More Christmas Pics 2008

These are just a few random pics of Claire. The one and only good one I got at her program was this one. The whole time she looked back at the bigger kids singing behind her so we got to see the back of her head. The nativity pics were at our church.

Our Merry Christmas 2008

"Here mom get a picture of my shoes while I check out this other stuff Santa brought."


Porter ended up with some fun army things, Star Wars ships and a bike.

Hannah got her very first cell phone. We wrapped in a box and called it. Her face was priceless!

Claire had a fever and stuffy/runny nose Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this is what we saw. She would run and play for a few minutes and then crash. She got a kitchen from Santa and it took him 3 hours to put it together. Which put Santa and Mrs. Clause to bed around 3:30. I can't imagine those who are challenged in that, area which Jimmy isn't, how many hours it would have taken them. The next morning Porter woke us up at 7:30. I thought I must be in a coma. I could hardly move. It was all I could do to push the button on the camera. So when it got quiet and the kids were busy playing you could find Santa back in bed and Mrs. Clause on the couch catching a few winks. The entire day we were zombies. We finally caught up the next day. So needless to say Christmas was a tad blurry for us. As for the kids they had fun and are happy. Isn't that what Christmas is all about.

Thankful Thursday

I have been thinking all day of the things I am thankful for and I still have more. I thought I would list some and challenge all of those who read this to make a list too from the word
THANKSGIVING

T- teachers who teach my children, me or my husband
H-home to find safety and where we can feel loved and be ourselves
A-art work that my kids give me
N-noisy kids
K- kindness shown by others toward our family or anyone in need
S- saying the word Thank You
G-God my Savior
I-ice I love ice with my drink
V- veggies
I- innocence of little children
N- nutty moments in life
G-giving my husband all he deserves

Its harder than it looks. It ends up being random but it stops and makes you dig a little deeper.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Bully Mom

On Tuesday I saw this boy ride his bike past Porter and holler "You're Gay." Porter ran and told Hannah and Ali. Ali threw her books down and took off after this kid. He started peddling really fast. So they all pile in the car and we chase him in his neighborhood. We saw where he lives because his bike was parked outside. So we decided we would wait for him on Wednesday. Well, the girls were watching for him and he knew it so he crossed the 4 way stop and went on the other side of the road. They spotted him and jumped in the car and we took off. We pulled up in the entrance of the neighborhood and waited. As he was approaching I got out of the car and ask him his name and then asked what grade he was in and he told me 4th. I pointed in the car and ask him if he knew that boy (pointing to Porter) and he said no. I said then why did you ride by him and run you hand by his head and call him gay? He quickly said, I didn't do that." I
I said, "Don't lie to me because I saw you and heard you do it."
I said, "Do you know what grade he's in?"
He said, (shaking and scared too death) "No."
I said, "1st grade and how does it make you feel picking on kids younger than you?"
I told him he needed to apologize to him. So he did.
I told him he should feel better for doing so and that I never wanted to see him pick on kids younger than him or anyone for that matter.
Poor thing he is so scared I thought I better stop. So I watched him ride away and I thought I would follow him. He was riding and looking back the whole time. He finally hid behind a car and we drove off.
I'm usually not like that but when it comes to my kids something comes out. Somebody needs to teach these kids that bullying is not TOLERATED!!!!!! Hannah mentioned that Porter needs to stay with her and Ali but, they will be going on to Jr. high and he will need to learn to handle these situations on his own. I just don't think he has it in him. Now if it was it sister Hannah.
My kids thought I was going to beat him up. I mean seriously do you really think I would do that. I think a few words did enough.

Locked In

Ok, for the explanation of the pictures. Porter and Claire's bedroom door knob works if you are on the outside but, if you are on the inside the knob just spins. I went in to wake up Claire and get her dressed because I had to go get my blood drawn at 8:45. Usually she cooperates but, today she shut the door and sat in front of it before I could catch it. So now Claire and I are locked in the bedroom. No phone, no diapers, no food, no bathroom, no way to pick up kids, no way to take Porter lunch. You get the picture. I start to panic. I look around and decide to use hair clips to try to unscrew the door knob. Also picture I am right handed and am unable to use that hand because of surgery. So its all up the my left. I then try to beat the knob in hopes that I would break it off. I did break it off but, the door is still closed. I looked out the window and thought I could jump but, knowing my luck I would break my other hand or leg. Oh, and then Claire might follow me out the 2nd story window because I would be unable to shut it. I also hoped someone would be taking a walk and I could holler at them and have them call my mother-in-law whose has a key to the house. No such luck. I then grabbed one of my old shoes that was in the dress up box and beat at the hinges. I had no clue. I also prayed and asked for help. Then after about an hour I decided to use all the force I could and just break the door. I grabbed the bottom corner and pulled with all my strength and tada. The pictures tell all.

I was so proud of her

This is Hannah at her game last Saturday. They played so good I think I was hoarse from yelling. Hannah served 10 points in a row 2 different games. Her serves are fast, hard and deep. They try to hit it but usually can't. Lucky for us. So here I am shouting from the roof tops, "GO HANNAH!!!!"
She was also chosen to be the team captain that day and it was crazy sock and short day.

Cris #80 Cory Cubs

I went to my nephew's football game on Saturday. He Kept asking me if I would come to one. How could you turn that down? He did a great job even though they lost to our elementary (Miller). Isn't he cute? The picture with all the boys is them staring at the cheerleaders. I thought it was hilarious. Way to go Cris!!!

"Its All too scary." says Claire Halloween 2008

We also decorated our pumpkins this year by painting them. They had so much fun and they turned out pretty cute. We did our traditional Halloween night which was to go over to Nana and Papa's house. We meet up with the cousins and a few extra and went trick or treating. The three smallest ones rode in the wagon. Claire was so cute. Her Arial costume was just for her (red hair). The tight mermaid skirt did not slow her down. In and out of the wagon. Up and down driveways to only kid friendly houses because everything this year was SCARY! She loved every minute of it. Porter was Moroni (Roman soldier) he of course was all into it. Jimmy made almost all of his costume. Hannah brought a friend this year and they had a blast. They went to the scariest house which is a long driveway by a pond. Lots of scary ucky people and they wanted to go back for more.




Who doesn't like to watch a good old Charlie Brown special. I think they've been around for years. Claire and Porter enjoyed watching it with their daddy.
This was the first of our Halloween festivities. We had our party at church and it was a "Going Green" You were to recycle a costume or use recycle items to make one. As you can see Hannah was the only one to do that. She was the Target girl. She did win 2nd place at the party in the kids division.

Guess what I found?

The other day I came around the corner to find this and Claire telling me that she had boo boos and she put band aids on them. Look closely and you will see that it is not band aids! Also she got into Hannah's lip gloss. Look closely and you will see her lips sparkling. How fun is it to have a big sister to get in your personal stuff and put it all over for the world to see? (and then mom blogs it) Sorry Hannah.

Random pictures of Claire,Hannah, and Porter

These are just random pics of Claire doing housework and swimming. Don't quite know what the glove is for and love the black shoes with bikini. The goggles are called "gobbles".

This was so funny. Claire is in love with clowns. Talks about them all the time. Reality hit when we had the chance to get close to one and get our picture taken with one. She looks happy but she insisted that she was farthest away from the clown. She would freak out if one went near her to try and say hi. We still like clowns as long as they are in a movie and keep their distance! Oh, yes and don't you just love the name of this clown and his bling bling cross necklace.



Can you tell she discovered and loves cotton candy?


Hannah had riding an elephant on her list of things to do in her life and it was fulfilled. Her comment was, "man, my legs had to spread way apart and it was lumpy." Porter just smiled and hung on.




This would be our newest trick.

Smile

I was holding a new born baby at a baptism the other night and Porter said, "Mom do you want another baby?" and I replied, "No I'm done having children." Then he said, "Mom then why are you smiling so big?" I said, "because they are so new and sweet they just make you want to smile." So forgive me if I ask often to hold your little ones. I guess I want to SMILE.

Guess Who I Got To Meet

For those of you who are Ranger fans or Josh Hamilton fans here he is. Yes, he is very nice and loves to joke around. I ask if he minded signing a few things and he said, no not at all its part of the gig." He joked with us and talked about his three girls. Its also humbling to know his story and how his life has changed for the better.

No Way!!

On the way to church Sunday I decided to lotion my hands so I took off my wedding ring and set it in my lap. We take one of my young women to church and I guess I got busy talking to her and forgot I had set my ring in my lap. So later I made the comment, Um I forgot to wear my ring today." No comments on how long in between it was!!!! Yes, I am getting older and I was on overload. Later on that day we went to a fireside and I went to put it on and it wasn't in my jewelry box. I got a little worried but not too much. I told Jimmy and he said that maybe its on the floor of the car. He went and looked, no ring. We had to be at the church early so he could set up the computer stuff for the speaker. I told him that I was going to run by our church parking lot to make sure it didn't fall out on the ground before I go and pick up Victoria. As I was stopping facing the parking lot I could see something shinny. I drove over to where we were parked and opened my door and there sat my wedding ring!!!!! I was shocked that it was there and no one had walked by or even saw it. How lucky was that or should I say blessed. We were practicing taking pictures of small things at young women's one night so I do have a picture of the lucky find. In December it will be 15 years and I just can't imagine not having it.

Where did he go?

As most of you know we have been dealing with a head injury from a car accident in July. Jimmy was rear ended on the 17th of July while the rest of us were in Montana. He called and told me he was just fine and so I didn't worry. Two days later he called me after I had just talked to him and said, "I haven't talked to you in a couple of days and I thought I would call. " That is when I began to panic inside. So I called his sister and told her that no one loved Jimmy more than me and her and of course his mom and dad. Could she please call and check on him several times a day. Long story short he has had a MRI and it showed that he had no big contusions but, the neurologists said that there were probably a lot of small contusions which is a result of all the things we have been dealing with. We have dealt with twitching, anxiousness, headaches sleeplessness ,depression, emotionless/al, agitated by noise or , chaos, lethargic from medications and loss of who I married.
I sat and cried one day thinking I should be grateful that the accident wasn't worse and I didn't lose him or that he didn't lose his memory from the past. I thought what if he didn't know who we were or about our wedding day or the day each of our children were born. I am grateful for him and that it was just small contusions on his brain. Also that there is a time when he should be back to normal. I worry that the medications that have made him better will not have to be permanent. They have changed him. He is still my sweet sensitive husband. The happy joking guy is not quite all there. I never realized how much I loved that about him. When things are tense, kids are grouchy, moms grouchy, sad or hard,  Jimmy is always there to crack a joke or just make everyone laugh. I miss that. I feel like I have been walking around on egg shells for months. Telling the kids to be quiet and don't fight in front of your dad. All these things that I was used to him helping me conquer I am conquering on my own. I feel like everything I do normally is like tripled. I have relied on my Heavenly Father many times just to help me to understand what he is going through. How can you possibly understand a brain injury? Its such a complex part of our body that controls and regulates everything we do.
I think last week we turned a corner and found that doubling the medication on one seem to diminished the headaches and the twitching. My concern is when the "time" is up for the healing what will happen with the medications? Will he be on them forever or are they just a temporary help? I guess only time will tell. That is where faith comes in.
Thank you for your prayers and everyone who has taken me to lunch to get a break from it all.Thanks for the phone calls, thank you for letting us escape to your house for ice cream and just those that ask It means so much to me and to Jimmy.

1st day of 1st grade and 6th grade

Yes, its the first day of school and Hannah's last year at Miller. She is now the Big Dog or as she says everyone is saying Big Cheese, queen bees, big fish ect. She had a great week and loves her teachers (so far) and got caught up with friends she didn't see over the summer. I did ask her and Ali if they wanted me to walk them to school and they said, "uh no, thats ok." I can't believe she will be in Junior High next year. As I was driving them to school it hit me that I had been taking her to Miller for 6 years. I can remember like it was yesterday pushing her and Porter in the double stroller up to the school and dropping her off for kindergarten. Ugh I feel old.
They both were so nervous they couldn't even finish their breakfast. Porter had me walk him in to his room and when we walked in his teacher asked, "Do you think he is going to need a taller desk?" I told her we could try it this way and see. He sat down and his legs grazed the top of the desk. He said it was fine. Later on day 2 I found out she had his desk raised.
Porter had fun seeing his old friends and meeting new ones. He told me that one girl is sensitive like him because she couldn't get her shoe on and she started to cry. Also,he told me that the "fluid" was going around the school. I asked a few questions and found out that it was the flu. We are already sharing the love (sickness) at school. Porter's teacher is pregnant and due in October. She will be out until January. I wasn't real excited about that but maybe it will all work out. Anyway we are off to a good start to a good year. I am ready like my blog title because here comes life.