Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

It Just Happened...

It just happened to be windy...

My dad just happened to park his bike under the flag...

I just happened to be standing there.

Not much else to the story.

Am I really that old?

Tonight I ran into a girl that I recognized, I just wasn't sure how. It took me all evening, and then it hit me. About 7 years ago, when she was about 13 years old, I was her dance teacher... and now she is married. Good gravy, I am old.

Cooper is 8 months!

Cooper is 8 months old today, and he is starting to learn so many new things. He has finally started sitting on his own, but hasn't figured out that when he throws his head back, he falls. He keeps doing it over and over. He has also decided that it's ok to open his mouth for foods other than the bottle. He will finally eat some baby foods, ice cream, whipped cream, yogurt, and tiny, mashable bites of whatever we are eating.


He loves his brother and sister, and loves getting attention from them. He hates his belly, and only lasts about 3 seconds before flipping over to his back. He has 2 teeth now, and likes to test them out on my face. His favorite toy right now is his toothbrush (go figure) and his little toes are pretty entertaining as well. He is now at the "grabby" stage, so I can no longer read, pay bills or do anything right in front of me with him on my lap.


He is so cute, and is actually getting some rolls on his legs, although his feet are still so tiny. My mom has a stone in her back yard with Annie's 6 week old footprint pressed into it, and we compared it to Cooper's foot. They are the same size.

June is not safe for Annie

I realized last night that it had been one year to the day that Annie broke her little thumb. Now, her face is all mangled after a nice fall down the stairs. I think the month of June is not a good one for Annie. Maybe next year we should wrap her in bubble wrap for the whole month, what do you think?

Road Trippin'

Well, we made it- all 1500 miles of it. We started in Milwaukee, WI and ended in Clinton, UT. It actually wasn't as bad as everyone told me it would be. There were a few "I'm going to pull this van over if you don't stop" threats, and some screaming, but it was still ok.
The first day we left at around 2:00p.m. There were a few things to finish up before leaving, and Mandie and Jon, the friends I traveled with, had to finish packing up their apartment. Once we left we made two stops, if I remember correctly, and stopped for the night somewhere in Iowa. I guess if I looked at my reciept I could tell you where it was, but it's not important. This was an interesting night. We had the option of getting two twin beds or one queen sized bed, so we went with the queen. Luckily, I had packed Cooper's pack and play at the last minute. He slept in that, while Noah, Annie and myself shared the queen. We put Annie in the middle for safety. I probably should have put Noah in the middle. He rolled right off the bed in the middle of the night, smacked his head on the table, started screaming, and then Cooper woke up in a panic from all the noise. Who do I console, the one who is hurt, or the baby who can't do anything for himself? Well, I did my best to comfort Noah, then picked up Cooper and cuddled them both.
I forgot to mention our dinner stop that evening. We were starving, and the first place we saw was McDonald's. Not my favorite place, but it worked. So there we were: One husband, two wives and five children ranging from 5 years old down to 8 months. Who do you think we were mistaken for? Yep, polygamists. Well, at least those were the kind of looks we got.
The next day we started at 10:00, and ended at 9:00p.m. in Sidney, Nebraska. This was a much nicer hotel, and we all slept much better. We stopped a few times the second day, and let the kids run around while we ate lunch. We saw lots of fields and cows. I remembered that when Pete drove out to WI, he said that Nebraska was the most boring of the states to drive through because the whole thing was corn fields. Well, he drove out in August when the corn was at it's peak. I drove in June, when the corn was just starting, and it was just as boring.
Our last day we left again around 10:00 and pulled in around 8:30 or so. We stopped a few times, and had lunch in Cheyenne and dinner in Evanston. The closer we got to Utah, the more children we saw per family, and we were feeling a little less polygamist-esque. This was the hardest day for driving, because Annie screamed most of the way. She was done, and she was letting me know. I don't think the kids went to bed until midnight because they were so excited to be out of the car. At one point in the trip, Annie told me she was poopie when she really wasn't. She just wanted to get out of that seat!
Well, the first part of the trip is over. I think the trip home will be much easier because my dad will be in the car with me, and can control whatever situations come up. So for those of you planning to take a road trip this summer, I will pray for you...and your sanity.

This is What Happens...

This is what happens...
...when my kids share a bed: This happened three times in about an hour. I would get them both re-adjusted, and then do it all over again. I finally gave up and put Annie in my bed, just so I would get some sleep.

This is what happens...
...when you take five kids, three adults and two vans across the country: Lots of pit stops, diaper changes, snacks and drinks, running around as much as possible at every stop, crying, laughing, movies, fast food, messes in the car, and parents trying to ignore all of it.

This is what happens..

...when your grandpa owns a motorcycle: Yes, they went on a very slow, short ride up the street and back. This was the highlight of Noah's day, and has been asking to go on a ride ever since. Annie thinks grandpa is a "supy-rero."

This is what happens...

...when you go to a family reunion, in 95 degree weather:

Sleeping kids...

red cheeks...

ice cream...

and cookies.

A Letter to My Peeps

Ok girls, and you know who you are... I can't believe it is time to say good-bye. I will see a few of you in a few weeks, but some of you I won't see for a while. I want you all to know how much I love each one of you, and that it is my privilege to know you and call all of you my friends. The past 4 years have flown by, and yes we have lost others before this, but this year was especially hard on us, and it would have been 100% harder if I didn't have the support from all of my friends. Even if you haven't noticed, or you weren't paying attention, you have all helped me through some rough times, and been there to share in some amazing times, as well.

Shalet, you have such an amazing talent for crafts, in so many ways, and I admire all the work that you do. If I could hire you to decorate my house, I would. You also have an amazing way for seeing people for who they are. I love to hear your movie reviews; they make me laugh. I love to watch you get spunky and crazy, and then come right back down and be so loving and tender. You are such a busy woman, yet you have found time to be my friend, and to help me when I have needed it. You are amazing.

Carolyn, I love your smile. You have one of the most amazing smiles that I have seen. It lights up the room, and I can't help but smile back. I met you just before you became a mother, and now you are this amazing mom, taking on two boys each day, and still finding time to read all of those great books, and so many more things. Your spirit amazes me, and yes, you too can get a little crazy at times, but I love it. Your friendship has meant a lot to me, and I wish I could be here longer so that our boys could continue to be good friends. Thank you for a being a wonderful friend, and taking the time to be one.

Jenni, I hope you realize how amazing that talent of yours is. You have the eye for seeing a picture before it is created. Your pictures are brilliant, which follows suit, as you are a brilliant woman. You are my favorite person to listen to at book club, because you always have a thought that is so right-on with whatever we are talking about. I am so glad you guys waited, and decided to come to Milwaukee. I love that you are always on the go, yet you always somehow find time for your two girls, and for all the girls here. You are an amazing friend, and I am so thankful for you.

Abby, you are the friend that I can see my kids coming to in ten years and saying, "Abby, mom won't make me a new blanket, will you?" Where would Cooper be without his blanket? You also have an extraordinary talent, and I am so thankful that you are so willing to share it with all of us. You have an amazing, strong spirit, and I have admired you from the day I met you. In so many ways, I want to be like you. I watch you with your kids, and realize that's the kind of mom I want to be. Thank you for taking the time to be my friend, a wonderful friend, and for being such an example to me.

Amber, you are the sweetest person I know. I don't know that I have ever heard anything negative come from your mouth. You have an amazing testimony, and mine is strengthened when I am around you. I met you as well, just before you became a mother, and look at you now! You are awesome. How much fun we have had together, being the mothers of two-year-old girls. I am so glad you moved here, and I had the chance to know you, and become your friend. I am uplifted when I think of you, and the friend that you have been.

Becki, how would I have made it through YW without you? Who else would have pushed me to work-out? You are amazing. When you first moved in, I thought there was no way you would ever want to be my friend; you were just so smart, and had made all the right moves and decisions. Little did I know that you are just a crazy ball of energy, who wants to stop and rest, just like me! I love you dearly, and I am so thankful for all that you have done for me and taught me. I have learned a great deal from you, probably more than you will ever know. Thank you for being my friend.

Mandie, there is no place to start. I cannot begin to count the things that you have done for me, and taught me. Without you, I might not have made it through the last year. I can honestly say that over that last 4 years, you have become my closest friend. I know I will make new friends when I move, but there will never be another Mandie. I hope that I can survive without you. Isn't it funny that we had to travel 1500 miles to find each other? You are the other mom to my children, and they love you dearly, as do I. You put everything into a perspective that I understand, and you know me as well my husband knows me. We have been through some hard times together and we made it, and that to me is true friendship. I love you.

I will miss going outside and always having someone to talk to, or always having someone for my kids to play with. Where in the world will we ever have another group like this? This group will last a while, even though we will all move on eventually. We have made plans for another trip, and then we will make plans for another. We will still be there for each other, through the good and the bad. Thank you all, and I love you.

Sunday Night Owies

Sunday evening we had our last get together before a few of us move, and it was a really nice night. Just as I was making my dough boy (oooohhhh, they are so yummy), Noah informed me that Annie had hurt herself on the stairs, although nobody actually saw what happened. This was the result.

I got her iced up, cleaned up and drugged up, and she fell asleep in my arms. I felt so bad, but I would have felt worse if I had seen it happen and not been able to do anything about it. She is ok now, she just touches her head and says "owie here." I am just waiting for that goose egg to start draining; she might get a couple of black eyes.

Happy Father's Day, Pete!

We are thinking about you while you are in Texas! The kids and I decorated this cake for you, however since you aren't here, I think we will eat it for dessert tonight!

We all love you tons, and think you are an awesome dad. Here are some of our thoughts today:

Pam: I want to give you lots of hugs and kisses.

Noah: He says you are his best friend.

Annie: She thinks you are a supy-rero.

Cooper: He just wants to eat your face.

Thanks for all you do. We love and miss you, and can't wait to see you again!

Look At My Baby Sit!

With a little assistance, of course. Cooper has been so lazy, but yesterday he decided it might be fun to sit up and play. He has been doing it a lot since then, totally entertained by the fact that he can reach for things verses looking at the ceiling.

These pictures just made me laugh.

Dessert, Anyone?

Yesterday, the kids friends, Sydney and Connor, came to play for a few hours while their parents packed to move. After a while, Sydney and Noah were a little bored, and I thought of a good way to get rid of some of the food in my closet before we moved. I pulled out frosting and graham crackers, and had the kids make cookie sandwiches for dessert. They had a blast, and it entertained them for quite a while.

Photo Story Friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Sorry, it's Saturday...but I still want to play!

I took these pictures on Monday, after the Milwaukee River Flooded. The pictures are of a nearby waterfall, that wasn't that grand to begin with, but there was a good drop-off. I went back today to take some more pictures after it began flooding again, and the waterfall is virtually obsolete. I will blog those later. The second picture is part of someone's dock from their backyard. I really feel for those who lived close enough to this river to be flooded out of their homes.

I Have a Five Year Old Son!

I can't believe Noah is 5! It's amazing. I remember waiting to get pregnant, for about a year, and once I found out that I was, I just knew it was a boy. My pregnancy with Noah was the kind that every woman wants for her first. It was smooth, and virtually problem free. I was in an accident when I was 8 weeks along, but there was no problem. I taught dance until 2 days before I delivered him, and I had one of my youngest dancers say to me, "teacher, I bet it's really hard to dance with that big belly!" I tore my round ligament, which I am told is common in multiples, and athletes (I wasn't either one). It didn't hurt nearly as bad as it did with the following pregnancies.
Noah came on schedule-2 days before his due date, weighing in at 6 lbs, 12 oz. He was perfect. We had decided not to find out the gender of the baby, so everyone in the room was on the edge of their seats, waiting to find out. When the doc told me it was a boy, the first thing I asked, which I had never thought of previously was, "does he have my chin?"
Many people told us that Noah was perfect-looking child; that is that his features were very well-proportioned. His eyes were (and still are) absolutely stunning. I had a lot of people mistake him for a girl (he was bald) because, "boys just don't have pretty eyes like that."





He was a flirt from the get-go. As soon as he learned to say hi, he said it to everyone. If it was a girl, there was usually a slight tip of the head, and the hi sounded more like, "HIIIIIIEEEEEE." He also learned to roll at 4 months, and quickly discovered that if he kept rolling, he wouldn't fall asleep. At 6 months he learned to crawl, and that was the end of all sanity at our house. He hasn't stopped moving since.
Noah is such a smart kid- a problem solver. You can't hide anything from him, or put it somewhere he can't reach. He'll figure it out. Right now he loves computer games. He loves figuring out how to play them, and trying to beat them. He likes puzzles, and drawing. He loves being outside doing anything. Right now it's jumping on his new pogo stick.



There are so many things I love about Noah, so it will be hard to pin them down, but I am stealing a friend's idea (thanks, Cec) and I will name one thing I love about Noah for each of his five years.

5. His laugh: Someone at church asked me the other day what my favorite thing about Noah was. I automatically answered, "his laugh." Noah has the best laugh on the earth. It's deep and hearty, and so contagious. You have to laugh when he does. He finds so many things funny, and of course he has a fake laugh, too. But if you get him going, it's awesome. Pete tickles him just to hear the laugh.

4. His Curiosity: He wants to know about everything. "Why is this?" and "Why is that?" Even before he could talk, we could tell he wanted to know about things. He would stare, and wonder, and once he figured out what his plan was, there was no changing his mind. When he learned to walk, he would get to the stairs and stick one foot over the edge and just wait. He wanted to make sure we were looking when he found out what would happen next.

3. His Agility: We figured that Noah would be the first one of our children to end up in the E.R., however he has never needed anything close. Noah is a daredevil, to say the least. But he is so coordinated, we have never had to worry about him. It's actually been a blessing in a way. I've never worried watching him climb to the top of a tree, or a pole, or whatever it may be. He is also very willing to teach someone else to climb or jump. He wants his friends to be able to do what he can do. He has been ice skating and bike riding, and of course the pogo stick, and he has done them all very well. He even did very well at rock climbing when he was 4 years old.





2. He is an amazing older brother: When Pete brought Noah to the hospital to see Annie after she was born, he came running into the room screaming "baby Annie!" and began kissing her over and over. He did the same with Cooper. He is so willing to help Annie when she needs it, and has taught her many things, even if he wasn't trying. Annie learned 'please' and 'thank-you' from Noah, and also funny things like saying "oh, man" and "oh darnation!" He understands a lot more with Cooper, and has been helping me a lot with things like getting toys and diapers and blankets for the baby. Noah, as active and crazy a he is, is the reason I get through the day. He does the things that I can't when my hands are full.




1. His Compassion:As long as I can remember, Noah has had a very sensitive side. Not the whiny-sensitivity, but he truly cares about people. When someone gets hurt, Noah is the first to their side, making sure that they are ok. He gives hugs and kisses all the time, to many different people, and he is very aware of someone in need of some love. When he senses sadness or stress in me, he snuggles up to me, and almost always says 'I love you, mom.' If Cooper is sad, he is the first to his side to cheer him up. I have always sensed a very Christ-like love in Noah.






I could go on and on about Noah. I want to be a better mother for all of my children, but especially Noah. I feel like since he was my first, that I probably messed up a lot with him, and I also feel like he is noticing the things that I do more. I need to be a better mom so that he knows just how much I really love him, although I don't think there has been any doubt on his part. I thank Heavenly Father everyday for sending Noah to me. He came at a time when I needed him, in so many ways. I still can't believe that he is five, but I am completely looking forward to the next five, and more after that.



I love you, monkey.