My Dear Husband turned 34

It was my husband's birthday on Monday, while we were on our little getaway. I forgot to take balloons candles and even a card with. Big OOPS!! He didn't seem to mind but when I got back my mom said "Husbands are like little children and like to be made to feel special and celebrated" so we decorated the house (the kids absolutely love doing this) and I went out to buy an ice cream cake. (hmm... wonder how much that cake decorating class is going to be put to use... it just took too much energy and I was just not feeling up to it, and I know he prefers ice cream cake any ways)

yum, yum let's cut this cake (why the picture of a whale...it's a big fish because that is what Daddy likes to catch.)

Everyone had to get in on the excitement of blowing out the candles. I absolutely love kids and birthdays. They catch the excitement and happiness, and it really is all those things. Another year, what a blessing, something never to be taken for granted.

34 reasons why I love you so much

1~you strive to serve God in everything you do

2~you are an amazing father to our children

3~you give everything your best

4~you have integrity

5~you love me

6~you are so handy

7~you are helpful

8~you make me laugh

9~you let me cry

10~my heart is calm when you are around (sappy, but I am serious)

11~you pursue hobbies and interests

12~you Do acts of service

13~loves the kids

14~spoil me
15~great eyes

16~prepare for our future

17~work hard to support our family

18~family is important
19~always on time

20~not a picky eater..this is such a blessing to me.

21~the house does not have to be super clean for him (it has to be for me though so I guess if it bothered him more he would clean more lol)

22~does need to have everything "just so"

23~keeps his eyes pure

23~keeps my van running (although right now it is so overdue for an oil change)

24~he sweeps

25~tries to listen and understand

26~fixes things

27~committed to me

28~knows it is hard (very hard some days) to be a mom and understands that

29~

30~

31~

32~

33~

34~I love you because I choose to

Happy Birthday! As we joke around lately with sore backs or shoulders...we wanted to grow old together and that's what we are doing.

Found...

The ears are found, thankfully I don't have to do the bake sale.

Niessa said this morning that she put them in this container in our living room, yes! we searched every nook and cranny and every little pot. She put them in here so Danielle could not get them, and then she forgot. "While she was sleeping she had a bad dream and it fell out of her head and onto her sheets and that is how come she didn't remember." What can you say to a story like that!

Lost her EARS!!!

Well, yesterday was one of those out-and-about days. The girls had ballet in the morning then I was off to do some errands, we needed fresh fruit and milk. So I quickly ran in to get fruit at the fruit and veggie store and ran in to buy milk at the milk store. It's a little more driving and might cost a bit more but is easier than going into the big grocery stores. Home for a quick lunch and then Carolyn came at @1:00(audio verbal therapist) then swimming lessons, home by 6:30, and out the door by 7:00 for the Kindergarten evening. I always say when I go out in the evening I pay for it the next day and sure enough we couldn't find Sharleen's ears this morning. (hearing aids) If I had been home last night I would have realized that I didn't know where they were and started the search. I hate looking for things, that is why everything has a place or I have lots (like shoes, can't find one pair grab the next), looking for things is such a complete waste of time. Anyway, she could not remember where she put them before swimming lessons. (How could you NOT know where you placed thousands of dollars of electronic equipment?) And just last night at the kindergarten evening I filled out the question sheet with lots of big check marks- yup! She can follow directions ( your ears always get put on mom and dad's dresser or in your elephant's case) can remember things problems there big check ( she can't even remember where she put something less than them 24 hours ago.) Gerard says not to be too hard on her, none of the other kids have to remember where their ears are, to take them out or put them in, get batteries, etc. they are on their heads. Today we had a speech appointment at the health unit, so I just apologized to Don, it's kind of hard to teach speech to someone who can't hear the sounds. The house is been taken apart bit by bit as the whole family is looking. The kids even went to bed late. Good thing I finished spring cleaning the whole upstairs, there is not a lot of clutter around, which makes it easier to look. So we will be having a bake sale....yeah!! fundraising, I got lots of fresh experience in that.

Our Family Holiday

We had a little family holiday to Whidby Island. Gerard really wanted to go somewhere for the long weekend and was excited to" show the kids the ocean". Since we bought the business we haven't really been away with just our little (growing) family, so it was extra special. (And for me since I didn't have to pack up all the camping stuff. To clarify that, it was GREAT) Finally a family picture for the church basement photo wall. The picture that is up there right now Sharleen is about six months old, and of course no Danielle at all. (terrible) Our Christmas card pictures for the last two years have not been "good enough" for the church wall. (ohh, boy what is good enough?) One year it was in front of a Christmas tree, and last year we were out on a family evening and plopped down to have a picture taken in all our winter gear, you really couldn't tell who we were, not really the point of a get-to-know-each-other-picture-wall.

We were so blessed with the absolutely beautiful weather.

We did lots of kite flying. There is just the right amount of wind and lots of big open spaces. The kids loved holding on...I think they wanted to fly. " Let's go fly a kite, up to the highest heights..." Fly like Mary Poppins. At least that is the song they were singing. Danielle loved playing in the sand, with sticks and rocks. She is at such a cute age and so much fun.

We spent a lot of time exploring the Island. This is the wharf in the town of Coupeville. And the Ft. Casey Historical Reserve was very interesting. We had a tour, it's a great way to hear all the little tidbits of info that you just don't learn walking through.

We did lots of playing, making, creating whatever it's called, it was fun.

Flowers for you Mom! I was given lots of flowers.I really noticed the just four-year age gap between the oldest and Danielle when we were hiking. The older ones almost do the trail two times with all the running and hiding, but with her, she still stops and inspects every ant and picks up all pine cones, and yup! wants to be carried. (we forgot the backpack carrier for her, I don't think Gerard will ever forget that again)

Gerard loves pointing out all the amazing things that live in the ocean and the kids are right there with him. The girls telling each other secrets... Here is a picture of all the "treasures" that were collected on the beach. Timothy loved all the great big pieces of seaweed, and the girls loved the shells. They all fought over the cell phone. We had to "lose" some of the shells, rocks, seaweed, and driftwood that everybody wanted to take home. Our van would never have been able to move with all the "treasures". Eating ice cubes and watching T.V.( hotel ice cubes are just the best) if I had room in the van I would have taken the ice-making machine with...wait a minute I don't know how I would have declared THAT at the border. (notice hubby's head, just one of the kids)lol "Look Mom and Dad a house made out of big Lincoln Logs" lol.

FRIDAY EVENING

My youngest sister and her new little "cub". What a beauty!!
Well, Friday evening we had a sister's night (or family night) at Joni L's house. What a good time I had! (yup, lots of yummy food and desserts... ooh yea and my mom and sisters. JJ) We don't get together a lot, not like some families do for every birthday, or anniversary etc., my mom didn't even want to have a get-together for Mother's Day, but we are all OK with that. Even if we are late (or forget completely) to phone for each other's birthdays...gasp! there are no hard feelings and life continues. We are all busy and understand that. But the thing is I am still really close to all my sisters and care about them and their lives. Well, the wonderful evening came to an end, we had outlasted the "kicked-out husband" and our "mama bear" had to get to bed. Can't wait till we can do it again. I was also told very kindly that #&^#@ means a bad word, something I did not know, and that my spelling is still not worthy of A, but just to let you know I do my little "diary" writing usually after the house is in order, and I am finished helping my husband with paperwork, etc. so it's after ten and I am tired, hence the spelling mistakes. Yup, I'll just leave it that I am tired. All of you who really know me can have a great, big, jelly, jiggling laugh.

Timothy has been wanting a hockey net for a long, long time. It's been kinda of handy since he never wanted to go to "gramma's store" aka Bibles for Missions (my mom volunteered there for years, hence the name change for our family) and now of course wants to go all the time to see if there is a net. That's pretty much the only place where we "splurge" and buy things. But anyway, he doesn't need one anymore, he made one!! Now he keeps asking for a brother to play with him. hmm, I'll get right on that, or maybe I keep my eye out for one a "gramma's store." lol

So today Sharleen went for her big hearing appointment, and her hearing is the same. Big, BIG, sigh of relief. Our audiologist first said that she had to put the aids up a bit, so of course my heart stopped there for a second, but she described it as a jar with water and as the jar gets bigger the water goes down, and as her ear gets bigger the decibels have to be increased. (make sense?? doesn't matter, I got it, her hearing is the same that's all that matters) My mom came over for the hour and took care of the other two, so that was nice. At first, I was going to see if I could get Timothy to babysit in the waiting room, but it's not really a room, more like a corner of a big open building, and who knows where they will end up.
Tomorrow is a speech appointment with Sharleen, and I am taking Danielle. It's Grandparents Day at the kid's school ( they are SO excited: they even get to go on the stage) so I only have the two of them all day. Then see what we do...I love having open-ended days.
It's been a pretty quiet week, the kids have swimming lessons Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 -6:00 which works out really well. I feed them dinner before we go, and they have their swimsuits on when we leave (it's nice and warm now so no coats )I leave the dinner dishes on the table and then they have milk and dessert when they come home, and Gerard has already finished his dinner and started on dishes.(really, what's better than that?) Then we read the bible, sing, and pray and they are all ready for bed. (they come home in the p.js from swimming lessons) It works really well. Once I signed them up for swimming lessons I thought it was going to be too crazy to have cake decorating on Tuesday. O' well maybe in the fall...or next year or the year after. lol.
Niessa started the ballerina class on Wednesday since the day was changed, so I just switched Timothy to the class for Niessa. She loves it and caught on to the "moves" pretty quick.
I don't know why I said it was a quiet week...definitely did a lot, it just seemed more relaxed, even lay down for some afternoon naps. (I love naps)

Happy Mothers Day

Being a MOM, what a privilege, what a calling, so much fun, so much work (I can say that I just had a sick child for two weeks)

A Mother's Prayer

Lord, give me patience when wee hands

Tug at me with small demands

Give me gentle and smiling eyes

Keep my lips from hasty replies.

Let not weariness, confusion, or noise

Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys

So, when in years to come, my house is still

No bitter memories in its room may fill.

Part of being a mom is training my own girls to be moms. I think they are just designed to be from the beginning. Here is Danielle pushing her "baby" on the swing. Notice the stroller, the purse, and the shopping bag... I think she's got it all down pat. lol. And here is Niessa "wearing" her baby. I couldn't find the picture of Sharleen "breastfeeding" I just love how they take care of their dolls.

This is the Mother's Day breakfast that was served to me in bed. Yum, Yum, the kids were so proud of themselves. I found it a little hard to wake up at 7:15 and instantly eat breakfast with all my watching little dear ones, but I never let on, so let's just keep it a secret.

It was a wonderful day. We went to a friend's house for lunch, there were 11 kids 8 and under, but the weather was great and they could play outside. Then after Church, we went to Harrison Hot Springs. One of my favorite spots. (we went there for our honeymoon) The kids were fascinated with the boiling water, and I still am too. ( I love these pictures)

Then we did some exploring in some caves a bit off the trail. A cougar had been spotted in the area so that added to the excitement. We had dinner at the lake, cooked by Dad. It really was a wonderful Mother's Day.

If you have a chance read this link it says "it" so well. Something I just can't seem to express...(yet??)" Dedicated, organized and a woman with purpose"... something to keep getting better at and praying for the strength to do.

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/homemaking

Summer is here...

If summer hasn't come to your house yet ... you are welcome to come to our house. On Saturday the kids had water on the trampoline. How refreshing, although I did hear someone say "How come the water is not warm?"

....we even had sunbathers, starting on the summer tans...lol (or trying to warm up from the freezing cold water)

Saturday morning it was out of the house shortly after nine to go work at the shop. The kids had a stand by the road and sold one lattice. Ohhh the excitement!! Gerard is going to have some in the office that will maybe sell. Then in the afternoon, it was getting the bean poles up and the bean seeds in the garden. As you can see my spinach, lettuce, green onions and carrots are already coming up. I was so excited to start eating lettuce again that I planted it really early. (I think I have to get out more...or just to the grocery store to buy some... but it is neat going to your back yard and pick some). Last year I planted asparagus and am getting a couple coming up. (can I say" how exciting" again?)

It's over...the bazzar

The building when I got there at 9:40 A.M.

....except for Kathy L's flower stand, all setup. The truck was there at six o'clock. ouch, that's early for unloading flowers.

Last night was the bazaar and auction for JCS school, the school where my children go. WOW, what a night. I was out the door shortly after nine, dropped off the two oldest girls at a friend's, and brought a load to the place where we were having the fun, then back to pick up some more big things, weed eater, hockey tree, and lattices. (there really was something for everyone) The lattices were a big disappointment as I think only a couple sold, so now I will see if I can sell them a different way. If any of you need one...give me a call. So in the morning it was setting up the tables and labeling everything with the proper number and in the proper order. Sounds less time-consuming than it is. If I would do it again next time ( WHAT am I thinking, next time) it would be better to write the numbers on the paper, rather than have to find the items to match the master paper. (makes no sense to anyone else, but it might jog my memory for next time) I did have Danielle with me, who still was not back to her happy, healthy self. I always say work is easy, it is trying to do it with kids. She just had to be pushed and carried a lot. When she started shaking a bit I knew it was time to go and load up on Tylenol and Advil again. There were tons of items for the silent and live auctions, which was great. We did our job and the rest of the community did too. After a yummy dinner and one game with the kids, it was already 6:45 and the auction closed at 7:00 yikes! but I guess a lot of people were having the same thing, as most of the papers were still blank. That was a bit of a disappointment...maybe next time (here I go again with the next time) I will make a friendly little sign that says "Want deals...garage sailing is tomorrow". But the silent auction went a little longer and things ended up going pretty good. It's funny how you don't really notice these things until you are involved. Of the gift certificates, if I think of my time in terms of loading up the kids, going there, phoning again, loading up the kids to pick something up ... that only sold for under ten $.... then again I know it is not all about making lots of money as someone said this week, it is also a community (church) event that gets us together doing something fun. Then maybe I'll just do games because then it is not worth my time and energy for a couple bucks. Fundraising can bring lots of questions about the effective use of time ( after all everybody is busy nowadays or thinks they are) So after that was putting on receipts what everybody bought, wow the night was just starting for me. It was fast-paced and so many people were impatient coming up asking if we could find out what they bought because they wanted to go or did they ended up winning this or that you got to be kidding me, bidding was done by numbers and there were a couple hundred of those, so sorry, don't know. Because the silent auction went longer than expected Gerard was right away off to the live auction, and I had to finish off the silent auction, so the time in between that we were counting on where he would take care of the kids didn't happen. Like I said anything is easy without trying to do it with kids. The oldest three were pretty much on their own all night. At one point Sharllen came glowing up to me and said "I wasted all my tickets can I have more?"(she had SO much fun) In the end, it all works out and there is a deep satisfaction in helping out. It was a good group of people to work with ( I did not do nearly as much as some of the others, but then I never really signed up either. It would have been hard for just the males to of gotten it all done, I would say it would have been impossible, I guess that's where working together for a common cause comes in) Everybody should take a turn to see what is all involved. And I have also come to realize that you will never have time to help out, you just have to do it.

Gerard looked great doing his job, writing down for the live auction, what # bought something for how much.( I was going to tell the auctioneer to make sure he didn't auction him off, lol) I am so glad that was him (not me) because he has a really good verbal memory for remembering #. And he even found it very challenging, the auctioneer would say # 187 for $673 and now we have a .... and go to the next thing, and just having all the auction going on ( give me a 678 who has a 678 ...know what I mean) all the numbers are going through your head so it is very easy to question what you thought you heard last. So he found it a lot easier to stand at the podium and then get the visual for remembering the bidders # and the verbal for remembering the amount. Another idea might be to have one person remember the amount and another bidder's. He came home with a headache that was soon soothed with his purchase of a surround-sound speaker system. It is quite the system! He stayed up late taking it out of the box and looking at everything and telling me what it all was. No, they are not just "speakers" as I thought ... one is called a woofer, another a tweeter, etc. The important new knowledge I learn every day. lol. He is almost 34 and just bought his first brand-new speakers. He has talked about it many times over the years and would often point them out in the store...it was just never a necessity. (it still isn't)(although he claims it is when our kids start having their strobe light parties, WHAT!!!, I am putting them in organ lessons lol) but he is VERY happy with his purchase and I don't have to buy him a Christmas or birthday present for, let's see, how many speakers were there... By the way, right now we have his Opa's speakers and the rest he bought at Value Village about seventeen years ago. (ahh contentment)

This morning the kids had so many stories to tell us, as we were not there to share any of it last night. Here the two of them are going over the new hockey cards that Timothy bought last night. The girls were adorned with tons of plastic rings, plastic beaded necklaces, and bracelets. Yup, they had a great time. (I wish I could have been a bit more a part of it.

The last couple of days Danielle had been getting worse. On Tues I took her to the Doctor, Wed. for a urinalysis and blood work, she did GREAT! She fusses and cries more at dinner the she did getting her blood work done. Did not make a sound. Just calmly watched her blood come out of her arm. I walked into the lab and it was completely full, standing room only, which gets tiring really fast when your sick babe wants to be held. We had #10 and the # they were helping was 84. And of course, there still are no toys because of the swine flu scare, so once I got a chair I got creative with the other two and played eye spy with my little eye for a LONG time, there is not a lot of color in a waiting room unless you start counting what everybody else is wearing, and I kinda stayed away from that. Then Thursday I was supposed to babysit Cody V so his mom could go make food for the bazaar, but she decided to take him with which turned out well since I ended up taking Danielle back to the doctor as she woke up shaking and blue around the lips. (we still have our heat on since I have been so cold, so there's no way that it's hypothermia) I asked them to dipstick her urine since I was sure she had a UTI, and I couldn't wait for Monday for the results. (she had a ton of "accidents" up to three in 45 min. She never even had that many even in a couple of days I was actually toilet training her, so I knew something was up.) The Doctor said on Tues that it was probably not a UTI because she would be old enough to tell me it hurts when she pees. But through the next couple of days of worrying and thinking, I remembered Sharleen NEVER said it hurt when she peed, she would have a sore lower back, major fevers, etc. and she has had a ton of nasty UTIs. So anyway she has a UTI and is on antibiotics and I think she is getting better. My niece has been in the hospital for the last couple of days since she has a UTI, and needed to be on I.V. antibiotics (it had progressed to her kidneys, Mel had a rough couple of days) and my neighbor went to the hospital in an ambulance on Sunday after passing out for over half an hour due to a UTI. (what's in the air right now, careful, don't breathe, lol)

Not enough T.V.??

This is what happens when kids don't watch enough T.V. ..they build GUNS. He (T) pulls the string and the toilet paper roll flies off and hits the target, my cutting board. There is even a pen taped on that holds the second roll in place. Tomorrow he gets to watch the Doodle Bops all day. (grown men in bright blue and green wigs... I think Gerard is going to go for making guns)

My babe is still sick. The Doctor said it might be a gastric(?) infection. She now has a fever too, so I can't go to school to help out tomorrow. It was my last time helping out in Timothy's class for kindergarten, so I really wanted to go one more time. ( WOW, the year sure has gone fast! )I tried hard to switch with someone but it was not meant to be. If she is not at least a bit better I will take her in for a urine test and blood test. That is going to be really hard for ME.(but then at least er can figure out what it is)

The bazaar preparations are well underway. I picked up some more things today(YAH) and one place had not made up the certificate yet, although they said I could come by today**** I just put on a smile although I was thinking I had to come back and another place was just closed....it does all take a bit of time and running around. But I think there will be a lot of good things for sale and I know I did my best to make it a success (whatever that means...made lots of money, or everybody had a good time, or there were no accidents or in my kids opinion the bouncy castle worked and they got some candy, life is so simple)

Rain, Rain, Go Away

The rain, what alot of rain!. It even hailed today. Gerard said he had hail drifts alongside the shop. And is it ever cold, it almost feels colder now then in January?My beautiful baby girl. She loves her mom, especially now that she still is not 100%. I am going to try to get to the Doctor tomorrow. She doesn't have any clothes on because as soon as she gets a teeny, tiny bit wet everything comes off, and I can never convince her that she is not going to melt away or freeze. She is so hard to reason with.

I left to visit our friends early on Friday night because bright and early Saturday morning was the pro-life garage sale. (JJ had to work early but the thought did cross my mind) and I found lots of great finds. I know, I know, I didn't NEED anything but I allow myself to go garage saleing for fundraisers. So I am actually helping out an organization and I get to have fun. This outfit for Sharleen (I got it for Danielle) cost me fifty cents and the tights another 25 or 50 cents. I got some more skirts and shoes and well I spent $25.00 so I got quite a bit of stuff.

On Sunday Gerard stayed home with Danielle so all the kids could take a friend home since there was more room in the van. Timothy playing race cars and the girls having a tea party, with the real "china" dishes that Aunt Theresa gave Sharleen. Sharleen is playing the piano and they are clapping along and enjoying all the snacks. I don't think the apples got eaten but the candies.....