It All Started When.....

about three weeks ago we had beautiful weather, and I thought it would be fun to wash off the swings so that the kids could play on them.
I turned on the faucet and filled a bucket.
When I returned to fill the bucket again I thought to myself,
"wow, that water really sprayed everywhere."
As I filled the bucket again, I realized the water wasn't 'spraying' everywhere,
it was 'gushing' everywhere.
I called to Chris and told him I thought we might have a leak. It looked like a waterfall was behind the siding. We braced ourselves for having to rip off the siding.
The next morning Chris found that the water wasn't just outside, it was inside our room as well.
The carpet was soaked.
The water damage extended the entire width of our bedroom and half the length of it.

It appears that the kitchen floor was not damaged, but is just suffering cosmetically right now with missing baseboards, holes and an exposed pipe.
We spent several hours dismantling our bed and moving it and the mattresses into Myles's room, moving clothes and furniture, scrap booking supplies, and books into the girls' room and the living room.
Then Chris tore up the carpet and padding and put our big fan in our room to start drying it out.
The following Monday Servpro was out and cut two holes in our kitchen walls and one in our bedroom wall. I never appreciated quiet so much until after the three huge fans were taken away.
A day later the plumber came to fix the culprit............

Now we are just in the process of getting bids to fix what needs to be repaired.
Chris and I are really enjoying living out of the living room.....
blankets, pillows and clothes are everywhere.
On the bright side, I get to pick out a new color for my room, and I won't have to do the painting.

It really is not bad and certainly could have been worse. I will truly appreciate having a bedroom again, and won't complain about a cramped living room, as it will seem like I have tons of room once we move everything back into our room.

I think we have learned a lot during the process so far.

Really, life is good around here.
Aeva has her second recital next weekend. She just started her new books and is so excited.
Rhaevyn is still loving fencing on Saturdays and is enjoying her violin lessons as well.
Here are her and Aeva playing a duet together.

Aeva has even taught Rhaevyn to play a piano duet with her. It is so fun to here them play it together and giggle while they do it.
The kids have enjoyed playing outside lately. Here they are playing bubbles.

I love this picture of Elsa. I look at it and think it says everything about her personality right now. She is quite a character.

Yesterday I had to laugh. After dinner Myles was running laps around the kitchen table. He just kept going and going. I looked at Chris and started to laugh and said "Life is good isn't it?"
Then an hour later Elsa was chasing Chris around the table and I thought to myself "Yes, life is really good."
So, we may have carpet missing in our room, three holes in three separate walls, clothes and furniture out of place, a loud piano playing, a screechy violin whaling, a very boisterous Elsa and a rambunctious little boy. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
Come what may, I'll love it!

Sweet Dreams!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the women in my life.........

my dear Mother, my Nana, my Aunts, my sister (s), sisters in law, friends, cousins, and mothers in law. May you all have a very wonderful day today.

The mother's heart

is the child's school room.

-- Henry Ward Beecher

The best academy,

the mother's knee.

-- James Russell Lowel

A mother is the truest friend we have,

when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us;

when adversity takes the place of prosperity;

when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us;

when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us,

and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels

to dissipate the clouds of darkness,

and cause peace to return to our hearts.

--Washington Irving

Who fed me from her gentle breast

and hushed me in her arms to rest,

and on my cheek sweet kisses prest?

My Mother

--Ann Taylor

Mother love is the fuel that enables

a normal human being to do the impossible.

--Marion C. Garretty

I love my mother as the trees love

water and sunshine--she helps me grow,

prosper, and reach great heights.

--Terri Guillemets

Ring, ring.......

Discoveries

I have been thinking back over our week here, and what a funny, fun and wonderful week it has been.
I have discovered some interesting things about my children this past week.
Discovery #1

Myles is really getting into helping. When the girls do their chores or help out in some way, he wants to know what "his job" is.
I had to laugh this morning because as I was emptying the dishwasher he came over and said "oh I can help with that, mom." He ended up putting all the dishes away that were within his reach." As I type this he just came into the kitchen holding Elsa's hand telling me that she was grinding her teeth again. I told him that if he put a binky in her mouth that might help her to stop. So, there he was still holding on to her hand and reaching with his free hand to open the drawer and get a clean binky. I just love watching those two. I know I have said it before, but there is just something special about the bond between them.

Discovery #2

Myles like using the big words that he hears. Today he was talking to me about a "Q- mew- low- nim-bus" cloud that was in the sky and asking me what was in it. Then he told me he had a hypothesis. I just found it quite cute and funny.

Discovery #3

Myels likes coconut. Aw, a boy after my own taste buds. He and I had a bowl of oatmeal with toasted coconut mixed in it this morning...Delicious!



Discovery #4
Okay, this isn't quite a new discovery but a good lead in.....
The best way to get through times when you just want to sit down and cry is to laugh instead.
Wednesday night was quite comical. Chris was at a meeting, so it was just me and the kids. Everyone had had a bath or shower except Aeva who was taking one while I changed a wonderful aromatic diaper of Elsa's. I got her changed, but hadn't gotten her pajamas back on. While I was washing Aeva's hair she says to me "what is Elsa doing?" I turn around to see that Elsa had ripped off her diaper and there were Desitin skid marks across the bathroom floor. Then all of a sudden I hear Rhaevyn say, as he steps into the bathroom "ew what is this?" Elsa had tinkled on the floor. So, Rhaevyn is standing there with one foot on the floor and the wet one up off the floor. I have a hold of Elsa and decide I probably should shower off her legs at least. I put her in with Aeva and yell for Myles who is in bed. I tell him I need help, but poor thing didn't want to help as he doesn't like the dark. He didn't want to go down the hall and started to cry. Now I have Elsa crying because she slipped in the tub. I am thinking to myself I need another me right about now. So, I throw Rhaevyn a towel so she can at least have both feet on the floor, then wrap Elsa up and hand her to Rhaevyn. I get Myles back to bed and get the cleaning supplies. Meanwhile the phone rings, but the batteries are dead, so I can't answer it. The best part of it all was when I called my mom back I could laugh about it .
Dicovery #5

Elsa loves Ring Around the Rosey. You just ask her if she wants to play it and she comes rushing over to hold hands.

Discovery #6
Elsa loves the sound of thunder. She laughs when she hears it. Aw, a girl after my own sense.

Discovery #7

Rhaevyn loves history, the Civil War and music from that era. A mini-me.
Discovery #8++++
Everyday I am discovering new reasons as to why I married Chris. He has his quirks and idiosyncrasies (who doesn't?), but I sure love that guy.

Et cetera:
Rhaevyn and Aeva have been doing an online class for literature. It is called a literature circle, and the current class is for Charlotte's Web. They are really enjoying the class, and I am glad. Rhaevyn wasn't so sure about it at first. There are about 50 other kids in the class. They can sign up for different jobs to do from reading to coming up with questions that you can either find answers for in the book or that require your thought or opinion. Rhaevyn got brave enough to sign up for a job this past Wednesday. She had us and a friend cheering her on. Aeva signed up for a job the first day and just signed up for another one for Monday. This has really been good for them.
Chris surprised me last night with an early birthday/mother's day/anniversary present. Rhaevyn wanted him to wrap it, but I think he was just too excited and couldn't wait. He has been wanting to get me this present since we got married. I have been wanting this since I was a senior in high school. It was finally affordable. It is the Ken Burns Civil War documentary. I love it!! I can say I was totally surprised.

Well, happy discovering to all of you this week.

Not Forgotten, Just a Busy Bee

I was looking over my blog and thinking it had been a while since I had posted.
I was right, it had been. I totally forgot to post anything last weekend.
I was thinking to myself, "how did that happen, what was I doing?"
Then I remembered that last Saturday I was learning to tie a quilt, teaching how to make newborn caps, and putting together hygiene kits that will be sent all over the world to those in need.
It was a busy day, but really quite a lot of fun.

So, although I temporarily forgot about updating the blog, I am back and ready now.

We are in the home stretch of finishing up school for the year.
It is starting to get busy with scantron testing for WAVA, state testing for Washington, and finishing up the subjects and semester finals. We are excited, but feeling the business of it all.

Rhaevyn is growing like a sunflower. She is getting so tall.
She is coming up on studying the Civil War in history.
Last week we watched all episodes of the Ken Burns documentary
that he did on the Civil War. This was probably my fourth time watching it, but Rhaevyn's first.
She enjoyed it and came up with some really good questions which led us to do some
investigating of our own on this tumultuous time in our nation's history.
It has really been fun.
She has her last class of fencing this coming Monday through the Parks and Rec Center.
Her fencing teacher has opened up his own school, so she will be starting there next month.

Aeva is still loving piano. She is nearing the end of the set of her current books and looking forward to another recital in June. She just started learning sharps this last week.
She has been working on fractions and was a bit apprehensive about this, but has discovered that she is actually quite good at them and they are nothing to fear after all. I have finally learned this too (that they are nothing to fear).

Myles, my very rambunctious little fellow never ceases to amaze me and always makes me feel very blessed to be his mother. I think I've grown a lot because I am always learning something new with him. I have discovered a wonderful thing about having a boy. It 's a lot easier to find a place for them to go when there bladder is full. I have a new appreciation and use for Ziplock bags.
He loves playing and wrestling with his sisters. Last week he and I were out running errands together, and as we drove away from the house he said "Mom, I love my girls."

Oh, Myles is going to give his very first talk in Primary this next Sunday.

We are all excited for him.

Elsa is finding a whole new world of food and loving it, I think.

She continues to be quite a climber and has the bumps and bruises to prove it.

Her most used word at the moment is "more" which she uses when she wants more food and will follow you around saying it until she gets more of what she wants.

It is amazing how much she is still changing every week.

She is definitely a toddler....those baby days are fading fast.

I just packed away a bunch of clothes and got out all the twelve month clothes and got the bag of 18 months ready for the next round.

She has discovered the telephone and loves to pretend she is talking on it.

Well, that's our life in a nutshell right now.

Wishing you all a delightful week.

Birthdays

What a lovely week of birthdays we had around here.
Elsa celebrated her first birthday.
Our little darling now weighs in at 19 pounds 1 0z
and is 30 inches long.
She is walking all over the place and sometimes looks more like
she is running, and my goodness is she a climber.

She loved her birthday cupcake and devoured it quickly.

Thank you to the grandparents for sending Elsa wonderful

birthday wishes and gifts.

Aeva made her a very sweet card.

I put Rhaevyn's very first pair of shoes on Elsa

and she took a stroll outside.

She loved it and was very upset when she had to come in

and take off the shoes.


Being one is hard work!



Elsa in her birthday dress from Oma.

Our Miss Rhaevyn turned 11.

We got a free cake.

Rhaevyn was such a good sport about it.

It was adorned with Easter trinkets, which was why it was free.

Little did she know that I had a surprise up my sleeve for her.



She loves Star Wars.

I bought her two actions figures and then

used her other action figures to decorate the cake.

This is her moment of surprise.




She got a light saber that makes noise.

Her and Myles love dueling each other with their light sabers.

Aeva got her a Barbie coloring book.




And Myles and I got her the Barbie Movie she has been wanting.



Then Myles and Rhaevyn found a frog or toad, not sure which,

out in the garden. He was kept for a day in this bucket.

They were sad to see him go, but he was making quite a ruckus.



Happy weekend to you all!

To My Sweet Rhaevyn.....

What Can I say.....I love this girl

She often says to me, "Mom, do you love me?"
At which point I start singing her the Fiddler on the Roof song.....but adding my own words.
"Do you love me?"
"Do I love you?"
"For 10 whole years I've cooked for you, washed your clothes, made your bed,
for 10 whole years I've wash your hair, danced with you and watched you grow.....
if that's not love what issssss????"
That usually makes her say "Mooooommmmmm" and then laugh.


Yes, Rhaevyn, I do love you......for eternity and then some.
Happy Birthday my sweet girl!

Elsa Mae is One Today

Okay, I thought I would get away without getting weepy today.

I woke up at 5:00 this morning when Chris was getting ready for work and changing Elsa's diaper (his morning ritual). I sang her happy birthday and congratulated her on being one for two hours already. Then at 8:00 am the kids and I sang happy birthday to her as we sat around her on my bed. I thought to myself, wow I am doing good today. No tears.

Alas, I spoke to soon.

How can it be that my wee one is a whole year old today? I just brought my tiny bundle home from the hospital didn't I? If only I could (sometimes) hold time in a bottle. It is so fun watching these precious little ones grow up and learn new things, but oh how it makes my heart ache, as well, knowing that gone are the days of holding Elsa, as well as my other three, as newborn babes. I just keep reminding myself to hold fast to those memories and look ahead because there is so much to look forward to with Elsa, and Myles, and Aeva and Rhaevyn.

Climb

Do you ever go through life or your daily routines and have certain songs pop into your head that just seem appropriate for that particular moment or event?

Sometimes I think my day to day life could be a musical.

Elsa has reached the adventurous stage.

The no fear of heights stage.

Each day I find her climbing something bigger and higher off the ground.

Now when I turn around and see that she has climbed onto the couch, or the school desk, a chair or is standing on top of the table I hear this song, the song you hear playing.

She likes to wait and see if anyone forgets to scoot in their chair when they are done at the table because then she uses the chair to climb up to sit on the tabletop.

With a bit of determination she climbed up into the seat of the desk.

Here she is climbing onto the ottoman to get onto the couch.

Onto other happenings......
The girls love dressing up their little sister.

Elsa has a new nickname....master of disaster.

She loves getting into everything.

Her latest victims......books.

The other day Myles wanted to help give Elsa a bath.

He didn't want me in the bathroom while he "watched" her.

I stood right at the entrance of the bathroom to be safe.

Then he wanted to give her a mohawk.

My little one.....growing up.

Elsa likes to put anything with handles over her arm and carry it around like a purse.

I just happened to remember I had this purse in my closet.

She absolutely loves it.
While Elsa likes to carry her purse around.......

Myles likes to carry Elsa around.

One day Elsa discovered a headband.

Now she puts it on all by herself.

Rhaevyn reading Myles her history book.

On Friday we went on a field trip up to Tacoma.

We toured Fort Nisqually.

It was pretty wet and windy, but we had a good time.

Myles is such a stinker. This is the third picture of him that I took in this spot.

He kept sticking his tongue out. I wouldn't have known because I couldn't tell by looking at the picture on the camera screen. I have to hand it to him for being honest. He'd tell me after each picture that he had done it.

Here is a girl after my own heart.....

we were drooling over the bonnets.

She liked the green one, and I liked the black one.

Leaving the Fort and heading over to see Ben and Stacey in Issaquah.

or as Chris pronounces it.....Izakiah.

The area around the fort was so pretty. There was a Japanese garden heading into the drive back to the fort.

Once we got to Issaquah we checked into a hotel, got settled, and called Ben and Stacey and took the kids swimming.

When we got into our room Myles went over to the window, flung open the drapes and yelled

"Come look at the whole world, Mom!"

Ben and Stacey came to watch the kids swim.

Then we went and had dinner at their house and hung out.

Elsa had to check out the cupboards.

She kept us on our toes!

Myles made himself at home.

Here he is torturing waffles.

We played some video games and guitar hero.

Here is Chris playing the guitar.

Here I am.

Ben's turn.

Elsa hanging out with Uncle Ben.

Hello out there!

Elsa waiting for Ben and Chris to get home from their bike ride.

They were covered in mud from their ride,

but they had a good time.

Before we left we headed over to the basketball court at Ben and Stace's apartment.

Alas, we had to leave to drive home last night, but we had a great weekend road trip.