Stylin'

The boys went a basketball game so it was just us girls at home tonight. We had us some girl time! We painted our toenails and brushed each other's hair! Doesn't get much girlier than that! Here are a couple of pics of our girl time. (We also did a Dora puzzle, played with the baby doll and read some books.) Here are our pretty, but cold toes!

Becca seemed to struggle with the idea of mommy taking the picture and being in it at the same time. I couldn't get her to look at the camera! She was probably trying to figure out what to do with my hair!

Have no fear Micah got in out the stylin' bit yesterday last night when the kids had fun with their first temporary tatoos. We had been to the Pizza Ranch a few weeks ago and the manager gave the kids these tatoos. They are pretty interested in how long they will last! (Micah was quite proud of his funny face in this pic.)

25 Things

If you are a facebooker then you will know what I am talking about. If not let me explain. Right now there is a "note" being passed around on facebook asking you to write 25 things about yourself and then "send" it to some of your facebook friends.

I just finished my 25 things. (If you want to read them check out my facebook page or let me know.) When I started I was having difficulty coming up with things to write that were not obvious to everyone, but as I went along the ideas started coming and I could have written more than 25.

It really got me to thinking though. How well do we really know each other? There are things on my list that a lot of people probably know, but there are a lot of things that they probably don't have any idea about. It is amazing to me how we can work, be friends with and sometimes even live with people who don't know some very important parts of our lives.

What to do about it? I don't know. I for one wish I could be more vunerable with those around me and not worry so much as to what they might think of me. I also wish that those around me would really let me see what their lives are like or what has brought them to this part of the life. I wish that we could really know each other and not see each other only through the masks that we wear or what we post on our 25 things list.

What do you want to know about me? Do I really know you?

On the Bike!

It was a gloriously warm day outside here yesterday. So warm in fact that I had to shed my coat when I was outside working on our driveway - I was sweating! It was so wonderful because I could take the kids outside and not really have to worry about them getting to cold. (Actually I did have to send Becca inside early because she took a "shower" under our leaky gutters and got all wet.)

The big news was that Micah finally got on and rode his new bike! At his birthday in August my parents got him a John Deere bike (my apologies to those who are not fans). Right after he got it he was on it a few times, but never really got the hang of it. Then he must have had a scary moment on the bike (we really don't know what happened), but then he became scared of riding or even sitting on his bike. Earlier this week we came home and Micah ran over to his bike to see if he was "ready for it" and apparently he determined he was! He rode round and round and round on our driveway and after I helped him down the hill he rode down the street to see grandma. He was so proud & so was I! Watch out world we are moving up! From tricycle to bicycle!

On a separate note Nick is still exhausted and now I am coming down with a cold. Hopefully the kids stay healthy.....

To Long

I am finally getting around to posting again. I can't believe that it has been a week since I last posted.

As in many other households life has been crazy and unusual. This week has found some of us running crazy, some sick, some wedding planning, some stuck at home, some working and some sleeping!

Let me explain. Like many other we have been stuck inside a lot due to the weather. Micah was supposed to have preschool 5 days last week and didn't go any of them because of the weather and the school bus's inability to get down gravel roads. Then it turned so cold that we barely wanted to even think about leaving the house let alone let the kids outside to play. Hence the running crazy (the kids are bouncing off the walls and eachother) and the stuck at home bit.

Nick has taken sick once again with what we think is CMV. CMV is a mono-like virus and the only cure - sleep. Difficult for all. Nick is trying to work a fairly normal schedule, but is going to bed way before I am ready to go at night. Last time he had CMV it took him about two months to get over it. We are desperately hoping that is not the case this time. Please pray that he will return to full health soon. Hence the some sick, some sleeping and some working.

I was able to spend quite a bit of time with my sister this past weekend helping her with some pre-wedding things. (Thanks to my in-laws who helped watch the kids and let Nick get some rest.) Her fiance has been in Kansas City doing some training for their time that will be spent doing missions work. So in other words she was lonely and needed someone to take her mind off the fact that he was gone! We spent some time in Des Moines and some time at a Bridal Fair. It was a great time of talking and bonding! Hence the some wedding planning.

I am hoping that the weather turns nice and that health returns to all normal soon. Can anyone tell me if normal exists any more?

Unofficial Motherhood Entrance Exam

Shortly after I had Micah one of my friend sent me this article. I have kept it for the last 4 years and stumbled acrossed it as I was sorting through files. I thought that it might bring a smile to "moms" out there so I decided to post it (thanks for the tip Alice!) Hope you enjoy!

Double click the image to enlarge it.

A week in pictures

Our resident super star!

Potty Training 101 (see the full sticker chart on the wall?)

Silly faces.

Silly faces.

Practicing being nice to each other. They have to look like the love each other at Auntie Melinda's wedding!

Special Moments

Thursday nights usually find my tucking the kids in bed early so that I can watch Grey's Anatomy & ER. Tonight about 2/3 of the way through Grey's Anatomy Becca started fussing. I really don't like to have the kids with me when I am watching these shows because they really are not kid friendly - at all.

So I go to check Becca and she is sitting in the middle of her bed, clinging to her blanket and puppy, crying. So I have to pick her up. I decide that the best option is for us to lay on the couch, her facing me away from the TV.

Then.... she snuggled with me. Not a huge deal, but for our Becca it is a huge deal - she doesn't peacefully snuggle very often. She lay by me completely relaxed, I ran my fingers through her hair and she just snuggled.

I finally looked her and said "I love you." "Yeah" was the reply I received. I rubbed noses with her and got one of the cute, quiet little 'I love you' giggles.

We snuggled a little bit longer then I stood up and carried her back to bed. I told her to sleep tight and that I loved her. She looked back, smiled and said "okay."

When days seem long and depressing a good snuggle with your babies goes a long ways.

Forgiveness or Worship?

Micah prays at every meal. In fact he refuses to eat until we have prayed. Last night we were sitting in the living room with our Saturday night pizza, Nick prayed and then Micah said this prayer.

"Thank you God for our food. Worship our sins. Amen"

I could barely contain my giggles to help Becca with her prayer.

We then pointed out to Micah that it is "forgive" our sins, but that we understood because those are big words for 4-year-old.

You just never know what they are going to say.....

Papa's Shop

Nick took today off of work (YIPPEE!!!) and was at home with us today. In the afternoon he decided that he would take the vehicles over to my dad's shop (he is a tractor mechanic) to change the oil in them. Only very recently my children have discovered what a great place Papa's Shop can be.

Micah went with Nick first thing and later Becca and I brought over the other vehicle. Now I have never seen Micah at Papa's Shop while he is actually there because he usually goes over with either grandpa or grandma and they bring him back home when he has at least been "blown" off (the loose dust blown off of him with the air compressor hose). When I arrived at the shop there was one dirty, dirty, dirty little boy running around "helping" This is what I arrived to.....

I love the fact that he has such a great time at Papa's Shop. I can remember many Saturdays and Christmas vacations that were spent over there and now I know how dirty we were when we came home. Thanks Dad for creating more great memories for my son!

Here is also a photo of Micah and Becca in a tractor wheel.