peek a boo

Cooper was playing this with Barrett even before Barrett even knew what was going on.

mini recorder

A conversation between my kids... Kya: Ethan, Stop It! Ethan continues to do what she doesn't want him to do. Kya: Ethan STOP IT! Ethan still continues to bug her. Kya: ETHAN STOP IT! Do you think I like yelling at you? Ethan: Yeah. Kya: Well, you're right.

Step ladder please.

I have to apologize for my comment on democrats not being Christians... they're very well intentioned Christians... I guess I was thinking of Barack.. he just seems all over the map as far as beliefs. I understand he has many well intentioned ideas of how to bring America back around and I hope God blesses those ideas. I'm horrible with politics but I do know what works for me. I don't want to sound judgemental. That's what makes America great.. all these people working, living, and loving all in the same country.

poverty check, please!

eternal utopia.... no, it's not going to be in the next 4 years with our new president. Actually, I am very interested in knowing what in Obama's name he's going to do. What do I expect from a president who's name is Barak Hussain Obama? Yikes. I'm still cringing. Seriously, those of you who are reading this and have supported Obama, who are happy he's our first black president and that's the only reason why...O.K. That's all I'm going to say because he is now our president and I can't do anything about it. I'm praying he will do what our country needs. That's all I expect from a president. I'm not very happy with some of the things I've heard about him... Actions speak louder than words for me and he hasn't done much. I am a republican. I grew up on a 40-head dairy farm, enough to give us clothes and food. We never expected a hand out and never wondered why we didn't have more. As I'm sitting in my small town urban house, I LONG for a farm, animals and an acre garden of my own. I feel sorry for others who don't know this life. It was all about action. If you didn't get something, it was your fault or God was letting you know who is really in charge. I have a hard time believing Democrats are Christians. The bottom line is helping others and sharing the wealth. (If I'm wrong, PLEASE correct me.. But PLEASE keep it to two sentenses) It sounds absolutely wonderful at first breath. However, if you look at it down the road, people start to depend on hand outs. Look at the animal kingdom. What is the cardinal rule at zoos and wildlife preserves? DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS Why? Bears mauling people and their backpacks. Elk stampedes. The animals become used to being fed and forget to find their own food. Or get sick from preservatives in human food. Humans are a little more intelligent than animals, but they are just as lazy. To put my belief in simple terms... to become strong, a body needs to exercise. To build muscle and bone, the muscle needs to pull at the bone and tear a little to build the muscle and strengthen the bone. I will gladly go through many pulls and tears to become the best I can be. I have said generosity is wonderful. We have been given so much. We have also given much which is paying it forward. It is given to people and has been given to us without knowledge. Therein lies the difference. I will gladly take a mediocre salary to the lottery as it will always keep my priorities in check.

Coolest house in the neighborhood

Check this out... new and improved from last year... a sledding ramp from our deck. We were told we have envious neighbors...cars have stopped to check it out. However, we need to be careful not to push the kids too hard at the top otherwise they'll speed down the ramp and jump the 1foot snow shoveled barrier to run into or go underneath the neighbor's car... like what Ethan did today... where is the video camera when you need it.

Live on, 2009!!!

Happy New Year!!! We've got new fitness equipment (found the floor useful for sit-ups, my husband made push up bars out of pipe conduit and black velco, the fuzzy side; and my 8 month old son who looks like a 19month old is a great added weight for doing squats... feel the burn.) And since my husband works for a fitness company, he won a great elliptical!! In 5 days, I've used it 2 times... that's actually great!! I have found I can almost do an 8 minute mile (we'll see what it's like in real pavement time) My cousin has reminded me of Buffalo, MN soft triathalon in June... I think I'll have to make up my mind by April. On the other side of fitness, my kids and I have started a new New Year's Day tradition... making ravioli! It was so much fun. We started at 10am and the kitchen was finally cleaned by 4pm. Boy, was it good... I made the traditional spaghetti sauce for the kids and mine was butternut squash with sage... It was supposed to have browned sage butter drizzled over it... It really didn't need it. I used the rest of the butternut squash filling as a soup... just as good and healthier. I wish I had pictures of the ravioli and the process of eating it... my 8 month old included. He was head to navel red with chunks. I made the dough in my bread maker. I hate kneading dough and it came out perfect... very stretchy... my 6 year old filled as my 3 year old rolled out the dough and made circles. My kids actually stayed through until it was time to boil them. I froze the other half of the dough and used it a few days later in chicken soup... can't get anymore rustic than that. I was proud to give it to a new mom... welcome to the world, Caleb Dallas born New Year's Eve at 10:38pm. Now that I think of it... I've come a long way... I never would have dreamed about making ravioli with my kids. It wasn't even a second thought. Is this how my year is going to be? It'd be great. Suprising myself with what I can accomplish without analyzing things before I do it...more of trusting my instincts because I'm better than what I think. Hmmm. I'll leave it at that... It'll take the suprise out of everything. Anyways, I'm not alone in this. I'm only who I am because God made me this way. Live on.

potato beer soup

I just made this today and it came out ok... Makes 4 cup servings 1 sweet onion 3 stalks of celery Saute this with 4 slices of cut up bacon. I use turkey bacon. Add: 1t garlic 1/2t allspice 1/2 t nutmeg 1t salt cracked pepper to taste 4 red potatoes cut in small cubes Saute this until it starts sticking to the sauce pan Pour in 3/4 of beer. (I used Stella Artois which was left over from my brother in law. Just like wine, if it tastes good straight, it'll taste good cooked. I don't drink beer, but I found myself sampling it as I cooked.) Add 1 c. chicken broth and bring to boil. Cover and let simmer for 20 mins. Mash potatoes until there are no more big chunks and enjoy with a good piece of country bread.

backwards glance?

I remember as one of my first blogs I had started a workout regimine and a year and a half later I had reached my goal of 131.. Yipee. However, the day I found out I had gone in for my initial checkup when I found out I was pregnant very unexpectedly. It was a day of conflicting feelings. I was very happy to find out another one was on the way even though the chance was .01...(beware of IUDs, ladies) I was also very disappointed, that all my hard work was for naught. But now as I think of it and as I hold my 6 month old who is 17lbs and 28 inches long, maybe all that hard work wasn't all that bad. I ate better than my other two and I was COMPLETELY exhausted the whole time. But he was stronger as soon as he came out. NOW.... I have to get into the groove again. Recently I climbed the stairs at the WI Concordia bluffs from Lake Michigan to the summit on a vacation and I was NOT pleased with myself. I gained 40lbs and I now only have to lose 25. Not only am I doing this for myself, I'm doing this for my kids.. I have heart disease on both sides of my family. I have to do this. I found weights are one thing... but cardio makes you feel invincible. We'll see... I'm pinning down my exercise physiologist husband to make me a chart again... Now to pin down a start date......(to be cont.)

humble living

it's awesome giving stuff away... but when it's turned on you.. why do I feel so.... humbled, shocked.. even embarrassed. On Thursday, we gave away a good queen mattress because it didn't work for us and also a gas fireplace from the 70s but it still worked well. Both recipients were glad for the items and we were glad to get them out of our hair. On Friday, our grocery budget didn't include a Spiderman costume for our 3 year old. He didn't agree with us. We then were given the costume buy the lady behind us and said, "Pay it forward." I was shocked. Then on Saturday, my sister-in-law gave us a Casio keyboard.... the BIG one. With the works. I'm still shaking my head at the gifts given to us. I'm not sure if it was a balance thing, because then where did my youngest son come from? We didn't expect him but he's for sure the greatest present of my life along with my other two, of course. I'm sure he's our lottery and we should spend our dollar a week on better things. Well, I know we're not in charge and that's a relief as I wouldn't trust anyone with that job.

growing up

Kya wanted to help me feed Cooper. I was amazed at how gentle and observant she was with him with what he needed. She is such a little lady.

Thumbprints and Impossibilities

I once had a question of my importance and position in the world and then I saw this.

Here's a cunundrum...

why is the Bible said to be made of stories and read when times are tight? Why do people read the Enquirer, People Magazine, or the newspaper possibly everyday and talk as if it's the truth? Consider the source and the audience of each and the reason why it is published.

gimme!!!!!

While my husband was working on our little bit of landscaping, he overheard 3 women walking past him, "I have 3 kids. I don't have a life." He was chuckling as he walked into the kitchen and told me what he heard. I had a good smile because as a mediocre comedian, she is right. Most women might believe that of themselves. I used to believe that. First we get periods. We didn't ask for that. Then as a result, we can get pregnant and we are expected by our partners to deter anything from happening. Then we get pregnant for 9, no almost 10 months. Again, we didn't ask for that responsibility. Then we are expected to feed and care for these things which along with the pregnancy have COMPLETELY altered our bodies into interesting forms only which certain artists think lovely. Also, didn't ask for it. Then the wrinkles in our forhead from forever frowning at whatever comes our way determined constantly by our children. No, that is not a life. Thank goodness that's not my life. Granted, I have complained many times about how I look, how I can't do most things by myself or how we don't have the finances to take trip. However, I have been given the gift of periods for the possiblities for children. I have had 3 pregnancies that have completely altered MY IDEA of a perfect body. I have been given the miracle that is called breastfeeding. I have also been given the little "lessons in life and a mirror into my soul" called my children. No. I did not ask for all this....this is not my life. I've been handed a life much better than I would have ever planned for myself. God has a way of teaching us the dynamics of life...would you rather choose a toy to play with, or be given a toy you have to buy, put together to play with it...and then find out as your putting it together, the endless possibilities of fun?

childhood smiles

We have a sidewalk that slopes down toward the river and my kids love running down it because you can run faster. With butterfly wings or a jet pack, you can FLY!! Imagine what it feels like on roller blades or a bike!

We went to one of the many St. Croix beaches, this one being just a couple miles south of us. The beach was unusually large and sandy for a west side beach. Cooper found the water to be a little cold at first but dug his little toes in the sand for a good feel

Change of Life

OK.... so I haven't written because I now have chaos in my house. No. Not really. People who have 2.5 kids or less just think that. I'll let them think that. Then next time they see me looking all Mrs. Beaver and stuff and my kids are saying "thank you" and "please pass the broccoli and peas" and "my, doesn't your house look like my mom's", they'll think I'm mom of the year.

Yep that's me. I'm not going to lie. I have had my times of being indisposed while my 2 month old has just started crying after I sternly told him to wait to be fed. While my 3 year old SON is dumping everything out of the toy drawers because he can't find his Buzzlight year costume or one of his many cars. AND while my daughter is asking me to take her to the beach because we NEVER EVER take her there and she has NEVER BEEN TO THE BEACH, EVER and SHE'LL JUST DIE OF HEAT IF I DON'T TAKE HER TO THE BEACH THAT SHE'S NEVER BEEN TO (just 2 days ago) That, I have found to be an exercise of will, strength, deep breathing and a countdown to my first alchoholic drink.

My life is ever changing and I love it.

sp(k)anning the globe

My best friend from grade school visted me. She and her husband are missionaries in Khazhakstan. I rarely get to see them... maybe once a year to see them for a couple of hours. The last time I was able to spend that much time with her was the night before and day of her wedding 10 years ago. The time spent with her this time plus 4 kids and 2 husbands was like we had just seen each other last week. She had made a comment just in passing, but it was just how we connect due to the miles between us. "It's nice to see where someone lives, because it gives me an idea of how they live, you know a picture in my head of when I talk to them. I can picture them in their surroundings." I told her I thought of that too but didn't really comprehend the depth of the statement. So, after she left, I started thinking again of all the talks and memories we passed back and forth and started really missing her. What comforted me was the pictures she showed of her city and her day to day going ons. That way, not only did I have the talks to remember but a little tidbit of being there with her after leaving my house. She is the only one that is that far away, but it really doesn't matter the miles between, I feel that way about my other best friends. Because of children, I'm not able to pick up and go see them for a weekend when I want so the only way is either email or phone. Where that is enough for a while, seeing a face is much better.

wonders

For the untrained eye... most mothers have moons orbiting around them. No, not because about those extra pounds from maternity. They are a world of their own. They have an atmosphere/aura. Their personal space... if approached too quickly there will be a chance of burning up upon entry. Their moons/children who would fly off into outer space and crash if their world wasn't there. Their outer crust which is penatrable and ever changing. Their core, liquid rock. Surging molten lava, ever moving, and the key to the existance of their world.

Blah, blah... what???

have we gotten to be such a self - satisfiying society and "I'll get my own" society that we don't need another person's simple.. "have a nice day" sign off? What happened to "how are you doing?" and actually stopping to listen to the answer. Am I that uncool to think someone actually cares that I actually DO want them to have a good day? So.. it won't matter after I'm done talking to say "I hope your day stinks like a soiled diaper left in a garbage bag in the hot sun" Have a great day.

Grandma Nelda

We celebrated my grandmother's 96th birthday among other celebrations.. all in which included her. In the last 15 years, she has... - completed her GED - lived alone and in that has been able to be herself and loved herself - translated, written and published 2 books - started her own publishing company - is a great grandmother to 18 great grandchildren - remembered all their names and their birthdays - caretaker to her own home and vast flower and vegetable garden Now, the queen has traveled north to be among most of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and is lovingly being waited on hand and foot...finally.

chicken prosciutto

Another accident in the food area... We eat lots of chicken and turkey in our house... cheap and high in protien... and I am constantly running out of ideas of how to cook it... I mean... I'm digging deep into the recesses of my memory of how I have ever eaten chicken. I have to say I'm particularly impressed with myself on this dish... 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 pieces of prosciutto 1/4 c. of white cooking wine 1/2 c. of apple cider wrap the chicken with the prosciutto and place in a baking dish pour the wine and cider over the chicken and put into a 350 degrees oven for about 30 minutes or internal temperature reads 180 degrees. Take chicken out and place on a plate and pour the juices into a small saucepan. Add more cider and wine and reduce to a thin syrup. Pour over the chicken and serve. This dinner would be great with a Black Pearl white zin. and oven baked reds.