I had playgroup at my house today and our theme was flowers, so of course, we built bird feeders! We actually planted sunflowers too, but the bird feeders were more fun to make. When Boston came home he wanted to make one too. So, we have one hanging in the backyard on a tree and one in the front. Come on pretty spring birds...we have some food for you!
So, I always thought I would have the same energy and enthusiasm with all four of my kids. Trevor and I would do many projects together. We still have a lot of the hand puppets, drawings, and stuffed animals around that we made. I think the other kids see them and wonder where they came from. So, as you can guess, Boston, Gage, Mallory and I just don't do that many creative things together. Although I do know that the few crafts we do together leaves them wanting to do more. Boston often asks to do a craft with me almost everyday. But, it is usually right when I am making dinner. So, when Gage asked to buy this simple bird house as the dollar store, I thought," why not, it's just a dollar and if it never gets done, then oh well." But, he surprised me and asked for paints and a paint brush and covered the whole thing. I think I need to get him using his hands for more than punching and hitting more often. I think this might be a better outlet!
Thank goodness for friends who are so generous with their time and expertise. I think as soon as the neighbor resident and ENT resident move, then there will be a moratorium on stitches and illnesses around here. I just won't let it happen. But, until then, we will be grateful that someone is kind enough to let us come over and use their dining room table as a doctor's office. Boston was jumping on our neighbor's tramp and when catching a football knocked his face into something (a poll or trampoline spring perhaps?). He ended up with two stitches on his cheek and he was very brave while being stitched. He did end up with a McFlurry and two new Magic Treehouse books, so maybe there was some joy on Friday night after all. And, in three days, I get to use our suture kit to take them out. I am getting pretty good at this!
So, now I can say (with a big smile on my face), we had a leak in our plumbing. It has been fixed by our plumber and boy, are both of us (the plumber and I) very happy. No more hiss in the line and no more $$$$ going out the window. I will try to plead my case with Louisville Water for what it is worth. We had such a beautiful day on Saturday (mid 70's), so that helped us in the endeavor and the boys all got in and helped. Future plumbers (without the cracks) I think. We also went to the Louisville Home, Garden, and Remodeling Show at the exposition center. It's when you go to those things that you are shocked that you come home with all of your kids. I think Gage hid in every nook and cranny he could find. But, after the child wrangling we went to Five Guys Burgers in Indiana for a well deserved (at least Zane and I deserved) burger and fries. It's coming to the Summit soon. Oh, and as a bonus to the plumbing fix, we took down our Christmas lights. What more could you ask for? Oh, I am sure that there is more that I want, but I will take this for now. 
I have no photos and no really exciting news. Things are just rolling along - bumps and all. I guess I could say that -
1. We have a huge leak in our water line and it caused our bill to triple this month. It still needs to be fixed.
2. Trevor is in chess club and loves it. I think I need to learn how to play so that I can give him a challenge. I would never give him a challenge, but it would provide for some practice.
3. Mallory likes to scream and then say, "just kidding."
4. Gage is addicted to all electronics. He wrote on his kindness notes for him family at play group, "I love that she (mommy) watches me play the Wii." "I love that he (daddy) plays Mario Kart Wii with me." "I love that he (Boston) can get to the next level of a Wii game for me." "I love that he (Trevor) helps me and watches me play Wii." "I love her (Mallory) because when I get her up in the morning, she can watch me play Wii." Is this a phase or does he need help?
5. Boston loves that it is just slightly warmer than it was a few week ago and loves to play outside whenever he can.
6. Our elliptical is finally fixed after 4 attempts and we are finally (I am at least) exercising again.
I guess it's good that life keeps on rolling and I am thankful that for now these are the most exciting things that are happening!
Boston seemed to enjoy the Valentine celebration at school (what little there was of that) the most. He went through his loot several times that day, spreading it out on the table. He told me who gave him each Valentine, that he got two from one girl, and that he indeed wrote out two of his own to himself! It was cute to see him enjoying his treasures since I know the time will come when it won't be as magical.
Family traditions are wonderful - especially family traditions that involve getting treats from my mom in the mail. I think we have received Valentines from Grandma Julie (I know they're from you too dad) since I was a student at BYU. Of course, she wasn't Grandma Julie then, but my mom, and now the kids have come to depend on this special treat from grandma each Valentines. Zane was sent a Valentines package the February that we were engaged and he has come to look forward to these as well. This year the kids got their candy and dug in very quickly. Trevor dug in so quickly that one of the first Skittles that he ate pulled out a tooth that wasn't even that loose. He had just last the opposite canine the night before (I teased him that he was just trying to make some quick cash!). Mallory got the bonus treats with 2 knitted items - a hat and a shrug. Lucky girl. Gage got his sugar free gummy bears and I got a package of Abba Zabas. Do you know what those are? One of my favorites. Glad mom knew that. I hope she knows that she has already won our love, but she can keep up this tradition for good measure!
For the past five years or so we have been having a Valentines Dinner that includes the whole family. Why just celebrate the holiday with one person you love when you can include them all? Plus, I have a crowd issue and you know, Valentines Day and restaurants? So, we decorate the dinner table with red and pink and try to include some of those colors in our menu. This year was steak (we left the center pink!), tomato basil soup, french fries (for the littlest), baked potatoes, strawberries, and cherry lime-ades. We decorated sugar cookies for dessert. I hope the kids enjoy this each year and it's one of those memory makers. You never know with boys because they don't say much and Trevor even said that he didn't want to celebrate Valentines this year. It was late at night when he said that and he was tired. But, you know, as the mom, you still want to have a little fun because frankly, most of the other days aren't so much that way. For the record, I had fun. I did. I love the holiday. Who wouldn't love a holiday that involved sweets, hearts, and the color red? So, let's hope the kids had as much fun as I did!
I am not talking about any one of my kids. I am talking about Trevor's pinewood derby car! It was a slice of Swiss cheese with a mouse riding on top. I was surprised that Trevor picked something funny, but it was nice to see him working on it and excited about it. The Big Cheese came in second in his Webelo group. It was one fast stinking piece of cheese. He said that was the best Pinewood Derby ever. He has only had two others to compare it to! But, since this one was his last, I am glad his derby career ended on such a high note!
On Wednesday, when the power went out, Zane drove around town looking for a generator. I stayed home with the kids and we all tried to keep ourselves busy. When Zane called and said he had a generator, Trevor got to work on an essential schedule that he revealed to us a few minutes later. I am not sure if we stuck to it or not, but by the looks of it, it would have helped our lives run smoothly while living on the power of a generator!
I thought he might get sick of them and clean them all up in the hallway, but no, Gage is a puzzleman through and through. He puts these puzzles together all day up and down our hallway, only to mess them up and start again. When the power was out and it got dark, you would go down the hall hitting them and stepping on the pieces. He even sits on our kitchen table to get some done if the hallway is full. My mom got him a new "Kung Fu Panda" puzzle while she was here and that one has been put together at least 15 times in the last two weeks. He is starting to need more of a challenge and I am thinking of going up to the 200 piecers. So, after a long tradition of puzzle men in the family (okay, I can only think of one - my brother Brett), it is great to see this little guy at work.
You probably know the what the weather situation has been in Kentucky last week if you have heard the news. We were all iced over, iced in, and without power. I am really grateful that we were without power for only a little more than two days. We all slept in the same room with a generator producing the energy to keep our space heater going and us as well. We used the power of body heat to keep us warm also. Each child had their own space on the floor where their little bed of blankets was made. We ended up with at least 2 in bed with us each night. The kids had wonderful attitudes the whole time. Zane couldn't do anything at work so he went around getting us a generator, hooking up other generators for friends, fueling up our propane heaters, and just keeping us going. There were many positives and blessings throughout this experience:
*Many of the stores still had power so were were able to go out and get a hot meal and more groceries.
*Friends and families came together and made the best of the situation and helped each other.
*I taught the boys some card games and we had so much fun trying to win at solitaire.
*Our wind up radio worked and provided nice music to fall asleep to at night.
*We now have a new generator and many many flashlights!
*It was a good trial run and really helped to prepare me for any future situations.
*I know my mother in law thought I was crazy whenever I said this, but it was absolutely beautiful to see all the ice and snow. It was like we were living in a beautiful frozen wonderland (that snapped trees and made the power go!)
A few downers:
*Dropped my cell phone in the sink while doing dishes in the dark and it no longer works (for now).
*Many trees were split and damaged from the freezing rain.
*It will probably cost an arm and leg to get this all cleaned up.
*The boys will probably have a million makeup days for school and may just end up eliminating summer vacation! Let's hope there is some mercy for this!
*With the power surge, our computer won't start up and I am using Zane's laptop.
I am so grateful to all the men who came from all over to fix the power lines. Whenever we see them out working on the lines, we honk and wave to thank them for coming to our rescue.
Zane just returned from a week long trip to Las Vegas for the International Builders Show. His company, Urbane Homes, was nominated for two awards through EVHA and won silver in both of those categories. They didn't win People's Choice, but thanks to everyone who voted. Check out the link to see their awards and their competition! The entire week was spent making contacts and finding new information to improve their houses. When I talked to Zane each day, I think it was the happiest I have heard him in a long time when it comes to work. It was a very successful and exciting trip. I, on the other hand, got to have my mom fly out for the week to babysit me. When we realized that I couldn't go out with him, he called my mom and asked her to come for the week. I don't think she realized that it would be 20 degrees here while it was in the high eighties in San Diego, but she was still happy to come. We had a great time crafting, making chocolate molten cakes, and playing with the kids. We did other things, but those were the highlights. I even knitted a heart shaped pot holder with a lot of help and encouragement from my mom. I realized what a great friend I have in my mom and am so thankful for any time I get to spend with her. We were all happy to have Zane home on Saturday. I am glad that he doesn't travel for his job because it is so much nicer to have him here.
The baby is growing up. I love this girl and didn't know that we needed a girl in our family. I am glad someone else did. So, Happy Birthday to the Dora loving, Diego watching, gum chewing (and swallowing), chair falling, funny girl.
After too many years of not having a family picture taken, the dry spell has ended. And, there is a flood my friends and boy, are we happy about it. My dear friend, Melissa, took our photos in November for our Christmas picture and I love them. We just went to a historic cemetery (exciting, huh?) close to our first house here in Kentucky. She did such a great job and especially did great at keeping up with Gage and Mallory. Trevor was getting over the flu, but was still a great sport about the whole thing. Then, we went to San Diego after Christmas and Tanya offered to take our family pictures for my birthday. That is the kind of birthday present I am talking about. She has been assisting a photographer for the last 4 or 5 months and is getting so good. She had the routine down and got my kids laughing and smiling. And, the lighting was amazing. So, in the end, we are extremely blessed with this many great photos of the kids and I cannot wait to fill my house with all of them. Tanya's are the first set with the golden hue and Melissa's are the second where we are all wearing red and blue!
P.S. - the photographer that Tanya works for, melaniesmithphotography, is traveling across the US this summer and is looking for interesting places to stop and perhaps photograph. And, she is setting up photography sessions with families is the places she stops as well. Check out Tanya's blog for more info.
