Go comment on her blog with your favorite Christmas song to win. The only thing you have to do if you win is invite us over to play it with you. =) Or you could just give it to us as a Christmas present.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Game Giveaway!
One of my friends who lived in our ward years ago when Elizabeth was a baby is giving away a game her sister created that is an LDS version of Ticket to Ride called Trek to Zion. 
Go comment on her blog with your favorite Christmas song to win. The only thing you have to do if you win is invite us over to play it with you. =) Or you could just give it to us as a Christmas present.
Go comment on her blog with your favorite Christmas song to win. The only thing you have to do if you win is invite us over to play it with you. =) Or you could just give it to us as a Christmas present.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Thanksgiving Weekend
I thought about doing two separate posts, but this will just be one long one (there are MANY pictures to get you through....) Here is our family on Thanksgiving. Act surprised if you see it on our Christmas card. See! I have a baby bump there! People keep telling me I'm not showing. Her head is down (even though she's not coming out that way) and this is my fourth kid. So many people told me I was small with Elizabeth too. I had gained 50 pounds at that point. They were WAY wrong. She came out at 9 pounds 2 ounces. Sorry, tangent on my weight over. Abigail really is growing and should be ready the 24th of January (Two months!!!)
We spent Thanksgiving day at Andy's parent's house with family. It was great. I just took pictures of people on Thanksgiving and not all the food or anything, even though it is always impressive how much food there is. No one really needs to see the food. It was the exact same things as almost everyone else eats on Thanksgiving. Nothing weird.
Shirley and Torrie with Olivia and Elizabeth. Torrie wanted a posed shot with Elizabeth first and then Olivia and Shirley hopped in.
After dinner, we visited, ate some pie, and then moved downstairs to watch Toy Story 3. It was funny and the kids liked it. (I'm pretty sure they'll like that Christmas present....shhhhh!)
Vincent playing with this dinosaur skeleton play-set that George bought Thanksgiving morning. He's a little obsessed with dinosaurs and all other animals, cars, etc.
Andy and Olivia enjoying the movie and the relaxation time. Olivia almost fell asleep.
Friday morning we drove to Portland (normally about 3 1/2-4 hours away) to get a set of bunkbeds at Ikea because they had the best price. We don't have any other weekend to go with the ballet recital, Nutcracker, and Christmas, and then just a few weeks until Abigail comes home and needs the crib. It was pretty lousy weather to travel in with all the snow and icy roads (only part of the way there and most of the way home), but we needed to do it. Andy arranged to borrow his dad's pickup truck so we could put the bed in the back. Andy is really good at being a careful and cautious driver during bad road conditions. We didn't have any close calls or real slips. There was some freezing rain for a few minutes, but we made it to Portland after four hours which is pretty normal.
We had a few other places we wanted to go before Ikea (can't leave our big purchase in the back of the truck). All four places we went I have never been. We went to the Lego Store at the Washington Square mall which is an enormous mall. The mall has two parking garages and regular parking lots all around, but we still had to drive around for a half hour to find any open spots. Andy picked out his Christmas present at the Lego Store since he collects Star Wars Lego sets. The kids each picked out a littler Lego set that will be wrapped up for Christmas too. I even picked out a Lego Toy Story Jessie keychain.
Vincent by the big Lego at the front of the store while we waited for Andy to pay in the long line. It was Black Friday after all in a mall in Portland, but at least it was already 3pm when we got there.
Olivia, Vincent, and Elizabeth in the Lego Store. See how packed it was? Vincent was sad because he didn't want to stay by me and I made him. I'm SO mean. =)
After Andy was done at his favorite store, we went to the Cheesecake Factory. They have regular food as well as delicious cheesecake.
Olivia, Andy, and Elizabeth just after we ordered. They even have cloth napkins there.
Vincent and I. Vincent was trying to hit his silverware all over his plate, but he really liked holding his napkin on his lap. It kept sliding off, so I put each side under his legs.
So, we had our delicious lunch/dinner and I picked out a chocolate raspberry cheesecake to-go and we drove over to Fabric Depot where I heard they have great deals on fabric. They weren't quite as good as I expected, but I'm pretty cheap when it comes to buying fabric. I won't do the $10 a yard stuff. No way. I was looking for fabric for my microwave potato bags that had potatoes or veggies or harvesty colors that would work well. I went in with a purpose and came away with some fabric that works well. I don't think the design was supposed to look like potatoes, but I think it'll work. I set my phone timer for 15 minutes and it went off while the lady was cutting my fabric. I'm decisive and this proved to be a very good thing later.
After Fabric Depot we drove over to Ikea (have I mentioned that Andy is a great driver, doesn't get lost, and knows where he's going?) It was dark by then and we knew we needed to hurry a little so we didn't have time to check out the whole store and really experience what is IKEA, but it was really cool and they have great prices on just about anything you would ever need for your home. We asked where to go to get bunkbeds as soon as we walked in the door and went straight to it, picked white metal over pale wood color and looked at their mattresses. The plan was to buy them there since their prices are so cheap and we wouldn't have to pay tax, but their mattresses were really hardly more than foam camp pads and cost $150 each. Since the bed was only $150 and we thought we could find cheaper mattresses at home, we left without them. We didn't splurge on anything else in the whole store, even though so many things looked awesome! I think it helped that we both just went and splurged the whole rest of the day a little.
It was a lot more slippery on the way home, so we ended up driving about half speed most of the way. We stopped at Arlington (slightly closer to home than Portland) for a potty break at a Shell station, the cashier had a police scanner, and he asked us which way we were headed and told us that the road going TO Portland (about 20 miles back) had just had a big accident with two semi trucks and one of them caught on fire and they had to close both directions of the freeway for the night. We hurried out of there, not wanting to be stuck in their little town with our three little kids and not prepared to stay overnight. We finally got back home at 11:30pm which made it a five hour trip home safe and sound (and slightly stressed for Andy, on top of an aching leg from not being able to use cruise control). Vincent and Olivia both slept in the car and Elizabeth just kept asking us questions. They all travel really well (for little kids) and we are grateful for that.
Saturday we had to go and search for the mattresses while we were still borrowing Andy's dad's truck, so we looked online at Target and Shopko and realized that mattresses (even twins) are really expensive. I had checked facebook a little while before and one of my old classmates mentioned that he was in line at BigLots for a mattress, so I checked out their website and their mattresses are Serta and only $100 each. We dropped off Elizabeth at a birthday party for one of her friends from church and then went to look at one other store before going to BigLots. They had them and we bought them there. They are nice mattresses and they made me really glad we didn't buy the crummy ones at Ikea. After dropping off the mattresses, we returned the truck, picked up our car, and had time to go to JoAnn's (Andy says: NaDell being a fast decider makes the fabric store not as tedious as it could be. Between holding open the door, and paying, there's usually not much for me to do, but this time I was able to learn that Rick Rack is called Fleco in Spanish and Croquet in French. I always though French people were too cool to put something like Rick Rack on their clothes.) I was looking for some cheaper-than-Fabric-Depot-fabric to go with the fabric I found there in Portland to make the potato bags. Then it was time to pick Elizabeth up from the party, eat lunch, and naps for Vincent and I. After he woke up, we went to see Andy's cousin who just returned home from a mission, played Settlers of Catan with Andy's other cousins while the kids played with his youngest cousins, and then went to the store before coming home. The kids had a shower and I made some easy dinner while Andy built the bunkbed.
It's a good thing I married a man who reads the directions (Andy says: more like skim the directions, I did have to undo one piece and put it back on the right way) or it might have taken all night. =)
It did take a little longer than he expected, so the kids went to bed a little late (but not as late as the night before), but tomorrow is Sunday and they can rest after church.
Here is Elizabeth on the top bunk. She's so excited to have a bunkbed! I read the warning label to her that said "no horseplay" and let her know she'd have to move to the bottom bunk if she started jumping around the top of the bed.
Olivia's just as excited about the bunkbed, even though she's on the bottom. One day maybe she'll be on the top and Abigail will be on the bottom.
Here's the bunkbed all built and dressed and solid.
We now officially have so many kids, we have to stack them to sleep and we're okay with that. We love them all. Vincent is staying in the crib until next week. Maybe the novelty of the bunkbed will wear off a little for the girls by then.
Any tips for getting little busy boys to stay in their beds?
We didn't have to try very hard with the girls, but he's a totally different breed of kid. I think I'm going to see if I can find him a fun set of sheets or blanket with one of his obsessions (dinosaurs, Toy Story, Cars, etc.) Maybe that will help....or maybe he'll just need a few spankings to help him....
We spent Thanksgiving day at Andy's parent's house with family. It was great. I just took pictures of people on Thanksgiving and not all the food or anything, even though it is always impressive how much food there is. No one really needs to see the food. It was the exact same things as almost everyone else eats on Thanksgiving. Nothing weird.Shirley and Torrie with Olivia and Elizabeth. Torrie wanted a posed shot with Elizabeth first and then Olivia and Shirley hopped in.
After dinner, we visited, ate some pie, and then moved downstairs to watch Toy Story 3. It was funny and the kids liked it. (I'm pretty sure they'll like that Christmas present....shhhhh!)Vincent playing with this dinosaur skeleton play-set that George bought Thanksgiving morning. He's a little obsessed with dinosaurs and all other animals, cars, etc.
Andy and Olivia enjoying the movie and the relaxation time. Olivia almost fell asleep.
Friday morning we drove to Portland (normally about 3 1/2-4 hours away) to get a set of bunkbeds at Ikea because they had the best price. We don't have any other weekend to go with the ballet recital, Nutcracker, and Christmas, and then just a few weeks until Abigail comes home and needs the crib. It was pretty lousy weather to travel in with all the snow and icy roads (only part of the way there and most of the way home), but we needed to do it. Andy arranged to borrow his dad's pickup truck so we could put the bed in the back. Andy is really good at being a careful and cautious driver during bad road conditions. We didn't have any close calls or real slips. There was some freezing rain for a few minutes, but we made it to Portland after four hours which is pretty normal.We had a few other places we wanted to go before Ikea (can't leave our big purchase in the back of the truck). All four places we went I have never been. We went to the Lego Store at the Washington Square mall which is an enormous mall. The mall has two parking garages and regular parking lots all around, but we still had to drive around for a half hour to find any open spots. Andy picked out his Christmas present at the Lego Store since he collects Star Wars Lego sets. The kids each picked out a littler Lego set that will be wrapped up for Christmas too. I even picked out a Lego Toy Story Jessie keychain.
Vincent by the big Lego at the front of the store while we waited for Andy to pay in the long line. It was Black Friday after all in a mall in Portland, but at least it was already 3pm when we got there.
Olivia, Vincent, and Elizabeth in the Lego Store. See how packed it was? Vincent was sad because he didn't want to stay by me and I made him. I'm SO mean. =)
After Andy was done at his favorite store, we went to the Cheesecake Factory. They have regular food as well as delicious cheesecake.Olivia, Andy, and Elizabeth just after we ordered. They even have cloth napkins there.
Vincent and I. Vincent was trying to hit his silverware all over his plate, but he really liked holding his napkin on his lap. It kept sliding off, so I put each side under his legs.
So, we had our delicious lunch/dinner and I picked out a chocolate raspberry cheesecake to-go and we drove over to Fabric Depot where I heard they have great deals on fabric. They weren't quite as good as I expected, but I'm pretty cheap when it comes to buying fabric. I won't do the $10 a yard stuff. No way. I was looking for fabric for my microwave potato bags that had potatoes or veggies or harvesty colors that would work well. I went in with a purpose and came away with some fabric that works well. I don't think the design was supposed to look like potatoes, but I think it'll work. I set my phone timer for 15 minutes and it went off while the lady was cutting my fabric. I'm decisive and this proved to be a very good thing later.After Fabric Depot we drove over to Ikea (have I mentioned that Andy is a great driver, doesn't get lost, and knows where he's going?) It was dark by then and we knew we needed to hurry a little so we didn't have time to check out the whole store and really experience what is IKEA, but it was really cool and they have great prices on just about anything you would ever need for your home. We asked where to go to get bunkbeds as soon as we walked in the door and went straight to it, picked white metal over pale wood color and looked at their mattresses. The plan was to buy them there since their prices are so cheap and we wouldn't have to pay tax, but their mattresses were really hardly more than foam camp pads and cost $150 each. Since the bed was only $150 and we thought we could find cheaper mattresses at home, we left without them. We didn't splurge on anything else in the whole store, even though so many things looked awesome! I think it helped that we both just went and splurged the whole rest of the day a little.
It was a lot more slippery on the way home, so we ended up driving about half speed most of the way. We stopped at Arlington (slightly closer to home than Portland) for a potty break at a Shell station, the cashier had a police scanner, and he asked us which way we were headed and told us that the road going TO Portland (about 20 miles back) had just had a big accident with two semi trucks and one of them caught on fire and they had to close both directions of the freeway for the night. We hurried out of there, not wanting to be stuck in their little town with our three little kids and not prepared to stay overnight. We finally got back home at 11:30pm which made it a five hour trip home safe and sound (and slightly stressed for Andy, on top of an aching leg from not being able to use cruise control). Vincent and Olivia both slept in the car and Elizabeth just kept asking us questions. They all travel really well (for little kids) and we are grateful for that.
Saturday we had to go and search for the mattresses while we were still borrowing Andy's dad's truck, so we looked online at Target and Shopko and realized that mattresses (even twins) are really expensive. I had checked facebook a little while before and one of my old classmates mentioned that he was in line at BigLots for a mattress, so I checked out their website and their mattresses are Serta and only $100 each. We dropped off Elizabeth at a birthday party for one of her friends from church and then went to look at one other store before going to BigLots. They had them and we bought them there. They are nice mattresses and they made me really glad we didn't buy the crummy ones at Ikea. After dropping off the mattresses, we returned the truck, picked up our car, and had time to go to JoAnn's (Andy says: NaDell being a fast decider makes the fabric store not as tedious as it could be. Between holding open the door, and paying, there's usually not much for me to do, but this time I was able to learn that Rick Rack is called Fleco in Spanish and Croquet in French. I always though French people were too cool to put something like Rick Rack on their clothes.) I was looking for some cheaper-than-Fabric-Depot-fabric to go with the fabric I found there in Portland to make the potato bags. Then it was time to pick Elizabeth up from the party, eat lunch, and naps for Vincent and I. After he woke up, we went to see Andy's cousin who just returned home from a mission, played Settlers of Catan with Andy's other cousins while the kids played with his youngest cousins, and then went to the store before coming home. The kids had a shower and I made some easy dinner while Andy built the bunkbed.
It's a good thing I married a man who reads the directions (Andy says: more like skim the directions, I did have to undo one piece and put it back on the right way) or it might have taken all night. =)
It did take a little longer than he expected, so the kids went to bed a little late (but not as late as the night before), but tomorrow is Sunday and they can rest after church.Here is Elizabeth on the top bunk. She's so excited to have a bunkbed! I read the warning label to her that said "no horseplay" and let her know she'd have to move to the bottom bunk if she started jumping around the top of the bed.
Olivia's just as excited about the bunkbed, even though she's on the bottom. One day maybe she'll be on the top and Abigail will be on the bottom.
Here's the bunkbed all built and dressed and solid.
We now officially have so many kids, we have to stack them to sleep and we're okay with that. We love them all. Vincent is staying in the crib until next week. Maybe the novelty of the bunkbed will wear off a little for the girls by then.Any tips for getting little busy boys to stay in their beds?
We didn't have to try very hard with the girls, but he's a totally different breed of kid. I think I'm going to see if I can find him a fun set of sheets or blanket with one of his obsessions (dinosaurs, Toy Story, Cars, etc.) Maybe that will help....or maybe he'll just need a few spankings to help him....
Monday, November 22, 2010
SNOW!
And before Thanksgiving too. 
I looked out the kitchen window on my way to make my nightly potato in my microwave potato bag that I make and sell at the Ransom.Made design events and noticed there was already an inch or two on the cars outside and it was still coming down hard. It hardly ever does that here in Eastern Washington (aka the desert of Washington) this time of year. Actually, I just looked up the history of Richland to see when it snowed last on this date and it was blank. It said the record rain was .44 inches (in 1992), so we really aren't used to this sort of weather quite this early. That being said, it was wonderful to not have to worry about school this morning for the kids (our schools did have a two hour delay for middle and high schoolers) and we didn't have to go anywhere until our flu shot appointment after Vincent's nap. Right about then was when the snow picked up again and started coming down hard again. Driving isn't that bad in this snowy stuff. You just leave space and slow down early. I did see a city bus off to the side of the road with a little car behind it that apparently rammed into it. All the bus passengers were off in a parking lot waiting for the next bus. I wanted to tell the guy at the next stop that it might be a while, but didn't stop because I didn't want to get stuck or get out of the car. The girls got the flu mist and Vincent had the shot. We have to go get their other half of the flu vaccine in a month because the H1N1 is with the regular shot this year and we didn't get it last year. We survived and there were no close calls for us on the way home either.
The kids had fun playing in the snow this morning. I even had snow pants and boots for all of them this year. Last year Elizabeth's pants were getting too little (Olivia's now) and she had outgrown her boots so I picked up her snow pants, her boots, and Vincent's snow pants last year after they were on sale. (Since it doesn't snow here much, I could just wait.)
Elizabeth got right into it making herself a snow angel. Guess who copied her?
Olivia's snow angel.
Vincent's snow angel.
Vincent liked the snow and wanted to go back out when the girls did after flu shots, but I kept him in. It's getting too cold out there with the sun down.
It will be fun for us while it lasts. Hopefully everyone can manage safe trips and stay warm in their houses if they don't have to go anywhere. I'm hoping it all melts by Friday too since we are planning a little trip to Ikea in Portland to pick up a bunkbed for the girls to share so Vincent can move into their room and out of the crib before Abigail comes. Andy's a great driver and went to Umatilla, Oregon today just like every other Monday, so we'll go probably no matter what anyway.
I looked out the kitchen window on my way to make my nightly potato in my microwave potato bag that I make and sell at the Ransom.Made design events and noticed there was already an inch or two on the cars outside and it was still coming down hard. It hardly ever does that here in Eastern Washington (aka the desert of Washington) this time of year. Actually, I just looked up the history of Richland to see when it snowed last on this date and it was blank. It said the record rain was .44 inches (in 1992), so we really aren't used to this sort of weather quite this early. That being said, it was wonderful to not have to worry about school this morning for the kids (our schools did have a two hour delay for middle and high schoolers) and we didn't have to go anywhere until our flu shot appointment after Vincent's nap. Right about then was when the snow picked up again and started coming down hard again. Driving isn't that bad in this snowy stuff. You just leave space and slow down early. I did see a city bus off to the side of the road with a little car behind it that apparently rammed into it. All the bus passengers were off in a parking lot waiting for the next bus. I wanted to tell the guy at the next stop that it might be a while, but didn't stop because I didn't want to get stuck or get out of the car. The girls got the flu mist and Vincent had the shot. We have to go get their other half of the flu vaccine in a month because the H1N1 is with the regular shot this year and we didn't get it last year. We survived and there were no close calls for us on the way home either.
The kids had fun playing in the snow this morning. I even had snow pants and boots for all of them this year. Last year Elizabeth's pants were getting too little (Olivia's now) and she had outgrown her boots so I picked up her snow pants, her boots, and Vincent's snow pants last year after they were on sale. (Since it doesn't snow here much, I could just wait.)Elizabeth got right into it making herself a snow angel. Guess who copied her?
Olivia's snow angel.
Vincent's snow angel.
Vincent liked the snow and wanted to go back out when the girls did after flu shots, but I kept him in. It's getting too cold out there with the sun down.
It will be fun for us while it lasts. Hopefully everyone can manage safe trips and stay warm in their houses if they don't have to go anywhere. I'm hoping it all melts by Friday too since we are planning a little trip to Ikea in Portland to pick up a bunkbed for the girls to share so Vincent can move into their room and out of the crib before Abigail comes. Andy's a great driver and went to Umatilla, Oregon today just like every other Monday, so we'll go probably no matter what anyway.
Friday, November 19, 2010
School and naps
So, once again I have gone almost a whole week without blogging. Why, you ask? Because I'm spending almost all my down time sleeping. Yep. To tired. It's almost like my body is making me rest up while I can so I can build a baby or something. Almost like that.
The other day I was feeling so lousy that after I got ready for the day, I went back to bed before I even went to pick Olivia up from school, came home, put Vincent to bed for his nap, Olivia got her own lunch (she likes to make a lunch snack with cheese, ham, crackers, carrots, etc.), and I went back to bed until my phone alarm told me it was time to go pick Elizabeth up from school. After school I functioned enough to take Olivia to ballet, but not enough to do anything else. When we got home, I fixed some dinner, ate some, and went back to bed while Andy got the kids ready for bed. As soon as they were all tucked away, I got a little energy, of course. I still didn't do much though. I really love afternoon naps. They are the highlight of most of my days. Please don't call me between 12-3pm if you don't have to. I'm not always sleeping then, but I'm probably crabby if I'm not.
Anyway, this week was good still (at least what I was awake for). We managed to get to school on time. I made some delicious cookies on Monday to take to the Bishop of our ward (and to turn in our keys for the nursery since we changed buildings and were able to join their family and the missionaries for their FHE lesson) and to one of the old people who sit in the back of the chapel who the kids always shake hands with before Sacrament meeting starts who aren't in our ward anymore. Olivia had a playdate with a friend. Elizabeth was invited to two birthday parties. We had game night, but I quit and rested toward the end of the game.
Olivia didn't have school Thursday for parent-teacher conferences and Elizabeth's no school started Friday, so Friday morning Andy and I went to talk with their teachers. They both got great reviews and we are glad they are doing well in school. Elizabeth's review was the most surprising. We've been all worried about her for nothing, it seems. Her teacher told us that she is an excellent reader and is above grade level. I think she must just be too stubborn or tired to read at home when we try to get her to. It is easier to just listen to us read to her. She is above grade level in math as well and her teacher says she is her little group's leader. Awesome. Maybe that solves the "I don't have any friends" line she says too. Her teacher did say that she is one of the few girls who likes to pair up with the boys for projects and gets along well with them. Not surprising to us that she gets along better with boys. She likes boy things and I'm sure she doesn't like girl drama. Olivia is having fun at school and knows how to follow directions and listen. She is learning and doing a great job. Her teacher said she is a "joy" in class and she is glad to have her there. Olivia has been going to see the speech teacher a few times a week to work on how she pronounces words and loves to work on the skills the teacher shows her. In her kindergarten class, they have sight words which are the words they focus on for a week and then they should all know them (the, a, at, he, she, etc). There are probably close to 20 words now and Olivia put a notebook and pencil in her word bag and she likes to write them all down over and over. Anyway, we are pleased with their progress.
Now, on to Thanksgiving vacation! The girls don't have school again until the Monday after Thanksgiving, so everyday will be a party over here (or naptime.)
The other day I was feeling so lousy that after I got ready for the day, I went back to bed before I even went to pick Olivia up from school, came home, put Vincent to bed for his nap, Olivia got her own lunch (she likes to make a lunch snack with cheese, ham, crackers, carrots, etc.), and I went back to bed until my phone alarm told me it was time to go pick Elizabeth up from school. After school I functioned enough to take Olivia to ballet, but not enough to do anything else. When we got home, I fixed some dinner, ate some, and went back to bed while Andy got the kids ready for bed. As soon as they were all tucked away, I got a little energy, of course. I still didn't do much though. I really love afternoon naps. They are the highlight of most of my days. Please don't call me between 12-3pm if you don't have to. I'm not always sleeping then, but I'm probably crabby if I'm not.
Anyway, this week was good still (at least what I was awake for). We managed to get to school on time. I made some delicious cookies on Monday to take to the Bishop of our ward (and to turn in our keys for the nursery since we changed buildings and were able to join their family and the missionaries for their FHE lesson) and to one of the old people who sit in the back of the chapel who the kids always shake hands with before Sacrament meeting starts who aren't in our ward anymore. Olivia had a playdate with a friend. Elizabeth was invited to two birthday parties. We had game night, but I quit and rested toward the end of the game.
Olivia didn't have school Thursday for parent-teacher conferences and Elizabeth's no school started Friday, so Friday morning Andy and I went to talk with their teachers. They both got great reviews and we are glad they are doing well in school. Elizabeth's review was the most surprising. We've been all worried about her for nothing, it seems. Her teacher told us that she is an excellent reader and is above grade level. I think she must just be too stubborn or tired to read at home when we try to get her to. It is easier to just listen to us read to her. She is above grade level in math as well and her teacher says she is her little group's leader. Awesome. Maybe that solves the "I don't have any friends" line she says too. Her teacher did say that she is one of the few girls who likes to pair up with the boys for projects and gets along well with them. Not surprising to us that she gets along better with boys. She likes boy things and I'm sure she doesn't like girl drama. Olivia is having fun at school and knows how to follow directions and listen. She is learning and doing a great job. Her teacher said she is a "joy" in class and she is glad to have her there. Olivia has been going to see the speech teacher a few times a week to work on how she pronounces words and loves to work on the skills the teacher shows her. In her kindergarten class, they have sight words which are the words they focus on for a week and then they should all know them (the, a, at, he, she, etc). There are probably close to 20 words now and Olivia put a notebook and pencil in her word bag and she likes to write them all down over and over. Anyway, we are pleased with their progress.
Now, on to Thanksgiving vacation! The girls don't have school again until the Monday after Thanksgiving, so everyday will be a party over here (or naptime.)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Ch-ch-ch-changes
This Sunday our ward experienced some changes. They announced last Sunday at Stake Conference that our ward and the ward next to us were invited to a meeting that happened tonight to create a third ward. I was excited by this for many reasons, but mostly because I've never been involved in a ward change (as I explained in my last post). I'm always curious what happens when certain church things happen, like when we get a new Prophet or even when the Temple was dedicated here and the things that surround that. I think I like change, as long as it isn't bad. I know that growth in the church is wonderful and especially like that more families are moving to our area causing fabulous growth and a need for another ward. I like it. That means there will be more nice kids around my kids as they grow up and that's a really good thing.
So, it ended up that our ward didn't get NEW people, but we lost a lot of really awesome families who live on the South side of our ward (our ward is really long!) and they joined with the South side of our neighboring ward to create Duportail Ward. I'm so excited for them and the fun they will have filling the callings, making new friends, making new traditions, and getting over each other's quirks. The Bishop who was called is one of my good friend's husband. He will be an excellent Bishop and just as the meeting was starting and I looked around, I thought, HE would be great!
Our ward will still meet at 9am and is still the Cottonwood Ward, but we will go to a building a little farther away. It's really nothing to complain about since it's only 10-15 minutes away. Plenty of people travel for hours and hours to get to church. The new building is newer and a little nicer. The nursery isn't in the basement because there isn't one. I don't think I'll be a nursery leader that much longer anyway, so I wasn't all that worried about that anyway. Our family is in total support of our local leaders and we are excited about the changes, although we will miss seeing our friends who live in the other ward as often as we did. It's not like we suddenly can't be friends now. We intend to stay friends and still see each other on occasion (it's hard to arrange that anytime) and we didn't get to all sit and hang out at church anyway since it's church and we all go in different directions for our callings. It will just be different to not see them each Sunday and watch their kids grow up and pass the sacrament or give talks. We will get to know some of the new families in our ward who haven't lived here very long a little better and I'm excited about that. Our ward now has somewhere closer to 400 people instead of 650. Our Primary went from 150 kids to 49. I don't know if they included the nursery in that or not because our nursery on its own is now close to 20 kids on the roll. We had 23 kids in nursery today and our old list has 29 kids on the roll, so we really didn't lose many nursery age kids. I wonder how this will work....
I'm so thankful for the Church and I know that it is true no matter what ward you're in, who else is there, or where your church building is. Jesus Christ is the reason we go to church and socializing at church with friends, although it is important to have friend and be friendly, is WAY down on the list of things that are important about church, even if it is one of my favorite parts of church. =)
So, it ended up that our ward didn't get NEW people, but we lost a lot of really awesome families who live on the South side of our ward (our ward is really long!) and they joined with the South side of our neighboring ward to create Duportail Ward. I'm so excited for them and the fun they will have filling the callings, making new friends, making new traditions, and getting over each other's quirks. The Bishop who was called is one of my good friend's husband. He will be an excellent Bishop and just as the meeting was starting and I looked around, I thought, HE would be great!
Our ward will still meet at 9am and is still the Cottonwood Ward, but we will go to a building a little farther away. It's really nothing to complain about since it's only 10-15 minutes away. Plenty of people travel for hours and hours to get to church. The new building is newer and a little nicer. The nursery isn't in the basement because there isn't one. I don't think I'll be a nursery leader that much longer anyway, so I wasn't all that worried about that anyway. Our family is in total support of our local leaders and we are excited about the changes, although we will miss seeing our friends who live in the other ward as often as we did. It's not like we suddenly can't be friends now. We intend to stay friends and still see each other on occasion (it's hard to arrange that anytime) and we didn't get to all sit and hang out at church anyway since it's church and we all go in different directions for our callings. It will just be different to not see them each Sunday and watch their kids grow up and pass the sacrament or give talks. We will get to know some of the new families in our ward who haven't lived here very long a little better and I'm excited about that. Our ward now has somewhere closer to 400 people instead of 650. Our Primary went from 150 kids to 49. I don't know if they included the nursery in that or not because our nursery on its own is now close to 20 kids on the roll. We had 23 kids in nursery today and our old list has 29 kids on the roll, so we really didn't lose many nursery age kids. I wonder how this will work....
I'm so thankful for the Church and I know that it is true no matter what ward you're in, who else is there, or where your church building is. Jesus Christ is the reason we go to church and socializing at church with friends, although it is important to have friend and be friendly, is WAY down on the list of things that are important about church, even if it is one of my favorite parts of church. =)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Olivia's Fall Fiesta
This is the song that they sang at Olivia's Fall Fiesta in her kindergarten class. Olivia is in the middle of the two girls in front. She's wearing the red dress. If you need more hints, maybe you don't know me.
Anything but Dull
Friday was a little busy. We had a pretty great laid back week again without too much going on in the evenings, but then Friday hit us. Thursday night I made a bunch of little corn muffins for Olivia's "Fall Fiesta" at school to go with their songs, craft, and other healthy-ish snacks. Friday morning I helped with PTA prizes for Jog-a-thon for a little bit until it was time to go to the Fall Fiesta. My mom came to watch Olivia sing and dance and hang out with her and me and Vincent. Olivia felt pretty special.
Here is my mom with Olivia eating crackers and drinking juice. Olivia didn't even like my corn muffins. Figures, right? I did see one of her classmates leave with a plate of six of them, so they were pretty good.
Olivia made her necklace on Wednesday afternoon. She looked at it after I tied it and found one spot the pattern was off. It's not obvious though.
After the Fall Fiesta we went to the grocery store and then home to drop off groceries and eat a little snack (they didn't need much since it's my habit lately to buy yummy donuts at the grocery store) for a minute before going back to the school to get Elizabeth and take her to a birthday party for a friend. This picture was taken on her way to go bowling with the party crew. I sent the camera with her, but almost didn't get it back. Maybe that wasn't the greatest idea...
She had someone take this great picture of her bowling too. I love it.
She had a fun time. I arranged for another mom to drop her off at home when the party was over so Vincent could keep napping and not be crabby all evening because as soon as she got home, Sara (Andy's sister) was coming over to babysit until Andy's cousin came over to babysit so Andy could go to Nutcracker practice right after work and I could.....
Go on a crafting getaway with some of my best friends. Not everyone. There was just not room to invite more. I think I invited just the right amount or maybe even a little more than would be ideal for sleeping and crafting. We went up to Andy's parent's place in the mountains to work on Christmas crafts (to get them all done early!), make cards or scrapbooking things, or whatever crafty thing we felt like doing. It was great to be able to do things without interruptions and to visit with so many wonderful people. We just stayed the night there on Friday and came home early Saturday evening, but we all were nearly finished with our projects. I would show you how awesome my things look, but they are mostly gifts. If you want to see some of the sort of thing we may or may not have made, you can check out the ransom-made.com website. My mother in law came up early Friday to set up all the beds and supplies for the things we ordered with her sister, Nancy, and friend, Kim. They fed us a filling dinner and we had delicious treats before getting going on our craftout. (That's what Andy calls it...instead of a campout, it's a craftout.) It was so great to visit and catch up and I was so happy we were able to arrange a date that worked for so many of us. At our Stake Conference on Sunday, it was announced that our ward and the ward next to us would have some boundaries changed this week to make our two wards into three, so this was especially nice to get together before that all happens tomorrow night. Of course we will all still be friends even if we are all in three different wards. I'm excited about the changes since our ward is enormous, I need a new calling soon anyway, I know several people in the other ward already, and I've never been involved in a ward boundary change ever. I think it will be fun.
Because I don't want to give anything away, I'm just showing this picture of most of our group working on projects, but without showing the real deal or my things that aren't in this picture.
We had a great time and it was a great end to this week. It's awesome to have such fabulous friends and it was probably the first time this group has all been together for something, especially outside of church. If you weren't invited, don't feel as though I didn't want to invite you. I would LOVE to have a hundred of my favorite people all together, but that's just not feasible in a house this size.
I came home to my kids all taken care of and happy to see me. What a nice greeting I got. Sometimes it's just nice to have a little break, even if it's only 26 hours, but who's counting, right?
Here is my mom with Olivia eating crackers and drinking juice. Olivia didn't even like my corn muffins. Figures, right? I did see one of her classmates leave with a plate of six of them, so they were pretty good.
Olivia made her necklace on Wednesday afternoon. She looked at it after I tied it and found one spot the pattern was off. It's not obvious though.
After the Fall Fiesta we went to the grocery store and then home to drop off groceries and eat a little snack (they didn't need much since it's my habit lately to buy yummy donuts at the grocery store) for a minute before going back to the school to get Elizabeth and take her to a birthday party for a friend. This picture was taken on her way to go bowling with the party crew. I sent the camera with her, but almost didn't get it back. Maybe that wasn't the greatest idea...
She had someone take this great picture of her bowling too. I love it.
She had a fun time. I arranged for another mom to drop her off at home when the party was over so Vincent could keep napping and not be crabby all evening because as soon as she got home, Sara (Andy's sister) was coming over to babysit until Andy's cousin came over to babysit so Andy could go to Nutcracker practice right after work and I could.....Go on a crafting getaway with some of my best friends. Not everyone. There was just not room to invite more. I think I invited just the right amount or maybe even a little more than would be ideal for sleeping and crafting. We went up to Andy's parent's place in the mountains to work on Christmas crafts (to get them all done early!), make cards or scrapbooking things, or whatever crafty thing we felt like doing. It was great to be able to do things without interruptions and to visit with so many wonderful people. We just stayed the night there on Friday and came home early Saturday evening, but we all were nearly finished with our projects. I would show you how awesome my things look, but they are mostly gifts. If you want to see some of the sort of thing we may or may not have made, you can check out the ransom-made.com website. My mother in law came up early Friday to set up all the beds and supplies for the things we ordered with her sister, Nancy, and friend, Kim. They fed us a filling dinner and we had delicious treats before getting going on our craftout. (That's what Andy calls it...instead of a campout, it's a craftout.) It was so great to visit and catch up and I was so happy we were able to arrange a date that worked for so many of us. At our Stake Conference on Sunday, it was announced that our ward and the ward next to us would have some boundaries changed this week to make our two wards into three, so this was especially nice to get together before that all happens tomorrow night. Of course we will all still be friends even if we are all in three different wards. I'm excited about the changes since our ward is enormous, I need a new calling soon anyway, I know several people in the other ward already, and I've never been involved in a ward boundary change ever. I think it will be fun.
Because I don't want to give anything away, I'm just showing this picture of most of our group working on projects, but without showing the real deal or my things that aren't in this picture.
We had a great time and it was a great end to this week. It's awesome to have such fabulous friends and it was probably the first time this group has all been together for something, especially outside of church. If you weren't invited, don't feel as though I didn't want to invite you. I would LOVE to have a hundred of my favorite people all together, but that's just not feasible in a house this size. I came home to my kids all taken care of and happy to see me. What a nice greeting I got. Sometimes it's just nice to have a little break, even if it's only 26 hours, but who's counting, right?
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Dull
I don't have much to say this week. (Pictures further down.) We've just been busy doing our regular stuff and I've been busy taking naps whenever I can fit one in.
I took until today to finally switch over from Halloween decorations to Thanksgiving decorations, which mostly means turning my jack-o-lantern decor around to the plain side. Now they are just regular pumpkins. I like easy decorating. I added the scarecrow things I have and took out the ghost and other jack-o-lantern things. I still have to take the window clings down. Maybe tomorrow.
I just feel like napping all day every day. Building a baby is taking a lot out of me. I don't usually complain about being tired since I'm the one who plans my schedule and I'm not sick during pregnancy, so to complain about anything seems terrible. I LOVE that Vincent still naps regular three hour naps and that I can do something for the first hour, like eat lunch, read, make dinner, dishes, laundry, help Olivia with homework, or whatever and then nap for two hours. It's wonderful. Really wonderful. One of these days we are going to move him out of the crib to a regular bed and I just hope that he will keep taking naps for me without too much of a fight. The plan is to go to Ikea some weekend and pick up a bunkbed and then move Vincent into the girls' room to one of their beds and they will share the bunks. Then Abigail will have the crib when she needs it in January (that's right. I put my kids straight into the crib in a different room. They NEVER sleep in my bed because I just can't do that. It's easier for me to just get up with babies and feed and change them than to sleep with them....at least the previous three times I've had kids.)
I finished and mailed off ten packages this week. Nine cross-stitches for babies and one birthday gift for a nephew who had a birthday a few weeks ago. An additional cross-stitch was delivered to a lady in our ward. Some of these cross-stitches have been finished for a few weeks and I just wanted to mail them all off together, but it was still a ton at once. I just finished an eleventh cross-stitch for someone else in our ward tonight. I am officially caught up, but not for long since I know several people having babies before the end of the year and even more after the new year. I counted 16 and then talked to someone tonight at a meeting and it is now 17 babies other than mine. Time to start stockpiling baby gifts. But first, I need to work on more microwave potato bags, car roll ups, and polly pocket roll ups for the Ransom.Made design Christmas Event. Then I need to finish catching up my scrapbooking from June 2008-June 2010. Wish me luck! I think I can do it all. I made myself a list. I will just have to finish a few things a day and then nap for a little less time. Maybe I can manage to go to bed earlier and then I'll have more energy for crafting.
Alright, sorry that I said I had nothing to say. You really should know me better by now. Maybe I'm over-analyzing on my blog here, but it is MY blog and I feel like doing it, so there.
Because you've stuck with my blabberings so long, I'll reward you with some fun we did today. I should mention that it totally went through my head that we didn't do anything really fun with the kids this week (after Halloween, who wants to do more?) and that's why I took pictures.
This morning Andy went to sing with our ward choir at a funeral for a man in our ward who passed away (He was 80 and had Alzheimer's and wasn't able to live at home in the last year or so, so it was really a blessing for the family.) Anyway, Andy went there and then had his Nutcracker practice, so I took the kids on a few errands and then to Elizabeth's Nutcracker practice just before Andy's. We went up to WalMart (even though I went there Friday for regular groceries) to use some awesome coupons. I bought 12 salsas, 10 cans of spaghetti sauce, and a loaf of bread for less than 11 dollars. It was awesome! The salsas had coupons for $4 off of two salsas, which made each bottle 12 cents. Fantastic. The cans of spaghetti sauce were on sale for 69 cents at Fred Meyer, but I didn't want to go to an extra store with three kids, so I price matched at WalMart. And that is how awesome I was today. I love being able to stock up cheaply. Anyway, off of the couponing tangent now, we then went to the library and then to the park to have a little picnic before taking Elizabeth to her Nutcracker Angel practice. The kids love having picnics, even if we didn't have a lot of time leftover to play on the playground. They all behaved so well today. I'm glad. It's hard when they don't. I love that they are pretty good most of the time. I also love that it's November and we were able to go on a little picnic. It's a little chilly, but still really nice outside. I just wore a sweater and the girls took their coats off in the car. I kept Vincent bundled up because I don't want him to catch another cold.
After finishing their food, they played on these little rocking toys. This one is a grasshopper.
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It's so hard to eat when you want to play.
.JPG)
Vincent wouldn't eat much, but he did finish his apples..JPG)
Olivia's lunch..JPG)
Vincent on the jeep or whatever that is.
.JPG)
Just the girls on the grasshopper..JPG)
Tonight Andy and I went to the adult session of stake conference and then out to Dairy Queen for Blizzards. I love getting away like that once in a while. Stake conference was nice and there were several great talks. Our kids were clean and in pajamas when we got home and the house was fairly clean. What a good babysitter. I told her not to put them to bed because I thought we'd be back sooner, so they were just watching movies in the dark family room (they make it dark so they can pretend it's a movie theater.)
What a good end to a great day.
I almost forgot this cool thing. I found a picture like this vinyl online someplace and showed it to Kim, who cuts a lot of vinyl for Ransom.Made design and she made one for me. I decided to put it on the wall underneath the Family Home Evening chart that Shirley made us last Christmas. I love it!
.JPG)
I took until today to finally switch over from Halloween decorations to Thanksgiving decorations, which mostly means turning my jack-o-lantern decor around to the plain side. Now they are just regular pumpkins. I like easy decorating. I added the scarecrow things I have and took out the ghost and other jack-o-lantern things. I still have to take the window clings down. Maybe tomorrow.
I just feel like napping all day every day. Building a baby is taking a lot out of me. I don't usually complain about being tired since I'm the one who plans my schedule and I'm not sick during pregnancy, so to complain about anything seems terrible. I LOVE that Vincent still naps regular three hour naps and that I can do something for the first hour, like eat lunch, read, make dinner, dishes, laundry, help Olivia with homework, or whatever and then nap for two hours. It's wonderful. Really wonderful. One of these days we are going to move him out of the crib to a regular bed and I just hope that he will keep taking naps for me without too much of a fight. The plan is to go to Ikea some weekend and pick up a bunkbed and then move Vincent into the girls' room to one of their beds and they will share the bunks. Then Abigail will have the crib when she needs it in January (that's right. I put my kids straight into the crib in a different room. They NEVER sleep in my bed because I just can't do that. It's easier for me to just get up with babies and feed and change them than to sleep with them....at least the previous three times I've had kids.)
I finished and mailed off ten packages this week. Nine cross-stitches for babies and one birthday gift for a nephew who had a birthday a few weeks ago. An additional cross-stitch was delivered to a lady in our ward. Some of these cross-stitches have been finished for a few weeks and I just wanted to mail them all off together, but it was still a ton at once. I just finished an eleventh cross-stitch for someone else in our ward tonight. I am officially caught up, but not for long since I know several people having babies before the end of the year and even more after the new year. I counted 16 and then talked to someone tonight at a meeting and it is now 17 babies other than mine. Time to start stockpiling baby gifts. But first, I need to work on more microwave potato bags, car roll ups, and polly pocket roll ups for the Ransom.Made design Christmas Event. Then I need to finish catching up my scrapbooking from June 2008-June 2010. Wish me luck! I think I can do it all. I made myself a list. I will just have to finish a few things a day and then nap for a little less time. Maybe I can manage to go to bed earlier and then I'll have more energy for crafting.
Alright, sorry that I said I had nothing to say. You really should know me better by now. Maybe I'm over-analyzing on my blog here, but it is MY blog and I feel like doing it, so there.
Because you've stuck with my blabberings so long, I'll reward you with some fun we did today. I should mention that it totally went through my head that we didn't do anything really fun with the kids this week (after Halloween, who wants to do more?) and that's why I took pictures.
This morning Andy went to sing with our ward choir at a funeral for a man in our ward who passed away (He was 80 and had Alzheimer's and wasn't able to live at home in the last year or so, so it was really a blessing for the family.) Anyway, Andy went there and then had his Nutcracker practice, so I took the kids on a few errands and then to Elizabeth's Nutcracker practice just before Andy's. We went up to WalMart (even though I went there Friday for regular groceries) to use some awesome coupons. I bought 12 salsas, 10 cans of spaghetti sauce, and a loaf of bread for less than 11 dollars. It was awesome! The salsas had coupons for $4 off of two salsas, which made each bottle 12 cents. Fantastic. The cans of spaghetti sauce were on sale for 69 cents at Fred Meyer, but I didn't want to go to an extra store with three kids, so I price matched at WalMart. And that is how awesome I was today. I love being able to stock up cheaply. Anyway, off of the couponing tangent now, we then went to the library and then to the park to have a little picnic before taking Elizabeth to her Nutcracker Angel practice. The kids love having picnics, even if we didn't have a lot of time leftover to play on the playground. They all behaved so well today. I'm glad. It's hard when they don't. I love that they are pretty good most of the time. I also love that it's November and we were able to go on a little picnic. It's a little chilly, but still really nice outside. I just wore a sweater and the girls took their coats off in the car. I kept Vincent bundled up because I don't want him to catch another cold.
After finishing their food, they played on these little rocking toys. This one is a grasshopper.
.JPG)
It's so hard to eat when you want to play..JPG)
Vincent wouldn't eat much, but he did finish his apples..JPG)
Olivia's lunch..JPG)
Vincent on the jeep or whatever that is..JPG)
Just the girls on the grasshopper..JPG)
Tonight Andy and I went to the adult session of stake conference and then out to Dairy Queen for Blizzards. I love getting away like that once in a while. Stake conference was nice and there were several great talks. Our kids were clean and in pajamas when we got home and the house was fairly clean. What a good babysitter. I told her not to put them to bed because I thought we'd be back sooner, so they were just watching movies in the dark family room (they make it dark so they can pretend it's a movie theater.)What a good end to a great day.
I almost forgot this cool thing. I found a picture like this vinyl online someplace and showed it to Kim, who cuts a lot of vinyl for Ransom.Made design and she made one for me. I decided to put it on the wall underneath the Family Home Evening chart that Shirley made us last Christmas. I love it!
.JPG)
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