Carnival Fun

We were invited by friends to their school's carnival fundraiser, Friday evening.  Henri's balloon hat...

Changes to blog

You'll notice a few, subtle changes to the blog.

1) I changed the colors so now all the text is readable!  Before the background was white and some text was white, so you couldn't , for example, see the archives.

2) I made it easier to be a follower!  Woohoo!  Just click on the "Follower" button.  I have no idea what it does, except make me feel more worthwhile because it tells me that someone besides my grandma is actually reading this blog (though I hear my parents actually read it occasionally as well) because they want more in-depth storytelling than the 160 characters of Facebook will allow.

Whew! 

In other news, Paul starts his 4 weeks of paternity leave Monday.  I'm trying to make up a list of things that I'd like to do while he's off.  So far I have: Nap 2-3 times a week, mani/pedi, grocery shopping by myself, play in my scrapbook room 2-3 times a week, have the deck painting finished, take more pictures to update blog, go to Disneyworld for a week!.... to be continued.

One friend had a baby (hi, Jen!) one will soon, we have her Mother's Blessing on Sunday (hi, Bethany!)  and I'm seeing the babies that were born at Evergreen the same week as Valerie from my MOPs group at CHCC (hi, Sam & Grace!).  Other than that this is basically what we are doing:

Paul: Finishing up work before paternity leave and watching movies and playing Xbox, also in middle of project to stain the deck before winter comes.

Erin: Working on a brochure for church (LWUMC-I'm at 3 churches doing stuff, so figured I'd clarify!), keeping up with the kids' scrapbooks, still doing hand therapy for the carpel tunnel 2 days a week, though after this week we are going to evaluate if a Cortosone shot may be worth a shot (sorry, couldn't help myself!), Walking Carter to and from school as much as possible with the younger ones in the double stroller, Doing my first Women's Bible study Wednesday mornings at CHCC, then paying bills at LWUMC, 2 MOPs groups that meet twice a month on opposite Thursdays and Fridays (just as a participant, no steering team responsibilities this year!), church every Sunday morning, working on reading the bible cover to cover (I'm in Daniel!)

Carter: Swimming in Advanced class on Sundays, after church, Kindergarten all day every weekday, wants to go back to Trampoline/Tumbling class at gymnastics.  I told him we'd think about it for Winter and definitely if he finishes the advanced class, he can switch swimming for gymnastics

Henri: Swimming before church on Sundays in the 18-36 month parent-tot class (my friend Svetlana is gracious enough to sit with Carter and Valerie while we are in the pool!) Gymnastics for 2 & 3 year olds on Tuesday mornings-right, he's only 22 months, but trust me, he's where he needs to be ability-wise, plus their 1-2 year old class schedule didn't work for us.

That's about it!

2 month appointment for Valerie

‎2 month stats: 10 pounds 1.5 oz, 21.75 inches, 2 shots and mouth drops, another prescription for almost gone yeast on bottom, referral to Children's for the bump on her head that appeared about 3 weeks ago.

We walked to and from her appt, picking up Carter from school on the way home, it's about 2.7 miles, uphill both ways with the double stroller with about 33 pounds of kids in it!  After a rough night last night (Valerie slept the best of all of us, how sad is that?) I'm tired and hoping the kids are as well.  Henri was up twice, once with Carter, Carter had two nightmares and ended up in my bed while I was snoozing in the rocking chair nursing Valerie who was up once, Henri woke up for keeps at 6am, and I had fallen asleep reading the bible at about 11:30pm when the wakings started at 11:45.  It was brutal.

On the plus side, my bible study homework is done for the week, a day ahead and I made it through Eziekiel.  Isiah, Jeremiah and Eziekiel are REALLY long if you didn't know!  Daniel is up next.  Maybe eventually I'll make it to the New Testament...

Oh, and if anyone wanted a link to where I got that adorable flower hat for Valerie, it was off Etsy.  If you don't know what Etsy is, think an online craft fair!  I got about 6 "skull caps", 8 headbands and 6 flowers less than $30 shipped!  The flowers are barrettes that slip on the hats and headbands so you can mix and match the flowers and headwear.  The lady is really nice, 5 kids and I think her husband is maybe military.  Her shop is at...  http://www.etsy.com/shop/bownhairodesigns

more pics...

To celebrate being up to 8 followers and my mom sending the pictures off her camera..

Technology deprived

I have technology depravation.  I do learn things. Eventually.  But I also married someone who loves computers, so I get him to do the tough stuff for me.  Like yesterday when he informed me that I had a virus.  He'd run a scan for me. 

So today I finally figured out how to get pictures off my camera.  Of the 52 that were on there, I deleted 50 and these are the two keepers, both of Henri...

Pictures, as promised!

Not only pictures, but one featuring all three kids!  Only took two months!  (The last picture of all three off them is from the hospital).

And a smile!

Today is a coffee date, then hand therapy.  Exciting, huh?  I might also fold diapers, woohoo!

We survived!

Remember that exhausting schedule of things from yesterday's post that we were to do today?  Yep, we did them all and even were within 5 minutes of on time to all of them, woohoo!!!!

Bedtime even went great, only two times of pulling Henri off Carter's bed where he'd climbed up to turn on the overhead light to play before he fell asleep.  So bedtime ran about 30 minutes behind, but that's because we did a quick clean up of the house so I don't have to wake up to a disaster zone tomorrow morning.  I think it's worth it, but we'll see when I'm trying to get kids out of bed in the morning.

On the way to swimming this morning the following conversation was had:

Carter: “Mom, I wish I could marry Valerie.”


Me: “Well, honey, you aren’t allowed to marry your sister.”

Carter: “But mom, she’s so beautiful.”

Me: “You can’t marry closer than a second cousin. What about Isabel?” (my aunt’s daughter that is 8 months older than Carter)

I LOVE that my kids are not only crazy about each other, but that they are generally happy, joyful kids.  Makes the exhaustion a little easier to handle when I see smiles most of the time!
 
On another front, my voice is almost back, so I checked out my yelling abilities by yelling at Henri to get back in the tub twice.  So much for my 3 days streak of not yelling at the kids.  Sigh. 
 
Oh, and Henri can say Valerie's name now.  Video is on my camera, I PROMISE to share it and pictures tomorrow.