First Updo

I think there is something off with me...I did a full-blown updo on my 2 year old :)

Things I will miss when the kids grow up...

The other day, I walked into the kitchen and found this. Normally I don't think twice when I see cups like this, but for some reason this day, I got a little sad. I know there will come a day when there is no one at our house who will "rescue" these dandelions and give them the nourishment they need :) I had to snag a picture. It made me think about all the things I'll miss when my kids are grown:

I will miss Avery's cups of water with dandelions in them. I will miss Carston asking me to sing him a song before he goes to sleep. I will miss chubby legs and cheeks. I will miss Kate sprawled out in the car seat in a deep sleep. I will miss Carston singing with me in the car. I will miss Macy singing "la la la" while she twirls around. I will miss Kate's "O" smile. I will miss them shouting out "IKEA!" whenever they see the blue and yellow sign. I will miss all the mispronounced words. I will miss the endless supply of coloring pages and art projects-none of which can be thrown away. I will miss kids crawling around for hours with a ribbon around their waist because they are either a kitty or a doggy. I will miss how quick my kids are to forgive or say sorry so we can be friends again. I will miss the constant hugs, kisses, and snuggles. I will miss the constant desire to learn and understand things. I will miss cute footsie pajamas. I will miss bedtime stories. I will miss hearing, "Mommy, I want you to play with me."

I am so grateful for my kids, so grateful that I get to spend each day with them. There are some things from this young age that I definitely won't miss (diapers, the high chair, carseats, stair gates, endless colds and illnesses, etc). But there are so many things I love that won't be around forever. It is days like these where I feel peace knowing the dishes can wait, the laundry can be folded later, the floor will survive a while longer without being cleaned, the bathrooms will be waiting for me...everything unimportant can just wait. Because my kids and I only get this time once, and I don't want to waste it.

Leaves

Who needs toys when leaves entertain for hours?

Halloween 2009

Pumpkins

Macy designed her pumpkin. She drew the things on and John cut them out. She calls it her Monster!

Carston wanted to do this Grim Reaper even though it was pretty hard. He stuck with it and did a great job!

Avery was too busy to let me take her picture, but she did a kitty.

Carston's First Piano Recital

Carston has been taking piano lessons since September. He really enjoys it, and often slides onto the bench and starts playing even though he's already done his "practicing." He had his first recital right before Halloween. We played a duet of "Love Somebody." He did a great job!

September and October Sayings

September
*Avery asked Macy to help her carry in some books from the car, and Macy readily agreed. "You're going to feel warm and happy inside Macy!" Avery told her.
*Avery was washing some tomatoes in some warm water, and she announced that she was warm...she was feeling the Holy Ghost.
*After a trip to the dreaded doctor's office, Avery got to go to the Dollar Store and pick something out. She ended up with a bag of 4 RingPops. One for her, one for Macy, one for Carston, and one for Emma (who was staying with us).
*We were taking our super-heavy, food-laden Costco cart out to the car. Carston was helping me pull it from the front, while Avery and the other girls were sitting in the cart. On our way there Avery yells out, "I'm helping too! I'm blowing!" Thanks Avery. We couldn't have done it without you!
*I was driving in the car with Avery when she asked her question and gave the answer: "Do you want to know how Jesus did it? With the same power, the priesthood power that Daddy has."

A few weeks ago, my mom gave each kid several little character things to put on their Crocs. Many nights, Macy refuses to go to sleep unless she has her "Tinkerbell (Crocs) Shoes" on. She woke up in the middle of the night once crying like crazy because one of them had fallen off. As soon as I stuck it back on, she was consoled and went right back to sleep.

Carston told me that I'm the best mom in the WHOLE world...even when I put him on timeout.

October
*We asked Carston if there was anything he wanted us to talk to his teacher about for Parent/Teacher Conference. He wanted to know if he could get harder homework because he already knows all the answers. And he doesn't want to put his head down when he finishes his math early. And he wanted to know if he could go ahead when they are doing the math in class. The parenting manual forgets to tell you that being ahead in school can be just as much of a challenge as being behind:)
*Carston is really understanding the tactic of having two options (you can clean up your room or you can go on timeout :) The other day he asked me if I would rather be nice to little kids or to big kids. When I replied both, he wouldn't have that. "Nooooo. If you had to choose, which one would you pick?" He decided that he'd pick little kids. Good choice Carston. If that decision ever comes up, I am at peace knowing that you'll make the right choice.

*We are always talking about how we have two babies at our house (Macy and Kate). Avery and Macy were playing house one day. Avery was the mom with her stroller and baby. Macy wanted to be a baby too and even got down on the floor saying "goo goo, ga ga." Avery however was adament that Macy could NOT be the baby. She kept insisting that Macy had to be a sister. "We can't have two babies," she yelled in frustration. "Yes you can," I said. "NO, because then I'll have more work!" Such a perceptive little 4-year-old :)
*Avery is OBSESSED with coloring and notebooks and cutting papers into a million little pieces :)
*All the kids got some money from Grandma Robin before we left one night. Carston dropped one while we were getting in the car. It was dark, so there was no way we could find it. As soon as we got home, Avery took one of hers and said, "Here Carston." She is always doing sweet things like that. The day after Halloween was Sunday, and she picked out ten candies to take to all the kids in her class.

*Macy loves to "get Kate" in the morning. As soon as she hears her crying she'll yell, "I'LL GET KATE!" She'll run in and talk to her with her "baby voice." Sometimes she wants to "get Kate" when Kate isn't even awake yet and gets pretty upset when I tell her she has to wait.
*Macy has started singing alot. It is really cute. The other day she sang Mary Had a Little Lamb. I could see her little mind working when she finished. After a second she told me that he went back. He went back to his Grandma (Macy has a "Grandma Mary"). I love it when they come up with ideas and thoughts all on their own.
*I usually ask Macy about nursery on the drive home. This time, she was telling me they had marshmellows. "But they were ghos-tas (ghosts). They, they, they weren't marshmellows....They were, they were ghostmellows!"

*My mom has a Halloween spider that hangs in her entry. It drops down when there is a loud noise, and then climbs back up. Kate was standing right by it, up on John's shoulders when it went off. Poor little thing was scared to death-crying with her lip quivering! We came back a few days later, and Kate was not her usual self. Normally she is bouncing up and down, super excited to see Grandma and Grandpa when we walk through the door. This time, she was holding on tighter to John, and she kept looking up with a worried expression to where the spider has previously hung. We couldn't believe that she remembered being scared so well :)
*Kate has taken a few steps! She is such a little cutie. She still loves to hug and snuggle.

Thank You

Thanks to everyone for their support with John. He is done taking his medication (so the severe side effects are gone), and now we just have to wait and see for the next month or two. I appreciate everyone's support. And now John can rest a little easier knowing that the last post is not the current post :)

In need of faithful prayers

Many of you have heard John and I joke and wonder through the years about if he still had parasites or worms from his mission in Hondurus. Well, turns out it wasn't a joke. He has had symptoms over the years, and it finally got to the point where we decided it was wise to get tested and find out once and for all. So a few weeks ago, he had some tests done and found out he does in face, have a parasite. The doctor has him on some medication for a week (he has 2 days left), that is making him pretty sick. The more we read about his parasite though, the more dismal the outcome seems. For the majority of people, this is a parasite that is VERY difficult to eradicate. People spend years and countless means attempting to get completely destroy it. As we go down the treatment path, and seek the Lord's help to overcome this, I feel like we need to avail ourselves of every access to Heavenly Father's power that he has blessed us with. I feel like we would be "slothful servants" otherwise. That leads me to this post. I have great faith in the power of faithful prayers. I know that the Lord hears them, and that it allows Him to more abundently exercise his power in our lives. When people pray collectively, it allows God to exercise His power in an even greater capacity. I don't know the Lord's plan for us in this thing, but I would like to ask people to pray for John, that if it be God's will, that his body will be able to completely rid itself of this parasite with his current medication. We are hopeful that he'll be able to overcome this. Thanks everyone :)