Friday, February 25, 2011


Oh, the fond memories I have of Pizza Hut's Book-It program and TCBY's DEAR program. In a family of seven kids, it was a special treat to be driven to Pizza Hut and be able to get my very own pizza that I didn't even have to share. (Nevermind the fact that it really wasn't a shareable size...it was more the fact that Mom actually said, "Now you guys, this is HERS. She earned it.")


Fast forward to now...I don't think TCBY does a program any longer. They're not near as big of a name as they used to be.

But, Pizza Hut, oh my wonderful Pizza Hut. The girls are in their second year of being signed up for the Book-It Homeschool program.

And it's the perfect dinner for tonight because Eric has rehearsal till late. Looks like it's time for the girls to have a movie night in. What should we watch? I'm giddy with the knowledge that my older two are now reaching ages that they adore movies which up until now, I have watched on my own. Sometimes I like to indulge in silly teeny-boppyerness or chick flicks. One of the best bonuses to having all girls? I know have someone to watch said movies with me. And the babies join in the fun because it's always more fun to be included even if you don't understand half the movie (and of course I always pick the innocent, clean, goofy ones!).

Pizza Movie Night, Here we come!!

(And for now, I will just set aside all the many wonderful things I am learning about eating REAL FOODS and just know that I'm slowly making changes in our family's diet and that tonight, this is OKAY!)

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Esther was walking down the hall and this is what I heard:

"Ah! Someone keeps giving me wudgies."
"Ah! They did it again!"
"Oh, it's ME!"

And yes, she really was going down the hall giving herself wedgies...

Another time I overheard her telling Heidi to chill up! (which of course was supposed to be chill out!)

She also told us that she could hear her heart beeping.

On the Becca front, she's coining her own versions of words right and left. And I quite like them.

pudda budder = peanut butter
cean bup = clean up

My favorite right now is pudda budder. And Eric's favorite is probably the way she says "cooookie". And she calls ALL things sweet, "cooookie".

I'm reminded of how Autumn used to say "lo-shees" for "lotion" and that Oma and Opa still to this day call it "lo-shees". I may very well be making pudda budder and jelly sandwiches for the rest of my life.


Sunday, February 20, 2011

One of the many strange positions my kids find to sleep in...


That's my shirt on her head.


It's near impossible to get Becca to stay in one outfit these days.


She likes to wear everyone else's clothes.


Can't say I blame her. I think she improves them. :D


Becca doesn't look very happy, but the camera just caught a weird expression. She was so delighted with this game.


The King Arthur Carousel. Always fun.


She loves that they've added handles to the bars.

Becca has also been saying "help it" when she needs something lately. Instead of "help me". Today it was "I need help it." She couldn't reach her bowl of noodles.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Sometimes I get so busy with the day-to-day demands of life that when something keeps happening over and OVER again, I just keep chugging along. Never stepping back to figure out how to address the issue.

Case in point:

1. In the morning, the girls get to watch some cartoons before we start our school day. But sometimes, once school has started, one of the girls will turn the TV back on -- distracting everyone else! And with 4 girls who all know how to at least turn on the TV, this can be a problem. I finally did something about it. I turn the TV to a really boring channel, or one we don't even get, turn off the TV, and then I put the remotes on the very top of my 6-shelf bookcase. Works like a charm.


2. We have a basket on our shoe cabinet for our keys and Eric's wallet, phone, and ipod. Usually it looks something like this because it gets overrun with other things that are just too tempting to dump there instead of elsewhere...

Well, it used to be that Becca could only reach it if she climbed on things. Until recently. It's been a daily battle. This is exactly what I'm talking about. There really was no need for me to be dealing with this every day. I finally did something about it.


Wednesday, February 16, 2011

This is what happens when you're too sick to follow the toddler around...



When Heidi went to check on her she said, "Becca, you are just a disaster!"

Saturday started with a cough, Sunday the cough was worse. Sunday night was AWFUL. I barely got any sleep and was coughing and alternating between chills and fever.

Oh, we were a sight to see on Monday. I had a fever all day, along with all the other symptoms I'd been having. And I kept having this burning pain/pressure behind my eyes. We went into survival mode. I spent the day on various couches and chairs in the living room and the girls hung out with me, cuddling and watching movies. If there was ever a time when I needed Autumn & Heidi to pitch in without complaining or waiting to respond, Monday was that day and they went above and beyond.

Becca and I got lots of cuddle time on Monday.

And then, it being Valentine's Day and all, I had originally planned to pick up Eric's gift that day. There's no way I was going anywhere but the doctor's. I sent a facebook message to some of my friends that live nearby and my sweet, sweet, friend Susie wrote back and said she could pick up his chocolates (have you ever had See's Candie's Bridge Mix?! It is SO awesome. Eric says it's better than any other chocolate. It's manly chocolate. :D).

Not only did she pick up the chocolate, but she brought us chicken soup for dinner!

After Eric got home, I went to the urgent care clinic. I guess I should've taken a picture of me on my way to the doctor, for posterity....but this description will have to suffice:
- pajamas
- fuzzy socks
- normal shoes
- glasses with duct tape on the temple
- bedhead hair
- wrapped in a red blanket
- carrying my own tissue box

Awesome. No self dignity when it comes to being sick.

The doctor said I have the beginnings of either bronchitis or pneumonia. So I started a Z-pack Monday night and am slowly getting better. (Monday = lying down all day; Tuesday = sitting up a little, also lying down; Wednesday = sitting up, can putter around a little to take care of things) It's frustrating how gradual it is, but I'm trying to not overdo things. I really don't want to backslide.

When I got back from the doctor's, I had the best surprise waiting for me. The house was clean! Eric had cleaned up while I was gone. Of course, I also discovered he had to do double-duty cleaning. Esther threw up while I was gone. Okay, here it comes -- this may be TMI for some of you -- All the way from the couch to the toilet. Classic. The next morning, I mentioned to her that daddy had told me she threw up. She said, "That was so disgusting."

A morning bath. Sometimes it's just easier in the morning - especially when I'm sick.
You sure can't tell, but they really are happy about it.

Tuesday, Susie called to see how I was doing and said she was bringing dinner AGAIN because she wanted to make sure I had another day of rest. I live so far from my mom and Eric's mom, but I am so thankful that I have adoptive moms and aunts and sisters here. They are amazing.

And today? I got a call this morning from Ginny, another dear, dear friend. Really, these friends feel more like family than friends. We are just that close. And guess who's bringing dinner tonight? Yep. Ginny is.

She's almost done with the Half Blood Prince. She'd read all night if her body would let her.

Autumn and Esther have been sick too but have different symptoms and have gotten over it faster. The doctor thinks we all had something viral but then, with me, something bacterial became superimposed on that.

Oh yeah, and on top of all that, my laptop fell on the floor...it seemed fine at first and turned on a couple of times afterwards, but the following morning it wouldn't turn on at all. Eric fiddled with it and it's fine now. It has some dents and still needs to be opened up and fit back together a little better, but it functions! Phew!

So, overall, it's been a crazy few days but I think we're on the mend.

Monday, February 14, 2011

It's such a fuzzy picture (and a messy background!), but I had to save it.


Me blow-drying Heidi's hair, and Heidi brushing Becca's hair. I love it!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

(I really don't know if anyone who reads this isn't familiar with my faith, but if you are, I'm including links!)

With last Sunday being Fast Sunday, I've had testimonies on my mind a lot. I remember a letter that was read in sacrament meeting 10+ years ago about how testimonies should be short enough to allow time for all who want to share, to be able to. It also talked about "testimonies" versus "thankimonies" or "storymonies". There have been several Conference talks that touch on this too. The other night as I was reading, I found this link, many of those articles combined into one.

I decided we should have a Family Home Evening about testimonies this week. We've done that before, but this time I figured we'd do something extra.


The girls wasted no time once I put it together. We weren't even ready for FHE and they were giving "talks", setting up chairs, laying out hymnbooks. My girls sure crack me up and make me smile!


A little imagination goes a long way if you have a stool, a gate, a baton, a blanket, and some duct tape.

Thursday, February 10, 2011




(LOOK at that expression!)


Cheesers.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

I knew she couldn't escape it for too much longer!


Eric got glasses in 3rd grade, I got them in 1st grade. Eric's prescription isn't too bad, but it's significant enough. Mine is bad. -7.5 & -8.5. And with both of our moms and dads in glasses/contacts and most of our siblings...well, you know, it was bound to happen.

Interestingly enough though, they're just reading glasses (for now, right?!). Prescription reading glasses. And she's far-sighted right now. The doctor said that would go away in a few years and she wouldn't need the glasses anymore. My bet's on her just transitioning into near-sighted glasses...which Mom says isn't unusual!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Esther and Becca are partners in crime. Esther kept telling me she was hungry and I kept stalling for time. I finally turned around to see the two of them sitting on the couch holding THIS:

It looks like a mouse has been to visit.

In other news, the girls broke the crib. Casualties of war, I tell ya. Casualties of war. Kids are so hard on houses and furniture. I'm glad it's just stuff. I'm also glad they'll outgrow this. And although it may sound like we have no house rules, I'm glad to know that we DO and for the most part, they hold to them...

Autumn came running to break the news and here's what I figure happened after investigating.
Esther & Becca were jumping in the crib -- not something we condone, but not unusual -- and a screw started to come loose. Autumn tried to "fix" it. The jury's still out on who inflicted more damage. In any case, the crib is not salvageable. Impressive, really.

That also means that Becca is now in a big girl bed. A few months ahead of schedule, but we're finding ways to make it work. Nap time is the trickiest. With all four girls in one room, and a bunk bed, we had to get creative to keep things out of her reach when she's "sleeping" (and keep her safe).

Here's what I came up with.


Having the textbook wedged in the middle there keeps her from being able to stretch the sheet enough to get a foothold on the bar. It works like a charm.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Code Names

I've really enjoyed seeing the different code names friends have come up for their family on their blogs. I haven't felt any desire/need to do that myself, but I've often asked myself what names we would use if we did do code names. For some reason, I just couldn't come up with anything and it bothered me. But recently it's become obvious.

So, I'm still not planning to use code names, but if I do I'll have plenty of fodder and the girls love the idea of having nicknames. One in particular has even asked that we call her by her current obsession's name....

Meet:

Hermione
This one comes as no surprise after two years in a row of dressing up as Hermione Granger for Halloween.
It's a little dark, but there's a Hermione wall sticker on her cabinet.


Hello Kitty
She was ecstatic to realize they share the same initials. A match made in heaven.


Tinkerbell
What little girl doesn't love this little green fairy?
Esther got to meet her for the first time recently and I did a little inner "happy squeal" when Tink said to the boy in front of us, "Oh, don't you want to say hi -- boy?"


and, well, this one's still up in the air...
Spitfire?
Cheezer?
Goofy?

What do you think?

As I was telling the girls about their friend's code names and the names we could use if we wanted, the conversation took an interesting turn...
Me: "And Daddy would be Mr. Incredible."
Girls: "Yeah!"
Me: "And I would be Elasti-Girl."
Autumn: "But you're not skinny enough!"

???!!

I had a good laugh over that one. And I was relieved to discover she wasn't calling me fat. :D She meant I can't stretch like that. But then, who can?!


Wednesday, February 2, 2011

(at the dinner table)
I'm soooo tired,
my mind is on the brink

I wonder should I get up,
and fix myself a drink.
No, no, no...

Are you googling the song for a listen? Can you resist? I couldn't. I'm still singing it in my head.