Friday, December 31, 2010

Throughout this year I have made a solid effort to spend more quality time with my kids, showing them that they truly are more important to me. As I've mentioned before, I spend most days, all day with the kids. But most of it is not quality time. And with 4 of them, it takes a real effort to spread myself around...absolutely possible, but it takes me making a point of doing it.



The other challenge is figuring out what "love" means for each child. I want to make sure that each minute set aside for each one is spent exactly how they need it spent.



I am a quality time person 100%. Playing a game, talking, walking, pretty much any undistracted time with me makes my cup overflow. Without it, I dry up. But just because I'm that way, doesn't mean my kids are...and that's where the challenge comes in.



I've got something special with each of my kids...something that's just between the two of us.



With Quaid we spent lots of time when he was smaller building with K'nex, blocks, and Lego's. He could build for hours. I would tell him over and over how awesome it was, how cool it was built...and he just shines with each and every word. Now that he's 6 and is playing with toys for "6 +" I am no longer able to help. My Lego building skills end at age range "3-5 years." Sad but true, the boy can out build his Mom hands down. He'll go off on his own and build something or draw a picture, and come running to me....beaming proud. He gets big hugs, and kisses, and me telling him how awesome his picture or Lego spaceship is and he just lights up. Then I tell him I love him, he says I love you to Mom, I say I love you, He says I love you too mom, I say I love you....and we continue on with that until he says, "Ugghhh Mooooommmmm!!"



Ava is a quality time girl just like me. She loves to play games and I try to always play with her when she asks...excepts when she asks me at 4:55 when I'm in the middle of dinner with Happy Hour Hungry kids! Then she has to wait! We also have a special song....it's one I heard when I was young. I hold her tight and whisper it in her ear so no one else can hear it. Just to keep it between us, but also because no one really wants to hear me sing out loud. It's not pretty. She just sits perfectly still and just listens until I finish.



Jentzen, I don't know exactly what kind of man he is quite yet. He seems to be a little bit of everything But we have our special things....I always "find his tickles." He LOVES to be tickled...I laugh at his giggle...it's so precious and to hear him say, "Please Stop Mama!" Only to sit there and wait until I start all over again. I can tickle him out of any bad mood, skinned knee, or bonked head. He's got the most precious smile ever. I'm sure you've all heard of the book "Guess How Much I Love You" with the bunnies. Well we do our own version of that. We love each other to the moon, the sun, to Africa, to Australia, to Texas, and even all the way into the kitchen!

And little Miss Keira. My favorite time is putting her to bed. First because when she's in her bed is the only time she's remotely still. And second because of her cuddles. She has come to think that it isn't a real cuddle until we're cheek to cheek. She reaches her little arms up and pulls my face right next to hers and just stays still for a few moments. I'll pull back and she grabs me right back down. "Mo duddle mama," she whispers. Repeat that 5 or 6 times followed by a quiet, "I wuv you too Mama" and I'm just a sloppy melted mess on the floor. All that girl ever needs is a big hug and a kiss and the world is a good place to be.

So I'm not one for New Years Resolutions. When you see something that needs to change in your life, change it. But I will be continuing on in my effort to give to each child what they need from me most. So whoever you have in your life, a child, a sibling, a parent, a friend...find out what they need, even it it seems unimportant or unnecessary to you...and find some joy in doing it for them.

Do you have a "special thing" with someone you love?

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Twins Game

I realize this is going back a bit...way back to September 23rd. Sorry to bore you, but there are a few reasons for it:

1. I'm way behind, I forgot I never finished the "Ode to the Brewins"
2. It's December, and raining, not snowing...but raining. Except tomorrow it will be ice, and I thought you all needed some reading material after spinning into the ditch...Hope you have 3G!
3. I don't even know what 3G means...does that have anything to do with Internet capability and phones? I don't know, and don't want to know....I just saw it on a commercial.
4. We all need a little Summer reminder in the middle of the winter, don't we?



Now, I've never been a fan of professional sports. I'd rather watch college anything over professional. But we had a blast!! It was one of our favorite things we did! I would for sure go back! I think it was just being outdoors...baseball was meant to be played outdoors!
It was beautiful, we had great seats (Thanks Jason!), and I got cheese curds.

Or it could have been so great because I was sitting next to this hunky hunk. I know, I'm a lucky gal. Don't be too jealous...Jealously has never done anyone any good.

Then on the walk back to our car, we saw this:


Mel likes buildings, the architecture, the oldness of it. I say, "Oh neat." Then I turn my head and keep walking. We've got more important things to see.

I wouldn't have made their visit to the Twin Cities complete without seeing this:

Beautiful. And it looks like the cherry is leaking on Anth's head. Cool.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

DD and RW lent us a camera for Christmas and our annual Pahl ski trip so I will actually get to post some pictures too. Those will be coming soon...I think. While Nathan is on school break, I'll be spending the next 7 days in a row with my Frannie Family (as another co worker says it) so it might be next week. Blogs without pictures are boring boring...and I don't want to bore my faithful readers.

But I've got just a few thoughts for you today, bare with me:

1. When a two year old yells, "Doe Poddy, Doe Poddy!" and takes off streaking through the kitchen taking off her pants mid stride....One might, just might want to follow her and make sure she ends up in the proper room of the house.

2. When a balloon spontaneously pops on the bathroom floor, it probably isn't that spontaneous. You have a broken nightlight that no one bothered to tell you that he or she broke, but instead just shoved all the broken bits into a corner.

3. Pillow Pets....it's all about the Pillow Pets.

4. Standing at the bottom of a bunny hill for numerous hours of the day watching a 4 year old go up and down results in completely frozen toes, and makes you feel useless.

5. Standing at the bottom of a bunny hill for numerous hours of the day watching a 4 year old go up and down results in seeing some hilarious happenings with some adults learning how to snowboard and ski....and makes me feel very fortunate that I learned when I was 7.

6. It is totally possible for a 5 year old girl to talk non stop the entire way up the chair lift...AND the entire way down the hill...the ENTIRE way.

7. When you leave your house a mess and go on vacation for 3 days...when you come home...it's still a mess.

8. A husband, particulariy MY husband, makes the very best partner to play cards with....win or lose.

I'm ending at 8...because that's the sort of week I'm thinking it's going to be.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

...let your 2, 5, and 6 year old (Jentzen didn't want any) make their own cinnamon sugar toast involving the following steps:

1. Mom worked until 11pm.
2. Mom had to get up at 5 am to bring Dad to the airport...WITH all the kids.
3. Mom got home at 6:15 am with all kids awake and mom not so awake.
4. Mom decided to sleep on the couch while the kids watched a movie.
5. Kids were done with movie and wanted toast for breakfast.
6. Mom still sleeping, groggily saying something about, Do it yourself.
7. Cinnamon and Sugar is empty, Mom says something about, Mix it yourself.
8. Fill in with what you think happened next...I'm sure you could imagine.
9. In the end...toast was buttered, and sugared and eaten...with only a little help from Mom.

Was the mess and clean up worth the extra few minutes of laying on the couch. I'd say not.

Take Note if you're ever in this position.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

It's a common fact that Christmas time means sending out Christmas Cards.

Well except for me. I can't be bothered.

I figure I blog...so you already know more about our family than you wanted to. And if you want to see pictures and know even more detail about how we spend our lives...Nathan's Facebook...you'll find it all there and more.

But it seems when you don't send them out...you don't get them in return. Weird how that works. I don't even get one from my Mom. I'm not sure what that means.

So all you out there who are waiting for a card from me...it probably won't come. I think I sent one out in June once...so you never know..but please please please, I want yours!!!

Thanks to the Plapp's, Pederson's, Winger's and last but not least, the St Francis Leadership Team...who have already come through for me!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Could someone please remind my 2 year old of a few things...because obviously my instructions are going unheard...

1. Despite it's white and creamy appearance....Desitin is NOT lotion and should not be rubbed all over ones hands, legs, face, and hair.

2. Although the closet looks a little overcrowded...there is indeed enough room for all the clothes to be hung. There's no need to take everything off the rack and throw it all over the floor.

3. Besides them both being white, that is the only thing our doors and paper have in common. They should not be used interchangeably for coloring purposes.

Keira will be home and available all day for instructional sessions. Good Luck.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Anyone remember that song? It was a great one. Couldn't tell you who sang it or what year, but I'm dancing in my chair to it at the moment. No not really, if you know me, I'm sitting in my chair not even tapping a toe.

Well we made it back to good ole MN full of snow and cold. Las Vegas met all my expectations...I kept them really low going into it to not be disappointed and it worked. It was big bright and beautiful...well partly beautiful. The buildings and the roulette wheel were impressive...everything else...NOT. We saw the Grand Canyon which needs no words...if you've been there, you know. If you haven't...you should go.

It was a lot of walking, which I enjoyed but I think our next vacation should involve some sweating, sand, and water.

It was a good break for both me and the kids. They had a great time with lots of great people who love them. After not hearing their voices, or actually any child voice for 5 days was weird. I got into the car and thought, "Oh, yeah, that's what they sound like." It was very strange.

We are back into it...school and all. I am a bit confused with one thing...how can 5 days make 4 loads of laundry? Anyway, it's good to be home in my own bed, and hearing my kids talk, laugh, and even fight :)

I'd post up some pictures of what we did but I can't. Our camera was stolen. It was left in the rental car and obviously it was gone when we went back to claim it. The lady at the counter said, "We usually don't have a problem with things missing." Yeah well who wants someones dirty socks, hat, mittens, umbrella, or half eaten bag of chips? A camera is a bit more desirable item. So someone in Vegas who works for Hertz just got an early Christmas present at our expense....GRRRRR.

So we have no pictures except a few that Nathan took with his phone....and I'm a bit cranky with the world at the moment. Sometimes I feel like it pays to be dishonest, a liar, selfish, and just mean in general. Sometimes I feel like those who try to do things right, trust in others, and treat others right just get stomped to the ground no matter what. It's a bit discouraging.

But I am reminded that the Lord is good to me, even if everyone else isn't. Some days that's easy....but today, not so much.

Viva Las Vegas.

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