The Burke Bunch

S.S.P.

2012-02-15T07:53:00.000-08:00

The first heading on our family's Responsibility Chart is S.S.P. It stands for Song, Scripture and Prayer, and that is exactly what the kids and I do together every morning before we leave the house for school each day. Jason joins us when we remember to have S.S.P. on the weekends, but I admit that we are really hit and miss on mornings when we sleep in.

I can not claim creative license on this one. But I am so grateful that when Tanner first began Kindergarten, I remembered that when I was young, we had friends who had this tradition in their home. I was really wondering how to incorporate a quick, positive spiritual element into our changing mornings, when the idea of S.S.P. hit me like a ton of bricks. It was inspiration, and having this routine has certainly blessed us. We are now in our 5th year of keeping this tradition.

I have tweaked it just a little since we began:

We sing the song that primary is learning each month. Since I am the song leader for primary at church, this is a great review for me too. If it is an easy one, we might change to a hymn half way through the month.

We recite a scripture that we are trying to memorize. For the past 2 or 3 years we simply went along with the monthly scriptures for primary. This year we are attempting to memorize these instead. We are a little stuck on #4 right now. I think that even though Margaret did the first three without a hitch, I may give her a pass on this one. It is a little long and has me wondering how we will do when we get to #13 later this year. :)

We also read a scripture. (Well, that is when we are on time and not doing this in the car.) This year we are keeping up with the Sunday School reading schedule by doing a simplified version I found in the January issue of The Friend. If I break up the passages just right, this chart provides for 5 or 6 readings a week. That is the perfect amount for us. Tanner reads a few verses, Andrew usually does 1 or 2 and I help Margaret with 1.

Finally, and most importantly, we have a morning prayer. Ideally we take turns throughout the week and remember to pray for challenging things each child may be dealing with. There are mornings though (like this morning if I recall) when I am so busy with last minute details that our prayer is too quick and hurried. But we do not skip this one ever. Even if it means a dreaded tardy. We don't part ways without a morning prayer.

I have always loved the scripture verse in Ephesians that reads "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." And the following verses that teach of having a shield and helmet. And most importantly "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit..."

And 5 years ago, when I first introduced the idea of S.S.P. to my young(er) family, that is how I explained it to them. We do these things as a reminder of what we beleive and to be a protection for us. Now that the tradition is well established with us, I need to remind my children again; WHY? It isn't just about offering a quick prayer and an off-key hymn. I really believe that living by the teachings in the scriptures will shield us everyday. I truly believe that prayer is communication with our Creator. What better way to start the day could there be?

Command Central

2012-02-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

I am sure that every home has one of these. When I was growing up, command central was always our kitchen. That is where the all-important family calendar was, our house phone and (later on) the computer too. So when we built our home, I included a little desk in our kitchen and sentimentally nicknamed it "Command Central" a.k.a. the C.I.A., or Central Intelligence Area. I love having it right in the middle of everything. On the nearest wall we have a daily chart of responsibilities and I tell you what, that thing saves me some days. When I get tired of nagging, I simply point to the chart. Instead of explaining for the 5 millioneth time that yes, we must practice the piano everyday, I can just let the chart do the explaining for me.

So in the effort to record our ordinary days, I want to explain our chart in a few different posts. It has the headings of S.S.P; Homework; Skills; Piano; and Daily Duty. Hopefully, years from now, when I no longer have anyone around to nag about daily duties or skills, I will fondly remember our daily routines and be able to look back and be grateful that we struggled through them.

Don't Forget to VOTE!

2012-02-09T13:21:00.000-08:00

Heading to the polls anytime soon? Well don't forget to vote for your favorite candidate. Here is an up close look at mine.

Isn't he handsome. Tanner is a candidate for class president at school. He has a campaign team and everything. Today his wonderful teacher arranged for a debate. It was complete with a platform speech about needed changes and a question and answer session. He did a great job of staying composed, which would have been the challenging part for me at that age, and delivering his message.

I was proud of him, of course. But I was proudest when I saw him go over to a classmate after the commotion and talk to him. Tanner could tell that his friend was having a hard day and he tried to make him feel better.

I feel so lucky to be his mom. No, not lucky. I am so blessed.

Heart Attack

2012-02-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Last night for Family Home Evening, which we try to have every Monday night, we gave our kitchen a heart attack. We each wrote things we LOVE about each other on hearts and hung them up. I totally remember doing these at youth church activities growing up and then later to friends in high school. They are still fun! This one was made really special when the kids decided to include illustrations on some of them.

Notice the animals in Meg's? I think those are some of her favorite stuffed animals. And who doesn't love a 4 year-old's depiction of her brother holding her hand? But my favorite is Tanner's picture of Dad with muscles!

But the best part was reading them aloud to each other. The smiles could not be contained when the kids heard their siblings listing good things about them. (Hey, I liked it too!)

Dreaming of SNOW.

2012-02-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

We are having such a warm winter and I am definitely not complaining about it. February is usually a dreary month for me. With it being close to the end of this pregnancy (a time when I tend to be completely impatient anyway), I was really not looking forward to it this year. But it has been so nice to have sunshine and grass that is still green outside. The kids can still go out after school and jump on the trampoline or play soccer when it is not too muddy and I just love that. So this little rhyme, delivered by the oh-so-charming-preschooler in our home, is about as close to building an actual snowman as we can get these days.

The new "do" for Margaret

2012-02-03T07:19:00.000-08:00

Looking too grown-up for me, Margaret loves her shorter haircut. I am still going through braid withdrawals.

Gingerbread Tradition

2012-01-01T07:23:00.000-08:00

I love that we were able to make our traditional gingerbread house this year. The kids loved that they were able to gorge themselves and eat it on Christmas Eve.

Andrew turns SEVEN!!!

2011-12-02T07:33:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Andrew's 7th birthday this past weekend. Boy-oh-boy did he feel the love. Andrew is not one for limelights and attention, but he was much more at ease about the whole thing this year. If you look hard at some of his pictures you can see the joy of the moment shining through.

We headed over to Cape on Thanksgiving night and spent Friday baking and playing with cousins.

The fun continued on Sunday. We celebrated with the rest of our cousins.

Finally! On his real birthday we continued the tradition of opening one gift before school and then enjoyed cookie cake together that night. Yes, if you counted that was three different cakes and sets of candles. A little much, I agree. But there is no doubt in Andrew's mind how much he is loved by all of his family.

Andrew is our middle child (at the moment) and we just can not imagine life without him. In honor of his 7th, here are 7 things we love about Andrew!

1. His smile, which happens to be missing 4 front teeth at the moment. It is a precious thing.

2. Andrew's bear hugs are like gold. He has always been a cuddler. I am talking about since his first week on earth. I am so thankful for his hugs.

3. Andrew loves animals and memorizes fun facts about them.

4. He is our non-fiction child. Give him a story book, and he'll drop it in a minute. However, hand him an encyclopedia of how things work, and he is hooked.

5. His laugh is contagious. It may not be often , but when he gets really tickled about something, there is no stopping it. You have to join in.

6. Andrew is a spiritual barometer in our home. If we are off balance and too busy, he has ways of letting us know. When we remember what is most important and keep our priorities straight, he shines. I am thankful for this aspect of his personality, because it keep me in line.

7. He is generous. He would do anything for the affection of his big brother, and shares all that he has.

2011-11-25T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T10:53:00.000-08:00

Thank You Tanner B

2011-11-07T08:27:00.000-08:00

Thank you Tanner, for practicing your piano this morning without any Mom-nags , prods, bribes or threats. I can not tell you how much it meant to me to hear you playing while I was getting ready. On top of that you warmed my heart when I overheard you telling Andrew that you really don't mind piano and even think you are pretty good at it. I do too. Keep up the practice!

(I am thinking of the tunes I heard this morning instead of the fact that I just managed to drop a glass jar of tomato sauce on the garage floor. It shattered, of course, and splattered me and the van and everything within 10 feet with red gore. I am also not going to think about how much fun it was to mop it up. Mopping the concrete garage floor is wrong. But I am going to pray that I reached every tiny little shard of glass the next time I back out.)

Pre-K Field Trip

2011-11-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

I have done this exact same field trip with each of my children, just with different teachers and classmates to share it with. But I have to say that it never gets old. There is something about singing fall nursery rhymes on a hay ride that I just love. So once again this year we set out to sing songs and roast marshmallows and bury kids in the corn. Margaret loved every second of it. She has a wonderful class and two of the best teachers I have ever met. They obviously love their job, and get a lot of friendship and admiration in return.

Halloween

2011-11-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

My Minions and Rapunzel had a great Halloween weekend. We trunk-or-treated (twice) and trick-or-treated (once). We now have enough chocolate to last us until Easter, or at least Valentine's Day.
I love the wonder of Halloween. Walking through our neighborhood in the near dark and stopping to chat with friends can't be beat. Neither can running into best buddies and joining them on the romp. Some of our friends were making doughnuts at their house and you know I could not refuse a sample (all right, maybe it was a plateful).
I have to say I also love that Halloween is done. I can rip down our ever-so-tacky spiderwebbing from the front porch and move on to other things. Right now I am surrounded by paint brushes and miles of baseboard that I should be painting. We are finishing out our basement as we prepare for our new arrival. This is a fun project and the boys have been excited about helping. Their new room now has a ceiling, paint and doors. We are hoping to get everything done in time to move them over Christmas break. They are conspiring like theives about the fun they are going to have living so far away from the rest of us.

Halloween of Old

2011-11-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

I just could not let the season pass without sharing this blast from the past. Jason has lots of fond memories of this time of year. I can see why! He is Darth Vader on the right with his brothers on the left and some buddies in the middle.
(Jason is always telling me he sees so much of his twin brother in Andrew. Looking at this picture, I would have to agree. Uncle Ryan is Han Solo on the left. Same little build as our Andrew for sure.)

It Is A Boy!

2011-11-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

This is the whole crew waiting in the parking garage, on our way to meet our new baby via ultrasound. The kids were guessing pink. They wanted "even teams." Although Andrew changed his vote at the last minute to pink and blue. That way he would be right either way.

I really wanted the kids to be able to see the baby moving, so they all came along. Tanner was fascinated by everything. Andrew was excited to hear the gender news. Margaret did not comprehend the word "boy".

But here he is. Our little boy. Now we can not wait to meet you in March!

Michigan Love

2011-10-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

Last month we took a great weekend trip to Michigan. It was so hard to jump back into our normal routine around here after such a blissful 5 days together.
All the pieces for a wonderful family get-away just fell into place, (I love when that happens!) with the kids being out of school 4 days and Jason being able to get away from work without too much trouble. So we headed to Lake Michigan with a stop in Chicago. Where we squeezed in an afternoon at the Shed Aquarium. The kids loved seeing all of the fish and I loved staring at their faces, as they soaked it all in.

We had been wanting to explore the Northwest Lakeshore for some time, and boy are we glad we did. It was beautiful. For us it was an ideal getaway spot. The trees, the water, the sand, the dunes, the warm air. It was really, really perfect! We hiked the Sleeping Bear Dunes which seemed to go on forever. As soon as I thought we were at the top, yet another plateau of sand came into view. Going up was hard, but running back down made it worth it.
This lighthouse was a great car stop. We stretched our legs, threw rocks in the lake and were so glad to finally be in Michigan.
The kids loved playing on the beach most of all. We flew kites, buried Tanner, dared each other to take dips in the icy water and sat here to watch the sunsets each night.
Jason and I love when our family trips involve nature and getting the kids to recognize and appreciate its beauty. It seems like in those quiet moments when we achieve our goal, that is when our best memories are made.
This hike was a personal highlight of the trip. The leaves were so bright that the air was glowing. Someone left great hiking sticks at the trailhead for us and we pretended to be real hikers as we treked through the woods. So we scouted out some great sticks of our own and left then behind for the next group to come along.
This was a much needed and much appreciated trip for our family. We LOVE Michigan and can not wait to go back. I definitely see a family tradition in the making.

2011-09-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

We are all in love with the cooler fall weather here. We are also still loving our trampoline. Best gift EVER!

All Hands On Deck.

2011-09-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

When there is lots of work to be done, isn't nice to have a sister?

The Cat's Out...

2011-09-22T16:07:00.001-07:00

"The Cat's Out Of The Bag!"

This phrase has been thrown around our house quite a bit today, and for good reason.

Tanner keeps asking what it means. Finally, after the third time he asked I replied, "It means that now that you told your 4th grade class our secret, everyone will know."

He asked, "Is that okay?"

"Yes, it great news. So now everyone can know."

Jason and I are thrilled. The kids are ecstatic and are all predicting a girl (so there will be even "teams"). This little soul already has lots of nick-names: last hurrah, grand finale and the caboose ;)

Double Digits

2011-09-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

Tanner, the boy who started it all, turned 10 this past weekend. We were lucky enough to spread the celebration out over a few days and he felt the love- for sure.

On Saturday, we celebrated at Aunt Emily's with our McMullin cousins. Everyone had a blast fishing and roasting marshmallows. Sweet Aunt Tara even made this awesome fish cake for the day.

On Sunday we celebrated after family dinner with the Burke cousins. Tanner was excited about this cake because of the surprise tie-dye cake inside. (I should have gotten a pic though.)

More than anything he just enjoyed the spotlight and the fun of being with so many wonderful people we love and who love us back.

Here are 10 reasons we love Tan-the-Man:

1. He made Jason and I parents, and turned us into a family.

2. He made a Nana and Poppa and Grandma and Grandad and LOTS of aunts and uncles when he entered this world.

3. He has a fun-loving spirit.

4. He is a leader in our family and at school and church.

5. He is polite.

6. He has a quick smile.

7. He has a real desire to do what is right. (This is coupled with a desire to see that others do the same. We call him "the enforcer.")

8. Tanner is organized and keeps his desk, and room and life that way.

9. He has a soft heart and compassion for those around him. He tries to help when he sees someone is hurting.

10. He gives great, quick little, lean-in hugs...just when I need them :)

Soccer Season is Here

2011-09-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

We are two weeks into soccer season and this Mom is loving sights from the sidelines like this:

Goldie Cat

2011-09-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

During the summer this sweet, gentle cat walked her way into our lives. Well, she actually meowed her way in. After days of hearing her meowing on our porch, I took mercy on her and picked up some food at the store. She's been a fixture ever since.
She spends half of her time laying on our porch or patio and the other half we have no idea about. (Yes, that makes me nervous.) But she had definitely worked her way into everyone's heart- even JASON"S!!!
The kids love her because she adores any attention they throw her way. If they aren't petting her, she is rubbing on their legs until they give in.
Jason and I love her because she is a very low maintenance pet. Just my kind :)
Margaret dubbed her "Goldie" because of the coloring on her face and it stuck. We hope you are here to stay, Ms. Goldie Cat.

Apple Festival Kiddie Parade

2011-09-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

Jason's hometown shines this time of year. It is Apple Festival complete with four days of food, rides and parades. The main parade draws about 25,000 people each year. Yes, they take the whole thing very seriously.

The parade is such a big deal that they have a separate day just for children's entries. So every year, we head over to make an appearance and have some hometown fun.

In year's past we've walked, rode bikes and even drove golf carts down the main street. This year though we decorated up Jason's truck and I got to drive in the shade with the windows down. With the 70 degree weather cooperating, I was a happy camper :)

Here are the cool kids, direct from the 1950's, getting ready for the big ride.

And of course, the boys were super tough and cool for the occasion.

Margaret's Room

2011-09-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

Margaret working at her table. I LOVE that she does this. I remember turning a little metal stepstool into a "desk" when I was about her age. I would pilfer paper, pens and our family stapler and pretend I was doing very important work. I am sure her work is just as crucial to her.

Her animal friends have recently moved from the closet to this cute tent she got for her birthday.

Don't they look happy about the upgrade?

Showing off her big bed. I was happy to finally put away the toddler bed. Meg was thrilled to graduate and has done great with the transistion.

How to be remembered forever...

2011-09-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Everytime I look at this sweet, slip-covered chair in Margaret's room I remember that it first sat in my own childhood room. The nicest lady, our adopted-grandmother, re-made a chair for each of my 4 siblings once when we moved and this was mine.

Her name was Meta. She and her husband Pertle, were a big part of my childhood. They sat in our pew at church, spent holidays with us and even had my sister and I over for sleepovers as we got older.
They will always be remembered because of their kindness. We were just five rag-tag kids, but they took us into their hearts, made us a part of their lives and made lasting impressions on each of us. That is exactly how you get to be remembered forever.

Birthday Mornings

2011-09-09T01:00:00.001-07:00

On birthday mornings we start our day out with a little fun. Nothing crazy-
Just some junkie-sugar cereal (that they devour).

Our early morning redition of "Happy Birthday to You!"

And the honored guest can open one present. (I guess its a little like Christmas Eve in that respect.)

But it sure makes for a fun morning. Thanks to her big brothers, Margaret left the house feeling extra special this year. We love you, Megs!

Back to School Photos

2011-09-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

I'm behind and I know none of you are surprised. But my children did return to school and I even took pictures on their first day back.
Tanner- ready for 4th grade. At our school this is his last year of elementary classes. I swear that is not even possible for me to wrap my head around.

Andrew was anxious about first grade, but has a wonderful teacher and is really enjoying his class. Thank goodness!
I am not sure why his photo was blurry. I was probably rushing by that point. So to make up for it below is a photo of a very proud Andrew. Displaying his gap from his very first lost tooth. He lost it in class during his first full week at school.

Finally, Miss Margaret. She waited an extra two weeks to begin school, but was happy to have her first day on her 4th birthday.

A little distraction...

2011-09-08T01:00:00.000-07:00

To avoid the onset of any nervous breakdowns (for the kids or me) we went fishing the evening before school began this year. I thought it would be a good idea for a two reasons:

1. Dwelling on a source of worry only makes it seem that much worse.

2. Fresh air is a cure for almost all problems. (I probably read that somewhere and it is so, so true. Try it.)

Turns out it was a great idea. The kids loved it. Jason and Uncle Kyle did all the gross stuff, so I just sat back, took pictures, and enjoyed one last sweet taste of summer.

Andrew with the first catch of the night. We had fun because everyone caught something. The fish were definitely biting for that to happen!

Margaret practiced and practiced her casting skills. I think she eventually broke five feet :)

Tanner holding his own catch. (He did this only after I did. He is smart and knows I am a BIG chicken about most things. If Mom is brave enough to stick her thumb in a fish's mouth, it must be safe.)

I think they loved just spending time with Dad.

Empire State of Mind

2011-09-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

Jason and I went to New York City in July. I know, that kind of deserves a post, don't you think? First of all, it is New York. Secondly, we went without kids. It had been a while folks.

We ate some amazing food, saw the major sights, were lucky enough to see two shows, and walked those streets until we collapsed in bed each night. I loved it. Jason even walked the Brooklyn Bridge with me. (Yes, he IS a saint.)

I love the energy in major cities. I also am in love with the anonymity of it all. It reminds me of my summer in London, and we all know how much I adored that.

But when I went back through the really few pictures I took (maybe because I was preoccupied with absorbing it all) I realized that only one needed to be posted to tell the real story...

Hello!! This Just In... "Country girl meets the big city!" Could I have picked a more appropriate shirt to wear?

What's on YOUR Counter?

2011-09-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

It probably won't top mine. I sit here typing away, staring at a snake skin in a jar. Yes, its true. Normally that thing would have been long gone, except Tanner built a display stand out of Legos for it. That bought it a week or so. Then he transferred it to a Mason jar and took it to school, another week was won. And now it sits here and all I can think about is this sweet book and that I really am fine with raising nature-loving, nerdy kids. That's my job afterall :)

A Few Summer Friends

2011-06-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Our school's science teacher adopted two male hamsters and brought them to school for her class to observe. Amazingly they were both pregnant!! So almost every elementary class ended up with pets this spring. And being the easily persuaded mom that I am, we are one of the lucky families that will be taking care of a pet hamster this summer. Rocky is the kindergarten hamster who will be living with us for the next 12 weeks. Oh, lucky, lucky us!!!

Then look who else crawled into our lives and decided to join the pet party. Mr. Claws himself. After a little research we learned that Mr. Claws is a male Eastern Box Turtle who would rather not bake in a plastic tub all summer. So we released him back into the wilderness of our back yard, with the understanding that he is welcome to come visit us again.

End of School Festivities

2011-06-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Margaret climbing the rock wall.

She had a blast during her class field trip.

Just swinging away with her good friends.

Andrew's Reading Medal.

With his great teacher.

Our proud graduate.

Tanner's fun-loving class.

We were all glad to be wrapping up our school year.

Oh My!! That last week of school was a whirlwind! Actually the last three weeks of school were chalk full of assemblies, parties, gifts, water day, field trips for each class, readers' theatre and a graduation ceremony to boot. It left my head spinning, which only added to my anticipation of family time this summer. I think that I have been more excited about this summer than any in the past. I've been planning some major changes in our summer routine and I can not wait to see how things turn out. (More about that later.)
After all, this year was a big change for all of us. We moved into our new home last August and the kids all attended a new school this year. Tanner has really enjoyed his year as a 3rd grader in his multi-age classroom. Andrew moved into the ranks of an "all-dayer" at school and has had a wonderful Kindergarten year. Margaret also spread her wings and attended half-day Pre-K. That means I had two full hours each day to myself. Which I thought I would spend organizing our home and finally getting some "Me" time. But I actually filled with making copies, teaching reading and fundraising at school. I am just not really cracked up for a bunch of "Me" time. I would much rather be helping out at school, where my children are. That's where my heart is.

Our Cub Scout

2011-06-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Tanner is still enjoying Cubs and was so excited to earn his Bear Rank last month. He has worked and played hard with his den this year, and is really thrilled to be moving on into Webelos and the world of camping out and learning to be a "REAL" grown-up Boy Scout.

Work Kids Work!

2011-06-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

We had fun this past Memorial Day. We really did, even though you may not know it when you see these pics. It seems every picture I took was of the kids working away.
Something about seeing them try to do their best just makes me so happy.

Jason and I really want to teach our kids the importance of working hard, but I have to admit that I am a softie. Usually it is easier for me to just do the chores myself than to wrestle with the kids. But I know it is SO important for them to learn the value of work while they are young. So wrestle I do. And work they do- even if it is sometimes less than eagerly. That is why seeing them work away (and not complain) makes me so happy!

How does your garden grow?

2011-06-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Ours grows with lots of "help" from these three.

Jason patiently expanded our raised garden with help from Tanner the director, Andrew the measurer and Margaret the assistant.

I mean who wouldn't want to spend time working in the yard with this one?

An Easter Treat just for Me!

2011-04-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Jason installed my much anticipated bench and shelf in the back hall. I am thrilled to have a place for all that stuff we dump as soon as we walk in the door. My next job will be training everyone to use those hooks. I am so excited!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

Below are just a few pictures from our very wet Easter weekend. We snuck in just one outdoor photo before church, but everything else had to be done inside this year. Yes, that included the egg hunt. We've had storms everyday for an entire week, it is pouring as I type and the forecast for at least the next 4 days is more rain and thunderstorms. Did I mention the power outages, tornado sirens and lightning striking close enough to ruin our oven and dog fence?? It's been eventful!

Mug Shots

2011-03-14T07:37:00.000-07:00

I am hoping to create a silhouette display similar to this cute one for our hallway. It is way past time to spruce up our pictures on display there. Especially considering they came from straight out of their extended stay in storage and onto our walls. If a stranger came into our home and guessed who lived here based on my out-dated hall photos, Margaret would not make the list.

Poor girl. We need more pictures of her around here. But that shouldn't be too hard. She is a more than willing subject and actually performs for the camera.

Her brother, on the other hand, does his own brand of performing. This is what I got out of Andrew when I tried to take his profile pic,

and this....
What am I supposed to create with those? What a funny guy.

Charlie-Boy

2011-02-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

Why can't every February be like this? We are loving this early taste of Spring, and so is Charlie-boy. He did really well on our little hike at Giant City State Park last week, and the kids loved having him with us for the outing.

How to Decorate for Spring.

2011-02-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

Around here we are thrilled to be taking down our paper snowflakes and redecorating with muddy boots.

I am really hoping this spell of warm weather will stick around long enough to help us ease our way into spring. We have big plans for gardening and getting our very muddy yard into shape. So I guess I should get used to the dirty footprints on my kitchen floor. It's a fair trade for the mountain of snowgear that's been piled in the back hall this past month.

I Love a Man...

2011-02-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

Who can cook.

With kids no less.

Ode to Uncle James

2011-02-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

During our recent trip to California we were so lucky to stay with our extended family right on a gorgeous stretch of beach. Only problem that comes along with such a blessing is what I call the "California Haze." Looking at the ocean, the pristine sand, the sun beating down on you... strange things can happen.

The next thing you know you think it is okay to go in public dressed like this...

and this. Then you win your nephews' absolute admiration by doing crazy things...

...like jumping into a freezing ocean in January.

Um yea, that surfer in the wet suit behind you there thinks you're crazy too.

But your nephews, that's another story. You have won their unending affection and allegiance.

We love you James!

Our Unexpected Winter Break

2011-02-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Our children attend a very special, very small little school. It includes K-8 classrooms and still tallies less than 300 students. We love our new school. This is our first year here and we have been welcomed so warmly. Really. I have no doubt that the staff and teachers know and geniunely care about my kids and our family. What a breath of fresh air this experience has been.

But last weekend our dear little school experienced a major problem. A teacher stopped in on Saturday afternoon and discovered a major water leak. A wing of the building had 5 inches of water standing before the source was discovered and stopped.

Despite great efforts to remedy the resulting damage we missed an entire week of school. Sad. Especially on top of the surplus of snow days we've experienced this year. I believe pushing vacation plans back until July may be in order. Seriously.

But we made the most out of the occasion and had a fun week. We had daily excursions and then waited each afternoon for the phone call that would tell us whether or not school was in session the next morning. It was Wednesday before the rest of the week was cancelled, and my kids were truly sad. Doesn't that speak volumes? They were concerned for their classrooms, computers, books and teachers. They care about their school just as much as their school has proven to care about them.

The Joys of Lego-Digging.

2011-02-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

In this house, we love legos. We love the creative souls who design them. (Andrew is now telling people he wants to build legos when he grows up:) Love that it is impossible to destroy those little bricks. Love the creativity and imagination they help foster.

However, I don't love the sound my vacuum makes when it finds them under someone's bed. Or the sound I make when my bare feet find those sharp edges in the dark. But that is another post...

I am not the kind of mom who glues lego sets together so they will never come apart. I sort of relish the idea of my boys building, breaking, and recreating. Which they do, all the time.

As a result, we have a red lego box which has collected many forgotten and neglected lego pieces over the past seven years. It holds the poor lost pieces, until they are dug out and recovered, for use in new projects.

Every so often I am recruited to help excavate specific pieces from the box's dark depths. Last night it was Andrew who needed help, finding a microscopic lego scuba tank. Let's see, recovering a dark gray scuba tank, about the size of my pinkie's fingernail. It was not easy.

But I did find some interesting items in my search. Like the eye piece to our telescope, someone's CTR ring, the missing button from the boys' navy curtains, and one small black rubber spider (which I suspect was put in there just for my benefit).

The joys of lego-digging aside, I am often surprised by what Tanner and Andrew manage to create. I especially get a kick out of the rearranged lego men I find.
The expression on this guy says it all. Wouldn't you be worried too if you had no hands and a tusk growing out of your head.

And this beauty is the latest of Tanner's creations. I really am impressed by it.
Especially considering he managed to create a symmetrical plane out of the leftover pieces from old projects.

Bedtime Visit

2011-02-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

The kids always get a kick out of Jason's animal voices. This was a bedtime visit from "Berry" last night. They get so into it and have entire conversations with whatever animal Jason brings to life. My favorite is when they play tricks on the poor creatures. This video is from last year when Andrew was pulling "Momma Cat's" tail. So fun. It is hard for me not to laugh when I watch everything going on in the background. What a circus!

Haven't they all grown so much in the past year.

Homemade for the Holidays

2010-12-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

Last year we adopted the tradition of Homemade Sibling Gifts. Each child can design and create a gift for the other two. My kids loved the one-on-one time we spent secretly planning, shopping for and making these simple gifts. We gave painted pillow cases, braclets, hairbows, and snowmen last year.
This year we have some fun projects underway. Margaret and I spent last week painting new bulletin boards for the boys. Tanner is in full sketch mode (I LOVE that HE LOVES to draw!) working on a new pillow case design for Andrew. Andrew and I stole a few minutes to paint this paper mache house for some of Margaret's smaller toys.
He is so into the challenge of keeping it a secret. I am so into everyone's good attitudes regarding making gifts for Christmas.
We still do the traditional Santa gifts and family exchanges. But I think the homemade gifts will be big favorites around here.
(I originally got this idea from Design Mom. She has years worth of wonderful ideas for these kidmade gifts. Worth checking it out!)

Pumpkin Chuckin'

2010-12-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

Before today, my favorite way to dispose of old pumpkins was to let them slowly rot on our front porch. When they were no longer recognizable, or when I just got tired of people commenting on their out-of-seasonness, I would scoot them off the porch. That's right-scoot, kick, or shove them right over the edge and into the accumulating leaves below. This method was great. One year when our winter was mild, it even yielded a surprise pumpkin vine the following spring. We let it grow and produce right there on the porch, and were so proud of our pumpkins.

Sad news. Next spring there will be no pumpkins in the front flower bed. Not even the hope of a pumpkin plant survived today's Pumpkin Chuckin'. However we are hoping for some in the woods behind our home. Because Jason must have tired of my method and resorted to his own means of disposal.
Pumpkin Chuckin' is what we called it, and it is just that.

Take your old, but still recognizable, gourds to the nearest woods and toss them.

This must have been fun for Jason and the kids, because they kept retriving them and tossing again.

Of course, once you get pumpkin guts, the fun ends and you have to go back inside.
Which none of us minded because it was FREEZING out there!

Santa's Helpers...

2010-11-30T08:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas decorating has been a family affair this year. We are figuring out where our decorations fit in this house and which ones didn't quite survive the multiple moves (like the pre-lit tree). So we happily bought a real Frasier Fir and I accepted all the light-untangling, ornament-unpacking, and tree-wrapping help the kids offered. Now our tree looks something other than perfect. But they loved "helping" and I have sweet memories of doing the same when I was growing up.

Margaret was so involved. Most of the ornaments ended up at her eye-level, and I don't think I'm going to move them. When the tree lights were on she stepped back to take a look and was thrilled.

The kids also helped Jason with the exterior lights. Everyone's favorite part was using the bucket truck to reach the gables. No big surprise there! They did a great, slightly more professional looking job outside.

I remember sitting on the floor as a child and staring at the lights on our Christmas tree and the colors they bounced onto the walls and ceiling. Now I can not wait to catch my own children doing the same.

Birthday Report

2010-11-20T19:15:00.000-08:00

We had a little party for Andrew's birthday today. Early- I know. But with Thanksgiving next weekend, I thought it would be best to celebrate now.
He requested a weather party. Cute. However, you can not just run to the party shop and pick up weather-themed supplies. We got creative and had a blast with cousins, family and a buddy from school.
We made a thunderstorm (with our hands), had fun with static, played thunder and lightning (just like marco polo), and even borrowed a fog machine and sno-cone maker. It was different and fun.
Andrew had a blast and felt so loved. Thanks everyone.

(I thought we would include some fog in our traditional birthday party mug shots. See how well that worked?! Behind all that smoke were happy kids. I promise!)

Where does sleeping beauty rest her head?

2010-11-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

Anywhere she wants.

This killed me. I guess true princesses are royal even when they rest.

Now I know...

2010-11-20T18:47:00.001-08:00

I have always wondered what Jason will look like as we age. Now I know...
(It was a great Halloween costume though.)

Autumn Fun

2010-11-20T14:05:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in some time. We have just been so busy with all that autumn brings. Below are pics from our pumpkin patch trip. It was a fun morning full of straw, slides, and a feed bin full of corn kernals. The highlight was definitely the corn cannon. Each of them had a try and LOVED it.

The Overdressed Mom

2010-11-02T12:58:00.001-07:00

Those of you who know me are reading this and assuming I'm writing about someone else. You know that I have never in my life qualified as overdressed. Underdressed-YES. Overdressed-NEVER. Not at least when it come to designer shoes and little black dresses. I just do not spend that much time worrying about my outward appearance.

Perhaps I should think about the image I out forth a little bit more though. Because aside from my jeans and sweaters, there is another image I put forward about myself- each day.

Our faces have no tags and no labels. But what else about us can express so acutely how we feel and what we are thinking about ourselves and others.
I am afraid I too often put on my "Hurry, hurry, hurry" face the moment I jump out of bed and don't take it off when I should. Like when I say "Good Morning" it should be with a geniune "Good Morning" face. Not with a "hurry-up-and-get-dressed-because-we-are-already-late-and-your-little-sister-needs-an-emergency-bath" face.

Perhaps the key is in me slowing down and taking the time to look others in the eye each time we speak. For all I know my kids may think my voice is just a sound echoing down the hall or from behind a pile of folded clothes. I haven't been doing the best job of portraying myself to my family.

But I can start now. I can wipe away all those unneccessary clenched teeth and squinted eyes from my Mom face. I can let my family know that I really do have the best job for me and for us. I can find joy in what I am doing and let my children know that while being a stay-at-home mom is challenging, I am so up for it.

Planting Memories...

2010-10-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

A little Nostalgia...

2010-10-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

I think it is just this time of year that makes me this way. Does the combination of crisp air and fallen leaves make you nostalgic too?

So bear with me while I delve into the past for a few days. (Disclaimer: I am not totally wasting time by the way. I'm scanning old pics while walking down memory lane.)

Looking at these pictures from one unbelievable summer in London has left me pondering the events in our life that make us into who we are today. Some experiences just occur and we live through them and we are left untouched, unchanged.

Other moments are so profound they leave us marked. Forever different. My summer in London was one of those. I traveled there in 1999 (I KNOW, so long ago!) with a group of students and faculty from BYU to study literature, history and art. It was a culminating, liminal, illuminating summer. If I could step back there for a day, you know I would. #27 Palace Court. Our home away from home. Hyde Park, Kensington Palace and Notting Hill were each around a corner.

We had to explore every nook of the city possible, including Harrod's.(Not sure that was a required stop, but there was no resisting.)

My personal favorite part of the program was our bus trips out of the city. This was taken in route to Scotland, near the Sir Walter Scott Monument.

Best weekend trip! I WILL go back to the Isle of Wight someday. I WILL! We biked to the seaside, hiked on top of chalky cliffs, and even spent a morning as uninvited guests at a sheep farm.

And of course, Stonehenge. Created so long ago, still standing today. Those shadows were humbling.

There are a million more pictures which I won't bore you with, but I am so glad I took a chance and interviewed for this program. So grateful for the wonderful experiences I had there and friendships that were born.

Going back is impossible, but I can not resist dreaming about it all.

And as I type, my daughter is passing me a pink note, adorned with scribbles and glue. Maybe I don't want to go back just now. Right here is a pretty nice place to be too. Warm kitchen, dinner waiting, kids playing...

My (little) Bro

2010-10-06T12:17:00.001-07:00

Mark, my youngest brother, is getting married this January. So I am hunting through some old photos and thinking of all the fun we had growing up.

I was 5 when Mark was born, and I always thought of him as mine. I honestly can only remember being mad at him once. (I still remember it because I felt so guilty about it.)

Now he is definitely not my little brother anymore, and he is marrying a wonderful, beautiful woman.

I am so happy for you Mark. So happy you found Daniella. So happy you are beginning your journey to forever with her.

Your comments matter.

2010-10-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

So last weekend an old friend read the blog and commented about the electrical wire hanging from our kitchen ceiling in one of the photos. All I can say is "THANK YOU" Todd. Your attention to detail has produced this...

That's right. I laughingly told Jason about your remark and look what went up the very next afternoon. Now, in his defense, I selected this fixture even though I knew it was backordered. It was just delivered last week. So it really couldn't have gone up much sooner, but it's funny how things work out.

What do you think of the fixture? I love it. It was so worth the wait, and the dimly lit dinners, and the squinting during homework time.

It's coordinating companion that is supposed to hang over the island is still M.I.A. however. But maybe if a few of you start commenting on it, it will magically arrive and be installed too.

Just don't push your luck and start talking about the fact that there are no curtains in the living room or artwork on that huge wall above the stairs. That's my department. :) I'm still waiting for design inspiration to strike.

Our Weekend

2010-10-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

I am anticipating the fun of this weekend. We have a few work projects in mind (I think we have an endless supply of those actually), several recipes to test (I am drooling over this), and something wonderful to watch (I can not wait for this).

What about you? Wouldn't this be the perfect weekend for a drive through the orchards? Did you know there is a huge community yard sale in Cobden that includes a breakfast buffet? Doesn't that sound fun. Plus my favorite tamale dive, Taqueria Pequena, is located there too.

Whatever you do, do it together and make it fun!

You just never know...

2010-10-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a break this fall from all of our crazy running around. We are settling in to our new home (which we love) and our great neighborhood (which we REALLY love) and new school (which is the BEST!!). It has been a nice and much needed change of pace for our family.
So most of our evenings are fairly tame. We eat together, walk Charlie, and quiz the boys on spelling words. For now, all this quietness is so sweet. I am loving it. I know this calm can not last, so I am just drinking it in and trying my best to savor these sweet moments of togetherness.
I must add though that not everyone in the Burke Bunch is as thrilled as I am with our season of silence. Margaret has NEVER been one to sit still. She is a fun loving girl who can not even make it through dinner without jumping up and rocking the boat. We just never know what she'll do next. She changes clothes at least 4 times a day and usually a change of personality gets mixed in there too.

So last night when she interupted dinner to display her latest acrobatic wonder,what she calls a "head down," I wasn't surprised. It involved climbing through the back of a folding chair and balancing with her head on the floor. Toes pointed and the whole bit. She takes this all so seriously.

But I was a little taken back when Jason answered her, "I bet you can't do this!" with his own, "Of course, I can! I'll show you after we eat."
It worked, she sat down and ate. Jason was probably hoping she would forget the challenge, but we were all so happy that she didn't. We got the show of a lifetime.

Sure enough he was a man of his word and attempted one "head down." Somewhere around the point his arms and chest were supposed to squeeze through at the same time, there was a little complication. Margaret decided to help push him through and Tanner and I enjoyed the scene. (I have no idea how Andrew was able to finish his noodle bowl back there!)

When he got worried about never getting out, Jason decided to abandon official competition protocol and stood up. This was too funny. I really wish someone had come to knock on our door at this moment.

With a little help from his adoring fans...

HE DID IT!!
So the challenge was issued to the rest of us.

We gladly accepted and had so much fun performing our own versions of the "Head Down." (I must of momentarily forgotten the wounds I am still nursing. I felt this all night.)

All-Star Andrew slid through with out a hitch.

Finally Tanner, who is never slow to answer a challenge, shared his own unique version with us. It of course involved a twist and dramatic landing.

You see, even when I plan for the most peaceful of evenings, things don't always go that way. But I wouldn't change a moment of the fun we are having. As long as we are together, I'm loving it.

Does Mederma Work?

2010-10-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

We are doing our best around here to find out if Mederma for Scars really works. Miss Margaret, our resident dancer, twirled her way into the edge of her bedroom door. What looked like a scratch later scabbed over, and all week long we've been getting the dreaded "Eww, what happened?" everywhere we go. Poor little girl. We'll let you know if Mederma lives up to its claims, because it sounds like we get to test it out three times a day for the next 6 weeks. Sounds like fun, right?!

Margaret refused to let me take a picture of the damage(can't say that I blame her), but here she did let me photograph her first set of pigtails. This was three days after the crash, once the black eye was almost gone.

Having a Rough Day?

2010-09-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have one of those days?

When the tempers and tantrums flare.

And you just can't figure out how to turn things around from bad to...

...BETTER.

Much Better.

Like skippity-do-da kind of GOOD?

Well then, I recommend a little of this,

and this,

and this too.

It works. I promise!

Fun by all, was had.

2010-09-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

My recent appendectomy threw us for a spin, and caused the cancellation of Tanner's birthday party. That is NEVER good. But we rescheduled and most of his buddies were still able to attend. Tanner had a blast and felt loved, which is the most important part.

The party was Star Wars themed. We made light sabers out of rigid water pipe and foam pipe insulation sleeves. Then the Jedi's in training used their weapons to balance bombs and kept them from detonating on the ground.

The trainees also collected asteroids that had fallen in the basement. Inside each rock were party favors.

Then they had to use their new skills to destroy the death star that had landed on our back patio. Water bombs did the trick.

The trainees played pass the meteor.

My personal favorite was the ship designing course they had to pass. Each young Jedi created a model space craft to take home with them. They really concentrated on this task.

Tanner and some of his Jedi buddies. Thanks for the fun evening and great memories!

Bargain Finder

2010-09-25T06:37:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of you birthday party-planning Moms out there will be just as excited as me about this bargain find. Our local Dollar Tree sells mylar balloons, helium-filled and tied with curling ribbon, for $1 each. I know other party stores in the area sell each mylar for a couple of dollars and then charge to fill them. I was so happy to find these, which matched Tanner's Star Wars party theme perfectly.

We hung some on the mailbox, to help our new friends find their way to the celebration, and then in bunches around the house. Talk about easy decorating.

They also had really cute Halloween balloons on display. I'm thinking I may buy a few next week, before they sell out, and then return with them closer to the 31st to have them filled.

Do any of you know of any other birthday party related bargains? I would love to hear about them.

Wordier than usual...

2010-09-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

My Appendectomy.

This is one of those annoying things in life that I never thought would happen to me. However, now that I am on the recovery side of things, I can say that it wasn't as bad as I would have feared. That is actually one of the good things about an emergency surgery. There is no time to be fretful or anxious. You just cope.
If you are easily bored, do not continue. Yet if you are one of the morbidly curious, this should be a good post.

Last Wednesday I was being so timely and made Tanner's 9th birthday cake a few days early. Margaret and I licked the batter bowl clean, of course. So later that afternoon when I felt sick, I blamed the raw eggs. In fact, all I could think of was the many times Jason has warned against eatting uncooked dough and giving it to the kids. I thought I was in for a little nausea and started watching for Margaret to show signs as well.

When the boys got home from school, I was feeling worse. At 5 I called Jason and told him I was so queasy, that I wouldn't be able to make dinner. When he got home I fell asleep in Meg's room, where we had been reading books. Yes, I should have gone to bed then. No, I really didn't feel like getting up and into bed. It was then I realized the pain in my stomach wasn't as bad when I stayed still. Moving hurt and required me to grab at my abdomen. I stopped blaming the cake batter and started to think I had a flu.

That night I woke up again and again, still with this sometimes dull, sometimes severe pain on my right side. Around 11, I felt sure this wasn't viral and started taking Tylenol. I remembered once having a bladder infection without any symptoms. I began to think I must of had a UTI that left untreated became a kidney infection, and was now very painful.

I debated going to the ER that night, but decided that if this something that would be treated with antibiotics, I might as well wait until morning.
Thursday morning I told Jason I thought I had a kidney infection and he urged me to see someone asap. I think seeing me slump around made him nervous, but I assured him I could handle getting the kids to school and sent him off to work. My great kids basically got themselves ready and I dropped the boys off as usual.

I couldn't get into Dr. Belfer until 10:45, so I actually kept my scheduled hair appointment that morning. I know, I was the crazy lady getting her hair done while her appendix was getting ready to burst. But all you do at the salon is sit there, and sitting wasn't the problem, just moving made me cringe. In hindsight, I still think this was a good call. THe salon was down the road from my doctor's office and when the time came I drug myself to the car and drove the few blocks to finally get some relief, at least I thought so.

When Dr. Belfer (one nice man, by the way, he worked me into his schedule even though I hadn't been to see in in 5 years) told me I didn't have a UTI, but looked like someone with a bad appendix, I think I laughed. You know the kind of nervous laugh that only comes out when you really shouldn't be laughing. He felt my abdomen, while I cringed and gave him threatening glances, because it really hurt. Of course, he said it could be a ruptured ovarian cyst and only a scan would determine the difference.

So off I went to the hospital, still thinking I wouldn't need surgery. But as the afternoon progressed, my pain increased and when the scan came back positive, I was actually glad that relief was on the way. This was one instance where being a wimp, paid off. If I had endured the pain longer, my appendix may have burst inside me. That is much more serious and requires weeks to fully recover.

I started making a flurry of phonecalls to make sure the kids would be taken care of. All of a sudden, I realized Jason wasn't there and that I really needed him. So he hightailed it over to the hospital and made it just a few minutes before I went into surgery. Everything happened so fast once they determined surgery was needed, it is really like a whirlwind in my memory. At one point a nurse asked if I had brought anything to put my contacts in. I realized that I woke up that morning and thought I needed a prescription. By 12 I was at the hospital and at 2:30, I was prepping for surgery. No, I didn't have a contact case with me.

I had never had general anesthesia before. I think the surgery went fine. Dr. Dressen made sure I was well taken care of. However, waking up after the surgery was awful. It was definitely the low point of my entire experience. Going from no conscious thought to extreme pain and confusion in a few seconds was not fun. I think I threw a little fit, and it was then they decided to admit me for the night. I was happy to stay.

Since then, I have been feeling a little better everyday. I was basically useless this weekend, but have been doing basic Mom duty this week. When I got home, Andrew asked if I had a baby while at the hospital. Either he asked because that was his only memory of me being at the hospital or because I looked like I had just had a baby. Swollen belly and all.

I can not say enough about all of the kind help we have received. Family took over and cared for the kids. Friends have brought in dinners and run carpools. And just about every Mom from Margaret's pre-k class has offered to help out. I have felt so loved and cared for. Thanks to all of you.

We All Scream.

2010-09-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we finally had our Primary Ice Cream Party! I'm including this in my blog because these kiddos have sang their little hearts out for me all year. I love them all.

They've learned their 8 songs for our upcoming program and can sing them "Program Perfect" on demand. I am so proud of them!!

In The Works...

2010-09-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Tanner's 9th Birthday is forthcoming, and we have a great party in the works.

The original idea came from this blog. We are putting our own twist on the games of course. My favorite part in involving Tanner in the party prep. He helped me design a light saber cake, and will spend Thursday afternoon filling water balloons.

I'm no martha or jane, but I do think this is going to be a party to remember.

We are in full Star Wars mode around here.

Check back, you will, for a full report. Great it will be.

Settling In

2010-09-01T07:43:00.000-07:00

We have been in our new home for three weeks now and are still rearranging and tweaking things. I'll probably be doing that for some time to come, but it is SO GOOD to be here. The kids have started school and we are settling into our fall routine. It is not a busy one. After our summer of ball and swimming and building and a million other things that kept us apart, we decided against soccer this fall. Instead I'm hoping for lots of family time at home, not in the car or rushing to be somewhere on time.
I have promised to share pictures of our home as a finished product and will do that soon. But in the mean time, here are some things we are doing to make this house our home.

When our driveway was poured last week, the kids couldn't resist leaving their mark on things.

Grandad reading Angelina Ballerina to our our own little prima donna.

The front of the house with stained beams. We are still waiting on our painter to finish the front door.

Jason trying to finish up on the porch. We laugh because moving in has not meant an end to our house projects, just another stage of them. This weekend our focus is seeding the yard. We'll keep you posted!

I Know What You Are Thinking.

2010-08-27T22:16:00.001-07:00

I'm crazy, right? Those of you who know me probably also know I'm not the biggest animal lover out there. I always left that to my sister and other people much more patient than me. So why did I adopt this cute four-legged friend? How did he find his way into our home and hearts? WHY???

See that grin on Andrew's face? That's why!

And lots of giggly moments like this. Yep, that's why!

A few quiet, restful moments llike this one too.

And throw in many last minute "We have to check on Charlie before we leave him!!" moments as well. All of this adds up to one very loved puppy. We are glad we have you in our lives Charlie-boy.

We Are Alive and Online.

2010-08-27T22:13:00.001-07:00

Boy do I have a LOT of posting to do to catch up. We moved three weeks ago tomorrow and are just getting our internet connection up and running. I'll try to spend some time this coming week posting pictures from the last whirlwind of a month. It's good to be back!

Coming Soon...

2010-07-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

We are hoping that pretty soon we can safely have visitors over to our completed home. That will of course require that our stair railing be installed, so I can stop worrying about one of the kids taking a short-cut to the basement. But I know that its coming and soon we'll be in.
Since I last posted (like a year ago, sorry) so much has happened. Here are the pics. We'll keep you posted, but the move is planned for August 7th. (This time I didn't pencil it in on the calendar, I used RED SHARPIE!!)

The tile went in without a hitch. Probably becasue of those super-clean sub-floors:)

Margaret liked the wide-open dancing space.

These are the newell-posts for the stairs. I am assuming they have to be cut down to size.

Most of our lighting fixtures are from the same design family. I really like them and Jason is warming up to them.

But he can't complain, because he did get his beams in the living room. I like them a lot too.

Tile surround in the master bath.

And most importantly- KITCHEN cabinets. FINALLY!! When I saw these I realized that we really are almost done. Big epiphany and huge relief.

One of my new favorite spots is this wall of cabinets. I'm calling it command central and its MY ZONE. Can't wait to get it all organized.

Let's Get this Show on the Road!

2010-07-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of signs that our house is nearing completion these days. For instance, we have doors

(some are even hung!),

the whirlpool tub is no longer in the middle of my bathroom floor,

and there is finally stone on our fireplace surround.

We are still hopeful to be in before school starts for the boys. Only one life change per week, please.

Children's Museum

2010-07-08T06:37:00.000-07:00

While Julia and her kids were in Cape last week, we headed over for a few days of fun. The kids loved swimming, riding on the Ranger, watching fireworks, riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline and just hanging out. I was pleasantly surprised by the new Children's Museum in downtown Cape. It was well-thought out and the kids had a blast exploring the different activity centers.

By far, the favorite spot was in front of the carnival mirrors. I had to pull my kids away when it was time to go.

I love Andrew's expression in this one. I am seriously considering installing one of these in our house.

However, Miss Lizzie wasn't as sure about the funny reflection.

Do you see what I see?

Meet our new friend- skinny Hal.

Making music with the pipe organ.

Margaret LOVED shopping at the store. She even got to scan her items at the register.

This reminded me of Mark's old Marble Works set.

It was fun. We had a blast. But then it was time to go. (can you tell?)

Inch by inch...

2010-07-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like every inch of this house is a struggle. That would be after I spend every spare minute cleaning and mopping a wood sub-floor only to discover that the flooring install is actually scheduled for next Monday, instead of this Monday,when I was told it would happen. What does that mean? Well my friends, let's just say you know where you'll find me again this weekend. And if you get lost along your way to our construction site, just let the aroma of Mr. Clean and my blood, sweat and tears lead you there.
I think these pictures that Andrew snapped last week pretty much say it all. I mean, all I remember is a big blur of sweeping and scrapping and mopping and of course, sweating.

McMullin Family Vacation- 2010

2010-06-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

Everyone was able to travel to Kentucky Lake for a few days of relaxation, recreation and reconnecting. We had a lot of fun swimming together and playing on the boat. But most of the pictures I took were of everyone just enjoying each other. It was especially great to see the cousins together, all 11 of them.

Look who's three.

The cousins eyeing her cake.

Happy Birthday to you!

Grandad had t-shirts made for everyone- even the smallest family member.

I think the kids would all list hide-and-seek as a highlight. Here's Grandma helping the seekers count.

Ready or not...

Here we come!

Hurry. Go hide again!

Good, good job hiding. Don't make it too hard for the little guys.

All eleven of the grandkids together and even sitting still. A truly rare sight.

First taste of ice cream.

Another highlight has to be the evening golf cart rides.

No one wanted to be left out.

Mark and Daniella. We were so glad to have you with us, Daniella.

The boys had to get a close look at the bison.

Aunt Tara teaching the little guys to play washers.

A taste of dinnertime chaos.

Cousins and buddies.

Saying goodbye!

While we were out...

2010-06-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

We had to stop by the house on our way home from the lake this morning. By then my camera was low on juice, so I only snapped a few pictures. We were happy that the garage doors were installed, the porch finally had siding, the HVAC system was installed, the gutters were almost complete, and our painter was hard at work. That leaves flooring, cabinets, doors and trim to be done. We are still hopeful to be moving mid-July. Cross your fingers for us!

The Little Engine That Could.

2010-06-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

Progress on the house may seem slow, but at least its steady. One of these days, it will be complete. I know it will. I know it!
Above, the dormer finally received its shingles. Eventually, the cedar posts will be stained to match either the shingles or the cream trim. We are still not sure which. Any suggestions? Please!
Also, the front door will be stained. I promise it won't stay the color of mustard.

The columns really do look nice. I'm maybe leaning toward stain instead of cream.

The fireplace was also installed and built out. It will eventually have stone up to mantle height. And then when Jason's dreams come true, a flat screen tv will go above. I told him his dream will have to last until at least fall, probably Christmas.

Happy Birthday Grammie!

2010-06-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last week was Jason's grandmother's (who also happens to be our temporary neighbor)birthday. So we took all the kids over to sing and give her cards. We ended up staying just to talk and had a great evening. We love you Gram!

Our perfectly white walls...not for long.

2010-06-06T14:06:00.001-07:00

Sheetrock was hung this week. I thought you may want to see the new white walls, since they will never be such again. Either paint or handprints (probably both) will cover them very soon.

The front door will be stained to match the future floor, but I already like it.

Looking into the dining room from the living.

The living room.

Also, the HVAC guys finally came to dig wells for the geothermal system.

What a Way to Start our Summer.

2010-06-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

Last week was just crazy. It began with Play Day and ended with a wedding. Throw in a one day trip to Holiday World, some decorating, and end-of-the-school-year celebrating, and there you have our insane week. I just finished the laundry mountain about 10 minutes ago, and that is why I have time to type this out. We are looking forward to winding up our baseball season soon and are starting swim team practice tomorrow. This will be Andrew's first year (his idea, not mine)so we'll see how it goes. I am just imagining practices with Andrew wanting out of the pool and Margaret begging to get it.

The highlight was of course Kyle and Melissa's temple sealing. We were so honored to be there and to witness and celebrate with them. Here they are, just leaving the temple.

Margaret was in heaven. She thought she looked just like Melissa in her white dress.

Angelic Andrew

Terrific Tanner

Jason and Sarah- 10 years later. Hard to believe that 10 years ago we stood here on our wedding day. I would of course, do it all again. Love you, Jason!

My Little Friends.

2010-05-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

Can you see them? My little friends. I know, they are hard to see, being so well camoflauged in their own p.... Well these are the two surviving chicks from another front-porch-wreath-nest. Sadly we lost three of the birdies when they fell out of the nest. So we now have a little graveyard in the bushes. But these are the tough two that made it, and it was not without some work and encouragement along the way. We moved the wreath on windy days, tried (unsuccessfully)to keep it from tipping over and spilling it's contents, and gave momma bird plenty of noisy warning before popping out our front door.
I was so proud of these two that I wanted to document them before they left the nest, and that is what they did just hours after their photo was snapped. At least that is what I thought they did. When I took down the nest to clean up our splattered entryway, I gingerly held it out for the kiddos to examine. (I'm always trying to be like my Mom.) It was so much denser and deeper than it first appeared, so we all leaned in close for a good view, when out popped one of the little chicks, right into my hand. It literally broke through the crusty bottom of the nest and hopped into our faces. So after all that effort to save the little thing, what did I do? I screamed (it was covered in dried poo and gave me no warning, what did you expect) and dropped it on the concrete.
It was last seen hobbling to the front bushes. We tried hard to be friends, but it just didn't work out. Next year, NO front-porch-wreath-nest for me.

Pictures as Promised.

2010-05-14T13:05:00.001-07:00

Andrew playing 2nd baseman.

Tanner on 1st.

The pre-zombies at the talent show.

Stone on side of garage.

What do you think of all the colors together? We are so pleased with the way it has turned out so far.

Something to share.

2010-05-11T19:40:00.001-07:00

Tonight my computer is frustrating me by not allowing me to upload any photos. I guess I'll just give you a verbal teaser of the photos you all wish you were viewing.

The boys both played in their first baseball games on Saturday. Tanner did well with 4 basehits and 5 R.B.I.'s. Andrew claimed 3 homeruns. One for each time he crossed home plate. Gotta love tee-ball! I'm adjusting to the sport of baseball in general. I still wish I was sitting on a pool deck instead, but it is growing on me. The boys seem to really be enjoying it.

Tanner was in a school talent show last week. He had fun doing a zombie skit with Shannon and Micky. Yes, zombies. And yes, it was planned entirely by said 2nd graders. With all the make-up I saw little girls wearing while singing to inappropriate songs, I was proud of my zombie just being a kid.

We are all anxiously awaiting the end of the school year. I can't wait to have a fun-filled summer full of day trips, vacation, and MOVING!

I was surprised to see that despite threatening skies, the stone went up on our house today. It looks great! I bet you really wish my computer was cooperating don't you? Also, portions of siding are installed as well. How is that for a teaser? Check back soon, and I'll try to deliver.

Coming Clean.

2010-04-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today was a jam-packed day. You know the kind. There were so many things on the calendar for April 24, it kind of leaked over onto tomorrow. That was before the rain, though. Thanks to the hourly deluge we received, every single activity we had scheduled, like baseball practice and Scout-a-rama and the district Pinewood Derby and the Irish Festival, was cancelled. So what do you do with a suddenly sparse schedule on a Saturday?
You clean like never before. At least that's what I told the kiddos.

This is Tanner doing his best to earn $1 per room. That may seem generous (and I don't usually pay for cleaning) until you see what was coming out of these rooms.

He earned every cent. We did have to recount the number of rooms though, when he told me I owed him $20.

Margaret is our enthusiastic cleaner. She loves to help out and be a part of whatever project we are working on. She pitched in some elbow grease today to help us get the job done.

And Andrew helped by, um, what DID he do? I can't remember. But doesn't he look great trying out our new furniture? We are going for the industrial look.

Let's Shed Some Light on the Subject.

2010-04-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

So our carefully-chosen and long-awaited windows arrived this week. Half of them are installed and, um, well. Who knew bronze would be so much like black?

If you look carefully, you can see that they really are brown. I think the black paper around the windows made them look much darker than they will look when trimmed out. (Right? Tell me I'm right. Please.)

On the brighter side of things, the interiors are white and look awesome installed. In fact, I love when you look into the house from the front door. There is so much light coming in through these windows, and the view is of nothing but trees and green.

And do you like the prairie grill pattern as much as us? It is craftsman all the way, and offers some design without obscuring the view. We really love the pattern.

So, why didn't we just go with white windows? Remember, we are house stalkers extraordinaire. Our favorite house ever has awesome craftmans details and (you guessed it) bronze windows, trimmed out in cream, with green siding. I'll try to scan some photos of it and post them for your viewing pleasure. She's a beauty.

Check back tomorrow...

2010-04-22T19:19:00.001-07:00

...because at the rate we are progressing, things will be different by then. I love that so many things have been started on the house this week. They all make me happy!

Like plumbing...

...and shingles...

...and windows...

...and our column and beams.

I also discovered I love tiny toes on new concrete. Didn't know that before.

A Little Personality.

2010-04-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Every house has a face and, I think, a personality too.

Doesn't this wide center dormer make our new house seem so much more welcoming? Like an old friend, you know you can count on to be there when you need her, saying "Come on over and stay a while."
I hope so.

Warning: New Home in Progress

2010-04-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

There are certain challenges to assisting the general contrator on your own home. We have a great general, who builds quality homes and is patiently helpful to us. We know this because he built our first home and it was lovely. His patience is tried and true. I bring at least one child, often more, to each of our many meetings. He and his wife are so kind. They now have Margaret hugging them and asking if she can go visit them. I mean she actually wants to tag along to our debates over facia color and roof pitches.
So our general aside, there is a lot of busy work that keeps me hopping. I was warned before we ever started. "This will strain your marriage." "Building is a headache." "Let someone else do the work." But Jason and I have been through worse, and I couldn't resist the chance to save money by being involved in this whole building process. So, I manage affairs with our bank, prepare lein waivers, and basically drive all over the countryside seeking out the best deals I can. We are busier then ever, but I'm enjoying learning about all the different products we are putting into our future home.
There are some things I was never warned about though. So I thought I would warn the rest of you.
1. You do not have to check every single dealer of a certain product. Price compare at 3 different dealers and call it quits. The result of not following this warning is bald tires and an empty gas tank.
2. Of course, check products on line- But ask for a sample before you order anything major. Those 2 inches of moss green on your computer screen, may become 200 linear feet of puke green in person.
3. Ignore at least half of the voices in your head. If you are like me you are imagining critiques from your friends and family every time you go to select a product. I have to tell myself, "This is my home, not a show place." It should look good and suit MY taste and preferences. So even though granite countertops and stainless steal are so cool, I can be just as happy with other finishes.
4. You don't have to tell every person you meet about your project. Blog about it instead.
5. Anyway, one look at the stone veneer samples falling out of your minivan which is crammed with carpet squares, paint chips, idea books and at least 19 empty juice boxes from driving 54 miles to find just the right garage doors, and they'll already know.
Consider your self warned.

Well...Come on in!

2010-04-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

Miss Meg is now offering tours of her new room. Anyone interested should come on over.

This is what Andrew thinks of the new backyard. I agree. We are excited about the big, flat space. Its ready for a soccer goal.

Tanner got a kick out of inspecting the work that was done this past week:

The roof decking was put on. This next week they will build the center dormer above the porch.

The black paper that goes under shingles (what is it called) was begun.

Also, Jason started his new weekend job of wiring the house. So now the bedrooms are ready for fixtures...

and switches.

With the roof on a lot of work can proceed; plumbing, wiring, installing windows. I can't wait for the prairie windows. We ordered our windows in bronze and are triming them out in off white. I think they are going to look so great. I'll let you see soon...

The Homes That Inspire Us-III

2010-04-05T19:39:00.001-07:00

This home is our latest victim. Jason and I love this cottage in Laurel Grove in Cape. (Umm, who doesn't love ALL the homes in Laurel Grove?) The sage green is fairly close to what we are looking for in our siding color. I love the contrast with the stone. Seeing this house sold me on that stone color. I guess Jason was right all along.
I think we are both attracted to the Craftsman style because of its welcoming and casual feel. I want friends to walk right up and feel like our home is a place they can enjoy. Wish us luck!

What a difference a ROOF makes.

2010-04-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

Building a home is a lot of work- mental and physical. For me it is also a lot of guess work. Is it too big? (Who wants too much house to clean?) Is it too small? (We have a growing family and after living in a little apartment for a year, it better not be too small!)

So I was very pleased when the trusses were placed last week. Having the beginning of a roof is making the whole project take shape. I can finally see what the house will look like.

It looks not too big, not too small, but just right.

Back on Track

2010-04-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

Mondays aren't really my favorite. I think its the extra time it takes to get the boys off to school that I dread, or maybe its the necessary evil of stopping by WalMart. Today was an extra challenge though. Not only is it the day after our fun-filled Easter, but also the first day back to school after our Spring Break. The boys were troopers and got ready on time. (I think it was the fact that today was the first day of the year I let them wear shorts AND short-sleeves to school. Big deal around here.) I'm giving them cheers, because after all the fun of the last seven days. I would have had a hard time going back to school.

Here we are, in all of our wind-blown, allergy-eyed, sans make-up, and missing-hairbow Easter Glory. Note to self: Do not wait until the end of the holiday to take family photo.

My Easter Boys.

This is exactly how Andrew ended up with fewer eggs in his basket than Margaret. He would spot a beauty, get excited and tell me about it. Then when he finally went to grab it, one of the little kids already had it swiped up. He just doesn't have a competitive bone in his body.

Margaret was happy to show off her hunting skills. Too bad she was almost blown away.

It was so windy that we thought flying the kites would be easy this year.

Uncle David and his boys were the most successful in the kite department.

Noteworthy- Tanner has graduated from finding eggs, to helping hide them. He might have been a tiny bit bit proud of this.

We were glad we also got to stop by Nana and Poppa's house earlier in the day.
HAPPY EASTER!

My Great Weekend

2010-03-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

What do you get when one of your best girlfriends marries your big brother?

Oh, just one of the cutest families EVER!!!

This past weekend I was able to travel to Arlington, VA and visit James, Julia, Bradley, Elizabeth and little Henry McMullin. Isn't Henry the cutest little boy. He is already great at cuddling, smiling and laughing.

He must be learning so much from watching his big brother Bradley and

big sister Lizzie.
Thanks for a wonderful weekend!

Kids' Critique

2010-03-24T07:05:00.001-07:00

We have not taken the kids to see the house since it was just a basement. I have just been too worried about the lack of floors, then walls, and still stairs. But I am going to be out of town this weekend, and last night I really wanted to see the progress with the exteriors walls. So we bravely loaded up the van and spent the 20 minute drive lecturing everyone about avoiding the open hole where the stairs will someday be. I think I also threw in fair warning about jumping out windows and touching tools that are not ours.

I should have known that bringing the kids would include 100's of questions and almost just as much criticism. What is this room? Why is it here? Why isn't there a "secret, crawl-through door" in our room? Yes, they are serious about the trap door. I told them maybe the space under the stairs can be their secret hide-out. I think that appeased the mob.

This is Margaret inspecting her new room. She liked her window and showed us were all her "pretties" will go.

We really can not wait to get into this home and make it our own. Not to mention the boys are dying to get their old toys out of storage. I know that getting our hands on all of our stored stuff will be better than getting new things at Christmas. But there is still so much work to do.

Job #1: Cleaning up and burning all of the construction trash. I'm afraid we are going to be in this messy stage for awhile.

In other business...

2010-03-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, "THE HOUSE" is consuming more than a little of our time, thoughts and energy. However, life still goes on. So I wanted to post some of the other happenings in our lives.

I bribed cousin Shannon, Andrew and Tanner to memorize and repeat the monthly Scripture in Primary. They all did it and were pleased with their ice cream rewards.

It's official. Tanner's top bunk is still the best hide-and-seek spot.

We were lucky enough to have a visit from the Burke cousins' baby chicks: Dr. Tweets and Miss Gabby. They were cute and chirpy. Margaret LOVED them. Tanner thought they were cool, but stinky (I agree and will never have chicks in the house. Sorry kids.)This is as close as Andrew got to them. He didn't want to touch them, but really enjoyed watching over them.

Tanner and Shannon passing Miss Gabby. She was very popular.

WE also went fishing at the lake behind the shop. The weather was so nice, but no fish were bitting.

That could have something to do with the yelling, singing and rock tossing Margaret contributed.

No fish, but lots of fun!

House Update

2010-03-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

At this point, just the fact that there is an update is a huge plus. Especially as I check the forecast for a rainy start to the work week. I just can not wait to get the house under roof, so weather won't be such a big deal anymore.

Below is a picture of what will be the front of our home. I am so happy that the subfloor was completed and you can see that the crew began framing up the exterior of the house.

This will be the view from the front porch. Luckily, there will never be a house built directly across from us.

This is looking into the kitchen and dining area. Boy have I spent hours thinking about this space. This will be where we spend most of our time and really "live". So I can't tell you about the time spent planning the cabinets and countertops and tile and faucets and...
Last week I started waking up at 3 every morning thinking about cabinets. That's when I realized enough was enough. I'll research the best I can, make a choice and go with it.

Finally, here we are looking back into the family room. The windows on either side of the fireplace look bigger than I imagined. Hmmm, window coverings...

So I hope this coming week won't be (too) rainy. And we can get closer to having trusses delivered!! Cross your fingers for us!

Now I Remember

2010-03-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

And now I remember why NOT having "peanuts" every Friday wasn't really a bad thing.

Conspiracy Theory

2010-03-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

If there is a conspiracy around here, I must be in on it. Andrew loves to play with anything deemed cool by big brother Tanner. Anything. So that includes Bakugan, Legos, puzzles with 250 pieces.... Which makes cleaning up before Tanner comes home from school a lot of fun. But clean up we must, because these items are viewed as personal property by Tanner and fair game by Andrew. It has occurred to me that our routine of pulling out Tanner's toys while Margaret sleeps and then rushing to put them away before Tanner returns may not be sending the right message to Andrew. (I know, I'm quick, huh?) But the poor boy is desperate to have some time with the "cool" toys. So for now, I'm in on the cover-up. I did think this clip of Andrew whispering and hiding while playing said it all. He KNOWS.

Margaret's Messy, I mean Crafty, Morning

2010-03-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. What to do with these eggs. What to do.

I know!! I'll help mom paint them. That will be great.

I better put on my apron. (This is how I actually found her, while I was setting up paints. She knew there was a mess coming, and she didn't want to miss out on the fun. I also appreciate that she practically stripped before getting into that apron. You don't want the rear view of this shot.)

Ready, Set, Paint.

Pretty good job Margaret. Thanks for your help. Now all we need is a basket and a bunny and we are good to go!

Any Easter traditions at your house that you care to share? I'd love to hear about them.

Down with Daylight Saving Time.

2010-03-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

Daylight Saving Time snuck right up on us this year. That's right. We were that family that TOTALLY forgot to set our clocks forward. In the past I've been known to criticize those who just don't have their act together enough to even keep track of the time. Well, consider us humbled.
Sad that it happened on a Sunday when we were otherwise so prompt. We were on our way to being early enough to set up my props in the Primary room before church, when Jason got online to check our forecast. When I heard his "Oh, Man" everything clicked. He didn't even have to explain.
I was too ashamed (and afraid of disrupting the entire meeting) to walk into Sacrament late. So I enlisted the kids to help me in the Primary room instead.
Daylight Saving Time also means a later bedtime for our family. I am so not a fan this year. A later bedtime means grumpy kids on Monday morning. Yuck. All Jason said to me when he left this morning was "Good Luck!"
On the bright side, we did get to listen to Margaret singing in bed for an extra 1/2 hour last night. She just knew it wasn't right to go to bed with light peeking around the curtain. I'm with you Margaret.

Shame on Us.

2010-03-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

Do you remember when KFVS 12 used to try to shame junky residents of the Heartland to clean up their act by disgracing them with a live broadcast. That was surely tv journalism at its very best. Do they still do that? If so, I'll be expecting Mary Ann to don her mud boots and head on over to our construction site.
We have unfortunately entered the eyesore stage of the home building process. That was the first thing I noticed when I went out to take pictures this morning. You may have thought the potholes in the road or the accidentely cut water line were bad enough (I'm positive our new neighbors love us already!), but add scraps of lumber, blown tarps and a mudslide of a yard to the mix and we actually deserve the tv crew. I mean, I might be a little disappointed if they don't show up.