding my hand.  The fact that I can complain and have something to complain about, means I have been blessed beyond comprehension.  We have a warm house, our kids are clothed, they have beds to sleep in, we have a place to call home, our kids are fed, our kids are healthy and the Lord is our Savior.  We trust in the Lord to provide for us and He has never let us down.  I know it is easier to complain than to be thankful, but I choose to be thankful, at least today. :)

Wedding Songs

 The song our wedding party walked down to:


The song I walked down the aisle to:


The song played while we did the sand ceremony:


The song played after the ceremony, when we started our "adventure":

Seven Eleven

 "A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity.  The order varies for any given year."  ~Paul Sweeney

 Today is our 7 year wedding anniversary.  7 years have flown by and what a ride it has been.  I married my best friend.  He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, but most importantly he makes me feel loved.  We are on this crazy ride together and I couldn't have asked for a better partner. I love you, Dude! :)

Goodbye Ninny???

Landon has officially gone 2 nights without his ninny.  Ninny is what we call our pacifiers around here.  I am not sure the origin of the name, but it is what I called my pacifier when I was little.  For the last 5 1/2 years there has been a ninny of some sort around here.  We had a brief pause when Aurora gave hers up by herself after her 1st birthday.  Then the twins came along and we had ninnies x 2.  Of course only Trevor took to his, Wyatt preferred his thumb.  Looking back I wished I would have pushed a ninny on him more, because now he is a big time thumb sucker and will more than likely need braces when he gets older.  You can take the ninny away, but you can't take his thumb away, at least not legally. I was going to wait until after the holidays to take Landon's ninny, but he insisted on biting holes in them and I was getting pretty fed up with replacing them.  So after his last ninny became useless, the Cookie Monster came one night and ate his ninny.  That was the story I came up with when Trevor's ninny time was over, so I decided to stick to it.  He does ask for it, but I just tell him the Cookie Monster ate it and that thought seems to keep him preoccupied.  I am a little sad, because we are closing a chapter on something that has been part of our lives for so long.  It makes me realize my babies are growing up.

Pizza Perfected!!

We are having our family Christmas at Flying Pie in Portland later this month, so tonight we decided to try their gluten free pizza and make sure it was something we would want to eat.  It gets the award for BEST GLUTEN FREE PIZZA!!  We have had Papa's and Bob's Red Mill pizza and this actually tasted like a normal pizza.  The others are good, but this is better.  So now we have a go-to pizza place.  It is spendy, considering it only comes in small, so we would have to pay about $30 for two pizzas to feed our family.  For the occasional treat it would be worth it.   

Russ, we checked every bulb, didn't we?

It's that time of year again!  The time of year where we recite lines from the movie "Christmas Vacation." :)  We started the Christmas season out by putting up lights. The boys had some Boyd's hot cocoa and helped Daddy put the lights up.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A nice brotherly Thanksgiving squeeze! :)

It will be a miracle if I ever get them to all look at the camera at the same time!

This pretty much sums up the day!

F*ck Cancer

I hate the word cancer.  To me it is worse than a 4 letter word.  It has cut short the lives of both my Grandma's.  I have heard it destroy the lives of many around me.  As soon as someone is diagnosed most doctors will give you an expiration date, so basically you walk around waiting to die.  Your choices of treatment are usually surgery and then poisoning your entire body with chemo or radiation.  When a family member is diagnosed, you yourself have a greater chance of getting cancer some day.  And the best way to beat cancer is preventing cancer in the first place.  Easier said then done.  Males have a 1 in 2 chance of getting cancer in their lifetime, females a 1 in 3.  Those aren't very good odds in my opinion.  Basically a 50/50 shot and when you have family history you can guess what side the quarter will land on. 
Cancer has once again come for someone I love.  It has crept its evil, ugly head in to our lives.  And I all I have to say is "screw you, cancer!"

A Deodorant Free Year

This month will mark a year that I have gone without deodorant!  Well, the chemical, possibly cancer causing kind., that is.  I have been wearing deodorant made from coconut oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder and peppermint oil.  It smells heavenly.   I order my deodorant and other products at facenaturals.com  I love, love, love their products!  Everything is organic and chemical free.  I'm pretty sure I don't smell, but I could have gotten used to the odor.  So who knows. :) 

Trick R Treat

Happy Halloween from Spiderman, Captain America and baby Batman!  Senorita Rosa, sends her love also! :)

All ready to get some candy!

30 Days, Done

Today is day 30, that means Russ and I have gone 30 days without wheat or gluten.  And surprisingly it was pretty easy, after the first week.  The plan is to continue to avoid wheat and starting today we are avoiding sugar as well.  If you would have been here the last 2 days you would see why sugar is a drug!  Our kids were literally crawling the walls, throwing tantrums and running around like crazy.  The last two nights, Wyatt didn't settle down until well after midnight.  I dare anyone who doesn't think sugar is a drug to come over here on Halloween night.  Our kids don't eat processed sugar often, but when they do, watch out!  So we are banning it until Thanksgiving.  I would much rather see them act crazy a night or two, then the whole year.  So all the candy is gone and hopefully the calm will return to the house soon. 
After 30 days of being wheat free, I am convinced this house is better off.  We can still have pizza, bread and chocolate cake.  We aren't really missing out on anything.  Will I let my kids eat regular pizza again, probably.  I'm not going to be a fanatic, but I would like to be able to chose when they receive this stuff so I can be prepared for the aftermath. 
Of course in the last couple of weeks, this gluten free "diet-craze" has started and I am certain that Russ and I start every new craze! :)  We do everything before it is cool and then we just become one of the pack when it hits mainstream.  We are working toward a more paleo lifestyle, which if you haven't heard of the paleo diet, you will shortly.  It is the new "thing" that I have researched way before it became popular.  Just remember when Ron Paul becomes the next President, Russ was on his bandwagon in 2007 and me shortly after, when he was laughed at and ridiculed.  Oh yeah, we are trendsetters! :)

Day 22

We are on day 22 of our gluten experiment.  Some good things have happened and some bad things have happened.  Russ is feeling good and shrinking away. :)  I on the other hand have actually gained weight (according to the Wii).  I have replaced gluten with sugar and corn products, not good for me.  So we are going to finish out our 30 days and probably keep going with the gluten free route, but we will eliminate corn and sugar until Thanksgiving for fun.  I feel good, though! And that is more important than a number on a scale.  I don't eat as much, so there must be something to the wheat causing hunger.  We have had less tantrums from the kids, which is great!  They are only on day 20 and besides Aurora, don't miss wheat.  Aurora will ask why she can't have a  bun, or tortilla but it doesn't last long.  I have discovered that it would be very difficult if one of the kiddos was an actual celiac.  You have to worry about cross contamination and pretty much wouldn't be able to eat out, ever.  I am thankful that we are choosing to do this experiment and not forced in to it by an actual disease.  I am pretty sure that Russ would be considered gluten sensitive and we are afraid to see what a little wheat could do to him. 
We have also had no eczema outbreaks so far (knocking on wood).  So there might be something to it.  I think we are on the right track, we just took the long way.  Your odds of getting cancer is 50/50.  It used to be 20%.  Why the difference?  My belief is the answer lies in our food.  Most food eaten today is genetically modified and has no nutrition.  It is not a coincidence that people who go on juice fasts are able to reverse most disease, including cancer.  God gave us the food we need, with just the right amount of vitamins and minerals.  So why are we not eating them?  We have taken perfectly good food and processed the heck out of it and expect to thrive.  I figure if I can instill good eating habits while they are young, they won't stray too far when they are on their own.  Assuming they will have the choice.   I am now stepping of my soapbox. :)  More for another day.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

Pumpkins as far as the eye could see!

My favorite picture.  He tried so hard to pick that pumpkin up.

Photo by Trevor. :)

Helping Daddy

On the way home!

We loaded the kids in the van and headed out in search of the great pumpkin.  This year we chose to check out Olson Farms in Damascus. We were not disappointed and will be back next year.  It was a beautiful farm without all the frills and fairly cheap.  The kids had fun running around and getting dirty.  They all picked out their own pumpkins and we headed home.  It was a great family outing!

Pizza

We had our first gluten free emergency dinner last night.  Costco didn't have what I needed to make dinner, and I put off going to the grocery store.  So we ordered a gluten free pizza from Papa's.  I have had it once before, so I knew what to expect.  In my opinion it is good, it isn't like their regular pizza, but it is good.  It is small and the largest size they have is medium and it is on the spendy side.  So this won't be something we can afford to do all the time.  3 out of 4 kids ate it with no complaints.  One, whom shall remain nameless, spit it out.  We finished dinner off with some coconut flour muffins. The kids love them and they are good for you.
I am having fun trying to come up with recipes and tweaking recipes to make them wheat free.  Today I am going to make a lasagna with zucchini used as the noodles.  That should be fun!  And if you smother it in enough cheese, I can guarantee the kiddos will eat it. :) 

30 days

The Jones family is embarking on a 30 day challenge.  We are eliminating wheat from our diet.  It sounds simple, until you realize that wheat and gluten are in A LOT of things.  Pizza, crackers, cereal, pasta, bread and tortillas to name a few.  Russ was tested for celiacs awhile ago and even though the test was negative, his doctor recommended staying away from wheat and gluten for a bit.  Aurora and Trevor also suffer from eczema and the weather this time of year makes it flare up.  So we are going to do a little experiment.  Yes, we are experimenting on our children. :)  October is the best month for any dietary changes, in my opinion.  Once Halloween hits any diet flies right out the door.  We have been gluten free in the past, when Aurora was a baby and I became pregnant with twins while being gluten free.  Crossing my fingers that won't happen again! :) This challenge will include Halloween, fortunately many candies and chocolate bars are gluten free.  So we won't be depriving our kids of the ritual sugar rush!  I still have some bread and tortillas to use up today, so the kids will start officially tomorrow.  Russ and I started today. 
I have been doing extensive research on gluten and wheat and Russ and I decided it was time to cut the wheat, again.  Wheat that is grown today, is not the same wheat used years ago.  Our bodies can't digest it properly and can cause a ton of problems, some which our kids and us suffer.  I go through gluten free bursts, here and there, and as soon as I eat something with wheat in it, I get sick.  So we know that there are sensitivities in the house.  Luckily, as far as we know, there are no allergies, so we can afford to fail every once and awhile.
I really think this will be good for our family.  It will be hard, but thanks to almost everyone being diagnosed with celiacs, there are way more food options and alternatives.  So here we go!  Wish us luck!  Stay tuned for updates!

J is for Jack LaLanne

Yup, we have the smartest little girl in the world!  We were working on the J sound yesterday and we were going through words that start with J.  Jam, jelly, jar, etc.  And Aurora says. J,J, Jack LaLanne.  Jack starts with J!"  That's my girl! :)  Today we will be doing R is for Ron Paul.  Only kidding, but you never know. Maybe I should come up with my own alphabet series for us freedom loving folks. :) 

Home schooling is going great and Aurora is learning a lot.  She is reading sentences and sounding out words like a pro.  We started our new math program yesterday and I think it might be a good fit, but it is too early to tell.  We are both having fun and that is the important thing.  School can be fun! :)

It's Coming......

Kindergarten!

This week we are slowly adjusting to a school schedule for Aurora.  We got off to a rocky start when Aurora and I came down with a stomach bug.  So we laid in bed together and watched old cartoons.  It was a girls bonding experience that hopefully next time comes without the vomit. :)  Aurora is starting to read, so we are going to build off of that and throw in some math and of course fun, fun, fun!  I am excited and scared, but I know God has lead me down this road and He will help me along the way. 

Decision Made!

Peace has been brought back to the Jones household this week.  We finally made a decision concerning Aurora's schooling!  Starting next week we will be starting our Kindergarten year, right here in our lovely house!  After months of agonizing over this decision, it all came back to homeschooling.  I made the decision and instantly felt peace, so I know I am making the right one.  Now the only problem we have is what curriculum we will be using.  But I am sure an answer on that will come soon and we will get this party started. :) I am scared, nervous and really excited to embark on this journey.  We did dabble in it last year, but now we are getting in to serious schooling this year and that makes it a little scary.  I have God on my side and with Him all things are possible!  Prayers would be appreciated!

Work Share...Again!

I am thankful that my husband has a job at this point, but it gets so frustrating when Boyd's is telling their employee's that they are doing great and everything will be fine and then they spring work share on them.  Honestly we didn't see this one coming.  The last time we did it, 2 years ago, we had a good amount of time to digest it.  As of right now it is 1 day and they are saying it won't last long.  There are a lot of rumors flying around and at this point, so I don't know what to think.  Prayers for our family and prayers for Boyd Coffee Company are greatly appreciated at this point.  I know everything will work out and the Lord will bring us through this.  Thanks!

Done..

I am totally and completely done with all the damn stress that has hit our house these last couple of weeks.  A person can only take so much and I have definitely hit my ceiling.  I am usually not a complainer, OK I am ALWAYS a complainer.  I feel like I am digging a hole in the sand and the sides keep falling in and filling the hole back up with sand.  I'm trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it isn't there, yet.  I know that the Lord will see me through all of this, but at this point I feel alone.      I think this song sums up what I am feeling...

The Awkward Pause...

...I get when I say my kids are 2, 3 and 4 years old.  :)  I just know they are trying to do the math in their heads.  Our little baby turned 2 yesterday and I am still not quite sure how that happened.  It really seems like yesterday I was throwing a pee covered pregnancy test across the room in disgust. :)  I have been a little busy, so no slideshow yet.  I am still working on it, or trying to find the time to work on it.  It will be done by his 3rd birthday, I promise. :) 
No decision on Aurora's schooling yet, either.  I am entering the final countdown, and will have to make a decision soon, but I am going to focus on the things that need to be done today.  Which includes finishing up some Birthday cake! :)

Half Empty

I have always been a "the glass is half empty" kind of gal, but in this case it is a good thing.  Since we started potty training our garbage can is half empty!  We already have the smallest garbage can you can have and the fact that getting 2 kids out of diapers makes our garbage load half empty every week, is reason to celebrate!  Now if we could just get Wyatt to realize that #2 goes in the potty as well and we will be set. :)  The boys did so well that they even stay dry most nights!  Of course we haven't had too many outings since going diaper free, so I guess the real test is yet to come, but I am proud of their progress so far.  It has been messy (still is) but I think it was worth it.  Watch out Landon, I am on a high from potty training your brothers, I may come after you next! :)

Mother of Twins Prayer 
There’s two to wash,
There’s two to dry;
There’s two who argue,
There’s two who cry.
One’s in the mud, Having a ball;
The other holds a crayon… Another marked wall.
Some days seem endless,
My patience grows thin.
Why did God choose me To be a mother of twins?
The answer comes clear-
At the end of the day,
As I tuck them in bed And to myself I say…
There’s two to kiss,
There’s two to hug;
And best of all,
Thank You, God, for two to love.
 

Still Praying..

for some kind of direction for Aurora's schooling.  We have decided not to red-shirt her since she is more than ready for Kindergarten.  But we are still throwing around Margaret Scott, Phonics Phactory, and 1 more year of homeschool.  I have come to the conclusion that Aurora would thrive in a school setting.  She is outgoing and loves to socialize, so I decided not to pursue homeschooling as a permanent option.  We may do 1 more year and we may re-visit it sometime down the road.  I am trying to take 1 day at a time and not worry about the decision too much.  There are pros and cons to each decision and I want to make the best one for her. 
Margaret Scott is right up the street, it is free and she can make friends in her neighborhood.  My sister has a memorial covered play area and my cousin Natalie has a memorial playground for handicapped kids there.   I have nothing but fond memories of Margaret Scott.   But it is a public school and she will just become another student.  She won't receive any individualized learning and she will have to go at the pace of the class.  It is not the same Margaret Scott that I went to.   
The Phonics Phactory is a Christian private school in Gresham.  They offer 3 day a week schedules where they believe that as the parent you are the main educator.  When they get to higher grades you homeschool or have projects on Thursday's and Friday's to accomplish.  I love the philosophy and it looks like a great school, but it costs money.  It is about $2,200 for a year of Kindergarten.  Even if I overlooked spending the money, it is quite a drive.  The Kindergarten class meets from 11am to 1:20PM, which would mean that as soon as I got home I would have to get right back in the car and go get her.  If Aurora was an only child then I would happily fork over the money, but I want to make sure all my kids have the same opportunity. 
I will continue to pray and see if I am lead to either of these places, this year.  I think I may be making this harder on myself than I should. 

Happy 3rd Birthday!

The boys turned 3 a couple of weeks ago and had a very adventurous couple of days to celebrate.  They went to more places in those days then they have their whole life and sadly I am not joking.  We started the weekend at Grandma and Papa's for a BBQ.  That is where they got their Texas hats and Trevor hasn't taken it off since! On their actual birthday we took them to the zoo, just the two of them.  We went early in the morning and beat the Father's day rush.  We had a great time.  All the animals were out and about and we did the Dinosaur exhibit.  Trevor was a little scared, but was able to finish it.  When we entered there was a girl, about 7, running away and screaming, so I thought we might have a problem, but they did really good.  They had their first elephant ear, which sounds awfully good right now! :)  We had another BBQ at my parents house and of course Spiderman cake and ice cream.
Russ used some vacation days, so on Monday we took the boys to their check-up, where they got a clean bill of health.  They are both in the 90th percentile for height and weight and Wyatt is 1/4 inch taller than Trevor.  As soon as Dr. Eki came in the room Wyatt looks at him and says "I'm not getting any shots."  He was so serious and we all started cracking up.  He also took the belt for his gown and stretched it behind his head and told the Doctor that he was doing his exercises. :)  We had one meltdown over sitting on the table, but other then that they did great.  They ended up with one shot and no tears! They were too concerned about what band-aid they were going to get.  From the doctor's office we headed to Cascade Station at the airport.  That is where they had their first trip to Ikea.  We knew what we wanted, so we didn't bother with a cart, but we still had to walk about a million miles just to get to the check stand.  We took a break and that is where Trevor got to go in the girls bathroom for the first time! :)  They had a little kiddy sink that he loved to wash his hands in.  After we made it out of the maze that is Ikea we headed to Red Robin.  Where they boys had their first Red Robin kids meal.  They colored on the menu and sat and behaved so well.  They started getting a little restless at the end, so of course we bribed them with a trip to Target to pick out toys.  That made them behave!  So after we left Red Robin we went to the Super Target to pick out a toy.  Surprisingly they picked out their toys and we didn't have any tears!  Wyatt picked out at Thomas toy and Trevor went for Spiderman.
I was very impressed with them.  They listened to us, didn't do much whining, and had a blast.  I will admit that I was a little scared that we were going to have a major meltdown at some point, but they did AWESOME!  I was one proud Mommy that day.
We are in the midst of potty training right now.  I took the no diapers during the day path.  One day they woke up and I was changing their diapers and I just said, NO!  So I brought out the potty and made them sit on it every half-hour.  Shockingly they both did extremely well and even did #2.  I knew it couldn't be that easy and it hasn't been.  We have had some accidents and have had to throw away some underwear, if you know what I mean.  We have been at it for a week and 1/2 and I am impressed with them.  We had 2 accidents yesterday and I am hoping for an accident free today.  Wyatt even kept a dry diaper overnight.  They also call me into their room before they go to bed if they need to go.  So I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Though I know that we will still have to buy diapers for Mr. Landon for another year and night time diapers for the other 3, it just feels good getting rid of the majority of the diapers.
I can't believe that my little boys are 3.  It feels like yesterday when the doctor told us we were having twins and then I went out to the car and I cried and the only thought I had at the time was, "we are going to have to sell our Subaru and get a stupid minivan." :)  Is it bad that I am so happy that we still have our Subaru even though our family can't fit in to it? :)  We have officially survived the first 3 years of twins!  Some days I am not exactly sure how we survived, but we did.  It has been fun, exciting, stressful, overwhelming and scary at times.  The boys are happy and healthy and I couldn't ask for anything more!

Slideshow Complete!

Wow! That was a project! I didn't get it exactly the way I wanted it, but it will do this year. :)  Landon is up next!

Grand Parents

Wowzers!  Now that I am grown and have a family of my own, I just realized how much money my Grandparents spent on me and my cousins.  There is a new water park opening in Oregon and the biggest complaint is the price of admission, $30 per person.  Which is outrageous, so I went on a little search of the prices of places we went to as kids and I am in sticker shock.  I realize it was cheaper due to inflation 15 years ago,  but my Grandparents were plopping down big bucks for the 7 of us and now I feel so ungrateful.  All of my vacation memories were due to my Grandparents.  They took us to Disneyland twice and footed the bill for my senior trip to Disneyland.  We went to the beach at least once a year and they had a timeshare up in Welches that we would get 3 weeks out of every year.  We also went to Mariners games (piling in to the orange Cadillac), stopping at wild waves on the way up. We also did Sunriver a few times and my Grandparents paid for all of us to white water raft and horseback ride.  Not only would my Grandparents pay for the trip, they would foot the entire bill.  They never complained and jumped at the chance to spoil us rotten.  If my Grandma ever complained about the price of something, we never knew.  Most of the time my Grandparents never participated in these activities, but still had to pay admission.  It was more important to them that we had fun. When we were younger we expected these things, it wasn't until now that I realize what a great gift my Grandparents gave me.  My Grandma received joy from depositing memories in to our memory bank.  There are no words to express how eternally grateful I am to Grams and Gramps.  Grandparents are the best!  I guess that is why they call them "grand" parents. :)

Misery Loves Company

Russ is home from work today, sick.  All the kids are still coughing and so am I.  This has been some really fun stuff! :)

Miserable

Our Memorial Day Weekend was spent wiping snotty noses, checking fevers, consoling 4 miserable feeling little kids.  It started Friday night and we are still dealing with this cold bug.  I am exhausted and I think I may be coming down with it too.  I am trying to fight it.   This is the first time that all 4 kids got something at the exact same time, while it has been difficult, at least we can get it over and done with.  We have had some pretty rough nights and I am praying for a good one tonight, because we could all use some good sleep.  I am ready for this cold bug to take a hike so we can enjoy what looks like a great weekend, weather wise.

I'm No Good.....

at making decisions.  I have spent the last few days doing heavy research on "red-shirting", private schools, home-schooling and online school.  I am no closer to a decision than I was before I did the research.  I got opinions of a school principle and 3 kindergarten teachers and I emailed Margaret Scott to see their stance on holding summer babies back.  They all seem to come to the same conclusion, she is a girl and she will be fine.  Which means we will have this same discussion in 2 years when the twins turn 5.  Everyone acts like they have all the answers and the method of schooling they chose was the best.  Home-schoolers wouldn't dare send their kids to a (gasp) public school and public school parents would never dare (gasp) home-school.  I know we have to do what is best for our family, the problem is I don't know what is best and I don't think I ever will.  No matter what decision I make, I will probably regret it or second guess myself.  Margaret Scott's Kindergarten is half-day, so that is a pro.  The con is that it is a public school and ever since Bush passed the "no kid left behind" law, kids are slipping through the crack.  My mom said that her school has 3rd graders that don't know how to read, but they will never be held back to catch up because of the stupid law.  And there is the budget cut crap.  They are cutting assistants that help these kids catch up and help the teachers.  There are also like 30+ kids in each class.  *sigh  I guess I should start playing the lottery so I can afford to send 4 kids to a private Christian school.  At this point we could afford to send Aurora to private school, but then in 2 years the boys would be entering the work force and that triples the cost and Landon is the year after that.  Even at the cheapest school that would be about $15,000 a year for 4 kids and that would be with a multiple kid discount.  That is about half of Russ' income!  *sigh  The clock is ticking and I am running out of time.  I am aware that I will look back on this and laugh that I stressed about this decision.  I guess this means that I care about my kids and want what is best for them, when someone figures out what that is, please let me know.

Happy

This morning I walked in to the twin's room to find Wyatt pulling all the clothes out of his drawers.  He jumped back in his crib and said, "Good Morning!"  Then Trevor said, "Wise-guy is a naughty boy!"  In which Wyatt replied, "I'm not a naughty boy.  I am a happy boy."  :)

A Quick Update

Russ has been on overtime for the past 3 weeks, so not much is going on around here.  Boyd's is landing new accounts and things are looking up for the company.  It is probably getting to the point where they will have to start hiring to keep up with the demand.  They have also hired everyone back that was laid off last year.  Russ has been working hard and I know that this overtime is hard on him, but he still comes home and helps me as much as he can. 

I haven't made any decisions regarding Aurora's schooling yet.  I think Russ and I are leaning towards "red-shirting" her this year and just letting her be a kid.  Once you enter school there is no turning back! :) I registered for a home-schooling conference to gain as much information as possible.  So we will see if that leads us anywhere.  She is having a blast in her swimming lessons.  It was the first time she was ever in a big pool like that and the first day she jumped right in and listened to the teacher.  I had a proud Mommy moment last night when the other 3 kids in her class were goofing off and not listening to the teacher.  Aurora listened and did everything the teacher told her to the T.  It has been stressful but I think we have raised a wonderful young lady, the others are TBD. :) 

Wyatt has been on a rampage around here.  He is getting out of his crib and getting in to EVERYTHING!  He pulls wipes out of containers, he pulls clothes out of drawers and one night he even went in to the garage!  Yesterday we had a heart-stopping moment when I heard a loud crash and ran in to their play room to find the tv on the ground. Thank God none of the kids were hurt and the TV didn't break.  I think it may have scared him enough to not do it again.  Wyatt is pretty much the definition of a boy.  He wants to climb every tree he sees and wrestle every kid he comes across.  I'm not sure if I am prepared for this! :)

Trevor (excuse me) Peter Parker is doing well.  He announced that he is Spider-man, blowing his secret identity! Everyday he wants us to call him either Peter Parker or some other character.  Then when you get use to calling him that name he does a 180 and says, "I'm Trevor Robert!"  They like Wild Kratts on PBS, so for about 2 days I had to call him and Wyatt, Chris and Martin. :)  I love the imagination they have!

Landon is busy being Landon!  He is starting to talk more and he wants to make sure his voice is heard.  He has turned in to a screamer and boy is he good at it.  He is spaced perfectly to where the second we break the twins of a habit, he picks it up!

The weather has been fantastic the last couple of days and we have taken full advantage!  We walk them up to school right by our house and let them loose.   I feel like we are letting dogs out of the house. :)  They are usually so exhausted by bedtime that they haven't been putting up much of a fight. 

Well that is what is going on here. 

Just call me Mom

Russ and I never follow a crowd, unless that crowd is awesome! :)  We have and probably always will do things differently then most.  I think that is what I love most about us.  We are both shy by nature, but together we fight to get a word in edgewise.  I know it is hard to believe, isn't it? :)  When we started dating we used to talk for hours on the phone, almost nightly.  I am still not sure how I got any homework done?  I was only 16 when we met, but marriage was brought up fairly quickly.  I don't think any of us had one doubt that we met the person we were going to be with forever.  That is very rare and not the norm.  From the beginning we didn't follow the status quo.  We got engaged when I was 18, we got married at 21 and 23, had kids young and still manage to shock people.  We never rush into anything and we always think things through (sometimes we over think) and make the decision that is best for us.  Shortly after we were married I quit my job to prepare for life as a homemaker and mother.  It wasn't perceived as the best decision I ever made.  In fact I don't think I heard one positive remark about my decision, but I can tell you it was one of the BEST decisions I ever made.  If Russ and I got use to living on  2 incomes, the children we were blessed with would have destroyed us financially.  We probably would have gone in to a mortgage that we wouldn't have been able to pay and who knows where we would have ended up?  We got use to living on 1 income and even though we have added 4 kids to the family, we are still doing good financially.  I didn't have to chose a career over kids, I didn't have to worry about daycare (which with 4 kids would have bankrupted us).  I went against the grain and have never looked back.    I am happy, I love my kids, they love having me around and whether I send them to school or not my job as a mom is not over.  My calling is to be a wife and mother and that is exactly what I am doing.  We have been blessed beyond comprehension and I thank the Lord for every day our family has together. 

?

There is a big decision that needs to be made by September, preferably sooner.  It is seriously eating me apart.  Come September, Aurora will be able to attend Kindergarten at Margaret Scott.  I would be lying if I said this whole home-school thing has been easy.  I am having a hard time with time management.  Not only do I have 3 little ones to look after, I have a house that needs to be cleaned, dishes that need to be washed, laundry that needs to be done and 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches and a dinner for 6 that need to be made.  It is time consuming to the point that I haven't had much, if any time, to "teach" in the formal sense.  Aurora still is learning, but we are using alternative methods, like helping me cook, watching LeapFrog videos and teaching her brothers how to count and identify colors.  We haven't set down for a formal lesson in months and that right there has me re-thinking this whole home-school thing.  If I can't find time for it now, will I be able to give my children the attention they need?  Am I taking on too much?  Am I freaking crazy? :)  I literally go back and forth with a decision and then something will change my mind.  I have prayed and prayed and prayed for an answer, but I haven't gotten one yet. Russ has left the decision up to me, so I feel all the weight on my shoulders.  It also hasn't helped that the comments and suggestions I have been receiving about home-schooling have been on the negative side.  But honestly these people haven't liked one decision I have ever made in my life, so why start now? 
I just feel so lost.  I feel like this could be the most important decision that I ever make and my kids are counting on me to make the right one for them.  I understand that legally kids don't need to be enrolled in school until they are 7, so I could take a few more years to make the decision, but what if she gets so far behind?  What is the harm in letting her "try" school for a year, especially since it is half-days?  I don't know, all I know is that the decision will be made, eventually. 

Bowling!

Yesterday, Russ took Aurora bowling.  It was her first time ever and she had a blast.  I don't have any pictures but we have free passes all summer long, so I am sure we will get a few photos.  She did really good and only had one "Aurora moment."  I guess she tried to kick the ball once and Russ told her not to do it and she pouted and said she wanted to go home, but other then that she had a great time.  I also signed her up for swimming lessons yesterday.  It starts next Tuesday evening.  I'm not sure if she will get in the pool, but we are sure going to give it a shot.  I am also thinking of signing her up for a basic soccer class for the summer.  So she will be busy, busy! 

The Grass Is Always Greener

Everyone here in the Portland area knows how much this weather sucks.  It is kind of depressing to say the least.  Russ had an opportunity to apply for a job at Boyd's in Denver, Colorado.  I would say that I am 90% sure that he would have had the job if he applied.  It wasn't something that we were interested in.  But as the rain fell yesterday I was curious to see what the weather was like in Denver.  68 degrees and sunny!  I was ready to pack my bags and head out the door. :)

The Phone Call

I received a phone call from my parents yesterday afternoon.  It started with "Aurora is in big trouble."  All sorts of things flashed into my head.  She got some scissors out of a drawer and decided to give herself a haircut.  My dad said she looks like Landon now.  So of course I am thinking she totally chopped off her hair and was going to have to shave her head and wait for the hair to grow back.  She got on the phone and asked me if I was mad.  I laughed and told her I wasn't mad that she cut her hair, but I was very upset that she was playing with scissors without asking.  So she came home last night and I was bracing for the worse and it actually wasn't that bad.  It actually looks like we meant to cut her hair like that and she got it pretty even.  So maybe we have a hair-dresser in our midst? 

Music To My Ears

We love to laugh around here!!  It truly is the best medicine.  It is also very contagious.  You will probably have to watch the video twice, focusing on each one.  I hope this brings a little laughter, or at the very least a smile to your face.  Have a great day!

Yay Me!

I posted the letters on the previous post.  I just wanted to brag because I figured out a way to actually post them and I feel smart. :)  It is pretty sad when our 2 year olds, and even our 1 year old can pick up something super fast and I am left saying huh? 

A Window To Heaven

Today I got a wild hair and started going through boxes in our room.  We had a few good laughs when we read a few notes from when we were younger.  Then I found the letters that my sister got when she was at outdoor school in the 6th grade.  I was 6 and I wrote her a letter and it would seem that all I wanted to know about was the food, go figure! :)  My parents wrote her a letter but she actually wrote "return to sender" on the letter and sent it back.  That's my sister for ya!  I could totally see Aurora doing that some day.  The last letter I read was from my Grandma.  She wrote about how she misses seeing Amber walking home from school from her bedroom window.  She did that for all of us that went to Margaret Scott.  She wrote about how anxious she was to see her every day and that some kids aren't so lucky, that they went home to empty houses.  Then she told her to not forget her "Dear God" which is a special bedtime prayer that my Grandma taught all of us kids.  As I read this I felt like I was looking in a window to Heaven.  I imagined the reunion they must have had the day my Grandma died and I cried happy tears.  It truly is an amazing feeling, knowing that I will be reunited with them one day!

Two Pees in the Pot

I have already posted this song on our blog, but I have a story to go along with it.  So I had to re-post it.  Tonight we did a potty session with the boys.  Even Landon joined in.  So for 1 hour we let the boys run around the kitchen naked.  Trevor peed on the floor right off the bat and I showed him where to do it next time.  About 20 minutes later he sat down and did his potty!  Right now we only have one potty chair, so I had them alternate.  Trevor said he had to go again, but Wyatt took too long to get up and Trevor started wetting on the floor.  We got about half of it in the potty.  Wyatt was very stubborn and didn't go until the very end, but it was all in the potty.  We had to play some Michael Jackson and Metallica to give him some inspiration. :)  So our first session was a success.  We put them to bed and this Brad Paisley song came on.  I can usually listen to the song just fine, but today when it came to the part about the years flying by, I completely lost it and started bawling and told Russ I was going to lose it when the kids leave.  Russ said, in typical man fashion, "Isn't the point to raise them and get them out of the house?"  I think he may be watching too much of The Cosby Show on netflix. :) I know I need to focus on potty training these two before I worry about them leaving, but I am a mom and I can't help it.  The years really do fly by.

Sometimes...

Being the baby in the family sucks!

I love the fact that Aurora was pushing him and the second the flash came on, she shot a million dollar smile.  Don't worry, Landon can hold his own and soon after I shot this photo, he got his revenge. :)

I've Been Watching You

I was reminded of this song earlier this week:


Trevor was sitting at the dinner table eating.  He asked for more of something and I said that he couldn't have any more.  So he grunts and says "Gosh Dang-it."  Of course that is mild to what he could have said, but I said "excuse me?" and he replied with,  "Daddy says gosh dang-it."  The funny part was that he said it exactly the way Russ would have said it,  he did a perfect imitation.  So I guess we need to be a little more careful what we say and do around here. :)

Such A Big Boy!

Landon's first time eating at the kitchen table!

My baby is growing up too fast!

Snow Day!

At the end of February we had a dismal amount of snow fall.  By the time the kiddos got out to play it was pretty much gone, but they had a blast anyways!