S's Fourth Birthday Party

We celebrated S's fourth birthday last night, with a Mickey Mouse theme, just one special friend, and plenty of pizza and chocolate.

Since S did not have a party last year, he was allowed to invite friends over this year. He chose just one person, opting for familiarity over chaos (because, let's face it, that is what a party of preschoolers is). S wanted me to order pizza, so we started with pizza before the kids went off to play. Timo was traveling, but he came home in time for pie and presents. S does not like cake. He never has, and I have not baked him a cake since his first birthday, when I was clueless. Knowing this, I created for him a Kinder chocolate "cupcake" instead, and baked a chocolate silk pie for everyone else. This was purely selfish because I wanted chocolate pie instead of cake. Since my birthday boy was happy, I took liberty to indulge myself (although I didn't hear any complaining from the peanut gallery).

His party was very low-key, but S smiled his huge smile as I tucked him into bed that night. "Happy birthday, Sweetie," I said before giving him a hug and a kiss.

K's Eleventh Birthday

As I had told the older kids we would only be celebrating with family this year, K did not enjoy the shenanigans of a party like she did last year. This is not to say she did not enjoy her birthday. She had requested Tunnel of Fudge Cake for her cake, a choice based on the phenomenon of her remembering Timothy celebrating with that cake when she was a mere 2 1/2 years old. I was not sure if her expectations would be met as sometimes memories improve experiences above and beyond reality. However, as she took that first bite of cake, her face reflected her approval, and I sighed with relief.

The day went much like many others, with K allowed a lighter load at school but still attending a full afternoon of ballet. She finished late, but we waited for her and enjoyed her choice of ribs, creamy potatoes (and creamy sweet potatoes for Timothy), and vegetables for dinner, followed by cake and presents. It wasn't a birthday that was especially remarkable, but, at the end of the day, I believe I had a happy girl on my hands. Happy 11th, sweetheart!

From Little Girl to Little Lady

This month Kristen turned eleven. As the oldest child, she has always shown maturity in certain areas, and viewing her as a young lady was not a push for me. However, I realized when looking back over photos of the past years just how much she has grown, both in physical appearance and behavior. Not that merely reaching eleven has suddenly caused her to turn a corner in any respect, but the number helps cement what I have been witnessing for the past years. K is growing up. Her time at home is growing short, and my influence over her is waning. Oh, I know I have several more years, but I also know just how quickly those years will pass. By the time she is another eleven years older, she could be in love and thinking of marriage. I know I was at 22.

But why dwell on the future when one can enjoy the present? K is a typical eleven-year-old, with the struggles, attitudes, and dreams associated with many girls her age. She still enjoys her American Girl dolls, but she is also getting more interested in more grown-up activities. Skipping the toys this year, her "want" from us for her birthday was a hugglepod, a little reading nook that hangs from her ceiling. For Christmas, she wants a nail set from Jamberry.

We don't always get along as she searches to find her place in the family and in life as a young lady, but we do enjoy watching corny Christmas specials, baking together, and expressing our creativity through random items found at Hobby Lobby. Her room is a constant disaster, but she will help out with laundry, dishes, and little A without being asked. She will bring me my tea or coffee if it is ready when I am in the middle of something else. She enjoys shopping for others in Operation Christmas Child and the various other giving opportunities that arise during this time of year. She hangs at that half-way mark between childhood and adulthood in so many areas of life.

K dreams of dancing in a leading role in the Nutcracker one day. She is a dedicated dancer, spending hours each week developing her skill and technique. She is hoping to be en pointe by next summer, and she will be attending the Denver Guild for the first time this spring. I love watching her dance, and she frequently brings me to tears as I admire my daughter performing for others so beautifully (she usually performs at nursing homes and retirement centers).

I have a feeling that these next two years will bring major changes in our lives as she continues to grow into a little lady, and I feel privileged to be a part of it.

Miss A's Milestones

This week, A spoke her first sentence: "I want to sit in there." Her vocabulary has exploded since her last well-check, and I can't believe how much she has changed in three months. She is a full-fledged toddler now, and she exemplifies this in several aspects of life now. She can play by herself when so inclined, she will bring me books to read and has definite favorites (she never sat still for very long before), she has started to learn the timeline the kids have been working on in school (and even knows some of the motions), she sometimes prefers to play with the big kids to spending time with Mommy, and the list goes on.

Miss A is such a little cutie, and I find myself repeatedly telling her that I am so happy she came to be in our family. She adds so much to a family that was (and still is) dominated by boys. She loves trains and cars and balls, but she also loves her baby dolls. She loves to be tickled, and she is starting to develop a sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoy hearing her laugh at one thing or another.

As I am writing this, A is reminding me that she loves turning on the vacuum, choosing a new cup every time she gets thirsty (the old one simply will NOT do), and helping change out laundry and unload the dishwasher. She also loves having K paint her nails. She prefers sparkles, and tries to explore K's nail polish supply as frequently as possible. Having her nails painted every day would not be a problem for her if we would only cooperate.

I am loving having another girl, and watching Miss A reach new milestones reminds me of how different boys and girls are. I can't wait to see what else the future holds.

AJ's Ninth Birthday

AJ turned nine this week. All week long, he eyed his growing stash of presents and begged to open just one early. We finally agreed to allow him to open one present on his birthday eve, but this was due to the fact that his little brother had already spoiled the surprised and told him what it was. 

For his birthday dinner, AJ chose to visit a hibachi restaurant over the weekend. It was fun to see S laughing and reacting to the experience of fire and culinary acrobatics, and AJ seemed content as well.

His actual birthday was filled with school, a trip to a trampoline park, and an evening celebration.

On his birthday evening, we ate dinner, devoured cake (he chose Boston cream pie this year), opened presents, and the kids watched Lady and the Tramp. It was much more relaxing than hosting a party of his friends and ensuring everyone was entertained and happy. 

AJ read The Lord of the Rings books this past year, and he was thrilled to receive a Frodo costume, complete with Sting, for his birthday. His other presents included a fluorescent yellow shirt and sweatshirt (which he loves), footed pajamas, an electric toothbrush, a green light-saber, and the fourth book in a series he is reading.  

At the end of the day, I had one happy boy. Success.

On AJ Growing Up

This week, we enjoyed the privilege of celebrating AJ's ninth birthday. Every year I experience the same sentiments on each of my children's birthdays -- disbelief and denial. As I look back over the years, my heart fills with a bittersweet happiness as I remember the joys we have experienced and the hardships we have overcome.

AJ has grown so much this year, not only in body, but also in internal strength and maturity. He really is not my little boy anymore. He still struggles with wanting to complete his schoolwork, but he has shown the ability to focus and complete his assignments when it is necessary to really buckle down (and when properly motivated). He has also demonstrated great spiritual growth and understanding in our discussions at home. He really has a heart for others, and he prays every night that the people in Iraq would stop getting killed. He really floored me when he also prayed that those who are doing the killing would come to know Jesus. He recognized that as a need for everyone involved with no prompting from me.

This year, AJ has also had the privilege to start to go hunting with Daddy. He went on his first pheasant hunt (which is no small feat considering his fear of dogs), and he is spending his birthday weekend elk hunting in the mountains.

My little boy is gone.

Nine years. That is half of eighteen. My years with him at home are half-way over. I know my job is to work myself out of a job. If my kids are living at home in their twenties, I failed in some capacity. But those first nine years passed so quickly.

I love this kid dearly, and I can't wait to see what the next nine years hold. I hope that I will be able to release him when the time comes. But I know I am a sap, and I will only be able to hold that excited smile long enough for him to turn away and walk into adulthood.

Pumpkin Patch

Pretty Pumkins

Today, we visited one of the many local pumpkin patches. This was my first time at this particular place, and I was pleasantly surprised. It boasted a huge hay stack, complete with four separate slides, climbing wall, and a corn pit (full of dried corn kernels) for the kids to jump into. More hay bales surrounded a long zip line for the older kids and a shorter one for the younger group. A small hay bale maze sat next to another corn pit with a small climbing toy for toddlers. Behind the shorter zip line lay a corn maze for those brave enough to enter. The facilities also included a set of old fashioned pumps set up in front of half-pipes, down which plastic ducks would race with the water. Behind those pumps sat an area for a variety of farm animals, including turkeys, goats, sheep, ponies, ducks, chickens, pheasants, pigs, and more.

All of my children enjoyed the various activities, and I had to gather them together like a mother bird gathers her brood when it was time to pick out our pumpkins and head home. Perhaps we will be able to go again sometime this fall before the weather turns cold.

AJ taking the leap

K jumping with style

A black pheasant

Someone was done sitting on K's lap

A proudly showing me her pumpkin

Air Show 2015

We visited our local air show this weekend. The weather promised sunshine and warmth, so we set out Saturday morning, armed with water backpacks, sunscreen, folding chairs, and the camera bag.

The "Japanese" planes flying in for Tora, Tora, Tora

We hit traffic before we left the highway, and I was worried that I would miss one of my favorite performances -- Tora, Tora, Tora. A recreation of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is full of explosives and beautifully timed flying patterns which mimic a ballet in the sky.

The older kids and I finally got out of the car and started walking toward the airport. We reached it before Timo arrived with the car, and we took that time to walk through the B-17 that was on display there. It was a beautiful piece of machinery, and walking through it was like walking into the past. The men who served in those bombing missions had very little room to move around, and my respect for them multiplied.

Once we met up with Timo, we applied sunscreen and set up "camp" by some friends we know from our homeschool group. I was pleased to see that we had not missed the best performers, and the "Tora, Tora, Tora" show had been rescheduled to a later time to accommodate late-comers.

The Stearman

Some of my other favorites included the Stearman, the Yellow Pit Special (I have a thing for bi-planes, can you tell?), the Renegades, and the sky divers who used smoke trails. The stars of the show were, of course, the Thunderbirds. After they were done, most people left. We opted to stay a while to avoid the crowds, and my three oldest secured autographs of all of the officers involved in the Thunderbirds. It was well worth the extra time spent on the airshow grounds, especially since we encountered no traffic on our way out.

The Rocky Mountain Renegades

The Beech 18

The Yellow Pit Special and Stearman

These guys need no introduction

H securing an autograph from Number 6.
He went up to them and told them exactly where they needed to sign. 

I love air shows. The beauty of the machines combined with the talent of the pilots just gets me every time. I can't wait until the next one.

Mountains in Autumn

Sunrise

This weekend, we drove into the mountains to see if we could capture some of the fall colors in some photographs with the kids. Fall is my favorite time of year, and I wanted to snap some pictures of the beauty of creation as well as my sweet children. After deciding the local foliage was past its prime, we headed out on a spontaneous trip into the mountains. The morning after we arrived, I was blown away by the breathtaking beauty that surrounded us. The sun rising over the mountaintops cast an orange hue on the already-gorgeous fall colors.

The kids just wanted to get outside and play, but they grudgingly cooperated with their camera-obsessed mother and posed for a few shots. I was not happy with my results, but I realize that I need to learn more and practice with my camera. Perhaps I can salvage some of the better ones with editing.

All set to go

After our photo session, we hopped on ATV's and rode around the paths and trails. Then the kids wanted to fish. They successfully hooked a few trout, which always results in excited smiles. Then it was time to head home. We packed up and rolled out of there in time to attend their Sunday evening activities.

It was so nice to get away. Spending an evening away from laundry and the constant beckoning of housework provided a much-needed break for this weary mom. Put that evening in the mountains in autumn, and you get one happy girl.

  

Handsome AJ

K and H

Miss A was not happy, but she tried

Timo and H with his fish. He didn't want to touch it.

Proud of her catch

Little S

Now We are Six

This past year has been one of incredible growth for H. He learned to read, finished his first year of "real" school, started taking real responsibility around the house (with plenty of encouragement), built his first full Lego set alone, learned to ride a bike without training wheels, and has grown in so many ways.




H is my most generous kid, my child most likely not only to share, but to give of his resources. This became evident one day when he said he wanted to order pizza for dinner instead of having leftovers, as I had planned. I responded with my usual, "Are you paying?" This always gets the other kids. H, however, decided that it was, indeed, worth his money to order pizza. What blew me away was that he ordered enough for everyone, not only himself. He bought dinner for the whole family.

This year, I have also realized how much H is like me. When the kids attended VBS this summer, the leaders handed out a CD with the music they were using in the program. H and I ranked our top three exactly the same.

H looks a lot like I did at his age. 

H also loves beauty in all forms. We recently finished reading The Trumpet of the Swan, and now his goal is to play "Beautiful Dreamer" on the trumpet some day. He wanted me to find a trumpet version to download on my phone so he could listen to it whenever he wanted to. The only version I could find plays it as a waltz, and he loves listening to that.

All this took me by surprise since he also loves robots, Minecraft and Star Wars. In fact, one of his favorite outside games to play is "Minecraft Earth," in which he pretends to gather materials and build in real life, as opposed to on a tablet.

I am so happy to have H in our family. He really adds a unique dynamic to our household, and when he is sick, I miss that. I can't wait to see what the next year brings. I know that he has already started moving away from the little boy phase, and, while I will miss that part of his life, I am excited to see what God has in store for him as he grows.

Learning New Things

This post is really for me, so I will remember these things. Otherwise, I know the memories will fade as my children grow.

H
This week, H learned to ride his bike without training wheels. I knew he was capable if he just had someone working with him. I just had not taken the time to help him. K was attending a ballet intensive, so our school days were very basic. This left a lot more time for learning in other areas.

K had taken one of H's training wheels off, but I could see that all that was doing was training him to lean to one side, so I removed the other training wheel and practiced with him. The first day, he didn't get it. Old habits die hard, and I could feel him leaning mostly to one side as I held his seat to balance him. On the second day, I decided to use a different approach, I leaned over and put my hands over his, holding onto the handle bars with him. This worked much better, and before long, he was able to ride short distances on his own. After building some confidence, he was riding all over the driveway on his own. The only difficulty he had now was starting, but once I showed him the trick to that, he was able to slowly master it and be on his way.

H still needs some practice before we go on long bike rides, but I am so pleased with him and the effort he put into learning this.

Little A

A recently figured out how to nod her head. This was a fun accomplishment, but it meant saying goodbye to her old way, which was just too cute.
When she figured out how to shake her head to say no, she soon learned that she needed to start doing something to say yes. Her solution was to do kind of a whole body up and down movement. It is difficult to describe, but we all enjoyed watching her communicate in her own way.
She also has started to use her signs a lot more frequently. I love when she signs "please" because she says the "s" sound with it. Actually, it is probably more like "pssss".  I am really enjoying this phase of her life with all the cuteness.

Little A Turns One

 I honestly don't know how this happened. Somehow my baby girl is already a year old. You would think that I would be able to see this coming. After all, I had a whole year to prepare for it. It seems like yesterday that I was lamenting over being overdue and uncomfortable. Alas, I was blindsided once more.

In my defense, I think it happens faster the more kids you have. With just one child, the days were not so busy and full of, well, life.

So here we are, celebrating my special little girl and the joy she brings to our lives.

Little A has always been a mover and shaker. She was very active in the womb, and she continued that activity after birth. She rolled over when just two days old (although that was probably a fluke), and regularly rolled over when she was 2 1/2 months. She could reach anything in a room when she was four months, crawled a real crawl just after turning 5 months, and took her first several steps in a row when she was 8.5 months. I know that some kids reach these milestones earlier, but she impressed me with her activity.

Miss A also loves to be outside. She stands by the door, longingly gazing outside until someone lets her out (and goes out with her). Sometimes, she finishes her dinner and immediately walks to the door to be let outside. Then, she cries when it is not possible to grant her request.

Little A is also very social. Her first real word was "hi." She said this around four months, but she didn't say Mama until she was 11 months. I guess she didn't think she needed to since I was always there. In fact, the first time she said the "ma" sound, it went something like "Ma ma ma ma babababa."

A is such a joy to have in our family. I have thoroughly enjoyed this past year. Having an infant is intense, but it is so worth it. I look forward to what her second year will bring.

Spring Break 2015

A beautiful heliconia

This year we actually took a Spring Break from school. It ended up being closer to two weeks than one, but we did do some school on several days, so I guess it all evens out.

We decided to visit my parents in Costa Rica since my mom called and invited us down. Our co-op took a Spring Break, so we left the day after co-op, took the following week off, and returned home the day before the next co-op classes. We were determined to make the most of our time off.

I flew down by myself with the kiddos, a fact which was not ideal, but I was given a great measure of grace. The United Club had a family room, which we shared with another little boy. The kids played happily together, unaware that our second flight had been delayed. They ate snacks, finished puzzles, played with Legos, and used the cleaner facilities when necessary. This was such a blessing and well worth the cost. Thankfully, the extra time out of the plane made the longer flight more bearable. I broke down and payed for the older three to watch a movie while A slept and S played on the iPad and slept, too.

Reading with Grandma on our first day there

We arrived a bit weary, but in overall good spirits, to meet my mom and sister at the airport. Going through immigration, the man called me "muy valiente," and a lady in the bathroom said I deserved a medal. I don't know about that, but seeing my family's beautiful faces after our long journey was reward enough for me.

For the most part, our days were pretty laid back. We did visit the jungle with my sister and her family, a trip which thrilled me as I was able to experience areas of the country which are part of my sister's everyday life. The first day, we drove out to see their property and to picnic by the river. Then we visited my dad's farm, where they are building a restaurant to employ some of the ladies of the community. After that, we got to see their cabin, which has the most amazing view. Our final stop before stopping was to a friend's house, where we enjoyed coffee, food, and fellowship. It reminded me of Swedish fika. The kids found toys and balls and played with the boy who lived there as well as a neighbor girl. It was fun to see them interacting with kids from another culture, and it made me realize what a bubble my kids live in.

Down by the river

One of the many beautiful views

One of my dad's pineapple plants

My kids loved seeing how bananas grow

Picking coffee at Grandpa's farm

The photos really don't do it justice

Pink bananas

A playing at my sister's friend's house

Playing with the neighborhood kids

Two beautiful ladies -- inside and out

Down by the Pacuare River

We also had the opportunity to visit with some old friends, a pleasant surprise as I had not planned on seeing anyone other than my family. My sister hosted a dinner one night, and another friend took the time to come out to my parents' place to visit for an afternoon.

Playing Quirkle with Grandma

Most days we just completed a little school work, walked through the breathtaking gardens, played with Legos or played games with Grandma, and went swimming in the afternoon. The kids also played with their cousin and watched movies at Grandma and Grandpa's in the evenings.

Kicking the soccer ball around Grandpa

My crew in a gazebo out in the gardens

I did take K and A to the open market on our last day there. I wanted K to witness the stalls and possibly taste some new food. If we had been their longer, I would have purchased more at the market for the kids to taste, but we didn't have a lot of time to eat what we bought. I did buy an "agua de pipa," which failed to impress K but refreshed me.

They were already starting to take down the stalls when we arrived.

K with the Agua de Pipa

On the trip back, I was to take two days traveling home. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I figured I had to do what I had to do. When we finally cleared customs in Houston, I saw a strangely familiar figure. Timo had surprised me by flying to Houston just to help me on the final leg of the journey. I was so overwhelmed with joy that I had tears in my eyes. It was such a romantic thing for him to do for me. As it turned out, the final flight was the most difficult of all of them. I was so thankful for his help.

Overall, this trip was outstanding. I would have liked to experience it with Timo, but that simply was not possible with his work schedule. I realized that I can travel with five kids by myself (even if it is not ideal), and that is a rather liberating and empowering feeling. I look forward to our next trip, but I hope that we can travel as an entire family instead of a fragmented one.