I beat you Erin

Erin Youngstrom this post is for you! So we had a great "what are the odds: moment in Seattle after a Mariners game. It was great to see a Mariners game again - luckily for Eric I didn't have a MLB team I was partial too and so when we got married I could adopt his Mariners. Anyway, we were able to take Cora and Marcus to their first Major League Baseball game thanks to Bapa and after all the fun we were trying to get ourselves out of the masses of people to the car. Out of the blue someone said Eric's name and it turned out to be the Youngstroms who are good friends from our Provo days. They live in New York and we're in Indiana and besides blog pictures we haven't seen each other for a few years but Erin recognized Eric amidst the people on the sidewalk. Crazy! It was so fun to see you guys! I'm so glad you were paying attention because we sure weren't!! (We got home at 2 a.m. by the way. Hope you enjoyed your drive to Auburn!) I had to beat you with this post Erin becasue I'm usually so slow at updating this thing!

There and Back Again...

Chapter 1-
Hello Family and Friends!

We've had quite a time the past few weeks. As I just heard Cora and Jodi describe our trip... "It was a long long ways!" "We went to another bathroom and another bathroom and another bathroom and another bathroom all the way to Nana and Bapa's." We did get to see quite a few rest areas along Interstate 94 and 90.

We got back Thursday from our almost 3 week trip out to Washington to see the Haffners, Chans and Edlers. We drove in our Taurus the whole way but at least we did plan to stop and so we only drove about 12 hours a day. My memories of family trips involved sleeping in the seats, on the floor or taking turns on the platform bed that fit into the back of our 15 passenger van.

I don't have pictures loaded yet but we'll post some of our favorites. We saw quite a variety of scenery and space and I think all the people worried about over population need to take a road trip!!!

We had a great vacation!!! Stay tuned for further chapters as I try to document some of our adventures.

Kitty Love

This is hilarious. Perhaps its borderline animal cruelty but I grew up on a farm and I've never felt sypmathies for PETA. Regardless Marcus has a great time with our kittens. They're up for adoption!! These kittens are learning quickly - See Marcus Run Hide!

Camping and Curls

We had a camp out in the back yard. The girls played in the tent ALL day and then when it came time to sleep we did the bedtime routine and Eric and I came inside. It only took about a minute for the girls to start crying for mommy and that was it -- campout moved to indoors!
This is a very typical shot for Marcus...on the move!

I just had to post a picture of his curls. I love the girls and their curls but there is something about a little boy with a head of curls that is just too cute! Add the humidity and what little hair Marcus has just becomes tight little curls all over his head. I love it!

Great Grandma

My grandma came to visit my parents and we got to go spend quite a bit of time with her. I like to think my grandma and I have a special bond. It helped growing up across the driveway from Grandma - I could just run across the way and pop in and see her anytime! She was my best friend as a little girl and I've always been so grateful to have that relationship with her! It was that much more fun to introduce "Great Grandma" to my kids! We love you!

(p.s. poor Marcus had no other option than to borrow his sisters pink pants - poor boy!)

STAYcation

We took one day during Spring Break and did something spontaneous. It was a blast! We decided to drive north along the shore of Lake Michigan and see what we could find and thanks to a phone call to our friend Sue Mack we saw so many fun things.

I spy with my little eye...a lighthouse, a slide, 282 stairs, a steamship, the world largest picnic table, Dutch wooden shoes, a windmill, flying children, Marcus' 1st out to eat experience, letters in the sand, flying shells - rocks - sand & sticks, a muskrat, fishermen, boats, a ferry without a ferry, and one happy little family.



Eric called it our STAYcation and I think he's coined a new phrase as well as a new family tradition. We saw all those things and more on our way to a city only 2 hours away. Exploring is quite fun!

p.s. I'm just a little annoyed that my computer isn't reading my mind and putting the pictures on correctly...I'll fix it later I've gotta post this and get some shut eye.

I loved this picture - I got all of our shadows! (unfortunately I look an awful lot like a tree!)

This little man is fearless!

We The People

LOVE that statement, (READ the constitution people!) expecially when I see what has been going on today. "We the people" need to stay involved and make the right kind of "change" - I'll keep my dollars, Obama can keep the change! Anyway, this is for anyone in this area (or elsewhere look up your local 9-12 project!). My husband was so wonderful today, he went to a TEA Party for me. I had sick kids and couldn't go so he went for me and talked with Scott who was "in charge." We need 1000 names for our area so anyone who feels inclined...sign your no longer silent majority self up on www.michiana912.org. I tell you I LOVE America and what our Founding Fathers stood for and that is the America I want to fight for! God Bless the U.S.A.!!!!!

March Madness

Okay so this isn't a bracket post of anything - that's Eric's department even though I do love to watch college basketball if the chance comes around. This is just a post to make sure I get a post in March.
I love to have a project to work on and while I'm very excited to go out and get in the dirt today is a little chilly so I've been looking up quick projects I can finish while Marcus finishes his nap and the girls watch a movie. I'm introducing them to "old school" Disney (The Three Lives of Thomasina to be specific) because even some of the new Disney movies use language I'd rather the girls don't pick up on yet. Anyway I'm also justifying myself because they have to finish their chores and the last time I let them watch a movie was a week and a half ago. Got that off my chest. :)
I'll have to let you know how they go but I'm going to try and make some felt food and a crayon roll up or 2. We'll see just how productive my sewing machine can be in the next hour or two. Can I just say I love tutorials! Wish me luck even though I never did catch a leprechaun on Tuesday.

Daddy's are really just little boys!

Eric is still 5! I've heard Eric's mom joke that she had her first child when she got married and the same is true with Eric. There is something about having kids and playtime though that really bring out the 5 year old in Eric.

Tonights lastest...

...he taught Cora the "pull my finger trick" The Stinker! (literally)

Now I can just see Cora during Nursery class.."Here Tori pull my finger"...I will definitely pass the blame if that ever actually happens.

God Bless the USA!!!

Our house has been politically charged for the last I'm not sure how many months and with all the JUNK the government is trying to push on the American people I'm getting that much more fed up. I really don't like being lied to by someone I didn't vote for and didn't want as my President and rather than starting a bitter monologue I'd like to turn your attention to a past President. This president created "change you can believe in" and not just any kind of change. Change for the better and good for the American people and this wonderful country. Ronald Reagan. Watch this youtube video and it will give you a warm "tingley" feeling but not of the drive-by media variety.

I love this country. Eric and I both have Grandfathers who fought in WWII. I have a brother in the Air Force as well as other family members involved with the military. I am going to teach my children patriotism which means freedom to speak freely in my home, independence from government, the euphoric feeling of working hard for something and achieving goals. It means this and so much more to me and I want them to know just how much I love the ideal that can be America. Lets start today to make tomorrow's America the kind of place we can still be proud of! God Bless the USA!

Age of Discovery

This is an Age of Discovery around here. As my kids are growing I thought I'd stop to think about what they are discovering in the wonderful world of ours. I should always be seeking to learn as well so I need to brush up on my observation prowess.

MARCUS is discovering that...

-toys bounce very well down the stairs

-he gets quite a reaction when he pushes buttons of the computer keyboard

-the table is a whole new playing surface

-he loves Curious George (thanks Nana and Bapa!)

-how to torment the cat, boy oh boy is he good!

CORA is discovering...

-what happens when we decide not to use the bathroom

-how much Marcus loves to pick on her

- how good she is at sharing with her big sister (after some coaxing from said sibling!)

-that sweet potatoes are "yucky"

JODI is discovering...

-how to use daddy's iPod

-just what classifies as "cool" music like Axel F's Crazy Frog which has been played 54 times within the past month

- that she really likes Strawberry Shortcake

-the use of the dramatic ultimatum "I'm never going to play with anyone again!" for instance

LESLEY is discovering...

-how little housework I get done when I'm trying to read a book

-the joys of the seed catalog, c'mon spring I wanna play in the dirt!

-using coupons requires quite a bit more organization that I've got

-how little she likes being a landlord!!!!!! but also that the Lord always provides a way!!!!!!

ERIC is discovering...

-what types of muffins he likes for breakfast

-that he REALLY wants a career change

-his polar bear skills (he went on the Boy Scout Klondike and kidded me that it wasn't that much different than being in our house!)

-how many sit-ups and push-ups he can do

Felicity

So I am NOT a fan of Barbie but I do love dolls for little girls to play with. We have one Barbie and she is one from the 1950's. Perhaps to my salvation though is Jodi's new interest in bigger dolls, specifically the American Girl dolls. I got the Felicity doll when I was 12 and have kept it as a "no play toy" until now. My youngest sisters got American girl stuff for Christmas and they've been playing with them every time we've visited lately so Jodi has really noticed the dolls. Well I've seen Toy Story 2 and I can't just leave a toy on the shelf when there is a little girl who will take it with her everywhere. Its been 2 days since I pulled it down for her and she wants to play with it all the time. (Now I'm going to need to start sewing her more clothes!) I still remember the first time I looked at the American Girl magazine when I was about 8 and I FINALLY got one at 12. Now I have a little girl who loves it just as much as I did and that is so fun to see!

Eric's Additions

Eric really wanted to add a "Sign of the Apocalypse" post somewhere (thanks to Sports Illustrated because they started it) and so I let him put a list over on the side. The world is getting a little nuts and to help us all be aware of just how topsy turvy things are Eric is posting a newsworthy tid bit that confirms this!

Dance Girly Dance!

Here is Jodi showing some of her stuff. I was laughing so hard this night. It was the Sunday night before Christmas and we just had a "jam" session. The kids were a riot and I took several videos but decided only to post this one. Enjoy. Do you think we're going to have to do the dance class routine one of these days?

Happy New Year!

I tried to be on the ball over Christmas but I fell behind at the end. We had a wonderful time having Eric home all day during Christmas break and seeing Nate and Kristin as well as Lisa. We got to say good bye to Renae who is off to Rexburg for her freshman year. We're going to miss her lots because she used to come visit us everyday for lunch. Her job was about 5 minutes away so we got to visit with "Aunt Renae" lots of days and its sad that she's so far away but she is soooo excited to be away at school. We love you Nae Nae! :)

The kids are so fun and so busy. I have to share a few funny things that happened lately. Marcus LOVES the toilet. The girls were never this interested with the toilet bowl but that is difference #1 between boys and girls. Story #1 - Eric was on kid duty and I was upstairs. I heard a commotion downstairs and decided to see what the trouble was. It turns out Marcus had gotten into the bathroom, lifted up the seat, climbed up the stool and into the toilet. Splish, splash, sploosh standing in the toilet. How fun! Story #2 - Almost the same senario only I was in charge and Marcus beat me into the bathroom before I could remember to close the door. I turned around and saw him with one arm holding up the lid, the other fishing something out of the toilet. When I got closer I saw it was a clump of toilet paper with another in his mouth that he was sucking the water out of. Yaagghhh! Gross!!! There you have it - Marcus' favorite activity when Mommy is forgetful (which is a lot!)

We wish you all a Happy New Year. May you keep all your resolutions and goals! I'll try to do the same. :) I just won't tell you what they are so you'll never know if I did or not. :)

Sing Christmas Carols

We had a party!!! We hosted a Christmas Sing and had everyone bring cookies and a songbook. We supplied yummy cranberry punch and homemade hot cocoa. It was a lot of fun. The kids ran around and played and we sang quite a few classics. A fun thing worth repeating! Whose house next year?

Build a Snowman

Well Frosty has had to wait as well - we've kept pushing him back because the lack of snow on the day it was time to make a Frosty. We had snow on the 18th but it was sooo cold that the snow was just powder. (That night we got freezing rain and things were a little slushy the next afternoon!) we could't put Frosty together. Oh well. I have a feeling that we will have ample opportunities to create a snowy friend in the coming days and weeks. We actually delivered goodies to the neighbors instead.

Stuff and Send Christmas Cards

We started this process but actually finished that up today. Sorry no pictures because I didn't have any batteries. If I did have one to post it would show Cora plastering the envelopes with as many return address labels as she could before I noticed and handed her another envelope. It would show Marcus grabbing the table cloth and about pulling everything off of the table. You would see Jodi very studiously placing the return labels on and then carrying the mail around the house. If I could record the sound for you Jodi could be heard every day at bedtime telling me how we forgot to send the mail to our family! We do love you all even though we can't get you a Christmas card before Christmas day!

Decorate a gingerbread house

On Day 16 we made our gingerbread house. The girls weren't so sure at first but once they saw all the candy out and realized what we were doing they were on my lap and in the frosting. It even wound up having fence posts and a mailbox and a Christmas tree.

p.s. I've recently discovered the use of a glue gun to put the gingerbread together - I'll never go back!

Make carmel popcorn and watch Miracle on 34th St

I feel like we have a lot of Christmas movies on our list but there are so many and some that have already been traditional family movies that I just try and add another activity onto that. I tried a new recipe for carmel corn and its yummy! Its a crunchy recipe and is supposed to store well in the freezer. Here it is:

12 qts popped corn
Preheat oven to 250
Combine the following in saucepan:
2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks margarine or butter
1/2 c corn syrup
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
Bring to boil and boil 5 min.
Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 tsp baking soda.
Mix well and pour carmel over popcorn.
Spread on cookie sheets coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 20 min - stirring once. Remove and break apart.
For a richer treat use less popcorn.
I used 10 qts and that was 3 cookie sheets worth.