Pop Quiz

1. Why has it been more than a month since I've updated our blog?

a) Our computer hasn't been working very well
b) I have four kids with the oldest just turning 5 1/2
c) Dave likes to take pictures in RAW format on the SLR so I don't know how to upload them
d) I've had nothing to post about
e) pretty much all of the above

Correct answer: e (but with a major emphasis on B) My life is full with the following:
12-15 diaper changes per day
15 loads of laundry washed and folded each week
dishwasher loaded to the brim and emptied at least once a day
2-3 nightly awakenings (usually just 1 attributed to Lexi)
breakfast for 5
packing one sack lunch
nursing
making lunch for 3 others
dinner for 5
snacks all day long
vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, wiping scrubbing, picking up, paying bills, chaufeurring
refereeing fights between siblings
wiping snotty noses
trying to exercise whenever I can
holding crying girls
and on and on and on . . I have a lot to be grateful for. One thing I can certainly be grateful for is a full life . .sure a lot of it is monotonous tasks, but the cute and mischievous faces that require those tasks are worth it.

2. Why don't we own very many nice things?


a) we don't have a lot of money (Student loans only go so far)
b) we aren't materialistic people
c) our kids destroy everything
d) we don't have enough room to put any extra things
e) all but b are true

Correct answer: E (this time the empasis goes on c: our kids destroy everything

There are the things like slashed screens, broken dishes, etching drawings into the car with rocks, spilling of dyes and glue on the carpet, but Dallas topped the list yesterday with this:

This is what it looks like when you watch Clifford on a broken LCD tv. Dallas climbed up into the armoir and knocked the tv over. Its my new recipe for how to blow $600 in 2 seconds of "fun". Dave's comments to the boys regarding the event: You're never watching tv again. Never. No xbox and no tv. You can learn how to read books and play with toys. (In part due to the hundred times he alone has asked them not to climb up there)

Dallas's comments: I a weally bad boy. I wished evewyfing in the whole wide wold would be made of metal. I ask "why?" response: so it couldn't get bwoken.

So that's the headline for today and I'll work on some more from the last month later.

Another funny Dallas Comment

While delivering Christmas goodies to our neighbors, Dallas started complaining about how cold his hands were so I told him he could go back inside.

His response, "No then the boogie man get me. I have lots of boogers."

Celebrating In Style

We had a Christmas Party a few years ago where the theme was "cheesy sweaters and hot chocolate". Everyone was supposed to dress in ugly holiday sweaters and bring a mug to drink hot chocolate from. We decided to give the sweaters one more try before we all part our separate ways. The sweaters were hideous, 0ur place was crowded, the food was deliciously fattening and the company was fantastic. We had a little photo shoot as families arrived and here are most of the guests . .too bad you can't see their ugly clothes a little better.

Out of the mouths of babes.

Dallas still makes me scream and laugh daily. Yesterday in time out for the umpteenth time Dallas loudly declares, " I hate you mommy. I hate everybody in the whole wide world . .except colors."

I probably should have cried after my three year old told me he hates me, but it was so funny because he is always asking people "What your favorite color?" and then he will tell them that he loves all the colors. So eventhough he hates everyone in the world, he still wanted everyone to know that he likes all the colors.

Today . .Trenton is trying to parent Dallas and I tell him that he's not the parent-he's the brother and someday he will be the daddy. Dallas then tells us, "Yeah and someday I'll be the mommy." We already knew that though as he is planning on nursing in the future.

We're headed to Kentucky!

Dave decided that he likes checking the box labeled "student" when asked to identify his profession . . . in order to try and do this for a few more years he applied to orthodontic residency. Well, many years of hard work at school paid off and and matched at his #1 choice- the University of Louisville. So, we'll be packing up this summer and heading to Kentucky for another 2 years of school. Although sad to leave friends and family here in Portland, we are very happy that he will be able to pursue the career of his choice and even happier that we're getting closer to him being done with school!

SNOW DAY!

For once the forecast was accurate. It began snowing early Sunday morning and continued through most of the day. We ended up with about 4 1/2 inches . .which isn't that significant elsewhere, but in Portland it equals no church, no firesides, pretty much no one leaving their homes since people don't know how to drive in these conditions and the city doesn't have all the right equipment or funds or whatever to clear the roads properly. I-5 (the major interstate) right next to our home was closed in both directions for a while and there were accidents on every major road in the area. Since the temperatures haven't made their way out of the 20s - -nothing has melted and there was no school on Monday (and Dave even had the day off of school for the first time ever). And again today no school for the kids today (unfortunately Dave had to go back). I'm ready to get the kids and myself out of the house . . .but it has been fun to have snow and the boys have been loving it! Here are some pics from the first snow Sunday morning:

Of course the kids came in and enjoyed hot chocolate with marshmallows and stories by the fire to warm up.

Growing like a chubby weed

Picture #1: Lexi at 4 weeks. Picture #2: Lexi at 5 weeks (after her first full 3 hours at church).

As you can see, her face had filled out nicely. She may have been born small, but I had no expectations of that lasting.

Birthweight 6 lbs 15 oz.

2 week check up: 8 lbs 2 oz

(For those of you without kids: the doctors like to see babies back up to their birthweight by 2 weeks. I'd say she is doing okay)

2 month check up: even chubbier I'm sure.

Baby Brittany!

So, last Monday I was noting Lexi's amazing male pattern baldness and, well, it wasn't cute.

So, I get a little ambitious and put my problem solving skills to the test. My solution: shave it clean!

The after math: Now, not only was she sporting a lovely case of baby acne, but she looked like she belonged in the Spears family!

A week later her acne is almost cleared up and I am used to having a bald baby . . .nothing a cute little hat or bow can't fix.