Night feedings

This morning Lauren came in with sleepy eyes and said,

"I didn't sleep very well lastnight."

"Oh I'm sorry did you have a bad dream?"

"No, I was up feeding Anne in the night. She was so hungry."

Lauren is a great Mommy to Anne. And Anne has become a part of our family.

Our Special Week

Our family tradition of our Special Week began a few years ago when Dave and I felt a great need to teach our kids to be grateful for always having food to eat, clothes to wear, toys...yes the abundance of toys, electricity, TV, microwave, warm beds, air-conditioning and all the other conveniences we are blessed with. We decided to make one week out of the summer resemble as close as possible to living without...without what? Without. Just living without. All the wants that we come to think of as needs. We don't use lights or TV. When it gets dark, there is nothing to do but go to bed. We eat things from natural sources. Fruits and veggies things that can be made from scratch like bread and tortillas. We try to rough it (laugh) as much as possible in a neighborhood. The kids wash clothes and hang them to dry. They wash their dishes by hand after each meal outside with the hose. This year I wanted them to feel a sense of duty to help provide for the families basic needs. So each morning they did hard labor for three hours. Scrubbing window sills and floorboards. Deep cleaning cupboards and lots of yard work. They would earn money for their work and then combine the money to buy the food at "the market" which was like a fruit stand I set up each afternoon in the backyard and they would have a shopping list of ingredients for dinner that night. So they were responsible for working to buy the food for that nights dinner. Which is not uncommon for children in other countries to have to earn money with the family for basic needs like dinner. If our kids didn't work...they didn't get dinner that night. Their first job of mopping the kitchen floor we had so much arguing and complaining that at the end of it I told them they weren't getting paid for that job. They did a little better after that.

Monday morning I woke them up at 5:45am to gather apples (tied to the back tree) and eggs from the barn (in the shed) for breakfast and to gather firewood (pine cones) that were scattered around the yard. They were less than thrilled to wake up at such an early hour.

Here's the boys doing some hard labor.

The food from the market. Brown rice, green beans, an onion and they had money left over for some nectarines and lemons.

Washing dishes.

Baking bread. I know lots of you bake bread a lot...I do not. It wore me out. Baking baking baking. I felt like I was constantly preparing for the next meal. Bake bread in the morning so we can eat lunch that day.


We had a great time picking peaches with the kids and it was extra fun with Jon and Heidi in town.

That is our new puppy in the picture with us....umm...that's a whole different subject.

My favorite part of our special week is to walk up the stairs by candle light and have the kids brush their teeth and get ready for bed by the light of the candle. Eventually when the kids get older we'd like to expand our special week and take them somewhere in the world in central or south america so they can actually see how other people live and do some service like working in an orphanage like my sister did or do some building projects. But for now this will have to do. Hopefully they are learning something. If not it will be a fun memory anyway. I can hear them now, "Remember when mom made us take a shower in the hose outside?...yeah that was weird."

A Dog named Daisy

One week from today our family will be picking up our sweet new puppy. I have been having this insane craving for a puppy for months now. Kurt goes crazy everytime he sees or hears a dog and even though I promised I'd never have a dog while we live in a neighborhood I feel like it's the right time for our family. The kids of course can't wait. I am a little nervous because I've never been a dog person, but I have to admit that I am excited too...I've been having dreams about our puppy all week....Is that normal???

ps She will be completely an outside dog. That is the only way I can do this.

Goodbye yard.

LEGOLAND!

We spent two days at Legoland. The kids were in heaven. Their two favorite things...legos and cousins!

The kids were able to attend Obama's inaguration into the white house. With the rest of the lego spectators.

Our family vacation...Full of fun with many moments of chaos and a touch of insanity, but most important- wonderful togetherness memories.

Cousins and the 4th of July

We loved being with the Teares to celebrate the 4th of July. All the kids were in the Tehachapi parade. We even convinced Nicole to ride in a stroller dressed as the statue of liberty and play the keyboard. She played the Star spangled banner, the entertainer (which I thought sounded like the popcycle truck coming down the street), the StarWars thoneroom song and some others that she has for memory. It was awesome and hillarious at the same time. The other kids were on scooters and roller blades. Ylfe and Shawn also had their guinea pigs in the wheel barrow. Sweet! What a memory.

From the Redwood forest...to the San Diego waters

My favorite site to see on our way down to California was the Redwood forest.

I loved it. It was so beautiful.

We visited the San Diego temple for the first time. Breathtaking! And had a blast at the beach with the Teares.

Oregon Caves and the Wildlife Safari

We recently returned from our family vacation to Legoland California. Let me start by saying that a roadtrip with 5 kids borders insanity at some points and at other times you look around and you can't help feeling totally overwhelmed with joy. There were many moments of chaos packed in a van with snacks, pillows, crumbs, diapers, carbage (car garbage), tv-dvd cords, and everything else. We stopped at a few sights along the way. The line from National Lampoons WalleyWorld vacation popped into my head a few times...

"Or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face
of the earth that happens to be only 4 short miles away."

All in all we saw some amazing things and created some amazing memories.

Our first stop was touring the Oregon caves. Dave and the three older kids went on the full 90 minute tour of the caves. Squeezing though tight crawl spaces and up and down steep stair cases. Even though it was 90 degrees outside, as soon as you got to the cave opening it was like an air conditioner blasting you. It felt so good. The temperature in the caves was about 40 degrees. Lauren, Kurt and I got to go into the first "room" of the cave and then we went back to the lodge and Lauren worked in this work book and certified to be a Jr. Ranger. When she finished her work book this little old lady tour guide said "I'd like to announce that Lauren has become our newest Jr. Ranger!" Then every one in the little gift shop clapped. It was hilarious. Then Lauren had to repeat a ranger pledge. Something like..."I promise to preserve and protect nature. And to obey the rules of the park and have a good time." It was great.

We also stopped at the Oregon Wildlife Safari. You drive through this park and there are giraffes, buffalo, zebra, ostriches, rhinos, elk and many other animals along the way roaming free. It was amazing. We got our van washed by two elephants that sprayed our car and then the cutest part was when they pick up sponges with their trunks and washed the window. It was adorable!

One Awesome Dad!

I can't imagine a better Dad for our kids than Dave. He is awesome. In everything he does he is always teaching them. Whether it's life lessons or interesting facts here and there he has a way of telling them something and getting them excited to do it and to learn more. He is such a great man. I am so grateful to him for taking time to play with them, teach them and love them.

Goodbye...dang it.

I've finally accepted the fact that my sister Jandi doesn't live within walking distance anymore. I have been in denial for a month now. Finally after walking by her empty apartment a few times and banging fiercely on the door with no answer I think it's for real. I'm so happy that Jandi and Kenny and baby Myles lived here in Molalla the last 2 years...but this really bites to have them gone. Miss you guys! Move back soon!!!