Preschool Days with Ella

Another school day for Hattie. Today she was learning about the letter "I"...so Ella made some gloop...because it felt "icky". I'm not sure Hattie agrees as I think she thinks it's great now that she's gotten to play around with it. :)

At least Ella had the idea of using a plastic "glove" so it wouldn't turn her hand purple. :)

"Ick"

I can see we have a little work to do on how she holds that marker.

Preschool Days with Ella

A few more pics of things that Ella has done with Hattie.

I'm thinking that next year she can teach her baby sister to read. ;)

 Practicing her letters

Book making (She loves making books!!) 

Learning about the Pioneers

Learning how big the world is.

Snapshot: January

Considering . . . volunteering to help with the children's spring musical at church. Watching the Christmas one just made me want to get in there and join the fun.

Reading . . . some are still on the request list at the library as I am in a long line of "holds"!

• Night by Elie Wiesel - I had a recommendation for this one. I picked it up from the library and after reading the summary, put it back down. I can tell it's not for the faint of heart and I'm not ready to start my year off with a book of that magnitude.
• The Power of One Thing: How to Intentionally Change Your Life by Randy Carlson.
• Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted by Shannan Martin - I have heard good things about this book so I hope it lives up to the hype.
• The Expats by Chris Pavone - meh
• Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
• Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford- I read this a while back, but only made it through half the book. What I read was very good so I want to finish it up.
• Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple - supposed to be quirky and I could use a light, feel-good read
• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo - maybe 2017 will be the year I get a handle on my house? Hey...stranger things have happened!
• Notes from a Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider - another one I started, gleaned good things from, and never finished...I'm on a mission to see this one through this time.

Looking Forward To . . . Getting the tree and Christmas décor put away tonight. I'm so sick of the extra clutter. I wanted to take it down a few days after Christmas, but Jason told me that I would be too "grinchy" if I did that.

On The Watch List . . . The Life of Pi. I got this on blu-ray for Jason for Christmas and I'm itching to see it. Here's to hoping we get the kids down for bed early one night and we can set up camp in front of the projector downstairs. We watched the new Jungle Book over the holiday break and I thought the movie was excellent, although quite intense at times!

Admitting . . . I'm feeling beaten and battered in regards to dealing with my headaches. They seem to be an almost-constant companion and I'm not really liking the company. I'm not sure if they have gotten worse or if after 30+ years of chronic pain, I'm really feeling the toll they take on me. Either way, staying positive seems to be elusive to me these days.

Anticipating . . . Hattie's appointment at Children's Milwaukee to see the CVS specialist on January 24. This appointment is 7 months in the making. Her tummy has been ramping up again and daily tummy pain is the norm. Praying that they have something for us that might help. It about kills me to see her in chronic pain as I know what that can do to a person over time.

Thankful . . . for car pool in the afternoons for Ben (I have the morning shift which gets it done and out of the way for the rest of the day).

Drinking . . . warm rooiboos tea...cause I'm constantly freezing and ain't nobody got time for that. (insert: I'm sooooo sick of winter)

Out my Window . . .it must have rained a bit over night before the 7 degree weather made it's appearance because it literally looks like a skating rink outside right now. The sidewalk, driveway, cul-de-sac...pure ice. I'm glad to be home today.

Countdown . . . to our family trip to Florida in March. Flight tickets have been purchased and rental has been secured. Now just to figure out lodging, activities, menu (since we will most likely cook most of our meals there), and packing lists. Good thing I still have some time. ;)

Snapshot #6

Okay...so I just discovered this in my drafts folder, barely started. It's from October 2016...

...So I'm gonna publish it anyway...completely out of sequence...because of 2 reasons:

1. It's a testament to how crazy life can get at times and things get pushed to the wayside.

2. I don't want to lose a single memory just because it's out of order.






Snapshot #6

Outside my window: darkness. It's 11:25pm and I finally have a few quiet moments to think. Prime-time blog writing time...that's what they say...isn't it?!? The seasons are changing and fall has been ushered in. It's starting to get dark so early and I noticed last night that by around 7pm it was completely, utterly dark out there. Only a few more weeks until day light savings time and the clocks get rolled back.

I am thankful for: Tuesday Art lessons. Ella, Lily, and Cora have grown so much in their art abilities. I'm amazed at how much they have learned. I'm also amazed at how much angst and tears it has brought too. Ella doesn't feel like she can measure up to Lily and Cora and I'm constantly telling her not to compare herself to those two...who clearly have been given an artistic gift and can easily outdraw anyone I know. With that gift, comes a perfectionistic quality from Lily. She is a true artist who doesn't like to be told what she should draw and finds it difficult (and I would venture to guess "uninspiring") to have something specific to sketch. Everything needs to be perfect or she's in a pile of tears and frustration.

Future plans I'm looking forward to: Ella and Ben are headed up north with Grammie to Fertile on Thursday and Friday (over MEA) to visit their friends. While they are off galavanting, Lily, Cora, Hattie, and I are off to Duluth to visit Jill and Jory. We are super excited and I'm excited to only have 3 kids to put to bed that night! (Why did I ever complain that 3 kids were a lot of work?!?)

Project: Table Refinishing

My friend had a table she had planned on refinishing, but realized that she was just never going to get around to doing...and the purging bug was biting at her heels...so a call was made.

To me.

And yes, I took it.

Much to my husband's disdain.

But I...I was very excited. I could see the diamond in the ruff. I could see the beauty that was hidden inside. It only needed some work (okay...a lot of work), a little love, and some chalk paint.

Did I mention that it would seat all of us comfortably and that an extra leaf added in could make it seat 10?!?

Oh...and it was FREE!!

Easy decision right?!? Now you know why I was jumpin' around and smiling like a silly school girl.

The previous owner has a son who thought that the table would make a great fort...so he took the largest nails available on the market and nailed boards all around the table splintering and damaging it.

First on my list: wood putty...and lots of it.

Since I love the vintage, chabby chic, French look, I knew I would be distressing the piece anyway so I chose to embrace it's character...the good, bad, and the even the ugly. To be honest, now that it's done, each bump, bang, and hammer mark lend to it's charm.

 

Squeeeeeeal...look at how big it is!!

   

 4 coats of chalk paint and 3 coats of poly later, the table is finished. Whew, there's quite a learning curve to poly, I love it...I hate it!! I love it....oh, I hate it!! AARRGG! I hate this stuff, I hate this stuff, I hate this stuff. But by the 3rd coat, I had become a quick learner. Now I could say I'm a pro at the it.

Mom and I went to Ikea and bought new white chairs to match. Jason and Ben spent an afternoon putting all 8 of them together. We had to let the last coat of poly dry for 72 hours to ensure it had cured perfectly. It was three long days of waiting on my part.

I'm so happy with the end result. To say I love this table is an understatement. And to not hear my kids yelling "you're too close", "you're in my space", "mom, make her move OVER!" is music to my ears. And to think...we still have an extra leaf in the basement!! For company...not more children. ;) In case you were wondering...

A Special Package

A little backstory:

Last year at Christmas, the extended family adopted Jordan's platoon and became their prayer warriors while they were being deployed to Iraq. Each person was assigned someone and Cora's person was Gunnery Sgt. Jamie Tennison.

Cora prayed for him all the time and would even take parts of her quiet time in the afternoons to bring him before Jesus and pray for his safety. She was a faithful little warrior. I honestly was so impressed and I learned a lot about prayer from this little girl and her child-like faith.

I went to get the mail the other day and there was a pkg sitting inside.

Addressed to her.

From Jamie.

I. about. died.

She was incredibly surprised and very excited.

Inside was a personal letter from Jamie as well as a birthday present for her. It was a beautiful zippered bag which she intends to use for lipglosses or art supplies. :) He also included a medal which as the name of "Operation Inherent Resolve" on it. Waaaay to cool. And the thing that she adores the most? The teddy bear. Jamie bought it and took it with him overseas. He took pics of himself as well as others with the bear showing his journey. When I told Cora that this little bear was on the other side of the world traveling along with Jamie her eyes got huge. She was touched and she realized how special this little bear was.

 He has become a permanent sleeping buddy and she loves him.

To think that a little girl who intended on praying faithfully for someone and asking God to bless that person, would ultimately get blessed so much herself. It's a testament that kindness goes a long, long way. I'm incredibly thankful for Jamie. Not only for his sacrifice in keeping our country safe, but for his generosity to a 6 year old little girl. This has been such an amazing adventure for us all, but one I'm sure Cora will keep forever in her heart.

2016: A Year in Review

Lily got glasses. Realizing how much better she saw when she wore them made it incredibly easy for her to want to put them on every morning.

There was the family trip to the Wilderness Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. This trip never seems to disappoint, although it always goes way too fast. This year marked the first time that all of us could ride on some of the big rides together. Hattie proved to be up for adventure and a very brave 3 year old.

Jason's company (Verisae) was acquired by Accruent in November. Although it was sad to say good-bye to some of his working relationships, we are thankful to still have him employed. He is currently trying to navigate and find his way with the new company.

We officially found freedom as we became a biking family. With Hattie on the Wee-Hoo behind my bike and Cora on the pull-behind on Jason's bike, we found ourselves pedaling all over the neighborhood. We may have even made a trip or two to Two Scoops in Anoka.

Ben officially became a Pact Panther as he was offered a spot in Mrs. McLaughlin's 5th grade class. He is enjoying it with the exception of not feeling very challenged in math class.

There was the family trip to Kansas City in October. It will go down in the record books of one of the best. family. vacations. ever.

2016 brought some much needed answers to Hattie's health. We now have a diagnosis of cyclic vomiting syndrome as well as abdominal migraines. With a diagnosis came medications that seem to be putting us in a position to manage this more effectively. She hasn't been hospitalized or even to the ER since our worst episode to date which was in January. Those are some answered prayers right there!!

I was able to travel out to San Diego with Mom, Dad, and Jamie to see Jordan on the parade deck as he was deployed to Iraq. Tough to see the sacrifices these men make up close as their children and families are saying good-bye. That part of the trip was tough. There was plenty to be grateful for and enjoy however...highlights included hiking in Indian Canyon outside of Palm Springs, San Juan Capistrano, walking along the beach in San Clemente, spending time walking the beaches in Oceanside, as well as Torrey Pines State Park. I may have found a new love in hiking. 

Thanksgiving was on our own this year. It seemed a little lonely at first, but ended up being a really good day. I guess when your sister goes into labor, you have to give up your parents so they can go help. :)

Ella became a Westie this year. She takes Spanish and Lang. Arts on Wednesdays there. She loves her Spanish class and seems to be picking it up rather quickly. And although the Writing class has been challenging, I have seen her creative writing completely blossom. It has also afforded her lots of valuable one-on-one time with Grammie as she has done a lot of the drop-offs and pick-ups.

We enjoyed a late fall hike at Afton State Park in November. We had record temps nearing 70 degrees and we got out on an incredibly gorgeous day. If hiking could always be in warm temps without bugs...I'd be hooked.

The 4 big kids all performed in the church Christmas musical. Jason and I beamed with pride from the audience.

Christmas Eve was spent as a family of 7. It was really, really nice to have that evening alone with the kids to pour into them, make memories, and start a tradition.

December 1st marked our 15 year wedding anniversary. Hard to believe that it's been so long, but having 5 kids to show for it is awesome. I'm blessed to parent and live life with my best friend. Hopefully an anniversary trip will be in the plans for 2017. 

I made a summer bucket list with great expectations, but lost it shortly after. Clearly that needs some work in 2017.

In the Fall of 2016, Jason and I implemented a short lunch date every Saturday. It lasted approximately 5 weeks, but we're starting off 2017 by beginning again. Definitely an area worth the investment.

Ben blossomed this summer as he branched out and started playing with the neighborhood boys. Soccer games were the norm and sparked a love of sports.

Memorial Day and Zac Brown Band. Need I say more?

We ended the year with a New Year's Eve party at Grammie and Papa's. I planned hourly activities (that we only finished 50% of), made a charcuterie board (which I completely overbought items for), and baked desserts (that we didn't even get around to eating). Clearly I need some more work on my planning. But on the upside, the kids had a blast. Everyone but Hattie made it to midnight. The night's festivities included Minute to Win It games, noise makers, pipe cleaner glasses, and a dance party complete with laser lights and glow sticks. It will take us a day or two to recover, but it won't soon be forgotten.

I was truly horrible at getting things up on the blog, but I'm starting 2017 off with a bang.

Goodbye, 2016. Hello, 2017.