Merry Christmas!

This year Christmas seemed to arrive much quicker than usual. I am usually pretty prepared...gifts, menus, organized etc. but for one reason or another this year was a little chaotic. I was wrapping gifts well into the night on Christmas eve and it felt a little crazy knowing they were going to be torn open in less than 6 hours.

Christmas eve we went to a wonderful candlelight service at Grace. After church we had dinner with Mom & Dad Harbaugh, Aunt Kathy and Lisa. The kids had a blast opening their new toys and games and played them well past bedtime.

The whole family was up and ready to open gifts early Christmas morning around 7a.m. James and I couldn't wait for the kids to begin! We spent a lot of time this year planning what to get them. Everyone of the kids got a new pair of ice skates. The excitement when they opened them almost made me cry. They were SO giddy and all (except Brett) put them on to walk around the living room!

Madison got a new dollhouse w/ dolls, Brett got new skates along with a stick, jersey and gloves and Dylan & Noah got a couple new race tracks and some remote control cars. Little Miss Mackenzie got a stocking filled with a few new toys but we made the decision not to do any extra gifts...(please keep this a secret.)

James and I always say we aren't gong to do anything big, maybe a nice weekend or date night but every year he surprises me and gets me so many wonderful things that he's remembered me mentioning throughout the year. This Christmas was no exception. I got a new ipod w/ a cd & stereo dock, a purse, Godiva chocolates, and also got some new pj pants, gloves and a hat from the kids. James & Brett even snuck out one day to Blue Frog Beads and Brett lovingly handcrafted a necklace just for me! I am one spoiled mama.

We had Mom & Dad Laslo over later Christmas morning for brunch and presents. The kids were full of energy and enjoyed some grandparent time all to themselves. In the early afternoon we headed over to my Uncle's house for Christmas "dinner." We spent a great afternoon with most of the cousins and we all relaxed while watching the little ones run around chasing puppies and playing games.

What a wonderful time of year this is. I also love that kids were big enough this year to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Daily they helped remind even me that it is truly about Jesus Christ our savior being born in a lowly stable, later to die on the cross to redeem us from our sins. What a gift and what a savior. There is nothing better than little children to give you Christmas cheer and keep your spirit alive.

The weather over the last few days went from snow to sleet to slush, then yesterday afternoon the snow began falling again. A beautiful fresh blanket of snow to cover the dirty, bare and gray landscape. What a great reminder...Jesus Christ born on Christmas, later to die on a cold, lonely, ugly cross to save me from my sin and wash me white as snow!

Decemberish

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Christmas Program

Last week Madison, Noah & Dylan had their Christmas program for Story Hour/Coffee Break Bible Study. For almost a week before the program Madison would build a microphone out of legos and lead her brothers in singing their songs. She loves to be the teacher and is an excellent leader.

Unfortunately, a few minutes before the program Madison got stage fright...and, proceeded to stand up there the entire time with her head down. Here's a little clip of the kids singing Noah's favorite song.

I always love these programs & at least one of my kids usually does something pretty comical. I wish I had the video camera more often!

The Oboist

On Monday night we had the pleasure of attending Timothy Christian's 5th & 6th grade Band/Orchestra concert. Here's a couple pictures of Brett from the night of the concert...

Unfortunately I only have a couple pre-concert. The camera I took to the concert ended up with a dead battery.

Let it Snow!

It's certainly winter in Chicago. The temperatures are dropping...tomorrow (or today) is expected to reach only 12 degrees.

Another sign that winter is here is the absence of my husband. The snowplowing season arrived with the snow. It somehow seems that the big snowfalls only happen at night and that's the part I don't enjoy. James will usually leave around midnight and return sometime early afternoon the next day, SO my nights seem a little lonely. Even if he leaves when I am asleep, there is something inside me like a tiny little alarm clock that eventually wakes me up.

I spend many nights while he is gone finding myself sleepless. It's not because I am worried or scared but I think it's my brain knowing that I am responsible for 5 little ones solo. It seems almost inevitable that every time he leaves one of them wakes up in the middle of the night for something. I am an extremely sound sleeper so I would rather be wide awake than be startled in the wee hours of the morning, completely disoriented, and try to tend to a child.

What do I do at 2 a.m. ? Well, I get a chance to go through emails, my house gets dusted, the dishwasher gets emptied a little sooner, the towels in the dryer get folded and put away without any extra "help" and sometimes I even get to catch up on some shows I have DVR'd.

The kids are just itching to get out into the snow. It's not the easiest part of my job...getting little ones ready to play in the snow. It takes some time to get on snow pants, gloves, hats, coats and boots. I can work up a pretty good sweat just thinking about it! Then, after a few minutes everyone is cold and we need to come in and take off all the different layers we just put on.

Every year when I think about the process of it I am reminded of the Cosby Show episode with Rudy getting ready to go out in the snow. Just as Cliff (Bill Cosby) gets his daughter in all her snow gear, and not easily, she tells him that she has to go to the bathroom. Story of my life...you can make them go before you do anything but for some reason they always need to go again;)

The snow does make a beautiful sight to see though. When everything is freshly coated it takes away from the leafless trees and dirty streets and makes everything look beautiful. Our first craft of the morning is going to be paper snowflakes. I can't wait to teach them about God's amazing craftsmanship in making each one different, unique & beautiful. I'll post some pictures later of them.

I wish I knew...

I thought this was too cute not to share...

A few days ago when we got our real first snowfall all the kids were ecstatic! They were jumping around the living room squealing that it was "winter!"

A little while later Madison came up to me with the most enthusiastic hop and brought me a picture she had colored. I thanked her for it but she told me it wasn't for me. She then began rambling as fast as she could (she can tell stories like an auctioneer she talks so fast;) and I heard something about Christmas, Santa and reindeer eating cookies and the snow. When I was finally able to calm her down so I could begin to understand her here is what she said:

"I am going to give this to Santa to take with him when he comes to eat our cookies. I want him to bring this back to God."

Hmmmm....we have gone over the story of the birth of Jesus over and over these last few weeks. She knows the story but she has also heard of Santa. I guess it can be a little confusing. So, last night we went over the stories again and reminded them why we get presents. Madison is convinced that Santa works for God. I tried to show her that the North Pole is really on earth and God lives in heaven which is not on earth....but again...how do you show a 4 year old where heaven is on a globe? We'll have to work on it some more.

Reminders

Reminders are a part of life. I am reminded daily before I even open my eyes that I have 5 children. I can often hear the sound of little voices shortly after 5 a.m. Being a mom to 5 has made me a little forgetful too. Even with a planner I need to be reminded to do things and my kids are my biggest reminders. Most days they remind me over and over that I have starved them and that they are hungry;)

Some reminders can also be painful. Like knowing I have 4 wisdom teeth crowding my mouth. I forget they are there most of the time until I bite my cheek...ouch! Some dates on the calendar, a song or even a photo do the reminding for me.

Last week my mom gave me a painting that my Grandma did. Growing up my Grandma Grace was my inspiration to get into art. She was always giving me different projects to do and crafts to help her with. I just loved her creativity! After I brought the painting home James asked where I was going to put it up. He also asked me if I wanted it because I "liked" it or was it just because my Grandma painted it. My answer was a little of both. I am in no way a hoarder, but the thought of that painting being tossed away or forgotten in a crawl space was not an option. I know what it feels like to put your heart into something like that.

My grandma always valued the things I made. She saved them and cherished them...most of the time proudly displaying the things that her grandchildren made her. In the few months before she passed away she began making an afghan for me. I was able to go to the store with her and pick out the colors to match my room & bedspread. She became very sick soon after and was not able to finish it so she asked one of her best friends to. What special meaning that blanket has for me. I am happily reminded when I see it just how much love went into it.

Not all reminders are happy. I was listening to the radio last week and heard a song come on. I used to love it so much I would play it whenever I got in the car and really sing it out! But, when it came on last week, after not hearing it for over a year, it had a slightly different effect this time. It was one of the songs that played over and over on a DVD photo show at my cousin Sheri's wake. I still love the song, it's just that now it's a reminder for me of an especially hard day.

Another reminder that happens quite often is the one that my children are born sinners. The constant struggle of good v bad. The funny thing is is that children do not have to be taught to sin. They don't go through a course in the womb or even nursery explaining all the various ways to disobey. We try our best to teach them what is right, but most days they just don't seem to care. I am reminded and comforted by the verse "train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not stray from it." I know in my own life, all the teaching I received as a child has helped shape my life to this very day.

I also have to remember that for one reason or another God has chosen me to be the steward of these children. They belong to Him. Some days I even sit and wonder "me?" I also sometimes feel that I am not the best man for the job. I bet there is a mama out there that doesn't yell, that makes cupcakes and even let's them play with play doh. It's definitely not an easy job...it's not glamorous, doesn't produce a paycheck and leaves me exhausted at the end of each day.

There are the perks. I have casual day every day, I get to see all the 'firsts', I get unlimited hugs & kisses, the coffee is made to my liking each and every day, I can even go to work in my pajamas and I never have to deal with traffic. Each of these little things all add up to something pretty big. A big reminder that I have been blessed with much and trusted with even more in these 5 wonderful little souls.

I am reminded that His mercies are new each morning and His grace is sufficient and never in short supply...even when I may feel like I'm running on empty. He makes me full again. When at the end of a very long day, a day of possibly more punishments, timeouts, and testing of wills than I care to recount I get just one little hug, listen to one little prayer and hear "mama, I love you" from one set of lips...I am reminded that I have the most spectacular job in the world. I am the ONLY person out of how many on this earth that Brett, Madison, Noah, Dylan & Mackenzie call "Mama."

It's all fun & games...

Have you ever laughed so hard you cried? I've done it probably hundreds of times. You get to that point where you can actually feel your abdominal muscles worked to their max and it's slowly gets harder to take a breath...then the tears come.

Today I had one of those laughs. I think it has been a while since I had laughed (really hard) and it felt so good. The kids were taking turns fighting with one another over a Nerf gun. I was trying to prepare dinner this afternoon and the screaming, thumps and crying coming from the playroom were deafening. After I washed my hands I rushed in to see where I needed to referee.

No one fessed up so I grabbed the gun. Then, something inside me gave me the urge to torture my children. I pumped up the gun and began to shoot the little green bouncy Nerf balls. The look on the kids faces was priceless. I chased them all around the house, shooting them in the buns over and over as they raced to get away. At first it wasn't funny to them...and that's what made me start to laugh. After a few minutes they could see I meant business and was not going to stop. Then, they too began laughing. Each one wanted me to get them now. I was running and chasing them close to 25 minutes and I was pooped. I then made the mistake of telling them I was pooped. Big mistake.

Next thing I knew I had 3 little ones in stitches. All I kept hearing through little laughs and squeals was "Mama pooped." You really have to be careful what you say around little kids and I generally don't let them say "poop ;)" unless it is for it's 'natural' use. I think I almost had them in tears.

It always fun & games until someone gets hurt... Isn't that what they say? Well, at our house it's usually fun & games until Mom or Dad put the fun stuff on top of the entertainment center for another day. That's where we put things that get taken away from naughty children. I am currently staring at the Nerf gun, a cordless drill, a balloon and a backpack full of matchbox cars.

Tomorrow is another day. This is just another reason why I love my kids. I love that they can make me laugh so hard I cry. What a joy it is to raise these little ones.

The Big 3-0

I don't think I ever quite "got" why women had such a time turning 30. Why every time they will reply "29" when asked their age. I certainly never thought I would be one of those women...but...

When I am out with the kids at the grocery store or simply taking a walk in the neighborhood someone will, without a doubt, think I am the kids nanny. At least once a week I get comments like "Now, that's a babysitting job," or "I hope they pay you enough." I laugh. I don't even feel the need to explain that I am not in school, it's not a temporary job or even that I am almost 30 and they are ALL mine. I just smile.

I do get asked all the time how old I am when they find out I have 5 kids. Who does that? Isn't it rude to ask a woman her age? I have no problems with it (currently) but now that 30 seems to be quickly approaching it feels a little different. I have been in my twenties for, well, 10 years now. For some reason the thought of thirty seems so old to me. Why? Good question.

I think sometimes my memories from my childhood still seems so vivid. It seems like just yesterday I was 5 and in kindergarten. Stepping foot into TCS feels a little strange too. A handful of MY teachers are still teaching there. I can still remember my first day of high school. Freshman orientation day was so exciting. I finally got a big locker and was excited to begin! My best friend and I went and bought new backpacks. We thought they were so cool...very high schoolish. I also remember getting behind the wheel for the first time. I was amazed at how awful I drove that first time. It was hard!

When I finally hit 21 I remember thinking I had arrived. Finally I was legal. I was never a big drinker, but handing over my I.D. at times was great. When I got married at 24 many people would tell me I was too young. Huh? The day Madison & Noah were born the nurse staff got a good laugh and told us they thought we were in high school!

I guess we do look young, but not that young! I guess I should be thankful that I have a youthful look. I think I would be worried if I looked 'old.' Let's hope looking young continues! I still can't believe every time I think about it now, the thought of 30 somehow surprises me. I do not know why but I think it's because I still feel 21. Even though I am married & have 5 beautiful children I don't feel like a "grown-up."

Well, I've got less than two months to get used to the idea that I will soon be a grown up. It's a
little odd right now. I am looking forward to what God has in store for thirties. I have quite a to-do list for them. I am so thankful & blessed beyond belief of all that God has given me, led me through and done for me. What an amazing God I serve.

Thanksgiving (Part 2)

What a wonderful day! This Thanksgiving Day our family had MUCH to be thankful for. This year James and I decided to try a new menu since we were taking care of the whole dinner....and the results were amazing!

We started w/ grilled turkey thighs & a bacon wrapped turkey breast. For sides we did fried green beans bundled w/ green onions, grilled chipotle acorn squash, garlic butter corn w/ cojita cheese & lime, carrots w/ butter and brown sugar, Parmesan & mozzarella mashed potatoes, cranberries, rolls, and roasted chestnut & sausage stuffing. What a feast!!! Everyone was stuffed.

My wonderful husband made a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert and we also made a dutch apple pie w/ vanilla ice cream. The kids barely ate lunch because they were too busy snacking on appetizers , dips, and chocolate covered peanuts while we were busy preparing the food. Mackenzie celebrated her first Thanksgiving by sucking on a giant carrot from Grandpa Laslo's garden;)

After James parents left and got the kids a little something to snack on, my parents & Aunt stopped over to scope out the sale ads w/ the kids. For over an hour Madison & Noah ooohed & aaahed at all the toys the stores had to offer. Dylan didn't make it past 5 p.m. He got up this morning at 5 a.m. and since he had no time for a nap today...he zonked early.

Once again I am so thankful to the One who has given me so much. A wonderful husband, 5 amazing children, a beautiful home, and family & friends who are always here to celebrate His goodness along with me.

Thanksgiving (Part 1)

While I have said many many times that I am not a huge fan of fall, I do however enjoy Thanksgiving. What a wonderful holiday. It's always a sweet time of fellowship with our families, a chance to prepare a large feast and a great time of reflection of what we are truly thankful for.


I know Thanksgiving is not the only time to sit & reflect on all our blessings, but it is a good reminder. This year I truly have so much to be thankful for...


At this time last year we found out that I was pregnant with our 5th little Laslo, and on July 16th, we welcomed our beautiful little Mackenzie Kate. In March we had our first anniversary of being here in our house. What a wonderful home we have here. We have the kindest neighbors, are blessed to be in such a nice neighborhood and have happily enjoyed being homeowners. In April we celebrated Madison & Noah turning 4! They are regular little people who are very opinionated these days, can do most things themselves (get dressed, brush teeth, clean their rooms, make their beds, etc.) and love to do their chores. I am thankful each day they make me smile, laugh and even sometimes cry.


While July brought us happiness and joy with the birth of Mackenzie, August was a little hairy. Brett broke his hand/finger while camping up in Michigan. We spent many hours and days at the doctor to help repair it. In the end we were MOST thankful that it didn't seem to be on the growth plate & was healing well. I am so very thankful that God is the great Physician and watched over & healed Brett's hand nicely. Today his hand is doing just fine. He was just a little upset he couldn't play any sports this fall.


This October life presented some challenges. I am thankful to my heavenly father for knowing our needs before we did, and carrying us every step of the way. I am also so thankful for our friends and family. Always there when needed them and never let us stray from the truth. A friend of mine recently told me that she was having some pretty difficult times too. She mentioned that there is a difference between family and relatives. Sadly, it seems to be the case on my end too. I am thankful for great friends who are like close family. I know that I can call on them to support me and our family when sometimes some "family" doesn't even seem to reach out or even care. We are SO thankful and blessed to have those people in our lives.

This year our Thanksgiving will be a little different. We usually have a double Thanksgiving day meal w/ both sides of our family, but this year we will be only doing one. James mom recently had back surgery, and while my parents wanted to warmly welcome them into their home, we thought it was best to keep the group small and relaxed. The 18 people over at my parents house completely understand;) James and I have quite the menu planned and are very excited to make the complete meal on our own!

What a wonderful year He has lead us through and what Thanks we owe to Him.

Our Growing Girl

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Halloween

We had a great Halloween weekend!

All the kids had been anxiously awaiting the big day. Trick-or-Treating in our neighborhood is HUGE! Last year I made up 50+ bags of goodies to hand out and ended up giving those all away and then taking some of the kids candy to hand out. A handful of our neighbors throw parties, have bon fires, and just simply set up outside to enjoy the festivities. We have been here at our house for 18 months now and are still meeting some of our neighbors. It's wonderful!

This year we had a pretty interesting group. Brett was a gladiator, Madison was a Disney fairy, Noah was a Cars pit crew worker, Dylan was a fire fighter, and Mackenzie was a little bumble bee.

The weather wasn't the best, cool and slightly windy, but the kids never complained. Mandy & Lisa came out with us this year. I am always thankful for a few extra hands! After we went a couple blocks we made our way over to my parents house. She had hot chocolate waiting to warm little bodies.

We finally made it back to our house to have pizza and 'wind down' from a sugar high. It was next to impossible to keep their little hands out of their treat bags;) Overall the day was great fun.

I'm a Pumpkin...Are You?

Over the last few days as I've watched our pumpkins get eaten and picked at by a plethora of squirrels, I started to see a similarity between myself and the pumpkins.

A pumpkin around Halloween takes on a new form. The pumpkin is picked out, cleaned out, carved and left on it's own to show its face to others. These last few weeks I have started to see a bit of myself in the pumpkin. I was "picked out" by God. He created me and placed me into my family. Over the years I too have needed Him to clean out gross stuff inside me. Along with that 'gross stuff' I had seeds. Just like the pumpkin, sometimes the seeds are harvested for something good and others are tossed out.

With trial and heartache, happiness and joy, the seeds inside me need to be separated. Would they be used and turned into something good, or best left for the garbage? Unlike the pumpkin this choice is left up to me. I can let those seeds be harvested and turned into great things or I can let them be tossed away and just like the pumpkin sometimes I have a carved face. Sometimes it's happy and others probably quite scary. I am guilty of putting on a happy face for others to see even when on the inside I am quite conflicted, unhappy or just plain gross.

As I watch Halloween approach and can see the pumpkin life nearing its end, I know it's just another season. Not only for the pumpkin but for me too. This last month has been a little difficult. Some of the trials and heartache I have had have been some of the toughest on my plate yet. I am thankful for God's grace and the sacrifice of His son. I have had to be honest with myself and others and not just put on my carved face.

I look forward to the future. I want my seeds to be nurtured and harvested and have them grow into something beautiful, something useful...not simply tossed away. Today I am going to do everything I can to change with the season like a pumpkin. The 'old' Heidi needed to die. What will this next season be for me. Hopefully one of forgiveness and grace, humility and thankfulness to my Heavenly father for seeing me through. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I choose to trust and follow Him. I know it's only through Him that I can become a new creation, a new mother, friend, wife and daughter.

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we took all the kids to the pumpkin patch. Every year since the kids were born we have gone to a different one. There are SO many around here it's not hard to find one. It is hard on the other hand to find one that's not swamped with people! I guess going two weeks before Halloween on a Sunday doesn't help, but we still had fun.

The biggest hit at the pumpkin patches for our kids is usually the petting zoo. The kids usually spend about 11.5 months talking about holding baby chicks and feeding the livestock. This year the 3 middle kids had no fear. The last few years we have had a least one child slightly freaked about the animals eating right out of their hand.

The little boys each got to ride on an amusement park type car ride while Madison got to ride a real pony. The smile and excitement on her face was worth the 20 minutes we stood in line. She giggled and smiled the entire time. Guess what she wants for Christmas?

Mackenzie enjoyed the day out for a stroll while Brett enjoyed the tractor pulled hayride while munching on some fresh popcorn. The amount of people there was completely ridiculous, but the smells of freshly grilled corn and hot cider were a nice distraction. Thank goodness we already had our pumpkins because with our family of 7, the stroller and bags the car couldn't carry much else.

Over all it was a really beautiful day. The sun was shining and the colors here in Chicago are just beautiful! Today we are expected to hit 70 degrees. Last night a few thunderstorms even rolled in. Fall is here!

Keeping Up Appearences

It always feels great to put on a new outfit. When I was little there was nothing better than getting a new outfit for my birthday or Christmas and wearing it to school for the first time. New shoes were even better! I think since I was able to walk I have always had a slight obsession with shoes. I am not proud of this, but here's a little story to illustrate...

In second grade at the end of the year when everyone was packing up the room to begin summer vacation, I got an idea. I told some of my friends that I was collecting shoes for the homeless. So, I actually got 3 of them to give me their gym shoes (the ones we kept in the classroom.) I proudly took them home and hid them in my room and would wear them whenever I got a chance. My favorite was a pair of red, high-top, Converse All Stars. They were way too big for me but I still loved them. To this day I still can't believe I had done something so awful.

I still love shoes, but have taken the purchasing route instead of theft. I don't even buy myself new shoes that often because I get to buy shoes for 6 other people now. I am amazed at how many shoes we have in this house. I have to clean out our coat closet a couple times a year because we accumulate so many shoes in there. The kids closets also start overflowing during certain points in a season. I have become pretty good at a great system I have though. Every year at Brett's school there is a children's clothing resale in the fall & spring. I can outfit almost every one of my kids for that season for next to nothing. All I do is sell the clothes that they have outgrown and most times even get some money back!

It's always nice when someone comments on your new outfit. The feeling is great. The kids get lots of comments on certain things they are wearing too. At times I almost feel a little uncomfortable. People will say something about how they always look so cute or put together and how we must go broke buying them all such nice things. They don't really mean it, but at the same time I feel slightly guilty. I wish I could explain that rarely do the kids wear something "new" from a store. I wish they could understand without having me tell them I find all the expensive brand name things at the resale...that I let someone else buy them full price.

In a way I really feel embarrassed. I don't want others to think I am out looking for the best or spending all our money on clothing and shoes. It simply isn't the case. In a world where society is constantly telling us (and our children) that we need the best, newest, most expensive things, I find it a little sick. I am not saying that we don't buy new things or nice things, but I don't think we are a family that is out to impress.

I do like my children to look nice. I love matching outfits, big colorful bows for the girls and polos on little boys. I don't dress them that way so they look perfectly put together. I do it because I feel like when you look your best you show you care. I do understand that some people can't always put on something that doesn't have holes, stains or even something that fits properly. I love seeing people buy our clothes at the sales, knowing that someone else can use the things that we've outgrown. It's really quite amazing the things and quantities that people buy at the sale. This year at the resale i actually saw a family fill an entire shopping cart overflowing and they only spent around $150!

I can only hope and pray that none of my kids is a kleptomaniac like I was.

All Grown Up

It's amazing how fast 3 months has flown by! Mackenzie is 3 months today! It feels like just yesterday we were taking home our "little peanut" from the hospital. What a little sweetheart she is and a great addition to the Laslo family.

She now sleeps in a big crib in Madison's room. Madison has been dreaming since before she was born to have a sister to share her room with so of course she is thrilled! Mackenzie has been sleeping through the night since about 3 weeks old so now that we finally got the crib up and into Madi's room they are roommates. It's been a little bit of a chore for me to keep the other kids away from it. For some reason it's like a magnet to children. A fortress, tent and house of sorts to all kinds of toys, animals and children.

Yesterday Dylan came up to me with a very determined look on his face as said "Mom, when I grow up I am going to still love you." I thanked him and told him that when he grows up I will love him too. He then proceeded to tell me "...even when I am a police officer and I arrest you?" So I told him if there is cause to arrest me I will still love him.

It's funny how kids have to be taught that there are no stipulations on your love. They will often get upset after they have done something and at this point we always reassure them how much we love them and that whatever they were doing was probably just not good for them or someone else.

As a mom I feel that one of my most important jobs is to show them love. It's not always easy, especially when there is ketchup all of the floor, or an "accident" on the carpet or even crayon all over the couch, but it's so important. Even when the craziness that is our life seems to overwhelm me, I need to remember to show them God's face, not my own, and teach them by example of God's grace and everlasting love.

These days go by all too fast. Brett is only about 6 inches shorter than I am and his feet are already the same size. I can still remember when he was learning to walk with those little feet. There was actually a time when I needed to use suspenders to hold up his little pants on his skinny little frame. Those days are long gone. While he is still my "little" boy he is growing up. It's not easy as a mom when you begin to see that your children no longer need to rely fully on you. Even Madison, Noah & Dylan don't need help getting dressed or brushing their teeth anymore. They can make their beds (in their own weird way) and clean up a toy room disaster all by themselves. While it's great that they can do these things and are becoming independent little people, it's hard because those things have been my responsibility and talking care of them my purpose for so long. I guess I am entering a new season in life here and will need to learn a new way to "mama."

I can't say enough how much I love my kids. I love their up and downs, their quirky personalities, and especially their hugs and kisses. I wish I could freeze some of these moments forever...(and fast forward through a few) and always remember them just as they were.

Picture Albums

A few weeks ago I started a shutterfly share site so you will now be able to view some pictures!

http://littlelaslos.shutterfly.com/

Hope you enjoy!

Talents

Today I had one of those moments where you can actually flash back to a time (in my case...20 years) and remember something so vividly that it seems almost unreal. I was watching Brett draw at our kitchen table and suddenly, out of nowhere, remembered a time when I was sitting at my kitchen table as a young girl drawing something very similar. It's really quite scary because his drawing style is very much like mine was too.

As I sat near him watching him draw (and erase;) it made me think about how important it is to encourage these talents and gifts in each of my children. As a young girl I was very hard on myself. I felt things need to be perfect when complete. No matter what I was doing; drawing, painting, or even my hair needed to look like a perfect piece of art. Thankfully, my family was always there to encourage me and help me get past my obscure visions.

As my children get older I am so excited to see each of their interests (and sometimes obsessions) change and grow. Madison seems to be our next little artist. She is only 4 but can draw almost anything she sees and it looks pretty recognizable. Noah can figure out almost anything if it comes with picture instructions. He loves to get a new building set and go through all the possibilities of a new structure. These days Dylan, who just turned 3, is surprising me with his memorization and his close attention to detail. he reminds me SO much of Brett when he was little. Dylan's memory is really amazing. Just the other day he surprised me when he told me he remembered a verse he learned last year at church...and he really did!


It's SO so so so important to let them know when they are doing a great job at something. Even at this early age of 3 and 4 they are already telling me "no I'm not... or It's not good..." and I want them to not be discouraged but keep trying.


I have a letter that my grandma wrote to me back in April 1993. It was a letter I received when she passed away in 1996. I was 13 at the time she wrote the letter. A little of it read:

"You have been given many talents and I hope you use them to glorify Him...Don't be so hard on yourself, you are doing great! Remember we all make mistakes but we must also learn from them. You are such a delight and joy. Shine."

I guess I wasn't the only one who knew I was so hard on myself. I am trying my best these days to let my children know how much I value them. I want them to know that when weather they are coloring a picture, have helped out setting the table, or a learning to ride a bike that I think their effort is great.

Brett recently started playing the Oboe. For most people it is very hard to pick up an instrument and play...especially for the first time. He tried and tried and just couldn't even make a sound. Then, finally he did! It sounded horrible and made me cringe, but I smiled through it. Most things for Brett come so easily. He excels in school and a lot of this comes so naturally and easily for him. Not the Oboe. He practiced for hours the first couple days and even broke down at one point. This was something that was going to take some work. I don't like to use the phrase "practice makes perfect" so around here we use another one "Practice makes progress"...a phrase I had to come up with. He is seeing some progress now. To be honest it still sounds like some kind of water foul in dying upstairs between 3:30-4:00 each afternoon, but I just love his determination. As much as I was rooting for him to choose a trumpet or trombone...I will continue to encourage this new talent.

I have to remember some days that my children are little and can't always do the tasks I give them as well as I would like, but they are doing their best and trying hard. I can't wait to see the talents and gifts they have grow. So today, I will do everything I can to nurture them and encourage them to always do their best.

Fall is Here

I think I am in slight denial that the calendar already reads October 10th! I have to say that fall is one of the most beautiful times of year around here. The colors, smells and flowers are some of my personal favorites. I do not however, love what comes next...winter. For some reason just the mere thought of winter in Chicago takes away a little of my joy in fall because I know what is to come.


With Halloween just around the corner, I have been asking the kids what they are thinking of for costumes. I had some pretty interesting suggestions early on. Dylan wanted to be a giant soccer sock. Yep, a giant sock. I had no idea how I was going to pull that one off but lucky for me now he wants to be a fire fighter. I can do that. Madison without a doubt will be a princess. Noah currently wants to be a rock star (but he regularly changes his mind) and Brett wants to be a ninja or medieval knight. This year our littlest Laslo baby is going to be heading out with us all dressed to impress in her little costume. I can't wait to see her in it!


Fall is also the time of year when work begins to slow down for James and we look forward to many fun family weekends. Every year we love taking the kids to a pumpkin patch. This year we won't have to buy any pumpkins because James "grew" some down at the parking lot this year and already picked them. The kids are super excited to carve them!


We also have two weddings in the next two weeks. One is my cousin Erin, and the other is one of best friends, Katherine. I can't wait! I love weddings. I have been to a few in the last couple months and think there is no better way to spend my day than to attend a wedding filled with so much love, hope and promises. I think there is no more beautiful sight than a bride walking toward her groom.

Fall also means that I must again spend endless hours upstairs in the kids rooms packing away all the spring/summer clothing to make room for fall/winter items. With five children this year it's proving to be quite the project. I have piles and rubbermaids lining the hallway. James and I each have our own walk in closets so I never have to worry about our stuff because there is plenty of room. Brett has his own walk in too, but between the games, bookshelves and collectibles he doesn't have much room left over. It always seems like on a daily basis I am constantly searching for an outfit for each kid to wear...now I look at it all and wonder where it all came from! How could I NOT find one?!

Well, hopefully sometime this week I can fill my garden and pots with some beautiful fall foliage. Time to go find all my harvest decor and see how long it takes for the kids to find it and pull it all apart...they can't seem to keep their hands off decorations.

Hotel for Dogs

The other night after all the little kids were in bed and James was at a meeting, Brett and I decided to have a movie night. Normally we would rent a movie from Red Box (where you can rent a movie for only $1) but since I was home alone with all the kids in bed, we decided to order one off of the On Demand. I am still in awe how they can charge $5 for a movie, but that night we went in for the splurge.

After the popcorn was popped and the two of us settled in on our respective couches we were set to watch our new release. Hotel for Dogs was our choice. I had heard some really good things about the movie. These days you can never be sure what you are in for even with a children's movie with a rating of PG. The language that people are excepting of these days is sometimes ridiculous. As parents James and I do all we can to safeguard our kids from bad language, but it seems to even pop up in the cartoons now. This particular movie had the Lord's name taken in vain a few times. If it was a movie our littler kids were watching I would have shut it off, but since it was Brett, I feel and know I can talk to him about it.

Without giving any of the movie away...(the title already does that;) the story was about a place for stray dogs. Throughout the movie stray dogs were being held captive in different ways for not belonging to someone. Two children who happened to be orphans were spending their time trying to 'save' these very dogs. The dogs were from all different areas of life. Some were old, young, dirty, "ugly," large and small. Animal services was continually coming to capture them and take them to the pound because they didn't belong to anyone.

Long story short, these dogs had found an old abandoned hotel to stay in. It was a place where they looked after one another. A place they could come and be accepted. None of the dogs turned another dog away because of size, breed, or cleanliness. They protected each other. As I watched this movie I suddenly became aware that I was re-learning a message I have heard over and over. God feels the same way about us. He never turns any of us away because of race, color, gender or social status. He tells us to come as we are. Many of us are broken, lost and have 'ugly' hearts.

While watching this film so many thoughts were swirling around in my head. I know I have a responsibility also to love others above myself, to be accepting of them, to care for them. I have the responsibility to teach them about Christ and let them know there is a place called Heaven. They are welcome there if they choose to follow Christ and accept Him into their hearts. Just like the dogs, we should always be longing for rest and a home. Rest in our faithful Savior Jesus and an eternal home in Heaven.

Too often I think I look at others who have little, are not (as clean) as me, are lonely or maybe even have some sort of physical problem and I do not love them like I should. I look at them like they are different and I don't always want to engage with them. God does the exact opposite. He accepts all those who come to Him in the name of His son. He loves with an everlasting love, He cares without stipulations and He still loves me despite of all He knows of me!

The end of the movie has a very happy ending. I cried. Yes, I cried at the end of the children's movie Hotel for Dogs. I just felt it had a beautiful message and sweet ending. Brett and I enjoyed the movie and some time together. I am so thankful for the young man he is becoming. I think I am most thankful that he still enjoys spending some time with his mama.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

As I was getting all the ingredients together for the kids to make their own pizzas yesterday Dylan came and told me the silliest thing. He said "Mom, can I go outside and catch a real live spider to put on my pizza?" I asked him if he was sure because he certainly didn't have a smile on his face which would have lead me to believe that he was just joking. He had a very sure look on his face and asked again. After I finally said 'no' he looked at me and said "you know I'm just kiddin' ya?"

After making our own pizzas the kids and I cleaned up and started to play with some new toys Grandma brought over from the resale. One was this fabulous little doll set that came with different squares of various fabrics to dress her up in. Even the boys were in on it! At one point we were all being really silly and I asked Madison if she liked my girly I dressed. She looked over at me and said "break it down girl!" I could NOT stop laughing! I have no idea where she got that phrase and the attitude that cam along with it was hilarious!

Just this morning, after all the kids came down and piled on the couch for their morning cartoon, I asked them all what I should put on for them. Noah looked up at me and said " probably the news, bc if we don't watch it we won't know if there is going to be a sunshine or a cloud today. " I guess that's pretty observant. I do usually flick on the weather channel in the a.m. to see the days local forecast. But, all of a sudden Dylan looked at me and pleaded NOT to turn the news on. After I reassured him if would be for only a minute, he looked at me and said "but what if we see the raindrops? Then we can't go out and play!" Somehow in his little mind he thought by not looking at the weather maybe we could keep the rain away by ignoring it.

Some days I think I don't smile enough. It's in some of these (not so rare) precious moments that I realize what is important. It's not the laundry, the bills or preparing a perfect meal...it's teaching my kids by example and seeing the world through there eyes. It's those times that a smile will usually appear. I sometimes even laugh so hard tears stroll down my face. It worries the kids but I reassure them it's only because they make me so happy. A few weeks ago I was singing some songs with the kids. We sang the B-I-B-L-E, then we make up our own song also spelling out a word. The word was 'happy.' Noah asked me how to spell it and when I did I had three little children in stitches. The reason why? Well, when you say the letters that spell out 'happy' you must say " P-P." They thought it was pretty funny that I said that;) It doesn't take much to entertain little kids...

These five beautiful children I call mine actually belong to God. They are on loan to me. I need to remember this most days. I need to also remember to show them the love that their heavenly father has for them. That they would not see my face, but His when they look at me.

I thank the Lord everyday for Brett Michael, Madison Grace, Noah James, Dylan Carter and Mackenzie Kate. I feel so blessed to be their mom.

Mackenzie's 2 Month

Today little Miss Mackenzie had her 2 month check up. She did better than all her siblings combined. She smiled for the doctor, showed off all her tricks (rolling over, laughing, and even her amazing control when on her tummy.) Our doctor said she is hitting many of the marks of a four month old! She was amazed too that she can get up so high on her hands when on her tummy and look around. I think she is going to be crawling in no time!

Her 2 month stats:

She weighs 14 lbs. exactly & measures in at 25 inches long.

The doctor checked and said that size wise she is running right along with a four month old and so that puts her in the 95th percentile for weight and length.

I really can't complain about much with Mackenzie. She is such a happy baby. She smiles at all the funny noises and faces her brothers and sister can make. She loves to be on her tummy exploring her baby mat and looking around at everyone whizzing by. She is eating great and sleeping even better....sleeping most night from 9 p.m. or so all the way until 7 a.m.!

She loves to be outside and likes to go for walks in her stroller. I can't believe it's been 2 months already! I actually assembled the crib in Madison's room the other day. I found it to be quite the project! I couldn't believe how many instructions and screws it took to put this contraption together. I don't think children even come with many instructions! Madison is quite thrilled to be sharing a room with her baby sister. After I put the crib together and assembled all the bedding Madi walked in and gave me the biggest hug and kiss and thanked me repeatedly for putting something so beautiful in her room;) I know my two girls are just going to be best friends.

Well, the other kids are settling back into a routine since Mackenzie was born. They are also a great help sometimes. Each of them still wants to take turns feeding her and talking and playing with her while I prepare dinner or have to leave the room. What a little joy Mackenzie Kate has been!

To be Honest...

I was working the last two days at the Timothy Christian annual fall resale. I go every year to sell my own kids clothes that they have outgrown and, since I am a volunteer, I also get first pick for things that they will need for the next season. It's a great way to meet some of the other "TCS moms" and to just get out for a little and help out. But, this year, I was faced with some pretty hard truths.

There is a system to tagging the clothes that you want to sell. One color is for items that get reduced the last hour of the sale, one color is for items that will not be reduced, and the other color is for items to be donated after the sale is over. As we begin sorting the clothes that people bring there is also a "reject" box that is for clothing that is stained, ripped, "outdated" etc. I was pulling my own things out of the bins and putting them away when I noticed one of Madison's old winter coats had a dirty sleeve. I know I just washed all the coats, so I put a green tag on it and didn't mark down my number so I could just donate it. Again, we don't sell dirty things.

Well, as the sale was going on today I decided to go look around the racks to see if there was anything else my kids needed for the winter. As I was browsing the jackets I came across Madison's. Could this be MY jacket? Sure enough...I looked at the jacket with the same dirty arm and then noticed someone had put another tag on it (I had pinned a tag on it, but left it blank.) Sure enough, there was another color tag on it with someone else's number. I was a little stunned. I tried to think it through a minute and see if there was MAYBE a logical explanation. I couldn't come up with one. I REALLY wanted to not believe that one of the other girls would do that....put their own number on it and try to sell it, but they did.

I was a little heartbroken. Not because I wanted the money for it, or even that someone thought I may have made a mistake and made a bad judgement call. Just the fact that someone standing in the room with me had been dishonest. Please listen, I AM NOT saying that I am in any way perfect or that I am in any way above them. I am just like that person. I am a sinner too. The other sad part was that there is a list of "sellers" and their numbers on the table. I admit I did look at that list. I knew who that person was.

I think the hardest part of seeing someone else's sin is that you immediately are aware of your own. That's why it bothers us so much. I know there have been plenty of times in my life when I was so upset with someone else for doing something, when I myself was also guilty of a like incident.

I did not confront that person. What good would that have done? Probably none. I also didn't want to cause conflict. I ran over the scene in my head a couple times and just thought it would be extremely uncomfortable. Maybe when they get home and get that coat back (bc it didn't sell) they would be reminded of what they did. Does that make me feel better? No. It makes me realize just how much we all need a Savior. We all need Jesus.

I am not perfect. In my lifetime I have lied, stolen, cheated, and done things I'd rather not list. I am a sinner. I try my hardest now that my kids are old enough to teach them about honesty. They really haven't gotten the hang of it. They have however mastered lying. Even a four year old who has never been taught to lie can do it. They were born sinners just like me. I find that my kids will even lie about things that don't matter or even things that they can't possibly be in trouble for, yet they do it.


I have been guilty of doing the same thing many times over. I also know I have a God who is bigger than all my sin.


I came back today after writing the beginning of this post yesterday. In that time I faced yet another great challenge. I faced another situation of honestly...or lack there of...and this is one I cannot write off. I had to face it, or actually, it came to face me. I just don't want to accept it. I will never stop wondering why dishonesty hurt so bad. I am however in awe of God and how he faces this. He loves us despite our sin. He loved us so much that He sent his ONLY son as a sacrifice to die on the cold, lonely cross for OUR sins. He knew of the sin that would consume all of us and sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the coming weeks, months, years, I will face many truths related to this very day. I will remember, but would rather forget. God hasn't forgotten me. I am on His mind and He is ready to come to me when I cry out to Him. I am crying. Crying tears and crying out for Him.



The verse that was on the back of James' truck when we met and a verse I think of often was this:


"Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. " The rest of the verse reads "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me., for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I, along with many others, am carrying a heavy burden right now. I know that my Savior can free us from these burdens. The rest He promises is love, healing, and peace with God. I need it. We all need it. We need Jesus Christ.

Anniversaries

Last week I was listening to a radio program that was talking about anniversaries and it got me thinking. The word 'Anniversary' is defined as a recurring date, or a past event; especially one of historical, national or personal importance. A celebration to commemorate such a date.

I have a few such dates and events in my life. Every year I look forward to our wedding anniversary most. I don't often have time to sit and think about how wonderfully perfect that day was, but when it nears it's always nice to go through the pictures and notes we received. I remember thinking, as I was standing behind the doors of the sanctuary (beside the fact I had massive amounts of sweat dripping down my back,) just about how perfect that day was.

As I entered I remember seeing James face. He was standing there trying to hold back tears. He couldn't take his eyes off me. I remember smiling so much that my face began to hurt! I can still feel how tightly he held my hand and how secure I felt. I was marrying such a wonderful man. I was marrying my best friend. The rest of that day was a bit of a blur. I like to look at all the pictures because I can't recall every detail and every captured piece of happiness. All our friends and family there to celebrate us meant so much.

James and I don't usually get to do anything big surrounding the date of our actual anniversary in August. Maybe just a nice dinner & a movie. It's in the fall that we really get to celebrate. In October James & I get to sneak away for a few days up to the cottage...kid free;) It's something we look forward to every year. Just the two of us. The colors of fall are simply amazing up there. We love to fish right off the beach, try out all the cafes' and just spend time, uninterrupted, just simply to enjoying each other. As much as we love our kids, it's still very hard to come back and quickly transition back into "mom" and "dad." I'm pretty sure even though our life is crazy these days, that it's safe to say we love each other even more than we did on our wedding day.

This year was the first anniversary of the day that we lost my precious cousin Sheri to ovarian cancer. July 5th, 2008 she went to be with her heavenly father. I miss her. A couple hours after Mackenzie was born it sunk in a little deeper. She was always one of our first guests at the hospital after one of our kids was born. It was hard knowing she wasn't going to be there this time. I still remember when she came after Dylan was born. Sheri was not the biggest girl, 4'11 inches on a 'good' day, and when she held my 10lb. baby she looked almost funny. He was HUGE! I miss her smile, her laugh, her silly voices. After 30 years of service on the this earth, her work was done here. For some reason, and only God knows, he called her home.

I went to the cemetery last week. It's really beautiful there. I didn't really plan on stopping, but it had been on my mind for some time now. It was a truly beautiful day. As I drove in, I was greeted by half a dozen deer who didn't seem to mind my car rolling through. As I drove up the hill I saw a woman sitting on bench reading. What a peaceful sight. I strolled up and down the lawn looking for my aunt and cousin. I was there for about an hour. I am not the type of person who goes there to talk to them, or even to grieve. I don't even know what made me go. I just sort of sat and a flood of memories came back to me.

I remembered the time that Sheri, Mandy & I were having a sleepover. We were all in the same bed, giggling and playing when a spider decided to join us at the foot of the bed. We were only 5 or 6 at the time and I can still hear Sheri, plain as day, saying "don't worry guys, I don't think it's contagious." I think she meant poisonous, but we didn't know any better at the time. We just knew Sheri would take care of it. She was always there for me. When the world didn't seem to understand me, I knew Sheri would. Sheri was adopted, and I was too. When we were little we used to pretend we were really sisters. Now I know God had us planned to be a part of the same family all along. It's really quite amazing when you think about it. What a special person she was to not only me, but everyone that knew her. I still can't believe it's been a year already.

I love to celebrate; birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and life in general. I love to throw big parties and entertain. I think my goal is to have everyone enjoy these things as much as I do. But, in the end, I know it's not the things or parties that make an anniversary special...it's the people you spend them with.

Brett's Big Break

I spoke too soon...

In my May 29th post I mentioned that Brett got new Rollerblades and I hoped it wasn't going to mean he received his first break. Well, he did break his first bone this summer:( He was camping in Ludington in August when he broke his knuckle/pinkie finger. He was playing football with a nerf football at the beach. The ball apparently filled with water and was so heavy when he went to catch it that it just bent his finger the wrong way. He was very brave and didn't cry much. It also helped to wrap his hand so he couldn't see his finger sticking out sideways on the way to the ER.

He had a temporary cast put on for the next two weeks. It wasn't a full hard cast, just hard on the top of his hand and forearm and wrapped with a special Ace bandage. Of course at his age this was a very hard injury to have. He had one month left of summer and now here he was told he had a limited amount he could do. It was heartbreaking first for me. I actually was a little mad too. We were about to go up to the Lake in a week and now I thought to myself "what is this poor child going to do?! He can't even swim on his vacation!!!!" After my initial shock I got over my own pity party and was able to focus on my little guy.

He wasn't going to let this stop him. One morning I was getting everyone breakfast and Mackenzie was crying up a storm waiting for hers. I went to look when the room fell silent only to find Brett had picked her up and was rocking her. He is so kind and helpful.

So, the day before vacation we were told by the doctor about a swimming/diving device for casts. We we so excited and began calling around looking for it. About a dozen calls and 10 different stores we went to, we found one!!! Brett was so thrilled!

It's like a big rubber swimming cap that put on and had a little pump that we sucked the air out to make it air tight. It certainly worked. Brett was under water most of our vacation! He loves to swim. When we got home it even worked out great to shower with. No more big plastic Old Navy bags and hair ties to hold it on!

He had to wear the cast for an additional week after vacation. When we went for his ortho appointment the doctor took the cast off and said his finger was healing nicely. He did tell him no contact sports this fall. Brett was super bummed about that. That meant no soccer team. All the kids were really disappointed. We almost don't know what to do with our weekends now. Brett's been playing soccer for the last 6 years! He will have plenty to keep him busy in the next few months though. He is in band at school now, he's involved in Cadets at church and he's part of Math club. There is still plenty of other things for him to so and other soccer mom responsibilities for me to have.

Brett also wants to thank everyone for all the cards and words of encouragement. He was a little discouraged in the beginning, but after every one's kind words and stories of their own broken bones he felt much better. Thank You!!!

Seasons Change

Last weekend I was excited to look at the calendar and see that I was about to have a Saturday "off." My friend Katherine is getting married in October and last weekend we had her bachelorette party. My first reaction was excitement! After all, I am a mom of 5 and this was a great reason to get out and have a chance to be Heidi and not Mommy;) While I love my children to death, I also enjoy some time away to get a chance to "miss" them. It doesn't happened often, but when it does it always feels great. I get to shower and DO my hair, and maybe, just maybe I get to put on something that is clean & doesn't smell like yesterday's baby.

Then came my second reaction...I feel old. I don't mean physically, but mentally. The last time I went to a bachelorette party was before I got married. I was second to the last of almost all my friends to get married so it's been a while. All the other girls in Katherine's wedding party are either newly married, single, or have one little one. I felt like I was the "old" lady. During the summer they all met up to view the dresses, go to dinner, and see Katherine's gown. I was so pregnant ready to pop I opted out of those activities because my life was simply too full at the time. I would have loved to attend, but we don't always get to do what we want. And, I don't think the dress shop would have been happy if I had tried to squeeze into one of their dresses.

So, Katherine's party was great! Good food, drinks, games and company! Although, I am quite embarrassed to admit it...I was that mom. I always looked at that mom places and vowed to never partake in her actions. But, I did. The very thought of it now makes me cringe. I caught myself at one point rambling on and on about my 5 precious children. I was looking around the room while talking endlessly about spit up, the kids shenanigans, potty training, etc. and could tell I was attracting that smile; that smile of how nice, now enough;) I had a great time with a great group of sweet girls, but soon realized I have entered a new stage of life myself. I was no longer a "young" single girl, a newlywed or even a new mom. I was a seasoned one. One who, in three short months, is about to turn thirty.... *sigh*...One who has five kids, a mortgage, and a child already nearing middle school. I know life changes are just a part of, well...life, but sometimes they go by so fast, sneak up slowly and surprise us.

I'm a little surprised. I guess I haven't had much time to stop and think about it. My days don't include a lot of free "thinking" time. Most of my thoughts these days are about dinner recipes, who's laundry needs to be done next and keeping track of a family of 7.

I will save the thoughts I have about the BIG 3-0 for another post. But for now, as I realize just what an old soccer mom I am, know that I love my life, my family and my friends just as I did before I started going gray. It's every one of those people, experiences and changes that have made me who I am today. I thank God for each and every day I have to glorify Him.

P.S. I am also looking forward to Katherine & Jeff's wedding!!!!!! It been 10 years in the making and I could not be ANY happier for my dear friend. God's timing is perfect.

Ketchup

Some days I feel like I am playing a never ending game of 'catch up' with this house. Just when I get the kids breakfast, dress them, and send them out to play in the morning, feed Mackenzie, change her, and get her down for a morning nap, and clean up breakfast....it's LUNCHTIME! The amount of laundry in this house seems to multiply over night too. I can do laundry all night and go to bed with 4 baskets of it all folded, then wake up, put it all away just to fill those same baskets with the next 4 loads. Does this ever end? I guess it's to be expected with a family of 7. And, most days when I have about had it with the amount of housework to be completed, one of my kids never fails to distract me from this "work" with something.

Some days it's constantly asking for me to get them down something that's been taken away from them (the top of our tv has about a dozen off limit toys,) help get the craft box out, draw a dinosaur ten million times, braid a Barbie's hair, or watch a 'cool move.' Other days it's cleaning up a mess that was just made in a bathroom I had just cleaned. My kids are like magnets to water. I don't know what it is about the bathroom water, but they seem to think it needs to be dumped in bucket fulls on the floor, or used to fill all the kitchen set cups, or even just to drink. I am not talking a cup full...for some reason I can't get my kids to drink water ever, BUT if it is consumed in the bathroom upstairs they will drink gallons of the stuff.

So, this morning as I was on the phone telling a friend that this week was so busy I felt like I was playing "catch up" all week, my kids must have actually have been listening. I just finished rocking Mackenzie to sleep and put her in her bed upstairs. She fussed a little bit more so I picked her up until she dozed again. I was probably upstairs not even 3 minutes when I came down to quite possibly one of the craziest things I have seen my kids do yet. As I neared to kitchen I could hear the kids squealing and right when I turned the corner they froze...there was ketchup all over the floor. Like bright red, tomato ketchup, covering the center of my kitchen floor. After I scared the kids to death by taking in a large breath, holding it long enough to stare at each of them, I asked WHAT IN THE WORLD would possess them to spray ketchup on the floor and swirl it all around with their hands and feet?! The answer I received was this: "we just wanted to play in 'ketchup' like you..." Oh, catch up...

I can laugh about it now. At the time? Not so funny. Just when I think they can't top themselves they do. I bet we could have won ten times over on America's funniest Videos. If only I could catch these things on tape;)

Plan B

So, after much thought & discussion between James and I we have come up with a new fall plan for our 4 year olds. Back in early summer I had begun making some calls to preschools to find out which one to send Madison & Noah to. With it being the start of summer it was hard to keep in contact with a few. I played many games of phone tag between having a baby and going on a family vacation it seemed almost impossible! After we got back I made a serious effort to check them out. Turns out that the two preschools we wanted to send them to had only their Tuesday/Thursday programs available to 4 year olds, and even then it was for mornings. Another had Monday-Thursday, picking any two days available, but that was going to put us WAY over what we could afford.

Madison & Noah started going to Story Hour last year with my mom. It is a Bible based program on Tuesday mornings during the church's Coffee Break Bible Study program. So, when I found out that the preschool was going to conflict with that, my heart was also conflicted. I really believe in the program and love the women who teach and lead the kids in it. They have learned so much there already in their first year that I really want them to continue in it.

Yet another reason choosing a preschool was so tough was the cost. Many of them we going to run us around $400 a month for the two kids. For preschool? I'm just not sure how I feel about spending that kind of money per month for two days a week in school. After talking it over with James we came up with another idea. The kids are growing and really starting to get into their own interests. Madison loves to do gymnastics and dance and Noah likes to do karate moves so we thought about putting that money into other activities for them. It's not final yet, but we are pretty sure that this might the best move for them. It will also give the two of them a chance to be involved in something without the other...something I think would be good for both of them.

I always thought I would be more than excited and ready to send off my double trouble team to school, but now that the time is here I feel a little sad. I simply can't believe how the time flies. The days of double diaper changes, double feedings, and carrying two little chubs up to their cribs (where they couldn't escape) are now behind me. They are growing into such wonderful little people who now love to help me clean, cook, and even fold my laundry! So for now we are going to take the next couple weeks a day at a time and reorganize our schedules and see where we go from here.

Two Months Already!

I can't believe it's been 2 months already! Little Miss Mackenzie Kate is two months today. These last couple months have really gone by fast! After she was born we had less than a month before we left for vacation in Michigan. We spent two glorious week there and as soon as we came back Brett started school. Getting back into the groove of school and a slightly more structured schedule was nice, but busier. So here we are smack in the middle of September already.

Mackenzie is growing by leaps & bounds. She is by far the easiest baby I have had at this point. She has been sleeping through the night since about 3 weeks old. She now goes to bed between 9-10 p.m. and sleeps until 6-7 a.m. Just last week she started socially smiling and loves to talk. She goes for her 2 months check up & shots next week. I can only imagine how much she must weigh! Her thighs are getting nice and chubby and she is so long she is popping out of 3-6 month size sleepers.

The kids are just in love with her. It's so sweet to bring her down in the morning and to hear the kids all try to get her attention by introducing themselves to her. I have to regulate hugs and kisses because they get a little carried away sometimes. Madison loves to push her in the stroller for walks and Noah loves to make up songs to sing to her. Brett is a great help in a pinch when she needs a cuddle if mommy is busy.

Overall I've had it pretty easy. She take a few long naps during the day and by the time James gets home she is wide awake and ready to play. She has even started to be able to lift her head up so high when on her tummy that she can watch the kids playing all around her and that seems to keep her pretty content. I will be going to get her pictures taken soon too. I haven't done that yet with her...she is the 5th after all;)

Dylan Carter

I can still remember where I was on September 11th, 2001 between 7-8 a.m. I was driving to work listening to the radio when the announcers started screaming. The second tower had just been hit. I was confused. It almost felt like a dream. To hear the announcers completely lose control like that on air was a bit unnerving. I remember the drive home that day too. The awkward sound of silence. We were so used to hearing the planes flying into O'hare...now just unbelievable silence. That was a day that I will surely never forget.


Five years later, on September 11th, 2006 at almost that exact time my view of "that" day changed. We were blessed with a beautiful little boy! Dylan Carter was born at 8:38 a.m. weighing in at a very healthy 9 lbs. 15 oz. We were ecstatic! James now had a little birthday buddy.


So yesterday he turned 3. I know I have said it over a hundred times, but I really do wonder WHERE does that time go?! It never really felt like we had a baby for long...Dylan was crawling, then walking at 9 months, and talking in complete sentences we could understand by 10 months! He's always been a little a head of the game, but he really had to if he wanted to keep up the rest of the kids. At just 2 years old he was reciting verses out the Bible!

After Mackenzie was born we started seeing some more of our "baby" coming out. He definitely thinks he's the comedian of the family and when he's not laughing, he's sucking his thumb. All the other kids used a pacifier that I could take away before they were 2, but it's next to impossible to take away a thumb. Every time he holds his little blankie the thumb goes in. Here's a funny story though:

One night James was trying to get the boys to bed. They

were not listening and after a couple warnings for each little

boy, James finally went in and took each of their little blankets. He

then closed the door and what he heard next was classic 'Dylan.'

After his blankie was taken away & the door closed we heard from a tiny little

voice "oh no Noah, now I can't suck my thumb."

James & I were almost rolling on the floor laughing!

Well, our little baby turned 3 yesterday. It's hard to believe sometimes that our kids are growing up. We hold them when they are born and always say we can't wait until they are crawling, walking and talking....then when they do we sometimes wish they would stop;) Dylan is a regular ball of energy these days. Always trying to come up with a funny phrase or noise to make. He loves being dressed up in princess clothes by Madison or sneaking into Brett's room and finding something to claim as his own. Dylan truly loves his biggest brother and wants to be just like him. I am also finding I do more laundry these days than ever before. Dylan will sneak off and change clothes 3-4 times a day. He always leaves us wondering what he will do or say next.