Spring Break 2011

Spring break should really be called Winter Break- there is nothing springy about the beginning of March in Minnesota! But we had fun anyway, we went to the Water Park of America and stayed the night at the hotel. There were some cool bunkbeds built into the wall that were perfect for little dudes. Ethan slept on the bottom and Eli and Jo slept on the top and actually slept through the night. Janie slept in the pack and play and had a hard time. Sadie, as usual, slept through all the chaos and was as good as gold. After playing at the water park, we went over and played around at Nickelodeon Universe. The rest of the week went just fine, even with CJL out of town Wed- Fri. We played Wii and legos and missed our neighbors, the Lapicolas who were in Florida.

Eli's tooth adventure

Eli lost two teeth in one day last week, here is how it happened: Eli was playing with Janie, and the playing turned a little rough. Janie kicked one tooth out (a lateral- don't know which one). Then later that day, Eli was playing with Spencer Lee. The playing got a little rough and the second lateral got knocked out. It bled alot too. The teeth got put in a little baggy, and the tooth fairy couldn't find them, becuase the baggy fell out from under Eli's pillow, and under his bed. But she did come the next night and found them just fine.

Happy # 36 Curtis

The day started with overnight waffles, bacon, and OJ for breakfast in bed. I gathered all the kids and we sang Happy Birthday to a sleeping daddy. Then the usual Sunday morning before church rush took place. It is a mad dash t0 get 7 people out the door at 9 am! Maybe we will get better at it? After church we all had a quiet time, which means me and CJL try to sleep while the kids came in and asked us every 5 minutes if the quiet time is over. Then dinner, Blue Chicken, salad, and something else... I can't remember what. Then chocolate on chocolate cupcakes for singing Happy Birthday again. Gifts for golfing and playing basketball were opened, and then another bedtime routine. Jonah: Dad you're so Rad!

Sadie's Blessing Day

When I remember this day, I will remember:
Rushing around before church to get food ready, giving Sadie a 5 minute snack before we left, and throwing a barrette in Janie's hair and rushing out the door.
I will remember putting on Sadie's bracelet, bow, and shoes during ward business, and being released as YW secretary and called as a Primary Worker and Cub Scout leader.
I will remember a sweet blessing given to Sadie by her daddy, surrounded by Grumpy, Bishop Anderson, Chuck Palmer, and Brandon Lee. She was blessed to have her mind open to the teaching of the Savior and enabled with a capacity to be led by the Holy Ghost. Also that she would accept opportunities to accept covenants, make good choices, and attend the temple, and be sealed to her family now and future family. Curtis also blessed her that her siblings would help her grow. He told her that she is a choice daughter of God, and has been kept for a special time and purpose, and that she is loved very much.
I will remember how quiet unusually quiet Sadies brothers and sister were during her blessing!!
I will remember a tiny little girl in a long white dress that I love so much!


Sadie in the Mothers Room



Sadie with Calvin Gray and an adorable coy expression



Eli, Sadie, Hogan, and Mason



All 7!!! of us after church



The whole group (except Grumpy) at home ready to eat!

Ethan's door

Art Expo at Oxbow Creek

Eli's project: a lego battle!

Ethan's project: Hieroglyphs information

This year the Expo snuck up on me, it was the first week in March, and I hadn't turned my calendar page over to see what was going on until Sunday night... and the Expo was on Thursday! Which meant that the kids had to turn their projects in on TUESDAY... which meant we now had one day to get them ready! Eli's was already done, we just had to arrange the ships and label them. But Ethan and I hadn't started yet. So when Ethan said that he had a sore throat Monday, I jumped on it and had him stay home so he could get his poster together. That was quite a long day. I used every ounce of patience I had to get through that day and that project. But it turned out just right, Ethan did a great job arranging and pasting. It was fun to walk through the school and see all the projects, and chat with some families that we haven't seen for awhile.

Pro-kart Go-cart

Fun date night with some friends in the ward: (L to R) Becky, Curtis, Nettie and Brandon Lee, Darlene and Shane Moss, Patrick Bartell and Julie taking the picture, Sadie in her carseat.

This is my attempt at taking a picture of Curtis going around the track. These puppies go fast! I got in a little accident near the end and got a few cuts on my wrist, and bruised up my leg a little. What did I expect getting into a teeny car with a bunch of competitive guys on the track?

Kim's big 4-0

What fun it is planning and having a surprise party! After Kim's party I just about wanted to have surprise parties for EVERYONE this year. Todd and Curtis did an excellent job of getting Kim to the house without her suspecting anything. They planned it out beforehand, but here is their conversation (with Kim hopefully listening in the background):

Curtis: Hey Todd, I got some new sticks and wanted you to stop by and look at them some blah blah time.
Todd: How about next Tuesday?
Curtis: Busy... maybe Monday?
Todd: What if we stopped by today, we're going to El Toro for dinner (a little Mexican resaurant by our house that Kim (and I) love).
Curtis: ok, see you around 6:15

Curt and Sandy did their part too; they stopped by Kim and Todd's to drop by a birthday present. This is my conversation with Kim after they left:

Kim: So, mom and dad stopped by to say happy birthday and guess where they were going? To Keith and Kayla's house for dinner!!!
Me: NO!
Kim: What happened to the days where mom would call me up and ask me what I wanted for dinner, and what kind of cake I wanted... I guess now that I'm 40 I need to realize that my birthday isn't all about me!! laugh laugh.

So all these little things made the moment even MORE delicious when Kim walked in the door-
Curtis answered the door and said: Kim is in the house! and she did a little whoop whoop... and then got quiet I think she she saw all the shoes and food and Happy Birthday banner. Everyone who came:

Don and Kitty Sinjem

Chuck and Mary Sinjem

Joann, Rhonda and Wendy (the LaRoch's)

Steve and Stephanie Sinjem

Keith and Kayla and Mason

Derek and Jenny and Isabelle

Curt and Sandy

Dana and Amy Oelkers

John and Miria Kirkham

Joan Hubbell

Jim and Jana Roberts

Kissing Club

Me and Curtis were smooching on the bean bag Sunday night after we sent the kids upstairs to put ther pj's on. Jonah came down the stairs and ran over to us, he said:
"I want to join the kissing! We can call it a kissing club!"
No surprise, coming from the boy who LOVES to kiss on the lips and who's nickname is Kissy-face Bear! We made him promise to start a kissing club with his wife AFTER he is married...!!

Deep Thoughts

Been thinking about how I can keep up positivity- my goal for 2011. A thought that came tonight while I was saying my prayers is that it begins by finding the good in myself. And then that habit will spill over into the habit of finding good in other people. And so on. That will be a challenge for me, looking for the good (especially in myself) is not my go-to guy. But I am going to change that, this year, 2011!
I have been feeling acutely the responsibility of being a mother of many kids. I have felt overwhelmed and very much like I am muddling through day to day. There is so much that I want to teach each one of my kids- but right now it feels like I can barely meet the physical demands- meals, laundry, band-aids, etc. It is daunting to think of what I need to teach them. So, back to my thought above- I am going to start with me. I am going to continue to develop qualities in myself that will help me reach my potential as a daughter of God! I can be an example of testimony, spirituality, obedience, love, work, patience and other qualities that are important. I have control of ME. Usually. And that is the only thing I have control over these days:)