The Whompers

November Recap

2011-11-30T18:36:00.000-06:00

We've been injured and ill: pneumonia, vomiting, torn ACL. I am so fortunate that none of those actually applies to me, but my family has had a rough month.
I've been sewing: three make-up bags (though I wanted to get more of these done), two baby slings (per a special request), a crib sheet, a couple of potholders, and a maternity pants hack.
That's about it...I didn't manage to touch on how I am trying to get a Daisy Girl Scout troop up and running, or what the girls are really up to these days. Light on content this year, but I always enjoy NaBloPoMo. I think that I will try to pick a couple of days each month and get a blog post up just so I don't go months between posts!

Blergh...

2011-11-29T19:19:00.000-06:00

This, my friends, is what it looks like when you plant, pivot, and tear your ACL. It happened three weeks ago at Luther Bowl, and was confirmed when Tom finally saw the orthopedist today. Looks like the first of the year will bring surgery and rehab. Ironically, I chose the payroll deduction for Tom's flex benefits yesterday, before we knew that it was his ACL. Fortunately we will have a "Qualifying Life Event" come April, so we can increase benefits then if it looks like physical therapy is going to burn through our benefits.

Meddling

2011-11-28T19:56:00.000-06:00

For the past three years my husband's grandma has been living in an assisted living facility (and now nursing home) about 25 miles from the church where she was baptized, confirmed, married, and baptized her children. Since she moved out of her apartment (where she was able to carpool to church) she has not received a shut-in call or Holy Communion. My in-laws took her to their church as she was able to go, but there are vast differences between beliefs about Holy Communion in Evangelical Free Church and the Lutheran Church*. For 95 years she has had faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and with that "forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation**." To be denied that comfort and opportunity seems wrong.
Perhaps it was an oversight, the church now has two pastors caring for four different regional congregations. Perhaps it just takes someone to ask...so today I called and left a message with the senior pastor. I explained that with her declining health and recent diagnosis of cancer that it would be very nice if Grandma could receive a shut in call and receive communion for one last time. I hope that I get a call back, and that one of the pastors will be able to follow through. I am a little surprised that no one else in the family requested a visit, but I guess if communion is just a symbolic gesture in one's religion then it might not seem like a big deal. My own grandmother once told me (in her blunt German way) that a service without Holy Communion wasn't worth attending. As an unconfirmed child I didn't really get it...but I do now. It is the reason to go to church on Sunday, and to hunger and thirst for three years seems so incredibly painful. I am kicking myself for not asking if she'd received shut-in visits earlier.

*I am an LCMS Lutheran, my husband's grandmother's congregation was rolled into the ELCA years ago. Despite our doctrinal differences (most of which would appall grandma), I have no doubt of her belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the benefits it affords.

**Luther's Small Catechism, 1986, Concordia Publishing House

Make-up bag

2011-11-27T22:09:00.001-06:00

Making the teachers make-up bags to fill with goodies this year, using a Flossie Teacakes pattern: flossieteacakes.blogspot.com

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Whoops...Almost missed it.

2011-11-26T23:59:00.001-06:00

Finished two baby slings and 3 make-up bags today.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

2011-11-25T22:34:00.001-06:00

Literally phoning it in tonight...5 days after the second kiddo got sick, and we decided it was safe to spend Thanksgiving with the relatives...the last kiddo finally fell and woke up vomiting. Just for a couple of hours, but still no fun. The countdown to "all clear" begins again.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T22:22:00.001-06:00

Great day with lots of family...happy thanksgiving everyone!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Ostakaka

2011-11-23T21:43:00.000-06:00

Because making a swedish cheese custard that requires making your own cheese is a perfectly sensible thing to do on a Wednesday night.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Not much going on here

2011-11-22T19:58:00.001-06:00

We are waiting until the last possible moment to head out for Thanksgiving...if no one gets sick tonight or tomorrow night then we'll head to Grandma's for dinner Thursday morning. Even so, I'm not going to rest easy for at least another week.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Crib Sheet

2011-11-21T12:58:00.000-06:00

What with all the sickness and laundry and lack of sleep I needed to do something fun and productive yesterday. I bought this fabric last week with plans to make a crib sheet; yesterday I took the time to make it. It always makes me feel guilty to see fabric sitting around for unfinished projects, so there's a combo of relief and accomplishment when I finally get something done!

Tutorial:
http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/tutorial-crib-and-toddler-bed-sheets.html

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

So it continues...

2011-11-20T19:25:00.000-06:00

Thea was hit by the stomach bug in the middle of the night last night. She had it a little rougher than Käthe but seems to be doing alright now. It was pretty much a guarantee that she would get it...no amount of "please don't drink out of Kate's cup/eat her applesauce/etc." worked. Thursday afternoon she guzzled a whole cup of Käthe's gatorade and reset the clock.
The sight of vomit, and cleaning it up, doesn't really bother me. I don't retch and gag, but I do develop a psychosomatic nausea that plagues me until about a week after the last person recovers. The thought that I might wake up shaking and nauseated is terrifying, and so I spend every evening thinking that I feel nauseated and praying it isn't so.
Now that we've had two get sick (especially the little one with the less than fastidious hygiene) I felt compelled to email my midwife and let her know what's running through the family. As I have had bad experiences with GI bugs while breastfeeding (dehydration, emergency room for fluids, etc.) I questioned if having a pregnancy safe anti-emetic on hand might be worthwhile. I didn't expect her to see it until Monday morning...an hour later she wrote back saying she had called in a prescription to the pharmacy. At least if I do come down with it I don't have to worry about whether I will be able to keep down enough fluids to keep baby and me healthy. I feel so much better knowing I have a treatment option in the wings.
What does worry me a bit is Thanksgiving...we are scheduled to be at my in-laws (an hour away) but with a three day incubation we could see someone getting sick as late as Tuesday or Wednesday. Tom's grandma is in fragile health, so if there is a hint of illness we are staying put. It would be our first Thanksgiving at home in 10 years of marriage. I think I will probably pick up a few ingredients for the traditional dishes in case we are celebrating here.

Christmas Shopping time

2011-11-19T18:11:00.000-06:00

Usually I like to get all the Christmas shopping done by the end of October...I despise the crowds and the bustle and dragging the kiddos through a crazy mall. This year, aside from things that I am making, I hadn't started until today. I managed to find some great deals for our moms and get something for the dads as well. The siblings are another story, both my brother and Tom's sister have December birthdays, which means that we have to come up with double the ideas for gifts. We managed a few things for the girls as well, with a little sneaky use of a coat to cover things in the cart. I haven't begun to think about decorating, but we never do that until after Thanksgiving so I've got a little time!

2011-11-18T20:24:00.001-06:00

Snuggle Kitties...curled up in front of the fire.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Argh

2011-11-17T19:52:00.000-06:00

What a long day. Last night, after a leisurely evening of staying up late and watching Downton Abbey on Netflix, I finally flopped into bed. 45 minutes later I heard someone in the bathroom, and since my 5 year old usually sleeps all night I went to investigate. Turns out I had heard her unrolling toilet paper to wipe her mouth...she turned around and said "I threw up in the toilet, mommy." She threw up through the night, and I laid awake waiting for her to vomit. I managed to get back to sleep at 5:30 and get an hour in before the alarm went off.
I took my oldest to school and then came home and gave the little ones free reign on the netflix...I know that they watched Backyardigans, Veggie Tales, and Strawberry Shortcake. I dozed in a stupor brought on by pulling an all-nighter whilst 22 weeks pregnant. I managed to get us all a late lunch and make myself presentable in time to pick up Ella from school.
On the way home I ran by the grocery store to pick up things like Gatorade, disinfecting wipes, crackers, and applesauce. Chances are, this isn't over.
On the bright side, Tom got home at 4:30, so at least if someone gets sick tonight I won't be going it alone.

Asleep

2011-11-16T20:24:00.000-06:00

Kiddos are all asleep..I should do another load of dishes or sweep or something useful. Instead I am going to sit and relax and maybe have some ice cream. Babies need ice cream!

Little Seamstress

2011-11-15T21:51:00.000-06:00

Käthe requested that Grandma bring her sewing machine, as it is superior to mine in the ability to lock the sewing speed no matter how fast one presses on the foot pedal. She made a skirt for her American girl doll, and she and Ella and Thea made felt pies for the play kitchen. The fun continues!

Grandma!

2011-11-14T20:47:00.000-06:00

Daddy's gone away for a work trip for a few days, so we've got Grandma staying with us. The girls had a day off school so we had lunch and took in a movie this afternoon, then prep'd cinnamon rolls (orange-currant-walnut) to pop in the oven tomorrow morning. I love the "turn on at whatever time you set" feature on my oven. It's gonna wake up 15 minutes before I do so it's piping hot and ready to go when I want to roll out of bed and throw in the rolls (and bacon, because if the oven is on you might as well make some bacon!) I apologize in advance to the teachers if Ella and Käthe are a little ramped up tomorrow!

It's been a long weekend...

2011-11-13T18:40:00.000-06:00

...but we are starting to get caught up around here. I, however, am ready for bed. Weekends are for posting pictures, methinks!

Käthe at her patriotic concert last week:

I'll have to dump the pics from Ella's concert a couple of days later and get one of her's up too.

Little Ones

2011-11-12T18:51:00.000-06:00

Ella Evelyn, June 2003

Käthe Aubrey, June 2006

Thea Fae, November 2008

Can't wait to see what the new little guy looks like!

Better day

2011-11-11T18:16:00.000-06:00

The fear and weeping of yesterday seem to have subsided...this is a point in pregnancy that I tend to freak out a little bit anyway. With my first baby I had the luxury of working in a lab by myself most of the time. I had nothing to do but think about my baby while I did experiments. There was constantly stuff to plan and prepare and purchase, classes to attend and names to choose.
About midway through my second pregnancy I found myself agitated because there was nothing we really needed to do to prepare...all the "stuff" could be pulled out a couple of weeks before the expected day, the boy name was still waiting in the wings and we had contenders for a girl. I found it really important to buy just a few things as a way of focusing on making a place for this new person in our thoughts and home. Same with the third...by this time we did need some replacement gear and I was able to do a little planning for the sake of mental preparation.
When you have a few other kids running around and spend your days trying to get them hither and yon, fed and cleaned, there is precious little time for laying around daydreaming about this new person. Taking some time yesterday to get a few little things like pacifiers and "boy" onesies went a long way in easing both the anxiety of the unknown and the unsettled, unfocused feeling that comes from a pregnancy chugging along all on it's own.

Thoughts on babies...

2011-11-10T20:47:00.000-06:00

This is my fourth baby. I've gotten into a routine of sorts, having three girls. I love pulling out their old clothes, relishing when the big girls wore them and thankful to watch another go round of clothes (and stages) that are all too fleeting. They so often so such similar things as they grow that I am reminded of babyhoods gone by and little quirks I had forgotten.
This time, I didn't want to find out if we were having a boy or a girl...Thea (our third) was our first mid-pregnancy ultrasound, and I did find out so I could start collecting boy items at garage sales over the summer if they were needed. I was happy to have a third girl, it was familiar and comfortable. With my fourth pregnancy I have had a barrage of "aren't you hoping for a boy/trying for a boy?" sort of comments, and each one reverberates in my head as "your beautiful girls just aren't good enough." I am sure that most people don't mean that, but it served to make me defensive of my girls and slightly hopeful for another, just so I wouldn't have to endure a lifetime of "finally got your boy" jokes. If people say it, my wonderful fantastic daughters will hear it...and I can't bear for them to think that we had another baby just to get a boy.
So I didn't want to find out...I knew that if I waited and was handed a beautiful brand-new baby I would look at his or her face and the thought of anyone different would be unfathomable. I had a suspicion that finding out I was having a boy would make me fixate on all the fears and frustrations that were already surfacing. I was outvoted...the girls wanted to know and so did Tom.
It has been a rough day...I am happy to be having a healthy little boy. I have had a rough time brushing off my anxiety about other people's comments, and letting go of my hope and expectations of having another daughter. Combine that with pregnancy hormones and overwhelming guilt for feeling anything other than utter joy (because who gets to feel sad about something so silly) and I have been a weepy mess all day. I kind of want to curl up inside and hibernate until spring when I get to meet this little fellow and find out how completely wonderful having a son will be.

And now for something completely different...

2011-11-09T20:00:00.001-06:00

...looks like it's time to add this to my library:

I wonder how long it will take me to stop saying "all my little ladies?"

Potholders

2011-11-08T22:25:00.000-06:00

Making potholders today, channeling my inner Lyle (the Kindly Viking). In other news, I have been out-voted on my desire to keep the baby's sex under wraps at the ultrasound tomorrow, so I guess we'll know who's cooking in there by tomorrow afternoon. (Unless baby is uncooperative...I can hope!)

Oh my long day...

2011-11-07T20:40:00.000-06:00

Picture posting time!

Tom and I on our 10th anniversary trip to Chicago at the beginning of October, fresh off a windy boat tour in the windy city.

DIY Maternity Pants

2011-11-06T20:50:00.003-06:00

A few years ago a friend's mom worked at a clothing store that was going out of business. He gave us a pair of 33x30 men's pants from their closeout in hopes that we could use them or pass them on. They were too short for Tom and too big for me. I didn't know anyone who could use them so I put them in the fabric pile and figured I'd do something with them eventually. Turns out now was the perfect time to pull them out, chop off the waist, and convert them to maternity pants.
First, I removed the zipper:

Next, I sewed the fly shut and marked my cutting lines in white. In the back I cut 1" above the pockets=1 3/8" below the waistband seam. In the front I marked where the elastic should meet the fly when I was wearing the pants and curved out to meet my measurements across the back.

The back in the midst of cutting...you can see the cut line marked. Another important step is to baste across the top of your front pockets and the side seams about an inch below the cutting line. I didn't do this before I cut and they gaped open and made it difficult to cut evenly. I ended up basting and realigning to make sure everything was even. I did the "one leg inside the other" trick to make sure the front was cut evenly (as if I were sewing two halves of a pair of pants together at the crotch seam).

Because these were men's pants the pockets were huge...both wide and deep. I made them smaller.

Added elastic that I measured to fit using a comfy pair of maternity pants. Marked in eighths to evenly space around the waist, stretched and sewed in place with a 1/2" seam. I have previously used elastic belting, but when my husband went to JoAnn Fabric* to get me more, they had no idea what he was talking about (despite my buying it there a week ago and sending a swatch.) This is 2" elastic but it is thinner and a bit more stretchy. It is a little loose but I'm only ~21 weeks so I'll consider it growing room.
Finished...ignore the stretch mark scars around my belly button...they showed up when baby #3 hung out until 42 weeks!

And from the side:

*My husband graciously went to JoAnn today after church because I was home with a sick kiddo. I had Christmas coupons to combine with sales...he bought me 14 zippers, 3 spools of thread, and my elastics based on a swatch card and his finely trained artist's eye. He rocks!

Baby prep

2011-11-05T15:28:00.000-05:00

We're at about the halfway point for baby #4...I'm sure the rest of the time will both fly by and drag on and on and on.... So far I've bought my first-ever crib (I love co-sleeping, but after so many years my shoulder is starting to protest) and a new convertible carseat (since one of ours will expire before this little one is ready for it). Last up on the big prep items are a girl's name (boy's name still hanging around since we chose it in 2002) and a Baptismal hymn. I think I've settled on St. Patrick's Breastplate:

1 I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, and One in Three.

2 I bind this day to me for ever
By pow'r of faith, Christ's incarnation,
His Baptism in the Jordan river,
His cross of death for my salvation,
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

3 I bind unto myself today
The pow'r of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to say,
His ear to harken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The Word of God to give me speech,
His heav'nly host to be my guard.

4 Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile foes that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In ev'ry place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me those holy pow'rs.

5 I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation;
Salvation is of Christ the Lord!

Day four...

2011-11-04T21:25:00.000-05:00

...hey look, it's November and Ella has pneumonia. Took her in today because if she doesn't improve after a few days of asthma treatments it usually means pneumonia. Often I feel we go in too soon, her lungs sound good, and then we're back in two days with full on sickness. This time I expected the same - no fever, O2 great, but the PA said she was "a little crackly". Thank heavens she heard it, so we aren't trying to get a chest X-Ray over the weekend at the ER. Zithromax started today...she should be like a different kid tomorrow.
I, on the other hand, seemed to have OD'd on the Halloween sugar and succumbed to the bug that's been floating around. At 3 pm my chest started to hurt, and now I'm full on coughing.

Pilates

2011-11-03T19:19:00.000-05:00

Pilates tonight for the first time in almost two weeks. With my second pregnancy I did pilates for my first trimester, and I really think it make a difference in how I felt throughout pregnancy and postpartum. (Though being 6 years younger probably had a lot to do with it too.) My third pregnancy was rough, I just felt like I was falling apart a lot of the time. This time I'd been doing pilates for about a year before becoming pregnant, and I'm still going at 20 weeks. Tonight was the first time in a long while that I felt like my legs weren't made of lead...a nice change. It's not getting any easier as I get bigger, but I think as long as I do something every week I'll be thankful come labor and delivery time.
I go to Rivercity Pilates...Carey is great and I highly recommend the studio if you are in the area!

Etsy Eventually

2011-11-02T14:12:00.000-05:00

I would really like to get some of the things I've sewn up on Etsy. At this point I have done a few things that aren't for a specific personal use; it would be nice to do a few more and perhaps make this fabric habit of mine a bit more self sustaining. At this point I've registered for a state sales tax permit and Etsy shop...I need to figure out my paypal settings and get Tom to make me a store banner and I should be all set to start listing.

NaNoBloMo take...I don't even remember

2011-11-01T12:41:00.000-05:00

It's November 1st again...and my baby turns three today. I cannot imagine how time manages to fly by so quickly. From this*:

To this:

In just three short years...they all just keep getting bigger!
*I thought this picture must have been out of order on my computer, as it came before her baptism (at 8 days). Nope...that huge baby is a whopping 4 days old. Now she's so tiny it's hard to find pants that stay up.

Challenger Shuttle Launch photos

2011-01-28T19:29:00.000-06:00

These photos were taken by my husband's grandparents, who spent their winters in Florida. They were able to watch shuttle launches from the dock at the lake of their retirement community. These are the photos they took during the Challenger shuttle launch - I directly scanned their enlargements, I have no idea why it appears to be night. (My guess is that someone tweaked the exposure for more contrast when they made the enlargements). I was in first grade, my class at Christ Lutheran School had filed next door to watch the launch live with the other first grade (not a TV in every room in 1986). I cannot imagine what our teachers must have felt, trying to explain to a bunch of six and seven year olds that the first teacher to be sent to space had just died in the process.

NaBloPoMo

2010-11-30T16:26:00.000-06:00

It's the end of November! And though the posts weren't super stellar (too many pictures) I made it to the end. And the best thing about this month is that it is also NoNoPneumoMo...No November Pneumonia Month. The first November in three years that Ella hasn't had pneumonia!

2010-11-29T21:36:00.000-06:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Are we done yet?

2010-11-28T18:16:00.000-06:00

It was a long trip, very stressful. I'm glad to be home, but we got in at 10 last night and at two o'clock I woke up with a pounding headache and sore throat. Looks like all the stress plus crappy processed travel foods has resulted in one sick mama. If only I had time to be sick this week: Gingerbread house to prep for preschool, pilates, hosting a dinner, Tom has a night meeting....on and on it goes!

2010-11-27T14:42:00.000-06:00

Ella and her friend Lucka at the Hawkeye women's basketball game, the day before Luci went back home to Slovenia.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

2010-11-26T17:21:00.000-06:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T23:43:00.001-06:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Going to Grandma and Grandpa's!

2010-11-24T13:57:00.000-06:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Fall Table Runner

2010-11-23T20:17:00.000-06:00

The big girls helped me cut out the acorns and leaves, and then I traced all their hands. It went off to Grandma's house yesterday and she told me it arrived today. A little bit of us for Thanksgiving since we'll be at the other Grandma's this year.

Grrr...

2010-11-22T19:19:00.000-06:00

I know that I have things that I want to write about, and little things that I want to write down and remember, but I am finding november a little tedious these days and might just give up the NaBloPoMo efforts. If I don't then expect lots of picture posts as Thanksgiving rolls on through.

GInger Snappish

2010-11-21T19:28:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Ella requested Ginger Snappish tea...which does indeed taste like gingerbread cookies. Unfortunately that flavor carries a strong butter taste, which I'm not sure I can appreciate in a cup of tea.
After dinner we played gameshow...guessing dinosaur names or random names based in descriptions Kate gave us...like Umbrella Fish House. Lots of silliness, but all the prizes were backrubs! So much fun.

Yummy season

2010-11-20T20:05:00.000-06:00

Tonight we made "Scrabble" (Tom's family chex mix, which was initially called Scramble until people discovered they'd been calling it the wrong thing for 40 years). It is supposed to be a first snow tradition in our house but since we are in charge of treats for church tomorrow, and I had all the supplies, we made it today.
We also made Maple-Chipotle glazed nuts....yum! I'm trying not to eat the whole pan before they actually cool. I quadrupled this recipe:
http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20427455,00.html

2010-11-19T21:34:00.000-06:00

Ella was the photographer snapping cute shots of her mommy and her sisters.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

2010-11-18T17:39:00.000-06:00

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the Concordian Sisters, though in my household we haven't all quite come to the same conclusion regarding family size I personally find their side of the argument the more convincing one. (Children are a blessing, one does not decline God's blessings, although this is not the same as the most questionable Quiverfull movement that advocates having as many children as possible.)
I thought of them when I read this article regarding how divorce is skyrocketing in China; marital troubles seem to be excessively prevalent in the " '80's Generation" of government mandated single children. Having never had to live with anyone remotely their own age they find it impossible to live in a household that does not cater to or revolve solely around them. Yet another argument for a larger family size (God willing, of course!)

New Dress!

2010-11-17T16:51:00.000-06:00

Last Friday I spent some time at Common Threads for my first ever longarm quilting machine rental. I did a couple of table runners and then spent the remainder of my (child free) time browsing. I got a pattern from my mother-in-law awhile back for a beach dress that was dated 1963...and found some fabric that seemed to fit the bill while I was killing time in the shop. Friday night I cut out the pieces (only two, plus a small facing for the frint/back collar areas!) and Saturday I put it together. Even for a loose-fitting dress it was a bit too billowy, so I added a black elastic belt that in it's former life helped to hold my infant car seat onto it's not quite compatible stroller. Sunday I wore it to church (Though I didn't get around to taking pictures until today):

And because I couldn't get my 4 year old to take a decent full shot, here are my shoes (because I love them so much):

(I'm linking this to Girls Gone Child's Good Wear post for this week.)

"I two!"

2010-11-16T19:58:00.001-06:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Sad Käthe

2010-11-15T19:46:00.000-06:00

...poor thing has fluid in her ear and it's really hurting tonight. The kid has only had one infection in her lifetime, so a record of one round of abx in 4.5 years is great. She is still prone to fluid though, and that hurts just the same. I will be really frustrated if we have to get tubes for a kid who never gets sick!

Helping me post is boring....

2010-11-14T18:31:00.000-06:00

...but at least the printer seems comfy.
We are hosting our first sleepover here tonight...Ella's been to several but we've never had anyone over here. They are off at the movie store picking out something to watch; hopefully a quiet room and a calm movie after an afternoon of swimming will put everyone to sleep!

Deer season

2010-11-13T21:50:00.001-06:00

My dad called tonight to tell me that today he shot the biggest deer he's ever seen - 11 points. It's about time...my mom got a big buck years ago, but as hunters for food rather than sport the antlers have never been a priority. But I know that he's always hoped to get a big one. I'm happy he got the chance!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

This is the look you get when you interrupt kitties' naptime.

2010-11-12T20:56:00.000-06:00

2010-11-11T20:12:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I took a longarm quilting class at the local quilt shoppe - tomorrow is my first go round at using the machines. I have a practice piece and a couple of table runners that I'd like to give as gifts, so hopefully things go smoothly. Ordinarily I would be nervous about using a nearly $20,000 sewing machine on my own for the first time, but if working with FPLC taught me anything it was how to work expensive equipment without freaking out. Plus I'm not using precious samples that took weeks to prepare, nor is the equipment subject to harassment by various solutions (also made by me) whose pH fluctuations may muck the whole thing up. Fabric, needle, thread....not nearly so scary.

Make new friends, but keep the old

2010-11-10T19:48:00.000-06:00

Our dear friends from Slovenia are back in town for a visit, having returned to Slovenia last year after 10 years in Iowa. It was so great to have them over for dinner and hanging out this afternoon. I hadn't realized just how much I missed them until I was hugging everyone and crying! We will have to start planning a trip to Europe to see them and Aunt Beth in the next few years.

2010-11-09T20:46:00.000-06:00

I wish had time for a more substantial post, but this week has me hosting 2 dinners for friends and sleepover for Ella, attending or chauffering to Pilates, Girl Scouts, a 2nd grade choir concert and an open house. Tomorrow is Kate's preschool treat day and for perhaps the first time ever we are doing a pretty lame pre-packaged treat (healthy (dye-free, lower sugar) yogurt tubes and juice). I was going to bake, but one of the cats has had a puke fest today, which means there is carpet to shampoo and a trip down to the vet tomorrow to pick up de-wormer. Ugh. Next week has to be less full, right?

Here's my little Cinderella with her fairy sisters.

2010-11-08T09:54:00.001-06:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

2010-11-07T14:14:00.000-06:00

My woodland fairy princess.

A cold little fairy.

And there was also Cinderella, but I seem to be lacking in pictures of her! Time to email grandma(s) and see if one of them has some.

Block Party

2010-11-06T11:48:00.000-05:00

Our first ever attempt at a block party is this afternoon...Everyone on the street moved in within the past year (new neighborhood) so no one really knows anyone else. Hopefully the chilly, windy day won't deter anyone...next year we'll need to be on the ball a bit more and have it about a month earlier.

Thea-isms

2010-11-05T14:42:00.000-05:00

I wrote this yesterday, since I thought a practice mobile post was probably pretty lame to count as a post for the day. (Not that this little blurb is all that deep or thought provoking) Turns out this one didn't publish...probably user error. So I am going to let it count as today's post. 30 posts for NaBloPoMo...no one said that they had to be good!

Just a couple of little cute things:
Today I was holding her as I was making dinner and she looked into the pot of chicken noodle soup..."I like-a noodles!" she exclaimed. After dinner when I told her she could have ice cream she looked and me and said. "Really?" in the most incredulous voice, so cute.
And yesterday when she woke up from her nap and was scared and sad I asked if she wanted to nursie..."Makes me feel better" she told me. (Not the first time she has told me that nursing makes her "feel better" but it melts my heart just the same!)

Trying again

2010-11-04T12:27:00.001-05:00

I tried a mobile post yesterday but got the address wrong...let's see if I can get it through today!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Manic Wednesday

2010-11-03T12:33:00.000-05:00

Wednesdays (and Mondays and Fridays, to a lesser extent) are getting crazy. We have started carpooling on preschool mornings, which I love, because less driving and more days when I don't have to go anywhere are great. But it means that on the days that I drive I need to have everyone ready to go and out the door at 8 am. Lately Käthe has been in a foul mood in the mornings, making everything into a struggle.
Today was Ella to school, pick up kiddo for carpool, back home to get Thea dressed and throw in a load of laundry. Down to preschool for drop off at 9, then groceries until 10:30...pause to nurse Thea...back home by 11. Swap laundry to dryer, put away groceries, start a short blog post, and back to preschool for pickup at noon. Home again for half an hour, then it's Ella's early out day, so back to her school by 1:00. Home again for lunch, homework, naps, make dinner....and Tom and Thea are off to music class at 6. The longest day of my week that flies by in a blur because I never sit down!

Today I am...

2010-11-02T12:49:00.003-05:00

...chasing aspirin with coffee in hopes of getting rid of this headache.
...playing scheduling roulette, hoping that Käthe's 2:20 physician appointment is finished by 2:55, so I can make it to school to pick up Ella.
...wishing that I could remember how to email blog posts from my phone, but I can never remember the email address.
...avoiding putting Thea down for a nap, because it is so stinking hard to get out of bed after she falls asleep. And then there's that whole leaving in an hour thing.
...hoping that we all feel better tomorrow!

The birthday girl and her sisters.

NaBloPoMo Again

2010-11-01T08:56:00.002-05:00

Also known as the one month where my blog actually exists...when I look back it seems like we only do anything in November, and just hibernate like bears the rest of the year. I know that this year I can post from the phone, which will hopefully make it a bit easier. I have a hard time with pictures, especially...to get them off of the camera and onto the computer and then uploaded is just too time consuming.
Today is Thea's second birthday. We celebrated yesterday with cake and presents followed by trick-or-treating. Might as well get the whole sugar rush in a single day. This years costumes included A woodland Fairy, Cinderella, and a little fairy princess. Pictures forthcoming.

2010-07-09T17:10:00.000-05:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

2010-07-02T15:20:00.003-05:00

I wrote the middle section of this post a couple of weeks ago, when we had not yet gotten the full report from the psychologist. When we received the report a week ago I was somewhat surprised to see that the diagnosis also included "Reading Disability". At our parents' interview the psychologist suggested tutoring as Ella was behind for grade level, but I didn't seem to connect that with dyslexia. Perhaps she came to the final conclusion after our interview, we discussed our reading habits with Ella at home. Perhaps I was a little bit in shock and didn't really hear much of anything after the first 5 minutes!
...

I've been debating about writing about this topic, because in some ways it seems an invasion of Ella's privacy. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't hesitate to write about a sprained ankle or another bout of pneumonia, and this shouldn't really be any different. But for the same reason I don't often write about depression, because I don't think of myself as "depressed person", I struggle to write about ELla and ADHD - because she is not just ADHD.
We learned of her diagnosis on Monday, and somehow, even though the testing was my idea, I made the appointments with the psychologist, I filled out the behavior surveys and pregnancy, birth, whole entire life histories...I was still surprised when she said "I feel that ADHD would be an appropriate diagnosis for Ella." I'm not sure what I was hoping for - I told Tom that there were two apparent outcomes: Either there is something "wrong" with my child, or there is something "wrong" with our parenting of our child. In reality it is much more complicated than that, but at the end of the day, nobody wins.
Lots of people seemed surprised that we would have her tested, no one at school had requested it, she was doing alright academically, but those nagging little things just wouldn't go away. Her apparent lack of understanding of personal space, the attacking displays of affection, the seeming disregard for other people, the stair step pattern that her reading ability seemed to follow. She is one of the youngest kids in her grade, and it was really hard to distinguish between age-related immaturity and actual problematic issues (For example, would her attention span seem short if she were in kindergarten instead of first grade? Would she be a better student?)
She is starting a new school next year, and I am worried about how it will go. She made good progress last year, with behavior cue cards on her desk and simple reminders. One of the most frightening things the psycholigist said had nothing to do with Ella, but rather the Iowa City schools: "Our kindergartens are not functionally appropriate for kindergarten aged children."

...

There is a such a push to get as many kids as possible doing "well enough" that kids who struggle have to fail spectacularly to get help. It has been recommended that Ella be tested again for dyslexia by her school district (as only their testing can be used for qualification of special ed. help, etc.). Unless she tests below the 40th percentile for her grade, she won't be deemed in need of assistance. But reading is really only taught for a few years, and success in every other subject flows from being able to read both competently and quickly. Buy the time her reading struggles have compounded to the point that she qualifies for extra help, she is likely to be in an vortex of academic decline. I am so thankful that Ella's grandma is an early elementary teacher with an emphasis on reading and special ed - I can't help but feel optimistic that even though we have a lot of work to do around here we are surrounded by a bevy of qualified caring people to help us along the way.

Frustrations

2010-06-11T15:14:00.004-05:00

I have spent the past week shirking my other duties to work on sewing a dress for myself. I rarely sew things for me, usually it's for the girls or gifts for other people. Sewing is a tricky hobby for me - I tend to feel a lot of guilt over the time and money that go into it, especially if things don't get finished.
My project list right now includes curtains and a bedskirt for Thea, quilting and binding my finished quilt top, and making a full quilt for the IO-DIS-E-CA quilt auction in October. I really shouldn't have added a pattern and fabric for a dress for myself to that mix, but I did. Then I sat down and gave every project a due date - the dress was first with a "finish by June 15th" deadline.
I have been using the Amy Butler Liverpool pattern and it was coming along with only minor frustrations. I upped my finish date to June 12 thinking that I would wear it to a going-away party Saturday night. And then, when I had the sleeves set in and everything finished except the buttons and hem, I tried it on. And then I cried. A lot actually. It seems a silly thing to cry over, but it didn't even occur to me that a center back seam and my scoliosis would be a disastrous combination.
I don't often think about having a spinal "deformity". It's not noticeable most of the time, and I stopped wearing my brace 14 years ago. But the center back seam, combined with a slightly protruding shoulder blade, pulled to the right in a very graphic outline of my crooked spine. I've let out the darts on the right, and taken them in on the left, and the seam looks just fine actually. There is some excess fabric on the left shoulder that no amount of taking in seams to help, and I've played around with some extra darts to no avail. It looks fine from the front, and really it's alright from the back too. But it bugs me...because like so many other things it falls into my absolutely perfect or not worth the effort personality. And because the things I sew tend to garner that coveted complimentary reaction I find myself double disappointed: No "perfect" project, no compliments, just a fat reminder that "hey those spine issues that you pretend don't exist are there" and feeling dissatisfied with my vocation doesn't mean that I should be out looking for validation elsewhere. So not a perfect dress, but perhaps an adequate one. Also not a total waste of time - my skills were improved, I know to not bother with a fitted bodice again, and hey, I had fun during the process!

Home Sweet Home

2010-06-01T11:24:00.004-05:00

We're into the new house. Still unpacking, but feeling pretty settled for the most part. I finally got around to altering the big girl's curtains - an excuse to use my new rolled-hem and ruffler feet for the sewing machine. They are super cute and I actually managed to get them hung! Next is on to Thea's room - I have yards and yards of Kate Spain's Verna line waiting for curtains and a bed skirt. Until I get pictures taken of the girls' room here are a couple of recent projects:

Doll quilt and pillow:

Baby Quilt for Ella's teacher:

Same pattern, different scale. Lots of fun and quick to put together, too.

Counting down

2010-03-30T16:09:00.003-05:00

I am kind of amazed that I am not in full-on panic mode at this point. Closing is in just a couple of weeks, we have a pending offer on this house (but the buyers' house hasn't sold), things seem to be falling into place. I tend toward expecting the worst, but every step toward this move has been a huge blessing, and I am trying hard to not let fear and doubt cloud my vision.
On one hand I am excited to be out of this house - since our offer is pending we are still showing it and having open houses. The pressure and stress of trying to get a house ready to show with three little kids following me around tends to make me not such a great mother in that last hour of frantic cleaning. On the other hand, I really will miss this little house. I am looking forward to one last Easter Egg hunt and Easter dinner!
Thea is crawling onto my lap and then onto the desk, so I think it's time to redirect my attentions!

LCMS Reporter posits "An 'educated" response to membership loss"

2010-03-10T19:20:00.003-06:00

We received the March 2010 issue of the LCMS Reporter today, with a commentary entitled An 'educated' response to membership loss. Author Mark Blanke laments "a 15% decline in baptized members between 1976 and 2006" and asks "To what might we attribute this loss?" He postulates that parish education is to blame...but I think he might be missing something a bit more obvious: the advent of modern birth control.

A few key dates (source: Birth Control Timeline from MedicineNet.com)

1965 - The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the Comstock laws that banned contraception.
1976 - A T-shaped IUD is approved by the FDA.
1980s -The modern, low-dose, two- and three-phase birth control pills become available. 1992 - The FDA approves the first hormone shot to prevent pregnancy for several months at a time -- Depo Provera.
1998 - The first emergency contraception is approved by the FDA. Women can take Preven pills up to 72 hours after sex to prevent pregnancy.
2000-2002 - Four new birth control products are approved by the FDA a birth control "patch," slowly releases hormones through the skin; NuvaRing, a small, flexible ring is inserted into the vagina and releases hormones for three weeks. Lunelle is a monthly hormone injection. Mirena is an IUD effective for 5 years.
2003 - The first continuous birth control pill, which women take every day to suppress their periods and provide birth control, was approved in September. Seasonale schedules four menstrual periods a year.

Blanke cites "a loss of more than 400,000 individuals". Though I don't have the resources to compile numbers, I would not be surprised to see that this overall loss could be accounted for by our failure to honor the vocation of motherhood - we are simply not replenishing "all the saints, who from their labors rest."

37 Days

2010-03-09T10:37:00.008-06:00

The new house is coming along...Lights are installed, everything is painted, stone is on the fireplace. I would feel a lot better though, if this house would sell. We've had, on average, a couple of showings each week, but no offers. I think that we will reduce the price this week - I would hate to think that we would sell it for just barely more than we paid, especially since fees would eat up almost everything we have managed to gain in equity. Lest I sound like I am complaining, I am truly thankful for all the blessings that we've received in the process of getting our new house!
A few pictures of what the new place looks like these days:
Master bedroom (still most excited about my bathroom!)
Dining area, doorway into our bedroom, kitchen counter on the right:
In family room, looking into kitchen:

Things are moving fast, but I am still nervous that we will run into some huge hurdle along the way. I would even venture to guess that the nasty headaches I've had for the last 6 months might dissipate after all the closings are finished. I am carrying so much unnecessary stress.

In news of my girls, everyone is doing well. Thea had her first ear infection and antibiotics, usually we use the wait and see type of treatment, but she had been pretty miserable at for a few days already. Käthe and I were also battling colds, and Ella had progressed into full-blown pneumonia (again, second time this winter). I feel so bad for her - she is doing all right academically (at or just above grade level) but I can't help but feel that missing weeks of school at a time is holding her back. I remember reading lots of chapter books in first grade, and my mom's Christian pioneer novels by second grade (because I wasn't allowed to check them out from the school library yet - you had to be in third grade for full library access!)
I am planning on a bit of home summer-schooling so that she can make a fresh start at her new district this fall!
Käthe and Thea being silly:
Ella playing in the snow, Käthe and Thea eating it (their usual MO).

60 Days...

2010-02-15T20:11:00.003-06:00

...and counting ' til new house closing. It is coming along quickly - almost entirely sided, it now has a front door and garage door, replacing the plywood that had been serving to keep it enclosed. Our little house is now officially for sale, the sign went into the front yard today. It is bittersweet - this is the house of all the first birthdays, Easter egg hunts, family dinners, garden fun. I have brought two brand new babies home here, and watched all three of my girls learn to walk, climb and run in our simple little abode. These two bedrooms and one bathroom are just not enough anymore, and I am so excited to have more space. Our new house is less that a mile from this one, and I think that the hardest part of moving will be driving by this one every day after we move, seeing someone else living here.

Little moments

2010-01-14T13:39:00.004-06:00

My baby is getting so big...each little girl seems to grow up a bit faster, just as I wish they would all slow down a bit. Thea doesn't know it yet, but she is going to get a bed of her own when we move. She is a sleeper with specific desires...blankets are passionately hated, she needs room to stretch, she will kick and flail herself up to the headboard where she has far bypassed the nursies she wants. She has napped for more than an hour only a handful of times in her 14 months, has never slept through the night. Ella woke up smiling...Thea always, always wakes up crying. (Though she never gets to just sleep until she is done - she is constantly being awakened by her sisters.)
Some of these things are to be expected, the other girls didn't sleep through the night until they were well into the process of weaning. When Käthe started sleeping all night at 20 months I was elated; Ella was 30 months before she was doing the same. This is a busy time for all of us, and being out all day means we forget to sit down and nurse...and make up for it all night long. But we are also growing weary, both of us suffering from the lack of good sleep. It is impossible, or at least not sensible, to work on the sleeping now. Thea is usually easily calmed by her daddy in about 5 minutes, but 5 minutes of screaming is enough to wake Kate...who commences her screaming and re-wakes Thea. We are just a bit too close together these days.
Moving the baby out of my bed is bittersweet, though. I have never done so without another babe getting ready to take her place. Last night Thea was dreaming about dogs...barking in her sleep with her excited "woof, woof", then crying in fear, as she does when a dog gets too close. I held her tighter and told her I was there, so she began barking again, and whispering all those little nonsense words that mean she is talking to someone. I will miss the little sleeping laughs, the tiny mouth that still nurses in her sleep - even when the nursie has been removed. It will be great, however, to not wake up stiff and sore because the smallest person has been taking the largest portion of the bed.

NaBloPoMo 30 The End

2009-11-30T10:43:00.000-06:00

We are sick...every last one of us. I am taking Ella and Thea in to the doctor this afternoon, and bringing Kate along for good measure. Here's to another $50 in copays...at least I have insurance!

NaBloPoMo 29

2009-11-29T15:40:00.003-06:00

Matching Jammies...tried to upload a picture but this is not my computer and it seems to be blocking me from uploading. I will have to do it at home!

NaBloPoMo 28

2009-11-28T19:05:00.001-06:00

We got our first choice of lot for our new home...we should have purchase agreement and closing date finalized before Dec. 21...now comes the fun part of picking out cabinets, fixtures, colors, etc. So Exciting!
We saw Fantastic Mr. Fox today...I anticipated that I would enjoy it - and I did. George Clooney is so funny, and the writing is quite witty. i may ahve to read the book!

NaBloPoMo 27

2009-11-27T13:12:00.001-06:00

Waiting, waiting...our house preference choices are due today. I sent in ours last week, but I would expect to hear late this afternoon or tomorrow morning which lot is ours. Our realtor spoke with the program administrator early last week, and was told that our chances were very good that we would get our choice of home. I am still nervous - I guess until our house is sold and we close on the new one I am going to be anxious about it all.

NaBloPoMo 26

2009-11-26T18:43:00.001-06:00

I am kicking myself for not noticing Ella's cough increase...now with a temp of 103 I think she probably has pneumonia.

NaBloPoMo 25

2009-11-25T19:03:00.000-06:00

We made it to Grandma's...now to finish all the Thanksgiving prep. New matching jammies for all the little ladies means there are sure to be cute pictures forthcoming.

2009-11-24T15:06:00.001-06:00

Haircut success...no pictures yet, but I got it cut this morning and am very happy with it. I have decided that a haircut is worth the $44 when you take a picture and you get the haircut in the picture. Carl takes the time to dry and flat iron my wavy hair before cutting it, which is the best way to get a haircut that is the same length on both sides. Cutting it dry ensures that the waves are not playing with lengths and directions when the hair is wet. Plus I only get it cut there about twice a year....in between I play the Great Clips roulette and hope for the best. But feeling good about your hair when you are bound to be photographed all through out the holidays is priceless.

NaBloPoMo 23

2009-11-23T09:04:00.002-06:00

Small moment of panic, when I went to title this post with "23" and didn't see a "22" pop up in the selection box. I wondered if I had managed to miss a day...but I just didn't title yesterday's post. We did indeed make paper snowflakes yesterday...now to put them up in the window. I will try to get a pic up when we have them up.
In other news...it looks like there is a good chance we will be moving this spring. The Eastern Iowa Council of Governments has grant money initially intended for flood victims and first time home buyers, but lack of interest has allowed them to open the program to anyone within income requirements. For Johnson county that means making less than the median income for a family of 5 ($82,000). Since I am not working we are well below that number! The incentive...buy a new home and receive 30% down payment grant in the form a five-year forgivable loan. This amounts to ~$50,000 free money, in addition to snagging a great loan rate because of the high down payment. Out of 54 homes available in Johnson county, only 31 people applied. From the first half of the group only seven homes have been acquired, mostly because of inability to procure financing. We had our pre-approval letter in hand before we even applied; having gotten our initial home loan and our refinance through one of the local banks participating in the program they are happy to loan us money again. So our only hurdles...get one of our preferred home choices (our top homes were all available when we put in our selection request, so this looks good) and sell our home. Since our home is both a good investment property and the price is at a point people can actually afford in this economy, the chances of that look good. So we wait and see, and I refuse to believe that it might actually happen. It seems to good to actually work out!

NaBloPoMo 22

2009-11-22T14:05:00.002-06:00

It's Sunday, and my kiddos want to make Thanksgiving placemats and paper snowflakes. I WILL do a good chunk of my Christmas sewing today too! And so, sorry blog - maybe tomorrow!

NaBloPoMo 21

2009-11-21T08:54:00.002-06:00

Three weeks of posting each day...not that the content has been all that fantastic, but it's a start.
Yesterday when we were walking outside Thea noticed shadows for the first time...so funny to see her so intrigued. She is adding new words...I heave heard several sentences that are run together into one word: iceeyou (I see you, when playing peekaboo), earyoogo (Here you go, when she hands you something), and uvyou (love you - when giving hugs). She loves the itsy-bitsy spider, which is great, because it distracts her from the cold toilet seat when I sit her on the potty. She was happy to pee on the potty every time I changed her diaper, until it got colder. Then she would frantically start signing "ALL DONE" as soon as her bum touched the cold seat. Between a new seat (plastic...not so cold) and the itsy-bitsy spider she is much more willing to go.
We had conferences with Ella's teacher on Thursday - so much better than last year. She has progressed quickly in reading, starting the year just under the desired level and coming up to speed in the first few weeks. She is still having trouble keeping her hands to herself and being a bit take over the situation bossy, but her teacher has been so helpful. We have implemented a sticker chart at school for keeping her hands to herself at key times throughout the day, and she has a little sign on her desk as well. Her teacher thanked me for the desk card, saying she is able to point to it and remind Ella to keep her hands to herself without drawing everyone's attention. It is so nice to have a teacher recognize that Ella is impulsive about showing affection, and not being malicious. She praised Ella's empathy...her report was very much like Ella's preschool reports: things to work on but also recognition of her good qualities. All the more I am encouraged to believe that the struggles of kindergarten were largely part of a teacher who really didn't mesh with Ella. I can understand that, but as a teacher I think looking a little harder for some postives would be helpful. Ella really loves her teacher this year, which is something we saw in preschool but not in kindergarten. So nice to have an easier go of it this year.
I'll have to do a Käthe update tomorrow, as my hand is going numb. Too much typing.

NaBloPoMo 20

2009-11-20T10:58:00.003-06:00

Pomplamoose hair merge. Her neck is much more svelte than mine, and obviously she is not the pasty transparent skinned girl that I am, but let's focus on the hair, OK? Yea or nay?

NaBloPoMo 19

2009-11-19T13:34:00.003-06:00

I was hoping to do a short picture post...Tom was kind enough to merge my face onto that of Pomplamoose singer Nataly Dawn, because I love her haircut and wanted to see what it might look like on me. However, I am having trouble finding the image. I'll try to get it up later today.

NaBloPoMo 18

2009-11-18T15:36:00.003-06:00

Target, by the numbers:

2 trips to the bathroom
1 change of pants for Kate, as the second trip to the bathroom was not expedient enough, due to the rest of the list
2 shoes to untie and retie
8000 kinds of shampoo, still unable to find the one I am looking for, possibly because I only know that is for colored hair and comes in a red (I think) bottle, and is sulfate free
37 wails and cries from a tired baby in the shampoo aisle
10 minutes of screams from said baby, while I nursed her sitting on the floor of the shampoo aisle, because her older sister pushed her down to the tile floor, resulting in
1 fat-lipped baby and
2 bloody shirts (mine and hers)
$71 dollars of random household items...shower curtain, socks, spatula, baby wipes, tissues, etc.
~ 60 - the number of minutes later than I thought it was when I left Target, meaning I leisurely meandered back through the mall, letting Kate hang out at Barnes and Noble because the sad, bloody, fat-lipped baby was finally asleep
3:04 pm - the time when I left the mall and looked at my phone for the time, finding it to be an hour later than I thought it was and realizing that Ella will be disembarking the bus in approximately 5 minutes.
1 - woman who lives down the street, standing in my doorway when I pulled in the driveway, whose name I didn't know until today, as Ella had brought her home with her because "the silver car isn't there and my mom isn't home."
1 - beer and 1 - nap = what I need to make this day end on a high note. Sheesh!

NaBloPoMo 17

2009-11-17T21:36:00.003-06:00

Dinner with college students: success! One brought a friend, so 5 students, 5 of us = full house. I still have to find room in the fridge for the leftovers...yummm, guacamole. Oh so tired, but will try to watch a movie that is due back tomorrow. I give myself 15 minutes.

NaBloPoMo 16

2009-11-16T12:34:00.003-06:00

100th Post! It is a little sad that it has taken me three years to achieve 100 posts, especially since over half of them have occurred only in the months of November.
But today is a picture post, because I have 4 people coming for dinner tomorrow night, and a giant mess to clean up in every room.

Käthe, nearly two

...still looking a bit like a baby - soon after this she became all "little girl" with no trace of baby in sight.

NaBloPoMo 15

2009-11-15T15:44:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving #1 complete. I am not in charge of the next one, so my holiday hostessing duties are finished for awhile. We may end hosting my parents for Christmas...Thea has an incredibly terrible track record for car travel. Lots of screaming - it is really awful. About an hour and a half seems to be her limit. It is 5-6 hours to my parents house if you have no children, 7-8 if you have good travelers. Driving in the middle of winter, with really no place to stop, is a recipe for two incredibly long days of travel. (Even a mall is good enough, to let them out and walk around...but between Des Moines and Norfolk the route doesn't even afford that.) I am hoping that perhaps the family will come to us this year, though I haven't been "home" since July 2008.
Ella and Tom are off to the annual Girl Scout rollerskating event; last year was Ella's first time on skates. I am curious to see if there is any improvement from last year:

NaBloPoMo 14

2009-11-14T20:27:00.002-06:00

Grand Total: 4 turkeys (75 lbs); 2 giant pans each cornbread dressing, green bean casserole; 90 whole wheat rolls (from scratch), 35 lbs sweet potatoes, one large bowl cranberry sauce. Bring on the Thanksgiving dinner for 75. After two days of cooking (with several things left to finish off in the morning) I am beat. I will try to take some pictures of it all tomorrow.

NaBloPoMo 13

2009-11-13T19:26:00.002-06:00

Turkey day! We are making Thanksgiving dinner for our church this weekend. In a magical turn of luck we traded our older children to grandma in exchange for her electric roaster, which means that the only child that needed entertaining while we spent 6 hours cooking was an easy-to-entertain Thea. The big girls, when I called to tell them goodnight, were busy painting a Nativity set for grandma. Ella had just finished a camel and was about to start on a donkey; Käthe had done a star and was working on a pig.
Tom and I considered going to a movie, as babies are surprisingly easy to take to the theater. In the end we stopped by the video store and picked up a couple of movies to watch at home. Better popcorn here. And ice cream. And beer. Those three items are on my father's menu every night. (Fiber, and calcium, and that "one drink is good for your heart" beer. It's done him well so far.)

NaBloPoMo 12

2009-11-12T08:49:00.003-06:00

I survived, though I was wimpy enough to call my doctor as soon as her office opened. A $25 copay for the visit and a $10 copay for 20 phenergan*...totally worth it to stop with the puking. Since Thea had the virus on Monday she had been eating very little solid food and nursing a ton. Consequently, with her nursing and my vomiting I felt like a fragile little flower wilting in the desert. By late afternoon I was brave enough to start with some Gatorade and even ate a bit before I went to bed.
Today comes the aftermath...there is so much laundry, and I have so many dishes to wash. Ella is off to school, and a friend took Kate to preschool for me, so I have two and a half hours to see what I can do to whip things back into shape. Or maybe take a nap...still so tired.
* I love my doctor - she was going to give me 10 phenergan and asked if I'd like more. When I said yes she said - "I'll give you 20 so you have extra on hand - you can give half of one to the kids if they need them." So nice to have such a considerate doctor.

NaBloPoMo 11

2009-11-11T04:13:00.000-06:00

And...I've got the vomiting. Thanks kids, for all that you share.

NaBloPoMo 10

2009-11-10T18:47:00.002-06:00

One-third down, two-thirds to go. I can't really say that most of the posts have been interesting, but at least they are there, which must count for something. Maybe?
Today I showed Käthe our wedding video, which I haven't seen in ages. Probably the last time I saw it would be 3-4 years ago, when I showed it to Ella. I still remember her shaking and giggling as it started, exclaiming "I'm just so excited!!". Kate was excited too, and we were watching along just fine until the camera panned out and I saw my grandmother. She died nearly 4 years ago, while I was pregnant with Kate. As soon as I saw her I burst into tears...I was so shocked by the wave of emotions that passed over me. I can't say that I think about her all that often, but as I child I saw her nearly every day. But to see her again, so recognizable from her mannerisms, there at my wedding...I just hadn't really thought about her being there, that there was any video of her in existence. I remember watching the video with Ella, and noticing Tom's grandpa, who passed away before Ella was born. This viewing I noticed my grandmother, and it made me realize that there is likely to be another person gone each time I happen to watch it. Perhaps that's where the extreme sadness came from, the realization that all these people that loved us are also leaving us as time goes by.

NaBloPoMo 9

2009-11-09T12:54:00.003-06:00

A year ago today...
our little Thea was baptized.

Her Baptismal hymn, by our dear Dr. Martin Luther, is a beautiful exposition of baptismal theology. I love it more each time I sing it:

To Jordan came the Christ, our Lord,
To do His Father's pleasure;
Baptized by John, the Father's Word
Was given us to treasure.
This heav'nly washing now shall be
A cleansing from transgression
And by His blood and agony
Release from death's oppression.
A new life now awaits us.

O hear and mark the message well,
For God Himself has spoken.
Let faith, not doubt, among us dwell
And so receive this token.
Our Lord here with His Word endows
Pure water, freely flowing.
God's Holy Spirit here avows
Our kinship while bestowing
The Baptism of His blessing.

These truths on Jordan's banks were shown
By mighty word and wonder.
The Father's voice from heav'n came down,
Which we do well to ponder:
"This man is My beloved Son,
In whom My heart has pleasure.
Him you must hear, and Him alone,
And trust in fullest measure
The word that He has spoken."

There stood the Son of God in love,
His grace to us extending;
The Holy Spirit like a dove
Upon the scene descending;
The triune God assuring us,
With promises compelling,
That in our Baptism He will thus
Among us find a dwelling
To comfort and sustain us.

To His disciples spoke the Lord,
"Go out to ev'ry nation,
And bring to them the living Word
And this My invitation:
Let ev'ryone abandon sin
And come in true contrition
To be baptized and thereby win
Full pardon and remission
And heav'nly bliss inherit."

But woe to those who cast aside
This grace so freely given;
They shall in sin and shame abide
And to despair be driven.
For born in sin, their works must fail,
Their striving saves them never;
Their pious acts do not avail,
And they are lost forever,
Eternal death their portion.

All that the mortal eye beholds
Is water as we pour it.
Before the eye of faith unfolds
The pow'r of Jesus' merit.
For here it sees the crimson flood
To all our ills bring healing;
The wonders of His precious blood
The love of God revealing
Assuring His own pardon.

NaBloPoMo 8

2009-11-08T09:40:00.004-06:00

Poor little Kate is on her 4th day of fever. She is generally refusing all fever medication, which is okay with me as her fever is not too high and fever serves an important role in the infection control process. But I think she might be a little more comfortable with a little ibuprofen.
It may seem like kind of a wrong thing to say, but there is a positive to all the sick days - we don't have to go anywhere. To take time off of all the running around and activities and commitments and just spend time at home is wonderful to me; perhaps it's a wake-up call that sickness is seeming like a vacation!

NaBloPoMo 7

2009-11-07T14:00:00.002-06:00

Sooo tired today, these late nights with sick kids are really adding up. I did stay up to watch Jimmy Fallon last night, as a Friday night treat. Not that I get to sleep in on Saturdays, but at least no one has to go anywhere. As a bonus I got to see the Pixies on Conan, promoting their new anniversary tour. We had tickets to see them in Cedar Rapids several years ago, and the concert was cancelled due to poor sales. They are saying that this tour is sold out already. Maybe someday...

NaBloPoMo 6

2009-11-06T07:14:00.002-06:00

....and the sick continues. Käthe's slight fever of yesterday is cooking away at 102 today. Poor thing woke up crying and shaking. I think that she is nauseated but she seems physically incapable of vomiting. I used to think she was really fighting it but now she complains that it 'just goes down' so I wonder if there really is a problem for her. Ella is no longer vomiting, and will probably be mad when I limit her to soft foods today. I am fine, except that I just used the last of the coffee and I am oh . so . tired.
How about a happy picture - my sweet little 6-month Ella.

NaBloPoMo 5

2009-11-05T16:23:00.002-06:00

At three o'clock this morning I rolled over and thought "wow, that is a really acidic taste in my mouth, almost like vomit" which turned out to be an awful premonition; I was immediately pulled into full consciousness by the sound of Ella violently puking in the next room. Tom got up with her, as the baby immediately woke and demanded to nurse. Ella then threw up every half hour until around 9 am, when it stretched out to every hour...now we are going in 2-3 hour stretches. The poor thing slammed her finger in the car door last night, so it is purple and swollen and potentially broken. The past 24 hours have really sucked for her.
Käthe woke up with a fever, and has a slight cough, but has not slowed her pace and is bouncing off the walls. She is currently wearing a duck costume (hooded top and fuzzy orange duck feet) that I bought for 75% off at Target yesterday. Post-Halloween sales are great for the dress-up wardrobe.
The baby seems okay for now but I am waiting for the other shoe to drop and see who gets sick next. Winter, I've had enough of you and your frequent illnesses, and it's only the 5th of November.

NaBloPoMo 4

2009-11-04T14:17:00.002-06:00

Thea's one year stats:
19 lbs, 1 oz. Her weight has pretty much flatlined since she started walking at 9.5 months; she is looking to follow in Käthe's footsteps. (Although Käthe was still around 19 lbs at 2 years)
29" - She is about 50% for height, and for head circumference too. All in all a good checkup - she says lots of words: mama, hi, baby, hee-YAH, Ella, num, uht-oh, up. She signs for nursing (milk), please, more, and occasionally thank you. She runs, she climbs, and she tries desperately to jump. She is flying away from babyhood as fast as she possibly can!

NaBloPoMo 3

2009-11-03T14:48:00.002-06:00

Today has been incredibly full - I cannot believe how much time I spend each day just driving around. My morning went preschool-post office-grocery store-gas station-home-Wal-Mart (Turkey, $0.40/lb)-preschool again-home. The turkeys were an unplanned bonus, as I am cooking the Thanksgiving dinner for my church and need ~70 lbs of turkey. I got 44 lbs today (limit 2) and will likely send Tom back for 1-2 more this afternoon.
I am trying to block out how much work the dinner is going to be. I plan to cook the turkey ahead of time and reheat in the large electric roaster. Sweet potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce will all be prep'd on Saturday - those that need baking will be put into the oven before church on Sunday.
I managed to get dinner in the crock pot while Kate was at preschool, and while Thea is napping I am off to render lard. I have been kind of avoiding the whole lard business, but I needed the fat out of the freezer to make room for the turkeys. Wish me luck, as I'd really rather not burn down the house!

NaBloPoMo 2

2009-11-02T14:19:00.003-06:00

The baby has been sleeping for 20 minutes, which feels like an eternity and means that I have about 15 minutes before she wakes up screaming. I have vague recollections of what it was like to have a kid who slept for 2 whole hours in the afternoon, but I try not to think about it too much, because it gets depressing. Thea does still take a nap in the mornings, usually...30 minutes tops. It tends to make my days feel like an exercise in futility.
Five people make an incredible mess without even trying. So far today I have unloaded, reloaded and ran the dishwasher - it will get run at least one more time toady, if not two. I have washed two loads of laundry and a load of diapers, none of which can be put away while the baby is sleeping, as my closet backs up to her bedroom wall. There are a couple of loads from the weekend to put away, and at least three more waiting to be washed. I have almost all of the girls clothes put away, but I don't actually have enough hangers to get the job done. I have swept the kitchen floor, but it is covered in playdough, dry rice, and the remnants of lunch. And though I really love my sewing table I am getting tired of looking at it but not actually using it. Fortunately I have most of the teachers' gifts cut and ready to sew, so I need to sit down and just get. it. done. But since anything other than sitting quietly will interrupt the princess's sleep, I am sitting here blogging instead, hoping that the clatter of the keys doesn't carry too far.

Crazy Little Indian

Happy Little Bat

NaBloPoMo 1

2009-11-01T14:59:00.004-06:00

We'll try it again - some years I fail miserably, some years I actually do pretty well. Either way I do love looking back and seeing what we were up to. Last year I was busy giving birth to Thea; I cannot believe that my baby is already a year old. It has been the shortest year full of the longest days I have ever muddled through. It has been crowded and crazy here, but things are looking up...we should be in a new house by spring, which will (hopefully) give all those things that are constantly out of place an actual place to be put away. And I have been promised a permanent sewing space, which is more exciting than it probably should be to me!
We had a fantastic time trick or treating last night, with my little Native American, Bat, and Elephant. I have so much fun putting their costumes together, and seeing them run around so excitedly. Throwing a birthday in the mix just added to the fun - I think we will be in for a lot of fun Halloween parties in the years to come.
Happy Birthday little Twinkle: