Happy Birthday Drewbie! (This is late because I couldn't get him to talk until today)

What did you get for your birthday? Trucks (A new dresser, a trip to Jungle Jim's, new pajamas, a stomp rocket from Nana and Papa, and a few trucks that cost $1.50 at DI- and he says TRUCKS?)
What would you do with $100 dollars? An ice cream cone!
If you could go anywhere in the world to visit, where would you go?Canada
Why Canada? 'Cause. (Cy yelled it while I was asking.)
What is one new thing you would like to try this year?Maybe a cool thing. I want a army rug when our house burns down.
Isn't the rug you have now an army rug? Unuh. It's just green.
What is one memory you have from this summer? The restraunt, The fun center, but we didn't go there, because. . .I . . remember, we went home?
If you could only have one present this year, what would it be? A flower.
What kind of flower? Umm. . . A kind that YOU like.
What is your favorite food? Ice cream
What is your favorite toy?Umm. . . Can you tell me, 'cause I don't know what I like. Actually, it's . . uh. . . Star Wars Helicopter (that broke the first day he had it, and Grandma soldered it back together- thanks Grandma!)
What is your favorite thing to do?Go to a place that we've never ever been to.
What makes you feel sad? What if someone punched me? What if Caleb's brother wouldn't let me in his room? He said, "Do you want some power?" and then I asked one of his biggest brothers to open the door. He's strong enough. Like that.
I like to play with ... um . . . a cool thing that I don't know what it is.
My favorite song ... The army song (The green beret)
My daddy is . . . he likes Papa
My mom is ... Janene. . . he he
My favorite holiday ... when they give out stuff
My favorite thing to do as a family ... give them presents. Give Mommy and Daddy presents too.
My favorite number ... I don't know. I don't like any numbers. (singing pop goes the weasel, which transforms into pop goes Hazel, and then pop goes Mommy. "That's the song I like."
One of the coolest things about me. . . Mommy, atually, I don't know any things about me. Atually, yes. I wish I could have an airplane so that I could fly it when I grow up. And it will be a present, and when we go places, I will fly. 'Cause when I grow up, I will fly all sorts of airplanes.

I feel frustrated ...if somebody was super mean to me.
I'm looking forward to . . . Bob and Jan's house (looking out the window at the neighbors across the street. Man, kids are literal.)
What do you want to do when you grow up...an airplane flyer, and I will just do some stuff that I don't know. Only when I'm a dad. I'll tell you guys to tell me what to do.
What is the best thing about your birthday ... I get another birthday? (Very excited,) Then that means that I can buy Cy another car that flies where the wings never come off! (He got him one that broke this year on his birthday.)
Who is your hero, the person you look up to, or want to be like when you grow up ...spider man and the incredible hulk. And Cy will be Batman. All my friends will be on my team, and Cy's friends will be on my team too. And the bad team would kill our team, and we would have a force field around us.
What is a funny thing that has happened to you? What if I disappeared into a knot-hole?
Tell me about Elsie. What if she popped out of her bed and she saw a monster that said, "Elsie . . "
Tell me about Cy. Cy is at Disneyland. Ha ha. That's a funny thing about Cy.
Tell me about Caleb. He loves me, but I hate him. Actually, I love him.
If you could say anything to everyone, what would it be? I love you. That's 'cause I love everyone in the world.

Andrew keeps our lives interesting and has the most random mind. He makes the best real jokes I've ever heard from a kid. One time, the kids were being silly at dinner, and Andrew said something really funny. Cy looked at him and asked, "Why didn't I think of that?" We are so lucky to have you, Andrew. Your care for others and unique view of life blesses ours!

Walkie Talkie

I am not a morning person so this morning when Caleb started calling for the "Mama" I brought him to bed, hoping to sleep just a few more minutes.

Caleb ended up being too loud and wormey to let me and Heather go back to be, and one point he sat on my head. When Cy came in he got really excited and said his word for Cy and then laughed. We had him go through all of the names, Elsie, Andrew, Mommy, and Daddy. He doesn't say them right but it is very obvious who he is talking about. We were giving him such positive attention and love that soon we had a bed full of kids. Sharks smell blood, kids smell love and they were ready to feast. It was a great emotional breakfast in bed.

After church I went in to my room to take a nap but was later awoken by cheering. I went into the front room to find Caleb attempting to walk. He staggered back and forth between Heather and Elsie and then Heather and me. He was getting pretty good. Again we were so happy for him that the other kids wanted in on the act. Elsie, Cy and Andrew took many turns pretending to stumble between us. Each time we would cheer and love.

It always amazes me how much our kids crave cheerleader love, the kind where you clap and shout hurray, heck, they even love it when you do the cheerleader kicks. The funny thing is that I really enjoy being a cheerleader parent because it makes me feel good to make them feel good. It makes me feel good to say hurray for Elsie, you are such a good walker when she has been walking for years.

Sometimes the kids do something to try and be funny, sometimes it is pretty elementary, once I start laughing, even if is wasn't funny at all, I feel happy and they feel happy. I guess the songs have it right, "all you need is love" for "good lovin'"

Happy Birthday to Me!

I've been doing interviews of the kids on their birthdays, so, if it is acceptable, I'm going to interview myself. Even if it isn't acceptable, I'm doing it.

What did you do for your birthday? I got to have Elsie home with me because she had a fever in the morning, and we have had strep, so I got her tested. Her results were negative, and by 10:00, she was feeling great. I had a great time hanging out with just her and Caleb. Then, in the afternoon, we went to a 3d Imax movie at the Clark Planetarium and all got our own popcorn. After that, Mom and Dad took all of the kids to Denny's. Does that sound fun? For the kids, yes. For me, yes. For Mom and Dad, not really, even though they swear they had a great time. Joseph and I have decided it's not really fun to go out to eat with the kids unless there is a playground. You just end up spending a lot of money to worry whether your kids sit through dinner without throwing their food or falling on their heads. But Joseph and I had a great time! We went ice skating, which we haven't done for a long time. Joseph was on my very first date, (Junior Prom, '94) and we went skating at the Gallivan Center. While Joseph wasn't my date, I remember feeling very self-conscious as I wobbled around the edges and I wondered how Joseph could be so confident even though he wasn't exactly skilled. On my birthday, we wobbled around a few times; the first 20 minutes felt like an hour, but then we began to go faster. Once we got "good", it was time to go. We watched the Zambonie clean up the rink and saw the first hockey players come out and scuff up the ice again. Very pleasant evening. The next day, we were going to go skiing while Joseph's Mom and Dad watched the kids, but Andrew got sick. ):



If you had a babysitter, what would you choose to do? That's a very tough one. If it were summer, I would go to a water park that didn't have any lines and go down the slides again and again. I would also like to go backpacking and end up somewhere with a gorgeous view and lots of solitude. I guess I've gotten babysitters for the right things: week-long river trips. They're a good combination of both.

What are your favorite foods? Artichokes and avocados, smarties, salad bars

What makes you happy? Teaching with the spirit, seeing the world in a new way through my kids, being around others, remembering to be grateful for what I have been given, seeing things grow- plants and kids- not messes, and creating things.

What new-years resolutions do you make every year? (If you interview yourself, you have the right to ask biased questions like that.) Every year by this time, I am terrible at going to bed early and getting up early, being a good friend, and exercising. So, those are the things I'll be working on again this year.

What gift do you wish for this year? I want to be blessed with a wider perspective. I'd like to look at my kids as what they will become because of present actions, not as what they are. I'd like to recognize the blessing that come from trials and see where my actions are leading me in the long-run rather than the present.

I had a great day, thanks to everyone's efforts!

Learning to see things that aren't moving

Caleb has a high chair that can be adjusted very short so that he can eat standing on the floor, but using his tray. I like to leave it at this height to give him independence. The other day, I came in the kitchen to find he had climbed up in the seat and was looking out the kitchen window, very excited about something. He was waiting, captivated, for something. Then, a bird that was sitting on the tree, leaned off his branch and into the air. Caleb screamed happily and pointed. Once the bird had found a perch, he continued staring and waiting. Cy tried to show him the bird standing on the top of the tree, but he would only notice them when they were moving. I think I could confidently say that he didn't see them unless they flew. His young mind is unable to distinguish the different dark and light spots outside unless he has had personal experience with them. I was wondering about our perspective. It seems often that we recognize only those things that are moving, or remember to be grateful for those things that demand our attention. But in the background of our lives, there are flocks of birds nesting quietly in the dark branches that we fail to see. We haven't even learned to see them unless we have personal experience with them, or we notice them when they fly, but once they are still, they become invisible to us. It seems that I am reminded over and over again about certain gospel basics. We forget their value until we really need them. I don't know that my mind is capable of being patient all the time or loving or full of faith or remember Christ at every minute. But over and over, those answers fly in front of my face when I need them. I'd like to learn though, to appreciate their presence there, just waiting to be noticed.

Christmas Morning

Cy got this scooter for Christmas- guidelines say the maximum weight capacity is 100 lbs.
Both Cy and Andrew got Joseph silly string, so they went outside for a fight. Neither of the boys can push the button on top, so Joseph got to empty two whole bottles on them. But they won in the sticker war.
Caleb was thrilled about his rocking horse.
And so was Cy. Do you think Heather was?

Winter doldrums .

As soon as Christmas is over, I begin to get sick of winter. My mom reminded me the other day that we are only 6 days into winter- but I think it started at the beginning of November this year. I've got to figure out how to take babies out into the cold or go crazy being cooped up!

When we bought the house we live in, there were hundreds of tulip bulbs all around the yard. But, the house sat vacant for a while, and the deer moved in. We have no more tulips, and I am quickly becoming an expert on deer-resistant plants. I am quite angry at the deer and have even considered letting the sharp-shooters into my yard. But I've got a soft spot for this little one. He sticks around our neighborhood and is almost always alone. Why? Because he is missing half of his back leg. In the fall when I saw him, I thought it would be merciful to kill him before winter came since he was a loner, a baby, and could hardly get around. But he's getting stronger in spite of the cold, and he's even re-integrating with the herd. If a gimpy deer can make it through the winter outside, we should be able to do it inside, right?

In my parents' house

I have been blessed with the most amazing parents. I meet people all of the time who tell me stories about their service. Today is their anniversary, and when I asked Mom what they were doing, she said, "Oh, it's just our 39th. Next year we'll do something grand."
I'd like to dedicate this song to them and change the first line to "in my parents' house." Thanks, Mom and Dad, for all of your love, sacrifice and time. You are truly amazing. Just look it up on Youtube under Corrine Bailey Rae "The Butterfly". You have to hear it; you can't just read the lyrics.


Lyrics to Butterfly :
In my mother's house
There's a photograph
Of a day gone past
Always makes me laugh
There's a little girl
Wary of the world
She got much to learn
Get her fingers burned
An affinity
Between you and me
Cause we're family
Said that I'd be fine
Give me all your time
And I left your side
Like a butterfly

Shower me with your love
All of everyday
You make the red rose sun
Shine on me
Lift me up so high
Watch me fly away
Would you live your life
Like a butterfly

In my mother's house
There was happiness
I wrapped my myself in it
Was my chrysalis
As my life unfolds
See a pattern through
Of you protecting me
And I protecting you
What was that you'd say
Make your own mistakes
And when you're grown
Make sure that you remain the same
Now I realise
What was on your mind
When I left your side
Like a butter fly

Shower me with your love
All of everyday
You make the red rose sun
Shine on me
Lift me up so high
Watch me fly away
Give me life
Like a butterfly

Shower me with your love
All of everyday
You make the red rose sun
Shine on me
Lift me up so high
Watch me fly away
Give me life
Like a butterfly