Gifts...

In an effort to get out and make it a special Visiting Teaching for December, I put my skills to work and made quilted blocks, framed with the quote, "Unto us, a Child is born" inside.  I hope it will be treasured by the sisters who received them!

In the process, I decided to take pics of a few of the boys Thanksgiving projects...and then i tossed the projects in an effort to de-clutter!  

A few of her favorite Christmas gifts!

Little Maya loves the Monkey hat she received from her Mimi for Christmas!  

She also happens to adore the portable tea set "Santa" brought to work.  Actually, I have a very sweet friend at work who said Santa made his way to her house and claimed that there were some really good kids she had to bring some toys to.  The girls received a tea set to share--Maya has claimed it as hers! She dumps all of HER treasures into the cart and pushes it all over the house!

Baby Shane, Our Boy!

(Will update with pictures...they are priceless)
Beautiful Baby Shane--

The day started familiar...routines to accomplish, children to tame, and a house full of work ahead.  Daddy arranged to be home most of the day; that turned ordinary as well, with errands to run, tantrums to calm, and tasks to accomplish.  Yet, there was a certain calm in the air....a certain peace, and a sense of hope.

We scurried away from Target with the girls to pick the boys up at the bus stop.  Mind you, at Target you would have laughed at your youngest sister giving everyone a smile.  She has lost her voice, and squeaks sweet sentiments through her pudgy pouty lips.  Though she is sick, she sounds as delicate and beautiful as ever.  To calm her weary cries, I opened a package of oreos and allowed her to taste of its goodness.  She reminded me of the goodness as well as she placed each chocolate wafer into my mouth after she had devoured the cream; I then received a sweet chocolaty kiss as a token of gratitude.  Daddy roamed the isles and Maya stayed attached to my hip while Lydia placed her curious to be three year old hands on every item.  Soon enough Maya wanted down to fall into her sisters footsteps; and she most certainly did.  Lydia tripped and fell, slicing her tiny finger, while Maya stoped people in their tracks.  They admired her oreo smitten face, her sweet strawberry blond pigtails, and her "doll like" countenance, as was uttered from strangers lips.  You would have smiled at their sweetness.

You would have looked on with joy as we drove home and witnessed the pure, lovely, and gentle snow fall down.  In the three o clock hour, snow began to fall...I am certain you would have loved to see our joy, and even more so, feel our peace.

You would have laughed as Lydia looked out the window at the snow as we drove through town.  You would've encouraged her insisting behavior of rolling the windows down to be just one layer closer to the beautiful flakes.

Then...you would have stood in awe as Maya...stood in awe.  Little, voiceless, Maya stood still as can be for minutes as she admired the falling snow.  She stared at our hair, opened her mouth in mimic of Mommy and Daddy, and shivered her little body away...yet, begged to stay outside.

A grin would have crossed you face as I opened the front door to an arrangement of daisies and blue carnations.  You would have chuckled as the delivery man said, "Robing Johnson?" to which I said, "Umm....no!"  He looked down in confusion, fumbled his papers, and said, "Well is must be Steve and Crystal!"

When the boys got home, you would have been so proud of Beautiful Connor, and his "big boy" way of helping Daddy set up the Christmas tree.  Perhaps you would have felt the strings of my heart pull as I tried to find a "big boy" task for Aiden to accomplish, knowing very well that the look on his face was a clear signal that he was not fond of Connor's "big boy" duties making him look small.  You would have been proud as I claimed that Aiden could be a "big boy" and decorate the tree ALONE!!!

More giggles would have come if you could have seen the look on Lydia's face, and the tears she cried when she couldn't be just one arm stretch closer to your cake....and then the tears Connor cried when Lydia touched his slice of cake...his slice to be, that is!

The ultimate laugh would have been enjoyed as Aiden climbed on the top bunk of the beds and crept along, quiet as can be while I tucked fresh sheets and blankets into the bottom bunk.  He was Santa, red hat and all.  He asked me to pretend I didn't see him, and then started in a medley of Christmas stories.  He said, "Then what to my wandering eyes should appear...." (long pause) "...a mouse..."  Huh???  Connor quickly corrected him, "Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse!"  Aiden took the sweet correction well, and simply recited the correct Christmas poem.

You would have delightfully given your orange hot chocolate to your brothers, seeing they were thrilled with the "orangeness" and whipped cream Daddy topped it with.

Finally, at the end of the day, when every soul but mine slept peacefully, you would have wiped the tears off my face as I finished watching the last scenes in a movie...chosen only because it seemed to be the only good thing on TV.  The mother held up her hands and gracefully, quietly, said, "I give my son to you...he is yours".

At eight, Connor knows more than anyone else...but doesn't realize it quite yet.
At six, Aiden is full of knowledge and fun...all scrambled in a soup of pure happiness and joy for life.
At two, turning three, Lydia is independent, full of energy, and loving her girlhood.
At one, Maya is beautiful, sweet, attached, and everything parents love and adore.

And you, dear Shane...I long to call you five.  I know I will someday.  We celebrated you and the five years you have graced our family today.  I'd say,"If you could have seen it, you would have loved it...." but dear child, "I know you saw it...I know you loved it!"

To my dear baby boy...to our dear baby boy....Happy Birthday!

From a family who loves you and anticipates your sweet gentle touch, your tender little coos, and your graceful growing body more than you can possibly fathom....

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!
Mommy

Prayers

My sweet Aiden prayed tonight:

Heavenly Father,
Please bless that Aunt Sunny's roof will not fly off.
And if it does fly off, please bless that she will be safe in her car!


Connor prayed:

Heavenly Father,
Please help Aunt Sunny find a way to fix her roof!


I have the best of both perspectives in my home.  We are always trying to protect ourselves in life...our spirits, that it.

But when we fail to do so ourselves, it is a neat thing to know how to fix the problem huh?

Thank you for the life lessons sweet boys!  You are the best!

By the way, the winds are brutal in NM tonight...we started the day with a clean landscaped back yard and are ending the day with mounds of tumble weeds.  Ugh!

Teeth, Falls, and Fevers

It's the end of the day...

That doesn't mean the day is over!!!

I find myself, as a mother of many young children, making every moment of my day BUSY!  Seems that to do all the maintaining, the occasional deep cleaning, and organizing that a big family requires, most every moment must be utilized.

So, tonight my options were:

1. put the kids to bed and fold the REST of the laundry (that I've been working all week on)

2. put the kids to bed and exercise (which i have been lacking with like crazy this week)

3. put the kids to bed and just sit here, risking an early bed time (which I need so very bad)

or

4. put the kids to bed and catch up on the blogging

Option 4, obviously...and Lydia joined me on the couch just moments after I sat down.

Aiden lost his second front tooth on Monday...the first was lost on Thanksgiving!  He looks and sound just adorable!  He also flew out of a moving car this evening!  Yep, that would be A.I.D.E.N.  I screamed in horror as his body tumbled out of the car as I was pulling into the driveway. He was being a boy...the crazy one he can sometimes be...already unbuckled, already opening the door.  He pretty much flew out--it was a sad site.

Maya is growing up so fast.  Her hair is getting longer, and her features are getting more beautiful daily!  I love this little gal! 

Lydia has been sick as ever.  She started running fevers a good 48 hours ago...right as I got off of my Thanksgiving and weekend full of night shifts.  We were up ALL night long last night...finally dozing off at 5am...to wake at 7am for school routines.  We missed the bus, came home from our drive to the school, cleaned up and took a nap....all of us.  Upon waking we went straight the the Peds urgent care where she was diagnosed with croup and a possible bacterial infection (signaled by the high fevers).  She sounds like a seal, barking the day and night away.   

She is eating plenty of ice cream and popsicles.  She can hardly keep her eyes open in the day, and when the night hits...she can't stop coughing, and therefore, cannot sleep! 

Here's to a fast recovery little Miss Lydia! 

Connor is keeping his distance...his desire to stay healthy keeps him away from others, washing his hands and sitting on the floors...away from the bugs spread on the couches from sick bodies laying around all day long. He almost inevitably gets sick each and every time....

The pic above was on Thanksgiving, right before I headed into work for the night...that post is to come!

A Little Bit of This!

Miss Lydia:

She's the bravest little gal I have yet to meet.  She even picked up this "bug" one morning before anyone but she and I were awake, starting the laundry, packinglunches, and planning out our crazy day.  In her hands was the result of her "catch"; since I was too busy to catch it, I just listened from afar as she said, "Mommy, there's a bug.  That's okay, I will get it!"  I convinced her to save it for the boys to see...I think they would like to have this particular "bug"!

The neighbors caught up with us and sold us their tiny bike, outgrown, for a small price, and now my Lydia is riding a bike on her own!  She is catching on so well!  I was told that the streamers were taken off of the new bike and so graciously given to Lydia...she loves them!!!

And as always, she resembles me more and more every single day! 

Miss Maya:

This little princess is growing up so fast.  She walks around the house answering, "Ya!" to all the little questions thrown her way.

"Maya, do you want to eat?"...."Ya"

"Maya, do you want to go for a run?"..."Ya"

"Maya, do you want hot cocoa?"...."Ya"

Speaking of hot cocoa...her "H" sounds like she would be a good french woman as hacks out her words with a flemmy accent in the back of her throat. 

Beautiful Connor and his Daddy:

I am so proud of this little...big...guy!  He just earned his Bob Cat award in scouts this past week.  He pinned the token of his reward onto me, as I have won a prize too, and gladly accepted his patch that will be sewn to a uniform once that uniform is his!  He and his Daddy worked on the rocket derby together resulting in a pretty awesome creation!

I love scouts!  I find myself saying, "DO YOUR BEST!" to my boys constantly!

This is Connor and his scouts leader...Tammy!

Angel Aiden:

Now, you can see why and how he lives up to his sweet name!  Aiden made me a heart out of his pop tart the other day after school!

  

I LOVE THIS ANGEL!

As for me...I'm busy making motivational winter running pieces!  This has pulled me through some chilly mornings out here!  I can even throw it on and hide the bad bed hair!  Love it!

Today...and a few weeks back!

By far, one of my favorite moments of the day was:

Laying on the floor with my beautiful girls.

Well, I was laying here doing my exercise video, and with every transition they were up and down with me.

First, there was "JUMP!" out of sweet Maya's mouth...as she expected us to be jumping all over the house, like flying lunatics, mocking the flying lunatics on the TV!  This is pure, simple, and worth the effort entertainment for little ones!

Then, as we went to the floor for the ab routines, they layed beside me; Lydia's little body was smashed parallel to mine while Maya's tiny head crammed itself against mine...crown to crown.  Their heels faced the ceiling, as did mine, and my body was barely movable because of my two sweet girls who follow my every footstep and repeat my every word.

The power of a parent!

A few weeks back, we enjoyed a day at the aquarium!

The day measured up to great FUN...and so did WE! 

Looking good and strong Aiden! 

Such a typical girl Miss Lydia...trying to increase your height with those little tip toes! 

Connor, you're getting too tall for the stick! 

Mommy...just inches higher than Connor!  Oh dear! 

Add caption

Daddy, too tall and cool! 

Miss Maya, fighting the reality...yes dear, you are short! 

My hubby told me I looked like a little girl all day.  That couldn't be because of the back pack?  Or the leggings?  Or the hair?  HA!  I've learned that my nice leather purse was being ruined quickly so I now carry a tinker bell bag around everywhere! 

Daddy fulfilled his duties well...so long as Maya allowed him to. 

We found the queen ant! 

And Lydia taught the queen just what real queens do all day long!  Yes, we love to talk!

Halloween Success!

Halloween was a blast in our house!  Lydia wanted to be Tinker bell, but when she saw Maya was wearing Aiden's monkey costume from 5 years ago (sniff, sniff), she decided to wear Connor's lion costume from...5 years ago (sniff, sniff).  They couldn't be better matched personality wise.  I often hear Maya saying, "I wan A-en" and then Lydia follows with "I wan Connor" on a daily basis.

I wasn't allowed to get solo pictures of Maya... 

We were greeted with the sweet presence of Minnie Mouse in her pretty puffy lace! 

And Rapunzel took her thrown with her long luscious locks! 

 Vampire #1 scared us silly!

And Vampire #2 gave us a fright!  (Their pics got twisted and turned around...oops!) 

 The fairy with lost wings, couldn't  fly high enough for her her screaming monkey!

But he calmed in time! 

We played games--toss the scarecrow, in which the person with  the scarecrow in the end was the ultimate LOSER!  But don't mind our TRICK, the LOSER got a TREAT!  The babes bounced their bodies to Taylor Swift's "You belong with me!" as the scarecrow flew, flopped, and then fell stagnant in Maya's and Hallie's hands!

We searched for "CLUE'S" which led to a hidden treat!  CLUES: stripes, flowers, pretty, homemade, has hand-L's, screams "hold me", and contains your treat.  I guess I thought the kids could think a little more abstract at this age, but they couldn't....yet, Connor still found the treat in a homemade hand bag.  He thought it was awesome that I made 7 clues, and we have 7 people in our family!  WOW...he can find symbolism where it was never meant to be!

Talk about last minute Halloween success!  The kids closed the afternoon with Halloween cartoons, a cupcake, and then off to a night of more Halloween fun! I took the boys and Lydia out for an hour and a half of trick or treating and was pleased when a teenage boy stoped to help Aiden pick up all of his dropped candy!  What a pleasant Halloween we enjoyed!  I received dozens of Thanks You's from my sweet boys all night long!