Happy New Year! My New Year's Eve will by no means be as glamorous as this one, beautiful isn't it? We are staying home for a cozy night in... our van is broken down so we have no choice, but we're gonna make the best of it. The kids are planning a campout in the living room. I'm sure we'll watch a movie of some sort, we're a movie loving famly! And maybe I'll whip up some treats...

I'm not a New Year's resolution kind of gal... I figure, why wait to do the things you want to do or know you should be doing? But I thought I'd share a list of things I'm looking forward to in 2009:

• Annika's 1st Birthday
• trying out our new greenhouse this spring and summer
• celebrating our 10th anniversary by taking a trip somewhere (any great ideas? suggest away...)
• getting my body in the best shape since becoming a mommy (thanks to Edge)
• my hair turning brown again! (it's black, by the way ~ oops!)
• seeing my niecey Molly, but when???
• watching my kids grow into more proficient readers
• leading a new Bible Study group for Moms
• running this spring/summer
• getting some articles published
• spending time with Aaron and Abie after the new year
• being a more patient Mama
• being a wife that thinks of Jeremy's needs before my own
• getting this blog made into a book
• hiking this summer with J & the kids

That about sums it up. What are you looking forward to in '09? Do tell!

*updated* Anniversary trip ideas:

from Chantel... Grand Coulee Dam (conveniently located close to certain good friends of ours!)

breakfast in bed

I've just come off of the yuckiest flu bug I've had in years and years.... and this morning my boys brought me breakfast in bed because they knew I had had a rough night and an even worse day prior. This is what they brought me! A perfect post-sickness meal, don't you think? 2 Saltines, applesauce, yogurt, a cup of Sprite and 2 Hershey kisses. Thanks, sweet boys!

Triple Date

My buddies Allison, Sarah, and I planned a surprise triple date night out for us and our husbands last Friday ! We started the night out with dinner and lots of laughs, then it was off to bowling... but not your regular run-of-the-mill bowling, it was "special" bowling! You know, granny style, left handed, eyes closed, sitting cross-legged, etc... It was so funny! And I found that I'm better at the backward granny than regular bowling! Jake was the most "special" bowler that night, coming in with an amazing score of 90!

Jeremy, Jake, and Ashley were thoroughly surprised! After bowling, it was off to a coffee shop for drinks and dessert. Then we played a HILARIOUS game of Apples to Apples, with Helen Keller stealing the show. (wink, wink) When you think of Sexy, you think of her, right??? I thought so! My cheeks hurt from laughing after dinner, then by the end of the night, my stomach muscles and cheeks were so sore from all the fun times.

Thanks guys for a memorable night!

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year beginning with a Christmas Eve dinner at my Dad & Marla Kay's home with Alli and some friends of theirs. It was a great night that ended with way full bellies of course! We had the kids open their stockings and read the Christmas story from the Bible before bed. We spent Christmas morning at home and opened presents, then Dad, MKay, and Alli came over to do presents together before we headed out to Willow to spend time with Jeremy's family. After dinner, at 5 pm the power went out until 2am! We spent an eventful night with all candlelight! Thank goodness they have a wood stove to keep us toasty. We decided to stay the night at the last minute... the deciding factor was whether we had enough diapers and formula to last until the next morning... we did, so we stayed! We camped out in the living room, all 6 of us.

This year, more than any other, I've been struck by the amazing reality of Christ coming to earth as a tiny baby, helpless as any other. Yet still fully God at the same time. As the song says, "this is such a strange way to save the world..." But a beautiful way. He walked, talked, hurt, loved, and lived in so many ways similar to ours. He gets us.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for making a way for me.

puppies!

No, our Annabelle has not become a mommy! But our neighbor's golden retreiver gave birth a few weeks ago. We saw them right after they were born, then again on Christmas Eve... they are SO cute! The kids love them, and are so good with them.

December fun

After trying countless times to download pictures on to this blog to no avail... I gave up for a while! But I was able to today! Hooray! I've got some December catching up to do!

2 weeks ago, we spent a fun night in Anchorage with Jeremy's sis Heather, our bro-in-law Gerry, and Jeremy's parents Dave and Anita. We had a yummy dinner at Moose's Tooth and played a round of mini golf after! I am lame-o at mini golf, similar to my bowling skills. :)

Gerry had to be up on the slope during Christmas and New Year's, so we celebrated early with him.

Multi-tasking me.


Heather and Gerry

The kids were actually really good!

1st time playing dress-up with big sissy's things!

Annika and Nathan sharing a sippy cup drink over

sweet potato puffs!

Another one of Annika's baby buddies, Savannah!

It has been so fun to see these babies grow and change over this past year.

The amazing view the other morning off our deck. It's hard to see, but the sun

was rising over the mountains and inlet. I love our property!

Drewy, my big boy helper. He gets Annika out of her crib each morning and loves to do so!

My Elves

Something I caught myself saying today...

"Gavin, we don't attack the nativity!"

As he dive bombs our Playmobil nativity set with his toy. I laugh at all the funny things I say that seem crazy, but with kids? They make sense.

"_________, please get out of Annika's face!"

"Two hands please."

"Did you ________ and _____________ like I asked?"

"________ did you hit your brother?"

Those are the ones that are repeated almost daily, unfortunately around here. I feel like a broken record. I need to think of some new ones, or new ways to say them. Yesterday as we were leaving my friend Sarah's house... I tried a new approach, "Wow, Gavin your boots and coat must be invisible! I can't see them on you!" That felt so much better than, "GAVIN, how many times do I have to ask you to get your coat and boots on, WE'RE LEAVING!" Sound familiar? Or maybe it's just me. :)

Today was a day of frustrating and hilarious moments! Drew had to write out "I will not lie to my Mom and God." 20 times for blatantly lying about pajama pants (of all things) twice!!! Unbelievable! He's a piece of work sometimes, that Drew boy! But I love him to pieces! He always wants to "snuggle in" with me on the couch each night before going to bed.

Gavin was wired from the moment he woke up, as if he needs any more energy! And then I remembered what it was! He had 1/2 a bottle of chocolate milk leftover from a treat from yesterday and he asked if he could drink it when he woke up. I said "sure!" then I paid for it! Any amount of sugar wires that boy like you wouldn't believe. He was like Twitchy in the movie Hoodwinked if you've ever seen it. (one of our faves) He was non-stop noise and chatter, sound effects and singing. I kept saying, "Gavin, calm down!" Then I realized what had hit him. The good chocolately stuff.

That same little man asked me earlier this week if he had to go to college to be a singer! I said "no", and he said "good"!

Good stuff. It was uneventful in the Morgan department today. But she did paint an amazing picture today, if I do say so myself. Thanks to the disposable gel paints we snagged at Target. Thank you, Crayola. It comes with three strips of gel paint that you peel open, use and toss. We have one strip left. It's perfect and you don't need water either.

FU-NNY

Lately I've been thinking a lot about writing... I love putting my thoughts down on paper (or laptop) and have been realizing how much $$$ could be involved in getting an article or two published! (Much more money for the time spent than my knitting ventures!) I've submitted two articles for publication this fall. It has felt so good to actually follow through with something I've dreamt about. So here is my latest article, it's kinda scary putting yourself out there, but I figure you all are my friends... who better to try things out on??

If the magazines don't like them, maybe someone around here will. :)

Now and Later

“Mom, I never want to live away from you and Dad.”
“Drew, you can live with us as long as you want, but you may change your mind later.”

This is a typical conversation with my eight year-old. The topic comes up every few months, and often brings tears to my son’s eyes as he imagines his life outside of the here and now. It is hard for him to see that he will grow in a way that leads him toward independence. He will actually want to have a life of his own outside of us! I understand his anxiousness. Sometimes things that are imminent and unfamiliar seem terrifying. Like getting your wisdom teeth removed, giving birth for the first time, sending a child off to college, or middle school for that matter!

Those thoughts of my son mirror the thoughts I have about my imminent future. What will my children be like as teenagers? Will they be the same, just taller? Will they still love the closeness of our family? Will they make good choices? Will they have good health? Will we have good health? No matter how many of these thoughts swirl around in my head, I know that the answers will be obvious later. Later. That little word is used so rampantly by us mothers, isn’t it? That little word is so hard to hear sometimes. Later you will get a full night’s sleep for an entire week. Later those extra 20 pounds from your last pregnancy will be lost and not found again. Later you will be able to read all of those books you’ve been dying to devour.

Later is later, but what is now? Now is yours to breathe in and enjoy. This past year since our youngest was born has been a year of savoring. We savor each hug, chubby wrist, giggle, and even her adorable tears. We now know that those newborn days fly by in a flurry of sleeplessness and emotions, and the days we are in now will be a sweet memory all too soon. I’ve been taking mental snapshots of my sweet baby girl all year. Like the time on last Mother’s Day when she fell asleep unexpectantly in my arms. Like the time she was poised on her hands and knees looking so small not quite knowing how to crawl. And like the time she sat in a crate of mini pumpkins her first time visiting a pumpkin patch in the fall. Now is a time to be savored. The simple, yet busy life as a mother of preschoolers is sometimes overlooked and viewed as mundane and chaotic. Yet, if you stop to look closer you can see that the little hand needing help down the stairs will not need your help forever. Those little noses that seem to run like Niagara Falls will soon be wiped by bigger hands that aren’t yours. Know that the child that screams and clings when placed in the care of another will one day delight in his freedom. Your home that seems to bustle endlessly with activity, noise, messes, and laughter will eventually fall silent. Then we will stop and wonder why we couldn’t go back and relive those simpler times. Now is awaiting your attention. Later will come soon enough.

On Monday, Drew was writing the Pledge of Allegiance and he needed help with some of the words, I started reading what he had written to lead up to what he needed help with... and from behind me I hear Morgan reciting the entire thing! I couldn't believe it! We had recited it a few times in September because I wanted to make sure the boys knew it and could say it... but I had no idea that Miss Morgan knew it and remembered it without any help from a few months ago. I asked her if she would say it again for me... and here she is! I love how she enunciates the big words even though she has no idea what she is saying. And at the end... she paused with that "I think I forgot something look" , but the "with liberty" with forgive you, sweet girl. :) Enjoy! (you may need to go down to the very bottom and pause the music player)

she crawls!

Annika is almost a year! Holy smokes. Well, 10 months old next week... it's getting close. Where did this year go? Here's a pic for my Mom who sent this pink corduroy dress for her. It's so cute, thanks Mom! She started crawling yesterday. It's slow, but the real deal. I'm not sure I'm prepared for this, she has been such a happy roller since she was 4 months. No cabinets have been raided, drawer contents have stayed in tact, no stairs have been attempted (insert baby gate), and no Lego creations have been annihilated. Bring it on... I love crawling babies!

Today? The Christmas tree is going up... providing hours of fun and destruction for our baby girl! Note to self: glass balls up a few branches.