Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Hunting for eggs at the Jensens
On Good Friday, we went to a our friends, the Jensen's house for an Easter Egg Hunt. The kids all had a super time. We did too, visiting with our friends while the kids played. Even Ben and Holly, the two little ones had fun. Here are some pictures of our Egg hunting adventure!
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Laughing with Lizzy
Lizzy, our three year old, has always been a very verbal young lady. Lately she's been spouting out some really funny things. Here's a sampling:
* Lizzy - "My eyes kept opening and closing during the prayer." Mom - "Oh, you should try to keep them closed during a prayer." Lizzy - "I didn't do it! They were opening and closing by themselves!"
* Lizzy watches daily a show called Boo-Bah. I have no idea what it's about and have never seen it, but she calls me at work and tells me about it every day. (Here's a very entertaining Boo-bah site: http://www.boohbah.com/zone.html). The other day, her comment was, "That Boo-Bah is REALLY FAT! He's even fatter than you and mom!" If that's not a hint that we need to lose weight, I don't know what is.
* We were staying at a motel recently - Anna and Lizzy were sharing a bed. Lizzy was saying family prayer and had asked that I help her think of things to say. So, I would whisper things for her to repeat. I'd say, "Say, 'Please bless us that we will sleep good tonight.'" and Lizzy would repeat. At one point, I said, "Say, 'Please bless that Anna and I won't fight in bed tonight.'" With that Lizzy stopped and looked up at me with a VERY confused and frightened look. I repeated, "Say, 'Please bless that Anna and I won't fight in bed tonight.'" Another confused look, then, with a sigh of resignation Lizzy says, "Please bless that Papa and Anna won't fight in bed tonight." It was difficult to finish that prayer with a straight face.
* Lizzy's name is Elizabeth Cherrine Finch. Her middle name is my mom's first name. Anna's name is Anna Darleen Finch. Her middle name is Tammy's mom's first name. So the other day, Lizzy asked Anna. "Anna, what's your whole name?" "Anna Darleen Finch" "You're named after the DEAD grandma! I'm named after the LIVE grandma!"
* We try to read a little in the scriptures with the kids each morning. One morning we were reading about some battle where it said something like, "And the army did march forth to battle." Lizzy perked up at that and shouted. "Hey, that's my BIRTHDAY!!!" Indeed, March 4th is her birthday.
* Lizzy - "My eyes kept opening and closing during the prayer." Mom - "Oh, you should try to keep them closed during a prayer." Lizzy - "I didn't do it! They were opening and closing by themselves!"
* Lizzy watches daily a show called Boo-Bah. I have no idea what it's about and have never seen it, but she calls me at work and tells me about it every day. (Here's a very entertaining Boo-bah site: http://www.boohbah.com/zone.html). The other day, her comment was, "That Boo-Bah is REALLY FAT! He's even fatter than you and mom!" If that's not a hint that we need to lose weight, I don't know what is.
* We were staying at a motel recently - Anna and Lizzy were sharing a bed. Lizzy was saying family prayer and had asked that I help her think of things to say. So, I would whisper things for her to repeat. I'd say, "Say, 'Please bless us that we will sleep good tonight.'" and Lizzy would repeat. At one point, I said, "Say, 'Please bless that Anna and I won't fight in bed tonight.'" With that Lizzy stopped and looked up at me with a VERY confused and frightened look. I repeated, "Say, 'Please bless that Anna and I won't fight in bed tonight.'" Another confused look, then, with a sigh of resignation Lizzy says, "Please bless that Papa and Anna won't fight in bed tonight." It was difficult to finish that prayer with a straight face.
* Lizzy's name is Elizabeth Cherrine Finch. Her middle name is my mom's first name. Anna's name is Anna Darleen Finch. Her middle name is Tammy's mom's first name. So the other day, Lizzy asked Anna. "Anna, what's your whole name?" "Anna Darleen Finch" "You're named after the DEAD grandma! I'm named after the LIVE grandma!"
* We try to read a little in the scriptures with the kids each morning. One morning we were reading about some battle where it said something like, "And the army did march forth to battle." Lizzy perked up at that and shouted. "Hey, that's my BIRTHDAY!!!" Indeed, March 4th is her birthday.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
A new dishwasher
Well our big excitement for the week was acquiring a new dishwasher. As you can imagine, most of the time you get something new, it is because the old one is broken. Yep! our old dishwasher was leaking water all over it. I noticed that it had started leaking during the family reunion (why is that whenever we have my family coming into town, one of our appliances break?). It continued to leak, so I asked Greg to take a look at it. He had successfully fixed the dishwasher at our old house, but no such luck here. Any way, instead of paying someone hundreds of dollars to fix our very old dishwasher, we thought we would spend hundreds of dollars for a new dishwasher. We were able to find a stainless steel one that matches our other appliances for a reasonable price so we got it. It does have a little scratching on the front, but we're ok with that.
Greg, chose to install the dishwasher himself to save us the fee of having "them" install it. I don't know how many of you have ever installed a dishwasher, but it is not the most comfortable thing ever. Much of the time is spen on your belly on the hard kitchen floor working in a space not bigger than a bread box. Real fun. Of course, after Greg installed the new dishwasher, we realized it was not the dishwasher leaking, but the hose underneath the dishwasher that was leaking. We also discovered that it had leaked some through the ceiling and down into Greg's workshop in the basement. Sometime in the long future, we will need to replace some of the wood when we redo the kitchen floor. Greg had to buy a new hose a spend another night working on the dishwasher.
Greg got the worst of this one, unless you count taking the kids dishwasher shopping as worse. We are glad for a new dishwasher. I am glad for Greg for using his time and skills to install it.
Greg, chose to install the dishwasher himself to save us the fee of having "them" install it. I don't know how many of you have ever installed a dishwasher, but it is not the most comfortable thing ever. Much of the time is spen on your belly on the hard kitchen floor working in a space not bigger than a bread box. Real fun. Of course, after Greg installed the new dishwasher, we realized it was not the dishwasher leaking, but the hose underneath the dishwasher that was leaking. We also discovered that it had leaked some through the ceiling and down into Greg's workshop in the basement. Sometime in the long future, we will need to replace some of the wood when we redo the kitchen floor. Greg had to buy a new hose a spend another night working on the dishwasher.
Greg got the worst of this one, unless you count taking the kids dishwasher shopping as worse. We are glad for a new dishwasher. I am glad for Greg for using his time and skills to install it.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Highlights of the Ebbert Family Reunion
Well, as many of you know, our house was swarmed with Ebberts last week. First came the Shane Ebbert family, with his lovely wife Sarah, and their darling, talkative Kathryn. Next came the Todd Ebbert family, with his amazing wife Deanna, and their two children, Alia and Lawson. Then, although delayed by a huge storm in Nebraska, Paul Ebbert (my dad) and his wife Nancy, along with with their dog, Akita (sp?), and the only other non-Ebbert, besides our family, my sister April Barton, arrived two days late. 16 people and a pet if you want the short end of things.
I just wanted to give you some of the highlights for me. First let me say it was AWESOME!! It was so much fun to be together. It was nice that we all stayed here most nights (except one night in Nauvoo) so that we had down time just to talk or play games or nap. I think it would have been harder if we were all in different locations at various hotels. So I guess that was one of the highlights for me. Just relaxing together. We all need a break once in a while, so in that regard, I think it was nice for all of us. We've all been busy this past little while, so it was nice to have Greg with us and to be with others that we loved. Also, just being in each other's space and eating meals together and seeing each other in our pajamas just made it seem so familial. It was great!
I have been gone from home now for almost 13 years now, so I kind of think of my sibs as well, younger. It was awesome for me to see them grown up and married with families of their own. My brothers are both good men, in different ways, who have married very well. Being older than them, I sort of felt this mother hen pride as I watched them, maybe something a kin to how I will feel when my own children have their own families. My sister too has grown up a lot, even in the 2 years that she has been married. It just made me intensely happy to see what kind of people they are, and I thought my mom certainly would be smiling down on us all.
We did a lot of fun stuff too, although, with the exception of going to the temple, that was all secondary for me. Being together was the best thing. We did enjoy trips to the family museum here, dinner at the Machine Shed (good down home farm meals), a trip to John Deere headquarters, John Deere pavillion, and an adults tour of John Deere Harvester works, along with a couple of days in Nauvoo. We also had a family talent show. That was great fun.
One thing I would have changed is being able to see my dad and Nancy more. They got there late, and then they were swarmed with grandkids. It was fun to see my dad play with them, though. It sure is nice for us weary parents to have grandparent intervention once in a while.
One last thing I enjoyed is seeing the relationships my children were building. My girls loved playing with their cousin Alia. I felt I hardly saw Anna all week because she was so engaged in play most of the time. Ben is the same age as Kathryn and Lawson, and for their age, their sure did great together. I hope they will become better friends as they grow older. I was a little worried that Adam would be bored all week since he didn't have anyone to play with. Boy was I wrong! My brothers took care of him. They played multiple, multiple basketball games, mock tournament games, with Adam commentating each play. They talked about basketball with him, even, much to his father's dismay, brainwashed him into rooting for Duke (a lot of good that did). My dad brought him an NCAA tournament hat and program, which he continues to pore over, memorizing the most obscure things. Adam was also able to coerce both aunts and uncles to play many board games with him. He hasn't had so much attention since he was an only child!
All in all it was a fabulous week. It made me remember what a great family I have. It also made me so excited that my brother Todd and his family are moving to Iowa City in just one more year. It will be good to share more of our life events with them. The Ebbert family Rocks!
I just wanted to give you some of the highlights for me. First let me say it was AWESOME!! It was so much fun to be together. It was nice that we all stayed here most nights (except one night in Nauvoo) so that we had down time just to talk or play games or nap. I think it would have been harder if we were all in different locations at various hotels. So I guess that was one of the highlights for me. Just relaxing together. We all need a break once in a while, so in that regard, I think it was nice for all of us. We've all been busy this past little while, so it was nice to have Greg with us and to be with others that we loved. Also, just being in each other's space and eating meals together and seeing each other in our pajamas just made it seem so familial. It was great!
I have been gone from home now for almost 13 years now, so I kind of think of my sibs as well, younger. It was awesome for me to see them grown up and married with families of their own. My brothers are both good men, in different ways, who have married very well. Being older than them, I sort of felt this mother hen pride as I watched them, maybe something a kin to how I will feel when my own children have their own families. My sister too has grown up a lot, even in the 2 years that she has been married. It just made me intensely happy to see what kind of people they are, and I thought my mom certainly would be smiling down on us all.
We did a lot of fun stuff too, although, with the exception of going to the temple, that was all secondary for me. Being together was the best thing. We did enjoy trips to the family museum here, dinner at the Machine Shed (good down home farm meals), a trip to John Deere headquarters, John Deere pavillion, and an adults tour of John Deere Harvester works, along with a couple of days in Nauvoo. We also had a family talent show. That was great fun.
One thing I would have changed is being able to see my dad and Nancy more. They got there late, and then they were swarmed with grandkids. It was fun to see my dad play with them, though. It sure is nice for us weary parents to have grandparent intervention once in a while.
One last thing I enjoyed is seeing the relationships my children were building. My girls loved playing with their cousin Alia. I felt I hardly saw Anna all week because she was so engaged in play most of the time. Ben is the same age as Kathryn and Lawson, and for their age, their sure did great together. I hope they will become better friends as they grow older. I was a little worried that Adam would be bored all week since he didn't have anyone to play with. Boy was I wrong! My brothers took care of him. They played multiple, multiple basketball games, mock tournament games, with Adam commentating each play. They talked about basketball with him, even, much to his father's dismay, brainwashed him into rooting for Duke (a lot of good that did). My dad brought him an NCAA tournament hat and program, which he continues to pore over, memorizing the most obscure things. Adam was also able to coerce both aunts and uncles to play many board games with him. He hasn't had so much attention since he was an only child!
All in all it was a fabulous week. It made me remember what a great family I have. It also made me so excited that my brother Todd and his family are moving to Iowa City in just one more year. It will be good to share more of our life events with them. The Ebbert family Rocks!
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Executive Style
I had an unusual day today that I thought I should share. At work, I'm starting a new project with John Deere's commercial and consumer equipment (C&CE) division (they're the one's that make the lawnmowers, golf and turf equipment, small utility tractors, and gators). C&CE is based in Raleigh, NC so we usually conduct our meetings with them via teleconference or videoconference. It just so happened that one of the John Deere corporate jets was flying to Raleigh today to pick up some executives and had a few open seats.
So, this morning, I caught a 6 am flight out of Moline on a corporate jet, went to North Carolina, had a 5 hour meeting with our C&CE partners, and was home again by 4:15! Pretty much just a normal days work - only in another part of the country.
Traveling on an executive jet is definitely different than traveling commercially. First, we only had to be at the airport 5 minutes before takeoff, just long enough to climb aboard - no tickets, no i.d. required, no security - just hop on and sit down. The plane was significantly more luxurious than any I had ever ridden on. There were 8 seats on the plane and all were first class style - very very comfortable, wide, fully adjustable - it would even lay down into a bed if you wanted.
One of the more interesting things was the height and speeds at which we flew. The corporate jet airspace is higher altitude than commercial jets fly. Our cruising altitude was about 49,000 feet. At that height, there isn't much atmosphere - I could look out the window above us at mid-afternoon and it was almost black! We weren't high enough to see stars, but it was still quite an interesting view.
Upon arrival in Raleigh, we walked into the private (and very luxurious) airport terminal, were pointed immediately to our car (which literally had the trunk open and engine running) and were on our way. The return trip was just as quick and easy.
Just when I was starting to feel "executivish" I got put right back in my place. Right before takeoff on the return flight, the pilot went to the rear of the plane where the executives were sitting and offered them food and beverages and was generally concerned about their comfort. On his way back up the aisle he leaned over to me (and the other three lower-class folks) and said, "If any of you want some
water or peanuts or something - wait 'til we take off, then you can fetch it out of that drawer." Not quite the same level of service!
This part was kind of funny, so I'm going to throw it in here. Before takeoff, they play the prerecorded safety instructions like they do in commercial jets. One part of it said this, "If any of you are on the belted toilet, please belt yourself down, open the door, and put your feet in the retractable stirrups outside the lavatory door." It didn't just say, "Finish up and return to your seat". Maybe I heard it wrong, but this is what I thought I heard. The announcement made for an interesting mental picture.
All-in-all, it was a fun workday for me. I got to visit a new state (by the way, I really liked North Carolina - for the little bit I saw at least), tour one of our facilities, and ride in the corporate jet. The meeting was kind of long and boring, but the rest made up for it. If any of you ever get filthy rich, I highly recommend getting a private jet - it was really a nice way to travel!
So, this morning, I caught a 6 am flight out of Moline on a corporate jet, went to North Carolina, had a 5 hour meeting with our C&CE partners, and was home again by 4:15! Pretty much just a normal days work - only in another part of the country.
Traveling on an executive jet is definitely different than traveling commercially. First, we only had to be at the airport 5 minutes before takeoff, just long enough to climb aboard - no tickets, no i.d. required, no security - just hop on and sit down. The plane was significantly more luxurious than any I had ever ridden on. There were 8 seats on the plane and all were first class style - very very comfortable, wide, fully adjustable - it would even lay down into a bed if you wanted.
One of the more interesting things was the height and speeds at which we flew. The corporate jet airspace is higher altitude than commercial jets fly. Our cruising altitude was about 49,000 feet. At that height, there isn't much atmosphere - I could look out the window above us at mid-afternoon and it was almost black! We weren't high enough to see stars, but it was still quite an interesting view.
Upon arrival in Raleigh, we walked into the private (and very luxurious) airport terminal, were pointed immediately to our car (which literally had the trunk open and engine running) and were on our way. The return trip was just as quick and easy.
Just when I was starting to feel "executivish" I got put right back in my place. Right before takeoff on the return flight, the pilot went to the rear of the plane where the executives were sitting and offered them food and beverages and was generally concerned about their comfort. On his way back up the aisle he leaned over to me (and the other three lower-class folks) and said, "If any of you want some
water or peanuts or something - wait 'til we take off, then you can fetch it out of that drawer." Not quite the same level of service!
This part was kind of funny, so I'm going to throw it in here. Before takeoff, they play the prerecorded safety instructions like they do in commercial jets. One part of it said this, "If any of you are on the belted toilet, please belt yourself down, open the door, and put your feet in the retractable stirrups outside the lavatory door." It didn't just say, "Finish up and return to your seat". Maybe I heard it wrong, but this is what I thought I heard. The announcement made for an interesting mental picture.
All-in-all, it was a fun workday for me. I got to visit a new state (by the way, I really liked North Carolina - for the little bit I saw at least), tour one of our facilities, and ride in the corporate jet. The meeting was kind of long and boring, but the rest made up for it. If any of you ever get filthy rich, I highly recommend getting a private jet - it was really a nice way to travel!
Monday, March 06, 2006
Happy Birthday Lizzy!
Lizzy, the Birthday Girl
Well, our little Elizabeth is growing up. She turned 3 on March 4th, Saturday. For both our girls it seems right about the time they turn 3 something magical happens. They just grow up so much, and are more in control of their emotions, and are just generally very pleasant to be around. Lizzy has already shown us that she wants to be more grown up. She has been so much fun to talk to lately, especially when she gets mom and dad all to herself (which isn't often enough). She has been doing things more independently, like going to the bathroom and getting on her own shoes and clothes, without much persuasion. She also likes to sit in Anna's booster seat, instead of her own carseat, when Anna is not with us.
Lizzy is the fun one in the family. She is always making us laugh. Some is her age, where she says silly things, but a lot is her engergetic personality. She has a lot of enthusiasm and joy in life. She loves to run around and jump and dance and even wrestle. She is not afraid to tell you exactly what she thinks, even if it may be different from what her siblings would like her to say. She has just recently started to enjoy playing board games with Adam. Even if she doesn't understand it all, she still loves to sit there and move her pieces or hold her cards.
Lizzy has a very unique place in our family and makes us smile just about everyday. Happy Birthday to our growing up girl.
Lizzy is the fun one in the family. She is always making us laugh. Some is her age, where she says silly things, but a lot is her engergetic personality. She has a lot of enthusiasm and joy in life. She loves to run around and jump and dance and even wrestle. She is not afraid to tell you exactly what she thinks, even if it may be different from what her siblings would like her to say. She has just recently started to enjoy playing board games with Adam. Even if she doesn't understand it all, she still loves to sit there and move her pieces or hold her cards.
Lizzy has a very unique place in our family and makes us smile just about everyday. Happy Birthday to our growing up girl.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Happy Birthday Adam!
This past week we celebrated Adam's 7th birthday. It's sometimes hard to believe he's been around that long already. We sure enjoy having that young man in our family. His birthday was Wednesday, Feb 22nd (George Washington's Birthday as he reminds everyone). On Wednesday we had a small family celebration with cake and ice cream and gift unwrapping.
On Saturday, he invited 5 friends from school for a party. The theme of the party was "A to Z Mystery". For those of you not up on the latest in child chapter books, the A to Z Mysteries are a set of 26 books (one for each letter of the alphabet) featuring some child detectives solving various mysteries.
At the party, Adam received a letter from Dink Duncan (the star of the A to Z Mysteries) describing a recent crime that Adam and his friends had to help solve. Somehow, the famous Mo Ying statue had been stolen from a nearby museum and ended up hidden in our house! Luckily, the kids at the party got fortune cookies with messages that directed them to hidden clues and ultimately to the hidden Mo Ying statue which they valiently recovered. Little Bubba Joe (Ben) turned out to be the criminal. He had hidden the statue in the fireplace.
Okay, so that was the grand plan. In the end, the mystery solving degraded into just a bunch of wild maniacs running loose in the house tracking down every wild notion they could imagine. The kids ultimately did solve the mystery, but it took some significant directing those of us in the know. Also at the party, there was a piñata and lots of other fun games.
All-in-all, I think Adam had a fun birthday. He completed his collection of A to Z Mysteries (he now owns all 26 and has read nearly all of them) and got numerous games and other great gifts. The whole family had fun celebrating with him. On to Lizzy's birthday (next Saturday), then we'll have made it through our busy birthday season.
On Saturday, he invited 5 friends from school for a party. The theme of the party was "A to Z Mystery". For those of you not up on the latest in child chapter books, the A to Z Mysteries are a set of 26 books (one for each letter of the alphabet) featuring some child detectives solving various mysteries.
At the party, Adam received a letter from Dink Duncan (the star of the A to Z Mysteries) describing a recent crime that Adam and his friends had to help solve. Somehow, the famous Mo Ying statue had been stolen from a nearby museum and ended up hidden in our house! Luckily, the kids at the party got fortune cookies with messages that directed them to hidden clues and ultimately to the hidden Mo Ying statue which they valiently recovered. Little Bubba Joe (Ben) turned out to be the criminal. He had hidden the statue in the fireplace.
Okay, so that was the grand plan. In the end, the mystery solving degraded into just a bunch of wild maniacs running loose in the house tracking down every wild notion they could imagine. The kids ultimately did solve the mystery, but it took some significant directing those of us in the know. Also at the party, there was a piñata and lots of other fun games.
All-in-all, I think Adam had a fun birthday. He completed his collection of A to Z Mysteries (he now owns all 26 and has read nearly all of them) and got numerous games and other great gifts. The whole family had fun celebrating with him. On to Lizzy's birthday (next Saturday), then we'll have made it through our busy birthday season.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
The benefits of motherhood
Greg heard this very interesting story on NPR yesterday morning. It was about fetal cells and the benefits to mothers. They have found that when ever a baby is conceived (even if the baby doesn't make it all the way to birth, because of miscarriage or whatever), cells from that growing baby get in the mother's bloodstream. They used to think that mothers' bodies would immediately fight off and kill these foreign cells, but they are now finding that they live for decades in the mother, and rather than being harmful to the mother, they think they are very beneficial and help any diseased parts of the body grow new healthy cells. It was a great story. I thought you all might want to check it out, so here is the link (click the "Listen" button to hear the radio story):
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5195551
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5195551
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Sick, sick, sick!!
I am writing this post not so everyone will feel sorry for me (and the kids), but just so you can know what has been going on in our life the last little while. I haven't been involved with the blog, or anything else for the last little while because since the 19th of last month (I remember the day because it is my mom's birthday). Lizzy came down with a fever and a tummy ache that day, and Ben followed the next day with a fever ( I think his was from teething--four molars all at once). After three or four very long days, by the end of the weekend things were looking up.
Monday and Tuesday Lizzy was a little out of sorts, but seemed to being doing better. Ben, however broke out in a rash all over his chest, back and face (maybe due to immunizations he had received two weeks previous). The next day, Wednesday was Anna's birthday. Lizzy threw up and it quickly became apparent she had the stomach flu still, again, whatever!! Poor Anna. We had to cancel her birthday party with friends and schedule for another day. Then the next day after school Adam came home complaining that his tummy ached. The next morning Adam woke up sick with the stomach flu, and crying because he was going to miss his pajama day at school, where they got to wear their pajamas and watch March of the Penguins as a reward that their class had been working on all year. Poor kid.
All this time Lizzy continues to be sick. I am beginning to wonder if she has some kind of serious, life-threatening illness by this point. Ben did get over his rash, though, and broke three of the four molars through, so was feeling a little better. Then Saturday, Anna comes down with a terrible cold. Coughing, watery eyes, sore throat, the whole bit. All the kids weren't feeling well and we kept them ALL home from church on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday provided us with bit of a respite, despite Anna still having mild cold symptoms. We were able to successfully have Anna's party Tuesday. Good thing because the next day Lizzy was feeling rotten again. This time she had caught Anna's lovely cold. Then this past Thursday Anna went to the doctor and had three shots in preparation for kindergarten, while Ben clung desparately to me, as he had now caught the cold bug. Lizzy and Ben still have their colds and they have been grouchy, grouchy, grouchy.
We did choose to bring them to church today though, but didn't send Liz to the nursery. They stayed with Greg while I taught my primary class, but about all they did was cry. One person commented to Greg as he was walking down the hall with both of them screaming, "At least they can cry in harmony!!". Yeah, thanks for noticing. Despite all of this, I am happy to report that I am still living, and have yet to be sick, knock on wood. We also did enjoy a very pleasant afternoon and evening together as a family. Even Ben did alright as long as I was holding him (I wouldn't suggest letting your 16 month old eat spaghetti on your lap unless you are prepared to change clothes afterward).
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, we put the kids in bed tonight, and Lizzy called me in because her arm was bothering her. When I checked it, it had hives all over it!! Moral of the story, when you have four kids 6 and under, chances are there is going to be someone sick a whole lot at your house, so just get used to it! It does get better as they get older, right?
Monday and Tuesday Lizzy was a little out of sorts, but seemed to being doing better. Ben, however broke out in a rash all over his chest, back and face (maybe due to immunizations he had received two weeks previous). The next day, Wednesday was Anna's birthday. Lizzy threw up and it quickly became apparent she had the stomach flu still, again, whatever!! Poor Anna. We had to cancel her birthday party with friends and schedule for another day. Then the next day after school Adam came home complaining that his tummy ached. The next morning Adam woke up sick with the stomach flu, and crying because he was going to miss his pajama day at school, where they got to wear their pajamas and watch March of the Penguins as a reward that their class had been working on all year. Poor kid.
All this time Lizzy continues to be sick. I am beginning to wonder if she has some kind of serious, life-threatening illness by this point. Ben did get over his rash, though, and broke three of the four molars through, so was feeling a little better. Then Saturday, Anna comes down with a terrible cold. Coughing, watery eyes, sore throat, the whole bit. All the kids weren't feeling well and we kept them ALL home from church on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday provided us with bit of a respite, despite Anna still having mild cold symptoms. We were able to successfully have Anna's party Tuesday. Good thing because the next day Lizzy was feeling rotten again. This time she had caught Anna's lovely cold. Then this past Thursday Anna went to the doctor and had three shots in preparation for kindergarten, while Ben clung desparately to me, as he had now caught the cold bug. Lizzy and Ben still have their colds and they have been grouchy, grouchy, grouchy.
We did choose to bring them to church today though, but didn't send Liz to the nursery. They stayed with Greg while I taught my primary class, but about all they did was cry. One person commented to Greg as he was walking down the hall with both of them screaming, "At least they can cry in harmony!!". Yeah, thanks for noticing. Despite all of this, I am happy to report that I am still living, and have yet to be sick, knock on wood. We also did enjoy a very pleasant afternoon and evening together as a family. Even Ben did alright as long as I was holding him (I wouldn't suggest letting your 16 month old eat spaghetti on your lap unless you are prepared to change clothes afterward).
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, we put the kids in bed tonight, and Lizzy called me in because her arm was bothering her. When I checked it, it had hives all over it!! Moral of the story, when you have four kids 6 and under, chances are there is going to be someone sick a whole lot at your house, so just get used to it! It does get better as they get older, right?
Monday, January 30, 2006
Anna turns 5
We celebrated Anna's fifth birthday on Wednesday of last week. Unfortunately, it fell right in the middle of the sickest week we've had around our house all year - no one was feeling real well. Nevertheless, we had a fun time watching her open presents and even enjoyed a little cake and ice cream. The party had to get moved to this week however, so she's gearing up to celebrate again. She is still as sweet as ever - always willing to give so that others around her will be happy. She's learning to read now and is super excited and super proud of herself to be doing that. We really enjoy having her in our family! Happy birthday Anna!
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Personality Test
So, some of you know that I am very interested in personalities. How they differ, how people in the same family are the same and how they are different. My mother-in-law posted a link to a good, free online personality test. It is based on the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which can only be taken through a professional counselor, etc. This was a pretty good one though, even if it is not as thorough and complete as the MBTI. I thought it might be enjoyable for some of you to take it. Ok, ok, the real reason I want you to take it, is so you will tell me what type you are, and I can know a little more about you, and understand you better. Yes, some of you are very difficult to understand!! If you are curious, I tested as an INFJ. If you don't know what that is, just type INFJ into Google, and all sorts of profiles will come up. Anyway, here is a link that I thought would be fun :http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp Don't forget to report back!
Monday, January 16, 2006
Kidnapped?
We had a little run-in with the police today that we thought you all would like to know about. So far none of us are in jail, so we're optimistic it will all turn out alright in the end.
The incident started benignly enough - naptime. Anna, who normally doesn't nap, seemed extra tired so Tammy had her lie down for a few minutes. After a while Ben woke up screaming (he sometimes doesn't wake up too happy). He was crying loud enough that he woke Anna from her nap and soon after Lizzy was up. All three woke up in foul moods and were all screaming and crying. Tammy, Adam, and I each tackled one and tried to help them calm down (I think Adam was most successful - playing catch with Ben normally calms him down).
Eventually, everyone was calm enough (though still a little edgy) that we decided to venture out of the house. We had been home all day and it seemed like we needed to get out, so we headed to the library. Arriving at the library, everyone seemed to be in good enough moods, but things went sour pretty quickly. The library was sponsoring a game which had each of the kids draw a slip of paper from a fishbowl. If they pulled out a picture of a fish, the child won a free book. Of course, Adam was the winner and the girls missed out. They handled it okay for a little while, but then Anna discovered Adam's new book wasn't any ordinary book, it was a sticker book! That's when life, in her eyes, became very unfair and when our day became much more eventful.
It began with a little complaining, which soon turned to tears, and eventually grew to sobbing. When the sobbing turned to all-out crying, we started to get some looks from the other library patrons and workers (libraries aren't the friendliest places toward crying kids). I decided it was time that Anna and I left the library. So, I left Tammy with the other three kids and headed for the exit. Unfortunately that meant a trek all the way across the library. Anna did NOT enjoy being hauled out of the library and let everyone know it. By the time we got to the exit, she was screaming at the top of her lungs and kicking and fighting and doing everything she could to get away from me. My anger and embarrassment was mounting with every kick I took to the gut and every pitiful look I got from another patron and I think that frustration was very evident on my face.
We finally got out of the building and headed for the car - Anna still kicking and clawing and screaming "Let go of me!". On the sidewalk, we passed a friendly looking old woman. She said, "Oh my, someone doesn't want to leave the library!". I just grumbled something to her and went on, reaching the van and throwing Anna in. She continued to scream at the top of her lungs while I just sat in the front for a few minutes trying to calm down. I noticed the little old woman from before walking passed the van and looking kind of intently at the van, but didn't really give much thought to it.
Eventually, Tammy and the other kids made it out of the library, piled in the car, and we headed home. Upon arriving home, I headed up with Anna to have a "discussion" about what had happened at the library. After a few minutes of not making much headway and her continuing to scream, I left the bedroom and walked into the loft. I happened to glance out the window and noticed a police car parked at the end of our driveway - "That's odd", I thought.
Just about that time, the phone rings and Tammy answered. The conversation went something like this. "Mrs. Finch, this is Officer X from the Bettendorf Police Department. We received a call a few minutes ago about a possible kidnapping at the Bettendorf Public Library. The witness said the child was loaded into your van and carried away. Was your husband at the library a few minutes ago?" "Yes." "Did he have any of your children with him?" "Yes." "Okay, and did one of the children have a temper tantrum at the library?" "Yes." "Okay, we're sorry to bother you, we just wanted to be sure that it was your child your husband was struggling out of the library." After he hung up, the squad car in front promptly drove away.
We've had lots of incidents of screaming kids in public places - just one of the joys of parenting - but never have we had to have the police involved! Ironically, as we were walking through the library, with Anna kicking and screaming, I was thinking, "you know, I bet this looks like a kidnapping!".
Anna did eventually calm down and very sweetly and sincerely apologized for the way she had been acting. It's very unlike her to have fits like that, but I think she was just having an all-around bad day.
The incident started benignly enough - naptime. Anna, who normally doesn't nap, seemed extra tired so Tammy had her lie down for a few minutes. After a while Ben woke up screaming (he sometimes doesn't wake up too happy). He was crying loud enough that he woke Anna from her nap and soon after Lizzy was up. All three woke up in foul moods and were all screaming and crying. Tammy, Adam, and I each tackled one and tried to help them calm down (I think Adam was most successful - playing catch with Ben normally calms him down).
Eventually, everyone was calm enough (though still a little edgy) that we decided to venture out of the house. We had been home all day and it seemed like we needed to get out, so we headed to the library. Arriving at the library, everyone seemed to be in good enough moods, but things went sour pretty quickly. The library was sponsoring a game which had each of the kids draw a slip of paper from a fishbowl. If they pulled out a picture of a fish, the child won a free book. Of course, Adam was the winner and the girls missed out. They handled it okay for a little while, but then Anna discovered Adam's new book wasn't any ordinary book, it was a sticker book! That's when life, in her eyes, became very unfair and when our day became much more eventful.
It began with a little complaining, which soon turned to tears, and eventually grew to sobbing. When the sobbing turned to all-out crying, we started to get some looks from the other library patrons and workers (libraries aren't the friendliest places toward crying kids). I decided it was time that Anna and I left the library. So, I left Tammy with the other three kids and headed for the exit. Unfortunately that meant a trek all the way across the library. Anna did NOT enjoy being hauled out of the library and let everyone know it. By the time we got to the exit, she was screaming at the top of her lungs and kicking and fighting and doing everything she could to get away from me. My anger and embarrassment was mounting with every kick I took to the gut and every pitiful look I got from another patron and I think that frustration was very evident on my face.
We finally got out of the building and headed for the car - Anna still kicking and clawing and screaming "Let go of me!". On the sidewalk, we passed a friendly looking old woman. She said, "Oh my, someone doesn't want to leave the library!". I just grumbled something to her and went on, reaching the van and throwing Anna in. She continued to scream at the top of her lungs while I just sat in the front for a few minutes trying to calm down. I noticed the little old woman from before walking passed the van and looking kind of intently at the van, but didn't really give much thought to it.
Eventually, Tammy and the other kids made it out of the library, piled in the car, and we headed home. Upon arriving home, I headed up with Anna to have a "discussion" about what had happened at the library. After a few minutes of not making much headway and her continuing to scream, I left the bedroom and walked into the loft. I happened to glance out the window and noticed a police car parked at the end of our driveway - "That's odd", I thought.
Just about that time, the phone rings and Tammy answered. The conversation went something like this. "Mrs. Finch, this is Officer X from the Bettendorf Police Department. We received a call a few minutes ago about a possible kidnapping at the Bettendorf Public Library. The witness said the child was loaded into your van and carried away. Was your husband at the library a few minutes ago?" "Yes." "Did he have any of your children with him?" "Yes." "Okay, and did one of the children have a temper tantrum at the library?" "Yes." "Okay, we're sorry to bother you, we just wanted to be sure that it was your child your husband was struggling out of the library." After he hung up, the squad car in front promptly drove away.
We've had lots of incidents of screaming kids in public places - just one of the joys of parenting - but never have we had to have the police involved! Ironically, as we were walking through the library, with Anna kicking and screaming, I was thinking, "you know, I bet this looks like a kidnapping!".
Anna did eventually calm down and very sweetly and sincerely apologized for the way she had been acting. It's very unlike her to have fits like that, but I think she was just having an all-around bad day.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Ben update
Well I just took Ben to the doctor for his 15 month checkup and shots, so I thought it would be a good time to give an update on what he is doing. He is just over 24 lbs. now and about 30 inches long. That is between 50 and 75 percentiles for weight and 50 for height. Of course he still has a huge head, in the 90 something percentile. He has six teeth, but is working on his 4 back molars right now. Poor little guy, one tooth has bruised and swollen up his gums so much that they are all purple and have been for quite some time. He doesn't like me to touch it, but other than that he doesn't complain too much. He is sleeping really good now, usually about 11 hours a night, and he takes one nap each day. I weaned him about a month or two ago, and he is doing fine with that. It has been nice for me too! He is saying a lot of words now. His two favorites are probably apple (meaning ball currently) and Papa. He also says five (like give me five, but it sounds more like die), good night, bye-bye, Lizzy, more, stinky, and up. There are others, but I can't think of them right now.
Probably the most exciting thing, though, is that Ben is finally walking!! I guess he was a little embarassed about what I said in the Christmas newsletter (I know the picture was terrible by the way, but at least it was a picture), so he started getting around a couple of days after Christmas. It has been such a gradual process for him. He has been taking steps for a couple of months, then he started to go between things that were close together, then things that were a little bit farther apart, and now I would say that he is finally walking. He still can't stand by himself though. He crawls to hold on to something to pull himself up to standing so he can walk again. He still is just a pleasant little guy. Very cheerful, but also very strong willed. He knows what he wants and what he doesn't. It is sure is fun to have him growing up a little bit. I really enjoy this stage of a child's development.
Probably the most exciting thing, though, is that Ben is finally walking!! I guess he was a little embarassed about what I said in the Christmas newsletter (I know the picture was terrible by the way, but at least it was a picture), so he started getting around a couple of days after Christmas. It has been such a gradual process for him. He has been taking steps for a couple of months, then he started to go between things that were close together, then things that were a little bit farther apart, and now I would say that he is finally walking. He still can't stand by himself though. He crawls to hold on to something to pull himself up to standing so he can walk again. He still is just a pleasant little guy. Very cheerful, but also very strong willed. He knows what he wants and what he doesn't. It is sure is fun to have him growing up a little bit. I really enjoy this stage of a child's development.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Wisconsin Dells
Since our family never really had a chance to take a family vacation last year and since we were tired of the cold dark snowy winter weather, we decided to take a trip to the Wisconsin Dells for a few days between Christmas and New Year's Day. Wisconsin Dells is known as the "waterpark capital of the world" (I never would have guessed Wisconsin would be the home of the waterpark capital of the world - I would have thought that would be Las Vegas or somewhere hot!). It's a little town in the middle of Wisconsin completely built around tourism and boasts the largest waterpark in the world along with the two largest indoor waterparks in the world not to mention the other 20 or so waterparks in town.
Since our kids were not ready for the really big and crazy waterslides (and we didn't think our pocketbook was really ready for the pricetag on the really big and crazy waterslides), we decided to go to one of the smaller, children-oriented waterparks. Adam would have liked some bigger slides, but he was content with the 5 water basketball courts. There was one area meant for toddlers - Ben liked to spend a lot of time there. Another area was where the rest of the kids spent the majority of their time (pirate ship with water cannons, basketball, and slides). Our hotel was attached to the park so we could go from the room to the park anytime we wanted without having to go out in the cold winter weather.
A lot of our pictures turned out blurry, so some of the best shots didn't work out, but following are a couple of movies and a few still shots of our time at the park.
Here's Lizzy playing in the toddler pool. Every few minutes the pelican opens his mouth and vomits a tub of water down on the kids. She and Anna had a great time with this. After getting spit on, they would run over to the water fountain and take a "shower".
Share Video at DropShots.com
Here's Anna and Adam playing in the bigger pool. Anna is enjoying her favorite slide and Adam is of course playing basketball.
Here's Anna and Lizzy getting spit on by the Pelican.
This is a blurry shot of Ben getting drenched. He enjoyed the water most of the time, but was usually the first to be ready to go back to the hotel room.
Another shot of Adam playing basketball. In the background is some of the other fun things to do (like the pirate ship).
I should mention that when our family had taken on us President Hinckley's challenge to read the Book of Mormon, this trip was the reward we had set for ourselves if we all finished. Adam, of course, led the way and finished about a week early. We're very proud of him for accomplishing that! The girls also spent a lot of time listening to stories from the Book of Mormon reader. Tammy and I followed and finished up just in time.
Since our kids were not ready for the really big and crazy waterslides (and we didn't think our pocketbook was really ready for the pricetag on the really big and crazy waterslides), we decided to go to one of the smaller, children-oriented waterparks. Adam would have liked some bigger slides, but he was content with the 5 water basketball courts. There was one area meant for toddlers - Ben liked to spend a lot of time there. Another area was where the rest of the kids spent the majority of their time (pirate ship with water cannons, basketball, and slides). Our hotel was attached to the park so we could go from the room to the park anytime we wanted without having to go out in the cold winter weather.
A lot of our pictures turned out blurry, so some of the best shots didn't work out, but following are a couple of movies and a few still shots of our time at the park.
Here's Lizzy playing in the toddler pool. Every few minutes the pelican opens his mouth and vomits a tub of water down on the kids. She and Anna had a great time with this. After getting spit on, they would run over to the water fountain and take a "shower".
Share Video at DropShots.com
Here's Anna and Adam playing in the bigger pool. Anna is enjoying her favorite slide and Adam is of course playing basketball.
Here's Anna and Lizzy getting spit on by the Pelican.
This is a blurry shot of Ben getting drenched. He enjoyed the water most of the time, but was usually the first to be ready to go back to the hotel room.
Another shot of Adam playing basketball. In the background is some of the other fun things to do (like the pirate ship).
I should mention that when our family had taken on us President Hinckley's challenge to read the Book of Mormon, this trip was the reward we had set for ourselves if we all finished. Adam, of course, led the way and finished about a week early. We're very proud of him for accomplishing that! The girls also spent a lot of time listening to stories from the Book of Mormon reader. Tammy and I followed and finished up just in time.
Friday, January 06, 2006
A book
Well, once again it has been a while since we posted. We just like to keep you all hoping and anticipating a new entry. I hope it is worth the wait.
I just finished reading a book that I enjoyed and thought I would share a little bit about it. It was a book Greg gave me for Christmas. The title is "Cure for the Common Life" by Max Lucado. Many of you probably know him because of his children's book " You are Special". We love that one too. He is a Christian minister who has written many books. This particular book is non-fiction and is about finding what you are good at. It seems geared to those in the working world, but I was able to find some personal value in it for myself, although I am not in that world. He basically says that we are all given gifts, or talents if you like. These talents were given to us from God and will help us give something special to the world while we are on this earth. When we use them we are glorifying God, and we should acknowledge that He has given them to us. There were a couple of things that I liked about this book. One, it is full of excitement and makes you believe (or remember) that you are special and important as an individual. You are important to the Lord, and you can bless the lives of others in ways that no one else can.
I also liked the fact that he very openly addressed the issue that even the little things are important. To be useful to God and to be important to Him doesn't neccesarily mean that you are a great political leader or the CEO of a company or whatever else people see as "important". There is need for those who are great plumbers, artists, mothers, friends, computer scientists, ministers, and whatever else. There is a place for all of us! We are needed! We are all special. It had a great sense of that in the book, and and at the same time, a sense that you shouldn't let that go to your head. Give the credit to the Lord. He gave you those gifts. Let Him use you.
There was also a simple but helpful section in the back that helps you think about and find your own strengths. He says we should look at past experiences including childhood for some direction. I haven't spent a lot of time in this section, but I think it will be helpful, and it sounds like it is really a condensed version that is used by professional consultants. It is just nice that Max Lucado is trying to help you actually apply, in a very real way, the things he has written and believes.
For those of you Mormons out there, the religious language is a bit different from our own and the scripture references are from different versions of the Bible, rather than the King James version, but I didn't think that mattered much at all. It is also very simply written and easy to read. You almost feel like he is standing there talking to you, or at least you are listening to him teach a group. I would recommend it, especially if you are feeling dissatisfied with work or just wondering what you have to offer to anybody.
I just finished reading a book that I enjoyed and thought I would share a little bit about it. It was a book Greg gave me for Christmas. The title is "Cure for the Common Life" by Max Lucado. Many of you probably know him because of his children's book " You are Special". We love that one too. He is a Christian minister who has written many books. This particular book is non-fiction and is about finding what you are good at. It seems geared to those in the working world, but I was able to find some personal value in it for myself, although I am not in that world. He basically says that we are all given gifts, or talents if you like. These talents were given to us from God and will help us give something special to the world while we are on this earth. When we use them we are glorifying God, and we should acknowledge that He has given them to us. There were a couple of things that I liked about this book. One, it is full of excitement and makes you believe (or remember) that you are special and important as an individual. You are important to the Lord, and you can bless the lives of others in ways that no one else can.
I also liked the fact that he very openly addressed the issue that even the little things are important. To be useful to God and to be important to Him doesn't neccesarily mean that you are a great political leader or the CEO of a company or whatever else people see as "important". There is need for those who are great plumbers, artists, mothers, friends, computer scientists, ministers, and whatever else. There is a place for all of us! We are needed! We are all special. It had a great sense of that in the book, and and at the same time, a sense that you shouldn't let that go to your head. Give the credit to the Lord. He gave you those gifts. Let Him use you.
There was also a simple but helpful section in the back that helps you think about and find your own strengths. He says we should look at past experiences including childhood for some direction. I haven't spent a lot of time in this section, but I think it will be helpful, and it sounds like it is really a condensed version that is used by professional consultants. It is just nice that Max Lucado is trying to help you actually apply, in a very real way, the things he has written and believes.
For those of you Mormons out there, the religious language is a bit different from our own and the scripture references are from different versions of the Bible, rather than the King James version, but I didn't think that mattered much at all. It is also very simply written and easy to read. You almost feel like he is standing there talking to you, or at least you are listening to him teach a group. I would recommend it, especially if you are feeling dissatisfied with work or just wondering what you have to offer to anybody.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)