It's time for me to go....

We will be leaving the Hoosier state in 8 short days. Am I ready, not really. In fact I should probably be packing instead of blogging, but it has been a really long time, well, since Christmas. I hope I can take the time to blog more often. Anyway, I am really going to miss Indiana this time. When we moved to California, it really wasn't that hard. We were excited and wanted to start our future there. Well, now I have so many awesome friends, that it is really hard and sad to leave. I try not to think of it mostly. I know there will be someone that I forget to say good-bye to and then I will be so sad.
I did get a job offer though and that makes me feel so much better. I will be working at Early Light Academy in South Jordan. This is the school I wanted to work at with all the new technology and a great integrated arts program. I can't wait for all of that.
I gotta pack, now I feel guilty for being here this long!

Christmas has come and gone

Well, as promised, here is a picture of our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Our Christmas was really nice. We opened family gifts on Christmas eve (a Yoder tradition) and talked about why we celebrate Christmas and why we give gifts. Then Christmas morning we woke up, ate our delicious Christmas breakfast casserole (a Berry tradition), with our cinnamon rolls and waited for daddy to get up. It only took the kids going in 3 times to wake him up. Each time he would respond with a sleepy, "okay in 10 minutes." This is Richard's favorite response when ever he is woken up for anything. Of course, being the loving and understanding wife that I am, I didn't send the next kid in after the 10 minutes. We waited about 30, then tried again. So our gift opening finally started with stockings at about 10:00. Then Uncle Ren and Aunt Shelley stopped by on their way out of town to give some gifts to the kids and to try my casserole (as if he didn't make 4 for himself). The kids are way too lucky! They got more than they needed, but it really wasn't too much. Most of it was clothes that I either made or found at a consignment shop. So, with that out of the way we played for a bit, then made our gingerbread house. Great Christmas day activity. We found a kit that was on sale for $5 at Walmart and since I always wanted to try it out, I bought the kit. We had a lot of fun creating our little house. It stayed up for a day, then we started to eat it!! Anyway, Christmas evening we went to Denny's for dinner. There were actually a lot of people there and little serving staff, so we had to wait, but that's okay. I didn't have to cook or clean. It was a great Christmas! Since then we have been playing and working, and watching movies. I have eaten what too much junk food, gained 5 pounds, and I'm sure my teeth are about to rot out of my head. If Richard brings home one more bag of candy (he brought 3 home last night) I may have to kick him out! Just kidding of course.

I know we all worry about Jacob's health so here is the latest. I took him to the doctor and he has been put on yet another medicine for allergies and asthma (that makes 4 now). Amazingly, this one is working I think. He has finally stopped coughing, which hasn't happened since October. Hopefully we found what works and can take him off of some meds that haven't worked, in my opinion.

Abby has her own health issues. We think her ear drum has burst because of an infection and too much fluid. She just finished her atibiotics, so hopefully the infection is gone and the drum will begin to repair itself. If not, then we have to go back to the ENT and possibly another surgery. Please pray that this will not happen!

Elliott is my light in the darkness, he is healthy so far. Little sniffles here and there, but nothing to write home about.

I'll try to post more pictures, but I don't know how much time I'll have before kids interrupt!
We love you all and hope you had a great holiday!!

Well, I don't know where the time has gone, but Merry Christmas to you all. We are excited to celebrate Christmas this year. I think we are finally figuring this gift thing out. We have finally realized that our kids don't need or really want a ton of stuff on Christmas. They each only asked for about three things. Although we can't get Elliott the computer that he asked Santa for, we are doing our best. Last year we just had fun being together, staying in our jammies and playing with our stuff.
So here is the update. Richard is doing really great. He is really successful at his job and has actually been told that he is one of the top salesmen for truck caps. As you all know, it doesn't matter what he does, he will be the best! I am losing my position at the YMCA because some upper management does not see the need for supervision in my child care area. I think this decision will be changed when they realize what a huge mistake it is. We are having budget cuts at the Y and evidently I make waaaaaay too much for them to afford me. So I will now be teaching the homeschool P.E. class, a pre-school dance class, and I will be picking up hours in the child watch area. I'm not excited about that last part, but until something better comes along...
Jacob is great of course. He is almost a Math Whiz at his school which is fantastic. We were hoping that he would get it before break, but he missed on problem. There is only one person in his class that is a Math Whiz so far. He also has learned chess. Richard taught him the other night. He picked it up really quickly and is now practicing so he can build a strategy. Abby is...well...Abby. I really don't understand her sometimes and I'm sure I am not the only mother of little girls that feel the same way. She has become helpless. She can't do anything with out me. Here is one example: the girl has been going pee on the potty for 3 years and she thinks I have to be there with her. Well, we all know how this went over... I said no...she whined...I said no...she cried...I said no... she does the pee pee dance...I said no-do we see where this is going? I find myself losing it! Why can't she understand that no means no? One of the tubes in her ear has fallen out (which it is supposed to) and of course that has been bothering her, so no matter what terrible thing happens to her during the day, it's because of the tube. Unless of course Jacob is home because then it is "his fault." Elliott is just perfect! I know it isn't going to last forever, but other than the use of the words idiot and stupid, he is great. He is helpful and loving, he plays nicely with everyone, and obeys pretty well. He is also really good at entertaining himself. Give the kid a car and he is just fine.
I hope to have some more pictures posted soon, I need you all to see our Christmas tree! Last year we started a tradition of making our own trees. Last year it was a big piece of butcher paper and our green hand prints made the leaves of the tree. This year, all I have to say is Charlie Brown!
Have a great Christmas everyone!!

Thanksgiving and so on

Well, yesterday we went to Thanksgiving at Uncle Ren's house. I have to be honest. I was really nervous. I was super afraid that my kids would destroy their house and be really obnoxious. Luckily, they were very good until it was time to go and we were all tired. It also helped that Ren and Shelley really don't have much furniture or other "things" that could easily be destroyed. Their new house is really nice! We had a great meal and a nice relaxing day. Now for the "so on"
This week Elliott learned how to make his own chocolate milk. Jacob supervised and helped when Elliott wasn't strong enough to lift the milk. They were a great team and very successful. Jacob is still sick. I don't really think he will ever be normal. He either is having asthma problems, extreme snot from the nose, or bowel problems as is the case right now. I know he made a deal with Heavenly Father so he would be the only child to take on these illnesses. Luckily we have not seen any other kidney stones!! Abby is still being 5. Some days she is the sweetest girl in the world. Other days she is, well, NOT! I am trying to keep my patience with her. What a challenge. Elliott is hillarious! He is picking up phrases from school, I think, that really crack me up. Of course I can't think of anything now, but when I remember, I'll add them to the blog.
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are still feasting on left overs.

tell me why

Can someone please remind me why I like Indiana? I mean we went from 80 degrees to 30 degrees in a matter of 2 days. Now we are freezing in a drafty house (as we are learning) and there is no end in sight. I'm reminded of Kempton when the wind blew. We do have both cars in the garage, but we have to walk outside to get to the garage. Beggars can't be choosers. I haven't updated in a while because I have been busy. It is really hard to work and run a home. I know I don't work as much as I eventually will with a full time teaching job, but I do work every week day and it does take time. I've been meaning to write down all the wonderful things that my kids are doing, but I get distracted. Jacob's crown went well. Abby and Elliott had cleanings and we found that Abby has 2 cavities between molars. I am not looking forward to the drama that will follow this procedure. Both sides of her mouth will have to be numb. Jacob's been put on a new medicine for his asthma, but I'm not sure it is any better than the last medicine. He still spends most of his time coughing. Someone please tell me why it has to be so hard to figure out asthma! Elliott is my little sweetheart (finally). The first three years of his life, he could care less about me. He has always wanted Daddy over me. OUCH! But recently he has been so loving. When we walk in parking lots, or go shopping, or sit on the couch, or whatever we are doing he will say, "Mommy, you awre the best Mommy evewr." Sorry to all you other mommies... I am the best! J/K He will also give me his soft little hug and rub my back. I love this so much. Sometimes that is all I need to make a perfect day. Jacob is an amazing little guy, well not so little really. He won the turkey shoot at scouts this year. I was so proud of him. The boys shoot at pictures of turkeys, targets, and their leaders with rubber band guns. He got the most points (120). He was thrilled! I am trying to understand Abby at this point. Tell me why I can't communicate with her, please! She will ask a question, I'll give her the answer, then she asks again. I guess she didn't like the first answer, well, too stinkin' bad. You git what you git and you don't throw a fit (yes that was Hoosier twang) . So the other day I just sat back and listened to her temper tantrum. She was mad at Elliott for some reason. The very sad and scary part was that I heard my own voice screaming through her frustrated whines and cries. We are so much a like that we don't always get along. I'm trying though. Richard is working as hard as ever, maybe even harder. He is at work from 7:30 a.m. until about 7:00 p.m. He does this Monday thru Friday. Saturday is his easy day, he works from open until 3 p.m. By this time he is exhausted and pretty much crashes until Monday morning at 7:30. On top of working, I have been staying busy by accepting church responsibilities. Today I fed about 50 women for our Christmas Enrichment. We had chicken crepes, salad, very berry jello cups, and hand decorated cupcakes. It was beautiful and delicious. I didn't really do much other than delegate, but I didn't really get to enjoy all the crafts of the day. Oh well, maybe next year. I'm glad that part is over and I await my next assignment. There is always something. I am so happy that my sisters-in-laws have there beautiful babies. I will be excited to see them some day. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. We are going to Uncle Ren's house to have dinner with his little family and his wife's side of the family. I hope my kids behave and don't break anything!

I spend most of my time with Abby and Elliott, so most posts will be about them. Here is my Jacob! He is so awesome and never stops amazing me. He takes benchmark tests every month in Math and Reading. Even though he is supposed to score a 70% by the end of the year on these two tests, he has scored 100% on both tests! I couldn't be more proud of him. He is not in the honors class, but that is fine with me. There is sometimes too much pressure in those classes and he is the last person that needs stress. He is extremely sensitive, so I would hate for his self-esteem to be flattened. He has also taught himself how to multiply. I don't really know how he figured it out. We had one conversation before he went to bed about the principles of multiplication and how it all works. Ever since he has been giving me multiplication problems on a daily basis. He is even multiplying two digits by one digit. His reading is coming along. Although he doesn't read fast, he is very careful to get all the words right. His comprehension is unbeatable. Everybody just loves my Jacob. Even during our recent hospital visit, all the nurses and doctors were impressed by how polite he was.
As most of you know, Jacob has had his battles with poor health. He had two kidney stones at the ripe old age of six, but those are no problem now. We have it under control with his diet. At least we think we do. Asthma on the other hand,...not so much. He was hospitalized for 36 hours over his fall break. What started out as an asthma attack in the middle of the night turned into croop which lead to his esophagus closing shut. A little antibiotic and epinephrin paired with breathing in albuterol will kick that junk right out of you! He wasn't really thrilled with having an IV in his arm, but he was a trooper nevertheless. So that fiasco was over then on Sunday his tooth starts hurting. On the 14th of this month Jacob will become royaly, well, his tooth will anyway. He will get a crown on a molar that will stay with him until he is 12. He must have made an arrangement with Heavenly Father that he would take on the illnesses of the family so that Elliott and Abby wouldn't have to go through it.

Abby and Elliott are pretty much inseparable. They play, go to school, to child watch, watch movies, eat, fight, all together. These are just some pictures of them doing what they do, not too much. I still can't load the pictures on the pages the way I want to. I need Naomi!