Another season comes to a close...

Sam plays soccer.  It's his 5th season.  He's had a GREAT season!

This season he had the BEST COACH EVER!  His DAD!  He's a great coach, I love that he's not competitive, what matters most to him is that the boys played well and showed improvement.  He's so calm and doesn't get worked up when a ref makes an error, etc.  And I love all the time they've spent together.  And Sam has really flourished this season--it's like everything has clicked and he's really showing some skill!  I LOVE watching him play.

 We also play with the best group of boys and families.  We really feel like we've hit the jackpot and can't wait for season 6.  Let's go DRAGONS!

Some weeks are CRAZY!

And give me grey hair and age me.

This past Monday, Kaitlyn and Sam didn't come home from school.

They walk home together and arrive home between 3:05 and 3:10.  At 3:15 they were not home, I walked outside to look down the street and see if they'd hooked up with some neighbor kids or something but they were nowhere to be seen.

I loaded up the younger two in the van and started to drive the route they take.  NO ONE is around, no straggling kids walking home, no parents parked in cars or chatting, even the crossing guards had gone home.  It was so calm and quiet around the school that I for a split second thought that my watch and clocks were off by an hour.  But they weren't.

I arrive at the school and walk into the front office.  The new receptionist is helping another parent, Mrs. Walker the school Principal is there on the phone.  I calmly wait my turn and say, "Um, my kids didn't make it home from school."  Mrs. Walker told me to walk into the office and things got really exciting really quickly.

The school administrators know my kids, know that they're responsible and this is very out of character for them.  It doesn't make any sense to me, they have a piano lesson after school and know to come right home.

The school was checked, an announcement paging them on the loud speaker went off, their teachers were called to see if anything strange had happened with them leaving, the secretaries and other office staff start peppering me for names of families they might have gone home to or with and they begin making some calls.  No one has seen them, they're not with anyone we're calling.

Kaitlyn's and Sam's teachers come up to the office and they let me know that they left and were a little late leaving but nothing out of the ordinary.  They encourage me that it's very odd and unusual for something to happen to the two of them together.  They make sure that if they do arrive home, they can get in.  Kaitlyn's sweet teacher from last year gets in her car with another teacher and begin to drive the neighborhood looking for them.

By 3:35 they suggest I call Stephen.  I'm losing it at this point, crying and scared.  I call him and as I'm on the phone with him, one of the school secretaries calls my home and Kaitlyn answers!  Oh sigh of relief.  The teachers tell me to go home and love on them but then give them a real talking to.=)

THE STORY:  Kaitlyn has a new friend (Kendall) who sometimes has to walk alone.  She decided to walk her home thus taking a different route and a longer route home.  Sam knew this wasn't a good idea, he tried to urge her just to go home, he wanted a snack, he wanted to practice his piano before his lesson, but he also knew that he couldn't leave her by himself and he couldn't walk by himself--they had to stay together.  

When I arrived home and started laying into them, Sam burst into tears telling me he'd tried to get Kaitlyn to walk home but she wouldn't listen.  He said he even counted to 3 and she wouldn't be convinced.  He was so angry at her.

I think sometimes children at that age just don't realize how their actions affect other people.  I'm so grateful that they're safe.  I can't imagine my life without them.

THEN on THURSDAY, Matthew locked us out of the house.  Each morning we walk together to school.  I don't usually bring my keys or even my cell phone because it's a quick little trip.  I know the code to the garage and use the door from the garage to get back into the house.  This works great, unless Matthew decides to lock that door....

We realized it before we left for school and figured we might as well take the older kids to school since they were ready and there was no use making them late.  I borrowed my crossing guard friend Sharon's phone and called Stephen.  He tells me to check the garage for a possible spare key.  When I got home, I checked.  No key.  By this time a few neighbors are in the mix, and Sharon is done crossing and comes to help.  We check every door and window.  They're all locked.  AND since Stephen's been working off a set of spare keys he doesn't even have a house key that he can leave work to come home and get me in.  I'm going to have to call a locksmith! ($$)

THEN I remembered that my Father-in-law was one able to break into my house using a credit card on one of the doors and we try it and it worked!  

What a miracle.

WHAT A WEEK!  

I've lost my ever lovin....

So what's a girl to do when a bunch of friends...... (All of us MOTHERS with children of all ages, one very recently postpartum...)

 All decide that a 5K MUD RUN is a great idea for a fun time?  Well this is what happens.....

 We create team "GRIMY GIRLS" and get a little dirty!

I was a bit overwhelmed, some of the obstacles, the climbing over the wall ones intimidated me too much but I rappelled down hills, climbed up and across cargo nets, crawled through mud, and got dirty!  I got blisters and bruises and had a blast with some great friends!  One item on my bucket list: COMPLETE!

She's 5!

Lindsey's birthday is the day after Halloween, November 1st.

 

To Lindsey, Birthdays are a BIG BIG deal!

She got to have a party with friends.  

 

She wanted a fairy party.  

Each of her friends got wings, decorated a wand and a crown...

Dad lead them all on a treasure hunt for "fairy" necessities..... 

 

Her Grandma McKneely came and made her this special fairy cake (WOW!)

 And her sweet cousin even came dressed for the occasion!

 

Other Birthday festivities included Preschool celebrations--she had owl cupcakes as part of her class Halloween celebrations, 

Grandma and Grandpa Lewis took her for donuts--she just had a week of celebrations!  

This sweet girl is so loved.

Happy Happy Birthday Lindsey dear!  We're so glad you're ours!

Boo!

Halloween 2012 really had me worried.  I had been SOOO busy that this holiday really crept up on me.  I had to get past the Day of Service (October 20th) and THEN I could worry about Halloween.

Our ward held it's traditional Trunk or Treat on the evening BEFORE Halloween--which turned out good for us, we just took all the candy our kids got and didn't want and handed that out the next night (Shhhhh!  Don't tell)

COSTUME RUNDOWN:

 Kaitlyn was kind of my hold out, she really didn't want to be anything, and just ended up creating her own costume from things we had around the house.  I think she entitled it Butterfly Fairy.  Fine by me!  She looked cute!

 Sam wanted to be either a Mario Brother or a Ninja.  He had wanted to be a rubiks cube (How fun would that have been?)  But he changed his mind, then it was a Star Wars character (which I had connections for) but he changed his mind again.  I wasn't about to spend a ton on a new costume and thankfully a friend had a costume for him to borrow--he was in heaven as Mario!

 This costume was EASY!  Sam was Bob the Builder when he was 2, "Math" was more than happy to strap on some tools and be "Bob" again!  Such a cutie!

Thankfully Lindsey's costume had been decided since the summer when we found this mask in the dollar section at Target and when combined with her birthday dress-up outfit from last year it's perfect and purple and she loved it!

 

Stitches never happen at a good time....

Life with children is always an adventure.  I had one the other day....

Lindsey and Matthew were playing nicely (so I thought) and I walked down the street a bit to meet Kaitlyn and Sam who were walking home from school.  We're just about home when Lindsey comes out, crying, saying Matthew had thrown something at her and she was bleeding.

Now if I had a dollar for every time one of my children tells me they're bleeding and need a band aid.....

So I told her I'd be right in to see.  Well, what I saw was blood DRIPPING down her face and onto her shirt and a few drops on the tile.  Matthew had thrown a manga-doodle at her face, and it made a cut, a clean slice under her left eye on her cheek

 

But she was amazingly brave and not ever crying too badly.

I could tell the cut wasn't too deep, but it's on her face, and you just don't mess around with the face.  I started calling ER's looking for one with a plastic surgeon (because mom's sometimes panic).  But when I visited with my husband about it he told me I could do what I thought was right but that I might consider calling our regular doctor to see if he'd look at it first, maybe he could use some "super glue" stuff.  

So I did.  I farmed out my kids to a friend (Thanks Laura A.) who took the older 2 to Primary Program Practice, and let Matthew hang with her little girl (who is 6 days younger than him).  And I went to our regular doctor.  He was actually on his way out the door early on a Friday to start enjoying his weekend but stayed to treat Lindsey.

 I am so glad we went here.  He was indeed able to seal up the stitch without shot or stitch and use DERMABOND.  The entire trip to the doctor took an hour!  Who knows how long the ordeal would have taken had I gone to an ER with a non-life threatening emergency.  And I was able to pick up my children by the time their rehearsal was over.

 

This sweet girl was thrilled with her sticker and lollypop.  On her way to the doctor she burst into tears because her 5th Birthday Party was the NEXT DAY and she was worried her friends would laugh at her face.   (Bless her heart!) But I assured her that her friends would be concerned about her not laughing at her.  And so she perkily replied, "Then I'll just tell them about my trip!"

Love this girl, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.  A Birthday, party and all AND Halloween--this injury will be well documented.

Bunco for Boobs

Some might think this title is irreverent, but sometimes it fits the mood.

My friend Leigh Anne has been diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer.

In her honor I worked with a few friends to host a Bunco Night where we raised $2000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation to go towards breast cancer research.

I was exhausted after all my efforts earlier in the day and realize that (again) I had over committed myself on this one but I ADORE my friend, she's been a good friend to me.  She helped me learn to breast feed my first baby, helped me prepare for labor, threw me a baby shower for my second baby....you get the picture.  My heart breaks for her family and what they're going through.  She is constantly in my prayers.  But I have faith, she is a warrior and a fighter and will do this with dignity!

Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?

On October 22nd we joined with the other members of our Stake (Mormon term for a group of congregations) to participate in a Mormon Helping Hands Day of Service.  It's an annual event that I am blessed to help coordinate as part of my calling (volunteer church assignment) on the Public Affairs Committee.

This is a huge undertaking and there were many tender mercies and miracles that happened during the planning that helped us bring about a successful day, impressing many people about the "good works" our church is involved in.

My family participated in Bonham's "Great Days of Service" where we picked up trash.  Sam opted to spend the day with a friend who was also on his soccer team so that he could play in his game (he had the BEST game of his life too--3 goals and 3 more shots on goal!).  I am so pleased with how well my girls worked, they stuck with it and worked hard never complaining.

Many of our members worked in Farmersville and Princeton.  The Farmersville ward is going to break ground on a building next year and we're working to build good relationships with city leaders there as well as build good will by serving in the community.

Stake wide approximately 875 people served in 32 projects in Allen, Bonham, Farmersville and Bonham.  I am so proud of what we accomplished!

Pumpkin Patch

Each year we try and take an outing to a pumpkin patch.  Our children are getting older and I'm realizing how this may be a fleeting tradition. 

Our weekends were PACKED for the whole fall and we were worried we wouldn't fit it in, BUT when Columbus Day rolled around and we really didn't have anything else going, we convinced Dad to take a longer lunch and come join us.

PLUS it was a chance for us to show him our favorite Chihuly glass sculptures.  The weather was AWESOME and we were not alone, but we had a great time!

 Que photo roll:

Painting and Prophets

Whew!  I am trying to recommit to spend some time each Sunday evening updating this blog, I can't believe it's been a month!

But it's been a BIG month.

My calling in Public Affairs has been incredibly busy and if I admit it, it's taken over 20 hours a week for the last 6 weeks or so, my children are a bit starved for attention and have watched a bit too much television BUT I'm still learning how to balance and most of the time my calling doesn't interfere with raising my family, but there are times of the year when I just have to grin and bear it.

But we did find time to squeeze in some fun family time, lets catch you up!

Painting and Prophets:

The first weekend of October is always a special time for us Mormons as it's an opportunity to sit for 2 days and listen to our living prophet and apostles and hear what God has inspired them to share with us to help us learn and grow.  This is always a fun weekend for our kids as I gather activities and listening games to help keep them engaged.  Conference for them is 4 2 hour sessions over 2 days.  They're still so little so we've got packets of coloring sheets, bingo cards and more.

One activity we added this year was buzz word buckets.  I had 5 buckets each filled with different snack foods.  Each had a photo attached to a dowel with a buzz word to listen for.  If the kids heard the word (Prophet, temple, scriptures, family, etc) then they could have the treat in that bucket.  THAT was a great activity for the session that runs from 11-1:00 because it helped stave off hunger until the end of that session.

BUT this year was even more exciting because of a historic announcement.  The age at which missionaries can begin their full-time 2 year or 18 month missions has been lowered.  Young men can now serve at 18 and young women can serve at 19!! This is incredible.  I served a mission, and it was one of the BEST decisions for my life.  I learned so much and it's prepared me so well for many aspects of my life.

When I think of the "hastening of the work" and how much more prepared these youth are now, and the responsibilities that will be theirs, I am excited.  Particularly I think of more returned missionary women raising families, influencing another generation of valiant spirits, the long term effect of this will be significant.  

Further, the likelihood of my girls serving missions has just gone up as well, which thrills me!

Then on a not such a spiritual note but something that means a lot to me.....WE PAINTED!!

This weekend uniquely didn't have any soccer games scheduled and we were just going to be sitting around listening to conference, so we decided to start painting the inside of the house.  We've had the cheap, easily marked up builders grade paint on our walls since we moved in.  Raising 4 kids is hard on houses and our walls were AWFUL looking.

I've been paralyzed at picking paint colors and knowing where to start, but I've been searching and testing paint colors for a few weeks and during conference we got at it.  I took charge of the kids and conference activities, and Stephen (along with his sister Rachel for a bit) really tackled some painting.  We've made progress, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the color we chose.  I can't wait for Christmas when Stephen has a big block of time off and we can get even more done!

My BOYZ

I am so proud of my boys!

First let's talk about Sam.  He's having a GREAT year at school.  He has such a positive attitude and is always telling me about how he's being a good friend to those around him.  Well this morning he was recognized by his teacher at a "Rise and Shine" school assembly and named a "Marvelous Maverick".  I loved how his teacher entitled the memo in her email telling me of this award "Your sweet boy" because he IS sweet and I'm glad she's seen that in him.  Our being there for the assembly is supposed to be a surprise so Stephen went in late to work and we all walked together to the school and let K & Sam walk in then we lagged behind.  Kaitlyn saw us signing in and caught on quickly that we were there for the assembly.  She ran down the hall to tell her teacher she'd be a bit late to class so she could watch Sam get his award, then when she arrived in the cafeteria she took Lindsey and they sat together in the middle with the students--Sam didn't see any of us so he was really surprised!  When they read his name he was SO HAPPY, that kid can just have the brightest face, he truly wears his emotions on his face if you know what to watch for.  And I was also touched to see him see his sisters on his way to the front and he gave Kaitlyn a hug and kiss--(May my children always love each other!) I adore him!!  What was really cool was that there were 6 other friends from church who were also chosen by their teachers to be Marvelous Mavs!  Way to go Sam!  I emailed his teacher later thanking her for recognizing him, she said he deserved it.  Her note read "Sam is a Marvelous Maverick because he has a respectful attitude in all he does."

Then my other boy......IS POTTY TRAINING!  (Gasp)--he turned 2 1/2 this week which is super early for boys but he's been showing signs of being ready and since I have him alone for a bit during the week while Lindsey is in preschool I thought I'd give it a shot.  He's taking to it a lot better than I imagined.  Sure this is going to take some time but he is really doing well.  Such a big boy!  I have had at least one kid in diapers for 9 years, most of that time I've had 2 in diapers and for a few weeks I even had 3 in diapers.  To be a diaper free home is something I am pretty stoked about.  I keep telling Stephen that it's time to go on a lavish vacation to Disney World because we don't nap and we don't need to carry diapers (and possibly not even need a stroller!)  How awesome is that!?!?

Mid September 2012

We've been getting into the groove here with school in full swing.  Hard to believe how fast the month has flown by!
 Last Friday we spent some time at the Dallas Arboretum where we met up with Rachel and Clara.  All the Fall decorations are out and all the orange pumpkins add beautiful color to the already glorious arboretum but it also offers great photo ops for my 2 tagalongs.  We'll have to go back though because the little pumpkin village wasn't open yet.  I LOVE that we have a pass and can just go whenever.  We still need to get Stephen there though to see the Chihuly exhibit.

 Oh yeah, and I was the mom of the century....Kaitlyn had a loose tooth that she was asking me to pull.  I grab a tissue, grip the tooth hard at the gumline and pull while twisting a bit.  Out popped a molar.  She quickly informed me that THAT WASN'T THE RIGHT TOOTH!!  The incisor next to it was the right one.  So I went and grabbed a second tissue and pulled that one out too.  There was a bit more blood than I was expecting and it was exciting.  But we got the bleeding to stop.  Ironically we went to the dentist the next day and by the morning you could see the top of her permanent molar coming in where I'd pulled the"mistake" tooth, so it WAS ready to come out and it wasn't a bad thing I'd pulled it.  Apparently she has a whole mouth full of loose teeth and our tooth fairy will be a busy lady for the next little while.  Sam incidentally is really anxious to loose teeth.  He hasn't lost any!  I think he's a bit excited for the revenue stream he knows it is.  Silly boy!

We also had a VERY busy Saturday.  The morning started with an annual Balloon Festival Breakfast hosted by some Plano friends, the Blacks and the Mathenys.  From their backyard you can see the hot air balloons lift off from the Plano Balloon Festival.  We enjoy some pancakes, sausage, juice and festivities and start our morning off right.  There is face painting, balloons, bounce houses and just a great time.  Sad that there are some friends who we only see this one time a year so I'm glad we make it a point to attend.

 We couldn't stay too long though because we had soccer team photos and a game.  It was a very warm day with 10:30 photos and an 11:30 game, there was no shade, we kept running to the bathrooms and drinking fountain to refill water bottles.  It was a good game.  Our team played against a "club" team that hammered us last year and we really held our own.  I think the score was 5-3 and though we lost, they had some really random lucky goals that we just couldn't have blocked.  This season has been so fun because the boys (who many of them have been playing together for a couple years now) are finally "getting it".  Stephen is coaching them and he does so great with the boys.  His priorities are in the right place with not really caring about winning but about teaching the boys how to play and getting them to play well and giving everyone a chance to play.  I LOVE watching him coach and I LOVE that he's so involved with Sam in something.  Sam has grown so much.  He used to love to kick the ball hard and far but has really been mastering dribbling and took a turn as goalie during the first game and was an excellent defender!

From our soccer game we RAN home to change as quickly as we could into church clothes (The girls wore dresses to the game, Matthew was halfway dressed--which was good because he was pretty worn out and promptly fell asleep in the car).  We were headed to a favorite place--the Dallas Temple for a Primary Activity.  It was special to walk around that place with our children and let them feel what a special place it is.  Matthew was a bit concerned that we'd forgotten his tie and our children were so well behaved I now know that they CAN INDEED be reverent and for that I am glad and so proud of them.

Kids say the darndest things...

My children have been saying funny things lately and I have to write them down:

Matthew has a new thing he does when he's frustrated.  He pounds his fist and says what sounds like "Donut!", (Darn it)--I try and not let him see me smile since it only makes him more frustrated.

Lindsey in her first week of preschool was asked to spell her name outloud.  She complied and started spelling, L--I--N--D.....then she got lazy and told her teacher to do the rest.  Ms. Kim encouraged her to finish spelling her own name to which she replied, "But I did the first half, it's only fair!"

AND yesterday when I picked her up from school I asked her about her day.  She couldn't come up with an answer to my question so she bangs her hand on her head and says "Brain, wake up!  Wake up brain!"

Then Sam said something really sweet this past weekend.  I was away at a scrapbook retreat having some "me" time.  He had a soccer game, that Stephen coaches.  I had always planned to come to the game to help corral the 3 non-soccer players, but I guess it was unexpected by Stephen and Sam.  After the game before I left to go back to my retreat Sam came to me, "Mom, am I more important to you than scrapbooking?"  to which I answered, "Of course!" and his face brightened into a huge grin.

All about my Lindsey

This post is all about my Lindsey:

Preschool has started for this girl!  She went to meet her teacher, Mrs. Kim, dressed in pearls and a new favorite dress.

And we met a few kids in her class.  There are a lot of girls in her class, and some of them even live in our neighborhood.  We were able to arrange some carpooling too--I think it's going to be a great year!

And then after Labor Day she started school!  When did she get so big?  She only goes to school Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  The school isn't open on Friday and we have to keep a day open for speech (which also is not done on Fridays).  It's also a longer school day for her (from 9-1:45).  She's going to have a GREAT year

With the older kids in school, sometimes kung-fu (Matthew) naps and that gives us time to do things like reading lessons and special time:

And we had an exciting adventure.  Lindsey and Matthew are great sports and let me go for runs while they ride in the jogging stroller.  The other day we were going around a bend and saw this turtle just right next to the sidewalk.  We stopped and let the kids see it.  We thought he might make a great pet so we ran home to get a box.  But after a couple hours we could tell he did not want to be a pet and wanted to be let free.  This was very sad for Lindsey and she cried a bit.  But we took this photo and then let him go in the creek and he crawled off.

Now she wants a real turtle for a pet for her birthday........