Our new home

Today we closed on our house. Hopefully this will be our last move until way after the kids are gone. Between Jamie and myself, I think we've moved dozen times in the last ten years. Three within the last 18 months. We are going to have to move in the middle of the winter, which isn't ideal... and the house is much smaller than we're used to. Both of these things made us a little uneasy, but after spending a lot of time praying about it, I really think we're going to make it work for us.

Thanksgiving 2011 part deux

Thanksgiving 2011 was certainly a blessed one.  Mom and Paul and Grandma came over mid-morning while Linda, Richard and Mike showed up a little later followed by Mark and Tammy. We all ate (a lot) of snacks around lunchtime while the wine and kahlua flowed.  Avery's lemonade and tea stand by the front door was a success (she raked in $11.37).  My friend from work, Becky, arrived about an hour before dinner and put up with all of us until we ate.

Of course, we had our favorite dishes there, most of which were brought by our guests. I only had to take care of the turkey, potatoes, biscuits and gravy all of which turned out really well. Pumpkin and apple pies topped us off.

I hope our kids have good memories of our Thanksgivings, just like I do of mine.  While I loved having everyone here, it was a little sad when everyone left within an hour after dinner. Last year we all hung out in the evening, then met in the morning for shopping and leftovers. I missed that, and after talking to mom about it, think we'll alternate Thanksgivings so we won't each have it at our house every year.

So, with Thanksgiving being a day on which it's good to look about you and appreciate the things in your life you tend to take for granted, I realize I have several. I'm so thankful my children are who they are. They fight a lot and don't listen to their parents often, but I love them dearly. I know they'll grow up to be wonderful adults, despite all the times outs they have had as children (maybe because of them). I love my husband dearly, for who he is too. We started off our marriage not knowing one another very well, but we've grown closer, our love and respect for each other deepening with each season. I'm grateful for my family, and the fact that we live in Michigan so we can see them so much more often. Mostly I'm thankful for God, because I realize that without him and his blessings, I'd have none of it.

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving 2011 was certainly a blessed one. This year we celebrated at our house. Everyone was assigned something to bring, so all I had to do was cook a turkey then make potatoes, biscuits and gravy. Gravy, right? Right! Mid-morning mom and Paul showed up with Great-Grandma. Within an hour, Linda, Richard and Mike showed up followed another hour later by Mark and Tammy, then by my friend Becky. We ate appetizers and chatted while we searched with our noses for the first hints of roasting turkey. Devine! Avery's lemonade and tea stand by the front door was a success (she raked in $11.37). By early afternoon it was time to eat. Richard did his usual expert job at carving the bird. The boys sat in the living room in front of the Lions game, while the gals sat in the dining room in front of the fire. The meal, as expected was delicious. Although no one was hungry, a while later we were dishing out pie, dolloping whipping cream and sipping decaf. The Hawkses and Becky left late evening, but mom and Paul and Grandma took off the next morning. A couple hours later, we were out walking around the property, marveling at the warmth of the late November day. We were playing follow the leader through the woods, when we heard Grandpa Ron pull up with Buddy in his truck. He unloaded some venison, pickles and an enormous fruit salad. Buddy chased our chicken Meatball until she went airborne and then played with another dog we were watching, Reggie. I made homemade bread and used it to make hot turkey sandwiches. Grandpa stayed until early evening and we really enjoyed our time together. I hope our kids have good memories of our Thanksgivings, just like I do of mine. While I loved having everyone here, it was a little sad when everyone left within an hour after dinner. Last year we all hung out in the evening, then met in the morning for shopping and leftovers. I missed that, and after talking to mom about it, think we'll alternate Thanksgivings so we won't each have it at our house every year. So, with Thanksgiving being a day on which it's good to look about you and appreciate the things in your life you tend to take for granted, I realize I have several. I'm so thankful my children are who they are. They fight a lot and don't listen to their parents often, but I love them dearly. I know they'll grow up to be wonderful adults, despite all the times outs they have had as children (maybe because of them). I love my husband dearly, for who he is too. We started off our marriage not knowing one another very well, but we've grown closer, our love and respect for each other deepening with each season. I'm grateful for my family, and the fact that we live in Michigan so we can see them so much more often. Mostly I'm thankful for God, because I realize that without him and his blessings, I'd have none of it.

A day in Avery's classroom

I went to Avery's kindergarten class today for a couple hours to help her teacher, Mr. Rajewski.  I was actually a little nervous, but Avery assured me that it would be fine, tried to tell me what to expect and helped me pick out what I was going to wear.  It was so nice to see where she spends half of her day each day.  The kids all seem sweet, and I was surprised how quiet they were and how well they listened. I got to help pass out papers, math chips and their little bags of books. I read with a few of them and helped walk them down to the library.

It was fun to look over at Avery and share a smile or a shrug. I saw her friend Lilly there, who we had over a few weeks ago and she was excited to recognize me and wanted to hang out with me, which was cute. The kids were so funny I couldn't help but laugh out loud- I honestly don't know how anyone is a teacher without completely cracking up all. the. time. 

After we got out of class Avery and I walked to the car, and discovered it was snowing a little. We haven't gotten but a little snow yet this season, so it was exciting to see. We drove to the mall to eat (yum, right?) and had a nice lunch together. I dropped her off at home, then went back to work. All in all, a very nice morning.   

Perfect Fall Saturday

We had a great Saturday.  Avery and I went to the grocery store and ran a few errands together (I left Asher with daddy, although it made me feel terrible when he was crying that I wasn't going to take him... he kept saying "I want you to choose meeee." :( ) and worked together to stay within our budget. Avery spent a good deal of time looking for a prize for Asher because he was so sad. 

We had a good lunch together and watched 101 Dalmations for quiet time. I was able to take a little nap, which I really needed after my long week. After quiet time we spent a little time playing Wii, then went outside for a bon fire. It was a cool afternoon, but not too windy or cold so it was perfect out. Daddy and me were sitting by the fire, sipping peppermint schnapps hot chocolate and playing seated Simon Says (that's the version when  you have lazy parents who refuse to get out of their chairs to play with you). Then they went into the corn field behind the house to gather corn for the chickens. After feeding the chickens we all went inside for a bowl of cheesy chicken chili (which was warm and yummy)- then back outside for s'mores.  That was probably our last bonfire of the year. Unlike in Missouri there's usually so much snow on the ground here in Michigan we can't even SEE the firepit. 

After coming inside, we all got our jammies on and snuggled up in front of the TV and watched a movie called Daddy Daycare. Then, a sleepover on our floor. The kids love doing that on non-school nights- we gather nearly every blanket in the house to make a nest so the kids can sleep together. It's way cute. :) 

The Moving Animals

Yesterday I came home from work and the kids were waiting for me a the back door, with very serious looks on their faces. Dressed in jammies (already) with wet hair from the pool and rosy cheeks from standing by the fire, they stood there with big eyes telling me they were scared. Scared of what, I asked. Our animals are moving, said Asher. Then, in turn, they began telling me of how their stuffed animals had a way of moving from here to there without anyone moving them. I tried to explain that they couldn't move, that it was impossible and that someone had to have done it. They denied that outright and I couldn't convince them otherwise.

So, we were getting ready for bed, and Jamie told Avery to bring all her stuffed animals from the living room (where there was a pile of about 20 of them) and take them into her room. She clearly didn't want to either because she was scared of them at this point or she was being lazy. So, I promised her that she could leave them there all night long, and that if we woke up in the morning that if ANY of them had moved at all that I would clean them up for her. If they hadn't moved, no TV before school AND she had to clean them up. She agreed. I made Jamie pinky promise me not to move them anywhere because the kids really did seem scared- although it would have been kind of fun to mess with them a little.  

This morning we got up and thankfully none of them had moved. Except the horse. The freakin' horse. I have NO idea how it moved, and I'm not even sure it did but it totally freaked them out. And now Avery is trying to convince me *I* have to clean them up. I said that Charley probably moved it and she said that no matter how it got moved, it moved so I need to clean it up.  I asked her if I really had to and she said "1) the horse moved, and 2) the horse moved, and 3) the horse MOVED so yes you have to." I couldn't quit laughing, because I have no idea how she learned to enumerate things like that.

Needless to say, I'm headed home in a couple hours and I imagine I'll be cleaning up a boatload of stuffed animals off the floor.  But who knows, maybe by then they'll have made their way to her bedroom all by themselves.

DST withdrawl

Daylight savings time hasn't been kind to us.  It never has been, if I recall, although it's probably loads better now than it used to be. But, our kids are early risers on a good day (thus, the reason I instituted our "do not get out of bed until this number on this clock at least a 6" rule) and setting the clock back an hour doesn't do us any favors. Honestly, I try to get up at 5 and work out for an hour, before everyone else gets up. It's my ME time. It's the time I don't have to referee anything or feed anyone or answer a question. Granted, I'd rather be reading a book or soaking in a bath, but I need to work out and it's the best time to do it. So, Monday morning it's me and my P90X DVD started at 5:10 sharp and within 15 minutes I hear one of them pattering around upstairs. First down the hallway. Then in the bedroom.  Then on the stairs. Finally Asher peeks around the corner. Sigh. There goes my ME time. Then I feel selfish for being disappointed that he's up. So, I let him "exercise" with me and am only slightly annoyed when he continues to tell me that I'm doing something or other wrong. In fact, at one point he told me I needed to touch my toes. I told him that as I got stronger, I'd be able to get my feet higher and then would be able to... to which he replied that I simply needed longer arms.

Today he at least slept until the last two sets of my workout and he only distracted me a little by showing me how he could lift this giant iron weight directly over his precious little head. But I saw how happy he was that I let him exercise with me, and even showed him how to do some of them. My little buddy.

Avery's been good since Tuesday morning, but Ash is going to take a bit longer.  I don't want to look back at his coming down during my workouts as an annoyance, so really try to appreciate his desire to want to be with me. I do admit, though, that I'll be glad when daylight savings withdrawal is over with and everyone's obeying my clock rule again.

Space exploration on hold

My Asher... the boy who has given us the revelation that monsters live in Africa and the primary diet of skunks is coconuts.. continually cracks us up.  Just this morning he asked me how many days until we went up in a rocketship.  The funny thing was is that he's always asking how many days til Halloween, how many days til we go to the zoo, how many days til we see Granny and Papa, and he asked about our rocketship trip just as though it was as ordinary as these other things.