Our conversation in the car today went like this:
Me: Caelen you're sounding very angry today. Do you have an anger problem?
Caelen: Yes! Right here (pointing to her side under her left arm.)
Me: Right there?
Caelen: Yes, I have an angry germ right here and it makes me mad when I talk to you. It makes me mad when I talk to you and Ty, but not Riley, it makes me happy when I talk to Riley.... and Addie. But the angry germ makes me angry at Ty and at you Mom.
Later in Costco as she's talking about how she would like to take her new coloring book into her room and shut the door to color she's getting angrier and angrier (don't ask me why):
Caelen: And I want to take it in my room and color in there, not in the playroom, because I don't want Addie to mess it up!!!
(People staring at an angry child.)
Me: Honey, you need to tell that angry germ to calm down, and you should find your kind germ.
Caelen: My kind germ is over here (pointing to her right side) and I'll move it over here where my angry germ is so I can be nice again. See Mommy?! I can talk nicely again!
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Maybe He could stop by for a BBQ?
While we were driving around town, Caelen was asking me when Jesus was "coming back in the clouds". I told her that no one knows, only God. She said she really wanted Him to come back. And it was a really fun conversation but the best was when she said, "I want Him to come back in the sky and into our yard for a visit."
Today she got a cut on her hand (with what looks suspiciously like a splinter but she won't let me touch it). About 10 minutes later while she's playing outside and I'm sweeping the patio she says, "Mom, would you pray for me?" I said, "Absolutely sweetheart. What would you like me to pray for." "My owie," she said. So I came over and put my arm around her and we asked the Lord to heal that owie and that if He chose to let it hang around for awhile that He give her the strength to endure it.
Seriously, that kid is the sweetest darn thing.
I have another sweetest darn thing, and when I get my other computer turned on I'll upload some videos of Addison and her antics. She's getting so good at communicating. Today she pushed her dinner plate away, said, "Ah Da" and as Thomas was helping her out of her very messy clothes she asked, "A Ba?" with the sweetest hopeful expression knowing that baths always come after dinner.
She says "No" clear as a bell but in a sweet little voice, almost like a question as she shakes her head vigorously from side to side. Mostly she does this if her sister gets in her face or if you ask her if she wants to go night night. Although tonight I asked her and she said, "Yeah". She calls Woodrow "Wuh Doh" and every animal is "A Ca!" (A cat). She knows where a nose is and if shes about to give you a kiss you'll know it by the big open mouth that comes at you. She never puckers!
She's obssessed with her "Bee bee" (binkie) and when I tried to carry her out of her room, pretending I didn't know what she was asking for, she finally got fed up and yelled, "Mommy!"
I think she knows she charming and when she's in trouble she just laughs. You can have the sternest face and scold her with a loud NO! and she'll stop, assess the situation and start to grin as she continues in the bad behavior. Like it's a game. Oh my Addie. I just love those girls.
Today she got a cut on her hand (with what looks suspiciously like a splinter but she won't let me touch it). About 10 minutes later while she's playing outside and I'm sweeping the patio she says, "Mom, would you pray for me?" I said, "Absolutely sweetheart. What would you like me to pray for." "My owie," she said. So I came over and put my arm around her and we asked the Lord to heal that owie and that if He chose to let it hang around for awhile that He give her the strength to endure it.
Seriously, that kid is the sweetest darn thing.
I have another sweetest darn thing, and when I get my other computer turned on I'll upload some videos of Addison and her antics. She's getting so good at communicating. Today she pushed her dinner plate away, said, "Ah Da" and as Thomas was helping her out of her very messy clothes she asked, "A Ba?" with the sweetest hopeful expression knowing that baths always come after dinner.
She says "No" clear as a bell but in a sweet little voice, almost like a question as she shakes her head vigorously from side to side. Mostly she does this if her sister gets in her face or if you ask her if she wants to go night night. Although tonight I asked her and she said, "Yeah". She calls Woodrow "Wuh Doh" and every animal is "A Ca!" (A cat). She knows where a nose is and if shes about to give you a kiss you'll know it by the big open mouth that comes at you. She never puckers!
She's obssessed with her "Bee bee" (binkie) and when I tried to carry her out of her room, pretending I didn't know what she was asking for, she finally got fed up and yelled, "Mommy!"
I think she knows she charming and when she's in trouble she just laughs. You can have the sternest face and scold her with a loud NO! and she'll stop, assess the situation and start to grin as she continues in the bad behavior. Like it's a game. Oh my Addie. I just love those girls.
Monday, May 03, 2010
I have to go potty, can I come to your house??
If you ever feel like your house is falling apart around you, can I just share with you? And I write this for the future me, as much as anyone else who may happen to glace at this post.
For the past two months, that would be the day my new garage door arrived and was installed after the old one was mutilated by a drunk driver, that day my dishwasher died. So I have been doing dishes by hand while the putred water that wouldn't drain out of the bottom just sat inside my dishwasher. I was told it would be taken care of and then 2 months of life and stagnant water happened.
Well then my toilet wouldn't plunge. My husbands strong, pretty strong. He couldn't do a thing about it. So we used the other toilet, waiting for someone to call Roto Rooter. Finally I announced that I was just gonna call them (should have done this in the first place) and they came out.
The culprit: Addison. The weapon: a miniture can of bright pink playdough flushed down our toilet. Roto Rooter fixes it "for now" he says and I have him look at the dishwasher. "Oh it's probably just clogged right here" he says as he snakes a tiny connection between my dishwasher and disposal.
After a lot of embarassment over disgusting water in the bottom of my dishwasher (oh the smell!), and half a bottle of bleach poured in for a cycle, my dishwashers working again, and I should add, "for now."
Fast forward to that evening. I'm using the toilet that hadn't been the problem in the first place. I flush and water leaks out from the bottom of the toilet all over the floor. "The seal is broken" says Thomas. So we're using the original problem toilet now.
The next day THAT toilet backs up again...... then it blub blub blubs until it's filled with black sludge. I'm scared to look in the other bathroom, but I must be brave. Yep, black sludge leaked out onto the floor and my shower is completely full of, let's be honest" raw sewage." And unless we want to pay alot of money we don't have, we have to wait it out through the weekend until Monday morning. "Sounds like the can of playdough just went further down the line and now has backed up your main line. It'll take two guys going up on your roof and down through the main vent." Fine.
As I load the girls in the car to make a Raley's run (duel purpose, groceries and toilets) I notice the washing machine has leaked sludge all over my garage floor which harkens back to our first experience with Roto Rooter 6 months ago. As I ask Thomas if he could remove our dining room table leaf and my wrapping paper from the slime, I hop in the car and drive away.
Needless to say after contemplating sleeping in the living room, we opened all the windows in our bedroom and bathroom and tried not to smell the most disgusting smell that left me falling alseep praying for all the poeple in the world who live with this sewage running down the middle of their towns and roads where their children play.
In the meantime, I've been dancing as I load my dishwasher... and then realize I better place a rag under it because it's spilling out water as it runs. Thomas asks me this morning why it's there. I explain and he points out that the hardwood floor in front of the dishwasher is now buckling at the seams a good 2 feet out in front of the machine. "And we probably shouldn't run it since it unloads into the main line." Fine.
Praise the Lord we're finally having beautiful weather, we have no guests staying with us, and one of our children doesn't even use a toilet. I'm looking on the bright side here people. I asked Thomas if he thought the Lord was preparing us for missions in countries where they have no indoor plumbing. "At this point, I'd rather live there, then I woundn't have to deal with this." he says.
For the past two months, that would be the day my new garage door arrived and was installed after the old one was mutilated by a drunk driver, that day my dishwasher died. So I have been doing dishes by hand while the putred water that wouldn't drain out of the bottom just sat inside my dishwasher. I was told it would be taken care of and then 2 months of life and stagnant water happened.
Well then my toilet wouldn't plunge. My husbands strong, pretty strong. He couldn't do a thing about it. So we used the other toilet, waiting for someone to call Roto Rooter. Finally I announced that I was just gonna call them (should have done this in the first place) and they came out.
The culprit: Addison. The weapon: a miniture can of bright pink playdough flushed down our toilet. Roto Rooter fixes it "for now" he says and I have him look at the dishwasher. "Oh it's probably just clogged right here" he says as he snakes a tiny connection between my dishwasher and disposal.
After a lot of embarassment over disgusting water in the bottom of my dishwasher (oh the smell!), and half a bottle of bleach poured in for a cycle, my dishwashers working again, and I should add, "for now."
Fast forward to that evening. I'm using the toilet that hadn't been the problem in the first place. I flush and water leaks out from the bottom of the toilet all over the floor. "The seal is broken" says Thomas. So we're using the original problem toilet now.
The next day THAT toilet backs up again...... then it blub blub blubs until it's filled with black sludge. I'm scared to look in the other bathroom, but I must be brave. Yep, black sludge leaked out onto the floor and my shower is completely full of, let's be honest" raw sewage." And unless we want to pay alot of money we don't have, we have to wait it out through the weekend until Monday morning. "Sounds like the can of playdough just went further down the line and now has backed up your main line. It'll take two guys going up on your roof and down through the main vent." Fine.
As I load the girls in the car to make a Raley's run (duel purpose, groceries and toilets) I notice the washing machine has leaked sludge all over my garage floor which harkens back to our first experience with Roto Rooter 6 months ago. As I ask Thomas if he could remove our dining room table leaf and my wrapping paper from the slime, I hop in the car and drive away.
Needless to say after contemplating sleeping in the living room, we opened all the windows in our bedroom and bathroom and tried not to smell the most disgusting smell that left me falling alseep praying for all the poeple in the world who live with this sewage running down the middle of their towns and roads where their children play.
In the meantime, I've been dancing as I load my dishwasher... and then realize I better place a rag under it because it's spilling out water as it runs. Thomas asks me this morning why it's there. I explain and he points out that the hardwood floor in front of the dishwasher is now buckling at the seams a good 2 feet out in front of the machine. "And we probably shouldn't run it since it unloads into the main line." Fine.
Praise the Lord we're finally having beautiful weather, we have no guests staying with us, and one of our children doesn't even use a toilet. I'm looking on the bright side here people. I asked Thomas if he thought the Lord was preparing us for missions in countries where they have no indoor plumbing. "At this point, I'd rather live there, then I woundn't have to deal with this." he says.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
They don't get hyperbole
Awana's meltdown happens almost every Wednesday night becuase Caelen is up 1 1/2 hours past her normal bedtime by the time we get her home and ready for bed, but tonight was extra drama. One thing after another was setting her off. Finally when I told her it was time to brush her teeth she stood her ground in the hall and said, "I'm not coming." So after some loving discipline I had her in the bathroom on the stool, toothbrush in my hand and she shoves a hand towel over her face and says she's not brushing her teeth. More discipline. Nothing. I tell her she's not riding her bike tomorrow. Nothing.
Finally I say, "Fine. We won't brush your teeth. If they fall out, don't cry to me." Then she bursts into a slinky fit (the one where you can't pick them up because they're slinking to the floor) screaming that she wants to brush her teeth now. I put her in bed, tell her not to get out and leave. She is screaming hysterically for 10 minutes.
She eventually braves the possible consequences and gets out of bed and hysterically sobs my name from her door. I tell her, "Baby, I told you not to get out of bed." She replies, "I know Mom but I have to tell you something." I ask what. She stands at the end of hall, the hysterical sobbing goes up another notch as she wails, "Mom if I don't brush my teeth and they fall out, I'll be a baaaaaaaaabbbbyyyy again!!!"
So this Mama had to apologize for saying something so thoughtlessly that apparently scared the crap out of her. Poor thing. After I asked her forgivness, she asked mine for "having a bad attitude." I think we ended on a positive note.
My sweet Addison is now trying to repeat all the important words that she hears and she's getting pretty good. Her new phrase is, "Help Please" which comes out Heh-Pee. She uses it very appropriately and is a lot less frustrated these days. Her four teeth are making the look of her face change, so she's talking more AND looking older.
This morning Addison was hanging out in bed with me, suddenly slid down and went into the hall. As she looked toward the kitchen she said, "A Bah!" I asked, 'Do you want a bottle?" She got so excited and we headed down the hall. I followed her to the kitchen where she went to the cupboard, pulled out an empty bottle and said, "Heh-Pee!"
She also says Baby, and even called her little face in the mirror, a baby. And she is so fun with her goofy facial expressions and gasps that she does because she knows she's hilarious. I love those girls!
Finally I say, "Fine. We won't brush your teeth. If they fall out, don't cry to me." Then she bursts into a slinky fit (the one where you can't pick them up because they're slinking to the floor) screaming that she wants to brush her teeth now. I put her in bed, tell her not to get out and leave. She is screaming hysterically for 10 minutes.
She eventually braves the possible consequences and gets out of bed and hysterically sobs my name from her door. I tell her, "Baby, I told you not to get out of bed." She replies, "I know Mom but I have to tell you something." I ask what. She stands at the end of hall, the hysterical sobbing goes up another notch as she wails, "Mom if I don't brush my teeth and they fall out, I'll be a baaaaaaaaabbbbyyyy again!!!"
So this Mama had to apologize for saying something so thoughtlessly that apparently scared the crap out of her. Poor thing. After I asked her forgivness, she asked mine for "having a bad attitude." I think we ended on a positive note.
My sweet Addison is now trying to repeat all the important words that she hears and she's getting pretty good. Her new phrase is, "Help Please" which comes out Heh-Pee. She uses it very appropriately and is a lot less frustrated these days. Her four teeth are making the look of her face change, so she's talking more AND looking older.
This morning Addison was hanging out in bed with me, suddenly slid down and went into the hall. As she looked toward the kitchen she said, "A Bah!" I asked, 'Do you want a bottle?" She got so excited and we headed down the hall. I followed her to the kitchen where she went to the cupboard, pulled out an empty bottle and said, "Heh-Pee!"
She also says Baby, and even called her little face in the mirror, a baby. And she is so fun with her goofy facial expressions and gasps that she does because she knows she's hilarious. I love those girls!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
More Quotes for the Archives
Caelen discovered a new site on the computer from the Disney Channel and she was playing on that one afternoon. When it was time to get off her attitude went down the drain. There were a couple of offenses before I got smart and decided to put an end to it. I said, "You're attitude is so bad, you're not playing on the computer for the rest of today or tomorrow." She thought about it, looked at me and said very respectfully, "Mom, I think I'm gonna need some possibility." With an emerging smile on my face I said, "Possibility of what, baby?" She said, "Some possibility of the computer tomorrow."
Unfortunately I had to reiterate that there really would be no possibility of the computer tomorrow.
Tonight at dinner Caelen came to the table, announced she was going to pray by saying, "Okay, I'm gonna pray. Everyone dry up their tears and let's pray!" (No one was crying and I have never heard this said anywhere before!)
Addison will play in a sandbox (mulch, dirt, sand, kitty litter....) for an hour by herself. Absolutely no one else is necessary in her sweet little world, she just busily plays non-stop. It's pretty much the sweetest thing.
Addie can say, "Hi Da!" and "Bah" (Ball). She has started shaking her head for no (like when I tried to get her to finish her banana). She knows what we're saying to her most of the time and she's begun testing what happens when she obeys, or doesn't. She's usually a good listener but I have a feeling she's also checking to see if that mischievously adorable grin of her can get her out of trouble.
The girls often play ball together now. If Caelen proposes it and Addie's in the mood she'll sit right down and spread her legs to a V shape so she can catch the ball. Both girls will face each other like this and roll the ball back and forth. They seriously have a blast!
Addison says "Hi" for Bye but she waves when it's Bye or Night Night. Always with the hugest grin on her face so you can see her, now, four teeth. The girls are so different. Caelen loves anything artistic, reading, and learning. Addison is into agility, tactile games, and has already mastered the stairs (which is amazing since we don't have any.) She's very careful. She's also very musical and loves to turn on music, play the piano or clap. Not to say that any of these things don't overlap for the girls (Caelen loves singing! and Addie fancies herself an artist with her paintbrushes on the playhouse walls) but it's fun to see them develop in different ways.
Unfortunately I had to reiterate that there really would be no possibility of the computer tomorrow.
Tonight at dinner Caelen came to the table, announced she was going to pray by saying, "Okay, I'm gonna pray. Everyone dry up their tears and let's pray!" (No one was crying and I have never heard this said anywhere before!)
Addison will play in a sandbox (mulch, dirt, sand, kitty litter....) for an hour by herself. Absolutely no one else is necessary in her sweet little world, she just busily plays non-stop. It's pretty much the sweetest thing.
Addie can say, "Hi Da!" and "Bah" (Ball). She has started shaking her head for no (like when I tried to get her to finish her banana). She knows what we're saying to her most of the time and she's begun testing what happens when she obeys, or doesn't. She's usually a good listener but I have a feeling she's also checking to see if that mischievously adorable grin of her can get her out of trouble.
The girls often play ball together now. If Caelen proposes it and Addie's in the mood she'll sit right down and spread her legs to a V shape so she can catch the ball. Both girls will face each other like this and roll the ball back and forth. They seriously have a blast!
Addison says "Hi" for Bye but she waves when it's Bye or Night Night. Always with the hugest grin on her face so you can see her, now, four teeth. The girls are so different. Caelen loves anything artistic, reading, and learning. Addison is into agility, tactile games, and has already mastered the stairs (which is amazing since we don't have any.) She's very careful. She's also very musical and loves to turn on music, play the piano or clap. Not to say that any of these things don't overlap for the girls (Caelen loves singing! and Addie fancies herself an artist with her paintbrushes on the playhouse walls) but it's fun to see them develop in different ways.
Friday, April 02, 2010
A Pig Offering?
I offered Caelen some spagetti as I was getting some for myself but she wanted an apple. A few minutes later she looked at her half eaten apple and changed her mind, asking for some spagetti. I told her she could absolutely have some spagetti after she finished her apple. She promptly turned around and headed toward the bathroom. I heard sounds and got suspicious so I called her back into the room. She not only DIDN'T come, she shut the door to the bathroom. So I headed in and she (looking very guilty) was leaning against the toilet. I asked her whatshe was doing and she shrugged her shoulders. Only after I threatened her with who-knows-what for lying to her mother did she open the toilet and show me the apple floating inside.
Two stories intertwine here: Thomas was telling some friends a couple of days ago that the first time he killed a pig was when he was about 6 years old. So today we were reading Caelen's Bible about Abraham and Isaac when God tested Abraham's faith and willingness to lay down his idol and sacrifice his only son. Of course the Lord provided a ram instead. Caelen started asking why, so we began discussing the old sacrifices God used to require before Jesus came. She was understanding, nodding her head and I said, "So now we don't have to offer those kinds of sacrifices anymore." to which she replied, "My Daddy offered sacrifices when he was six."
Two stories intertwine here: Thomas was telling some friends a couple of days ago that the first time he killed a pig was when he was about 6 years old. So today we were reading Caelen's Bible about Abraham and Isaac when God tested Abraham's faith and willingness to lay down his idol and sacrifice his only son. Of course the Lord provided a ram instead. Caelen started asking why, so we began discussing the old sacrifices God used to require before Jesus came. She was understanding, nodding her head and I said, "So now we don't have to offer those kinds of sacrifices anymore." to which she replied, "My Daddy offered sacrifices when he was six."
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Preparing for Nevada
Yesterday I heard Caelen in some other room saying, "I'll baptize you if you baptize me" and rambling on and on about baptizing. Then somehow I realized she was in the bathroom and images of her dunking imaginary people into the toilet came to me.
Both the girls are sick again. In the past 5 weeks we've been to church, Bible study & Awanas one time. I'm over it. Whatever! LOL. If we make it, we make it, if we don't then I have a Bible and good friends.
We're gearing up to go to Nevada to visit missionary Larisa Craig. When her story touched my heart I didn't know if I could do anything to help except maybe collect up some women's clothing for the young women she minsters to. Women's clothing became women's clothing, kids & baby clothing, blankets, toys, books and over 50 pairs of new flip flops! Jennifer's American Heritage Girls troop adopted Larisa as their missionary and did a book drive and she's also collected up more of the same. From the sound of it she has at least five times the amount of stuff I have. I CANNOT wait to take it all to Larisa! It's gonna be way better than Christmastime! We'll feel like Santa in a big 12 seater sleigh pulling up :)
My concern is the girls going with me. Larisa really encouraged me to bring them and Jenn is bringing her girls. Plus Auntie Heather is coming, so short of Daddy being with us, it's about as perfect a situation as it gets... but the girls are unpredictable. Addison has the attitude of an experienced 2 year old at only barely a year and Caelen insisted she couldn't close her eyes at Tyler's house and therefore couldn't sleep unless she was at home. So fair warning to everyone involved in this trip, my kids have minds of their own.
I made the mistake of telling Caelen we were collecting stuff for some poor kids who didn't have much and that's why I was asking her if there were any toys or clothes of hers that she could give up. They kind of became known as the "poor kids". So while perusing all the bounty we have to take with us, Caelen once again mentioned the "poor kids" and I said, "Yes, but maybe we shouldn't call them that anymore. Let's call them....." Caelen threw her arms in the air and said, "... the kids we love!!!"
Both the girls are sick again. In the past 5 weeks we've been to church, Bible study & Awanas one time. I'm over it. Whatever! LOL. If we make it, we make it, if we don't then I have a Bible and good friends.
We're gearing up to go to Nevada to visit missionary Larisa Craig. When her story touched my heart I didn't know if I could do anything to help except maybe collect up some women's clothing for the young women she minsters to. Women's clothing became women's clothing, kids & baby clothing, blankets, toys, books and over 50 pairs of new flip flops! Jennifer's American Heritage Girls troop adopted Larisa as their missionary and did a book drive and she's also collected up more of the same. From the sound of it she has at least five times the amount of stuff I have. I CANNOT wait to take it all to Larisa! It's gonna be way better than Christmastime! We'll feel like Santa in a big 12 seater sleigh pulling up :)
My concern is the girls going with me. Larisa really encouraged me to bring them and Jenn is bringing her girls. Plus Auntie Heather is coming, so short of Daddy being with us, it's about as perfect a situation as it gets... but the girls are unpredictable. Addison has the attitude of an experienced 2 year old at only barely a year and Caelen insisted she couldn't close her eyes at Tyler's house and therefore couldn't sleep unless she was at home. So fair warning to everyone involved in this trip, my kids have minds of their own.
I made the mistake of telling Caelen we were collecting stuff for some poor kids who didn't have much and that's why I was asking her if there were any toys or clothes of hers that she could give up. They kind of became known as the "poor kids". So while perusing all the bounty we have to take with us, Caelen once again mentioned the "poor kids" and I said, "Yes, but maybe we shouldn't call them that anymore. Let's call them....." Caelen threw her arms in the air and said, "... the kids we love!!!"
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Girl Talk
Caelen thoughtfully asked me the other day, "Mom? If you want to have two babies, do you have to get married two times?" "No," I said, "You just get married once and then you can have as many babies as you want." "I want FIVE!" She exclaimed. Definitely Thomas's daughter.
When I was telling Courtney about this, Courtney then asked Caelen, "What if your husband doesn't want five babies? What will you do then?"
And Caelen replied, "Find another man and have babies!!!"
Addison knows where Fluffy hides, under the desk in the playroom. She gets down on her tummy and looks under the desk and says, "Hi Daaa! Hi Daaa!" So when Caelen and I were fishing a shoe out from under Caelen's bed, it made perfect sense why we must have been on our tummies. So Addie got down along side us and hollared, "Hi Daaa! Hi Daaa!"
She's also completely mixed up the words, "Up" and "down." She used to say Up for everything, even when she wanted to get down from a chair or a wagon or something like that. We would correct her with Down. Now she uses down for everything, even when shes standing on the ground reaching up it's, 'Dow!"
Caelen has been amazing this week - literally one time out all week so far (it's Wednesday.) Her attitude towards everyone has been so loving and she has been quick to listen, pointing out every time that she's being a good listener. I don't know if part of the incentive has been watching her baby sister start to act out, have an attitude and see consequences, but whatever it is, it's been very enjoyable! But Addison is beginning to have a toddler 'tude. She knows when she's not getting her way and if she doesn't get it quickly, she's pitching a fit! She's also fighting back with Caelen and the look of shock on Caelen's face the first few times Addison stood up for herself has been pretty funny. Caelen is a lot more thoughtful about whether or not she should strike her sister now.
Caelen said to me yesterday, "Mom, I appreciate your help, but I can do it." Seriously, she amazes me.
When I was telling Courtney about this, Courtney then asked Caelen, "What if your husband doesn't want five babies? What will you do then?"
And Caelen replied, "Find another man and have babies!!!"
Addison knows where Fluffy hides, under the desk in the playroom. She gets down on her tummy and looks under the desk and says, "Hi Daaa! Hi Daaa!" So when Caelen and I were fishing a shoe out from under Caelen's bed, it made perfect sense why we must have been on our tummies. So Addie got down along side us and hollared, "Hi Daaa! Hi Daaa!"
She's also completely mixed up the words, "Up" and "down." She used to say Up for everything, even when she wanted to get down from a chair or a wagon or something like that. We would correct her with Down. Now she uses down for everything, even when shes standing on the ground reaching up it's, 'Dow!"
Caelen has been amazing this week - literally one time out all week so far (it's Wednesday.) Her attitude towards everyone has been so loving and she has been quick to listen, pointing out every time that she's being a good listener. I don't know if part of the incentive has been watching her baby sister start to act out, have an attitude and see consequences, but whatever it is, it's been very enjoyable! But Addison is beginning to have a toddler 'tude. She knows when she's not getting her way and if she doesn't get it quickly, she's pitching a fit! She's also fighting back with Caelen and the look of shock on Caelen's face the first few times Addison stood up for herself has been pretty funny. Caelen is a lot more thoughtful about whether or not she should strike her sister now.
Caelen said to me yesterday, "Mom, I appreciate your help, but I can do it." Seriously, she amazes me.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
We eat Vitamin C like it's going out of style
In the past 3 weeks the only representative from my family of four that has made it to any church function has been me, one Sunday I made the first service but had to leave immediately following because my sister was getting sick again and needed me to drive her home. Now keep in mind that my family is at church anywhere from 3-4 times per week. The reason for our absence? Neverending illness!
Sickness Count in Past 3 Weeks
Pink Eye - 3 cases
Fever & Body Aches - 4
Sinus Infection - 1
Random Runny Noses - 2
and not one member of the family has been left unaffected.
But thankfully we were all well for Granmda Evelyn's graveside service Wednesday March 17 at 12:30.
It was very simple with the members of my small immediate family there (Grandma was an only child, married an only child and had an only child so it's not a huge family tree) along with Grandma's caregiver who was with her exactly 2 years to the day she died, Ateca who has become like a sister to my mom. Ateca served and loved my Grandma so wonderfully and her pastors and friends would come and visit Grandma too. Grandma loved them all and it was necessary and wonderful to have them there.
Pastor Moses got up and shared to start the informal service off. Next Ateca spoke about her and Grandma's 2 year journey and the days leading up to Grandma's passing. Next, I got up to say who-knows-what and in the middle of my first sentence Caelen pops up from her seat, stands where everyone else had been standing and began a speech. She spoke about shopping at Target with her mom for her new coloring desk that has a roll on sheet of princess coloring pages and places to stick the markers and crayons. Then she took her seat. After that I finished up and my Dad spoke. Thomas brought the kids back from the bathroom just in time to watch Grandma be lowered down and then we headed home for a St. Patrick's Day reception.Mom decided she wanted to go out for dinner a little later and so we loaded ourselves into the Suburban and Auntie Heather drove us out to Negri's in Occidental.
It was a great time with family and definitely a celebratory time. The painful time was when Grandma was still alive and suffering. There was a lot of relief on Wednesday.And then the sun came out again today and the girls got to play while I recovered from a fever I came down with as we were leaving the restaurant.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Goodbye Grandma, Hello Spring
On Sunday March 14, 2010 at about 1:05am my Grandma Evelyn got to go home to heaven. We'd been praying for a long time that she would be relieved of her suffering, by the time she went she had bedsore pain that morphine couldn't touch. What a relief for her spirit when she got to leave that all behind! Today is Grandma's graveside service, and then a St. Patty's day wake! LOL, Although, we're doing it backwards.... supposed to bury the body after the wake.....
Either way, I'm looking forward to being with very close friends and family this afternoon as we lay Grandma's body to rest. It's a relief for everybody, and now the grieving process can truly begin.
But rebirth is on it's way in the form of spring. It's just around the corner as my trees can testify.
And Mommys love spring because it means a change in wardrobe for the little ones and we get to bring out all the cutsie outfits that have been hanging in the closets teasing us.
I figured we were well over due for some pictures! So here they are. The Kline's enjoying the warming weather.
(Seriously! I know, much too cute for words!) Addie's newest words are "Yuck Yuck" and "Owie" which she uses appropriately!
(And she's turning into a beautiful little girl!)
I've been having to leave about the girls' bedtime a lot of evening these past couple of weeks and so Thomas has taken on evening duties. When I came home at about 11:00pm, every light in the house was on but there wasn't a sound to be heard. I walked into Caelen's room to this:
She had been having a night terror and once he cuddled her she had calmed down. Too sweet!
Either way, I'm looking forward to being with very close friends and family this afternoon as we lay Grandma's body to rest. It's a relief for everybody, and now the grieving process can truly begin.
But rebirth is on it's way in the form of spring. It's just around the corner as my trees can testify.
And Mommys love spring because it means a change in wardrobe for the little ones and we get to bring out all the cutsie outfits that have been hanging in the closets teasing us. I figured we were well over due for some pictures! So here they are. The Kline's enjoying the warming weather. (Seriously! I know, much too cute for words!) Addie's newest words are "Yuck Yuck" and "Owie" which she uses appropriately! (And she's turning into a beautiful little girl!)I've been having to leave about the girls' bedtime a lot of evening these past couple of weeks and so Thomas has taken on evening duties. When I came home at about 11:00pm, every light in the house was on but there wasn't a sound to be heard. I walked into Caelen's room to this:
She had been having a night terror and once he cuddled her she had calmed down. Too sweet!And one last photo, the garage is working!! There's all new siding, the new garage door is up and the inside is sheetrocked and painted. The only things left to do are paint our house (we have sample quarts, thanks to Doug, that we can try out as soon as we get a chance!) and building the new shelves in the garage.
So I guess we're just never bored around the Kline home, and I wouldn't trade it all for anything, joys and sorrows, it's our craziness, and I like it. 
Thursday, March 11, 2010
One is Fun!
I'm concerned about the Pavlovian nature of my one year old. The girl is trained to sound of my cell phone; whether it's my ringtone "Cannons" by Phil Wickham or the simple "Beep Beep" that tells me I have a new message, Addison stops whatever she's doing, looks at me, makes a acknowledging noise and then heads in the direction of the phone. It's making me think that more probably I'm the one who is like Pavlov's dogs and my kids are just learning from the master. Maybe some behavior modification is called for.
But my toddler is growing so fast! She has such personality emerging and I know Caelen catches us watching Addison a lot and is beginning to desire some of that attention for herself. So we love all over Caelen and brag on her, but watching a one year old just really is a ton of fun!
She's got a few new words that she's using regularly aside from the "conversations" we have made up of unintelligible sounds that I'm sure mean something to her. "Juice" is a very clear one. Just a couple of days ago she walked into the kitchen holding her empty cup. While looking at it, she held it up to me and said, "Juice". I knew then that that word was a keeper and no longer a possible fluke. "This" is another on she uses when talking about anything else she doesn't know the word for. Sometimes it sounds like juice, but I'm thinking it's her way of asking what something is, or discussing it.
Addison wanders around constantly, she's in perpetual motion. Her favorite thing to do is climb on and off things and always announces her accomplishment with ,"Up". When she's not climbing, she's usually walking with her hands behind her back like a little old man leisurely strolling the park. When she wants up she opens and closes both her fists way above her head and says, "Ahhhhhh-P"
I knew there would come a time when my kids would be doing homework that I just couldn't help them with, but when your 3 year old already grasps a concept that you don't, then you begin to feel strange about yourself. If you don't already know, I have always had a hard time knowing my left from my right. I know, it's silly and I blame it on dyslexia, but I literally have to think for awhile to figure out which is which, usually remembering which hand I write with helps. I'm getting a bit faster in my old age.
So Caelen come out of her room Saturday morning with full blown pink eye and says, "Mom, I had a crumb in my left eye and I picked it out." I asked, "Which is your left eye?" and she immediately pointed to it. This wasn't the first incident and has proven not to be the last but it was the moment that I realized I was inferior to my child in some way and just reaffirmed that, yes indeed, she is smart.
So with the onslaught of pink eye, sinus infections and fever, I'm beginning to feel that I will never reenter the real world. I have missed 2 Thursday Bible studies, 2 Wednesday playdates, one Thursday night Grey's night, one day of work, and 2 Sunday mornings. Forget the fact that that's the regularly scheduled programing and I most certainly am not doing anything spontaneous like dinners with friends etc. Although last Friday we were able to do dinner with the "commune", that felt like a social oasis in a lonely sick desert. But time alone with my family has been a blessing. Though the girls are sick, they're not unbearable and we've been just taking it easy. I'm feeling rested amazingly enough, calm and not frenzied with a crazy schedule. So I'll enjoy it while it's here. Soon enough the weather will warm up, the flu will hibernate (or whatever it does with itself) and we'll be social again.
But my toddler is growing so fast! She has such personality emerging and I know Caelen catches us watching Addison a lot and is beginning to desire some of that attention for herself. So we love all over Caelen and brag on her, but watching a one year old just really is a ton of fun!
She's got a few new words that she's using regularly aside from the "conversations" we have made up of unintelligible sounds that I'm sure mean something to her. "Juice" is a very clear one. Just a couple of days ago she walked into the kitchen holding her empty cup. While looking at it, she held it up to me and said, "Juice". I knew then that that word was a keeper and no longer a possible fluke. "This" is another on she uses when talking about anything else she doesn't know the word for. Sometimes it sounds like juice, but I'm thinking it's her way of asking what something is, or discussing it.
Addison wanders around constantly, she's in perpetual motion. Her favorite thing to do is climb on and off things and always announces her accomplishment with ,"Up". When she's not climbing, she's usually walking with her hands behind her back like a little old man leisurely strolling the park. When she wants up she opens and closes both her fists way above her head and says, "Ahhhhhh-P"
I knew there would come a time when my kids would be doing homework that I just couldn't help them with, but when your 3 year old already grasps a concept that you don't, then you begin to feel strange about yourself. If you don't already know, I have always had a hard time knowing my left from my right. I know, it's silly and I blame it on dyslexia, but I literally have to think for awhile to figure out which is which, usually remembering which hand I write with helps. I'm getting a bit faster in my old age.
So Caelen come out of her room Saturday morning with full blown pink eye and says, "Mom, I had a crumb in my left eye and I picked it out." I asked, "Which is your left eye?" and she immediately pointed to it. This wasn't the first incident and has proven not to be the last but it was the moment that I realized I was inferior to my child in some way and just reaffirmed that, yes indeed, she is smart.
So with the onslaught of pink eye, sinus infections and fever, I'm beginning to feel that I will never reenter the real world. I have missed 2 Thursday Bible studies, 2 Wednesday playdates, one Thursday night Grey's night, one day of work, and 2 Sunday mornings. Forget the fact that that's the regularly scheduled programing and I most certainly am not doing anything spontaneous like dinners with friends etc. Although last Friday we were able to do dinner with the "commune", that felt like a social oasis in a lonely sick desert. But time alone with my family has been a blessing. Though the girls are sick, they're not unbearable and we've been just taking it easy. I'm feeling rested amazingly enough, calm and not frenzied with a crazy schedule. So I'll enjoy it while it's here. Soon enough the weather will warm up, the flu will hibernate (or whatever it does with itself) and we'll be social again.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
I'm Drowning!
It's always the mundane drudgery of life that inevitably threatens to send me over the edge. Give me a crisis, I can handle that. But it's the days were one kid has a sinus infection and gets her fingers slammed in a door by her older sibling who was disobeying, and who herself has pink eye. You have to go to work but first you have to wait for the installation guy to come install a new garage door because a drunk crashed into your old one. And as you're trying to get everyone ready for the day amidst the screams of dissatisfied toddlers, your dishwasher finally dies on you. Not to mention you're broke, your Internet won't work on one computer, but the other is so slow and filled with viruses you'd rather just throw it out the window, and the house is complete and utter chaos even though you spent the entirety of yesterday cleaning it. Oh and it's only 8:30am. And yes, that is the exact morning I am experiencing right now.
These types of things leave me unable to compartmentalize. I know that's a man's gifting, but I can do it too. That's why when I clean, I completely clean one room and then close the door. I can say to myself, "Well the rest of the house may be a disaster, but that ONE room is taken care of." When it seems every little thing is going wrong in some little annoying way, then I'm unable to use this coping mechanism. And all these things become like a swirling vortex that begin to suck me into the chaos around me. I very easily begin to focus on all the frustration, all the things that are messed up and I forget to look up. To look up out of the swirling waters and to my Ultimate Help.
"If the Lord had not been on our side... the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away." Psalm 124: 2-5 (NIV)
But once I look up, and get my focus off of these "momentary light afflictions" I regain my perspective. This is so temporary, sometimes as short as a few hours to as short as a lifetime, but in light of eternity, I can do anything for a little while.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18
These types of things leave me unable to compartmentalize. I know that's a man's gifting, but I can do it too. That's why when I clean, I completely clean one room and then close the door. I can say to myself, "Well the rest of the house may be a disaster, but that ONE room is taken care of." When it seems every little thing is going wrong in some little annoying way, then I'm unable to use this coping mechanism. And all these things become like a swirling vortex that begin to suck me into the chaos around me. I very easily begin to focus on all the frustration, all the things that are messed up and I forget to look up. To look up out of the swirling waters and to my Ultimate Help.
"If the Lord had not been on our side... the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away." Psalm 124: 2-5 (NIV)
But once I look up, and get my focus off of these "momentary light afflictions" I regain my perspective. This is so temporary, sometimes as short as a few hours to as short as a lifetime, but in light of eternity, I can do anything for a little while.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Stick a cork in it
For better or worse we learn to be sassy early on in the Kline household and without a doubt it's from the Williams side. Addison is already learning the fine art and undoubtedly so early because she doesn't only have her mother's example, she has the Princess of Sass as her older sister :)
Caelen was busy with a coloring book right in the middle of my kitchen floor. Perhaps Addison wanted to demonstrate the inconvenience of such a location so she waddled over and plopped herself right on top of the book with the subtlety of a cat who is mad that you're reading your newspaper. Caelen began fussing and yelling, "No Addie, No! No!!" and Addison, as calm as can be removed her binkie and stuffed it in her sister's mouth.
Everyone thinks my poor Addison is a boy. I thought perhaps it's because she looks like her Daddy, so therefore people think, "Boy." But this is happening (most frequently) when Thomas isn't around and commented on by people who have never even seen him! Grocery shopping is when I experience it the most. Doesn't matter if she has flowers on her shirt, or even bright pink pants, it's, "Hey little guy!", "Is that your little brother?" Caelen always looks at them first like they're crazy then she gets all defensive and sassy, "That's my SISTER!" What are sister's for if not to defend you when someone thinks you're a boy.
Caelen had informed me many times that she'll be on the stage and I believe she's practicing. At least practicing the costume changes. She goes from her jammies in the morning to new jammies after breakfast to clothes for the day (then those aren't quite right so she changes again) to jammies again once we get home, then maybe a dress so she can go outside, then a new outfit after it starts to cool off, then probably jammies for dinner, new ones after bath and then finally the madness stops and I have two laundry baskets of clothes to run.
Caelen was busy with a coloring book right in the middle of my kitchen floor. Perhaps Addison wanted to demonstrate the inconvenience of such a location so she waddled over and plopped herself right on top of the book with the subtlety of a cat who is mad that you're reading your newspaper. Caelen began fussing and yelling, "No Addie, No! No!!" and Addison, as calm as can be removed her binkie and stuffed it in her sister's mouth.
Everyone thinks my poor Addison is a boy. I thought perhaps it's because she looks like her Daddy, so therefore people think, "Boy." But this is happening (most frequently) when Thomas isn't around and commented on by people who have never even seen him! Grocery shopping is when I experience it the most. Doesn't matter if she has flowers on her shirt, or even bright pink pants, it's, "Hey little guy!", "Is that your little brother?" Caelen always looks at them first like they're crazy then she gets all defensive and sassy, "That's my SISTER!" What are sister's for if not to defend you when someone thinks you're a boy.
Caelen had informed me many times that she'll be on the stage and I believe she's practicing. At least practicing the costume changes. She goes from her jammies in the morning to new jammies after breakfast to clothes for the day (then those aren't quite right so she changes again) to jammies again once we get home, then maybe a dress so she can go outside, then a new outfit after it starts to cool off, then probably jammies for dinner, new ones after bath and then finally the madness stops and I have two laundry baskets of clothes to run.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Sleep Over
Addison has finally corraled all her words together and is using them all consistently now. Mama, Dada, Up, Uh-Oh and Hi are the more clear and common ones. Then today Caelen was yelling NO! because apparently Addison was moving dangerously close to the enterance to Caelen's bedroom. Anyway Addison responded in kind, "Wa-AH!" The delivery of it sounded just like Caelen's NO! Same emphasis etc. So that's solved the mystery of another common Addison word.
This weekend Thomas and I attended the Love & Respect conference at church and Thomas surprised me with dinner out and a stay at the Doubletree while the girls spent the night at Grandma & Grandpas. Lest anyones tempted to be jealous of my parents, my mom informed me over text after I asked her how it was going that, "addie has insomnia and Caelen woke up screaming hysterically for mom & dad." Awesome. Apparently they're not ready for mom and dad to leave them for a week or so. Well, Addison is maybe but not Caelen who was unable to handle life by the time we got there. Addison on the other hand ran right back over to Grandma to be picked up.
Anyone else feeling like the summer can arrive now?
This weekend Thomas and I attended the Love & Respect conference at church and Thomas surprised me with dinner out and a stay at the Doubletree while the girls spent the night at Grandma & Grandpas. Lest anyones tempted to be jealous of my parents, my mom informed me over text after I asked her how it was going that, "addie has insomnia and Caelen woke up screaming hysterically for mom & dad." Awesome. Apparently they're not ready for mom and dad to leave them for a week or so. Well, Addison is maybe but not Caelen who was unable to handle life by the time we got there. Addison on the other hand ran right back over to Grandma to be picked up.
Anyone else feeling like the summer can arrive now?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Caelen Speaks Out (As Usual)
Me: Caelen you need to have a sweater if you're going to wear a short-sleeved dress. (The biggest argument in our house)
Caelen: Why?
Me: Because it's cold and I said so.
Caelen: Well.... I don't think so.
Me: Are you the mommy who knows best, honey?
Caelen: ::pause:: (cautiously) Kind of?
Caelen came out of her room needing her dress unzipped and said, "Mooooomm!! I wanna take my dress off and give it to a poor kid who don't have any dress."
On a car ride to church, just the two of us, Caelen reminds me that when she grows up she's going to be a ballet dancer. I said, "Good for you baby!" Caelen: You will have to come see me Mom. Me: I will honey, I'll come to all your shows. Caelen: I'm gonna be on stage mommy. Before I have babies.
Reminded me of someone I used to know :)
This morning Caelen woke up and called me into her room. "My brain hurts." Me: Your brain hurts? Caelen: Yeah, because of my pull-up. Me: (tyring not to laugh) Your brain hurts? Up here? (Touching her noggin) Caelen: Yeah, my pull-up goes all the way up to my brain and it hurts.
Caelen: Why?
Me: Because it's cold and I said so.
Caelen: Well.... I don't think so.
Me: Are you the mommy who knows best, honey?
Caelen: ::pause:: (cautiously) Kind of?
Caelen came out of her room needing her dress unzipped and said, "Mooooomm!! I wanna take my dress off and give it to a poor kid who don't have any dress."
On a car ride to church, just the two of us, Caelen reminds me that when she grows up she's going to be a ballet dancer. I said, "Good for you baby!" Caelen: You will have to come see me Mom. Me: I will honey, I'll come to all your shows. Caelen: I'm gonna be on stage mommy. Before I have babies.
Reminded me of someone I used to know :)
This morning Caelen woke up and called me into her room. "My brain hurts." Me: Your brain hurts? Caelen: Yeah, because of my pull-up. Me: (tyring not to laugh) Your brain hurts? Up here? (Touching her noggin) Caelen: Yeah, my pull-up goes all the way up to my brain and it hurts.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sun & One
All I need is a little sun, a little warmth and all is well again. I have enjoyed the rain we've been having, I'm thankful I won't have to feel guilty this summer when the kids dump the hose out of the kiddie pool and it fills a puddle in the middle of my lawn before I see it and replace it. Thomas won't be breathing down my neck to stop filling the girls' bath because he wants to be able to water his garden.
But when that sun peeks out and I feel it's warmth, though not as intensely as I know I soon will, I get so excited. I feel refreshed, clean, awake and energized. I open the windows in all the rooms and then the kids and I pour ourselves out into the backyard as fast as we can!
The thing most present on my mind, besides the challenging books I've been reading, (Pilgrim's Progress and Pursuit of God anyone?) is Addison's 1st birthday coming up this Friday. My baby, and not my first baby either, is going to be one. I thought I was still getting used to having two babies. But I suppose that's not really true. Life without Addison wouldn't be life, and I don't know when that happened. When your babies are about 4 months or so, you can still imagine life before them, back when things were "normal". Somewhere between then and now, that child becomes your "normal" and life just wouldn't be life without them in it. I love that.
But when that sun peeks out and I feel it's warmth, though not as intensely as I know I soon will, I get so excited. I feel refreshed, clean, awake and energized. I open the windows in all the rooms and then the kids and I pour ourselves out into the backyard as fast as we can!
The thing most present on my mind, besides the challenging books I've been reading, (Pilgrim's Progress and Pursuit of God anyone?) is Addison's 1st birthday coming up this Friday. My baby, and not my first baby either, is going to be one. I thought I was still getting used to having two babies. But I suppose that's not really true. Life without Addison wouldn't be life, and I don't know when that happened. When your babies are about 4 months or so, you can still imagine life before them, back when things were "normal". Somewhere between then and now, that child becomes your "normal" and life just wouldn't be life without them in it. I love that.Tuesday, February 09, 2010
The Princess & the Firestation
There's been a rather formal feeling around the house lately. Not only do we have a resident princess, but she's also taken to calling us "Mother" and "Father". While in the complete princess garb (which is as you see here) she instructed me to call her "Princess", I agreed to which she replied, "Thank you Queen." I apparently forgot the rules on Sunday morning when she was needing a reminder to eat her breakfast. "Caelen, you need to be eating your breakfast," I said. She looked at me with a very serious face and said, "You can call me Princess."
Unfortunately, the reign came to an end after a series of a couple sad events where we lost the tiara and a Cinderella glass slipper to some serious breakage. Even Gorilla glue couldn't fix the royal wardrobe.
Miss Addie may finally be feeling some teeth. She is 1 year next Friday and still not a sign of a tooth, until today. I like to tell myself her crankiness and constant whining must be due to teething and I'm also trying to believe that I feel a tooth under one of her little gums. What an angel, but I think she's gonna be trouble!
Can we talk about the Baby Trend Sit 'N Stand stroller? Because I've had it 5 days and already feel it has changed my life. I seriously don't know how I went a year without it. It's the only stroller I will ever need (check your local Craig's List soon for multiple stroller postings!) You can do two baby carriers, two normal stroller seats or turn the back into a bench seat so the older child can sit or stand or just hop off at their convenience. (Or any combination thereof.) If you have two children, or are planning on two children, may I suggest this be the first thing you purchase. It's super lightweight also! Only 16 lbs and fits in my Camry's trunk. It doesn't get much better than this.
So we took our Super Stroller and headed to the church's local firestation for a Mom Group playdate. The Gold Ridge Firestation offered to give our playgroup a tour. I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to show Caelen that firefighters were nice, were there to help you, and so therefor were NOT the ones who crashed into our house after Christmas. (Yes, we're still working on this.) Caelen was very timid and enjoyed the security of her bench seat. A couple times she ventured off but never to go very far or for very long.
The firefighters gave the kids hats and a bag with a coloring book, crayons, stickers etc. which Caelen was so excited about. Not the hat though, she refused to put that stupid piece of plastic on, I mean honestly, where are the tiaras?
The brought the truck out with lights and sirens. They even let the kids take turns spraying the hose. Caelen passed on that, but she did get into the drivers seat long enough for me to get a picture.
We were just so excited to have sweet Austin and his mommy and brother there. After the awful weekend Austin had had, what a blessing he got to join us, and looking so well I might add!
The firefighters gave the kids hats and a bag with a coloring book, crayons, stickers etc. which Caelen was so excited about. Not the hat though, she refused to put that stupid piece of plastic on, I mean honestly, where are the tiaras?The brought the truck out with lights and sirens. They even let the kids take turns spraying the hose. Caelen passed on that, but she did get into the drivers seat long enough for me to get a picture.
We were just so excited to have sweet Austin and his mommy and brother there. After the awful weekend Austin had had, what a blessing he got to join us, and looking so well I might add!Sunday, January 31, 2010
The one with the flood
I have no idea who invented the "Terrible Twos" saying, but they led me astray. After Caelen turned 3, I'll admit it, I thought, "Awesome! The terrible twos are over and that wasn't so bad, phew, glad we made it." Okay, whatever!!
This new 3 year old is more stubborn, strong-willed and challenging than I ever thought I would have to deal with. It began when I told her to go to her room for yelling at me and she said NO! and went into the living room. When I (calmly) took her hand and began to march her into her room she disolved into a screaming mad woman on the floor. She kicked and spat and yelled that she would not go on time out. I swatted her bottom 3 times and she looked at me and said, "So?". This chain of events repeated itself a few feet further down the hall. "So? So?" she said and I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry! We finally reached her room where she stayed for 20 minutes and I told her she could come out when I felt like dealing with her attitude.
But this past wednesday was by far the most challenging day. When Tyler was over Caelen couldn't share a thing and she was dragging him to the ground by his hoodie and they were yelling and screaming. She spent 15 minutes on a self inflicted time out because she didn't want to share with anyone. After everyone was cranky and Adria was loading her car Tyler started talking about how angry he was because Caelen was grabbing him. He went into extensive detail (as preschoolers are known to do) and finally Caelen, getting impatient, interupts with her feelings of not wanting to share. Tyler says, "No I was talking!!" Caelen replies with her hand in the air, "No it's my turn to talk." Tyler begins clapping his hands over and over saying, "Lalalalalalalalalala..." to which Caelen, with another assuring hand in the air says, "That's not helping." and continues on. It was a nice respite of laughter in the midst of a very frustrating day of pounding her sister on the head, refusing time outs, and blatantly disobeying.
Luckily after a few days of this, she woke up one morning and announced she was going to have a good attitude and she pretty much delivered. It's been better since, maybe it's the eye of the storm...
There's my precious girl, that's right she's precious, and I know she's going to turn out amazing!Addison is a tornado obbsessed with graham crackers, walking everywhere, rearranging the house. When she talks, she nods her head up and down as if what she is saying is really important (which I'm sure it is!!) :) She LOVES baby dolls and real babies, she knows that a monkey says, "Ah ah ah" and when she sees puppies in one of her favorite books she says, "Puh-puh" When I finished vaccuuming a couple of days ago she asked me, "Ah-da?" And everytime Daddy walks in the house she says, "HA Dada!!" and goes after him with her hands twirling in the air and reaching up for him. I don't get the same reaction LOL!
We have had nothing but rain for weeks and as usual our street flooded. But not as usual, it flooded big time. Yards that have never seen the flood waters before got a taste of it and the creek behind us was rushing past about 1.5 feet from my backyard.
I hosted a clothing swap this weekend. I'll admit it, the last thing I spend money on is clothes and most certainly clothes for myself. I get it from my mom :) So the best way to get awesome free clothes is swap them out with girlfriends! There were 9 of us with way more clothes, bags, and accessories than I ever expected we could come up with.
Two things amaze me: 1) The amount of clothes we all had just sitting in our closets that we would never use again. After everyone took home some pretty good loot I had almost 2 huge yard size hefty garbage bags full of stuff left over to donate.
2) The fact that "one woman's trash is another woman's treasure"!! The stuff people got rid of was amazing to all of us and I think many women came away happy with their new (free!) stuff.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
He showed up with a Bang!
One month before it was due our property tax bill arrived in the mail and my heart hit the floor. We had not planned well enough or even come close enough to having money to pay the $4200 bill, and we were committed to living debt free, which meant we felt led not to acquire any more debt as we were paying the existing burden off. And since the credit cards have been cut up for months, there wasn't much turning back.
I took the bill to Thomas, holding my tears back and gave him a look, a look that says, "What in the WORLD do we do?" Then I remembered all I had been studying in God's Word about believing He is Who He says He is and can do what He says He can do and I looked at Thomas and said, "I'm not gonna cry, I'm gonna look at this as an opportunity for God to show up in a huge way." And starting that moment, God granted us the faith and the courage and we both began praying. Others prayed too, many others, to whom I am so grateful. We prayed for the money to pay the taxes and tried not to put God in a box.
Then the little miracles started happening:
*All too often I have would have the exact change in my purse for groceries I had been concerned about affording.
*Thomas found $6 tucked into his windshield wiper.
*On multiple occasions charges to us ended up being reversed or dropped for no understandable reason.
*Thomas' client gave him a monetary Thanksgiving bonus, something that has never been done in the 1o or so years he's been in construction.
*At our impromptu garage sale, God answered our prayers and multiplied our junk and the income from it.
*Twice, anonymous gifts were sent our way.
Overall the Lord provided almost $600 in one month. It was all so obviously from Him that I couldn't now doubt that He cared about us in such a tangible way or that He had my situation completely handled. There was nothing to stress about and I got to witness His glory!
But, the due date came and went. I had some concern now, let's be honest, and had kind of expected God to act by this point, while at the same time reminding myself that He doesn't do things on our timetable. So I relaxed as Dec 10 slid into Dec 11th and kept praying.
16 days went by and things stood still. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening, no more money flowing in, but He had reassured our hearts so greatly during that month, that doubt was quickly thrown out. Now we were just horribly curious as to the ending to this story, the final answer to our prayers. Were we going to be able to to look back and say, "That was it, right there, the moment when God paid our taxes."?
My friends, that moment came when a seemingly awful, inconvenient and bizarre event took place 16 days after our taxes had been due. When I stood in my street staring at my house, Thomas' truck and the damage done to that drunk drivers car and I said, "Okay Lord You don't do anything just randomly, so what's this about?" And as the police began to talk insurance with Thomas and I, it struck me, could this be it? The answer we'd been praying for. When we asked God to show up big, well, no one could deny this as being pretty big.
Today the entire front of my home has been redone and resided, we should have a new garage door in a week or two, and we are paying our property taxes (plus late fee!!!) in full hopefully as soon as next week.
"Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?'" - John 11:40
I took the bill to Thomas, holding my tears back and gave him a look, a look that says, "What in the WORLD do we do?" Then I remembered all I had been studying in God's Word about believing He is Who He says He is and can do what He says He can do and I looked at Thomas and said, "I'm not gonna cry, I'm gonna look at this as an opportunity for God to show up in a huge way." And starting that moment, God granted us the faith and the courage and we both began praying. Others prayed too, many others, to whom I am so grateful. We prayed for the money to pay the taxes and tried not to put God in a box.
Then the little miracles started happening:
*All too often I have would have the exact change in my purse for groceries I had been concerned about affording.
*Thomas found $6 tucked into his windshield wiper.
*On multiple occasions charges to us ended up being reversed or dropped for no understandable reason.
*Thomas' client gave him a monetary Thanksgiving bonus, something that has never been done in the 1o or so years he's been in construction.
*At our impromptu garage sale, God answered our prayers and multiplied our junk and the income from it.
*Twice, anonymous gifts were sent our way.
Overall the Lord provided almost $600 in one month. It was all so obviously from Him that I couldn't now doubt that He cared about us in such a tangible way or that He had my situation completely handled. There was nothing to stress about and I got to witness His glory!
But, the due date came and went. I had some concern now, let's be honest, and had kind of expected God to act by this point, while at the same time reminding myself that He doesn't do things on our timetable. So I relaxed as Dec 10 slid into Dec 11th and kept praying.
16 days went by and things stood still. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening, no more money flowing in, but He had reassured our hearts so greatly during that month, that doubt was quickly thrown out. Now we were just horribly curious as to the ending to this story, the final answer to our prayers. Were we going to be able to to look back and say, "That was it, right there, the moment when God paid our taxes."?
My friends, that moment came when a seemingly awful, inconvenient and bizarre event took place 16 days after our taxes had been due. When I stood in my street staring at my house, Thomas' truck and the damage done to that drunk drivers car and I said, "Okay Lord You don't do anything just randomly, so what's this about?" And as the police began to talk insurance with Thomas and I, it struck me, could this be it? The answer we'd been praying for. When we asked God to show up big, well, no one could deny this as being pretty big.
Today the entire front of my home has been redone and resided, we should have a new garage door in a week or two, and we are paying our property taxes (plus late fee!!!) in full hopefully as soon as next week.
"Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?'" - John 11:40
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