1st Crawl

The baby picked today to crawl. He only took three steps/crawls and that was it, but it was still his first time. It was so cute.

Ok, had to blog about it, now I'm off to make crab artichoke dip.

Merry Christmas!

Kids Christmas Crafts

This year we did an awesome craft with the kids and invited others from church to join us, it turned out so cute, and everyone else loved doing it as much as we did. I just had to share...

Paint your kids palm and fingers white. Carefully have them hold an ornament ball from the bottom to create the five snowmen. Use a paint marker to make hats, faces, and scarves. Attach a tag with this poem:

These aren't just five snowmen
as anyone can see;
I made them with my hand,
which is a part of me.
Each year when we trim the tree
we’ll look back and recall,
Christmas of 2008
when my hand was just this small.

Christmas

Yes it sure has been fun the last few days...

We discovered our "pre-lit" tree (of 5 years) is no longer lit. Which is a bummer because it's so full and perfect and I didn't wanna mess with getting a new tree. Marty suggested we just buy lights and add onto it but I didn't want all those extra lights on it that weren't lit. So we went tree shopping and found all the tree's available didn't look full at all, but very see through. Just reminds me of a more glorified Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Ug

So last night we spent 2 hours with some wire cutters and stripped our tree of it's old lights and the top layers of our finger tips. What a pain, but the deed is done and I feel better not having wasted a perfectly good tree because it's lights are dead.

---------------

Christmas presents got a tad out of control. Or so it feels. Some are just for us to have as a foster home but I wrapped up for the kids to open. By the time they return to their mom, those things won't be age appropriate anyway. So I guess when I just count the things they will take home, they did very well but not over done. It just seems like a lot when you see them all together.

Anyway with that thought in mind I read the neatest thing on a forum the other day that I plan on going with in the future. I LOVE the idea and think to many presents just makes kids appreciate them less. The comment was...

I have a friend with 4 girls. She does 3 gifts each and then one family gift.
The three gifts are
1)For the body (clothes)
2)For the soul (a Christian book, new Bible or Bible storybook)
3)For the spirit (this is the TOY!)
Really limits the amount of toys and the mom can get them stuff they NEED.

I may change this up a small bit who knows, but I really like this idea. Thought I'd share it.

Kids Craft/Christmas Idea

Someone pointed this idea out to me, I thought it was so cute. I may do it with the kids and let them give the ornaments to their parents this year. I know they would probably really like that.



The inscription says:

"These aren't just five snowmen
As anyone can see,
I made them with my hand
Which is a part of me.
Each year when we trim the tree
We'll look back and recall
Christmas of 2007
When my hand was just this small."

Spice Rack

I just think this spice rack is soooo cute. I found a picture of this on someone's flickr account.



She found a tv tray at the thrift store and cut the metal legs off then screwed it to the wall to create a metal surface. The magnetized spice canisters you can buy anywhere online.



I want one!

Laundry

I did 5 loads of laundry tonight. Someone called later in the evening and then I was just busy with the kids too. So I start looking for the last two loads I did because I needed to fold them. I went through the house front to back, side to side 3 times looking for where I set them down. I was starting to get irritated because my house is only 1100 square feet and I just couldn't find the two baskets of clean clothes. Then I spot all the laundry baskets empty and stacked in my closet (at which point I was struck very puzzled). I went and checked and all the clothes I was looking for were folded and put away.



This has never happened to me before.

I folded them and put them away while I was on a 10 minute phone conversation.

Brainless autopilot definitely has its benefits.

Best Bumper Sticker EVER

I've never been into bumper stickers. Never put one on any of my cars, even the junkers we drove.

I am Seriously Rethinking This.

Getting ready

What a week it's been....

We've had appointments everyday this week..

We have a visit tomorrow again with their mother, then with the caseworker. Saturday I drive Pete to Anchorage to spend 2 and a half weeks with my mom. Sunday after church, after Marty flies in at 7:30 pm, we fly out to Indiana at 9:30 pm. Should be fun, but packing has me a tad stressed, haha. I've never gone on such a long trip with any children much less the kind that are so little and require so MUCH!! haha I have a suitcase packed with the frontpack, some wipes, and all the formula we will need. I know I could buy formula but wic pays for it and considering 5 cans costs over $70 - I'll pack it along. So who knows how many suitcases I'll strap my poor husband down with, hopefully not to many hehe.

Funny story before I go...

I have been letting the baby play on the living room floor lots lately because he's learned how to roll and is having fun with it. Pete has decided that it's his job to look after that baby. He posts himself right on the floor with with the baby and just watches him so lovingly. He's always very careful with him and is just so attentive to him. And if that baby starts crying, Pete will come over lay down right along side the baby, haha. I'm just amazed how he watches over those kids. I brought him in the car with us to a visit the other day and when I got back in with out the kids he just had this look on his face - looking at the car seats, looking back to the building, car seat, building, car seat, building, :::Panic::: where did you leave those kids mom!!

Anyway, I gotta run. Can't procrastinate anymore.

Fostering...

We have officially transitioned from rescuing animals to rescuing Children. We finally took in our first foster children on June 19th, they're 2 boys ages 21 months old and 8 weeks old and I'm in love already. I wish I could post pictures and tell you all about them, unfortunately thats not allowed.

But I CAN tell you what I've discovered so far...

• Pampers and all the other brands are aweful - gotta be Luvs or Huggies.
• My house will never be as clean as I want it too.
• To speak fluent toddlereese one must know the word "NO!"
• I have now become one of those people you talk about in the store because of the tantrums the older one is capable of. **my personal favorite**

The older one went threw a few homes before he came to ours, I suspect he will work through some of his issues once he's had some time to adjust. In the meantime I am working at being consistent with discipline and lots of love.
Marty will be home in a couple weeks to meet them and I can't wait!
In the mean time wish me luck and come see us if you like!