The Gr8 Eliason 8

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

2012-01-19T07:31:00.007-06:00

I often get requests for my bread recipe. I was just getting ready to share it again and realized that I make it differently than the recipe I have written down. (I honestly have not looked at the recipe for years and just walk in the kitchen and make bread when we need it.)

Ingredients:
6 Cups Hot Water(from tap)
2/3 C Oil (I use Canola)
2/3 C Honey
6 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tbsp Yeast
6 Cups White Flour
1 Tbsp Salt

I combine 6 Cups hot water, the oil, honey, and whole wheat flour. Then I add the yeast and combine thoroughly. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes(it should bubble) to make sure the yeast is happy. I then add the salt and the white flour. Here is where you may want to add more flour if the dough looks like it needs it. Don't be afraid of a wet dough though. I combine mine in a mixer, but if you are doing it by hand you will have to knead the dough and then let it sit for half an hour. I 'knead' mine in my mixer and let it sit for 15 minutes, 'knead' it again and let it sit for another 15 minutes. If I let it sit the whole 30 minutes in my mixer it rises so much it can be a mess.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface, knead into a ball and divide into 6 loaves. Knead each loaf 40 times or so and place each ball in bread pans sprayed with Pam. Let rise 30 minutes covered with a clean dish towel, or saran wrap. I like to use a dish towel, it doesn't stick to the sides of the pans and hold the down down from rising. Also a little more eco friendly. I like to make sure the 'dome' of the bread has risen just above the sides of the pan before I bake them so if it hasn't risen that much let it rise another 10 minutes or so. Usually 30 minutes is plenty of time. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 27 minutes, the tops of the loaves should be a lovely golden color. Pull out of oven and gently turn loaves out onto cooling racks. Slice and enjoy!

Some dos and don'ts: Don't add the salt too early, it inhibits the yeast from growing. Bread is very forgiving, so don't be afraid of substitutions. You can replace the honey with brown sugar, or even white, but I would use brown. You can add a couple of eggs (at the time you add the salt) to up the protein. I have even used butter flavor Crisco for my oil. With any of these substitutions the bread has turned out great.

German Pancake Tacos

2012-01-17T17:17:00.002-06:00

I know, I know....the name doesn't sound like it makes sense. But, after I made this for dinner tonight, it was such a hit that I am writing it in my blog so I can remember it! Our friend, Tamera Hope, turned us onto German Pancakes a couple years ago. Our whole family loves them and there is an easy excellent recipe here. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/german-pancake/detail.aspx

For the 'tacos' we sprayed a 13x9 inch glass pan with pam and poured 2 tbs melted butter right in the middle of the pan. If you don't spray with pam first the pan is a major pain to clean! But it is super easy to clean up if you spray the pan before you put in the butter! I know from experience!

With our handy hand held mixer we whipped together 1 cup each of milk and flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 6 eggs. We poured the mixture in the prepared pan and baked it at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

I pulled it out of the oven and cut it into 8 pieces. Placed each piece on a bed of spring mix lettuce on each person's plate. Added some taco meat that was leftover from the night before. A small sliver of cheese, a spoon of salsa and of sour cream, and a bit of avocado for each plate. If I would have thought about it I could have added black beans, and we also like onion at our house. If I didn't have taco meat I might use a bit of canned chicken on each.

Anyway, that was it. My husband said he thinks he is asking for this for his birthday dinner.

Oh, and to be honest. I really didn't make the pancake part. Jen(9) prepared the pan and Morgan(11) made and cooked the pancakes. I just pulled out the pancake when it was done and assembled everyone's plate.

The taco meat I prepared for a party yesterday. I browned 5 pounds of ground beef. I drained off excess fat, added a few cups(maybe 3) cups water and about a cup or so of dehydrated refried beans. I could have used a can of refried beans instead, but I am always happy to use things from my food storage! I added taco seasoning to taste(sams club monster size container), and about a cup of red salsa. cooked it till the water was absorbed by the beans or cooked off. People at the party seemed to like the meat on their 'super nachos'. The added ingredients seemed to keep it from all 'gelling' together so we could scoop it out of the crock pot easily throughout the day.

Juvenile Delinquents

2011-06-29T08:23:00.009-05:00

We have been sleeping in tents in the yard for a week now. Putting up different tents to make sure they are in working order and ready for any of our camping excursions this summer. I don't have the heart to erect tents in beautiful weather, have my children(especially the younger ones) ask earnestly if we can 'camp out' and tell them no.I haven't been sleeping well in the tent. Whether it's the train, cars coming and going, neighbors out and talking late, or just my dog barking like Cujo, there have been many things interfering with my ability to sleep. (My dog has been put in the laundry room more than once this week at night because of her barking. I think she must be in some different protective mode because we are outside or something....Silly dog!)
So the night before last I was up from midnight to about 7 after having been abruptly awakened by my dog's aggressive barking at some real or imagined threat. Was pretty tired all day yesterday and got to sleep about midnight last night-after securing the dog in the laundry room first.
I'm going to preface this next bit by saying that, Some might call me a control freak but I make it a habit to know where my children are and what they are up to. That's our job. Also, we live in a very small town and keep to ourselves pretty much.
At about 4 am I awakened with a start to a bright light that was shining through the window in my tent and a mans voice saying 'excuse me'. It was the sheriff, wondering if I had any children and if they were out here camping with us. He went on to explain that there were three teenage boys who had been 'messing around town all night'. Did I know where my boys were. I of course did. The 14 yo was in the tent and the 15 yo had gone inside because allergies had been causing him to cough. By this time I was standing outside the tent talking to him. He made some comment about how when he was young and camping with his parents he would have snuck out to go 'mess around' after his parents fell asleep. I could tell at this point that he might have the impression that I am a parent whose children could be troublemakers but have me completely 'snowed'. "Would you mind just checking to see if he is in the tent?" No I don't mind...leaning over near the door of Weston's tent calling his name and fumbling for the zipper in the dark. Weston answered and I'm still not finding the zipper... Then something like "would it be alright if I just look at him (to see what he was wearing)?" Still I didn't mind, but was starting to be a little offended. I mean I know this policeman doesn't really know me from Adam, but we were doing a family activity and that is what raised his suspicions? He didn't even know I had teenage boys until I told him. Anyway, I got the zipper open and there West was with the squinty, mushed up, bewildered face of someone whose been asleep for awhile, wearing his Blue Ridge football jersey and burgandy checked pajama bottoms. I then asked the officer if he wanted me to go get the 15 yo from inside the house. He told me it wasn't necessary. I think, more than anything it was the clothes Weston had on that finally convinced him he was looking in the wrong place. I don't know what the 3 boys were doing that had the sheriff looking for them , but I suspect it was more offensive than just 'messing around'.
If I had more time I'd have Weston don one of our convict costumes and post a photo of him....

It took me an hour to fall asleep again...

An Afternoon at the Tandy's

2011-06-25T08:57:00.000-05:00

Jacob fell down the stairs and had to be taken to the ER with a concusion. Morgan, Kay, and I got to spend the afternoon with Catherine, Cora, and Aaron. We didn't see much of Aaron, he spent some time with a friend. But Catherine and Morgan listened to music and did blindfold makeovers.

Cora and Kay played nicely all day, and the all seemed to have a good time, even with concerns about Jacob.

Kaylyn tried to wear Mr. Potato Heads glasses and we couldn't pass up some photos of that!

Baking in a Cardboard Box.

2011-06-23T09:28:00.002-05:00

When I was young, I remember my mom doing all kinds of cool things. Things that other moms just didn't do. She even showered in the rain once (with her clothes on). From her I learned the great lesson, to not be afraid to try anything. This year I am going to go to girls camp, for the first time in ages. Well at least 16 years. I always loved girls camp and have the excitement of a child looking forward to it. I was thinking this week of the things my mother did with us for girls camp. Bringing back memories of her as a leader wearing a double brimmed baseball cap with the lettering "I'm their leader, which way did they go?" on it. Much to my complete embarrassment then and a sweet and joyful memory now. My mother was something of an army Sargent, but a sargent with the biggest heart and open love for others. She was strict and loud and bossy, and patient, and gentle spoken, and open minded. She was often the person you needed her to be at the time, even when you didn't know that's what you needed.

Anyway, I decided to bring back one of those memories and share it with my girls. Morgan and I built a fire, and took a cardboard box, aluminum foil, and duct tape and made a reflector oven. Morgan threw together a muffin mix and we baked muffins in a cardboard box. Even my 15 year old was impressed, and, as you can see by the blueberry mush on Kaylyn's forehead that she enjoyed them too!

At one point we did turn the pan 180 degrees.

A muffin broken open to show it is baked through.

Family Photos.

2011-06-19T08:05:00.000-05:00

We have a working camera again! I'm sure our youngest child is going to wonder why there are fewer photos of parts of her childhood.... Between business and burgled and broken cameras we are spotty picture takers at best.

Last week we went out to take some posed pictures of the kids. I don't know why I envision photo shoots as being an experience where our children all stand/sit/lay/kneel, or whatever position we ask them to be in, then look at the camera and just smile. Every time we take picture it takes FOREVER to get something where even some of the children are looking and smiling at the photographer simultaneously! I've been a mom for nearly 16 years now....love pictures of my children....but seriously dread planned photo shoots!......(I'd seriously rather clean my toilets.)

Anyway, we did get a shot or two and about time, it's been awhile since we had them all sit together for a picture.

As you can see, some looking and smiling, some looking down or away. Moving limbs, pasted smiles.

Even looking constipated...sorry Jen! :D

But patience wins out and we finally get one. Just so you know, there were dozens that were taken that I am not displaying. Oh, and I REALLY wasn't very patient but I was persistent! :D

They always want some goofy shots at the end too. (Like we didn't get enough of those in the process!) :D

"Huge Sigh"

Marital Bliss

2011-03-11T19:02:00.002-06:00

Okay, fair warning for anyone who becomes ill at sappiness...omit this read.
We had a busy day, up at 4 again to leave early for an appt with the 'diabetes educators' in Peoria. We got back just in time to pick up Kaylyn from Kim's(thanks again Kim! she would have driven m nuts today!!!), pick up the girls from home and school(two stayed home this a.m. with one throwing up), leave a quick note and cash for Jame who was coming home and leaving again, and drop off a couple kids (one of them being the sickest one from this morning)at the farm. We headed out to county market to take advantage of a two day sale they were having.
Thomas met me there and we purchased a few groceries at a savings of about 57%. Yay! We went our separate ways again and as I was driving home I realized I hadn't even thought about dinner, and it's 5:30...So my lovely brainstorm was 'Friday night pbj's'! Sounded great to me. Least expensive pizza at that time on a Friday night would be the 3 for 5.55 each at dominoes. (We've done that deal a time or two....or once or twice a month.)
The thing that made my day is when I called Thomas to run the idea of 'Friday night pbj's and movies in our PJ's' by him, not only was he OK with it, HE WAS THRILLED!
It sounds like such a simple thing but I think those are the kinds of things that make life so enjoyable when you're married. I have heard before that 'there is nothing sexier than the sight of the back of a man at the sink washing dishes'. I would add to that, the sound of a man who can be excited about pbj's for dinner!
To top it off, I got the loaf of bread for free and the jar of peanut butter for 99 cents and we used less than half of that! I made the jam with produce from the farm so not super cheap but made by me with produce locally, and cheaply, harvested!
So dinner for 8-50 cents plus the investment of the homemade jam. (grapes and carrots too). I am a happy girl! And I am so grateful for such an easygoing husband!

Diabetes Strikes Again!

2011-02-18T13:25:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, Weston's was diagnosed with diabetes. It was 5 days before his 14th birthday. I ran him into the doctor's yesterday morning office for a quick ear check. He had been having pain in his right ear for two days. We also asked the doctor about a few things that have been of concern for us recently for Weston. Without going into detail about all of his symptoms. (Some respect for a teen boy who would rather not have all his personal data broadcast...) We received a call from the pediatrician telling us Weston's U/A showed no sign of infection but was abnormal and that he had diabetes. He told us to take him straight to the ER/ED where they were expecting us. We spent several hours in the ER before he was admitted to peds. We were up most of the night and Weston's blood sugar was monitored and we received diabetic education. He's been released this evening with a follow up appt with both his pediatrician and a pediatric endocrinologist.
When I did a quick glucose test for him before we headed to the hospital last night, his blood sugar was 447. His hmgA1C was 12. They are treating him as if he is type 1 and have told us he will be on insulin for the rest of his life. His current regimen consists of blood tests 5 times a day, fast acting insulin injections 3 to 4 times a day, and a long acting insulin injection at bedtime. So a minimum of 9 sticks a day....
Weston has really taken all of this in stride. Every day our children amaze me in so many ways and Weston has never been an exception to this. I am sure we will learn more when we go to see the specialist.
Thanks for checking in!
Michele, and all the Eliasons :D

The Flu Season Already?

2010-09-11T16:04:00.005-05:00

Last week we brought Megan home from church with a temp somewhere over 103. We took her to the Pediatrician the next day who confirmed it was just a virus. Last night we went to the ward camp out. (We had already decided not to stay over night because a pretty significant rain was forecast. - Call me a wimp if you want but, 8 wet sleeping bags, 8 wet pillows, and 6 possibly wet/muddy/cranky kids...) I noticed Kaylyn seemed warm as we sat around the campfire, she was also just snuggling with anyone who would hold her. Sure enough, when we got home, she had a temp over 102. Glad we came home instead of camping, eh? She continued to run a fever this morning. The boys got up achy and running fevers too. Today we were going to go to the Illini game as a family, Papa included. We have gone to a 'Special Spectators' tailgate and game every fall for the past several years. It's a fun family activity. Thomas, Papa, and the three girls who are NOT sick left just a bit ago. (Yes, I am pouting a little.) I get a little bummed out when we miss out on family activities. I was so looking forward to just being together and doing some fun things this weekend. So, the boys and Kay have some Disney movie on in the living room and I put a Star Trek movie in. If we could just be productive when we're sick, maybe it would almost be worth it! :D

Elderberry Jelly and Syrup

2010-08-21T19:17:00.009-05:00

I don't know if using elderberrries is something our mother brought from her childhood or learned from a friend or just found out about on her own. I wish I did know... Picking elderberries with my sisters and our mother is a bright childhood memory for me. Near where we lived in Northern Illinois there were bushes and bushes of elderberries growing wild alongside country roads. As a mother now, elderberry jelly and syrup are not necessitates for our family. We get plenty of produce from Papa's farm and other places to keep us busy and fill our shelves with jars of produce. Elderberry processing is time consuming and can be messy, ie purple berry juice everywhere, especially when you have the children help. Having grown up on elderberry jelly, which for some, can be an acquired taste, I have successfully converted my husband and most of the children to appreciate this wonderful flavor. :D It is great on toast, in a PB&J, and the syrup is great on pancakes. I personally love it on blueberry pancakes. As a diabetic, I make our version of a German pancake(lots of egg, little flour), add a ton of fresh blueberries to the pancake, and just a teaspoon of the syrup when I put the pancake on a plate. Soooo good and my blood sugar doesn't spike. Even a small bowl of the healthiest-bran filled-so healthy it doesn't even taste good-cold cereal spikes my blood sugar. So this is definitely a happy breakfast for me! In searching for different recipes for these berries I am finding that they have some natural benefits for our bodies. I knew they were full of vitamin C and potassium but there are other benefits including but not limited to helping one to overcome the flu more quickly... I don't think I am a skeptical person, but having 'learned' a few things on the internet that have been later proven untrue, I am cautious. I think the following article is interesting. It mentions research done at Austria's University of Graz, and an experiment showing that elderberry concentrate reduces stress.

An interesting article about the health benefits of the elderberry.
http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/01/20/elderberry-the-power-fruit/

S0me photos destemming, crushing, and juicing out the berries.

Purple hands and stained cheesecloth. We are getting close to having jelly!

I just use the sure-gel recipe. 3 cups strained juice, 4.5 Cups sugar, .25 cup lemon juice, and 1 box Sure-gel. I don't use the butter. Whenever I make jelly I just spoon the foam off into a small bowl and the kids(mom and dad too), use it on homemade bread or toast. YUM! We fill the jars and process them for the appropriate time. I usually use double batches-not everyone is sucessful doing this but I haven't had a problem. This year I am experimenting with the syrup recipe. I did one triple batch and two double batches omitted the sure-gel, put the sugar in first, and added one bag of Certo to each-at the appropriate time for using Certo. (I needed to use it up and thought it might thicken the syrup just enough. We'll see how it turns out when the jars are cool.)

Peaches and More!

2010-08-16T12:09:00.010-05:00

Soooo, March was our last posting.... August 16 now and I am finally posting something. Nothing terribly exciting in our "hum drum" lives - as Lena Lamont would say anyway. But we are having fun! We have done a lot of swimming this summer the weather has been great for that. Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit, 5 of the kids were in a Peter Pan play. Now we are reaping the fruits (and veggies) from Papa's farm. We have made a ton of peach jam, put up some peach halves, tomatoes, and blackberry jam. We have also enjoyed so much of the food just fresh for the table. Spinach, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, onions, radishes, cherries, blackberries, peaches, rhubarb, zuchini, and yellow squash so far. There are still pumpkins, winter squash, pears, and apples yet to be harvested. Wild elderberries for elderberry jelly and syrup too. Hopefully we can also make the time to make some more of that yummy green tomato salsa. We have more to post and hopefully we can get to that soon. :D

Left, peach halves.

Peach Jam.

Funks Grove

2010-07-05T19:16:00.002-05:00

Summer was nearly over and, being busy with the play, we hadn't gone many places. We headed out for 1/2 a day to see Funks Grove. There's a nature center and you can stop to get some real maple syrup too.

A staring contest?... The turtle just might be winning Jen!

Morgan offers us a mug of muddy creek water... "The best part of wakin' up is...not havin' mud in your cup?"

July 4, 2010

2010-07-04T18:00:00.001-05:00

Isotech hosted a cookout on the fourth again, Yay! They always do a great job. Great food, great games for the kids, and great seats for the fireworks! Kenny brought one of his toys and was very generous, even letting the boys try it out.

Water games.

Dad liked it too!

Andrea and Corbin and their children were there too.

We cant blame Grandpa, there are a few hours between food and fireworks!

Weston doesn't like the wait either. Actually he was in time out here. Yep, it still makes 'em think about what they have done when they are 12.... :D

? No comment.

Another great afternoon on Independence Day!

July 3, 2010

2010-07-03T17:28:00.000-05:00

The drama club was in charge of some kid's games at a celebration in Farmer City. Jameson dressed as a clown, the kids got their faces painted and helped with some games, and Grandma and Grandpa came too! It is great when they can visit.

A Trip to Prairie Farm

2010-06-09T16:30:00.000-05:00

June 9, 2010 we made a short trip to Prairie Farm with our friend Stephanie and her two children. I don't have photos of everyone here but we took a few pics.

Megan and Kaylyn found some ducks. They are not part of the farm, just wild ducks that thought it was a nice place to live!

West and Kay try to show their 'pretty feathers' to the peacock.

One of life's simple pleasures, blowing bubbles with friends. :D

Morgan's Short Fifth Metacarpal...

2010-03-30T14:13:00.007-05:00

Morgan saw her Pediatrician today. He sent her to have x-rays of both hands. We thought it wold be several days before we heard anything but received a phone call from our nurse when we were still on our way home. That's pretty prompt service! Anyway, Morgan has a congenital malformation of her fifth metacarpal bone in her hand. There is nothing to be done for it as she has full range of motion and it doesn't cause her any pain. Below is a photo I found of an x-ray (not Morgans hands) of someone with more than one of their metacarpal bones shortened. Morgan's only malformation is the fifth metacarpal bone (the bone below the bottom knuckle on her pinky finger) on her right hand.

Left normal x-ray of a childs hand formed normally. Below, an x-ray of a childs hand with shortened 3rd, 4th, and 5th metacarpals.

Growth Plate Issue??

2010-03-27T20:16:00.008-05:00

We are a little concerned because we just discovered something not quite right in Morgan's hand.

Here are some quick photos of Morgans shortened finger and lack of knuckle where one should be. (There is a knuckle but it doesn't seem to be working along with the other knuckles in the same hand.

We started wondering if she had some kind of growth plate injury long ago (that we were unaware of) and are just now noticing something is up. Maybe it's just dislocated. We found nothing googling and will be calling the doctor on Monday.

Trip to Mississippi Continued...

2010-03-25T20:48:00.013-05:00

It was fun seeing all the kids playing together.

Jacob in the middle of a video game with Jameson.

Another Park..

We often find Weston getting a little time to himself.

He is usually the one who discovers things that the rest of us miss. This poor insect was donated to science. A mom at the park asked Weston if she could take it home for her child's insect collection/science project.

Jacob and Kaylyn

C'mon Kay, you can win!

I love that our children are usually entertained easily!

This has to be one of Jameson's favorite shirts. We like to BELIEVE that he thinks it's funny and even at 14 does not quite take himself THIS seriously! :D

Haven made some muffins and then fell asleep .
leaning against her couch! I think we wore her out! Uncle Paul took weston our for one more round of paintball too. We had such a great time

A Trip to Mississippi

2010-03-23T18:12:00.013-05:00

We decided to ambush my sister

and her family during spring break!

Saturday w

as a little cloudy but Uncle Paul did some paint

ball with the boys and a couple of the girls.

Then he took 8 of them fishing in their pond.

It was very cold on Sunday.

We were out of the car for maybe 5 minutes and Kaylyn was shivering! You can't see her chattering teeth here but they were!

Monday things were warming nicely. So much so we took the kids out to a park to run off some energy. Or, as seen here, cage them up!

Oh no! They are escaping!

The funny things they say...

2010-02-17T14:08:00.002-06:00

This might be one of those 'you had to be there moments' but it was funny to me when it come out of Jameson's mouth on a snow day last week.

(14 year old to 2 year old)

"Kaylyn, stop playing with your abacus in the bathroom....That's just.....weird."

Sensitive Subject...

2009-11-22T17:25:00.003-06:00

So, sensitive subject alert here, but I just have to blog this one.
Our family likes stand up comedy. It is nearly impossible to find a comedian that is family appropriate. As far as that goes, a comedian that is appropriate for any of us. - Going on the principle that anything not appropriate for the kids is probably not too great for us(parents) either. Anyway, there is a Christian comedian that we sometimes watch together. A more recent viewing of this particular jokester had a reference to a particular scripture in Psalms that referred to a disease in the loins...
So, today on the way home from church my 11 year old mentioned that and said she had actually looked up the scripture and, sure enough, that was what it said. (I personally had had no doubts, Psalms has some pretty unusual stuff...) I then told her that it was really unbecoming for a young lady to be talking and/or joking about that particular subject. Then came the question. "Why" Answer-"Well, today the connotation would be that someone probably has an STD. You know what that is don't you?" the 12 year old brother-"A sexually transmitted disease." Me-"Yes, you know how someone gets an STD don't you?" The obvious answer came, and then I asked something like, "And when is it okay to have sex?" Don't ask me why those words passed through my lips. I was either inspired, or I just was NOT THINKING AT ALL. But to my HORROR, my 11 year old, who has had 'the talk' more than once, answered very sweetly and matter-of-factly,

"When we're 16."

I am driving...and I still turn to look at her directly in the eyes. She must have seen something in my face that told her to change her answer, so she said

"18"

Another look from me and then I said, how about when you are married, and it's something a person should only share with their spouse.

"Oh, yeah, that's what I meant. Although, 16 is pretty young to get married."

Funny and Horrifying at the same time.

I realize that our children are extremely sheltered, but we are pretty open with them about the 'private' subjects. I know she wasn't really thinking when she answered my question. But, just to be safe, we have decided to push back how old she has to be before she dates(it was going to be at 16) by several years!!!!!! Maybe even a decade.
Thanks for checking the blog. :D

Arachnicide?

2009-11-13T19:16:00.003-06:00

Last week, sitting in my bedroom, I hear Jensen's voice just outside my door. Speaking to no one in particular but with the excitement of a Christmas morning, she practically squeals, "I just caught my very first spider!"....then a long pause and the same voice, just much more matter of factly. "I had to kill it to catch it, but I caught it."
She had caught it under a jar, she thought she suffocated it because it curled up and stopped moving. As she was putting it outside it sprang to life, startling her and almost REALLY losing it's life then. I think we're about 50/50 here on sparing/killing those eight legged critters. Not very good odds if you're a spider eh? :D

Popcorn Popping, Blossoms Bursting?....It's Autumn isn't it?

2009-10-06T08:33:00.003-05:00

Kaylyn, our 22 month old daughter has, just in the past few weeks, fallen in love with a song. "Popcorn Popping"
It's a fun little children's song and the words go something like this;

I looked out the window and what did I see?
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.
Spring has brought me such a nice surprise,
Popcorn popping right before my eyes.
I could take an armful and make a treat.
A popcorn ball that would smell so sweet.
It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be,
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.

There are corresponding hand and body movements and we sing it every week in the nursery at church. We also sing it at home, and have done so with all the children when they were little. Along with 'Old McDonald', 'Wheels on the Bus', 'Patty Cake', 'Five Green Speckled Frogs' etc.
For the past week or so Kaylyn will call each of us by name. Whoever happens to be nearest to her usually. "Way Wes" (Weston), "Nyay Nyay" (Jameson), "May May" (Megan), "Mo Mor" (Morgan), or "Det Det" (Jensen), (We have no idea how she came up with some of those pronunciations.) Also, 'mommy' or 'daddy, and she will say with resolution or sometimes questioningly, "Cop Cop" opening and closing her fists like two little 'jazz hands' (the movements for the popcorn popping). This is her way of asking whomever she is addressing to sing the 'Popcorn song' with her. Just this morning she actually said "Pop Pop", she is making some improvement on enunciation! :D
I am blogging about this(more to help us remember than anything), not so much because of Kaylyn and the 'toddler things' that make her so adorable to us, but to put down how impressed I am with the other children.
Kaylyn will often want that same song done as many as a dozen times in a row. Barney, or Mr Rogers I am not! I love children and doing things with them, but repetition gnaws at any thread of sanity I may have left. I still sing the song, I think 8 times in a row is my best with her, before I move on to at least another song. I have also added exaggerated movements, sniffing at the 'smells so sweet', pausing and bugging my eyes at 'spring has brought me such a nice surprise'. To the point that the song surely bears little resemblance to the one with the same title in the song book at church. :)
Kaylyn is just SO enthusiastic and loves that song so much right now! Every one of her siblings has 'performed' for Kaylyn every time she has requested that song. I am not kidding. Every time. Even when I have been the driver in the car, thinking, 'if I turn the radio on, pull over to ..., put in a book on tape, throw a toy at her(reading this through I had to edit this to say a toy for her to play with, not to knock her out!), etc, maybe she will get distracted and move on to something new. But Kaylyn's siblings adore her and have the patience I no longer have, or never had in the first place.
Bless their ever loving hearts! :D

Kaylyn tells 'Doctor Dad' she thinks she is sick.

2009-09-25T11:44:00.003-05:00

Thomas sent this photo to me a few mornings ago. I had taken Jameson to his early morning seminary class and Thomas was at home getting the others ready for school.

We have had a virus in our house since last Saturday, beginning with Jensen and Megan having sore throats and fevers that day. The virus has been moving through every one of the children this week. Megan and Jen missed 3 and 4 days of school due to the fever. Anyway, there has been much temperature checking and pampering of those who 'do not feel good' in our house this week. Kaylyn, 22 months old will not to be left out of anything that goes on. Being a through and through younger sibling she laid her little body in Mom and Dad's bed and put the thermometer in her mouth in true imitation of so many of her siblings. She was telling her 'Daddy' that she was sick...

She did end up getting sick(maybe from sticking that germ infested thermometer in her mouth-who knows!), but is doing better now.

Jensen and Those Pesky Head Bumps

2009-04-08T18:10:00.006-05:00

So today I took Megan to see her oncologist for a scheduled appointment. Megan continues to do great! I took Jensen as well and just asked the doctor if he thought the 'bumps' on her head are something I should be concerned about. Should I have her seen again or to stop stressing over them. He proceeded to give her a full physical exam and ask me questions.

"No they have not always been there."

"No she is not running fevers, or having problems with bruising, or headaches etc."

Of course he then, in giving her the exam, discovered her shin bones with their numerous bruises and mentioned them...Jensen is a busy rambunctious girl and has those normal shin bone bruises associated with her level of activity. She doesn't have any bruises that don't want to heal.

He checked her lymph nodes, her spleen, liver, etc. and seemed to find, or not find, pretty much what I had or had not found. He then told me that they were probably benign lumps but that he was going to contact Jensen's regular pediatrician and share with him some things about the examination today. He did have a name for them but I can't remember off the top of my head. He wanted to get an x-ray. He also told me to call him if there were any changes; fever, more/bigger bumps, bruising etc.
He said to Jensen to try not to think about her bumps. Our six year old then responded with obvious exaggeration and sighing; (For those of you who know Jen this will make perfect sense.) "It's hard not to think about the bumps when my mom feels them every day-ay!" Holding back his laughing the best he could the doctor then told her, "Well you just try not to think about them and I will talk with your mom!" So much for my telling her to let me do the talking to the doctor! That whole 'children sitting quietly' idea would be incomprehensible to our Jensen!

So, we will see the oncologist again in two months. Our pediatrician may see her again between now and then. I am supposed to check the bumps on Jensen's head when I wash her hair.

The doctor talked to me about our insurance. (He wanted to make sure that adding her to his clinic(She has never been seen there before.) is something that would be covered by the insurance and he had her name added to their records.

All in all I feel much better. I feel better because the bumps were given at least a potential name with that wonderful 'harmless' word attached to it. I feel better because I know the doctor gave Jensen a thorough exam. He is a thorough doctor.

I no longer have that phrase, "I have no idea what they are." running through my brain. Not to mention that the doctor also did not make me feel foolish for being concerned about the bumps on her head.

Now, on to the next few days and Easter/soccer activities. :D

Today has been a good day.

Fun Looking Easter Recipe

2009-04-07T22:47:00.005-05:00

The children are all out of school Thursday and Friday this week. We also have one extra child with us on most of the days the children have no school. I was thinking tonight that I need to come up with a project to do with them. I think we are expecting rain then so we really need a little structure if we are all going to be inside together...
I received an email which included several Easter recipes.

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?categ=87%2C182%2C161&ls=p&nl=RZ-040709-eaters-digest__main-link-url-1

I think I have decided on a version of the following recipe with the 'nests' made big enough to sit little 'peeps' chicks on them. I thought I had an original idea until I saw someone else has already used the peeps in a different nest recipe. Oh well, maybe I will have an original idea tomorrow! ;)

http://www.recipezaar.com/Easter-Nests-with-Jelly-Bean-Eggs-87879

They look fairly easy and I think the children will have fun making them. There are additional recipes with rice crispy treats etc. for the nests. I just liked these because they look a little more like a nest, at least in the photo. I will post later with photos if we actually accomplish this goal. :)

Jensen

2009-04-06T18:32:00.008-05:00

So here I am, stressing out about something that is probably nothing. A few weeks ago we found some bumps/lumps on Jensen's head. Jensen, our six year old daughter, who is acting fine for the most part, had a few lumps on her head(around 4 or so). I phoned the clinic and took her in to our pediatrician feeling a little silly for doing so. Initially he thought they were something that had always been there. I assured him that while I am a busy mom, I do wash my child's hair on a regular basis, not to mention that we sometimes snuggle and I rub her back or the back of her head and I know that these lumps are fairly new. Not new enough though, that they are from bumping her head, which was his next thought. (Also wouldn't it be strange for her to have multiple bumps from trauma on her head. I would probably suspect abuse if someones child had numerous bumps on their head from trauma.) So then he decided that he didn't know what they were and he was going to have an x-ray done. We talked a little more and I asked him what the x-ray might show him. He then decided that maybe we would not expose her to radiation now and we would just wait and watch.

That worked for me for about a day.

Since then I have googled bumps, lumps, lesions, cysts, etc. and have found nothing that might explain these things on her head. I also discovered a few more, albeit smaller, ones last night.

-GROAN-

I have also palpated her lymph nodes of which a few are larger than normal. (Which I know is not uncommon in a 6 year old child.) And I have been reassessing her recent personality changes. She has been much more whiny and a little more tired than usual. I am the first to admit that these last things can be chalked up to my overactive imagination. That they could be a manifestation of a 'stage' (to my personal horror, that was always what my mother called it when I was an unreasonable child-not that I was EVER an unreasonable child) she might be going through. That she is a little more tired because she is in the midst of a growing spurt, etc.

I know having had Megan diagnosed with leukemia and subsequently in chemotherapy treatment for 2.5 years is part of what is fueling my paranoia. However, when a doctor tells me "I don't know what it is." I cannot help being frustrated. Knowing would allay my fears. When a trained professional doesn't know, how can that be a good thing? UHG!

So, there it is. My best hope, now that I have this off my chest, is that 2 weeks from now I will feel silly for actually putting this in writing.

Below are some photos of Jensen

Photos of Kaylyn 16 months old.

2009-04-01T14:35:00.002-05:00

The title of the blog 'splains the photos.

Not a whole lot to blog about. Getting little sleep zaps my creativity I guess. :D I am hoping to get some photos up soon of the children's soccer games... Thanks for checking in!

March 25, 2009

2009-03-25T02:10:00.004-05:00

So, I have had a bit of a reprieve from insomnia, until the last few nights. Here's my whine..."It is so aggravating!"
Today/yesterday really. Thomas had an appointment to: adjust the settings of his cochlear implant, receive and set up a new FM/blue tooth system for his cochlear, and to be evaluated for the need for a cochlear implant in his other ear.

My side note here is that the appointment took two hours and I forgot to bring a stroller for Kaylyn. Kaylyn, has become a busy explorer. It was a long two hours...

Anyway, Thomas was able to get the FM system for his cochlear and he is so happy about it. The FM system works with blue tooth compatibility with his cell phone. so that when he answers his phone, he can now hear whoever calls directly in his cochlea. The device can also connect wirelessly to an mp3 player and any electronic device with an ear jack(I think that's what they are called.) He also has 2 different microphones, with different ranges, that he can use in groups, or in a meeting at work that should help improve how much he is able to hear during a group discussion. This is all very exciting for him.
Because Thomas speaks so well, even I forget often just how much he misses. Without the FM system today, he scored 0% when he was tested on how much he could hear with background noise. When tested with the FM system, he scored 73%. For a person with normal hearing, that's not so great. That is a person missing over a quarter of a conversation. For Thomas, that number is HUGE!
It's so fun to see something make him so tickled and happy. Right now, he is kinda like a kid in a candy store. :D Try calling him sometime! He might just hear you!

Silly Sleepy Girls!

2009-03-03T19:37:00.002-06:00

The boys went to a birthday party sleepover last weekend and the girls were going to sleep out in the living room. Here Dad catches Jensen and Morgan almost asleep.

But not quite!

Morgan as Lady Liberty in Her School's Freedom Play

2009-03-03T19:05:00.005-06:00

Morgan was the Statue of Liberty in her school's 'Freedom Play' last week. She took her part pretty seriously! We were impressed with how long she could hold that torch up. She held it up through two songs and more! What a trooper!

February 21-22

2009-03-03T18:36:00.006-06:00

A photo of Weston when we celebrated his birthday.

Here is a photo documenting that mom/Michele is in trouble. Leaving the headlights on is a bad habit. It was so cold and Thomas had to bundle up to go out and jump start the van. That happened two days in a row! :D

A New Percussionist in the Family?

2009-03-03T14:10:00.003-06:00

It looks like we might have another percussionist in the family!
On February 10, Kaylyn found the drumsticks and began trying to play the snare drum.

Her dad gave her a boost onto a stool so she could more easily play.

Here she has just been taken away from the drums and placed into her 'play yard'...

Someone had pity on her and gave her back the drumsticks. "OH HAPPY DAY!"

February 6, Continued

2009-03-02T16:27:00.004-06:00

Jessica and Jane.

Jane's son Jordan backed up their car to load up some firewood. The ground was so wet from our recent rainy and melting snow weather that the car got stuck and we had to pull it out with the pickup. (Do you know how many years it took my husband to teach me to say 'pickup' instead of truck? In Idaho pickup trucks are called pickups, at least according to Thomas. I always called them trucks. I don't think I am the only one that does/did that! :D)
Jordan is a good sport and gave a smile for posterity!

Thomas. He's hard to miss with that hat. I call it his 'Man From Snowy River' hat. He was so happy when he finally got that hat and it really does help keep his cochlear implant dry. (Does anyone see rain in these photos? Me neither! :D ) It looks like Thomas is not the only one who likes that hat! :D

February 6, Target Shooting @ Papa's House.

2009-03-01T20:44:00.007-06:00

On February 6, Aunt Jessica and Uncle Mark came down to do some target and clay pigeon shooting. Here is Jensen bird watching. She was also using her binoculars to try to see the clay pigeons. Below, a photo showing the 'wide open spaces' Papa has at his place.

Uncle Mark gives up a grin for the photo!

Jensen looking in the tree for some birds...No birds? Maybe because shotguns and rifles are 'booming' just a few yards away!

Above, Papa taking a shot. We love these closeup photos of Weston. I think we should be very afraid that he closes his eyes when shooting! Below, Morgan in her Papa's big flannel shirt. It's a good thing he has a good heart. I would have sent her in to get her own coat! Below, Thomas in a classic photo. I think he is going to blow this up and prominently display it when the girls begin dating!

Megan throwing clay pigeons.

Jameson and Megan get their turns too.

Just Another Day in Paradise!

2009-02-22T18:37:00.005-06:00

This blogging is a funny thing. On one hand I know that anyone can read it. So, I find myself being guarded sometimes about the things I write. On the other hand my favorite blogs are written by people who seem to be so open about the things they post. It's funny to me because when I talk in person with people I am sure I tell them more than they would ever want to know, yet when I blog, it's mostly about the activities that we do together.
Okay, this self analysis is making me tired...
Today, we went to church. It's a normal weekly event for us, but today was special. It was scout Sunday, so the boys needed to wear their scout shirts to church. (I think it's a once a year thing.)
Today is also Weston's 12th birthday. Happy Birthday Weston! :D At church, it was a special day for him. At 12 the young men in our church advance from the children's classes to 'young men's classes. In our sacrament meeting they are called to the front by the Bishop, their advancement is announced and they are sustained, congratulated etc. The Bishop apparently came to the pew where Weston was sitting before the meeting and asked him if he was prepared to recite an article of faith. (There are 13 Articles of Faith, they are statements about what we as Latter Day Saints believe.) Weston told him he was, not understanding that the bishop meant he would have to do it in front of the congregation. I was not there or I would have explained it to him. The time came when the bishop called Weston up and according to my husband, Weston was caught completely off guard and looked panicked. The Bishop sat down. I guess Weston managed to pull himself together, he stood at the podium. recited the first Article of Faith. (We believe in God the Eternal Father and in his son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost.) He then leaned forward a bit and said with great relief and appreciation to the congregation. "Thank You!" The Congregation erupted in laughter. That's our Weston. He has kept us laughing since before he could walk.
I mentioned that I wasn't at church for that. I did try really hard to get there. Thomas and I have been sick with a virus for over a week. The past few days my throat has been hurting even worse. No fever, just bad sore throat and not wanting to do much. I decided I would go and twist someones arm at the walk in clinic to do a strep swab. Unless we see our regular doctors, we are sometimes not taken seriously when strep is in our family. We do not always run fevers with strep. (Jameson has had scarlet fever twice because we thought he just had a virus. No fever, only symptom a sore throat.) Anyway, the nurse practitioner I saw did both the rapid and culture swabs. The rapid turned positive so she threw away the second swab. I love it when the doctor/practitioner that you see asks you(the patient) what antibiotic you want to take... So funny. "Um... the one that kills strep the fastest!" So, I then went to church, where I avoided talking to people, refused to shake hands, and didn't touch door knobs. If you were at church too and are now upset, I apologize and will just say, Strep is EVERYWHERE. I am just glad I went to the clinic before church instead of after so I was informed and more careful. I would have gone straight home, but Weston was also having the Aaronic Priesthood confirmed upon him. That is something that happens once in a young man's lifetime. I didn't want to miss it and I am so glad I didn't. I know the Lord loves that boy, and I know that even more after today! I also did not go home because the doctor wanted to see Thomas too(even though he was feeling better). So I sent him to the clinic before they would close. I stayed and helped Morgan with her talk in Primary. She gave a talk about Heavenly Father's creations being our blessings. (I bit my tongue, because I don't see a whole lot about strep throat that blesses my life!) :D She did fine and we met Thomas at the clinic after church. The doctor (different one) did not 'swab' him. She took one look at his throat and said. "What antibiotic do you want?" I still think that's funny! His response was pretty much like the one I gave the practitioner I saw....
I love z packs, don't you?! :D
I am now preparing to throw away all toothbrushes, all opened toothpaste tubes, and all used chapsticks, etc. Either we have a strep carrier, we are not getting the strep bug out because of some items like the ones I just mentioned, or we are just prone to contracting strep this year. I am done! Clorox cleanup and Lysol are my best friends!

Sibling Resemblance?

2009-01-30T13:13:00.006-06:00

Here is a photo of Morgan. I think she was around the age Kaylyn is now. I came across this photo last night while looking for some pictures for a friend. If it wasn't for the injury beneath her eye and the hair bow(who has time for hair bows these days?), I think she resembles Kaylyn like a twin! The first photo is Morgan and the rest are of Kaylyn.

Girls Night

2009-01-29T10:47:00.003-06:00

I have been plagued with insomnia for a few weeks and am supposed to be napping now. The one morning I have a chance to nap and Kaylyn thinks she is giving up her morning nap. I am thinking: 'FAT CHANCE little girl!'. Still, here I am NOT resting because she wasn't sleeping. I thought I would just post a few pictures of the girls last night. At bedtime Kaylyn was plastering me with kisses, I personally believe it was her secret ploy to stay up a little later. Thomas and the boys went to scouts so it was just the girls and I. We usually get our pajamas on early and play. It is fun to do just girl 'stuff' sometimes.

Warmth against the cold for Christmas!

2009-01-04T14:48:00.008-06:00

Here are some photos of the project I was working on for the girls for Christmas.

In late November, I found fun fur yarn at the dollar store. I picked some up and combined them with some yarn I had stored to make some scarves and hats for the girls. I also made a set for one of our neighbor girls. I enjoyed doing them but wish I had discovered the great price on the fun fur yarn a few months earlier! December is a month that is busy enough without making extra projects for myself! The boys received undershirts and Sunday socks as an 'equivalent' gift. (Although I couldn't really tell them I had knitted love into their gifts....they may look a little more loved when they attend church now!) :)

This is an extra set with hats in two different sizes.

Please ignore the Christmas morning floor.

I am including this photo because it shows the 4th nerve palsy Megan has in her left eye. (We think that is something that developed from her chemotherapy.) Her left eye jumps when she looks off to the side. While we wish she didn't have any after effects of chemo, this is a small issue compared to complications some children-and adults-can and do develop.

In this last photo Kaylyn is already protesting the hat and scarf!

Everyone Should Have a Weston in Their Family!

2008-12-22T22:05:00.007-06:00

This is one of those things that I should probably not blog about, but can't help myself. It's just too funny......at least to us.

Here is our Weston. I may be biased, but he's a pretty good looking kid. Looks like a happy, well adjusted, and fairly bright young man. Right?...

Well, he was sitting at his desk at school twisting his hair around his finger. He fell out of his chair and the hair that was wrapped around his finger was pulled right out of his scalp! Yep. That is the kind of thing that happens to Weston. He has rich experiences in life that usually cannot even be duplicated by other, less talented, individuals. One great thing about Weston is that even when these experiences turn out to be less than pleasurable, he can laugh about them. Which, of course, gets the rest of us laughing too. We all gave him a hard time about wanting to look even more like his Dad. That, of course, wasn't as funny to Thomas! :) Our lives would be much less interesting and we would be deprived great entertainment if we didn't have Weston in our family.

Tis the season continued

2008-12-11T04:12:00.007-06:00

Kaylyn is up with a fever tonight. Kaylyn is up...so I am up too! A little middle of the night uploading of photos to the blog. Thanks to Kaylyn I have more time to blog than I thought! :)

More photos with FAMILY. :)

As you scroll down, you will see that: Aunt Jessica is loved!... We have beautiful sun rise experiences here in Illinois. Jensen is a girl who takes matters into her own hands. We put our tree up within a few days after Thanksgiving, but it stood there for two weeks with no decorations. So one day, Jen took paper and scissors and cut out many beautiful snowflakes to decorate the poor neglected tree! I think it turned out beautifully and I would have been content to leave the tree like that for the season. (An indication I am feeling a little burned out??) But, we did finally pull out some decorations and have brought a little more of the festive Christmas spirit into our home. :) Also, Kaylyn loves her baths. The children participated in the Nativity play at church. We had two angels, Joseph, and a queen. Jameson had a ball game that night.

I am creeping up on getting caught up. I need to locate a few photos of the children in the play and of the van that I wrecked earlier this month. Yeah, that's a fun story too....OK, it's not a fun story, but everyone is OK and that is something we are all thankful for.

Tis the season...to have no time for blogging!!

2008-12-09T16:51:00.013-06:00

Well, the title says it all, really. But for family and anyone else who may wish to hear more here is a bit about our lives the past month and a half. The more we have to blog about, the less time we have to blog about it. We have been going constantly for weeks now. 5 of the children were in the junior high play, so we have had many practices. Jameson is on the basketball team which has daily(during the week) practices or games. I have also been working on a project for the girls for Christmas.
Below are photos of some of the things we've been up to. We went trick-or-treating. I took a few photos, then forgot I had the camera the rest of the night. No photo of Weston here. He was too busy running ahead to prey on more of our village residents for confection of every kind.

Kaylyn, riding in style on her first Halloween.

Jensen turned six. We had pizza, and cake and ice cream at Papa's house. She put her own candles on her cake!

Pizza Anyone??

A few weeks later Kaylyn had her first birthday. It's a tradition in our family to put the whole birthday cake in front of the one year old just to see what they do with it. With so many siblings with birthdays before hers, Kaylyn knew exactly what to do with it!

You may not be able to tell, but we were trying to get Kaylyn to blow the candle here...(Mom eventually helped.)

Aunt Peggy, and her three children came to stay at Papa's for Thanksgiving. Aunt Jessica, Uncle Mark, and Uncle Paul came a little later too. Here, Hailey has the first blue/green egg laid by one of the Arucana chickens.

The holiday concert/play season officially began and here is Jensen at her Thanksgiving play. Does she look like a pilgrim?

Daddy and Kaylyn at the play.

Haven, Morgan, Hailey, and Megan.

Papa and the boys.
Jensen on stage. She really seems comfortable in the spotlight!

What's a holiday without pajama parties with cousins??

We went out the day after Thanksgiving to get a few photos of the family.

Peggy and Paul sure have a cute family!

I'm still not caught up, but I am getting closer!.... :)

Small Towns and Local Heroes, Okay, Maybe Just Small Towns!

2008-11-03T21:35:00.003-06:00

Today when I went to pick up the children from school, I knew I was staying with the play practice children while Thomas took the other ones home. So, I decided to stop at the gas station to pick up a soda. 50 cents, you walk in, open a refrigerator, pick out your soda, and give the polite young man a couple quarters. You can even set the coins on the counter give him a smile as he is pumping gas for some other lucky small townite and walk away. Love it! Today, there was over half a tray of homemade red velvet cupcakes lusciously frosted and sitting inside the fridge with all the cans of soda. I said to the young man(who pumps the gas for you AND washes your windows-for those of you who live in Oregon and NJ, having someone else pump your gas is a luxury to the rest of us in the US!-), "I see someone made you some cupcakes!" He replied, "Yes, feel free to have some!" I declined-not really conducive to the whole 5k goal-but walked away with a -'this is why I love living in a small town-smile on my face.

I guess I will add my heroic endeavors of the day here too. Insert a chuckle and a grin here! At the end of play practice I was sitting near a drinking fountain. It came on automatically, I guess to do it's cooling thing. There was a brief buzz and I was sure I saw a significant flash. So I went to go look for a custodian or the principal. (I had never seen a drinking fountain with inner fireworks before.) I was going to tell them they should disconnect it because I was worried it may cause a fire while automatically kicking on sometime in the near future. Not finding either of them, I headed back. Well, it was already smoking and at closer inspection there was a fire, yes a blaze, inside the fountain. So I started telling the children to walk to the front door. By about the third time, even a small bunch of excited Junior High children can be difficult to direct, I did my whistle. If you know me well at all, you know exactly what I am talking about. If you don't, I am that annoying person at ball games that can make your ears buzz with an insanely loud whistle. The kids quieted down and I once again told them to "Walk to the front doors." Then I turned my total attention to the fountain which still had some flames inside, I looked quickly for a plug, found none, and decided I was willing to face consequences for destroying school property. I grabbed the fountain and pulled it from the wall. The water on the fountain splashed and put out the fire inside. The fountain itself was still running and still mostly connected to the wall with a sort of retaining ring at the bottom. By this time one of the male teachers showed up and wanted to take over. I explained to him that the fountain was actually plugged in and we just needed to pull the plug. He gave it a couple tries and decided he needed a screwdriver and went off to get one. Again, if you know me, you know I am a doer, not a watcher, so I bent over reached my hand into the dark(I could see and I could reach, but couldn't really see and reach at the same time), and pulled the plug out. The power was now cut to this fire hazard taking away any threat. My job was done, heroine for the day! Where's my cape?... Maybe I would have been more of a hero if I could have removed the horrible burned rubber smell from the halls. Oh well, I can be a real hero another day. Maybe tomorrow I will make some brownies, bake some bread, wash some laundry, or be a mom to 6 children... The possibilities are endless! :D

Trunk or Treat?

2008-10-29T13:34:00.011-05:00

Every year at our church we usually have an activity around Halloween called a Trunk or Treat, or a trick or trunk or something like that. There is also a chili cook off for dinner. Dinner taken care of and a fun activity for the children-a win win in my opinion. The Trunk or Treat part involves going out to the parking lot and trick or treating around where all the parents give treats from the backs of their cars.
Getting the costume on...
Kaylyn found a new friend, Becca Anderson!

I put in this photo of Morgan from 7 years ago,
And this one of Jensen from 5 years ago.

I guess I can see why some people think the children look alike. :) Kaylyn was a ladybug.

Weston was a Wizard.

If you have never played Zelda on Nintendo then you probably won't recognize Jameson's Link costume.

Our friend Cody came too.

We had a witch. Yah ha ha!!!

And a Unicorn.

And I don't know what we will do the first Halloween we have that no one decides to be a princess! Here Morgan is with a friend.

Our friend Becky with Kaylyn. We had a fun night and were exhausted when we got home.

Weston's 11 Year Old Scout Camp Out.

2008-10-27T09:19:00.002-05:00

Also on Friday night Weston and Thomas went to Weston's scout camp out. If you have been following our blog, you might realize that this is Thomas' second camp out in as many weeks. He's getting tired. :) This was a big deal for Weston because he had to do the meal plan for all the meals during the camp out(to pass off a requirement). I guess everything ran pretty smoothly. Although it was cold and they did get rained on. But I think they had a good time.

Weston pointing something out to his Dad.

Weston and a friend.

The Last Hurrah! (Pediatric HEMOC Clinic)

2008-10-26T18:24:00.019-05:00

Friday night the child life specialist planned one last get together for the families of the children seen at the Carle Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic. She, Doey Gordon, planned an outdoor activity, hay rack ride, hot cider, and roasting marshmallows for smores around a campfire.
Our weather that night was rainy, cold(high 40s low 50s I think), and did I say rainy? :) We did go, along with just a handful of families, and honestly, we had a really good time. I put the baby in her snow suit which seemed fairly waterproof. We sang camp songs and visited. The children really had a good time and were not too happy when I decided the baby had had enough.
Kaylyn began the night bright eyed and happy about this exciting new experience.

Doey pours Morgan a cup of hot cider.

The girls warm up drinking their hot cider around the fire.
Kaylyn is mesmerized by the fire.
She is winding down pretty quickly.
This photo cracks me up. Could Jensen be any further away from the fire and still be able to roast her marshmallows? The fire was not THAT hot!

Have you ever seen the movie "Castaway" with Tom Hanks(he gets stranded on an uninhabited island and befriends a ball)? Here Jameson reminds me of the scene where Tom Hanks' character finally makes fire and dances around yelling/singing "FIRE! FIRE!" Sounding like "FIGH ARRRE"

Okay, okay, Our children are very easily entertained. Morgan and Jensen had a lot of fun taking turns standing on this rock!

Blowing up balloons just to jump on them to pop them..... and doing the "Hokey Pokey" that really is what it's all about! We had a fun night! We are really going to miss the wonderful people we know through the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic.

Jameson's Boy Scout Campout

2008-10-18T10:04:00.016-05:00

Thomas and Jameson went to a Boy Scout camp out last night. They are not even back home yet but Thomas just sent me these photos and I wanted to post them. Can you find the tree frog in this photo?

It isn't that difficult to see because of the extreme closeup, but from just a few feet away this guy would be hard to see!

I did clean it up a little on my computer.

Here Jameson is sharing with his Dad the joy he feels when he has dish washing duty. His acting is a little over the top. But I'd rather he had this attitude at home than the one he normally has when he has to wash dishes! :)

Megan's Oncology Checkup

2008-10-15T10:39:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post a couple days late. Megan had her blood work and monthly exam by her oncologist on Monday afternoon. Her counts are completely NORMAL. It still feels so good to say that! She is healthy and doing great. Her doctor did have her get a flu shot and a chicken pox immunization booster. She wasn't too excited about those, but they're over now. He also instructed me to get the other 5 in for their flu shots as well....Add one more thing to my to do list....Well really 5-7 more things, Thomas and I should get one too. :) Think the children will want to do that for a family night??? Yah, even I don't think I could figure out a way to have them get excited about that! :) Here's Megan at the game last Saturday, she's a little orange but that color is washable. Can you believe she had no hair just over 2 years ago. Wow, wish mine grew like that!

5K Update

2008-10-14T21:01:00.013-05:00

I am still trying to prepare for a 5k next year. So, I am trying to make time for walking/jogging/and moving in any way, anytime I can.(Okay, maybe not anytime, but more often.) I dropped the girls off at their activity tonight and walked around in the neighborhood they were in. I got some exercising in and saved gas too.(We don't live in the same town they have their bi-monthly activity in.)
It was beautiful out. Some of the walk was in a wooded area. The leaves are beginning to turn color. The air was cool, but not cold. The fallen leaves are beginning to make a blanket on the ground. As I walked through the crinkly beds of brown, yellow, and orange, the leaves crunched beneath my feet sending up wafts of that musty yet fragrant scent of Autumn. Occasionally I would walk past a Sycamore which leaves have an almost pungent smell. The sky was a patchwork of clouds with large areas of crystal blue sky. Something about this season always makes me nostalgic. I wonder why Autumn can't be 4 months long and winter 1 month. That would be a perfect world for me! :) I don't know how far I walked, it was only about 45 minutes, but it was beautiful.

Bats

2008-10-14T20:43:00.003-05:00

Okay, I am trying to hurry because Blogger is stating they have a scheduled outage in less than 15 minutes and with our dial up connection I am not sure how long this will take to post.
We received an email from the superintendent of the schools yesterday. Apparently, Weston's teacher is the one who came in contact with the bat last Thursday.

Here's the email:

A bat found in the gymnasium of OUR Elementary on October 9th, 2008 has tested positive for rabies. The bat was found after it came in contact with the foot of a teacher. The bat was captured and turned over to the OUR County Animal Control Officer for identification and testing. The District also notified the OUR B-County Health Department.

The teacher who came in contact with the bat is receiving precautionary medical treatment to prevent infection from rabies. There is no indication that contact with any student occurred. School officials immediately employed wildlife removal experts to examine the school and work is in progress to prevent future entries by bats into the building. No evidence of other bats was found and school will resume as scheduled on Tuesday, October 14th.

We sent them all to school, I think all the parents did, but this was after the children told me more stories of spotting bats at the school in the last few years. My biggest question? Why is this the first we've heard about it at home?
Personally, I like bats, they usually leave us alone and are major pest eaters, but the rabies issue changes my opinion. Even our little town can have excitement once in awhile....
If we are going to have excitement, why can't it be something fun and positive....Rabies!

Tagged

2008-10-13T06:29:00.007-05:00

I got tagged. So here's the game:Tag Rules: list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current goals, 3 current obsessions, and 3 random facts about yourself.

Joys

1: My Family
2: Nature/Outdoors(except bugs)
3: Fun Music or a Good Book

Fears

1: Someone harming my children.
2: The rabid bats at our kids school?(you'll have to see another post) :)
3: Debt

Current Goals

1: Prepare for 5k
2: Get the canning done for the season.
3: Become more organized, specifically at home.

Current Obsessions

1: Chocolate
2: Diet Soda(means more chocolate right?)
3: Trying to stay committed to preparing for a 5k next year. I do realize that 1 and 2 don't really help me realize #3.

Random Facts About Myself

1: I enjoy a fairly challenging sudoku problem.
2: I was at the top of my class in the last Chemistry class I took at college.
3: I'm a pretty low maintenance girl, when it comes to needing things. Probably a high maintenance girl when it comes to needing/wanting someone there for me emotionally.

I Tag Peggy

Illini Game

2008-10-11T18:27:00.020-05:00

Today was the homecoming game for the Illini. We had tickets through the pediatric hematology/oncology department at Carle. With that part of the clinic closing this will be our last game for awhile. :( The game was early so we were up early for a breakfast tailgate. We still had a few minutes of "peek a boo" with Kaylyn after her bath. She was bright eyed and ready to go.

Megan gearing up for cheering!

The girls with some of the U of I cheerleaders.

The anticipation for face painting was too much for Jensen and we couldn't get her to eat more than a few bites of breakfast.

The Sprague family was there too! Yay! We don't live far from each other and talk of getting together but get busy in our own lives and the getting together doesn't happen. Abby and Dani (above) were a great help with Kaylyn all day. (That baby is getting heavy!)

Jensen and Morgan, painted and ready for the game.

Above Weston, Below Morgan.

Even Kaylyn sported a little face paint. "Go Illini Go!"

Different Illini teams came to the 'Special Spectators Tent', including the girls softball team. They had bean bag tossing games at the tail gate. With all those competitive young adults there, competitiveness was bound to rub off on some of us. Here Morgan helps on one of the teams. Looks like she was having a great time.

It was a cool morning, but warmed quite a bit. Kaylyn changed from orange to pink but still had Illini on her shirt. I don't think you can see it in the photo, and she was oblivious, but we thought it was cute! Her 'I' for Illini didn't last long. She was enjoying some dehydrated apple in the photo below.

Abby holds a very tired Kaylyn.

Above Weston, Jameson, and Papa. Below, The Sprague and Eliason children after the game. We lost 27-20 but still had a fun time.
After the game their family and ours went to Monicals for dinner. (Papa's treat for us, thanks Papa!) Kaylyn, as usual, was so great all day. She was out so quickly when we left the game, but after the half hour drive to Monicals she was up again and ready to go.
At first the kids were all a little subdued, but after they ate their energy was restored. The photo below was taken while waiting for the pizzas.

Had to put this photo in. It took a looong time for our pizza to arrive. Patrick had a little Parmesan cheese during the wait.

It was a fun day.

Friday at Negangard's Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-10T22:30:00.010-05:00

Today was a long day. The children were out of school for a teacher improvement day and we planned to do our yearly pumpkin patch trip. We did a little shopping and breakfast, then headed to the pumpkin patch.

Okay, so it's NOT a pumpkin... Some kind of gourd or squash and Jameson's choice for the year.

Babies are so easy to please. A dollar for a pumpkin and a free wagon ride! Kaylyn had a great time.

Megan takes choosing very seriously. They look pretty similar in the photo, but when you are there, they are all very unique!

Weston with a smile and a thumbs up for his Dad.

This photo of Jameson gave me an idea. Could mean $$$! Instead of Cabbage Patch Dolls, How about Pumpkin Patch Pals....Mmmm, maybe more like Pumpkin Patch Pests???? :)

Morgan with her pumpkin and a pose.

"Um....excuse me....I seem to be buried beneath some produce....a little help here??"

Jensen was a bundle of energy. We didn't get one photo of her in the 'patch'. Here she is in time out(does the look on her face give that away?).

We left the patch and stopped at a park for cider and donuts for lunch(a family tradition). We then took the boys straight to our friend Melissa's for overdue hair cuts, then we headed home. Thomas and West turned right around and went to a scout activity, all I know is they cooked out and rode go carts. Sounds like he had a lot of fun.

We made these caramel apples from scratch. They are wicked! The caramel has the taste of a Werthers Original and it was so easy to make. The only reason they are 'puddling' is because I was afraid they wouldn't have enough caramel and I dipped some twice. That was a mistake, the caramel was plenty thick with one dip. With dinner and the caramel apples done, we canned 7 more quarts of applesauce(I mentioned that in the previous post). It was a great day!

Applesauce Continued :)

2008-10-10T17:30:00.007-05:00

It's plain by my title that this post is only for those who are truly bored! :) This(apples and canning) has been my life for the past few weeks. It's not that I have thought of little else. Actually, I do a really good job focusing on anything but canning, but, I finally made myself take the time to do the apples. Why is it that it is so easy to procrastinate?

Here I am picking apples, do I look like I am having fun? This is the day I went to go pick apples by myself and didn't last long. I was by myself, it was pretty chilly, and Kaylyn was in her car seat asleep. She woke up. I tried twice that day and was foiled twice, either by my laziness at wanting help with the job or by a little person who needed attention.

If you look hard you can see our dog Rose, who is great for some things, but picking apples is not on that list.

Our friends Becky and Cody Mitchell came out when the kids got out of school and helped pick. after an hour or so we had ten 5 gallon buckets filled with apples. It was great to get that done and even better to have help.

Our apples didn't magically turn red, the apples below were picked days earlier from different trees. The longer they sat, the guiltier I felt not getting them into jars. So, that's when I went back to the tree to pick even more apples(the whole scenario above)!... I'm a smart girl!

Here they are ready to be heated and sauced. I think that's the easiest part.

They are pretty! You know why? Because they are done! Yay!

This sauce is pink because of the color from the red skins. The applesauce we canned today is much more yellow/white. We had only a few red ones in the batch this time. This is the part that makes it all worth it. The only ingredient in this applesauce is apples. One thing we can eat that doesn't contain a bunch of additives.

Now, I only have to process 9-5 gallon buckets of Golden Delicious apples and one bucket of a red apple, not sure what variety. They are tart like Granny Smith. Maybe they want to become pies??

Here is Thomas helping to get the apples turned into sauce. He looks like he's having fun too!

Seriously, we are grateful for the abundance of apples this summer.

Applesauce

2008-10-06T21:29:00.003-05:00

After much procrastination, we are finally getting some applesauce canned. Kaylyn is not appreciating the lack of attention she is receiving. Even Megan told me a few weeks ago, "You're canning? I don't like it when you can." I asked her why. She replied, "'Cause when you are canning, that's all you care about." Pretty sad eh? I am now holding Kaylyn while I type. She doesn't think a baby who has been neglected for a portion of the day should lay in her crib alone right now. Love her tons, but it makes for awkward typing! We have only put up 20 pints. Hoping to equal that and also do many quarts tomorrow too. We'll see. Tuesdays things get busy around here. I need to talk to Megan tomorrow. I was pretty focused on the apples tonight but she was asking me question like, "Mom, if we have another great depression, will children have to work like they did in the last great depression?" She is such a serious child and worries about things. I don't really know what they are discussing in school but we will have to talk to her tomorrow. The poor thing will have ulcers by age 11 if she can't learn to chill a little bit! Of course, maybe she is just worried because she detests work so much! :) OK, if you think of me tomorrow, imagine the aroma of autumn apples cooking. Mmmm. It is nice, until you think you can never look at another apple again.

Daddy is Kaylyn's Hero!

2008-10-01T23:39:00.005-05:00

The last three posts have been about my morning 'jogs'. I am still doing them, "Yay me!".

Wednesdays have become a little crazy for us. Right after school until 5 Jameson has play practice(right here in town). From 6-8 Weston, Megan, and Morgan have football/cheer leading practice, about 8 miles west of us. Weston and Jameson have scouts, and young men's about 20 miles east of us. Jensen (5) and Kaylyn (10 months) get dragged along to either activity on any given Wednesday. We have allowed Weston to miss some scout meetings for a couple months to participate in football, something we never thought we would do. There are no boys Weston's age/grade in our ward(church). There may be new ones but haven't been any for a long time. We have been encouraged by his doctor to provide time for him to have social interaction with other boys his age. So, we made an exception. Thomas was just called as the 11 year old scout leader and football ends next week, so we are confident Weston will keep up on his scouts.
The past few weeks I have taken Jensen and Kaylyn with us when I take Jameson, and a few other car pool kids to the church. With all the rain we had after Ike, the mosquitoes have been pretty bad, at our last game I actually put bug spray on the baby. I put it on a wipe and just wiped her a little with it, still, UGH! Anyway, we again went to the church tonight, and I am glad we did because they would not have dealt with the 40 degree temps very well. With the gas prices I would have had a 'do I run the engine and turn the heater on while we watch the game or not?' war in my head.
Sitting in the foyer at church for an hour and a half was much more livable. Even with Jensen getting a little hyper. President Kingsley Allan played with her for about 20 minutes. He swung her around like a dance partner in "Dancing with the stars." I think that's what that show is called. She had the time of her life! I am going to have to call Jana (Kingsley's wife) tomorrow to see if he was able to get out of bed. I see a pinched nerve, or at the least a sore back in his future!
Kaylyn, our placid, calm, easygoing little girl has developed a major dislike. For the past month, if we put her in her car seat after dark, she will fuss, cry, and scream. She hates it. We usually don't use the word hate in our family. I guess it would still describe it to say she detests, abhors, or dislikes it to an extreme that has never been witnessed until now! Last week and this, our drive home was about 40 minutes more than usual because of dropping off other children. Kaylyn screamed the entire way both times. Tonight when I got home and walked into our bedroom with a baby who was still catching her breath from sobbing, she took one look at her dad, laughed, and lunged toward him from my arms. Even though he was several feet away. I am sure she was telling him all about the terrible ordeal her mother put her through. :) Poor thing! I hope she can outgrow this issue soon. It is only going to get darker earlier for the next few months and we are always needing to go for school events etc.
Thomas took her and she snuggled right in with him and fell fast asleep. I think he is her Hero!

Saturday Morning

2008-09-27T07:14:00.010-05:00

So, Saturday has come. I got myself up, not quite so early this morning, and made myself go out again. What kind of crazy lunatic(redundant?) awakens early on a Saturday to torture her tired, sore body with something that is going to continue to make her tired and sore? The answer is, 'This crazy lunatic'! This morning, Thomas decided he could bless me with his presence. I have to confess, I skipped yesterday, (I was awake from midnight to 5 am) so my justification for skipping was to make myself go twice as far this morning. I am loving this weather. It couldn't have been more than 50 degrees this morning. Some people think that is cold but I think it is glorious. Autumn has always been my favorite season. In recent years it seems that we have gone straight from summer to winter but we have had great weather this last month, aside from the monsoon and flooding that Ike brought to us. I love when the leaves change color, the brisk temperatures, and even the smell of autumn. I think camping this season is great too. It still gets fairly warm during the day, but not hot, perfect for a good hike. It's also cool enough to appreciate a good campfire. The insects begin dwindling too, that's a super bonus.

Back to our morning 'jog'. We headed out in the same direction, it felt different because it was dawn. My usual 'cover of darkness' gone with the rising of the morning sun. :) There is a pasture that I pass every morning, and it is usually too dark to see whether the horse is out or not. He was there this morning and he has to be one of the most social horses I have seen in a long time. He ran up to the fence, I threw him a little clover over the fence (I'm sure he had tons of it in his beautiful green pasture). But he dutifully obliged me and ate the clover I tossed. He let me scratch the side of his head for a minute and then he looked to see that Thomas and Rosie(our dog) had gone ahead. He playfully took off in his own little race with them. Rose will dart in and out of the pasture, a little nervous about this huge playmate, and the horse acts almost like the dog is his long lost friend. We were nearing what was about the halfway point for double my usual distance and I told Thomas that I couldn't watch him anymore. He was walking faster than I was jogging! Isn't that a little like rubbing salt in an open wound?? Oh, how so very sad and pathetic! I was joking with him, even laughed when I said it. He, however, took me seriously and began walking behind me. I think that's when he took this.

At the point where I turned, I told him to go ahead and get some running in, I would turn and start for home. He asked me if I was sure....Am I sure I don't want to go any further? YES! Will it hurt my feelings for him to go on ahead of me? Silly man. The dog however, was confused. As Thomas continued on and I headed back towards home she stood there in the road looking back and forth between us. Thomas began to call her and she began inching in his direction with an obvious uncertainty still giving me curious glances. He called her one more time and with a few gruff barks in my direction she shot off towards him.

Now I was just walking, with the airy vocal stylings of Berlin and 'Take My Breath Away" coming from my headphones. The big orange ball of the sun just clearing the horizon on my right. The bean fields with their top leaves just beginning to turn yellow and a little morning fog white and hazy over parts of the fields. There were even a few mourning doves and swallows out greeting the day. A great environment to put Wall Street, and our current gas and grocery prices out of my head for a time. Then, Billy Joel and "Downeaster Alexa" came on through my headphones. There is enough beat in that song to make me THINK about doing more than walking... But, that's all it was, a passing thought. Then as I came back upon the horse, who was just as happy to see me again, and nibble a little more clover. Carly Simon and "You're So Vain" came on. I don't know why, but I really do love that song. An apricot scarf and watching oneself gavotte! I could never be that creative with lyrics! Somewhere in the middle of the song Thomas caught back up with me. HE'S SOOOOO SLOW....Oh yeah, I can't fool you if you have been reading this up till now. After his run, (yes, he can still actually run, unlike his wife!) He was more than happy to keep pace with me during my walk home. As we neared home, "You Can Call Me Al" came on and, being a nerd from the eighties, I couldn't have been happier. Being heavy, and exercising in public embarrasses me. Imitating Chevy Chase performing on the sax does not, go figure. Thomas took a picture of me, forgot to save it...bummer! Great Saturday morning out in the fresh air. "I feel good, knew that I would now, I feel nice, sugar and spice!" My brother in law used to say something like, "Why couldn't every day be just this good?" Well, Dewey, "Ditto"!

September 25, 2008

2008-09-25T12:39:00.004-05:00

Okay, I don't think the stars that I said were a dipper were. Back pedaling to the fact that there is so much I don't know! Anyway, the stars were beautiful again this morning. It was pretty hard to haul my old, sore, and tired carcass out of bed this morning but the beautiful weather cooperated and makes me glad I did. As I was coming home, I saw the brightest falling star I have seen in a long time. It was so bright that I continued to see it as it fell behind some trees until the foliage of the trees finally became so thick that it did disappear. I also found a better site to view sky maps.

http://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/

At this site you can choose a nearby city and then plug in a time that you are viewing and you can get fairly accurate sky maps. After all my googling, I thought it was pretty cool. I am sure it would work better with a faster Internet connection. We have the oh, so, antiquated dial-up. Frustrating, but, grateful to have Internet!

I wrote about picking apples this last weekend. Those same apples are in my kitchen(three 5 gallon buckets), and on my front porch(two of those big plastic tubs with the rope handles). Plus a few more trees in need of being picked. Guess what we are doing over the next two days? Yep, applesauce. I really don't enjoy the canning process but it is so nice when Autumn has come to an end and we have dozens of pretty jars lined up to get us through another year. Plus, with the applesauce, it's just apples. No sugar added and it tastes great because the apples are picked and processed when they are ripe. Oh, and because they are grown on my father's farm, they are free. How can we let something like that go to waste??? Have you seen the price of a bag of apples recently? I am not even going to talk about bananas! We don't grow those so I do pay the 65 or more cents a pound about once a month for those organic pieces of gold. Some ripe bananas were on sale for 35 cents a pound last week. Helloo banana bread! I am pretty sure my family can get some potassium from eating banana bread too. I guess I did talk about bananas after all. Okay, miss Kaylyn has become mobile. I have moved her twice and she is, for a third time, out of my sight and sounding too happy about finding anything and everything not meant for a baby.

Early Morning Star Gazing.

2008-09-24T11:31:00.003-05:00

For the past three mornings as I have turned to come home on the morning 'jog', I have ambled along with a beautiful crescent moon hung low in the sky in the east ahead of me. The little dipper, or maybe the big one hangs in the dark sky on my right. I have always wanted to learn more about the stars and so today I googled a little on stargazing in central IL. Do you ever marvel at all there is that you don't know? I do, and the more I learn the more I realize there is so much that I don't know. It is really humbling. It's even more frustrating when, especially as I get older, I cannot retain things I have learned. I am adding a new link I found about star gazing. The next time you are out, look up and take just a moment to appreciate the vast expanse of this universe we live in.

Nature

2008-09-23T13:31:00.007-05:00

Living in a rural area like we do, I think it is easier to have moments to appreciate nature. As I was out on my 'jog' yesterday, I saw a falling star, breathed fresh country air, and worried that we might come upon a skunk crossing the road as we(my dog and I) slowly paced down the road. Okay, I worry a little about that last one every time I am out on a country road in the dark. I don't worry about serial killers, stalkers, or just plain nutty people. I worry that I might surprise a skunk and will have to remove myself from society for a month or two. Anyway we do have many opportunities to appreciate nature. We all picked some wonderful apples this last weekend too. I went out my back door this morning and found two spider webs with spiders intact. I don't want spiders in my home or on my body but I think they are fascinating creatures. Plus, they do eat other insects that I like even less. I tried to capture the biggest web in a photo. I was in a hurry and didn't do a great job but here it is. I can't stand the feel of spider webs but think the fact that those little creatures can make them is pretty cool. This one is huge.

My Painful Little Secret!

2008-09-23T11:24:00.004-05:00

Okay, I am going to spill my secret right here on this blog. This is something I haven't wanted to post because I am afraid I wont stick with it and posting it will mean I am not going to be the only one who knows I failed-if I fail. I am not a secret keeper, not my own. I can keep a friends secret just fine but my life is an open book. Here's a page from it....Thomas and I began talking several weeks ago about preparing for a 5k next year. I am so far gone-out of shape-used up-exhausted and old it will take at least a year to prepare for a 5k. ;) Anyway, I made myself start jogging(more like walking with a pathetic little bounce added in every step!) yesterday. I actually stuck with it again this morning. My best trick is to go before the sun has risen enough to add any light to the sky. That way, I feel I can preserve my self esteem just a little. So flashlight, dog, and mp3 player in tow I have headed out the past two mornings. We have had great weather. I am appreciating the weather and wondering how committed I will remain when it is much colder, wetter, and even when things warm up again and it will be hot and humid out....Pause to bring myself back to focusing on today! So, as I stated I have miraculously or pathetically(depends on your perspective) made it through two days of morning jogs. Is there something somewhere that says that when you are forty beginning an exercise program will hurt you so much in the beginning that that in and of itself will be a mountain you need to overcome. I AM SORE!!! Exercising when you are out of shape helps you to find muscles, ligaments, and joints you never knew you had or ones that have long been forgotten. Maybe even ones you never wanted to know about anyway, at least if finding them means you need to be in pain! OK, I think I have the whining out of my system, at least until Thomas gets home. If you read this before 3 no fair texting him or calling him and telling him not to come home! I will find you and you can hear more of my whining personally! :) Kaylyn is fussing so I will quit here. Hopefully, the next time I post I can at least report that I am still torturing myself with exercise. I'd rather torture myself by eating a little chocolate! I guess that wouldn't really be torture though would it.

Grandma and Grandpa go home and our Homecoming parade.

2008-09-20T03:05:00.007-05:00

Thomas' parents left yesterday. We had an extremely busy week while they were here and I am really tired. One week isn't long enough when it's been two years since we have seen them. I don't envy their drive back to Idaho! When we travel out west I never mind the drive out. The drive home always seem to take so much longer than the drive out.

Our homecoming was today. Megan, Morgan, and Weston were in the parade. The girls with the cheerleaders and Weston with the football players. I had to run to the store at the last minute to get some candy for them to throw from their floats. I guess they were all supposed to bring a bag, somehow I miss little details like that. (I will pay better attention to details in my next life!....I guess I need to stop using that line since I don't believe in reincarnation.) You'd think with three children who needed it I would have somehow gotten the message! Putting my spaciness aside, I am really glad we live in a small town where tossing candy in a parade has not yet been banned. I am beginning to sound old but I like the idea that my children can still experience some of the fun things that Thomas and I had and/or did when we were children.

Some of the things we did are not even legal now. I remember, during band camp one year, driving a dozen friends around for lunch. The back seat was removed from our 4x4 and they all sat around the floor in the back. We just drove a few blocks for lunch or whatever. The band director told us one day that he was following us out of the parking lot and we only had a couple inches of clearance from the ground in the back end of the 4x4. And yes we did at least one Chinese fire drill(I am sure we did several.). If you tell me you don't know what that is, you will make me feel very old so just pretend that you do!
We decided to skip the homecoming game tonight. The week has just been too full and busy and none of the kids are in high school yet. We had to let a few things go this week just to survive. I fell asleep early which is why I awakened at about 2 am and now have a chance to update the blog. Insomnia can be a well used tool! I spent money on candy today (too much money!)to get the chance to watch Jensen (and Jameson too) scavenge for candy tossed on the ground. Who says small town living isn't great!

Megan's Oncology Appt.

2008-09-16T20:53:00.006-05:00

Megan had a blood draw and clinic visit today. She is doing really well. The doctor discussed residual chemotherapy effects with me again. We know they are possible but don't dwell on the fact that they occur. He also wants her to see the neuro/eye doctor again in the next few months. No major concerns, he is just being his cautious self.
We were informed today that her oncologist is cutting back on the time he spends in the oncology field. He told us it wouldn't affect us much, with the exception of possibly having to see him in different offices at different times. From what I understand though, it does mean that children now being diagnosed with cancer in this area will once again have to travel farther away (Like St. Louis, which is three hours away) to receive chemotherapy. I think that is so sad. Our life would have been so much more difficult if we would have had to travel that far for chemo one to four times a month (and even more in the beginning). Wow! We were so blessed that we were able to have Megan get most of her therapy so close to home while she was in treatment. She received her treatment in the same building that Kaylyn was born in. It is the nearest hospital/clinic to us. My heart really goes out to people who will have all that to deal with. - A child in treatment, traveling, gas prices, etc. What a stress to add to something that is pretty overwhelming to begin with.
On a brighter note, as I glossed over in the last post, Thomas' parents are visiting. It is wonderful to see them. The children are loving it. We haven't seen them for two years. This is also the first time they have been able to see Kaylyn. The time is flying by and I have not been getting much sleep so I am closing for now so I can get some rest for tomorrow!

Water, Water, Everywhere!

2008-09-14T16:27:00.012-05:00

Thanks to Hurricane Ike we have had rain. A LOT of rain. My dad's rain gage measured 5 and 1/2 inches since yesterday. I know we are lucky compared to most but once again we have a moat around our home, the cute little castle that it is! Here are some photos we took around our village, um I mean kingdom, today.

The crosswalk above is used by the Jr. High students to cross between schools for band and lunch. They may need flippers and a life jacket tomorrow. Maybe we'll send Jameson with those!

Some of the pictures are at Megan and Weston's school. We wonder how much water will still be there tomorrow.

Here Jen is trying in earnest to climb the monkey bars, while avoiding getting wet, all in her Sunday dress. She managed it just fine!

Here are 4 of the children on the playground at the school.

Yesterday Grandma and Grandpa went to the kid's football game with us and then we came home and had a big birthday party for all the kids. Grandma and Grandpa brought them a wii for their combined birthday present. I have never seen 5 more ecstatic children in my life! That was a fun secret to keep from them!

Kaylyn loves her Grandma and Grandpa.

It really isn't much to look at but this little box has caused a lot of excitement at our house!

Our Resident Arachnophobe and her Phobic Experience!

2008-08-21T08:10:00.000-05:00

When we were at football/cheer leading practice last evening Megan found a small toad. He couldn't have been bigger than a quarter. The poor thing, once found, was subjected to two hours of torment and handling by many fascinated children. When we got home the children went to sleep out in a tent we have up in the back yard. We put it up a few nights ago for an end of the summer fun activity for the children. In addition to sleeping bags, there is a TV with a gamecube attached. I know, I know, it's not the kind of 'camping' we did when we were little, but it is fun! Anyway, around midnight (about two hours after they went out) we heard thunder and Thomas went out to bring them in for the night. The next thing I knew, Megan was at my bedside, blankets and pillow in tow, crying. Here's our conversation. (Mom) "What's wrong Megan?' (Megan, in somewhat of a wail.) "I picked up a spider." (Mom, confused 'cause she knows that Megan is deathly afraid of spiders.) "What? Why did you pick up a spider?" (Megan, catching her breath between sobs.) "I thought it was a toad." (Mom, openly laughing after the puzzle begins to come together.) "Why would you think it was a toad?" (Megan who is becoming more upset and offended because her mother is laughing about her horrible experience lets out this wail.) "It was hopping!!!" (Mom, hugging Megan but still laughing, there is no controlling it now.) "I'm sorry Megan." (Megan, still wailing.) "It was hopping. So I picked it up and IT WAS FURRY! (Mom's hysterical laughing makes her pause for a moment.) so I threw it down!"
I know there are good mothers out there who would have felt her pain and when I really think about it, it does make my skin crawl. But I began relating to her my thoughts for that poor spider. Who was so unloved just because he wasn't a leaping green toad. Four extra legs, a little fur, and the amazing ability to spin webs were all the difference to make him frightening instead of fascinating. Enough to literally maker her harshly cast him away! That poor spider! These thoughts, of course, were not making points for me with Megan.
I think the thing that really topped it all off for me and had me laughing so uncontrollably is that when her brothers came in they informed us that this happened 2 HOURS before on their way OUT to the tent. The way Megan had been acting I thought it had just barely happened as she came in. When I brought this up to her she kinda wailed again saying. "Well, the boys have been teasing me about it." Leave it to her brothers to take a horrible moment and make her keep reliving it.
I am still laughing every time I think about her wailing. "It was FURRY!" or even "But it was HOPPING!"

August 18, 2008

2008-08-18T21:46:00.001-05:00

Last week Weston announced to us that he wanted to sign up for football when the season came.... His sisters have been doing cheerleading practice for over a month. Football practice began the same day cheerleading did. We just love our Weston! Thomas and I both thought it was too late. I brought it up last Saturday at the football Jamboree, at which the girls were cheering. I then found out that he could still sign up. So thanks to a great clinic, nurse, and doctor we were able to get a physical squeezed in today. We picked up a brand spankin new pair of cleats and took him to his first practice tonight. Or so I thought. Apparently the younger boys and older boys were practicing tonight. The boys his age(JV) practive tomorrow. So, the great coaches had him work with the younger boys tonight. Weston is 11, 64 inches tall and 145 pounds. He is tall around boys his own age. So on the field with the younger boys he really stood out. Football is a new sport for our family so it will be fun watching him learn and play.
Today, Thomas and I have been married 18 years. We met and were immediately fast friends over 21 years ago. It is such a cliche' but where does the time go? He still makes me smile and laugh every day. I have a silly grin on my face just writing that so I will move on to say that I am grateful for the blessings I have in my life.

Over the Hill, Or Maybe Not!

2008-08-15T09:24:00.000-05:00

This is a quick one 'cause I am leaving with the children soon. I turned 40 yesterday, it came and went like all my other birthdays have and, in the end I am feeling lucky to be 40. Some people don't get the chance to turn 40. I never thought it would bother me like it does some people, but the day before my birthday I told Jameson(13) that I was going to be old tomorrow. He replied, "No, you're not old til you're 50." I laughed and he was actually a little offended and said. "I'm serious, it's a fact, everybody knows that!" So, in light of my new found wisdom, I have another 10 years until I am old. Now that I've said that, I am sure one of the children will push that age back another 10 years when this decade has passed. So, I guess I will never be old. I will just pass my years until I have none left and pass from this world a young albeit fairly weathered woman! Chuckle chuckle. What would we do without the wisdom, love, and unintentional humor of our children?

August 12, 2008

2008-08-12T16:18:00.000-05:00

OK, so we are only a little full of ourselves! But hey, eight rhymes with great. If we were 4 we could be poor, or 2 we could be blue, or 9 could be fine. If anyone is wondering, no we are not going for nine! The great 8 works really well for us!
I have been wanting to start something like this for some time. I tried a 'my space' after some encouragement from one of my sisters. That was fine but I have been looking for something we might like better. A friend suggested this site today, maybe this will be it. We are in the middle of canning season. Peaches and peach jam are being processed this week. Thomas' parents are coming for a visit soon and so we are trying to organize some before they get here. Those two activities and the children's activities are keeping us pretty busy right now. It's funny to start a blog at a time when nothing exciting is happening. Earlier this summer Morgan and I went on a wonderful trip to San Francisco. Thomas had a cochlear implant implanted. Morgan was baptized. My father also got about 75 baby chicks for the children to help him raise. He is going to let the boys sell their eggs when they start laying. It is nice knowing we will be getting fresh eggs from free range chickens and not ones that have to spend their lives in little metal cages. Now the summer is winding down, we registered the children for school yesterday, and we are getting back to 'business as usual' here at the Eliason house.