Summer lovin' had me a blast!

The last time I posted was in July.  

Apparently I'm a slacker.  Or, I've been really busy.  

While I have been busy, I'm still a slacker.

We had a great summer!  

Samuel played soccer coached by Stuart.  KatieJo went to Grandma and Grandpa Mobley's, Maija hung out at home and Phillip had surgery to take out his tonsils and adenoids.  

The doctor told us it would be great for the first day or so and then he'd get worse.  They weren't joking with us.  He only needed pain meds once the first day and then he needed them right on schedule or he'd be in a lot of pain!  He's healed now and his throat looks fabulous.  Although he now has a very nasally voice that is a little high pitched.  We're pretty sure it's because he had such big adenoids and tonsils that he just hasn't managed to figure out how to talk right without them yet.  

We got to visit both the Baxley family and the Mobley's in August.  We met Chaney's family in Yellowstone for a week.  We all loved Yellowstone!  It was amazing and the kids are already asking to go back.  

After Yellowstone we stayed with Stuart's parents and got to celebrate Stuart's dad's 60th birthday and for got to be in the Temple with 10 of Stuart's siblings while the youngest 3 were sealed to the family.  

Then school started.  

Such a sad day in our home.  It means we don't really see Stuart until the first week in November.  

All 4 kids are in school for at least part of the day 4 days a week.  Maija and Phillip are in school for 2.5 hours a day and I get those hours all to myself.  I really thought I'd be bored and I was for exactly one day and then I figured out I'm a whole lot more busy when they are in school than I ever planned on being!

We don't have a lot of downtime right now.  Both boys are playing flag football and so when we could be home on Saturday they both have games at different times.  

Whew!  I really thought we'd get back into a good rhythm once school started but I'm starting to think we had it really good this summer!

Lonely

I love my kids.  And I have a hard time being away from them.

Needless to say when Stuart and KatieJo talked about her spending a few weeks with Stuart's parents this summer I was apprehensive.  Truthfully apprehensive doesn't quite do how I was feeling justice.  

It has nothing to do with where she is but more the fact that she's not at home with us.  

I gave in and let her go.

But OH HOW I MISS THAT GIRL!

I miss just chatting with her, going grocery shopping or just plain shopping and listening to her giggle.

We go get her next weekend and I can't wait!

We've talked to her just about every evening, but it's just not the same.  

I'm glad she's having a good time getting to know her new Aunt's and playing with her cousins.  

However, I am SO very excited to have our family complete again!

This next week Samuel will be gone camping with his best friends family.  I'm glad he too is having and adventure this summer.  It's just so quiet around the house!
  I get tired of their fighting, but I sure do miss them when they are gone!!

We have one of the sweetest nephews staying with us this week!

Due to a sad turn of events we have the privileged of having Stuart's oldest sister's son Joshua staying with us until we head back to Montana later this week.

He is 2 months older than Samuel and he is super sweet and quiet...although that may be because my kids are LOUD!

Stuart's Grandpa Staples passed away on Sunday morning. 

We are very sad that Grandpa is gone, however he was in the last stages of Alzheimers and had recently lost a lot of weight.  It was very quick and from what I've been told fairly painless.  We didn't find out until last week that he was sick at all. 

Stuart and Samuel managed to make it back to Montana VERY early Saturday morning with Stuart's brother James and they got to spend the day Saturday with Grandpa.

I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to know Grandpa Staples.  He was an amazing man!  When Stuart and I got married he looked at Stuart and said "if you hurt her, you'll answer to me."  I hadn't even known him for a week at that point.  I will always love him for making me feel special!

Rest in Peace Grandpa!  Can't wait until we get to see you again!

I Chose You

We have this book by Lindsey Shumway.

Most of you know we've adopted 3 of our 4 children.  The first time I saw this book I started crying.  

Stuart thought I was nuts, but bought the book for me.  

You see, I've know for a LONG time that KatieJo, Samuel & Maija were meant to be mine. 

And when I found this book I realized that they really were meant to be mine.

Both KatieJo and Samuel have asked a lot of questions about their adoption and whether we love them more than Phillip.  

We've always told them that they were lucky because we got to choose them. 

This book is a favorite in our house for that reason and many others. 

If you haven't read this book you should.  

With a box of tissues.

I'm so grateful for my children!

And I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who let me "choose" them!

This post was brought on because I have 3 sick children right now.  Funny enough I'm not particularly stressed out by it.  I haven't gotten anything done what so ever.  Not even laundry.  (Bless Stuart and his willingness to do laundry!)

We've been doing a lot of reading lately.  In fact that's all Maija wants to do.  And, of course we've read this book a lot.  

I'm not thrilled that my babies are sick, but it sure is nice to be able to just stop and cuddle.  Usually they are too busy to cuddle and read forever with me.  But not this week, and I intend to enjoy every second of it!

Just Dance

I've discovered something about myself in the past month.  

It doesn't necessarily come as a shock to me.  And I'm pretty sure it won't to you either.

I'm a very rigid parent.  

I like to control things....A lot.

My poor children. 

I'm not very good at dropping things and just going with the flow.  It's my way or no way.

I have one child who is the same way.  

Unfortunately we both think we should be right which has led to quite a few power struggles.

And some counseling sessions.  Okay, a lot of counseling sessions for the said child and us as parents. 

You know what I've learned? 

I've got to let go and relax.

Turns out that's harder to do than I imagined.  

I'm trying.  VERY hard.

We danced while I was making dinner tonight.  For 15 minutes (doesn't sound like a lot, but I was cooking at the same time).  

Before the reformed me came out I would have been telling them to clean something, or do something constructive.  The reformed me however danced.  

And it was fun.  And we were all smiling.  

AND the best part...Stuart came home to a very happy family.

I think we'll do it again before bed. 

Dancing is good for the soul (and the waistline...LOL!)

And for the short people who live in my house and like to dance with mom...on her feet.

Gotta love that!

She had a birthday...Shout Hooray!

I think I say this every year, but I'm fairly certain I'm not old enough to have a 10 year-old daughter!!

KatieJo turned 10 yesterday and had a great day.

She had a manicure and pedicure earlier in the week and I repainted her nails for her birthday.

She also got to go shopping and picked out some new clothes earlier in the week for her present from us.

So she put on one of her new dresses and then we headed to Wally World to get some treats for the movie we were taking her and some friends to.

After picking up her friends we headed to the theater and watched Mirror Mirror.  Cute movie!

I think all the girls had a fantastic time, and felt pretty special because none of them get to go to the theater very often.  

After the movie we came home and had her mint chocolate cake (chocolate cake on the bottom with mint chocolate chip ice cream layered on top then frozen and stabilized whip cream and crushed mint chocolate oreos on top) and she got to open her presents.  

She said her day went way too fast.  I would agree, but it was fun none the less!

Our beautiful girl in her Easter finery.  

 getting ready to get her friends

 Happy Birthday!

20 Questions with KatieJo:

1. What is your favorite color? purple, aqua and brown

2. What is your favorite toy? Don't have one. 

3. What is your favorite fruit?  grapes

4. What is your favorite tv show?  Alvin & the Chipmunks

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  Peanut butter & honey sandwiches

6. What is your favorite outfit?  Shorts & a t-shirt (like Daddy)

7. What is your favorite game?  Monopoly Deal

8. What is your favorite snack?  orange

9. What is your favorite animal?  Dog

10. What is your favorite song?  Child of God

11. What is your favorite book?  Beverly Cleary books

12. Who is your best friend?  Shelby

13. What is your favorite cereal?  Frosted Flakes

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Ride a bike

15. What is your favorite drink? Pineapple Juice

16. What is your favorite holiday?  Easter

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  Buggles (her teddy bear she's had since she was 2)

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?  German pancakes

20. What do you want to be when you grow up?  Math Teacher

Guest conducting

In the fall Stuart got a call from an old colleague asking if he wanted to come back up to Curlew and be the guest conductor for the Panoramic Music Festival that he took kids to when he worked up there.

He has been so excited all year!  The kids and I were excited as well because any chance we get to visit the Haddenhams is exciting!

We got there Thursday afternoon and it was raining...HARD!  In a typically city rain is an inconvenience.
In Ferry County it can be a tad.....muddy and debilitating.  

When we headed up the dirt road to Holly and AJ's we realized how bad it was when the road we were driving on was missing HUGE portions of the actual road.  Then, thankfully we have Ruby who is 4-wheel drive because their driveway was washed out....I should have taken pictures!

Friday morning Holly, Phillip, Maija and I drove Stuart into the school and then headed into town for a little grocery shopping.  We tried to go back at one point, but the grater was on the driveway fixing it so that we could get back to the house so we left for a little while again.  

It was still incredibly muddy when we left for the concert Friday night, but at least it was driveable!

When we got to the school this is what I saw.....  

 Man he looks good in a penguin suit!!

The choir wasn't terribly large, but it is a small schools festival and they sounded AWESOME!

This is a picture standing at their house looking out at one of the pastures.

the sheep!

 Holly and AJ live on 40 some odd acres and have 12 horses (one of which is a miniature pony), 8 dogs, 2 cats, 4 guiney pigs, a ton of sheep and 1 bottle fed lamb who has to be the cutest thing I've ever seen!

Phillip thinks Holly is his, and his only.  Holly too thinks Phillip belongs to her.  So when he asked if he could ride Duece Holly got out the riding gear.

 And here we have a VERY happy Phillip!

 Samuel and Duece looking good!

 KatieJo thought this was the greatest thing ever especially since she wants riding lessons for her birthday.

 And I'm pretty sure Maija had her dreams come true being on that horse.  She LOVES loves LOVES anything to do with horses!

 After doing chores at Cathy's we came back and played games....like Quelf.  Love Quelf, and LOVE playing it with Holly, Cathy, AJ and Stuart.  HILARIOUS!  If you're wondering that is wrapping paper around Cathy and Holly does have a box under her shirt.  You really have to play the game!

 Then there were some Jedi fights.  As it turns out AJ really does know how to fence.  Samuel....not so much. 

 And we got to eat homemade ice cream in homemade waffle cones.  Holly even made me sugar free cones with sugar free ice cream!

 And last but not least we got to ride the Ferry TWICE.  Maija was convinced there were sharks in the Columbia River.  And Phillip wanted to go swimming.  The rest of us just wanted to get back into the car because the wind was cold!!!