elevenies's Xanga

10 Years Ago...

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 05:35:14 GMT

10 Years Ago...
1. I had only been married for 6 years
2. I only had 2 kids
3. I lived in Parker, CO
4. I was thirty
5. I thought I knew a lot but now I know I didn't have a clue

5 Things on tomorrow's "to-do" list
1. finish laundry
2. go to the "Hanging of the Greens" at church
3. see the Christmas parade in Poulsbo
4. plan lessons for the next 2 weeks
5. practice the violin

5 Snacks I enjoy
1. chocolate
2. dark chocolate
3. really dark chocolate
4. hummus on anything
5. dark chocolate ovaltine

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire
1. travel with my family
2. buy property and build a house or two
3. learn to sail
4. buy a horse
5. pad kids college accounts

5 Places I have lived
1. Mitchell, NE
2. Denver, CO
3. Parker, CO
4. Bainbridge Island, WA
5. Port Gamble, WA

5 Jobs that I have had / or still have
1. Mom
2. teacher
3. paper girl
4. grocery clerk
5. nanny

5 people I am 'tagging'
You know who you are! 8)

Fun Monday?!?!

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:23:47 GMT

Yes, we actually had a fun Monday. I loaded up the kids and their instruments, sans piano, and headed down to a friend's house. There we had a Christmas music jam session with A on the piano, C on the string bass, J (her oldest son) on cello, J (her second son) on violin, and L (her oldest daughter) on violin. She and I chimed in on violins when we could--when we weren't holding babies or helping the other kids. T and R had more fun playing with their friends and didn't really want to "practice". [This was the first time we have taken the bass in the car. When C straps it on his back it is a little taller than he is. It is only a half size but still quite large and I was surprised at how easy it was, once we took the middle seat out of the van!] A good time was had by all and we are sure to do it again soon! I'll try and post pictures soon.

Election Day

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:51:37 GMT

Just one thought on Election Day. It loses a lot when you've mailed in your ballot awhile ago. I remember taking the kids to the polling station and explaining what I was doing. No more, I just fill out the ballot in my own home and mail it off. Not quite the same.....

In other news........we have no "new" news.
School has been going well. I think we've had two days where we played hooky but otherwise we've been hitting the books 4 days every week. Tuesdays we don't do school because we have piano lessons, 4-H, and trips to the library, bank, chiropractor, etc. It is wonderful to have a day to sleep in a little and get the house in order. We also have time in the afternoon to relax a little. It is becoming our favorite day! Mondays are long and tiresome, not sure why but they usually are so it is nice to look forward to Tuesday.
T & A are doing well in piano lessons. R & C are both still enjoying violin and R seems to have made some big jumps and is able to play songs now--Yay! C loves his Bass and practices both instuments diligently.
Choir is going well; the boys sang on Sunday. The whole youth choir sang last Sunday and will sing again Thanksgiving Eve. We are working on a ton of music for the holidays and have some really fun pieces.
Everyone is enjoying 4-H. There is a wide variety of classes being offered and the kids already have plans on what they will be taking to the fair next August.
P was asked to be a Deacon in our church and was voted in at the last business meeting. He will be installed Nov 30 and is looking forward to helping out with the workings of the church. Last Saturday night we had our traditional Reformation Wiener Roast and it was such a blast. Most of the kids dressed up as either Bible characters or characters from the Reformation. A wore P's graduation gown and was "Judge" Deborah. R was Miriam complete with Moses in a basket. T and C were the kids who made fun of Elisha and got mauled by a bear, P even shaved his head for the occasion.
I have been able to start walking again. I'm up to 45 minutes of brisk walking with no pain. I'm doing some isometric exercises to strengthen my thigh muscles and that really helps, as does my Pilates. The problem is that my knees don't track properly and when they are under a lot of strain, such a running 2-4 miles every day, the tendon really gets inflamed. Then any kind of activity is painful. So if I can keep the tendon happy, I'm all set. I'm hoping to start running soon but I'm going to take things easy.
I can't think of anything else but if something comes up, I'll be sure and let you know!

Pictures from the fair

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 03:14:14 GMT

Here is R and I.

And here is the whole crazy bunch

What a week!

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:33:48 GMT

Monday we went to the Puyallup (Pyew a lup) Fair. It was grand. We went Monday because it was $1 ride day and that's about what we can afford! I made everyone try the Ferris Wheel first because it's one of my favorites and then the older kids with P went to ride the Roller Coaster. Just the two oldest, not P or T. R and I had so much fun riding the Carousel and the Ferris Wheel (again). We also got her face painted (a green and pink butterfly) and she made a decorated tile at the Home Depot booth. We also had a picture taken just the two of us. We both enjoyed it and it was some great one-on-one time with R. One-on-one time is rare in our family; we are so often all together, which is great in itself but a little individual attention is good too. We all met up again and A and C tried another roller coaster which was "way more cool" because you spent part of the time sideways. Next came the swings for A,C, and T and P, R and I went on the gliders. T was dying to go on a roller coaster so we walked back to the coolest one and the three oldest were in line to go when they found that A couldn't ride solo. P took pity and actually rode on his first roller coaster. They all loved it and can't wait to go back, even P! After the requisite cotton candy we were ready to head for home.

Another reason we went to the fair on Monday was that Tuesday we started school. I really needed a break before we started because this year has been a bear to plan and prepare for. All 4 are full time this fall and I have been feeling very overwhelmed thinking how it would all work out. Plus I have to schedule 4 different music lessons (soon to be 5) with 2 different teachers, Youth Choir practice (I'm the co-director), Latin for A, and 4-H (starts next month--yay!). On paper it doesn't look that difficult but being organizationally challenged it was a scheduling nightmare. Add in to the equation that I need at least a couple of days where I don't have to go anywhere or I get rather cranky and my house might be condemned. Finally it all worked out with a miracle from God, the piano teacher can teach on Tuesdays again instead of Mondays. So we will be home Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and gone on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for choir, piano, latin, and 4-H. The violin/bass/guitar teacher comes to my house on Wednesdays--God bless her! After I figured all this out I had to plan the "school" part of our days. I came up with a detailed schedule, down to the 15 minutes, that totally bombed! I kept looking at the clock and feeling rushed and behind--because I was always rushed and behind! On Thursday night after a couple of very stressful days it struck me that I was looking at the wrong thing. Instead of looking at the clock I needed to focus on the rhythm of the schedule. Grammar follows math and comes before history and science etc. Also, although all the kids are doing Math at the same time, A and C cannot ask me questions about their work while I am helping R and to some extent T with their Math. I just can't make the jump from "No R, that isn't the way you make a 5, erase it and do it the other way." to "A, the formula for slope is y=mx+b." Once I figured this out, Friday went so smoothly! We do our Bible lesson together after breakfast, a quick tidy and then upstairs for school. Math is first, A and C do what they can and save their ?? for later. After math, R and T do their grammar and then music practice. C is generally working on grammar around this time too while A is still doing math. At 11:00ish everyone stops and we do history reading together, they break up again for individual science--R and T are together again, R is being stretched up to 3rd grade science. Thne everyone works on their writing assignments--R does handwriting and a reading lesson. Then it is time for lunch and about time too! After lunch I read to R and T while C and A practice their instruments. It's quiet time next for R and T and then I answer any ?? that A and C had on their math or grammar or vocabulary or science or, or, or... I also grade the days lessons. We have one or two subjects to add next week for A and C but I think if I focus on the rhythm, we should be fine.

The house suffers a bit but the kids are doing a lot more now and I'll just have to fit things in when I can. Laundry is a problem but the kids all help fold so we'll muddle through. I've also been exercising every day before school. I still can't run but I'm biking 6-8 miles a day. I've been fighting with my back all summer so I am hoping to start pilates in the evening this week. P will lift after the kids go to bed and I'll do 20-30 minutes.

I'd better run, dinner is ready!

The first round of school books came today--Yay!!

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:56:24 GMT

The kids were excited looking at what they would be doing in a couple of weeks. R was perturbed that she didn't get any new books yet. I'm going to start doing A's Algebra 2 book, partly for fun and partly to anticipate any problems. I'm so proud of her, 13 and taking Algebra 2! C is doing pre-Algebra @ 11!
We just love Math around here.....

We are off to Seattle on Wed. with a pre-school field trip to see the Impressionists Exhibit. With 25 students and 8 chaperones, 33 of our closest friends are going. ;) We'll have a 60 minute tour with 2 docents and 60 minutes in the art workshop creating our own masterpieces. That plus the ferry ride to the city will make a fun and exciting day.

I'm thinking of killing this blog, I seem to have time for facebook but not longer posts. I'll have to see...

From the News today.........

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:21:16 GMT

Exxon Mobile reported quarterly earnings of over $12 Billion, the largest ever reported by an American company.

Frankly, it makes me sick. We are paying over $4.00 a gallon for gas--no one seems to know why--and they just pocketed $12 Billion?!?!?! We can't afford to buy a new car right now. Even if we could, car companies don't make fuel efficient cars that can carry our whole family--and we only have 4 kids, I have friends with 6 and 8, what are they supposed to do?

When are we going to wake up and say--ENOUGH! I'm there now. I'll be taking my bike for the odd trip for milk, it's only three miles. I will do whatever I can to limit my trips to town, scheduling appts together. Any other good ideas? What are you doing to conserve your money and your gas?

All I want to do is take some of that money out of their pocket and put it back in my own where it belongs!

Our week.....

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:09:20 GMT

We are enjoying some wonderful sunshine today--it's supposed to last all week! Last Thursday we went to our church in the evening to celebrate the 4th with friends. I know, Thursday was the 3rd but on our side of the water we celebrate on the 3rd so people can cross the water to see the BIG displays on the 4th. Kind of a two-for-one deal. Lots of fun, we came home and watched Eloise--R and I just love Eloise! Friday was the real 4th and we did our own mini explosions and watched Jeeves and Wooster. Saturday we were in for a quiet night, early to bed etc. etc. when R came to me at bedtime with tremulous lip.
She had swallowed a battery.
"What kind of battery?", I calmly replied.
"The quarter kind." This means the flat ones that you put into pdas, watches, and the like. I called Poison Control and informed them of the situation.
"Was it a lithium battery?", they asked.
Not knowing for sure, after all the battery was now inside the child, I said I'd call back. After checking on the pda that the battery came in and looking the battery number online, I discovered that it was indeed a lithium battery. I call the PC back and let them know. They inform me that we need to go to the Emergency Room and have her checked out. We all, yes, all 6 of us, hop into the van and drive 25 minutes to the ER. The last time we were at the ER was also for R. She tried to open the empty beetle (black olive) can and sliced her finger severely. Anyhoo, long story short she had an x-ray, the battery was not stuck in her esophagus, it was already in her small intestine, and should work its way out shortly. We have a lovely blue plastic bracelet, a cool, suitable-for-framing x-ray of the battery in R's intestines, and a lesson well learned. I hope......
Favorite quote of the night: "You're allowed to eat batteries at your house?"

This week is VBS. Our theme is the Olympics and the heroes of the faith from Hebrews 11. I have the 1st and 2nd grade again. It will be fun and exhausting. The kids are very excited. If you memorize 26 verses, one for each letter of the alphabet you get a blizzard of any flavor and any size from DQ. Needless to say, all are aiming for that prize. (Even me!)

Quote for the day.....

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 03:48:11 GMT

"Anyone who is actually following a recognized road will not be too worried if he hears nontravellers telling each other that no such road exists. "
J I Packer

Update

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:03:21 GMT

It has been a long time since I updated this blog! We have been busy--nothing new there!
The highlight of the Spring was P's graduation. He has been in school since Jan 07 with only a 2 week break at Christmas. Since last Fall he had been doubling up on classses and so finished his MBA in only 16 months! It was tough at times and we joked that we would never make it through but he did so well. He finished with a 3.8 GPA! We went to CO for the graduation and had a great time, even though we weren't able to see everyone we had hoped to. (The boys are ready to move to CO and live in the hotel provided their cousins will do the same.)
The kids were all in Bye Bye Birdie, a KCMT production. The last two weeks are affectionately known as Hell Weeks because we are at the Theatre 4-5 hours a day, 7 days a week. Luckily it's only two weeks! We missed the first two perfromances when we were in CO. We will be taking a break from the theatre for the foreseeable future.
Each kid is also taking music lessons. A & T take piano lessons every week and C & R have weekly violin lessons. C will also start Bass Lessons in the Fall. They are also in the Youth Choir at Church; A sings soprano, R is an alto, and C & T sing alto and some tenor.
My younger sister and I are going to run a marathon in the Fall of 09. P and I have been training on an old logging trail near our house. It's about a 5 mile loop of some of the most beautiful scenery you can imagine. I have also started running on the main road that passes our house. I got a book on Marathon training; it has some good stretches and exercises that are very helpful. (If you have any great stretches for tight calves and the soleus muscle send them my way.) The only downside is that S and I live so far apart and are unable to train together. Luckily for me, P loves to run and is a big encouragnment! I'll be 40 when we run--or maybe 41 depending on which marathon we pick and I am excited to see what I can do.
Our big news is that we are moving! The house next door sold a couple of months ago when our wonderful neighbors moved into a retirement community. The mother of the young man who bought the house saw our house and called our landlords to see if they would consider selling it. They said for the right price they'd sell. I finished wallpapering the kitchen and bath and repainted the living room and she came to see it. She loved it, the landlords loved the work we had done, even the guy next door said he would have bought our house if he had known it was available. That said, we felt pretty confident that she would never come up with the price our landlords wanted in this market. Well, long story short--she did! We found out we were moving during P's last week of school, a week before heading to CO and the week before we started Hell Week #1! I didn't take the news very well at first, but I have gradually come to terms with it. We knew this wasn't our house but our landlords had been so considerate to let us do whatever we wanted to make it feel just like ours. We have lived in this house longer than we have lived anywhere else and we will all be sad to leave. But God is good, and we have found a bigger house, closer to town, with peek-a-boo views of the water. It has a great, wild back yard with plenty of room to roam. So for the next three weeks I will be sorting and packing and we will move on the 30th and 31st of May.

I guess that's about all the news I have for now. We are looking forward to a wonderful, relaxing summer. Maybe I'll even have more time to blog!