SNOW!

This is what we woke up to this morning!

After looking out the window, seeing the road covered and more coming down I was sure school would be delayed. I was WRONG! We kept checking the school site to see if they'd change their minds. My kids were anxious to see a different message on the computer screen but it wasn't to be.

Ron drove Alex to school, took over an hour. I drove the boys. A drive that normally takes me 10 minutes round trip took me 40 minutes.

Thank goodness for my Suburban ( I LOVE IT!) because there were people sliding all over the place, traffic jams, and wrecks. (I know, Oregon drivers really don't know how to deal with snow.)

The kids didn't get a chance to enjoy it because once they got home from school our cul-d-sac looked once again like the green, wet Oregon it is.

Something So Simple!

It's amazing how a simple, I mean, VERY SIMPLE act of kindness can put a smile on your face and lift your day.

The past week and a half has been kind of dreary for me due to my leg. I have to admit I'm starting to feel the grouchies coming on. But a simple, thoughtful gesture was made towards me tonight and it has left me smiling from the inside out, I feel GREAT!

I am an Activity Day leader at church. About a month ago we had a fun activity where we learned how to make scarves using only our fingers and yarn. After everyone got the hang of it we took turns sharing our favorite books while our fingers kept working and our scarves kept growing . One of my favorite books is Ella Enchanted and that is the one I chose to share with the girls. Most everyone knows of the movie but that doesn't do the book justice. You've got to read it!
Out of the blue tonight one of my Activity Day girls, Leah, gave me a call. In her sweet, petite voice she said, "I just finished reading Ella Enchanted and it was really good!" We spent a few minutes talking about the difference between the book and movie and she agreed the book was the best. The fact that Leah thought of me and wanted me to know that she too enjoyed the book meant so much to me.

Something so SIMPLE but so HUGE in meaning!

DOWN and OUT!

At least it feels that way.

I had so many plans, get my blog going, learn how to do my photoshop, get healthy, do my mountains of homework for my church Family History class and more but all those plans have been put on hold.

A week ago I went in to see the doctor about two painful spots on my leg. I knew exactly what they were, superficial blood clots. ARGH!!!! I have had them five times before and usually right after the delivery of a new baby. Thankfully they are not deep vein clots. They're not dangerous but they are very painful and serious enough that my doc means business. He gave me my to do list and told me he'd see me back a week later (today).

Unfortunately they're not better. Well, one is but the other is probably worse. After my appointment today he said I have to take two weeks off of my transcription job, no sitting at the computer (yes, I'm breaking the rule right now). I can do a little walking but mostly he wants me down with leg elevated.

He was concerned when I told him I have three little ones at home during the day. When I told him I have two sisters in town as well as a wonderful women church organization he said, "It's time to ask for help."

Right now I'm really wishing for a laptop, I could be so productive with this time down!!!! I guess instead I'll get a lot of reading in (wait a minute, I do too much of that anyway) homework and reading time with my kids and maybe catch up on a movie or two.

My Grandma is NOT a Fish!

Since seven kids isn't enough to keep me busy I fill my extra time with a three year old daycare child. She's a cutie and a typical three year old.

We were driving home after an hour and a half of playgroup fun when I heard a discussion about grandmas going on in the back of the car. I didn't really pay attention and stopped off at a neighbor's house to drop off their three year old. As I climbed into the car Emi was sobbing and said, "Krista, my grandma is not a fish!" I was like, what?!? She repeated her complaint, "Dallon called my grandma a fish!!

I tried really hard not to burst out laughing. "No, Emi, Dallon wasn't calling your grandma a fish, he was saying his grandma is Grandma Fish. Fish used to be her last name." She gave me the wierdest look like, that's the dumbest last name I've ever heard of.

So, sorry mom:

=

Fun-Filled Friday!

On Friday, January 30th, we had a FUN, busy day. Well, I shouldn't say all of us because Alex had last day of finals (I'm sure that WASN'T fun). Ron had to drive to Chehalis to get a contract signed (drive NOT fun but as for the actual signing...WOOHOO!) And Tanner, Harris, Bekah and Camille spent most of the day at school. So that leaves Dallon, Hannah, and Me. We had A LOT of FUN! We called up Aunt DiDi to include her, Ethan, and Eric in our plans.

Our morning began heading off to Hidden Lakes retirement home. Dallon's preschool, Little Red Schoolhouse, sings at Hidden Lakes every year at Christmas time. Our original performance date was canceled due to snow/ice. Since the preschoolers, families, and residents enjoy the performance so much it was rescheduled for January 3oth.

Dallon inherited the shy gene and did NOT want to get up in front of everyone. I knew this would happen so planned a trip to McDonald's for after the performance. To some that's not a big deal but for my little ones it's an adventure. Poor Dallon could probably count the times he's been inside a McDonald's on just one hand and Hannah has probably visited there the same amount as her age, ONE.

When we first arrived at Hidden Lakes Dallon clung to my leg, said he wasn't singing and then I just nicely said, Oh, that's too bad. I was really looking forward to going to McDonald's with you and your cousins. I guess we can go home and have p.b. and j sandwiches instead. He instantly left his post at my leg and found a place to sit among his schoolmates.

It was great to hear the kids' Christmas songs, see the sign-language they've learned, and feel pride in their unison voices saying The Pledge of Allegiance. What a GREAT school! And a HUGE thanks to them for giving Dallon a scholarship for being nice. Without that the wonderful preschool experience would not be possible.

After a successful performance the promise of McDonald's awaited. The kids made a mad dash out to the car and couldn't wait to spend their pent up energy climbing, running, and sliding through the tube-mazed playground at The Golden Arches. When we first arrived there was just one other child, a little girl, playing on the toys. At one point she started screaming that she was stuck. Her mother just kept eating and ignoring the screams of her little one. Our boys were KNIGHTS they went to the rescue, willingly, to help the fair maiden find her way out of the dark maze of tubes. Who wouldn't want to be rescued by such handsome boys?!?!?


Hannah drank out of a juice box for the first time. Of course I got her apple juice instead of soda and thought I'd give her the chance to try to drink out of a straw. She did amazingly well! The shocking thing is that she actually drank apple juice. She NEVER drinks it at home when it's in her sippy cup. By looking at her shirt you can tell that not ALL of it actually got inside her mouth.

Can I just take a moment to say how CUTE she is!!! She's growing up way too fast (currently has 16 teeth and she's only 13 months old!) Of course I'm sure that having six older brothers and sisters is helping with the growing up to fast factor. We are so blessed to have her in our family!

After LOTS of playing and hardly any eating (I'm not one of those strict moms, "No playing on the toys until you eat your lunch!") Lunch can be eaten in any old place, the car, back at home, etc... but there's only a limited time with the wonderful tubes and every spare second
needs to be spent sliding through every inch. After the moms had enough of the noisy
playroom and decided enough energy was spent so an actual "quiet time" at home was possible we packed things up and the kids gave a fond farewell to Ronald McDonald.

I'm thankful for our last two stragglers, the ones that came four years after their next oldest siblings. If it wasn't for these two I'd be done with the McDonald's playplace already, Ethan and Eric wouldn't have cousins their age and I wouldn't be able to experience anymore FIRSTS!

I LOVE you Dallon and Hannah, thanks for the joy you bring to our family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First Talk!

Giving a talk in sacrament meeting is a nerve wracking thing. It sends me in a state of nauseousness just thinking about. Today is a big day, it's the day that our 12 year old, Harris, is giving his very first talk in Sacrament Meeting. YIKES! I'm sure he'll do great, he practiced it in front of me several times last night.


I'm very antsy for him. Since we have a couple of sick kids I stayed home with them while Ron took the other five to church. I'm nervously watching the clock gauging the time that Harris will be done passing the sacrament and will take his seat up on the stand. I can visualize it all perfectly. He'll walk up there so handsome and tall, sit down, then the Bishopric member will announce the rest of the program. The representative from the Young Women organization will speak first and then it will be Harris' turn. At the podium he'll slouch a bit, not standing to his full 5'10" height and probably will not make any eye contact whatsoever with the congregation. Due to the length of his talk the adult speakers will be thrilled to have Harris speak before them. He was asked to speak for 4-5 minutes but I think it's closer to 8 or 9, depending how fast his nerves have him speaking.


Of course with this being January the topic they assigned Harris was goal setting. We used a portion of a great article from the September 1979 Ensign titled, "How to Eat an Elephant—Or Plan Your Life (As the Case May Be)" by Kent S. Larsen. Great article! We only used about the first third of it (YES, I still help my kids with their talks!) I'm sure the butterflies are storming his stomach right now but as soon as he returns to his seat he'll feel a flood of relief to know HE DID IT and it'll probably be another year before he's asked to do it again. Speaking in church is just inevitable!

I Need to Get Started Again!

I was so excited about starting the blog thing. Started it, got a few blogs in and then just faded away. I do have to say that in the seven months absence I have written MANY posts! They just weren't posts you were able to read.

It seems that when I'm experiencing an event or have a special moment I write a blog post in my mind. I even proof read it and visually picture the photos to be added and then...that's it, it never makes it to my computer screen. I will try to do better at capturing those mental posts where others can enjoy them.

We've been BUSY! But with seven kids what else is expected! We're all basically healthy although at this moment Camille has a bad head cold, Hannah has a fever and I have some intestinal something going on. Many birthdays have come and gone, Hannah is now ONE, and several more are coming up.

Capturing our adventures and just life is why I wanted to do this blog, something my kids can enjoy and friends and family from afar can peek in and see what's up with US. Since we're still in the resolution month of January I think I'll add "writing more blog posts" to my endeavors for this year.