The fun part

Our girls don't dress up for Halloween.  Not because we don't believe in it, or think it's bad, they really just don't like it.  They dress up here at the house on a regular basis and are fine with that.  The part they don't like is seeing everyone else in their costumes.  Why do people have to dress in such horrible outfits?  I will never understand why that is fun.
It's way more fun to find some really neat person in history, from a book, or a character from a show or movie and do your best to dress the part.  We have an event we look forward to dressing up for each year.  It's not necessarily Halloween, but our sunday school class (the Fun Married class) has a costume chili cook-off at the end of October.  It's a fun, adult only party where we eat too much junk and play silly minute to win it type games, and some people come in costume if they choose to.  We have dressed up all but one year, and always have as much fun putting the costumes together as we do at the party.

This year we chose Rosie the Riveter and Captain America.  We looked great!  So many people commented on our costumes the next day at church, and they weren't even at the party!  We won the best costume prize, which is our main goal each year.  It's a very coveted prize.
I can't wait to come up with an even better idea for next year.
Do you dress up for parties and such?  What were you this year?

Not a retro housewife...

A few days ago, I had the most eventful day... probably ever.  It started with some frustration over getting prescription filled.  Why can't it just get done when they say it's going to get done?
That started my day off, well, just wrong.  This was after 10 days of sick kids, being in the house day after day after day... you know how it goes.  Trying not to spread our germs around.
I was ready to be out of the house, back to our routine, but Millah still had this cough that made her face turn red.  So, we were waiting for the prescription.  I ended up being gone all day, working at MDO, waiting for the pharmacy to call and say I could come get the meds.  By the time we got home and got homework started and dinner going and Millah took a breathing treatment, I was done, just done.
While I was doing some picking up around in the living room I realized there was no noise from the 2 little girls.  I looked in their room but they weren't there, but the bathroom door.... was.... shut!  Knock, knock... Rinn, are you in there?
Mommy, I tan't open door, help me.
Then I hear Millah... shuffle, wimper.
Are. You. Kidding. Me.
Lights off, door locked, baby crying, toddler consoling (but I'm sure stepping all over baby), MOM FREAKING OUT!
I started rummaging through all the drawers, tool boxes and bags.  None of the screw drivers I found fit the little hole to unlock the stinkin' door!  The bobby pin just bent up and wasn't strong enough.  I think I called the daddy 3 times with no answer.  Finally I texted him 9-1-1. 
Selah came to the rescue, sweet big sister.  She bent down and started talking and singing to the littles.  Millah calmed down, Rinnah finally got the light on, but still couldn't figure out how to unlock the door.  I just stopped.  Prayed. Then took the screw driver closest to me and go the door knob off in record time.
My babies were out!
Finally I could rest and relax, and be done with this day.
No, maybe not.

After dinner, the daddy had a great idea to clean our baking stone in the oven on self cleaner.  Sure, that should work great, I thought.
After getting that started we began our bed time routine.  Pjs, potty, stories... what's that smell.
When I came around the corner I could see the smoke billowing out of the top of the stove.  Then I saw the flames... in the oven!  I started yelling.... FIRE, FIRE, HURRY!!!!

I reached over and quickly turned the oven off, but funny thing about the self cleaner.  It locks the door until it is cooled off.  Thankfully the fire burned itself out very quickly.
But by that time the house was full of smoke!  It was horrible.
We spent the next hour or so outside.  All the windows and doors were open, the fans on, and oust was sprayed.
Still today, it smelt a little like smoke when we got home from church.

I was so ready for bed that night, and even more ready for a new day.
It's funny how days like that happen and you are reminded just how you don't have any control over what happens.  I am so humbled, and rely so much on God to keep my babies safe and protected, and to make sure we are provided for with a home and anything we need.  Just humbled.




*Update:  James switched the bathroom and closet doorknobs, so now the closet locks from the outside!  Yes, we can lock our kids in the closet instead of them locking themselves in the bathroom. 
We threw the baking stone away.

I accepted the challenge... will you?

A wonderful Christian woman's blog is hosting a challenge for wives.  It's not too late to join.  We are only on day 8 and it would bless you and your husband and your marriage and your kids... and anyone who knows you and sees you as an example. Glorify God in your marriage, it can start today.

Selah lately

Selah is getting so big, so smart, so pre-teen acting.
So big- ummm, Kindergarten!? yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I can't believe that 6 years ago i was just finding out that I was pregnant with her, and now... She is doing homework, making her bed, teaching her little sister how to color in the lines.
So smart- Well, she is reading... it's still kind of spotty, but she can read some basic words, and small books. And this was the conversation she had yesterday. Daddy- Selah, you can get in your bed for story time, or you will not have a story tonight.  Those are your choices.  Selah- uggghhh! Why do we have to make decisions and have rules?  Daddy- We just do.  Selah- Well, California doesn't have rules!
Smart girl.
So pre-teen acting- Well, she has had some little... umm, outbursts.  Yeah, that's the nicest way that I can put it.  She is just using her words so well.... I guess. She may say them at a much higher volume, and it usually ends with a slamming door (which I absolutely hate) and then I usually get angry.... sigh.
Pray for me.

I am still so proud of how much she had learned and grown.  The last few months she has been asking to be baptized.  We are praying about it, and going through a workbook with her to help her understand what it really means and make sure she is really ready.  We are so proud of her that she wants to make that decision for herself and her life.  She will make an eternal difference in this world, I know.

Rinnah lately

Rinnah has began a new year at MDO, and she just loves it.  She might cry for a few minutes when I drop her off, but then she is fine and has a great day.  One day as we were driving there, I asked what she was going to do at school, and she replied "Play my friends!" When i asked her who her friends were she told me "Crys and Jenn." Those are her teachers.  She loves them.
Rinnah also started dance class this year!  She gets to go with her best friend Mercy, they have so much fun together.   She was just happy she got to do something that Selah was getting to do.
Rinnah used to be so soft spoken, especially when you asked her to say something.  She would whisper almost everything.  Well, not anymore.  She is so talkative, and her vocabulary is growing almost everyday.  I love to hear what she has to say because most of the time it makes me laugh.  She is my little joker.  Her favorite thing in response to bed time, shower time, clean up time, leaving time... "Two minutes, Mommy, two minutes. Okay?"

Millah lately

Millah has done so much growing lately. And she is learning so much. She is crawling all over the house, and since she is so active we started her on solids. Millah loves her food. Shortly after learning to crawl, she started pulling up on things. Crazy. And we moved her out of the pack n play in our room into her crib in the room she shares with Rinnah! It took a few nights to adjust but now they sleep through each others cries and squirms. And Mommy and Daddy have our room back!!! Yay! One thing that Millah loves is music and dancing. She smiles and bounces whenever music is playing. And at MDO, she just shakes that shaker along with the music teacher... and to the rhythm. I love that little bug.... the girls call her "Baby Sue" or "Millah Sue". She just makes me smile.

Skadoosh!!!

The family celebrated my birthday at a fun mongolian grill, you know the one.  First, let me say this, it was the last time we will go out to eat for one of our (mommy and daddy) birthdays.  There was not much enjoyable about coralling 3 little girls while trying to enjoy a birthday dinner.  I might as well have had to cook dinner, then clean it all up.  With that being said, I will go on with my post.
The girls were hesitant at first, but then they got to choose whatever they wanted to put in their bowl.  That's always a plus.  And then, the chopsticks!
Skadoosh!

Rinnah really tried, but most of it fell in her lap.  She did get a few bites, then went back to the fork.

Selah actually did really good!  I was impressed.

Millah had some peas.

 All in all, a wonderful birthday.  I am so blessed.  I will say that every year I am still on this earth.  God has given me everything I could want and even ask for....
Maybe I should be more extravagant with my requests from now on ;)
BTW, who knows what movie the title of this post is from?

29, 29, 29, 29!!!

I don't know how many times I had to correct people.  I am only 29 on this birthday.  Not that there is anything wrong with being 30, I have no problem getting older... just in the right time.
My wonderful, loving, compassionate husband thinks it's really funny to make fun of me, and tease me by saying I'm older than I really am.  He just confuses me in the process, I never really know my age.  I usually just look to him, he's the math guy, after all.
Oh, well...
I didn't really have a point to this post, except maybe to correct those who were mistaken about my real age.
I'm 29 now.

Kinder... week one.

We have one week of Kindergarten under our belts, and are well into week to.  Selah was sooooo excited the first day, she couldn't believe she would get to go to school every. single. day!  After day one, it was all still very exciting.  She actually woke up every morning about 6 a.m. and was ready to get dressed and go.  She paced around the house for about 30 minutes waiting for the rest of us to be ready to leave.  I loved seeing her excitement and waiting to hear how her day was each afternoon.  I have a few pictures to share of her week.  She looks so cute in her little uniform.

This is Mrs. Gregory, Selah's teacher.

Little sister was as excited as Selah... until we left her at school, then she cried for her for quite a while.

Proud Daddy.

She was most excited about making new friends.

This was day two.  Momma looks rough, man.

Selah's backpack.  Uncle Stoney, your camo name tag looks great stitched in pink.

Rinnah, about 4:30 one afternoon, halfway through the week.

Selah, about 4:30 one afternoon, halfway through the week.  Poor exhausted girl.

Thanks so much, Aunt Liz, for the uniform stuff.  Selah says her shoes make her jump really high.

Colorado... a month and a half ago.

We spent July 4th on Colorado Springs.  For a few days, just the 5 of us, then had the wonderful pleasure of spending some time with Stoney and Ali!  We loved every moment of our trip, the drive wasn't even that bad.  Here are some pictures of a few of the things we got to do.

Selah at the Garden of the Gods.

Rinnah enjoying the rocks at Garden of the Gods.

Fun day at Manitou Springs.

They had some really neat statues all over Cheyenne Mtn. Zoo.

We drove to the top of Pikes Peak.  It was wet and freezing!

On the drive to the peak.

Focus on the Family

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Family picnic at FOF.

Beautiful views everywhere.

Glad that thing was stuffed.

Garden of the Gods.

Skipping ahead with Aunt Ali and Uncle Stoney.

Feeding giraffes.

Want to pet a wallaby?

Peacock, just walking around.

This was not a friendly grizzly bear.

 

 

I would love to go back some day.  The whole trip was just perfect.  The best part was that we have some great memories now, and had a week to ourselves.  We may make this a tradition.

A new friend...

While visiting Uncle Stoney and Aunt Ali in Colorado Springs (more on that later) the girls made a new friend at the play ground down the street....

they named him Rider.

Bunking with baby sister

 I came in my room the other day to find this....

 

And they both thought it was hilarious!

Traveling zoo

We had a last minute visit from the Burton family, it was a wonderful surprise!  Our church was having their annual Freedom Fest and Matt, PJ, and the girls were able to join us.

They also brought some special friends to share with us.  They had gotten 3 bunnies while visiting family in Paris.  The girls loved sitting in a circle passing them around, petting them. 
Loved the time with you guys, we'll have to make it longer next time!