bedtime prayer

Josh's dad had back surgery this past spring, and Olivia has diligently prayed for him over the past several months.  Even though we've corrected her several times and told her just to pray for his back to feel better, she continues to pray for the surgery.  She added a little extra to the end tonight...

Dear God,

I pray for Grandpa and his back surgery and...(several second pause)...and that he doesn't get old.  Amen.

I hope it's okay to laugh during prayer time.  I couldn't help myself.

the summer of 2015

I wish I could just skip this post altogether, but I can't.  I'll apologize in advance for the lengthiness.  But it needs to be recorded, and I'll start with the heavy.

April/May/June

The story of this summer has been a sad one.

Most of you know that we buried one of our best friends.  He was a childhood friend of Josh's.  He and Josh were hunting buddies.  He and Josh have hunting stories galore.  He married my cousin.  He was in our wedding.  We went to church together for the last 15 years.  Our kids have grown up together.  

He went into the hospital in early April and was diagnosed with cancer shortly thereafter.  He came home in hospice care in June and died a few weeks later.  

Throughout the ordeal, Josh and I looked at each other time and time again and said, "Is this really happening?  Is Rob really dying?"  It was surreal to write his obituary and to attend his viewing and funeral.  

What was beautiful to see through the depths of great sorrow was the way our church family stood with Rob and Jen throughout Rob's battle.  And not only them, they stood with us as well.  Josh and I spent countless hours with Rob and Jen during those months.  Friends and family were watching our kids and cooking meals for us so that we could spend as much time with Rob and Jen as possible.  It is something that would have never crossed my mind in the past.  It will be at the top of my list in the future to love and bless those in supporting roles.  It was humbling and a blessing to say the least.  

What a joy it was to know Rob and call him our friend.  He will be forever missed.

July

July brought some nicer weather and some much appreciated rest at the lake.  It also gave Josh some time to work on our house.  He has worked steadily since July and has accomplished much.

He passed a couple of necessary inspections and has a date in October marked on the calendar where things need to be "livable" per our government.  He doesn't want to pay to renew our permits, so he's working as hard as he can to get things to the "livable" point.  I, for one, am thankful for the deadline.  He works well with a goal in mind. :)

July also brought some sad news.  Our dog, Tucker (he'll be 12 in November), has a tumor in his mouth.  While we know that he won't live much longer, it doesn't seem to be bothering him.  He drools much more than before, and Josh has to doctor his food so that it is softer.  He continues to be playful and has been enjoying all of the extra, extra walks with the girls.  We even had a photo shoot with him yesterday which consisted of him lying on his back time and time again as I tried to take pictures of him with the girls.  He just wanted to play, and the girls were getting a big kick out of it. 

On a positive note, volleyball started in July!  This has been the highlight of the summer for the girls.  Claire tried out for the volleyball team in May, and she found out on her birthday that she made it.  Poor Meredith really wanted to try out, but she'll need to wait until next year. :)  She is on the 4-6 grade training team, and that is whetting her appetite for now.  

August

With the unexpected schedule through April, May, and June, I wasn't quite as ready for school in August as I would have liked to have been.  The last couple of years, I have ordered all of our curriculum right after the end of school.  I would put away the old, organize the new, and be ready to plan in August.  Not this year.  We started a week ago today, and I still didn't feel as prepared as I would have liked.

Claire and Meredith actually both started some of their subjects without me during the two weeks before I was ready to begin.  You know it's bad when the students are more ready to start than the teacher.  They kind of kicked my rear end into gear. :)  I feel like I keep them accountable most of the time, but maybe the tables are beginning to turn.  

Volleyball games started this month which have forced me to be o.r.g.a.n.i.z.e.d. and prepped for meals.  I saw a fabulous idea on facebook to help with lunch prep, and we've been using that for the days when we have volleyball games.  It has worked nicely, and I've decided to serve our big meal for lunch on early volleyball game days instead of dinner.  So far, so good.  We'll see what September brings.  

August has also brought an unexpected desire for me to eat healthier, exercise regularly, go to bed earlier, and get up earlier.  I'm not sure I'm succeeding on all accounts, but I've definitely made some positive changes.  Unfortunately, I love cookies a little too much.  I know we've discussed this before.  Thankfully, my good friend, Deanna, makes these awesome healthy cookies.  She assures me that I can eat a lot of them, and I take comfort in that.  I don't argue.  I just eat the cookies and trust her words.  Pass me another healthy cookie, friend...  

We also FINALLY got internet back in our house.  Our phone and internet have been out all summer.  I kid you not...all.summer.long...since like May.  It's been a little weird and kind of nice, and I've become an expert at doing everything (but blogging) on my phone.  Blessing and a curse, I tell you.  We still don't have our phone in working order.  Maybe someday.  

September

September is going to be a busy volleyball month.  (Can you tell I'm totally turning into a volleyball mom?  Sorry that you're going to have to hear about it for the next 15 years if all of my girls decide to play.)  

Our co-op also starts in September, and I agreed to be in charge this year.  Sometimes I question my sanity, but I just had to take the reins.  My friend, Cari, was formerly in charge, and her husband had cancer a few years ago.  And she was donating a kidney this summer.  And she has six kids.  I told myself, "Your husband does not have cancer, you're not donating a kidney, you don't have a baby, you're not pregnant, and your youngest child is four.  What is your excuse?!!"  I had none.  I knew I could handle it.  And Deanna promised to help.  Thankfully, she's been a super-awesome assistant, and she's done almost all of the grunt work.  She makes me look good!

I hope September is treating all of you well.  I'm sorry if I don't tell you enough that I'm thankful to have you as my friends.  And if you were all here, I'd give you a hug...so instead, a virtual hug, right here.  Maybe I'll get caught up on reading blogs, but let's be honest and realistic...I probably won't.  I'll just pick up bits and pieces where I can.  If anything major has happened, just tell me.  Happy September to you, my friends!

on mothers day without photos

As I scrolled through my facebook feed, I saw photo after photo of my friends with their kiddos celebrating Mothers Day.  They were truly beautiful.  I, on the other hand, posted no photos of my children today.  I didn't have any.

I'll admit that I had good intentions to take my camera along with me today to snap a shot or two of my girls with their grandmas and maybe even one with me.  I mean, I had to speak in front of church this morning for a few minutes.  This means that I definitely wore make up, had my hair just right, and even wore a nice spring-y shirt.  In theory, it would have made for a nice photo.

But I dropped the ball.  My good intentions were put on the back burner as I remembered my print-out for church, the strawberry shortcake for dessert at my in-laws, and my church bag.  We were on time to church, and I didn't forget any of the essentials.  Phew!  That's really a major accomplishment in and of itself.

So, to all of you moms out there that didn't post photos of your kiddos today...consider this your pass.  You're a mom.  I know you had a million other things that consumed your mind today.  Whatever the case may be, it's okay.  You're good.  I didn't do it either.

And tomorrow, let's all band together and buy t-shirts that read: World's Okayest Mom

Who's with me?

Happy Mother's Day to the most okayest moms I know.  I love you all to pieces.

olivia is four

The little one is four.

She wanted a beach cake with a dolphin on it for her birthday.  We have two dolphins somewhere in this house, but only one surfaced when the cake was being made.  The other must have been swimming somewhere off shore.

I put the older girls in charge of making some beachy decorations for the cake with Legos.  I knew they would come through for me, and they certainly did not disappoint.

This is the third beach cake that I've made.  If my memory serves me correctly, I've also made three castle cakes.  I wouldn't have thought the beach theme would be a popular one, but I won't complain.  Beach cakes are waaayyyy easier than castle cakes.  It took longer to crush the graham crackers than it did to decorate it.  

The girls had several gifts for Liv this year.  Claire made her a stuffed teapot, tea cup/saucer, and spoon.  Meredith made her a few stuffed pastries/desserts to go along with her tea set.  Amelia gave her three pieces of gum and sparkly $1 bill. :)  All three girls pooled their money and bought her a $5 Bunny and Babies Lego set.  

She.is.so.loved.

Josh and I got her a Design and Drill toy.  She (along with her her sisters) have absolutely loved playing with it.

At four years old, Olivia loves...

-her sisters

-balloons

-talking

-cheese

-the color purple

-books

-people

-playing with hair

-changing her clothes

Olivia,

You are a bright spot in our lives.  It is so much fun to enjoy life with a four year old!  We love the way you think, talk, and giggle.  Your love and admiration for your sisters is beyond evident, and they adore you as much as you do them.  We can't wait to see you grow this year.  What a blessing you are!

the "almost" slumber birthday party

Oh, the "almost" slumber party!  It has come and gone, and we all survived. :)  We celebrated Meredith's 10th birthday party with another Dramatic Fanatic themed party...this one with a slumber party theme.  Again, it was a hit for all involved.  (We did a similar camping themed party for Claire's 10th birthday a couple of years ago.)  

For several reasons, we chose to do an "almost" slumber party instead of an actual slumber party.  One of those reasons included the fact that there were 20 girls here that evening celebrating.  What a fun time, though!

The girls had the option of coming in character or in their pajamas.  I scoured Pinterest for as many slumber party/sleepover party ideas that I could find.  You know me, I chose the cutest, easiest ones. :)  All of these ideas (and more!) including the printables and recipes that I used are on my almost slumber party Pinterest board.  

Here are some photos from the setup:

The Menu:
-sleeping bags (not pictured because I didn't have them baked when I took the photos): crescent rolls filled with pepperoni and cheese with dipping sauce on the side
-yogurt bar: yogurt in individual cups with strawberries, blueberries, and granola for toppings
-bed bugs: red and green grapes on small kabob sticks
-cuties
-bacon and eggs: white almond bark with little m&ms and pretzel sticks
-crispy bites: rice krispy treats made with fruity pebbles cereal on small popsicle sticks
-donut pops: donut holes on kabob sticks (by the way, I just wrapped a shallow box with kraft paper and poked holes in it for the donut pops holder)
-donuts
-water bottles: covered with fun duct tape and an owl sticker
*the food label stands are sitting in jumbo marshmallows...they worked perfectly for our camping themed party, so I used the idea again.

I decorated the tables with cereal-filled jars.  I added some larger cereal bowls and spoons as decor as well.  Believe it or not, all of the cereal in the jars and bowls was eaten by the end of the night!  It totally cracked me up.

Streamers were used to make a photo shoot area which was a fun addition:

The girls watched a movie and ate popcorn to end their night.  I found the popcorn bags on Amazon:

We sent home little boxes of cereal with the girls:

...and a little note on the back:

This was a really fun party to put together!  The owl theme was sweet, and I went with it because I found printables and matching duct tape.  Meredith had a great time and so did all of the girls.  I always love planning for and doing parties like these, but I'm also thankful to not have to do them every year.  I don't think my sanity could handle it.  Now, I get a three year break until Amelia's. Whew! :)

Happy Birthday, Meredith!

Happy Birthday, Meredith!  You are officially ten years old, and it doesn't quite seem possible that we've had you that long.  However, my photo records prove that we've celebrated each and every birthday up to this point.  It must be true. :)  

Since we kind of go "all out" for 10th birthdays around here (I'll post about her party soon), I thought I would put together some photos to document Meredith's ten years.  

#1: Day 1.  Really practically minute one.  What our anesthesiologist lacked in timeliness, he made up for in photography skills.  Since she was a c-section baby, I have photos of her literally half in/half out.  They are some of the neatest photos (as long as you're not grossed out by that kind of thing).  This particular one was probably 5 minutes after she was born, but I just love how we're holding hands.  Meredith is a complete cuddle bug, and I'm not surprised that we're touching already. :) 

#2:  Six months old.  Such a fun age.  So much personality.  She was a very pleasant baby, and I'm certain I had no major complaints.  By this point, her hair had finally calmed down a bit, and we were starting to drop the nickname, "Crazy Hair Mer."

#3:  Age 2.  This photo was taken on her 2nd birthday.  I remember making cupcakes with little ducks or chicks on them for her.  They were kind of last minute, and we ate them at my parents' house.  It wasn't much of a celebration. :)

#4: Age 3.  Three fingers in the mouth, elephant in the other hand, happy toddler.  This is the point in life when we started fighting over socks.  We would have 20 minute battles over wearing socks or not wearing socks.  It was a huge deal for her for several years.

#5: Age 4.  Not battling those socks anymore.  Embracing sockless winters with the agreement that she didn't have to wear socks as long as she didn't complain if her feet were cold.  We found fuzzy shoes and boots that helped as well.  This was also the point in life when I wondered where my sweet little toddler had run off to.  These were some very trying times in parenthood.  Meredith was all over the board emotionally, and most of her wardrobe bothered her when she touched it or looked at it.  Whites and stripes hurt her eyes.  Pants were too tight.  Shirts itched.  Shoes were too tight. There was a lot of stomping, screaming, and crying.  She fought a lot of things.  This was a hard stage to navigate.  But she also had this soft, sweet side which is captured so beautifully in this photo.  I honestly didn't understand how two very different personalities could be possessed by one child.

#6: Age 5.  Lots of prayers.  Lots of patience.  A few clothing items that she would wear over and over and over and over and over again.  Taking into consideration that this child valued comfort above all and that she was ultra sensitive to touch and smell made life much more tolerable during these days.  It was a learning process for all of us.  Still wouldn't wear socks.  This photo shows her painting, and she just loves all things artsy.  

#7: Age 6.  She's coming along.  Still no socks.  Still no white shirts.  Still no jeans.  Finding more pleasant days than unpleasant days during this time.  That newest little sister of hers (Olivia) fully brought out her most admirable qualities, and they often comforted each other in their times of need.  I snapped this photo to get an idea of lighting as I was prepping for Olivia's newborn photos.  The lighting was beautiful, and I've always loved this image of her.  

#8: Age 7.  She's wearing socks with her tennis shoes...now this is progress!  She's down to having an emotional outburst probably once a week which seems like such an enormous improvement from the three previous years.  The Lord is kind.  Her love and compassion for others is shining through everywhere, and that littlest sister of hers is one of her very favorite people in the entire world.

#9: Age 8.  We've completely figured out the wardrobe.  Black knit pants and nice soft shirts.  We've come a long way. :)

#10: Age 9.  Kind, compassionate, caring, and as sweet as sugar.  Begs each and everyday for another little brother or sister to love...which doesn't surprise me at all.  Wears jeggings, socks, and several different shirts. :) Major growth spurt on so many levels.

#11: Age 10.  This photo was taken on Friday.  We hosted her 10th birthday party.  She played an actress in the drama for the evening which is why she looks especially grown up.  I'd be tempted to say, "Slow down!" But she's only getting better with age.

Meredith, 

You are sweet, spunky, compassionate, and creative.  Art and babies are your two favorite things, and your heart is as big as your smile.  You told me yesterday that you hope to buy an island house in the middle of a lake, get two dogs, and live there painting pictures.  You are so encouraging and such a great teacher to the younger people around you.  I wouldn't be surprised at all if you decide to be an elementary art teacher someday.  What a blessing you are to our family.  We love you more than you know. 

On a side note, I've thought a lot about what I might have told myself had I known that good days were on the other side of those rough years.  I don't know exactly what I would have told myself other than encouragement that is so obvious: This too shall pass.  

It did.  At the time, though, I think I was clinging to the most positive personality aspects of Meredith that I could see, and I prayed so often that those would shine through someday.  I knew they were there, I just didn't know how to make them stay.  When we made it through a day without conflict, I rejoiced.  I found a lot of comfort in my friends.  I found a lot of comfort in my prayers.  

I found that the more I knew and understood the things that set her off, the better I could prepare her for the next task or event.  She needed downtime, physical touch, and a lot of rest, not to mention she doesn't like to be surprised about what's coming next.  It's been a learning process along the way and continues to be.  

May I remember these things as we deal with all of the bumps, u-turns, potholes, and detours along this road ahead.  And during the quieter and more pleasant days, I pray I remember to take lots of photos and to be especially thankful for the beautiful landscape that surrounds me.  

lego mania

I am not exaggerating when I say that the girls spent the entire weekend playing with legos.  They built, sorted, and made an entire little village on the one side of our playroom.

Two funny/scary things came out of this.

First of all, Olivia obviously walked through one area of the village and wasn't quite as careful as she should have been.  Amelia commented, "I think a tornado came through here!"  Meredith responded, "I think it was a Livi tornado."

Second story:
Did you know that you can download lego plans from their website?  People are pretty rough on their instruction guides around here.  So, when the girls were putting together some of their older sets this weekend, they had the computer sitting down low on a kitchen chair so that they could see the plans from the computer.

Our laptop typically sits on the counter right next to where they have been working this weekend.  At one point this morning, I heard Olivia say to one of her sisters, "I held the computer, and I didn't even drop it."

Cue pride from the child.  Cue panic from the mother.

We then had a very serious discussion about how "you may NOT move Mommy's computer! You may ask Mommy to move it for you, but you may not move it yourself!"  ...followed by prayers of thanksgiving that she didn't drop it. :)  Whew!!