Jumping Bean

I got such a kick out of Isaac trying to jump that I just had to share...

(This video was taken this past weekend.)

I am home from the hospital and doing better than I expected to be at this point. I can walk. I can hold babies, not more than one at a time though. I am not superwoman! But I am good to go. I do have a friend staying the night with me and we'll see how I am doing tomorrow. I am just so thankful to be home with my precious little gifts from God! Off to bed for me now!

Happy Advent!

I love Advent! Who doesn't, right? I had such a great time decorating and listening to Christmas music. Here's what I did this year, a few new things, a few old things...

Advent WreathI mentioned yesterday, I was not thrilled with the exact colors of the candles, but they are basically purple and pink (I know it looks red in the picture, but it is basically pink, I promise.) The girls agreed that was the closest we had seen. I just used the craft supplies already on hand for the rest of the wreath.

Nooks and Crannies

Kitchen

The cheap Advent Calendars I purchased yesterday are leaning against the window. Next to the oranges, our Christmas card from last year is blown up and framed until the 2009 card arrives to replace it. (Side note: Notice the coffee pot sitting out and ready for my husband to come home and make coffee in the morning again. Since the only coffee I drink is the occasional Cafe Mocha at the Java Cafe, I put it away for the year to free up counter space. Now it's back and ready to be used every morning again! I can't wait for that yummy smell to fill the house in the morning, the smell of my husband back safe and sound, right where he should be!)

In the Stairwell

Fireplace
Before you say where's Isaac's stocking, let me explain. I didn't finish (or even start) it yet. Oops! I made the stocking for my nephew and realized that it was going to take me a lot longer than I thought. By the time I got back home, there was, by far, not enough time and too many other important projects to do. I am trying to give each of the kids hand-made gifts this year for Christmas. Since he isn't old enough to know or care, I decided to put his stocking last on the list and commit to having it ready long before next Christmas. As you can see, there isn't enough room for another one anyway on this fireplace. That is just to make me feel better about not making it in time though. I would have squeezed it in.
As for the nativity scene, I decided to squeeze it in on top of the fireplace this year so it is more easily seen. I felt like the glass case was just too hard for the shorties to see, at least.

EtcNotice my old faithful crib for baby Jesus behind the flowers.

Our Jesse Tree and Advent Reading BasketThe small artificial tree is used for our Jesse Tree, for which we now have a full hand-crafted set of ornaments thanks to the Jesse Tree Swap I started in our MCCW group. This will be saved for another post because it is so wonderful, and I want to devote more time to it later on.


The Advent reading basket is growing slowly, but surely. We added three books to it at the end of the Christmas season last year. One of those books is The Jesse Tree which we started tonight. It has a lot of really big words. I felt like I was paraphrasing every sentence at times. I think it would be great if they were a few years older. However, I still think they prefer it to just reading the Scriptures like we did last year. We shall see! I have some books in here for Isaac too. I made this bow to make it look all beautiful, and then the kids got up from their nap/rest time and...


So I am sure I will not get to see it all nicely put together very often, but that really isn't the point (right, Kelle?) Right!

Today did not go as planned. Genna threw up first thing this morning and so we stayed home from Mass in case she was really sick. No fever and no more puke, so I am hoping that is over. Especially since my surgery is tomorrow. We have been having a prayer vigil for health all day today it seems. On the plus side, I got the whole house organized and set up for Advent (minus the big tree which my Sweetheart will be fetching once he is home). God is good! Jesus, I trust in you!

Preparation for the preparation...

Today we just did some pre-Advent cleaning so that tomorrow we can decorate for Advent! Funny that we have to prepare to prepare for Christmas. We gutted all the kids rooms, changed sheets, and organized the bathroom too. We also made a quick run to the Globus (kind of like a German Walmart, but not as big) to get some candles for our Advent wreath. I was disappointed with the color selection, but we are going to have to settle with a lighter purple and a deeper pink than normal. We also got two cheap German Advent calendars that have chocolate in them. One for each girl so there is no keeping track of who's turn it is to eat the chocolate. If they hadn't been so cheap, I wouldn't have bought two of them.

We also attempted to take Christmas pictures rather unsuccessfully if you ask me. Most of the pictures have either just the two girls in them or a piece of Isaac's body as he escapes. This would have been a great time to have my sweet husband around to help. By the time I got him in place and then picked up my camera he was pretty much gone. :) My personal favorites are when I told one of the girls to hold onto him and he is screaming in the picture. LOL! I may have to do a collage with individual shots of them. We'll see!

I've got a lot in store for Advent, so it may take multiple posts to get it all out there. Plus, I am having surgery (minor day surgery, don't worry too much) on Monday so I am not sure how the week will go. I am really hoping I will be fully functional on Tuesday, but I have my doubts. So please, pray for me and the kids. A good friend is camping out at my house to care for the kiddies, and another good friend is driving me to and from the hospital.

One Cool Dude!

Unfortunately, he's also ben one cranky dude these last few days. Don't know why, but he isn't sleeping well either. I pray he's not getting sick. Maybe it's just one year molars about to make their appearance or something.

Something to be thankful for!

Today my big girl turns five! She was born on the day after Thanksgiving in 2004, and this is the first time her special day has fallen right on Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for her! I will never ever forget the moment I laid eyes on her. Her big blue eyes were wide open (which I didn't expect) and she had a full head of dark hair (which I also didn't expect since I was a baldy like Isaac.) And she looked so huge. I remember thinking, "I can't believe she fit in my stomach!" She screamed and screamed, way more than Genna and Isaac did when they were born which tells you who the hard headed one is in the family. From that moment on I was a mommy! I had waited so long for that. It is all I ever wanted! Thanks be to God!

We had people over for Thanksgiving meal today. I made the turkey, gravy, and a little cake for Hannah. I got out left over birthday plates to make it a special day even though she already had her party and got all her gifts already. I did give her bubble gum though since I told her when she turned five she could chew gum. This is a long awaited privilege! She was super excited!

During the cake, she had asked her daddy to call so he could be on the phone when we sung Happy Birthday. I am so glad he was able to do that for her! Here she is with the phone to her ear.


Last night we were talking about how Hannah would go to bed a four year old, and Boom! wake up a five year old! I made a comment that I was sad she was growing up so fast. Her reply was, "But Mom, don't you want a grown-up woman to help you with all these kids?" My laughter just about knocked me over! Genna then said, "Yeah, I can be a grown up too and help you!" I told her there was absolutely no way that I was letting them both grow up! If Hannah was growing up then Genna would just have to stay little. They bot agreed that I had no choice and they couldn't stop the growing. In fact, Genna even closed her eyes, squeezed her fists really hard, and grunted to try to stop the growing, but alas it didn't work! So I just have to accept it, I guess. My baby is growing up! But at least the grown-up woman part is still a ways away! But don't try and tell her that!

My heart is breaking...

I was so very sorry to check the Caring Bridge website for an update on the surgery and find that sweet Baby Catherine did not make it through the surgery. This was a bit of a shock even to the doctors because she had a good prognosis going into surgery. My heart and prayers go out to the Simmons family as they grieve for their nine day old daughter. I can not even imagine.

"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

How do you feel about track lighting?

I really don't like it! You always hear, "Oh, it has track lighting!" followed by oohs and aahs. So you might even say, "What! How can you say you don't like track lighting? Well, let me just tell you!

We have it in all five of our bedrooms and in the kitchen. I always have a light out somewhere! Always! I can't keep up! These German bulbs are not cheap either, so I just can't bring myself to stock up. Plus, they have fuses that go out and have to be replaced too. So that is how I can say I don't like track lighting!

Today I was changing light bulbs while the girls were having quiet time and Isaac was napping. I was quietly carrying a chair over to the kitchen to stand on, when the side of it hit the counter and I dropped it on my toes. Ouch! It is still throbbing as I write this seven hours later, and now it is black and blue too. So no, I do not like track lighting! And then the baby woke up! I am a little bitter towards the track lighting, can you tell?

Oh, how I love thee, let me count the ways: Part 3

And last, but certainly not the least...

Isaac

I love how he nods his head "Yes" when I ask him a question! It is with such gusto! Like he is saying, "Yes, Mommy, that is what I have been trying to tell you!"

I love how cuddly and snugly he is! My favorite is snuggling my face right in his neck!

I love his carefully planted kisses! He does it so slow and deliberately when giving kisses to me on the lips. But then he also kisses me randomly on my collarbone when I am praying and singing with him before bed time.

I love the way he says the word "bubbles." His cheeks kind of shake...I could eat him!

I love when he tells other kids "no" when they are doing something wrong. I'm telling you almost everything this kid does, I find irresistible!

I love how much of a boy he is, always getting excited about things with wheels and motors when all he sees all day are his sisters coloring and playing dolls.

I love his baby breath.

I love that he likes men so much and will probably have an easy time bonding with dad when he gets back.

I love that he is so very tough! I have the wussiest girls in the world, and I was beginning to think that it was my fault. Now I feel proud to have a son who can have a whelp on his head and not even know when he got it because he doesn't cry about it. That's my little Soldier!

I love (and am freakishly proud) how huge he is! I wear his birth weight like a medal and get so excited when is off the charts at his well baby appointments.

I love his chub! I mentioned his cheeks, but I also love his tummy and his thighs...so squeezable!

I love his jibber jabber! The girls just talked and really didn't do this at all, so it is new to me.

I love cue ball head! It is a good rubbing head. His daddy loves a good rubbing head!

I love his feet! They are big and chubby too! Size 5 already. I think the girls were two years at least before they wore that size. I also love his big and chubby hands!

I love how he is ticklish on the back of his neck. If I mess with his tag or something his shoulders come up and he smiles and giggles. So sweet!

I love his serious look that he gives people as he figures them out.

I love his eye-disappearing smile when I ask him to smile for the camera.

I love what a great traveler he is. I was worried since he is more active than the girls, but he did great on the 9 hour flights!

I love his hazel eyes. My only child so far that doesn't have blue eyes! They look great with camo colors. :)

I love that he loves to go outside, although right now it is hard to do with all the cold rain and wind here.

I love when he dances to music! So cute!

I love when he sings "Ashes, ashes, ah fah dowwwwn!"

I love to see him with his sisters! He looks up to them so much and always tries to copy them. He just adores them and has a blast with them.



And so ends my trilogy, but never my love. I am sure I have missed a million things!

Prayers for a sweet little newborn!

A friend of mine had her baby (diagnosed with Spina Bifida in utero) on November 15th. They named her Catherine, and she is undergoing her second surgery right now. Please, pray for her and her family!

Little man

This little guy is bound for holiness. (Pardon the mother's pride for a moment!) Yesterday at Mass he kept pointing to the Stations of the Cross saying, Jesus. Then during the most important part of Mass, stopped playing with my necklace when he heard the bells, turned, pointed to the body of Christ and said "Jesus." During daily Mass this week, he yelled out a drawn out "Nooo" when one of the kids screamed. I had to chuckle at that. He's quite the character.

I was low on clothes for Mass and found this shirt I had reverse appliqued for him a while ago. I figured a tie would work for Mass, right?

Oh, how I love thee, let me count the ways: Part 2

To continue my trilogy on all the things I love about each of my kids...

Genna...

I love that she has a heart as big as Texas and she wears it on her sleeve!

I love how she sings all the time! She was playing Go Fish with Hannah today and was singing her questions (you must read this in a sing song voice!), "Do you have a hamster, Hannah?"

I love how she keeps us all laughing! She is just so funny!

I love how she surprises me. I will think she is not listening or even paying attention at all and she busts out with answers to questions and even beats Hannah sometimes to the punch. She may be a little ditsy, but she's got some brains in there too!

I love how she is so backwards! I promise you this girl has worn her underpants with her body through the leg hole all day without me knowing. How can you do that? You would think it would be uncomfortable, to say the least!

I love that she is so laid back, a real go with the flow girl! I am sure her controlling sister loves this too.

I love how motherly she is. She tries so hard with her brother to care for him. And when Hannah is in need, Genna is the first one to offer comfort and assistance.

I love that she is and always has been a mommy's girl.

I love how physical touch seems to help her to feel better and heal all wounds, whether it is a hug that helps her to forgive instantly or a tickle that shows her you are not upset with her.

I love how she always wants to jump in pictures and asks, "Do you need a cute girl in this picture?"

I love that she was my best night sleeper of the three and was sleeping through the night at 2 months old and would sleep til 9am until this past year.

I love how considerate she is of others. She is very complimentary of others.

I love that even though she was a shy baby, she has grown into this friendly social butterfly! She will just walk up to someone and introduce her whole family and tell them her life story.

I love that she is such a great sharer! She is truly generous and is almost always willing to let others go first and share even her most treasured possession.

I love that she loves to wear dresses all the time because she likes them to "spin easy."

I love her long thin fingers and her delicate feet! This may be weird, but I love to hold her hands just to feel her fingers!

I love that her labor and delivery was the easiest and that she wasn't overdue! :) You moms understand that, right?

I love her HUGE light blue eyes! They are just amazing!

I love love love those bouncy curls! I could play with her hair all day!

I love her funny faces! Her face is so full of expression and I just want to kiss it all the time.

Sign your heart out!

Since Isaac is doing so well with signing and is not the clearest talker I've ever had, I have been wanting to add more signs to his repertoire. I had this great book, Signing Smart, but I lent it out and never got it back. So I searched on the internet (after my eldest daughter gave me the nudge by asking how to sign the word cook.) I came across the most amazing site called Signing Savvy! They have video demonstration for any word you search for. And Isaac came over as I was showing Hannah the video for the word cook, and he started laughing and copying it immediately! It was adorable, but then again I seem to think anything he does right now is adorable! Well, almost anything! Standing on the couch isn't so cute.

I am all caught up on posting now! I haven't forgotten about my promised trilogy post, I just have had too much else to post lately!

Safety Day and Veggie Face Dinner

Today we had safety day with free vehicle inspections and it must have been the Good Lord that talked me into going because I had two things about to blow on my van. Minor things that could have been a major pain if not caught ahead of time. Thanks be to God!

The girls got their faces painted there. Genna got beautiful sparkly flowers. Hannah changed her mind a million times about what she wanted. Then before I got this picture she fell asleep coloring and drooled on part of it smudging the second balloon.

I made faces in their raw vegetables tonight because I didn't feel like cooking after baking another batch of dough ornaments (future post, I need to paint them!). So we had ham and cheese melts to go with the veggie guys topped off with a banana.

First German Word

Isaac said his first German word today...Auto! He hasn't even said car yet in English. He always makes the sounds. Today getting into the car to go get the girls from their first day back at German Kindergarten he saw another car, pointed, and made the sounds, and I told him that it was "das Auto" in German. He immediately and very clearly repeated it for me and has been saying it all day. The girls were so proud of him!

Isn't this a cute scarf? He likes it more than hats. I can see we are going to struggle with hats this winter. :) The scarf was exactly $1, and so I got each of the kids one. It was cold today! Brrr!

Isaac also just decided to finally let us see all that he has been learning in that head of his today. He has been refusing to say most animal sounds. He will say the word that I have used when I talk about the animal (like Giddy up for horse and Hop hop for bunny). This is a little weird since he seems particularly fascinated with sounds in general. All of the sudden he graces us with answers to our questions and busts out with Quack quack for duck, Meow for cat, Baa for sheep, and Moo for cow all in one day. Funny guy!

First Prayer

For a while now, I have noticed Isaac patting his chest when we begin to pray in attempt to do the sign of the cross. (The girls both did this same baby version of it.) But tonight at dinner prayers he actually put his hands together and jibber jabbered along with us. He was trying to say something specific, but I don't know what it was. But he kept repeating the same thing over and over. It could have been Jesus, but I am not sure yet. He is just talking a lot more all of the sudden! Such a fun time! He is not super clear so it takes a while for me to figure out his new words sometimes. Like this morning, it took him bringing me a sock to figure out that he meant socks when he was saying docks.

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig!

We are so happy to be home! Even the girls keep saying how glad they are to be home! However, we are so tired it isn't even funny! Check this out. Isaac laid down on our kitchen rug with a book and said "Ni ni."

They all slept on the plane quite a bit, but I did not. I dozed maybe an hour. So I am falling asleep standing up at this point. I was already running on less sleep with all the wedding stuff all week. Unfortunately, I am probably in for some rough nights since our internal clocks are all messed up. Between the four of us, I doubt I get much sleep.

New Jammies!

Mimi got him these adorable jammies, and I just had to post pictures of my cutie pie! These button down PJs are my favorite on him!

The wedding finale!

In the dressing room before the wedding, the girls had a snack while we waited for photos!

Isaac wandered around, as usual!

He found someone's high heels and carried them around for a while. :) What a mess!

Wedding planner talks to the mom of the groom!

The father of the groom and the father of the bride waiting for their parts...

while I decorated! I made the pew bows and put them on. Then I got permission to spruce up the altar with any plants I could find in the church building. That was fun! My sister helped me too!

The wedding pictures before the wedding were outside. Here are my shots while the girls awaited their turn to be in the big pictures.


Then the ceremony began. Genna finished her petals long before the other flower girl. :) She was all smiles coming down the aisle. Isaac felt the need to yell, "Uh oh" every time the petals hit the ground. He can't help it. It is a need he has deep inside to say it when ever anything falls whether on accident or not. :)

Look at this smile! She's so great!

My girls are now officially flower girl pros! They did so great! Genna played with Hannah's hair a bit, but otherwise was perfect! The wedding was beautiful as was the bride! Congratulations to the beautiful bride and handsome groom! And welcome to the family, Leah!

Practice Makes Perfect

Or at least we hope so! Tonight was my brother's rehearsal and tomorrow is the big day!

I found out that the girls were supposed to stand up on the stage with the wedding party. In my sister's wedding, they sat down with my parents. So I had not prepped them on this yet. Hannah did great acting like a big girl is her thing usually. Genna did OK, but let me just show you...

Genna talking it up with the younger flower girl...

And Genna being moved on the other side of Hannah to split up the Chatty Cathy's. Then Hannah began getting a little more distracted, but not too bad, and Genna starts posing for the audience. :) I am always amazed at how much her personality shines through in photographs.

Isaac was there just wandering around looking for trouble and looking cute as can be. I love this serious face!


I was fortunate enough to help out with the rehearsal dinner and got to make my sister-in-law-to-be's bow bouquet for the rehearsal. Here it is with the blushing bride!

The rehearsal was at On the Border and I used her colors (dark purple and orange) in combination with the time of year to create the centerpieces and place cards for decoration.

The centerpices were pumpkins painted with purple glittery polka dots (the bride has a thing for polka dots) and set to sparkle in the candle light of some $2 orange candles from Walmart. Fake autumn leaves were scattered, some also glittered up for extra sparkle. And the place cards were inspired by Martha Stewart with glittered orange and gold leaves along side the names. So fun!

At each end of the table I added one of these carved out mini gourds filled with caramel candy corns just for fun!

Everything went smoothly and the kids all stayed up late with no major catastrophes.