Blog Pouwer

Sometimes I wonder...

2011-10-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

about who I am and how I got to be her. I think about my friends that have helped shape me and wonder am I who they think I was going to be? I doubt it. My mind wanders into the past sometimes and I'm not that girl anymore. Married life is nothing you think it's going to be and then you have kids. I read all the pregnancy books and baby books and I don't think they were written by real parents. Like when you go into the hospital to have your baby you can tell which nurses have actually done this before and if you haven't you don't get to say much. But yet I don't have time to write a book I'm too busy trying to figure out this mommy thing. That may explain why there aren't any good parenting books :D. Anyways I wish sometimes I had kept up with friendships, I wish that I still had those people in my life. Yes I know there is facebook and I'm glad for it. That way I can stalk their lives when I can get some computer time, after Korben has gone to bed. Sometimes my life overwhelms me and I just stay in my hole and hide from the world. I'm afraid of committing to stuff for fear I won't be able to handle it. That is so not the girl I was in high school, or maybe it was I do remember taking time away from friends and just needing me time. But as I begin yet another book about trying to figure out my son and this autism thing. I wonder did the girl my friends knew have any idea about who the woman she was going to have to be. Sometimes I wish I could go back and talk to her and have her make different choices. Like take a class or two about special needs kids, or don't have that boyfriend you'll dream about him for years and they'll be weird dreams too. Anyways this is more rambling then anything it's just that sometimes I wonder I am her, am I who I supposed to be because the lessons have been really hard and I really don't want to retake any of them. Well this is me right now at 12 years married, 4 kids, a mini van and a mortgage. Just some of the ingredients that make me - me!

Some Ramblings

2011-10-06T20:26:00.001-07:00

Well since this isn't a very popular blog and I realized it is more of a journal for me anyways I thought I'd take a few minutes for myself. What do I acomplish? Well these days it doesn't feel like much. I'm trying to be more positive so here goes.
I watched all sessions of conference and stayed awake,
I had homemade buns to share with my family
I did the laundry
I vaccuumed
I have done dishes mulitiple times (not my job around here)
I make meals for my family,
I bake bread
I sewed pj pants and a tutu for a certain little girl
I sat on the kitchen floor and ate jello with my littlest stinker
I have wiped a lot of snotty noses this week
I have changed diapers
I drive my son to/from school daily
I worked on my sharing time for Sunday
I've prayed about a lot of stuff
I ironed shirts
I made a super girl shirt for previous certain little girl
I dusted and cleaned the front blinds (note to self, do that more often)
I pulled out the fridge and stove and cleaned (again... do that more often)
I went to a positive parenting course
I am letting my daughter fall asleep in my bed right now
I finished reading October's Ensign
I made a wreath that make's me smile everytime I come home

My list seems to be more of what I do for others than what I do for myself but that is my life right how. I am trying to take a little time for myself here and there. But let's be realistic with a housefull of kids, a business to run, church callings that require more time then just Sunday and everything else that pops up right in front of me. I don't have time but I am finding it in quiet afternoons (sometimes) and right now that is okay, because I decided it is okay.

sometimes technology drives me nuts!

2011-09-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

I would like to use another word but I'm pretty sure my mom reads my blog and she HATES that word but sometimes that's how I feel.
So as you may have noticed there is a part 1 to my update on what has been happening in our lives lately. Well shorty after that post which had to be cut short because blogger wouldn't let me do anymore, yet another reason I'm disliking computers lately. Anyways... short story... new computer, great deal, other computers dying slow deaths, actually it finally kicked the bucket last week. Frieso gets this one up to speed with all the things I need, like pics, docs, and everything in my life that is stored on a computer and the hard drive crashes. No back up because we find out that Windows 7, which came with this new laptop, is not playing nicely with our home network. NOT HAPPY!!! Send laptop to BC since it's still under warranty and not good news, they can't save anything. So until I get our life re-scanned into this laptop again their won't be an update about Ainsley turning 3 and summer vacation in BC but since Bobbi was present for both events you can check out her pics and get the gist and she takes much better pictures then I do anyways :D

Just a note, Ainsley says she like my arm. Hey gotta take the compliments where I can get them. I'm usually being screamed at, crawled all over, bitten, tackled, oh luckily no puke lately, let's get our fingers crossed on that one!

Anyways life is in full swing with the boys back to school at the beginning of the month. It is so quiet around here. Ainsley does talk A LOT but there is no more screaming and running around and the constant in and out of the summer. Logan is in grade 3 and I can't believe our fast we got there. He's trying to find his own style and I'm trying to keep us within budget so we didn't get DC shoes but the ones from Wal-Mart look pretty close. Compromise! Korben's in grade 1, is doing really well at school and I'm loving it. Don't get me wrong I love my son but not having the constant stress of what his life is is a nice break. He is in a special program within a CBE school so no extra costs. 3 teachers in his class and maybe 6-7 kids. Just right for him. He goes in a little later and ends a little earlier so there isn't any chaos from the other kids at the school. And it is close so twice a day we drive 52nd street to Pineridge School, a stone's throw from the daycare my parents used to own and I had my grade 12 grad party and another throw from the elementary I went to for K-4. It's strange sometimes how your past is still a part of your life. Ainsley is still getting used to having no boys to run after all day, but we get out of the house more and so have hit some mall play areas. Bryson has decided that he is no longer a baby expect for the walking thing. Not interested yet. No worries he can he just doesn't want to. Hmm we have that stubbornness with other children.
So we're starting to get ready for Halloween and already thinking about Christmas. I know but it'll be here before we know it and besides everyone seems to be having a clearance sale right now. I'm a sucker for sales, love saving money!

I think Ainsley is finished 'styling' my hair so maybe I should get to something else productive, nope just noticed the time, almost time to start the afternoon taxi service to pick up boys from school and bus stop.

Life got a little busy (part 1)

2011-08-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Here's some highlights of the last few months. Yes some very important events happened but being a mother of 4 with autism thrown in just for fun makes it hard to find time to blog.

Logan and his cousin Ani turned 8 and were baptized. Didn't they just share their blessing day? 8 years sped by fast!

Logan wanted a motorcycle cake for his birthday and being in the do it myself mood lately I figured I'd give it a try. Had a lesson in RS a while back so I had some idea of what to do. Logan was thrilled which made me thrilled!

Next Birthday - Grandpa turned 60, how is it that my dad is so old? Actually baptism and birthday party happened on Easter weekend so we could all celebrate together.

Next birthday - Crazy Bryson turned 1, how did that year disappear on me?
Once again tried my hand at making a character cake. No complaints from the birthday boy :D

Facebook

2011-07-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

I know I know it's been FOREVER. Life is a little busy around here. Anyways because I'm hoping to make a few $$ with making flowers I'm letting the blog world know I'm now on Facebook for Pouwer Flowers. Swing by and see if there is anything you'd like ;D

Ainsley - isms

2011-03-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

Mommy I dolly pig back, Mommy?

Acause mom, acause (insert eye roll)

Pwease Wogan Pwease, MOM!

I don wan it! (usually there is screaming after this one and always crossing arms and pouty lip)

tanks mom

Mom, where Daddy? (wait a minute) Mom, where Daddy?

dis one mommy, dis one!

I don't fix it mommy, do it!

dat better

"Ainsley what's wrong" I cwying, "I see that, what's wrong" I cwing MOM!!

I gon scare you, watch out!

Koben wanna play? Koben?! Korben then says "go away Ainsley go way"

Uppy Mommy Uppy, PWEASE!!!

9 months old

2011-02-14T09:20:00.001-08:00

Too funny not to share...

2011-01-26T19:53:00.000-08:00

(My SIL emailed this to us.)

If you need a laugh today, then this should do it! HILARIOUS!!

A child was asked to write a book report on the entire Bible.
This is amazing and brought tears of laughter to my eyes.
I wonder how often we take for granted that children understand what we are teaching???

Through the eyes of a child:

The Children's Bible in a Nutshell
In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas. The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that.
Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did.
Then God made the world.
He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet.
Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden.....Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars.
Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel.
Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something.
One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy, but one of his kids was kind of a Ham. Noah built a large boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.
After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.
Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name was Charlton Heston. Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh's people. These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable.
God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti. Then he gave them His Top Ten Commandments. These include: don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or covet your neighbor's stuff.
Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother..
Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town
After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot.. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me..
After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed up on the shore.
There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them.
After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of The New. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn too, because my mom is always saying to me, 'Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say, 'As a matter of fact, I was.')
During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Democrats.
Jesus also had twelve opossums.
The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.
Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount.
But the Democrats and Republicans put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn't stick up for Jesus. He just washed his hands instead .
Anyways, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to life again. He went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminum. His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.

6 years old

2011-01-08T10:39:00.001-08:00

Wow I can't believe he's 6. It's been a roller coaster ride to say the least, but it's days like this that help make it worth all the work. It's hard having his birthday right after Christmas, though I smartened up this year and enjoyed the christmas sales. And since he doesn't really know what to expect I didn't worry about a big party. We went to Stir Crazy on his birthday. It was soooo fun. Just the right size of playplace and since it was a Thursday night, not too crowded, just right for Korben. Let's just say we had to get home to do showers after 2 hours of crazy fun, and that was just Frieso :D
And then I figured since we didn't have a New Year's Eve party because everyone ended up being sick we just did a re-do the next Friday and counted it as his birthday party. We had his presents and cake with friends and it was a great night. And I'm quite proud of my Clifford cake, it turned out pretty good.

Family Theme 2011

2011-01-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

A New Year...

2011-01-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

Mom sent me this link and it made be think about my goals in life, not only for this coming year but until I accomplish them. So some goals have been around a while and others are just starting. And since I seriously doubt anyone else reads my blog except people that I know and love, I hope you enjoy the clip and know that even though I'm don't show my love outwardly very well I do love you and am grateful for all that you have done for me in my life so far and look forward to the future together.

Seasons of Life

On the Twelveth day of Christmas...

2010-12-24T07:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 12-2010 • Alan D. Shultz
The Little Girl who Dared to Wish...

As Amy Hagadorn rounded the corner across the hall from her classroom, she collided with a tall boy from the fifth grade running in the opposite direction.
“Watch it, Squirt,” the boy yelled, as he dodged around the little third grader.
Then, with a smirk on his face, the boy took hold of his right leg and mimicked the way Amy limped when she walked.
Amy closed her eyes for a moment.
Ignore him, she told herself as she headed for her classroom.
But at the end of the day, Amy was still thinking about the tall boy’s mean teasing, It wasn’t as if he were the only one. It seemed that ever since Amy started the third grade, someone teased her every single day, Kids teased her about her speech or her limping. Amy was tired of it. Sometimes, even in a classroom full of other students, the teasing made her feel all alone.
Back home at the dinner table that evening Amy was quiet. Her mother knew that things were not going well at school. That’s why Patti Hagadorn was happy to have some exciting news to share with her daughter.
“There’s a Christmas Wish Contest on the radio station,” Amy’s mom announced. “Write a letter to Santa and you might win a prize. I think someone at this table with blond curly hair should enter.” Amy giggled. The contest sounded like fun. She started thinking about what she wanted most for Christmas.
A smile took hold of Amy when the idea first came to her. Out came pencil and paper and Amy went to work on her letter. “Dear Santa Claus,” she began.
While Amy worked away at her best printing, the rest of the family tried to guess what she might ask from Santa. Amy’s sister, Jamie, and Amy’s mom both thought a 3-foot Barbie Doll would top Amy’s wish list. Amy’s dad guessed a picture book. But Amy wasn’t ready to reveal her secret Christmas wish just then. Here is Amy’s letter to Santa, just as she wrote it that night:
Dear Santa Claus,
My name is Amy. I am 9 years old. I have a problem at school. Can you help me, Santa? Kids laugh at me because of the way I walk and run and talk. I have cerebral palsy. I just want one day where no one laughs at me or makes fun of me.
Love, Amy
At radio station WJLT in Fort Wayne, Indiana, letters poured in for the Christmas Wish Contest. The workers had fun reading about all the different presents that boys and girls from across the city wanted for Christmas.
When Amy’s letter arrived at the radio station, manager Lee Tobin read it carefully. He knew cerebral palsy was a muscle disorder that might confuse the schoolmates of Amy who didn’t understand her disability. He thought it would be good for the people in Fort Wayne to hear about this special third grader and her unusual wish. Mr. Tobin called up the local newspaper.
The next day, a picture of Amy and her letter to Santa made the front page of The News Sentinel. The story spread quickly. All across the country, newspapers and radio and television stations reported the story of the little girl in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who asked for such a simple, yet remarkable, Christmas gift-- just one day without teasing.
Suddenly the postman was a regular at the Hagadorn house. Envelopes of all sizes addressed to Amy arrived daily from children and adults all across the nation. They came filled with holiday greetings and words of encouragement.
During that unforgettable Christmas season, over two thousand people from all over the world sent Amy letters of friendship and support. Amy and her family read every single one. Some of the writers had disabilities; some had been teased as children. Each writer had a special message for Amy. Through the cards and letters from strangers, Amy glimpsed a world full of people who truly cared about each other. She realized that no amount or form of teasing could ever make her feel lonely again.
Many people thanked Amy for being brave enough to speak up. Others encouraged her to ignore teasing and to carry her head high. Lynn, a sixth grader from Texas, sent this message:
“I would like to be your friend,” she wrote, “and if you want to visit me, we could have fun. No one would make fun of us, cause, if they do, we will not even hear them.”
Amy did get her wish of a special day without teasing at South Wayne Elementary School. Additionally, everyone at school got an added bonus.
Teachers and students talked together about how bad teasing can make others feel.
That year, the Fort Wayne mayor officially proclaimed December 21st as Amy Jo Hagadorn Day throughout the city. The mayor explained that by daring to make such a simple wish, Amy taught a universal lesson.
“Everyone,” said the mayor, “wants and deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and warmth.”

On the Eleventh day of Christmas...

2010-12-23T08:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 11-2010 • Darlene Nicholes
A LONELY CHRISTMAS...

After my divorce in 1984, I needed to move away from the area -- four hours away. Being four hours away from my two sons was so difficult. I accepted a secretarial job in New Hampshire at a Social Services office.
Christmas was coming, and I didn’t want to deal with it that year.
A few days before Christmas, I knew by the weather report that I wasn’t going to be able to drive home, it would be too dangerous. I sadly stayed in my too quiet apartment.
Christmas morning came with clouds and snow. I didn’t want to get out of bed, I thought it would go away because I wanted it to. There were three or four gifts under the tree. I couldn’t open them, I wanted to call my sons back at home. I dialed the number and asked for either one of them.
I was not prepared for their reactions. They were excited about the gifts, and I was so lonely and sad because my life was different from theirs. I held back the tears and talked with them and asked them what gifts they received. They had no idea how I was feeling inside. After a few minutes, I had to say good-bye -- it was too difficult.
I had never felt such a feeling of sadness, loneliness, and despair. I didn’t like Christmas, I couldn’t feel the spirit or joy that I had felt in years past. Why was the Lord allowing me to have these awful feelings at a time like this?
There were three or four gifts under my tree. I reached for a gift from one of the counselors at work. It was a quart canning jar with a pretty decorated lid. On the front of the glass jar was a little poem about
messages. I began to realize that inside was 365 strips of paper with short messages, one for each day of the year. Some of them were from the scriptures, some were quotes, and others were common sense. I was taken back by the thought that this family typed all of these, made many copies, cut them up, and placed them in this jar with a pretty cover. They did this with love and it helped me feel the true meaning of Christmas. The pain and despair feeling began to be replaced by the wonderful feelings of the warmth of the Spirit, with love and compassion.
The Lord gave me a wonderful gift of love. He knew how I was feeling. How scared I was in a strange place away from home and my sons, whom I loved dearly. I began to feel what Christmas was all about again. The warmth began to give peace to my soul, I began to relax and trust again.I was so overwhelmed with the Spirit that I soon forgot the pain, and was taught a very wonderful lesson. No matter what happens to us, our Father in Heaven is still with us, He loves us very much. There are wonderful people in the world who live and love the Gospel and share their hearts with us. I am never alone, and have never felt alone again.
It was a wonderful Christmas again, and I was so thrilled that my Father in Heaven had not forgotten me. In turn I could go and share my feelings about Christmas with others. It was the gift of our Savior. He gave to us, and we are in turn to give to others, so that this wonderful Spirit never dies.
I will never forget that Christmas and it changed my life.

On the tenth day of Christmas...

2010-12-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 10-2010 • H. N. Cook
A LOAD OF COAL...

On Christmas Eve 1948, the snow was coming down hard, blowing and swirling around my old two-ton dump truck as I drove across the West Virginia mountains. It had been snowing for hours and had accumulated eight to ten inches deep. My job at that time was delivering coal to the miners who lived in the coal camp. I had finished early and was looking forward to getting home.
As I neared the road that led to my home, I was flagged down by my stepfather. He told me about a mother with three children who lived about six miles up in the mountains. Her husband had died several months previously, leaving her and the children destitute. In the tradition of taking care of our own, the miners had assembled several boxes of food, clothing and gifts that they wanted me to deliver, along with a load of coal, to the family.
Now believe me, I didn’t want to go. Let’s face it, I had worked hard all day, it was Christmas Eve, and I wanted to get home to my family. But that was just it-it was Christmas Eve, the time of giving and goodwill. With this thought in mind, I turned the truck around and drove back to the coal tipple, where I filled the truck.
When I returned, I loaded boxes in the front seat and in every nook and cranny I could find in the back. Then I set off.
Back in the hills of West Virginia, folks had built homes in some pretty out-of-the-way places. This woman’s place was really out of the way. I had to travel on a road that had not been cleared by the highway department, nor had any path been made by traffic.
I drove up the valley as I had been directed, and turned off the road into a hollow called Lick Fork. The “road” was actually a snow-filled creek bed. When I saw that, I began to have doubts that I could make it. Nevertheless, I shifted into first gear and crept ahead.
When I came to the place a mile farther on where I was supposed to turn into the mountain to get to the woman’s house, my heart dropped. There before me was a winding path that had been hand-cut up the side of the mountain. I still could not see her house. I pulled the truck up to the path and got out. After looking the situation over, I decided there was no way I could get that two-ton dump truck up through that path.
What am I to do? I wondered. Maybe I can just dump the coal and ask the family to come down for the food and clothes. So I got out and walked up the path. It was near dusk, the temperature had dropped, and the blowing snow was beginning to drift.
The path was about six feet wide, overhung with snow-covered branches and littered with stumps and limbs. Finally I reached the clearing where the house stood, a little shack with thin walls and cracks you could see through. I called the woman out of the house, explained why I was there, and asked if she had any way to carry the food and coal. She showed me a homemade wagon with wheelbarrow wheels.
Here I was in ten inches of snow, with a truck I had to empty before dark, an impassable path and a wagon with wheelbarrow wheels. The only solution, as I could see it, was to turn the truck around, back it in as far as I could, dump the coal and set the boxes off.
As I returned to the truck, I kept asking, “Lord, what am I doing here?”
I started up the engine, turned my old truck around and went into reverse. Foot by foot that old truck backed up along that mountain path. I kept telling myself, ”I’ll just keep going until I can’t go any farther.”
However, the truck seemed to have a mind of its own. All at once, I was sitting there in the dark with my tail lights reflecting through the snow on that little shack. I was dumbfounded. That old truck had not slipped one inch or got stuck one time. And standing on the porch were four of the happiest people I had ever seen.
I unloaded the boxes and then dumped the coal, shoveling as much as I could under the sagging porch. As I worked, the thin, ill-clothed children dragged and pushed the boxes into the shack. When I had finished, the woman grasped my hand and thanked me over and over.
After the good-byes, I got into the truck and started back.
Darkness had overtaken me. However, upon reaching the road, I stopped the truck and looked back at the path. “There is no way,” I said to myself, “that I could have maneuvered this truck up that mountain, through all that snow, in the dark, without help from somewhere.”
I had been raised to worship God. I believed in the birth of Christ.
And that Christmas Eve, in the hills of West Virginia, I knew I had been an instrument of what Christmas is all about.

On the nineth day of Christmas...

2010-12-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 09-2010 • Annie Maher
Diary Of A Reluctant Bell Ringer...

December 9, 1984: The job at the florists shop I was praying for fell through. Then Betty called-a true friend in need-and told me that the Salvation Army is hiring people to ring bells outside stores for Christmas donations. I always thought they only used volunteers. (Later I learned that what with so many families needing two incomes these days, there just aren’t enough volunteers to go around-so they fill in by hiring some people with financial needs. That’s me, all right.)
December 10: Irony. Today I applied for a job as a Salvation Army bell ringer. If I got it, I’d be collecting money for charity, and here I am with four kids and we need charity ourselves. It’s the second Christmas since my divorce and it looks pretty bleak.
December 1: Well, the Salvation Army offered me the bell-ringing job from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., starting tomorrow, and I took it. Now I’m having second thoughts. It’s going to be rough, standing out in the freezing cold all that time-and the pay is minimum wage, $3.35 an hour. I started worrying about the arthritis in my right hip, so I called the clinic to talk to the nurse there. She said, “Dress warm, walk back and forth, and give it a try.”
I’m ashamed to admit there’s something else bothering me. Put in plain English, this is a begging job-begging for money. I know it’s for a good cause, but I wonder if I’ll feel awfully uncomfortable and embarrassed.
What do people really think about people who stand on the street asking for money? What do I think?
December 14: First day on the job. I went off looking like an Arctic explorer. Three pairs of slacks, three sweaters and one pair of long johns. All the bell ringers met at the Salvation Army office. Lieutenant Jeff gave us each a brass handbell and a red kettle. We started with a prayer and then the Lieutenant loaded us into a van.
I was dropped off first. My post is at the Farmington Center Mall. The others helped me unload my tripod with the red kettle. Linda, a veteran bell ringer, shouted some advice to me as the van pulled away: “Keep ringing the bell, just keep ringing the bell” And then I was on my own.
It took a while to get the knack of ringing. I found that holding the bell with my arm bent up got very tiring. By experimenting, I learned to ring it with my arm almost straight at my side, using my wrist. People traffic didn’t really pick up until around 11, and then a lunch-hour crowd of shoppers came from 12 to 1:30. By that time I was feeling more relaxed. I started saying “God bless you” instead of just “Thank you” to people who made donations, and then I began to smile at anyone who made eye contact.
By midday, my toes were icy-cold and I realized l’d need something warmer for my feet. When the Lieutenant picked me up at three, I was really dead tired, and my legs were stiff from standing in one place-I forgot about walking back and forth! My face is windburned, so I’ll have to use some Vaseline on it tomorrow.
December 15: The day started with hot oatmeal and two aspirin for “pain insurance.” And I borrowed Joey’s nice warm “moon boots. “ The first person to put money in the kettle was a woman with a very worried face.
She asked me to pray for her daughter, who seemed to be on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Later an elderly man wanted me to pray for his sick son-in-law. I did pray for them. Then I started praying for people passing by whether they donated or not.
December 17: Today an old rusted-out gray pickup pulled over to the curb near me, and a woman on the driver’s side rolled down the window, grinned at me-no teeth-and motioned for me to come near. She looked like a mountain woman, maybe 55 or 60. I put out my hand, and she dropped a small, fat plastic bag in it and then she drove away, still smiling from ear to ear. My eyes must have been as big as saucers, because the bag was full of pennies and nickels with a few single dollar bills tucked in.
I’m sure she needed that money as much as anyone. Some of the people who give money certainly surprise me.
December 19: I’m getting to know the “regulars”-men and women from the senior citizen complex nearby who walk over to the mall for daily exercise, the young maintenance man who’s very shy but friendly now that he knows me. Police cars go by three or four times a day, and there’s one officer in particular-he sits so tall in the seat he has to bend down to look out-who always smiles and waves to me. It’s interesting that a couple of times on my coffee break other customers have insisted on paying my check.
December 21: Woke up feeling a little down in the dumps and not really looking forward to work. I know it was from having to drag on so many heavy clothes and face the bitter cold weather. But there were other reasons, too. This is a tough season for people with flat pocketbooks. The whole emphasis is on giving, and what have I got to give this
Some of the people who give money certainly surprise me. year? Little things can turn you around, though. About noon I was standing by my kettle ringing away when a big man around six-foot-six stopped and said, “I bet you don’t recognize me.” Before I could answer, he said, I’m the policeman that waves at you.” He told me he admired what I did and wanted to shake my hand. Not long after that, the mall loudspeakers played a carol medley with “Little Drummer Boy.” And I thought, Maybe I’m like that boy, but instead of playing a drum I’m ringing a bell for Him.
December 23: Looked out the window this morning and six inches of snow had fallen-it was so beautiful. Ann and I shoveled out the driveway and then put up the Christmas tree that Kevin had prepared. At the mall there were a lot more children now that vacation has started, and I got a little teary thinking about my own kids, wishing I could make a better Christmas for them. The busy, cheery mood of the shoppers picked me up after a while. Many more people feed the pot as it gets closer to Christmas.
Around 2:00 p.m. a man stopped quietly in front of me-nice looking, salt and pepper-beard, well-dressed, about 35 or so, and said, “Why aren’t you preaching the gospel of Jesus instead of collecting money?” Without even thinking twice, I told him that when people are hungry, they can’t concentrate on what you have to say. “Besides, I said, “didn’t Jesus say to feed the hungry?” The answer seemed to satisfy him, and afterward, thinking back on it, I see how much my attitude about this work had changed. Instead of feeling self-conscious about this job, I feel 1’m fulfilling what the Lord taught His own followers.
December 24: Just before the Lieutenant picked me up to go home, something touching happened. Two women stopped to put money in the kettle and I complimented one of them on the hand-made ornament she was wearing on her coat. It was a charming little patchwork wreath. Before I knew what was happening, she took it off her lapel and pinned it to my jacket. I started to protest, but she interrupted and said, “Never you mind. Let me give you something.” Then she softly wished me “Merry Christmas.”
Tonight, while everyone was getting ready to go to midnight Mass, I had a few minutes to sit in the living room by the tree. I thought about my children. They each have found a way to tell me that they weren’t expecting a “big” Christmas this year. Even so, this house hardly seems big enough for all the Christmas spirit being generated by four lively kids and one tired but contented mother.
By the way, it didn’t seem right to get paid for my work today, not on Christmas Eve. My earnings went into the red kettle.

On the Eighth day of Christmas...

2010-12-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 08-2010 • Sue Powell Morgan
Family Touched By Simple Request...

It was a cold December morning. I snuggled deeper into the warm blankets, but curiosity drew me to the window. Jack Frost had been here. Snow was falling gently in little fairy flakes, dancing merrily this way and that. The branches of the trees glistened like diamonds, transforming everything into a shimmering fairyland!
This is definitely a homemade bread and chili day, I thought. It would also be a good day to do some holiday baking. It’s going to be a good day, I mused to myself. I couldn’t have possibly known or imagined just how good or how special! By the time the stars twinkled this night, an innocent little visitor would etch the real meaning of Christmas in our hearts forever.
The day flew by, and the children came in from school. Five-year-old Jill brought with her a dirty little girl. They came giggling into the kitchen with red little noses and chins and peeled off their wet coats.
I remember the first time I saw Susie the previous summer. Jill and two friends were playing house in the back yard. Their dolls and buggies and a little table and chairs were their playhouse. Looking out my kitchen window, I had noticed a ragged, grimy little girl standing outside the fence wistfully watching.I was glad when Jill saw her and asked if she wanted to play with them. Susie’s eyes lit up. I’ll come right back if I can find my doll, she’d said. A short time later Susie reappeared at the fence clutching a filthy one-armed doll. It seemed awkward for Susie to play make-believe. Jill thought it was because Susie’s doll was so ugly. “Want to play with my doll?” Jill queried.
Susie was suspicious, but she reluctantly traded. Soon Susie was playing house and having fun with the other little girls. I hadn’t seen her since that day last summer. Susie watched as I formed the bread dough into loaves, then she and Jill were off to play. The chili simmered on the stove, and the aroma of hot bread and apple pie permeated the house. Remember? Susie reappeared in the kitchen and watched as I took the bread from the oven and brushed the crusts with melted butter. She looked so little and frail! “I better take you home, honey, your mama will be worried about you.”
“Mamma’s not home yet,” she said. “I bet your daddy will be wondering where you are,” I said.
“Daddy doesn’t live at our house anymore,” she volunteered. “He lives at the prison.” My heart wrenched.
Helping Susie into the shabby little coat, I handed her a plate of Christmas cookies. Her little shoulders stooped as she slowly walked to the car. It was dark as I drove the five blocks and stopped the car to let her out.
No Christmas lights twinkled in the dark window. There was a light on in the back of the house. I was relieved that someone was there. Stopping on the icy porch, Susie looked back at me. The door closed and she was inside.
As the family sat at the dinner table the doorbell rang. I went to the door and to my surprise there stood Susie. She’d run all the way back to our house in the cold and darkness.
Standing on the little rug by the fridge, Susie kept her eyes fixed on her wet little shoes. Nervously she began. “I was just wondering if you would let me have a loaf of that bread, please? It’s for my mamma! I don’t have a Christmas present for her. She’d just love the way it smells, and I can work for you to pay for it,” she said softly. “I could do dishes or dust and sweep.”
The family sat very quiet. “I could wrap it in some paper and hide it till Christmas!”
Tears brimmed over the eyes and ran down the pale, cold little cheeks and onto her ragged coat. It was two weeks before Christmas! I visualized a little girl giving the best Christmas present she could dream of to her mother - a loaf of bread, wrapped in pretty Christmas paper! We were all crying now as the family gathered around her.
Santa came to Susie’s house that Christmas Eve and left Susie a stocking, with the prettiest doll he had. There were presents for the family, too. And Christmas dinner with turkey and dressing, fluffy mashed potatoes and gravy, pies and homemade bread!
Such an innocent request. A loaf of bread, please? will remain forever in our hearts. And every Christmas our family remembers little Susie and the meaning of unselfish love a little visitor brought to our home that cold December night.

On the Seventh day of Christmas...

2010-12-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 07-2010 • Deni Berger
Santa Came Back...

As I read all of the wonderful Christmas stories, I cannot resist to tell my own. Several years ago, while I was still living at home I decided to go out with my dad as he played Santa Claus in a town close to my home. Dad was Santa every year and each year brought its own blessings. One year in particular will touch my life forever. We started out at about 8:30 pm. Dad went to the church for the ward party and then on to several homes, bringing them love and of course candy canes for all of the little ones. A man that my dad worked with had asked him to visit a less-fortunate family before we made our way home. As we pulled up to the house we couldn’t help but notice the duct tape keeping the walls of the trailer together. Santa made his way to the door and soon entered. There were five little children. Each took their turn on Santa’s lap and each let him know what they would like best for Christmas. Santa knew that their parents could not afford the items asked for. With each request he would glance up at their mother as she tearfully watched.
Soon Santa left for the evening. As he entered our van, tears poured down his cheeks. I then asked what each of the children had asked for. The oldest son was eleven then and all he wanted was a CD player. The second just CDs for her brother’s CD player. The third a Barbie, and the last two just a baby doll. As Santa told me how each one was so special, I realized that I had all of the things that each child had asked for. I had just bought a new CD player and I had several CDs. I also had several baby dolls. The one thing I was missing was a Barbie doll. So off to work I went. I shopped a couple of stores and found a Barbie doll. I also purchased some small things to give to each child. I was so excited that I was finally going to be able to give.
The night finally arrived to give these children a Christmas. We wrapped all of the gifts and headed off to their home. As we entered the driveway, we decided that I would be the one to take the gifts to the home. I knocked on the door and one of the little girls opened it. She saw the gifts in my hand and she began to cry. As she turned around she said, “Mom, I told you Santa would come back.” I will never forget the gratitude of this young family. They were so thankful for the many things that I take for granted every day.

On the Sixth day of Christmas...

2010-12-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 06-2010 • Tammy Stitt
A Christmas Angel ...

“This is a special story in my family. I know that wherever my family is throughout the world, on Christmas Eve, this story of my great grandmother’s angel is being shared with friends and family.”
In the early 1900’s my great grandparents homesteaded what is called Burns Creek, which is about 15 miles above Heise Hot Springs, in the Ririe, Idaho community. My great grandfather was a rough old trapper who had lived in the wilds all of his life. My great grandmother was a schoolteacher, who had been sent to marry Carl (my grandfather) by her father, who was a fur and hide buyer, who had dealt with Carl throughout the years.
We found my great grandmother’s journal, which contained the following entry, written the week of Christmas. My great grandmother was 24 years old and pregnant with her fourth child. It was a hard and lonely life and the winters in Burns Creek were long. She wrote that it was the week before Christmas and Carl had promised her that he would take his furs and hides to the valley to sell them and bring home some things she hoped he could find for the children for Christmas. On her list were peppermint, chocolate and a piece of yard goods for a dress for her baby girl. Carl told her he would stop and cut down a pine tree on the way back home.
He left three days before Christmas to go to the valley. He left her plenty of chopped wood for the fire and she only had to go out to the barn and milk the cow. She wrote that the first night, Carl was away, a terrible blizzard hit and it snowed and blew all night. The next morning when she opened that door she found a drift of ice and snow surrounding the whole front of the cabin. She took the ax and chopped through the enormous drift. She tied the rope around her waist and one to the door post and tried to cross the yard, to the barn, to milk the cow. She had only gone a few feet when the snow became too deep and heavy to continue on. She was “with child”, she wrote, and was afraid of harming the baby. She went back to the house and prayed that they would be all right until Carl returned. She wrote that she entertained her two little boys and baby girl by making chains for the Christmas tree that their father would bring home. The children grew restless on Christmas Eve when their father had not returned home. Then later the hour grew, she wrote, her heart was heavy as she felt something had happened to Carl, or he would have been home by dark.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. The children flew to the door and opened it, prepared to see their father. But, Bess wrote, “her heart sank with fear as there before her stood the ugliest, dirtiest old trapper she had ever seen.” But to three small children on Christmas Eve, an old man with a white beard, a pack, and carrying a Christmas tree, was to be welcomed into their home. The old trapper looked at Bess and told her not to be afraid. He told her Carl had had trouble with a lame pack horse and had stayed an extra night at the trapper’s lodge, which was halfway between the valley and Burns Creek. He told her Carl would be home early in the morning, but that he had asked the old trapper if he would mind bringing the pack and tree to Bess, and the children, on his way up the trapping line?
He told Bess to look inside the pack to see what Carl had bought in town. She was delighted. There was peppermint, chocolate and a beautiful piece of yard goods, enough to make herself and her little girl a dress. She fed the trapper a bowl of stew and he set up the Christmas tree and helped them decorate It. The children fell asleep at his feet as he recited the nativity story to them. He helped Bess tuck them all into the same bed and put the meager gifts under the tree. Carl was an excellent wood carver and had made a doll for his daughter and a beautiful team of horses and sleigh for his two sons.
The trapper asked Bess if it would be all right if he spent the night in the barn after he milked the cow and brought in more wood. He told her would be off in the morning to check his trap lines. She told him that would be fine and thanked him for helping Carl deliver their Christmas things as not to disappoint the children.
The next morning the children were delighted with their finds underneath the tree. She wondered why the old trapper had not come in to share breakfast as he had agreed to. But, she was caught up in the children’s excitement and did not give it much thought. Soon she saw Carl riding over the hill and into the yard. The children greeted their father with shouts of happiness. They quickly told him that “Santa Claus” had spent the night in their barn with the cows and horses.
Bess wrote, “Carl looked perplexed” and sent the children into the house. He turned to Bess and asked her just who was in the barn. She told him it was just the old trapper he had sent with the tree and Christmas things from town. Carl rubbed his chin as he always did and then told her that he had not sent anyone. He had not made it to the valley at all.
On his way down, he stopped at the trapper’s lodge to water his horses and to warm himself. When he took his horses down to the river, he saw the old trapper had fallen through the mush ice and Carl and two young trappers pulled him out. Carl could see that the old man was in bad shape and would not make it through the night. The other two young men were in a hurry to get to the valley and back home for Christmas Eve.
Carl told them to go to their families and he would stay with the old man. He told Bess that he just couldn’t leave the old man there alone to die. He told her that he knew that the children would be disappointed, but that they would have many more Christmas Eves to spend together.
He said he just sat with the old man and told him about Bess and his family. He told him about what they had wanted from the valley and what the children were getting for Christmas. He told the old man how much he loved his family and that he never thought he would have a family of his own. Carl said, “Just before the old trapper died, he looked into my eyes and thanked me for staying with him on Christmas Eve.” He then passed quietly away. He had no family and no one even cared that he had died.
Bess wrote that she then knew there was no one in the barn. She wrote that her eyes spilled over with tears of joy and sadness. Sadness for the old trapper who died and joy at knowing in her heart that the Lord had sent an angel in the form of a straggly, dirty, old trapper to her little family on Christmas Eve because of the unselfish, unconditional love that Carl had shown a dying old man, in that holiest time of year. She wrote that she had had the honor of entertaining an angel in her humble home.

On the Fifth day of Christmas...

2010-12-17T05:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 05-2010 • Thomas S. Monson
Christmas Gifts. Christmas Blessings...

One always remembers that Christmas Day when giving replaced getting. In my life, this took place in my tenth year. As Christmas approached, I yearned as only a boy can year for an electric train. My desire was not to receive the economical and everywhere-to-be-found windup model train; rather, I wanted the one that operated through the miracle of electricity. The times were those of economic depression; yet Mother and Dad, through some sacrifice, I am sure, presented to me on Christmas morning a beautiful electric train.
For hours I operated the transformer, watching the engine first pull its cars forward, then push them backwards around the track. Mother entered the living room and said to me that she had purchased a windup train for Mrs. Hansen’s son, Mark, who lived down the lane. I asked if I could see the train. The engine was short and blocky, not long and sleek like the expensive model I had received. However, I did take notice of an oil tanker car that was part of his inexpensive set. My train held no such car, and pangs of envy began to be felt. I put up such a fuss that Mother succumbed to my pleadings and handed me the oil tanker car. She said, “If you need it more than Mark, you take it.” I put it with my train set and felt pleased with the result.
Mother and I took the remaining cars and the engine down to Mark Hansen. The young boy was a year or two older than I. He had never anticipated such a gift and was thrilled beyond words. He wound the key in his engine, it not being electric like mine, and was overjoyed as the engine and two cars, plus a caboose, went around the track. Mother wisely asked, “What do you think of Mark’s train, Tommy?” I felt a keen sense of guilt and became very much aware of my selfishness. I said to Mother,”Wait just a moment. I’ll be right back.”
As swiftly as my legs could carry me. I ran home, picked up the oil tanker car, plus an additional car from my train set, ran back down the lane to the Hansen home, and joyfully said to Mark, “We forgot to bring two cars that belong to your train.” Mark coupled the two extra cars to his set. I watched the engine make its labored way around the track and felt a supreme joy, difficult to describe and impossible to forget. The Spirit of Christmas had filled my very soul.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

2010-12-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 04-2010 • Sherry Downing
A Sailor Began To Sing...

My mother and father, my two little brothers, and I were on a bus during the Christmas of 1944. We had just arrived in the United States and were making our way to Oklahoma. The bus was crowded, smoky and hot. I felt sorry for the extra passengers, mostly servicemen, who had to stand in the aisle. My mother and father struggled with the two children on their laps. Even though night had fallen hours ago, they seemed unable to settle down.
I looked gloomily out the window at the flatness of the countryside. I longed for home with all the fervor an eight-year-old could muster. At the same time I wondered how I would be accepted at my new school. Worst of all, it did not seem like Christmas, not one bit. The bus lurched slightly, people murmured and stirred, then went back to a stoic endurance. Mother sighed wearily.
Then a sailor standing in the aisle (and I never did know his name) asked Mother if she thought the baby would come to him. She looked up at him questioningly, made a sudden decision, and gratefully handed the baby over. It was obvious that he had held a baby before as he expertly soothed and crooned to him. Around me I saw some of the first smiles of the day as people looked approvingly at the sailor.
Then he began to sing. Even I recognized “Silent Night”. Someone joined in, then another and another. As the chorus swelled, contentment rolled like a tangible thing down the aisle and out among the passengers. Everyone felt it. They could not stop with one song.
I wondered later what had happened. Was it the baby reminding us of that other Babe? Was it the young man - a reaffirmation of the goodness of life in a weary war? Whatever it was, it was the spirit of Christmas to me.

On the third day of Christmas...

2010-12-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 03-2010 • Jean E. Hershman
Baby John And The Evergreen Gravy...

Because my third child was due January 3rd, my doctor told me to stay home for the holiday. This would be my first Christmas away from my parents, brothers and sisters. When I got a call saying that the family would come to us to celebrate a second Christmas on December 26th, I was delighted - but then I panicked. My husband and I were broke once again, and I didn’t know how we could celebrate, with our budget so tight. Still, I wanted to provide a feast for our loved ones, so I assessed the situation. I had a pork roast, large enough. I could borrow potatoes from a neighbor, and I had the makings for coleslaw. I’d also concocted a big pie from my last can of pineapple and a can of cherries - a “new” recipe by me and necessity.
I wanted to please everyone with my dinner, but I especially wanted to please my father. Earlier in the year, Dad, a butcher and grocery store manager in a small town nearby, had suggested that we buy a freezer. He would help us out, giving us game he had shot and selling us meat at wholesale prices. I’d jump at the chance to accept this offer from him and also to please him, so now we had a large, shiny, empty freezer - and two years of payments to make. I worried over what he would think of my dinner.
December 26th arrived, and we sat down to enjoy. After a prayer, we filled our plates, and there were gracious comments about how good the food looked. I relaxed and sighed, pleased with myself. Then in the midst of our calm meal, the Christmas tree fell across the entire length of the dining room table! My 11-month old son, John, had crawled under the cloth covered tree table and tugged the tree’s light cord until it fell. We sat in shock as chubby-cheeked John, appeared from under the cloth, awed over his feat. Then we laughed until we cried, carefully picking tinsel ornaments and tree needles from the plates of food. My father kept repeating, “That little devil...that little devil” There was a proud gleam in his eye as he commented on the wonderful gravy with the evergreen flavor. I realized what a good sport this man was and wondered why I had worried so about his approving of my holiday dinner. We were still chuckling at pie time.
After the meal, Dad and my brother brought a cut, wrapped frozen side of beef in from the station waggon; my freezer was now full. I wrote a check to pay the wholesale price (in the 1940’s it cost 27cents a pound), and we settled back for a good visit while Grandpa rocked his “little devil” grandson to sleep.
Two days later, Dad was killed in a hunting accident, and the family came together once again. I sat through the funeral with false labour pains and with the grief of already missing a man I was just beginning to know and understand. After the services, the funeral director gave me something he’d found in Dad’s suit-jacket pocket: my check torn into little pieces.
More than 30 years later, Christmas still includes warm memories of evergreen gravy and a father’s love.

On the Second Day of Christmas...

2010-12-14T06:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 02-2010 • Author Unknown
A Gift From The Heart...

When I was 14 years old (same age as my daughter is today), my Mom and I didn’t have money for a Christmas dinner, much less gifts. I knew she was sad about it and I was determined we wouldn't let it get us down. Homemade gifts are nice but I wasn’t very imaginative and too broke for supplies. I decided to give Mom something I treasured myself-- the one nice piece of jewelry I owned, a gold cross necklace. I cleaned it, made sure there were no knots in the chain and wrapped it in the prettiest paper I could find. I was so excited, I couldn’t wait for her to open it. Single moms have it hard (as I know first hand now) and I really wanted to see her smile.
We always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve night and that afternoon, I could wait no longer. I asked if we could “have Christmas” early. I anticipated that Christmas more than when I knew I was getting a lot of nice gifts. I didn’t expect to get anything that year. It was about giving.
I handed her the little box, hugged and kissed her and wished her a Merry Christmas. I waited anxiously for her to open it but she just sat there with the box in her hands and looked at it. I remember the look on Mom’s face was a mixture of sadness and serenity. She knew her greatest gift to me was her love. After what seemed a long time, she looked at me and said, “I have something for you too.”
She reached into her pocket, pulled out another small box, placed it in my hands, and told me although it was not much, it was filled with love. I was quite curious and little scared. I knew money was tight and hoped Mom hadn’t spent money on something we couldn’t afford. There was a little velvet box inside and when I lifted the lid, there was a tiny ring with a diamond chip in the center. In a note, she told me the ring was 23 years old, she hoped it brought me good luck ... and “I love you.”
I got a huge lump in my throat and looked at her. She smiled and told me it had been her wedding band from my dad. It was now mine. I slipped it on my finger and hugged my Mom. She opened my gift and when she saw the necklace, big tears filled her eyes. She asked me to put it on her. She held the necklace and told me she thought it was our best Christmas ever. I could only nod my head in agreement.
This Christmas, I give thanks for Mom and treasure every memory we shared. You see, my Mom has advanced Alzheimer’s disease and no longer knows me. But I look at “our” ring and remember her gentle, wise spirit and give thanks God blessed me with her.
But that’s not the end of the story. Our home was burglarized four years ago. One of the items stolen was that little ring. I had left all my jewelry at home for safekeeping because it was Memorial Day weekend and I was going to the lake. I was totally heartbroken when I found out the ring was gone. Of course, so were her diamond rings, my wedding band, engagement ring, etc., It was THAT ring I grieved for the most.
I wrote a letter to our local paper and begged whoever stole it to “PLEASE return it by mail anonymously.” A few weeks went by with no response and then one day a police detective showed up at my door. He held out a Kleenex and asked me to identify the item inside. It was my ring!! I have never found out where or how he got it but it remains on my finger to this day.
So as we all go through the holidays, let us remember it’s what we give from the heart that holds the most value.

On the first day of Christmas...

2010-12-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story 01-2010 • Margaret Wilson Turner
Disappointment Turns To Joy On Christmas Morn...

In 1932, with taxes to be paid and eight children to provide for, Christmas was not a welcomed event by our mother. Our father had passed away one year before, and our family’s support was largely the responsibility of our sisters, 21-year-old Belva and 22-year-old Blanche. Blanche taught for $68 a month at the Midway Elemetary School. The bulk of her check was given to our mother.
Blanche’s marriage was coming soon. The desire of her heart was to have the beautifully engraved cedar chest displayed in the window of the Heber City Exchange, our local general store. The chest had been in that window for months, and our few trips to Heber always included a brief walk-through of the Exchange to again admire the chest’s carving and woodwork. As Christmas drew closer, the store was stocked with dolls and toys, one of which was a wide-eyed, goldenhaired doll that I, as a 7-year-old little girl, had my eye on.
With little-girl excitement, I wasn’t shy about telling Blanche the long list of things I wanted Santa Claus to bring me. But my sister was looking at something else. After hearing my many desires and wanting again to see the chest, we walked over to where it was. I watched her beautiful hands slowly slide over the satiny finish and the carving. Then she carefully opened it and peeked inside. The pungent cedar aroma enveloped us as we both peered in. Today, after 72 years, the cedar aroma of that chest still lingers in my memory.
Unknown to our mother, and as a Christmas surprise, Blanche and Belva had saved for several months to pay the house taxes. On Christmas Eve morning, Blanche and I went to the Wasatch County Courthouse to pay the money due. To our surprise the county clerk’s records showed the taxes had been paid, and with a large and solid sounding “thump,” the county clerk astonished Blanche when she stamped a huge, “Paid in Full” across the front of the tax notice. We never learned who paid the taxes.
With the tax notice and money still in her purse, she took my hand to cross Main Street with the anticipation of buying the chest.
To her astonishment it was gone! Disappointed, she left the store and quickly drove home. When we arrived, mother had just finished wrapping her homemade presents with brown paper and string and was carefully placing them under the tree.
That evening Blanche prepared for her Christmas Eve date. (Belva was waiting for her missionary, or she too would have dated.) When they had safely gone, my three older brothers ushered all of us by flashlight to the barn. There, buried carefully in the hay, was the beautiful cedar chest, so longingly sought. My dear brothers had bargained with the Exchange manager to pay a bit each month - before monthly payments were the norm. The small amount of money they earned from their newspaper route was being saved for a hunting rifle but was now better spent. Secret excitement swirled around Blanche that Christmas Eve. Blanche told nobody of her disappointment. As always, she was her joyful self. Mother quietly told our brothers she was proud of them for forfeiting their longtime accumulated gun money. Antipating the joy Blanche would have with the surprise was indeed bringing happiness to an otherwise dreary Christmas holiday.
That evening nobody slept until Blanche came home from her date. We thought she’d never go to bed as she fluttered about the house, inside and out. After all was quiet, I peeked out my bedroom window to watch my brothers lovingly carry the chest from our large, aged barn. There were no bows or ribbons on this gift, for it was wrapped in the love and selfless sacrifice of three teenage boys.
Of course we were all up early the next morning. And mysteriously enough, the very toys I had wanted, Santa had put under our lowly tree. There were gifts not only for me but for every member of our family. But for my sister, this was another matter. “Wake up, Blanche. See what Santa brought you!” we all cried. She was slow to awaken, as if there would be little to surprise her. But when she did, we were all hiding behind doors and chairs. At the riveting and remarkable moment when her sleepy eyes fell upon the chest, it was impossible to tell who was more thrilled, Blanche or our brothers. The bond of that moment remains until this day.
Later that morning when the excitement had abated, Blanche called our mother to the front porch. There, secretly placed, was 100 pounds of sugar (mother canned hundreds of quarts of fruit with lots of sugar), and on top of the sack was the tax notice, with large black letters reading “Paid in Full.”
Blanche is now 94. She has received many gifts, as her entire life has been lived in unselfish service, but her most precious gift, which is still in use today, is an aroma-filled, old fashioned cedar chest.

Pouwer Flowers Christmas Special

2010-12-06T06:48:00.000-08:00

Looking for a unique gift? or just needing a pop of colour for an outfit?

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Hope you have a beautiful week!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

What a crazy weekend! Saturday Erin and I had the craft show, not too great since 95% of potential customers were 70 years and older and we got a crappy location that got major traffic jam with all the walkers. Anyways Douglasdale Craft Show in November, hopefully will be more profitable.

So after a long day of old people telling me how creative and fabulous my flowers are and not buying any we headed to the church for the halloween party and trunk 'r treat.

The kids had lots of fun, ate too much candy and went to bed on time. What a great halloween

Words to live by

2010-10-25T10:39:00.001-07:00

At the end of September was the RS broadcast from Salt Lake and I actually got to go by myself and listen. It was a great broadcast, President Monson was the concluding speaker of course and he spoke about 'Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life.

His first story was short and sweet and directly to the point

A young couple, Lisa and John, moved into a new neighborhood. One morning while they were eating breakfast, Lisa looked out the window and watched her next-door neighbor hanging out her wash.
"That laundry's not clean! Lisa exclaimed. "Our neighbor doesn't know how to get clothes clean!"
John looked on but remained silent.
Every time her neighbour would hang her wash to dry, Lisa would make the same comments.
A few weeks later Lisa was surprised to glance out her window and see a nice, clean wash hanging in her neighbor's yard. She said to her husband, "Look John - she's finally learned how to wash correctly! I wonder how she did it."
John replied, "Well dear, I have the answer for you. You'll be interested to know that I got up early this morning and washed our windows!"

Do we sometimes look at others through our dirty windows? I know I have, you just don't know what is totally going on in some one's life or the trials they have already endured. So I'm going to try harder to not be critical of others. Even when it is just me thinking it in my head.

Later in the talk Pres. Monson quoted Mother Teresa. I think I may have to have this put up on the wall.

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them"

Yeah that one smacked me square in the head. I hadn't thought about it that way, but I sure will now.

If you want to read the whole talk it is available HERE.

WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-10-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is from the kaboom.org website

Three amazing communities win playgrounds!

The results are in! This summer, we teamed up with Parents and Foresters, a life insurance provider that champions the well-being of families, to invite communities across North America to rally around their local playspaces.

Three winners will now receive an Imagination Playground in a Box, worth $25,000, which offers a changing array of elements that allows children to constantly reconfigure their environment and to design their own course of play.

This was no easy contest to win—it required a mobilized and fiercely dedicated community. First, we challenged participants to earn points online for their playground by posting photos, hosting meet-ups, and attracting fans. More than 650 communities entered their playgrounds into the contest. The top 50 playgrounds were then narrowed down to 10 semifinalists, who had to get out the vote in order to win.

These three very special communities earned thousands of votes by alerting the media and reaching out to their social networks. Please join us in congratulating:

Casita Elementary Playground (Vista, Calif.)
Casita Center for Technology, Science, and Math is a magnet elementary school in Vista, California. It serves approximately 700 kids from grades K-5 as well as additional preschoolers. Casita is in a Federal Title I low-income neighborhood; 63% of the kids are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Overall, the school is a very energetic place. Teachers and administrators are continually coming up with new ways of teaching and embracing new educational opportunities.

Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Preschool (El Cajon, Calif.)
Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Preschool has been a part of the community since 1961 and serves approximately 100 students every week! The classrooms of the school open directly onto the playground and all the windows face toward it. The playground has not been remodeled in a long time and Imagination Playground will be its crown jewel centerpiece.

New Heights Learning Services (Calgary, Alberta)
The autistic children New Heights serves don't automatically learn from the world around them as a typical child would. They need to be taught and encouraged, but in order for this to work, the child needs to be motivated to learn. With their Imagination Playground, New Heights hopes to encourage these kids to use and build their play skills and imaginative abilities.

A special thanks to all who participated! We hope that all will be inspired to continue mobilizing their communities to use, maintain, and improve their local playspaces.

Sometimes it takes only one person

2010-10-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

This is Korben's teacher at school, we are so excited that this could be a reality. Please check out the website www.kaboom.org Vote everyday for the next week. PLEASE!

This article was in the Calgary Sun this morning.

The fate of one Calgary special needs school’s playground dreams are swinging on the promise of Internet votes.

And it’s one playground popularity contest the small northeast school for autistic students is determined to win in a continent-wide competition that could land them a fantasy, $25,000 playground.

For now, the 40 students at New Heights Learning Services have little more than broken junk to amuse themselves with, said teacher April McNamara.

But it’s that reality that’s propelled the school into the winner’s circle in the kaboom.org race, she said.

“We showed judges pictures of kids with old hoses and slides that are broken,” said McNamara.

“They see what the need is and how unique the school is … we’re the only special-needs school in the contest.”

The school at 1323 Mc-Knight Blvd. N.E. has done so well, it’s grabbed the No. 2 spot ahead of 650 entries.

Students and staff have been energized by the fact Thursday afternoon they trailed only a pre-school in El Cajon, Calif., which has 20.9% of the votes compared to New Heights’ 20.6%, said McNamara.

Social media, e-mails and other forms of cajoling are being employed to coax voters to head to the website and click on the Find a Playspace link, she said.

“The kids have handed out fliers at Superstores,” she said.

“It’d be beyond my wildest dreams to see the looks on their faces if it comes together.”

The prize is an innovative, mobile Imagination Playground made of foam blocks suited for every physical need and designed by renowned architect and designer David Rockwell.

“To play with it, they have to be socially interactive and it only works if the kids put it together,” said McNamara.

New Heights hopes to move its school soon, she said, and they’d be able to pack up the playground-in-a-box and take it with them.

“It’s made for us,” she said.

One of the Imagination Playgrounds will be awarded to the top three finishers.

The voting deadline is Oct. 15 at 3 p.m.

What I'm up to these days

2010-09-03T09:26:00.001-07:00

Introducing Pouwer Flowers...

So Bobbi showed us how to make flowers this summer and I'm hooked. They allow me to be creative and relaxed. And now that school has started (YIPEE!) I actually have some time to make more. These flowers are so versatile. Obviously they can be worn as a fabulous hair accessory but they can also slide onto a jacket, a purse even girly up a baseball hat. Ainsley rarely goes out without one and even I am digging though my inventory to add a pop of colour to my outfit, and to do some advertising at the same time :D
Check out my blog and see if there is anything you like. If not let me know what you would like, maybe I can do something custom.

http://pouwerflowers.blogspot.com

oh and because there is more than enough girly to go around if you don't find it on my website check out my other SIL Erin's. Isn't it funny we learned from the same person but make different flowers
http://www.etsy.com/shop/littlemisscherie

Hope you find something can will beautify your day!

2010-08-21T17:37:00.001-07:00

that is what happens when you're trying to post something and your kids take over the computer in the middle of the download.

Anyways here's what I'd say was the funniest part of the day

I was videoing Ainsley being silly and I look over at Korben and somehow he has gotten himself into Ainsley's hoodie. I have no idea how his big nogin fit, but he played computer for quite a while before I squeezed him out of it. I wish he would show his silly side more often.

A funny Friday

2010-08-20T14:10:00.001-07:00

The end of an Era

2010-07-29T13:14:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time, about 15 years ago, the Grunewald's had a red Cavalier. It was Dad's company car. It was a nice shiny red car, and it made us feel like we had a sports car. One summer evening the fabulous Juliette was being very obedient, as always, and went to pick up her little brothers from football practice. Her nice drive in a cool car was suddenly interrupted (to say the least) when a pick up truck t-boned her in the middle of the intersection. Now in my defense the sun was in my eyes and through my squinting I still had the right of way to drive. AND every time I have come to that intersection in the last 15 years the turn lane always goes first so I'm not sure what Mr Jerk was doing driving into me. Anyways the fabulous Juliette was quite shaken up and now had a wicked case of whip lash. Alas the red Cavalier was a right off and so the blue one became a member of the family. It has served us all well and especially the last 2 years while serving Frieso for his business. So good bye blue Cavalier, I will miss you. (especially since now he has taken my van and I am stranded at home)

Blessing Day

2010-07-28T13:25:00.000-07:00

Bryson had his blessing day on July 4. Lucky for us even though the chinese wedding is on hold Lyndon and Bobbi still had their holiday so we able to have a lot of family there. It was a whirlwind day. There were so many major changes with the callings in the ward that I think the 2 baby blessing kinda got lost in the shuffle. So luckily there was time during Relief Society to bear my testimony. I have managed to do it for all our baby's blessings. I don't like doing it as it is such a personal thing and I am almost always emotional. Two big no no's for me. But I was grateful to be able share it with my family. I was and still am so glad for those that travelled so far to come. We stayed at the church to eat in the gym seeing as our numbers are far too large for any one's house now. So it was a nice special day for all of us.

Bryson Frieso Pouwer

2010-07-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

One Month

Two Months

Well since he's almost 3 months old we should probably share him with the blogger world. He's not as good a baby as his siblings but he is starting to let me sleep a little now that he's a little older. He thinks he's a first child thinking I have time for him. So life is crazy and louder. I left for a walk the other day and he was crying and I realized that the whole neighbourhood knows when he's upset. I think I should close the window more often. But he does tolerate his swing for a few minutes and does enjoy his bouncy chair with the hanging toy. So that is helpful when I need to have both hands. And yes he does look just like the other kids. One recipe at this house, it comes in two options - boy and girl.

Someone didn't get the memo

2010-07-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

Yeah I'd love to blog and update about Bryson but apparently he didn't get the memo that babies at this house eat, SLEEP and poop. We have GOOD babies at this house. He missed that part of orientation for coming to our family. And yes I can hear him now. This isn't too much fun.

Being a mother

2010-05-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

What does Mother's day mean to you? Well to me most years it hasn't been all that fun. Don't have a husband that is tuned into what I'd really like or the money to buy me something to knock me off my feet. Maybe one day. Most of the time, not unlike other events that require a gift I just shop for myself, less disappointment that way. The problem is I'm a gift person, Frieso is not. Something that is still almost 11 years working itself out. Anyways as I ponder about today and how I actually made it through church without feeling like a horrible mother, yeah! I think about what being a mother is. Nope, haven't gotten that figured out yet but since I don't get to not do it just because I don't always know what to do I think about what has happened in the last 7 years since I've joined this new club called mother. It certainly is the hardest thing I've ever done, I've had a lot of challenges in my life, some public and some very private. Well motherhood is public, take it or leave it. Everyone see you be a mother. They may not see all of it, thank goodness, we may have social services involved since voices in our house sometimes are elevated. No I will never have my children give a talk and say how wonderful their mother was and how they never remember hearing their mother raise her voice or argue with dad. Sorry, reality lives at our house and apparently brains don't start to respond until you've reached a certain decibel. Maybe your kids' brain work at whisper level, mine don't. So since we're still all trying to figure this parent/family thing out we sometimes get frustrated and it needs to get out. But that isn't all the time, like now I have one child at Grandma's, one sleeping and one downstairs on the computer, oh and the biggest one is napping too. Because sometimes it feels like I'm the only adult in this house. So since we are having a pretty good mommy moment right now, no one is yelling at me or doing something to deliberately annoy me I do have to be grateful for the many fabulous moments I've had just because I'm a mom. Like lately, and a lot Korben will hug me. That is more fabulous than if he'd start peeing in the potty, (well almost). "They" say that children with autism don't understand social cues or situations but I disagree, though he chooses to live his his own world a lot, he seems to know just when to let me in and remind me that somehow this is going to all work out. Logan can be so compassionate with Korben and is really starting to realize his role as the big brother. Of course Ainsley worships him and they love to play together. I see them and know that he's been waiting a long time for a sibling to play with. Korben isn't always a fun playmate. Ainsley is blowing me away with how fast she's growing up and maturing. Seriously she thinks she's 14, she lets us know her opinion and is trying to gain independence. Most of the time that's fine, but at church it isn't so fun.
I'm surprised at how the little things are so important. I think that's Korben's role in our life. To teach us to not take for granted the baby steps along our path. Even though we are no where near where I'd like to be with certain things in life I'm grateful we aren't still where we used to be. When I'm complaining to Frieso that this house is WAY to small I have to remember, if we lived in our place in Temple we'd be even more squished. When I get upset that something else has broken down on the van I have to remember that I'm not stuck at home with no vehicle, that Frieso has his own to get to work.
Today is a day to be grateful for the sleepless nights, the tonnes of laundry and the fact that we must drive a van. And though things aren't always so much fun, there are days that they are. Now more than ever I believe that the choices that were made are commitments that must be fulfilled. Now I just get to figure out how to survive them. I like the talk on CD I listened to last week, titled How to Survive Your Greatest Blessings. I am trying to figure that out daily but I'm a lot farther ahead today then I was 7 years ago when I thought I knew everything because I now have a baby. I've learned to go with the flow and do what works for our family even if it isn't the way I wanted to do it. We've learned to do without and make sacrifices for the greater good of our family. And in the end I think that is what it's all about, at least for us.

What's in a Name?

2010-03-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

Do you have rules about naming your children? I do. I know I don't have enough OCD tendencies and stress in my life I have rules about silly things no one else cares about. Well I like control in my life and since I'm losing the battle in some areas I get a tighter grip on those things that I am winning the battle with. So anyways back to my name rules. I have to say I did start thinking about names before I was married but not too much since I didn't know what last name to attach it too. So having a last name like Pouwer creates rules in itself, for instance there will not be an Austin, Will or Jack at our house. Didn't think about that did you? Well I have. Kids can be cruel and there is no need to start out your kids with a bulls eye on his forehead because you gave him name that is just begging other kids to make fun of him. I also figure since I never had to share my name with anyone at school (and obviously neither did Frieso) that my kids shouldn't have to either. That rule is not working out too well for Logan. When he was born at the beginning of the year it wasn't too popular but apparently by the end of the year it was. But luckily at his school they have managed to keep all the Logans his age in separate classes. Also apparently I don't like having my kids' names shortened. I mean you could but it isn't really a name when it gets shortened. That have something to do with some people thinking they could call my Julie. Last time I checked that wasn't my name and I won't answer to it if you call me that. So as I have another name to consider my mind circles around my rules but at least I've got almost everything else ready to go so the month of April is free to pass by quickly. I'm getting tired of the looks and comments that I still have THAT LONG until the baby comes. Speaking of I had another ultrasound yesterday and he's now just over 4 pounds. Not too bad though I'm still bracing myself for a pretty big baby.

Is it May yet?

2010-03-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

I think I got to nap yesterday, not sure I wasn't in my bed and I think a child was playing cars on me. But I do remember coming a little conscience and asking if it was May yet. I am so ready to have this little stinker come. So I did the next best thing and went to snuggle with Eva. It was official business, we were there to visit teach. So we didn't quite get the spiritual message in, but I got to have a good snuggle with the smallest baby I've ever held. Ainsley was funny. I thought she'd be totally jealous but I think she thought I was holding a doll. So she plopped herself up beside me and tried to grab her. No protests. That may change as we left the baby at her house and she doesn't take all of mommy's time right now. I'm only slightly concerned how Ainsley will react to not being the 'baby' anymore. She may turn into mommy's little helper, here's hoping. But I think we're going to have some major protesting. Oh well such is life, deal with it girl. We get to!

So as I'm counting down to this hard deadline the list of things to be done seems to be growing. I found some fabric to do the baby bedding, so got to get that done. Got Ainsley's quilt top done so now I have to get it all but together. Started priming walls on Saturday so the two rooms upstairs are half and half and look awful. More to do with the said help but you get what you pay for. Apparently those elders haven't done a lot of painting in their lives. Oh well it is just primer it doesn't have to be nice. I don't think we'll be doing a call back for the actual painting. So to add to my list of things to do, Frieso decides that other projects need to be done in order for my list to be completed, like move the electrical box over so there is enough room to put in a wall. Why couldn't we just build the storage shelves a little smaller? Men, they don't think that maybe in 5 or 6 years we will need to move children down to the basement so not to build the shelves all the way over to the bulkhead. I mean come on. Also he moved my washing machine back over beside the dryer, don't ask me why he moved it in the first place, there are some battles I let him think he's won until he realizes that it was a dumb idea and puts it back. Natural consequences, I'm big on those these days. Logan is learning them. Not enjoying but learning. Anyways back to the electrical box, he says it will take like 4 hours. That means no power in my house for 4 hours, I think we'll have an afternoon at Grandma's. I don't think I'll be able to convince him to do it in the middle of the night. So no calling our house thinking you'll get my husband to help out with any service projects, he's booked until my list of 'essentials' and hopefully 'not as essential but also need to get done' are completed!

2010-03-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

I don't know what to title this post. I have a lot of things racing through my mind. I just finished reading Trials and Testimony in this month's Ensign. Have you read it yet? Do it! I'm not sure how I feel. This article really explains how I have survived over the years. With the trials that have come to my life. Maybe that is one of my few gifts. I never wavered in my testimony. I couldn't that was all I had left some times. Maybe my trials aren't big in the grand scheme of things but they sure feel that way to me. Sometimes just getting through the day is an accomplishment. There are days I feel so helpless with what to do or how to accomplish what I need to do. It's been especially distracting lately with pregnancy hormones. I don't always know if how I'm feeling is pregnancy or not. I think this hormones are maybe making things a little extreme but maybe they need to be. I am trying to keep my head above water but lately I just feel heart broken. I don't know why it is hitting me so hard now, it's been a part of my life for a while but I guess I just refused to let it hurt me. But I can't keep it at bay any longer. I am heart broken even if she doesn't think her decisions affect others. They have and always will because I love her. I've had people in the past make their decisions in life and walk away from me and so I didn't think this one would hurt as much as it has. This has hit me a little like when Frieso was struggling, so I thought okay I made it through that, I can use what I learned. But Frieso didn't ever walk away. I know that we are all responsible for our decisions and reactions to what life brings us, but sometimes you are just clueless. I'm sorry that I am completely overwhelmed with the responsibilities in my life but that is me right now. I don't always see when/if others need me. So if you need me, be obvious and ask. I will certainly try my best. I know that Frieso thinks I don't let anyone in. It is called self preservation and when it is ingrained into you it is hard to open up to the whole world. He is starting to learn that 'girl's night' is very therapeutic. We don't solve our life's mysteries but we're able to share and get them off our shoulders at least for a couple of hours. Then I usually feel stronger so I put them back and try a little harder.
I seem to be rambling, it's hard to stay this focused and put myself out there when Ainsley is interrupting. But this is what my life is and I have to accept the responsibilities that come with the choices that have been made. So two quotes from the article that will give me some strength to carry on "God's plan is designed so that each of us will go through many trials...Trials are His way of...helping us becomes as He is" and "I testify that as we turn to our testimony of Him in times of crisis, we can find the strength to overcome all that we are asked to endure."

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Trials and Testimony

Where does my time go?

2010-03-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

Seriously it's almost the middle of March. I didn't post any pictures of Korben's birthday, haven't written about anything going on for this whole year. My mind does race with things I'd like to blog about then I retreat behind my brick wall. But since I won't be able to keep it a secret any more and we did tell Grandma and Grandpa last night. I guess the world can know. Besides Frieso announced it in seminary this morning. I'm sure teenagers really care whether we're having a boy or girl. But since this not so little stinker, since we're already weighing in a little over 3 lbs, was slightly co-operative yesterday at my ultrasound I can now get some planning starting and let's just say we will be having a painting party at our house. Since all the kids' 'new' rooms will need a new color.
So I have lots of projects that I'd like to get done, some that are a must since I already started them, like a bedspread for Ainsley. I need to just kick myself in the butt and get going.

Miracles

2010-01-24T19:10:00.000-08:00

Have you ever witnessed a miracle? I have had a few in my life. But the one we're currently working on is about half way there. Yes some miracles take work to be accomplished. Staccey oh how I wish you were here, if you don't know the great news call Nora. A few more weeks to go. We're keeping our fingers crossed, but mostly doing a lot a praying so that it will all go smoothly, eg like not having a blizzard that weekend so we can make it to Cardston and then back home.
It is such a blessing to be able to be part of this and even though it isn't our miracle we are just as excited. I have to admit I forget that they are adults and can take care of some things themselves. But with two pregnant women involved we needed to get the planning started and arrange for the other rugrats as well. Not always an easy task especially with my rugrats. And you know I'm a planner so they haven't minded too much, or at least are tolerating my need to know everything is in place :D

I Karote chopped your mom in line at the bank, because I'm a Ninja!

2010-01-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

Erica this was too funny not to post on my blog too!!

"This is hilarious!!!! Please Don't spoil the fun, and keep it going............DONT TELL ANY MEN!!!! Type out the sentence you end up with in UR STATUS!!!"

Pick the month you were born:
January-------I kicked
February------I loved
March----------I karate chopped
April------------I licked
May------------I jumped on
June-----------I smelled
July------------I did the Macarena With
August--------I had lunch with
September----I danced with
October-------I sang to
November-----I yelled at
December-----I ran over

Pick the day (number) you were born on:
1-------a birdbath
2-------a monster
3-------a phone
4-------a fork
5-------a snowman
6-------a gangster
7-------my mobile phone
8-------my dog
9-------my best friends' boyfriend
10-------my neighbour
11-------my science teacher
12-------a banana
13-------a fireman
14-------a stuffed animal
15-------a goat
16-------a pickle
17-------your mom
18-------a spoon
19------- a smurf
20-------a baseball bat
21-------a ninja
22-------Chuck Norris
23-------a noodle
24-------a squirrel
25-------a football player
26-------my sister
27-------my brother
28-------an iPod
29-------a surfer
30-------a homeless guy
31-------a llama

What is the last number of the year you were born:
1--------- In my car
2 --------- On your car
3 --------- In a hole
4 --------- Under your bed
5 --------- Riding a Motorcycle
6 --------- sliding down a hill
7 --------- in an elevator
8---------- at the dinner table
9 -------- In line at the bank
0 -------- in your bathroom

Pick the color of shirt you are wearing:
White---------because I'm cool like that
Black---------because that's how I roll.
Pink-----------because I'm NOT crazy.
Red-----------because the voices told me to.
Blue-----------because I'm sexy and I do what I want
Green---------because I think I need some serious help.
Purple---------because I'm AWESOME!
Gray----------because Big Bird said to and he's my leader.
Yellow---------because someone offered me 1,000,000 dollars
Orange--------because my family thinks I'm stupid anyway.
Brown---------because I can.
Other----------because I'm a Ninja!
None----------because I can't control myself!

Now type out the sentence you made, in YOUR STATUS line and SEND IT TO LADY ONLY friends!

My REAL dad! (and mom too, we get 'it' from both sides)

2009-12-15T13:09:00.001-08:00

For those of you that don't believe me when I say there is a difference between 'the bishop' (aka church dad) or the man we grew up with. Here is the real Geoff Grunewald.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

We've been busy practicing for our performance

2009-12-15T12:30:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I think this would be a good day to stay inside

2009-12-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

Staccey I think I'm moving to Mexico, expect me as soon as the roads get plowed so I can get out! :D You know you miss this!

that made my day!

2009-12-03T10:58:00.001-08:00

I was just browsing through my blog buddies to see if anyone is up to anything new. My Aunt hasn't blogged in a year, I don't feel so bad now :D and I noticed on the side her 'List of Loved Ones" and I'm on the list. YEAH! Apparently it doesn't take much these days. But when I spend my day with with kids that don't talk well so certainly don't tell me they love me, it's nice to finally see that someone loves me! Aunt Mare is always good for that. LOVE YOU!!

We've been a little busy

2009-11-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

Just a little insight to what we've been doing around here lately. Other than boring ordinary living our life we believe in child labour, especially when they are begging to help out, because pulling out staples is SO much fun!

We are getting closer to the finish line with this house. Next will be the upstairs bathroom. We have a basement full of supplies now Frieso gets to find time to get things done. Apparently we now need to finish the basement room. SO that means move the shed over, build a new BIG shed for the tools that take up all the room in the basement. Finish the room in the basement, move boys downstairs, move Ainsley over one room. This all needs to be done in time for May. Just when you think you have life figured out and a rough plan in place... So we're going to be a little busy at our house so if you need some practice in putting up walls, laying down floors, painting, tiling etc... and have some time to donate to our cause you're welcome to come join the party.

and though this is totally different. Look at what I did this morning at the church. It was supposed to be a round cake but Korben decided to eat mine last night while it was cooling so I was just going to observe the class. Luckily someone did two cakes and took pity on me. I learned a lot, I now will have to do much better cakes for my kids. Though I may need to invest in some good decorating supplies. It is much easier when you have the right tools. Frieso says that a lot, that may be why we have a basement FULL of tools that now need a new home.

Boo!

2009-11-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

Logan was pretty excited we were able to find an astronaut costume

Korben said, mom lion scary

Ainsley was irritated with her ladybug hood but she looked to darn cute!

Well it wasn't too crazy. But Halloween has come and gone for another year. I spent all of October preparing for the ward party and am pretty disappointed in the turn out. But we had to remind ourselves that a chinook rolled in so it wasn't as cold as last year. But still it wasn't just trunk r treat around the building I planned a party. Note for next year, this may not happen. I even got Frieso into a costume but Korben wasn't feeling good so Frieso left early. Logan said it was the best halloween party ever. Thanks hunny at least you're good for mom's self esteem. So I have A LOT of snacks left over since I was planning for a WARD party, well we are trying to get our food storage built up. Chips and pop - Check! Popcorn - Check! At least my kids will be happy when there's nothing else to eat. Luckily the boys had some parties at school, though we didn't trick or treat the neighbourhood and Logan keeps asking if we can. Like on Tuesday he asked, I'm like uh no you don't get to pick a random day and ask strangers for candy. Hence why I'm not a big fan of trick or treating the neighbourhood. We just live in a scary world and especially this year. You don't know what was coughed and sneezed all over those candies, oh here little astronaut have some chocolate and a little H1N1. No thanks! We'll just keep our germs to ourselves. I've decided we're going to hibernate this winter, with all the craziness about H1N1, we'll just stay home and keep to ourselves.
Well I'm getting bloggers block, must not have been a very exciting or frustrating month because I'm not feeling like I need to unload on my blog. Life has it's routine which works for us. Korben is having a few behaviour issues that we're hoping to be able to get worked out soon. It's funny I talk to other mom's and there kids have the same issues but with Korben we bring in specialists. Oh well hopefully he'll learn to not want to kill his sister if she touches his toys. I've applied for some extra services and also the disability tax credit. Didn't know about his last year, the gov't is willing to give us money; they aren't really advertising this very much :D That would be a nice help, we could take Korben back to brain gym he hasn't been for a few months and he really needs to go but the budget isn't brain gym friendly right now. So let us now if you need any plumbing or water treatment or really anything done around the house. Frieso can fix practically anything.

Words of Wisdom

2009-09-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5 Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?".
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38 Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Which one do you need add to your life?

Inefficiency is IRRITATING

2009-09-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

I said that to Frieso last night and then realized I should do it in vinyl lettering and put in my house. Even right now the mixer is kneading the dough for bread.
So this week is the Food Drive for the WHOLE city. As activities chair this somehow falls to me for the ward. So far it hasn't been to much of a party. So for the last few weeks I have had mountains of bags and flyers in my living room. Just kidding they were neatly organized and put into bins, the bins were taking up the whole living room. So Sunday was the day to give the routes away to everyone else in the ward because frankly I'm not delivering 13 000 flyers/bags to our end of the city. Fabulously enough I only went home with 5 extra routes which I managed to get rid of to people that were away on Sunday. So being the terribly efficient person I am I sent Korben off to school with Alecia, loaded up Ainsley in the stroller and delivered one of our routes. UGH! I walked and bent over and tripped on people's uneven walkways for an hour and a half. But I got it done! Ainsley had a nice sleep in the stroller once she got over the fact that it wasn't a nice walk, she didn't like the stop and go part.
So we had another route to deliver and so the was FHE for this week, I'm sure it was a record for the number of Mormons all out doing the same thing last night :D So we get to the next route and I realized that where we started was not the most efficient place to start and hence my life's motto was discovered but we trudged through it and I was only slightly annoyed most of the time. Well I guess Korben had discovered that he liked holding the flyers and Logan assumed he was handing them out so Logan grabbed it and delivered it to a house. Korben did not like that so I'm on the other side of the street and I see Korben bolt out of the stroller go up to the house and take his flyer back. That was his flyer and no one else was going to have it. At first I was freaking out because I as across the street and Frieso was still at another house but when I realized what had happened I laughed and had Logan come and help me on my side.
But then I realized efficiency is also exhausting, Mondays I'm always on the go, start and new week with a new list of to do's, laundry, motherhood. It wears me out, so I decided yesterday that I needed some breathing space so time to take the grown-out-of-clothes bins to the store and see how much I can get. I drove down to the south one because the NW store doesn't take much and their store is crowded and irritating. So hopefully today they will call back to tell me they have oodles of money for me. Just so I can turn around and spend it in their store on my kids. So now that I'm sore from all my exercises yesterday and a cold is starting to set in, maybe today we won't try to be SO efficient.

First Day of Grade 1

2009-08-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

It doesn't look too different than last year, except that it was way too early in the morning. He was bouncing off the walls. Constantly asking when it was time to go to the bus. I can't handle that much energy that early in the morning. My days of waking up when I'm finished sleeping are officially over. I now must become a morning person. So watch out for some crankiness. Since Frieso starts school next week for 3rd year plumbing and teaching seminary. Mornings are going to be busy, I'll be a taxi driver dropping everyone at their stops, all before 8:00. I'm hoping to send Korben to school with Alecia again this year so that will be one less car ride for Ainsley and I.
Life is about to get on schedule very quickly here, which is just the way we like it. I just wish it didn't have to start so early in the morning.

Big boy, Birthday, Beaches...summer is a blast!

2009-08-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

Where has the summer gone? We're already half way through!

Korben has made such huge steps the last few months, his little "fly up" graduation ceremony was very emotional for me. I almost broke down, I was so proud of him. He did like the little ceremony it was loud and echoing in that room but he made it through playschool. I signed him up for the same one in September, 3 mornings a week. He'll do much better in the morning, he is very much a morning person.

Next we had Ainsley turning 1. WHAT??!! Where did that year go? It has been a tough year but man it flew by. I have learned that one year olds don't care what day it is so really Ainsley's actual birthday was no different than any other day, the only difference is she napped more that day, weird. So I didn't stress about it. It was her day and if she wanted to sleep through it that was her choice. Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind spending my birthday that way.

I always love it when 'plan B' works

She certainly enjoyed her cake!

very helpful cousins

hurry daddy, I want to play with it!

Next adventure.... BC family reunion

A full week of cousins, Grandma and Grandpa, no rules...well less rules and the beach!

Logan has been asking about the beach since we went 2 years ago.
we did a lot of playing, hanging out, Fort Steele and A LOT of swimming.

The boys LOVED Fairmont Hot Springs, we will definitely be back. They spent 3 hours jumping in the pool, climbing back out, jumping in the pool and climbing out again. They napped well that afternoon.

Then home for a week, an awful week...the short of it, Korben was awful, I missed judged when I parked the van and Frieso got his tools stolen out of his car. I was so glad when that week was over.

Now this last weekend we were down in southern Alberta with Frieso's family to celebrate his neice's wedding. A little squishy with all of us in his mom's house, but we made the bigger boys sleep outside and that helped. Logan was so excited for Sloane's wedding, what he didn't realize is that we are not her only cousins. She has A LOT of family cousins and she married into a big extended family as well. So he didn't get a lot of time with her. But it was a beautiful day and they are going to at U of C so hopefully we can get together so they aren't starving students all the time :D

Now we're home and looking to a quieter week, hopefully we can get the half bathroom put back together and Frieso can get some more contracts, we could use your prayers or your business. (Anyone need water treatment/plumbing/home renos he can do lots of different things.)

There Bobbi, I made it to the end of your's did you make to the end of mine? :D

Happy Canada Day

2009-07-01T08:29:00.001-07:00

not that you can read it but Ainsley's shirt says Canadian Sweetie!

And this is supposed to look like the flag, don't laugh, it will taste good no matter how much of an artist I AM NOT.

Now to get a project done before a BBQ

Happy Birthday Ainsley!

2009-06-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

How does it happen so fast? It is now a year and somehow it feels like no time has passed at all. The last couple of months have really flown by. Both Ainsley and Korben have reached HUGE milestones. I sometimes don't remember that she can do all the things she can. She is bound and determined to start walking soon. I think it is more so she can run away from Korben, he is constantly trying to 'save' her. Usually she ends up on her head. He doesn't understand that she is fine standing up and cruising around. She is definitely becoming her own little girl with opinions loud and clear. She also is turning into a goof ball, just like her brothers. Currently she has got 4 teeth pushing through so every once in a while she is a little cranky, but she has been a very happy baby. We made it through the months and months of spitting up and now she is a pro at eating and is taking after her brothers, 'there is food around then I should be eating'. So even though she is a petite little girl she can pack it away and is starting to get some chubby on her. And as you can tell by the pictures she is no longer wanting to sit still, EVER. She seems to be always on the move and exploring her world around her.
So even though one year ago, right now, I was having the hardest delivery ever, it certainly was worth all that pain, she has been a wonderful blessing in our family and certainly makes us feel complete.

I'm biased too!

2009-05-31T20:53:00.000-07:00

I don't know Joanne your girlies are pretty cute but I think a I have a contender :D

11 months old, and all ready for church. Thanks Aunt Melanie for the cute dress!

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

2009-05-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.

2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.

2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring....

3. God made my mom just the same like he made me.. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1. We're related.

2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?

1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.

2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.

2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?

3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.

2. She got too old to do anything else with him.

3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss , but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.

2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.

3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.

2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.

4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time.

2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.

3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Am I missing something?

2009-04-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

I thought it was the end of April, in my world that is supposed to mean spring weather. While taking the kids to the bus stop today and trying out my new 'FAB-U-LOUS, never buying another stroller again' it started snowing AGAIN. Now I know we always get a token spring spring snow storm but this is crazy. So as I'm getting colder and whiter and walking as fast as I can pushing the kids I realize that even though my stroller is AWESOME I'm freezing and now becoming an abominable snow-mom. Needless to say we were a little chilly when we got into the house and that's when it stopped snowing. Right, thanks a lot. This is weird weather even for Calgary. I got a sunburn last week at the park and now we're back to snow. Why is it we live here again?
Well talking about living here I'm giddy with excitement about getting the projects done around the house. My husband has finally realized that if he does the little ones here and there when he has an extra minute his LIST gets shorter and his wife gets happier :D Last night we tackled the kitchen drawer and now it is more "Korben proof" we are scheduling to find time to finish the projects that we have the supplies for, which are taking up A LOT of space in the basement and we went and bought a new door today. It was cheaper to buy a brand new door and jam then to try and build a new one and then get a new storm door, and plus we had a gift card. So my lovely new door is lying on its side in the living room right now waiting for a new coat of paint and then HOPEFULLY this weekend will be the newest member of our home. So anyone want a new door. There isn't anything wrong with our old door, it just wasn't put in properly so we have a lot of heat loss. If your door jam is the right size we can hook you up with a 'new to you door'
Oh and back to my FAB-U-LOUS stroller, who, if I ever find the mom (had to be a mom), that invented it will definitely be getting a gold medal from me. I did like the Fisher price one we had but it was too big, I couldn't use it for everyday. So I sold all of my other strollers and found the perfect one at www.strollerdepot.com. They shipped in about a week and it is perfect. With it being on sale on the website we basically paid the same price as at Toys R Us and we got it way sooner. We can take our name off their waiting list. I was giddy on Monday when the UPS driver pulled up to deliver.
Any of you moms that have need to tote around two kiddies I love these new strollers that let the bigger one sit or stand or walk. Korben is WAY TOO BIG for a double stroller but still needs to be contained most of the time so these are perfect for me. And this one fits nicely in my van, even more perfect. Come on warm weather I need some good excuses to use my new stroller :D

Well time to get off the computer, Ainsley is tackling a lot of milestones today. Frieso said she did an actual crawl today when I went to pick up the kids from the bus stop (in the van), she went for tummy to sitting and then tried to pull herself up to the couch. So much work for one little girl :D Now she's getting mad at me but she's saying mamama so I'll let her be upset for another minute. I know I'm a bad mommy :D

Is it getting hot in here? or is it just me...

2009-04-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

thanks dad for sending me the email...

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it..'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Pass this on. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.

And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

Time flys when you're having fun...

2009-04-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

And when you get busy!

Let's see for Logan's spring break we had a busy week of firsts, first dentist appointments and then off to West Edmonton Mall for a vacation all by our little-family-selves. It was SOOOOOO fun. We got a great deal at the hotel and because we stayed at Fantasyland we got attraction passes. Enough for everyone in the family for both days. Even Ainsley :D NICE!! We did Galaxyland twice and the boys did the waterpark and loved it. The boys went mini golfing and I shopped till I dropped with my birthday money. I forced Frieso to get a new pair of shoes that he is not allowed to wear to work. Then he decided that the sale at Tip Top was too good to pass up and I agreed, that new suit of his is fab-U-lous. Make sure you tell him when you see it. Especially his new 'spring' tie. Man I get so bored with his ties.
Anyways though we wanted to stay we had to return to real life, which now that the sun has muscled it's way past the snow we may finally be having spring. Yeah my pasty white legs even got a little sun today waiting at the bus stop.

Slideshow

Okay that was almost a month ago! We must be still having fun because I haven't had anytime for blogging, good thing I started this entry then.

We since have had a little birthday party for the March/April birthday boys.

Then we had Easter

Logan and I had a fun date last week to see Monsters Vs Aliens. I've had a week of hanging out with Korben since Alecia took a vacation, it wasn't too bad. But by yesterday he was ready to get back into his routine, but we went to the park instead and I got a little crispy.

So that's our life in for the last month in a nut shell and in pictures. We've been having good days, not so good days (Korben is not potty training very quickly) and somewhere in there my Ainsley is almost 10 months old. She's trying to crawl, though with slippery floors going forward isn't working out so well. We are waiting for our fabulous stroller to arrive so we can walk to the bus stop, well once it isn't snowing AGAIN, I'm boycotting Thursday. And tomorrow is Frieso's birthday, I guess I should do something about that. Since I'm a fabulous wife who stresses about those things even though he doesn't care, I think it should be special.

We're a green family

2009-03-17T09:45:00.001-07:00

Happy St Patrick's Day!

My last few hours of my 20's

2009-03-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

****15 YEARS AGO (1994)****
1) How old were you? 15
2) Who were you dating? uh, no dating till 16 :D
3) Where did you work? delivered newspapers
4) Where did you live? NE Calgary
5) Where did you hang out? probably Kristi's house
6) Did you wear contacts and/or glasses? glasses occasionally
7) Who were your best friends? Kristi, Janet, Lisa
8) How many tattoos did you have? 0
9) How many piercings did you have? just one in each ear
10) What kind of car did you drive? No license yet
11) Had you been to a real party? no
12) Had you had your heart broken? I thought so
13) Were you Single/taken/Married/Divorced? single
14) Any Kids? uh no, I was in junior high

***10 YEARS AGO (1999)***
1) How old were you? 20
2) Who were you dating? I was engaged, so I guess yeah I was dating :D
3) Where did you work? Dairyworld Foods
4) Where did you live? Calgary
5) Where did you hang out? who had time for hanging out, I worked the midnight shift
6) Did you wear contacts and/or glasses? Both
7) Who were your best friends? Malauney, Taz, Cindy
8) How many tattoos did you have? 0
9) How many piercings did you have? still only one in each ear
10) What kind of car did you drive? Toyota celica
11) Had your heart broken? yes
12) Were you Single/Taken/Married/Divorced? engaged
13) Any Kids? nope

****TODAY (2009)****
1) Age? 30
2) Where do you work? stay at home mom
3) Where do you live? Calgary
4) Where do you hang out? home
5) Who are you dating? I don't understand the question :D
6) Who are your closest friends? Nora, Erica
7) Do you wear contacts and/or glasses? both, mostly glasses these days
8) How many piercings do you have? still only one in each ear
9) How many tattoos? 0
10) What kind of car do you have? 2001 Chev Venture
11) Had your heart been broken? yes
12) How many kids? 3
13) Are you Single/Taken/Married/Divorce? Married, getting scarily close to 10 years

Wow I can't believe how much has changed in the last 10 years. My 20's were a very crazy and intense roller coaster ride. I'm either getting used to the ride or it has actually started to calm down.

The last 10 years have been about Frieso and I, he proposed on my birthday. Though I knew for like 3 weeks, already had everything except the ring. And now 3 kids a mortgage and mini van later we're going to enter our 2nd decade together this summer. WOW!!! I'll be honest there have been times when I never thought we'd make it. Nobody tells you that that marriage is not a happily ever after, it's a work very hard everyday and try to still like each other by bed time. I'm a much stronger woman and though I still feel completely helpless with some things, like this mother thing, I am somehow doing it. And some days are even minor successes. I never thought that having my son pee in the potty would be a huge joy in my life, but right now it is. And Ainsley's smile, that's it, it is really hard to be mad when she throws a curve ball like that my way.
I'm excited for this next faze of life, we have our family and Frieso has found what he will do, now how he will do it is another issue, but I'm trusting and not panicking...yet. We are moving out of the 'having babies' stage which I'm ready for. I love my kids as babies and wish they would stay that way, but I am done with pregnancy. I'm really looking forward to only having one child in diapers, we are almost there. It has been over a week of big boy undies, YEAH. I'm really excited with Korben's progress. I'm happy with how Logan is starting to understand that we still love him even though he can't have as much attention from mom and dad. I love that he helps out, he helps Korben and shares in his successes, and seems to be the potty prize police right now :D and he will play with Ainsley and get the things I need for her and even throw away a diaper or two, only wet he won't do the stinky ones :D
I am grateful that I can 'pay it forward' and be able to help others instead of being the one needing help. I'm glad I had shoulders to cry on and ears for listening and now I can do for others

Church Statement on 'Big Love"

2009-03-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Visit the Newsroom to read the Church’s official statement on an upcoming episode of HBO’s Big Love that is said to depict temple ceremonies. If you would like to learn more, watch the video below that explains why we build temples.

I've seen the facebook page to try and stop this show from airing, but really is anyone that is opposed to it going to watch? I hope not, wouldn't that be feeding right into the advasary's plan. Curiousity is not worth it. I feel sorry for the person who apparently helped to make the scenes 'accurate'. If they have been to the temple and then they are now making a mockery of sacred things. I always remember what my dad says, people may leave the church but they can't leave the church alone. If you don't want to be a member anymore fine, but don't waste your time fighting against the church.
This whole silly things looks like an attempt to get people to watch this silly show, to see if they really are going to show the temple ceremonies. For those of us that have been to the temple we already know what happens so we certainly don't need to watch it on tv. For those that haven't been to the temple it would be a wise choice to follow Elder L. Tom Perry's advice Our message is unique. We declare to the world that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. We declare with boldness that the keys of the priesthood have been restored to man, with the power to seal on earth and in the heavens. The saving ordinances pronounced by the Lord as requirements for entering into eternal life with Him can now be performed with binding authority by those who worthily exercise the power of His holy priesthood. We declare to the world that this is the day referred to by biblical prophets as the latter days. It is the final time, before the coming of Jesus Christ to rule and reign over the earth.

We invite all to listen to the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ from us. Then you can compare the glorious message with what you may hear from others, and you can determine which is from God and which is from man.

I loved this talk, Elder Perry is always happy and soft spoken but he had something to say and when he does he gets louder.

Unfortunately everyone has agency, that's why we're here. Hopefully the people of 'Big Love' will realize that it is not in the best interest of their silly show to make a mockery of sacred things.

Nap Time

2009-03-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard.
I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of.

He calmly came over to me, I gave him a few pats on his head;
he then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the
hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.

An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.

The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour.
This continued off and on for several weeks.

Curious I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is
and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.'

The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar:
'He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he's trying to catch up on his sleep.
Can I come with him tomorrow?'

"Juliette likes to"...

2009-02-27T11:24:00.000-08:00

Google "your name likes to" and type in the responses. See how well Google really knows you

1. Juliette likes to be needed, as well as to cherish and protect her loved ones, of whom she is somewhat possessive

2. Juliette likes to be in control of herself. She is intensely willful, zealous, and fanatical though Juliette often hides the intensity of her feelings

3. Juliette likes to read mangas or watch T.V. in her spare time. (do I know what mangas are??)

4. Juliette likes to read Carlos Castaneda and Gitta Mallasz (again do I know who these people are??)

5. Juliette likes to capture the moment with natural unposed images (only because children don't sit still and give you a good pose :D)

6. Juliette likes to be “wooed.” (and remember that when my birthday comes around next month :D)

7. Juliette likes to slobber on my phone (um what? I think this one should say Ainsley likes to...)

8. Juliette likes to collect a stack of books and a couple of toys, sit next to or on top of them in the flower chair, and read the books

9. Juliette likes to be in the pool

10. Juliette likes to chew on things...this soda bottle was clearly perfect for that

There are some VERY STRANGE Juliettes out there. Luckily I'm not nearly as strange :D

Why can't mommy call in sick?

2009-02-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

Just in case I didn't serve my family enough they decided to all be sick this week. Logan came home from school on Friday with stomach pain which I thought was from too many treats at school since they were partying again, I sent in a cake on Friday. Then a better Saturday, which was good since we played with cousins. Then Sunday it hit everyone hard. The boys stayed home from church with daddy, and I started feeling it as well. Monday I was feeling down and out, though with laundry needing to be done who has time to be sick? Logan stayed home from school Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday his cough has let up a lot so I sent him to school, just so Frieso could join the sick party. When he gets sick it really knocks him out, why are men such babies when they get sick?
It stopped snowing which means work. Frieso has a snow removal contract for the mail box sites. So the VERY selfless and service minded loving wife that I am, I decided to try doing some for him. BIG MISTAKE. I went alone for the morning and got a TINY area done, and then when I forced Frieso to drive me in the afternoon, since he does them in a certain order, he tells me I'm doing too much. I only need to do right in front of the site not the whole sidewalk. Well that made things move a lot faster, so I am exhausted from everyone being sick, me included. And I can feel my muscles yelling at me for doing a lot of hard work for a LONG time today. I now understand why my husband doesn't think (or want) to shovel OUR walk. But on a high note, Ainsley's cough isn't as bad as I imagined, I took her first thing to the walk in this morning and he said she was okay, just a virus that she'll fight off. It's hazardous to your health to be in our family :D

Couples Survey

2009-02-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

1. What are your middle names? I don't have one, Frieso's official middle names are Willem Frieso, confused yet?

2. How long have you been together? we are getting very close to 10 years

3. Do you have any children together? 2 boys, 1 girl

4. What about pets? No

5. Did you go to the same school? No

6. Are you from the same home town? No, I'm from Calgary he's from Raymond

7. Do you live in the same town now? Um yeah, we're married.

8. Who is the smartest? Frieso is "book" smarter, I'm "life" smarter

9. Who is the most sensitive? Him

10. Where is the first place you went to eat as a couple? Earl's on 17th, though I think it is a bank now

11. Do you wear matching clothes? No

12. Where is the farthest you have traveled as a couple? BC, Vancouver for our honeymoon, Prince George for an AWFUL business trip

13. Who has the craziest exes? Me, I don't think he has any :D

14. Who has the worst temper? Probably me, no patience either

15. Who does the cooking? Me, though I do give him the opportunity when I'm exhausted

16. Who's more social? Frieso, he can talk to anyone

17. Who is the neat freak? We both are, he's just the most freak :D

18.Who is the most affectionate? Frieso

19. Who is the most stubborn? Me

20. Who wakes up earlier? Frieso all the way, I don't know when he does sleep

21.Where was your first date? We can't remember, too long ago

22.Who said I love you first? Frieso, I was trying to get ready for a mission

23.How did you spend your 1st year anniversary? I'm vaguely remembering a trip to West Ed early in our marriage, whether it was for an anniversary or we took advantage of one of the great deals, I can't remember

24. Who has the bigger family? Me

25. Who is younger? I am, 3 years younger

26. Who is the life of the party? Depends on the party and how much sleep either of us got the night before :D

27. Who do you hope your kids turn out more like? I hope they are a good mix of the good ones

28. Who wears the pants in the family? I do most of the time, though he's starting to lately and I let him sometimes :D

29. Whats your favorite thing to do together? Sleep, the eyes closed kind :D we don't have a lot of time for doing things just us. Maybe when the kids get older

30. Do you have the same political views? I think so, we usually only talk politics around elections times and when his mom brings it up at her house.

31. Who has the most stuff? The kids, well me probably Frieso hates that I buy him stuff. He doesn't understand why you need more than one pair of shoes, HELLO!

32. Who controls the remote? Me, he's always too tired to worry about it

33. Who does the driving? Depends, usually Frieso but if he's too tired and going to kill us then I take over

34. Who takes out the garbage? Frieso, I fill them up and remind him they need to go out.

35. Who does the cleaning? He's more crazy about it, but so my mom does not feel too sorry for him. I have been doing it more lately.

36. Who does the laundry? me

37. Who is the funniest? I don't know

New favorite quote

2009-02-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

"You be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow. There is no friendship more valuable than your own clear conscience, your own moral cleanliness - and what a glorious feeling it is to know that you stand in your appointed place clean and with confidence that you are worthy to do so"

OH NO!

2009-02-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

I think I'm turning into THAT mom!!

Help! I never thought I would do it but apparently with a daughter it is inevitable.

Besides she's just too beautiful and to justify my lasp in standing my ground on such 'silliness' it is pretty darn cute and it's not TOO big for her head, that I AM opposed to! :D

And here is more of my 'growing up WAY to fast beauty'

Sitting like a big girl

Completely passed out with daddy (I have pictures of all of them asleep in the same position with daddy, very strange)

Seven months old

And now my beauty is asleep upstairs, hopefully for the afternoon. Any tricks to get rid of her runny nose/cold?

First Born

2009-02-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born!

Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Yes

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? Excited

4. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 24

5. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? Peed on the stick

6. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Frieso, though he thought I was mad at him because I told him to come into the bathroom and I couldn't talk :D

7. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? nope

8. DUE DATE? March 28

9. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? NO, I had all day every day sickness

10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Anything I ate had to taste absolutely delicious, I could not stand anything bland. Or if it smelled bad I would gag.

11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? feeling like crap ALL the time

12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? Boy

13. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? No, I always wanted a boy first, that way there would always be a big brother (I had an awesome big brother that's why I wanted a boy first)

14. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? I think 15 to 20

15. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? yes, two

16. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? The girls at work totally surprised me and then my friend did one when he was 3 weeks old.

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Gestational diabetes

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Peter Lougheed

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? Let's see my back hurt ALL DAY. We went in at around 6:00pm to be induced, they strapped me up to the monitor and then forgot about me. A nurse came by later and looked at the monitor and asked me if I was having contractions, I said I don't know, I've had worse cramps than this. She said those were contractions, they checked me and I was already 6, so no need to be induced, how about we admit you, that was around 8:30. He was born at 1:15am.

20. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? Frieso

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? There is no watching, Frieso and my mom worked hard. I had a stupid cramp in my hip (now I know it was sciatica) and she had to put pressure on it the whole time. Between that and me squeezing Frieso's hand they understood my pain :D

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? natural

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? I had an epidural but it did NOT work

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 8lbs 6oz

25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? March 26, 2003

26. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Logan Johann Pouwer

What's in a Name?

2009-01-29T14:38:00.000-08:00

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet & current car)
*Cat Venture

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fav ice cream & cookie)
* Tiger Ginger Snap (now that's a TOUGH name!)

3. YOUR 'FLY GIRL' NAME (first initial of first name, first 3 letter of last name)
* J Pou

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME (fav color/fav animal)
* Purple Orca

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name/city where you were born)
* _________ Cardston (i don't have a middle name)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (first 3 letters of last name/first 2 letters of first)
* Pouju

7. SUPERHERO NAME ('THE' & 2nd fav color/fav drink)
* The Green Milk

8. NASCAR NAME (first names of grandfathers)
* Willis James

9. STRIPPER NAME (the name of fav scent/fav candy)
* Cinnamon Reeces

10. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (mother/father's middle names)
* Lorraine Bryan

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (fav teacher/major city that starts with same letter)
* MacIntosh Montreal

12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL (fav season or holiday/flower)
* Spring Daisy

13. CARTOON NAME (fav fruit/something you're wearing right now + 'ie' or 'y')
* Strawberry Jeanie

14. HIPPIE NAME (what you ate for breakfast/fav tree)
* Cherrios Flowering

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME ('The' + fave hobby/craft/fav weather element + 'Tour')
* The Reading Rain Tour

What's in your name?

un-Exciting Tag

2009-01-25T16:10:00.000-08:00

Bobbi tagged me and since I need to get a fun blog happening I'll start thinking....

6 (un) interesting things about me.... Well I'm sure there are lots more than 6

1. I'm a lazy clean freak. Didn't know there was such a thing did you? Well I love having a clean house and have a husband who is an anal clean freak. There are degrees of clean freakness, his is more severe and I am happy to let him do something he enjoys.

2. I am a blog lurker, I love reading everyone's blogs. I even check out links from my 'regular visits' and see whose blogs they like to read and why. I'm also finding blogging very therapeutic, I'm really doing bad on the journal end so I guess my blog has turned into that.

3. I have my closet organized, short sleeves, long sleeves, sweaters, skirts, dresses, dress pants and house coat on the end. Not that complicated but VERY frustrating when my 'supposed to be organized' husband can not see the organization right in front of him. (oh don't open up that can of worms, that is a sore spot in our marriage, let's just say we organize differently)

4. I love call display. I'm not a huge phone person, never have been even in my teen years. Not that I screen calls of my friends and family (too often :D KIDDING) But when those extremely IRRITATING telemarketers call I can tell it's them by the toll-free number or non recognizable area code they are calling from.

5. I am a closet crafty person. Every once in a while I let her out and head to Micheals, but not often. I am very good at seeing something I like and saying I can do that, and sometimes I do.

6. I could live in my pajamas (and some days I do) Why do I need to create more laundry when I am perfectly comfortable in my pajamas. Unfortunately this is wearing off on my kids since I don't get Ainsley dressed, why have her spit up on a cute outfit when her sleeper will be just fine. But I have been having some arguments with Logan about it, we don't wear pjs to school!

Alright that's 6, there's lots more because I'm not that exciting; like I love watching the bonus features and commentary of movies and actually enjoy watching Little Einsteins, hey that one is teaching my children what allegro means :D

warning: a window into my heart

2009-01-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

So I may be a little personal with this post so if you don't want to get too deep with me then just skip this post. Not that I have such a large captive audience but there may be a few out there that care about what goes on with me and my family. Lately I've been thinking about and worrying about a new 'assignment' that Frieso and I have. Really it should be a calling, it requires every Thursday night. It is the A.R.P. program the church has to help those struggling with addictions of any kind. It has been running for a long time now, sort of 'underground'; members don't know about it unless they need it. So in an effort to help more people the church is having more meetings available in more buildings. It does make it hard to attend when you have to travel a long way. So next month there will be meetings in our building every Thursday night, so basically that means the building is closed to anyone else not attending the meetings. It is really hard to get yourself to go to these meetings and the last thing you want is other people using the building and asking you why you are the church that night.
Frieso is a 'graduate' of this program, well I guess and me too. He's had some struggles in his life and it wasn't until we were told about this program and he was told to go that he was able to overcome. It took me A LONG TIME to accept that his struggle was mine as well. So I didn't go for a lot of easy reasons like we have 2 little boys at home and it was REALLY hard to get a babysitter every week. So finally I went to a meeting and can I tell you the hardest thing I've ever done in my life is walk down that long hallway. When you feel like you've lived in a 'glass house' for most of your life it is REALLY hard to have a really big black secret lurking and I tried to keep it hidden. I didn't want anyone to know that there was an addiction at our house. But I did walk in that room and to my relief no one in that room was anyone who knew me. But thinking back on it, yes it is hard to get yourself to that meeting but when you think about it, EVERYONE in that room is there for a reason and that is a group of the least judgemental people you will ever meet. They are there to get help for themselves or support a loved one. I loved going to those meetings, especially the once a month meeting when we as 'the supports' which usually meant the wives would have our own separate meeting and be able to unload all the crap we feel about what is a part of our lives. I loved that I could look at anyone in that room and know they knew what I was going through and understood my feelings, sometimes they were of anger, sometimes embarrassment, sometimes it was of hopelessness. Can I get really personal? Those meetings saved my marriage. If I didn't have those women to lean on at that time I think I would have checked into Ponoka and be done. Don't get me wrong I have fabulous friends and family that helped me through this awful time in my life but they were just there for a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on (THANK YOU by the way) but the women that were at those meetings were going through the same things as I was and a lot the time it was the SAME.
My concern now that we've been asked to be a part of these meetings to help others is that is will trigger those past bad feelings I had. I sometimes have a hard time leaving the past in the past. And I don't want to feel those bad feelings towards my husband again. We've come A LONG WAY in the past nine and half years and at about year 6 it seemed like a climb straight up, no gradual climb and certainly no place to rest, I seriously at time felt like I was scaling a mountain, straight up while pulling everything with me. My kids, my callings, my own sanity. It was really hard at times and there were a lot times that I had to stop, I couldn't go any farther. I'm sure the neighbour thought that I was going crazy, the wall between our houses is not very sound proof and I had a lot of breakdowns. It was SO humbling for Logan to be the one to comfort me. He saw that I was upset and would come over and give me hugs and say "Mommy sad?" then after he would sing to me he would ask 'mommy happy?' that usually made me cry harder.
It was a very hard time when it seemed like the Lord was put us in the refiners fire. Korben got sick, at the end of that year was when Frieso started the meetings and really working towards overcoming. Then I had 2 miscarriages the next year. The Lord certainly knows when to knock you over with a 'grow together' experience right at the time you don't want it. I used to wonder why the Lord told me to marry Frieso. Don't get me wrong I was in love with him when we got married but we didn't have a 'lovey dovey' courtship. Probably because that isn't the way I am(are you shocked). I showed him my 'true self' from the beginning.(and he still married me) I was not planning on getting married at the time I was moving ahead with my life plans. They are now on hold, but I have learned why it was Frieso I was supposed to marry opposed to any other prospects, not that there were any. Anyways I'm rambling and I've used up any 'me time' that I have. So onto another challenge in our life. I know this one won't be nearly as difficult but I'm sure it will be a learning experience and I hope to be able to share our 'success story' with those in the meetings and hope to see it in others.
So thank you to all of you who helped carry me through when I couldn't do it myself. I'm sure most of you know who you are. And especially thank you to a bishop who finally made Frieso work past it. Others in the past just gave him a 'slap on the wrist' I'm glad for a bishop that did what needed to be done so that Frieso could be a worthy priesthood holder again.

health hazard...

2009-01-03T17:14:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas with...

and then 4 days with...

So New Year's Day I was in bed or puking in a bucket. I knew too much family was hazardous to my health :D

What a great start to 2009. Hope yours started better than mine did.

but mom I want to go sledding

2008-12-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

The boys just left for their first time sledding. Hopefully everyone returns in good condition :D

NOPE, Logan just walked in with his lip bleeding again. They wiped out on the the first ride down. So much for a fun morning of sledding.

This is what happens when you try to wrestle Uncle Blaine...

2008-12-18T08:46:00.001-08:00

The coffee table wins, TKO!

He says it isn't as painful as it looks. It is VERY swollen. And after tylonel and a blessing he had to have the ice pack all night. How cozy :D

Finally! Someone understands me!

2008-12-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

25 Christmas 'About Me'

2008-12-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

Alright I'm stealing this email from Staccey!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrap (I love to wrap presents)

2. Real tree or Artificial? fake

3. When do you put up the tree? usually Dec 1

4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day

5. Do you like egg nog? yes, just not too much

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't remember a favorite gift, but apparently one year I did not receive what I wanted and cried all day, good thing my birthday is in March and Care Bears went on sale after Christmas.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have a no touching one that I love and finally have all the pieces (I think it is the Willow Tree brand) and I bought a Korben friendly one for them to play with.

8.. Hardest person to buy for? Frieso, he doesn't care what he gets and since I'm a 'gift person' I always want the gift to be WOW

9.. Easiest person to buy for? this year, Ainsley :D

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? this year, Mail, I made some cards at Enrichment!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Well let me tell you a story... lets just say Frieso basically bought me everything HE wanted that year and knowing they weren't going to go over well tried to win me over with some jewellery, that I DID NOT like, it went back to the store and I bought a anniversary ring. Now he gets a list of which stores I want gift cards from, OR I buy it myself and give it to him to wrap up!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Franklin's Christmas

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? no, but I have done a 'return' for something else

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas cookies, caramels, seafood pizza, really anything; all we do at Christmas is eat!

15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? colored

16. Favorite Christmas song? Mary Did You Know

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I've done both and loved both. Travelling meant somewhere warm but staying home means less stress and just taking it easy in our new Christmas PJ's :D

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yes, only because there seems to always be a Christmas movie or music playing constantly around here

19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One Christmas eve, jammies. The rest on Christmas morning.

20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The INSANESS of grocery shopping, I understand the malls and avoid them but I need to feed my children and would like to get home before the store closes! And this current obsessive need by many people to stop calling it Christmas. The reason why we have this holiday is to celebrate Christ’s birth people!

21. Favorite thing about this time of year? People making an effort to be better, being able to threaten my kids into being good! and knowing that one day out of the year I will be a great mom and we will have a great family day.

22. Favorite ornament theme or color? I've given up, Christmas is for the kids so our tree is now covered in homemade and personalized ornaments that the kids make.

23. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? whatever Mom cooks, usually it's turkey dinner, though it always tastes even better at Christmas

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? a miracle for Korben and Ainsley to stop spitting up all over

25. Who will reply to this the quickest? whomever has an extra minute, which is no one :D

Christmas with boys

2008-12-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

Well we've been in the Christmas spirit for a while. We went to Raymond a few weeks back and watched a few Christmas movies, so Logan has been asking about when we are putting up the tree since Remembrance Day. So Saturday I did apples with Mom, Devon and Erin and I asked Frieso to a least get the tree out and put the lights on. Why does it take a day itself for just the lights?

Anyways the two funny things my boys did yesterday. We got the Grunewald's FABULOUS Christmas letter that came with beautiful decorative paper, so what does Logan do? I'm reading the letter and he takes the pretty paper downstairs and turns it into a car ramp, BOYS!

Sorry Bobbi, I'm sure you spent a lot of time putting it all together, I appreciate how beautiful it is, Logan appreciates that he can play cars with it :D

THEN, Frieso is taking Logan and Lucy to the bus stop and Korben is playing nicely on the chair and I hear him excited and then a bang, excited again then another thump. WHAT?? So I look over (did I mention I had a million things on the go yesterday) and Korben is playing with our 'little people' nativity. The pieces all come a part and the roof apparently makes a perfect catapult. So all the members of the nativity including the camel, sheep and donkey got to fly yesterday :D

I made sure to glue baby Jesus to his manger, so he can't fly so far next time Korben gets a hold of him :D

For FHE I let Logan decorate the tree so no judging if you come over and notice how clumped together the decorations are and that they are very sparse near the top but I have given up on having nice things, I have boys and am less stressed if I didn't have those nice things that I like, broken. Besides Christmas is for kids and Logan is very proud of the the tree.

Tag!

2008-11-22T13:07:00.000-08:00

5 places I've lived...

*Glenwood
*Lethbridge
*Calgary - since married it's been Marlborough (basement then upstairs apartments,) Temple and now Castleridge

5 Snacks I Love...

*Tootsie Rolls
*Chips
*mint/choc squares (from our wedding)
*sugar cookies, of course decorated for the holiday
*sweetish berries

5 Jobs I've had...

*newspaper girl
*McDonald's
*Monterey Co-op
*Dairyworld Foods turned into Saputo, I worked shipping, customer service, Route Settlement and Route Accounting
*Mommy

If I had a million dollars...

*new house
*new car
*pay off family's mortgages
*TAKE A HOLIDAY, SOMEWHERE TROPICAL AND NOT KID FRIENDLY
*mission fund and retirement

5 Things I love...

*watching tv with my little family all in our bed
*Ainsley's smile
*Korben's goofiness and of course him saying Mommy
*Logan's being a good helper
*FRIESO, he cleans, renovates, serves the Lord and puts up with me. He deserves an award for the last one alone :D

OK the 5 real things I love, that make me ME,

*completing a project
*being organized
*a fun night with friends
*my house decorated for Christmas
*being needed

Alright Erica is that sufficient for your tag?

first hair cut

2008-11-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

We still need to get used to having a girl at this house :O)

Where did October go??

2008-11-06T11:34:00.001-08:00

Did I miss something? I thought October was one of the longer months, didn't we just start school? Life is certainly flying by these days. Well lets see what has happened, Thanksgiving we were busy, spent the weekend in Raymond with Frieso's family and then back for thanksgiving dinner and family pictures with the Grunewald clan. So fun to have all the cousins together, I know Logan misses them a lot, he loves seeing pictures online and when he couldn't come to Regina with me I didn't tell him where I was going, he would have been so upset. It was funny though, we got a picture done with all the grand-daughters and I printed it off and Logan was looking at it and becoming confused, 'how could Ainsley be in a picture with ALL the girl cousins' he never did ask so I didn't have to break his heart about not getting to go with me. Though he did see them at Thanksgiving and will again at Christmas, besides they seem to play together better when then know it will be a long time before another chance comes along.
Can I vent a little about the stupid bus drivers that are SUPPOSED to drive to school. Logan's very pregnant bus driver is great, but she doesn't drive on Fridays and obviously soon won't be at all. But anyways he had a field trip to Butterfield Acres a few weeks ago and as we are standing waiting for the bus, we realized it was getting late and oh yeah it was Friday so we knew it would be late, but not this late. We were worried that the bus leaving for the field trip would be leaving without these kids since the bus was 40 minutes behind schedule. The bus company knows my voice by now I'm sure, so Mary called them. So Mary offered to drive Logan and Lucy to school so they wouldn't miss the field trip. I got home and called the school to see what was going to happen and they confirmed that yes the field trip bus was getting ready to leave and they were hoping that late bus driver would just drive all the students straight to the farm since it was their fault the kids missed the bus. So on the phone back and forth with the school office, his teacher and in the end Mary ended up driving Logan and Lucy to the farm. Man am I grateful, I would have just turned around and said forget it. I can't be driving all over, Korben's LEAD therapy starts at 1:00 everyday. The joys of riding the bus, I am seriously considering moving closer to the school so we don't have to deal with busing issues anymore.
Also I started watching a little girl that goes to school with Logan. It works out great, they play in the morning, get on the bus together and hang out a little after school. Yes she does add to the noise but we've calmed down with all the excitement and had some fun days.
Frieso finished plumbers school, well his first year anyways. He passed of course and wants to write his second year as soon as possible. He called today to get himself on the list. Which would be great if he could write in early Dec since he was laid off from his job the first day back to work. So right now he's trying to build up his own business, study for the second year test so that if he needs to get another plumbing job he can ask for more $ having passed his second year. I'm not freaking out just yet, I'm trusting and putting A LOT of faith in his plan for the next month or 2. So if you're looking for someone to do water purification or a softener or really anything plumbing Frieso's schedule is a lot more flexible :D We're heading to Raymond this weekend for a bathroom reno.
Alright that brings me to Halloween, we had a lot of fun and the boys enjoyed dressing up and Korben really liked the "twick or tweat" part. I asked Frieso if he was going to dress up as a zoo keeper, it would have been totally appropriate for our life, oh yeah and for our kids costumes :O)

Like I said, Frieso should have dressed up as a zoo keeper :D

Only at a Shipley Funeral

2008-10-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

So we had Grandma's funeral this weekend and she will be missed greatly. But it's hard to be sad when you know that she is in a better place and of course back with Grandpa. It's been almost 20 years since Grandpa passed, that is a long time to be alone when you are used to having someone around.
Anyways after we wiped our tears it was time for lunch and we passed around a microphone to introduce everyone and clarify who belonged to whom. Grandma had 7 kids and 6 of those are grandparents so there were a lot of relatives there. So our table wasn't paying much attention then someone got up and said their name was Louise Shipley ... (didn't catch the last name) because our table stopped and looked at each other and said what did the resurrection happen already? Grandma came to her own party? I looked at Bobbi Jo and said what are we 'twinkled' and she looked down at Ainsley and said 'she didn't even wake up for it'. I guess it was a had to be there moment but it was so funny. Only at one of our family funerals are we cracking jokes and having a good time.
Grandma we love you and will miss you but it was great to see family that we don't get to see very often.

Halloween Candy Warning

2008-10-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

I'm beginging to wonder if anything coming out of China is safe anymore. Staccey sent me this email and I wanted to share it with you.

Is Halloween Candy Safe For Our Kids?
The Better Life Experts | October 9, 2008

On Monday, September 29, 2008, the Cadbury Candy Company, one of the largest candy empires in the world, recalled 11 types of their candies manufactured in China from store shelves due to suspected melamine chemical contamination. Cadbury’s ordered their recall because tests done on milk chocolate in its Beijing factory have “cast doubt on the integrity of a range of our products manufactured in China”.

What is melamine? Melamine is a nitrogen based product used in fertilizers, glues, and other industrial materials. This substance has been blamed for the deaths of at least 4 infants in China, and is suspected in the hospitalization of over 50,000 others. Melamine was also behind the recall of pet foods in 2007 that killed and sickened many dogs and cats in the United States.

The contaminated candy was distributed in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia. The FDA has not issued a general recall for Cadbury candy distributed and sold in the United States. HOWEVER, a particular brand of Cadbury candy that has been sold in the United States, and MAY be made with contaminated dairy products is sold under the brand name of WHITE RABBIT CANDY. The FDA recommended last week that consumers do not eat White Rabbit Candy and retailers remove the product from store shelves. So, if your child comes home with any White Rabbit Candy on Halloween, do not eat it and do not throw it away! Contact the authorities, and turn the suspected candy over to them! GOT IT?!?!

Okay, now the good news! The Hershey Candy Company of Pennsylvania and The MARS Company have released statements saying that they do not purchase dry milk from China and that both Hershey and MARS Company candy is safe for Halloween Trick or Treaters.

We all want our children to have a fun time with lots of Halloween adventures. Make sure your child’s adventure is also a safe one by checking all the contents in their “goodie bags” – screen for suspected candy and other food items before anything is eaten.

Tagged

2008-09-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

Okay Bobbi tagged me and I need to be a good SIL. Let me think.....

5 consumer products that have changed my life, well right now KLEENEX! my nose is running like mad. Well I don't know that anything has really changed my life but plenty of things have SAVED my life.

1.
I can't live without our computer. I shop online, keep in touch with friends and family and generally do almost anything. And the boys love to play computer games so that gives me a little sanity. I especially loved it when we did that awful trip to Prince George last December. I had just found out I was pregnant and was sick the whole time. The boys and I never even left the hotel room, since we all took a day puking and generally felt awful every day. So Logan played a lot of computer games that week.

2.
If I didn't have this certain outings would not happen. Korben still needs to be contained and he is WAY too big for a double stroller. He actually loves it. He stands on the back and hangs on tight. It is a little large and bulky but I'm SO glad we have it (and got a great deal too :D)

3.
This one is definately can't live without, right now. I use it all the time. Because Korben still needs containment when we're out and the stroller is too big for shopping trips, I just strap Ainsley in and put Korben in the cart and I have some sanity at the end of the shopping trip. She is starting to get a little heavy but we bought this one because is has the lumbar support and I really am greatful for that.

4.
Okay this one may be a little too much information but I love these little wipes. They are easy for the boys to use and make my life easier with no nasty surprises in the undies. We also use the hand soap and sometimes the shampoo. So we really like Kandoo at our house :D

5.
This one is definately a must at our house and now Grandma's too. Korben has escaped a couple of times from the house. The first wasn't bad we were in the back yard and he escaped out the front door and I heard the neighbour kids talking about it so I ran to get him. The second is a bad mommy award, I was upstairs doing something, Frieso had taken Logan to the store and when he got home he asked me where Korben was and I said in the basement. But he wasn't, he was down the street. Luckily some nice people noticed a little 2 year old wondering and knew that wasn't a good idea and kept hold of him till we got there. I made Frieso go up and get him, I was beyond embarrassed that our son was wondering the neighbourhood. That night we got a child-handle on the front door. Now they are on most of the doors as he likes to get into the bathrooms and play with toothbrushes and make messes with the water. So I just keep him out of some rooms and 'locked' in his room so he will stay in bed.

Well those are the ones I can think of right now. Big shock, they are either for my kids or so I can survive having kids :D
There are consumer products I would like to have in my life. New vehicle, ours is starting to die, we're drooling over the new Dodge Journey. A bigger house, I would love to not be attached to neighbours and just have some more room maybe even have my own bathroom :D one day. I would like a better camera one day, ours is a simple point and shoot, but I love that it is digital. I love the idea of editing right away and knowing if you got the shot or not.

50 ODD Things about me!

2008-09-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

(I figured I'd post this instead of over-thinking who might actually be interested in knowing anything about me)

1. Do you like blue cheese? Not sure

2. Have you ever smoked heroin ? NO!

3. Do you own a gun? No

4. Wax or Shave your body parts? I've done both, all depends on my pain threshold that day

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No

6. Real or fake nails. Real, my nails grow too fast for fake ones

7. Favourite Christmas song? Mary's Lullaby in the Primary Songbook

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? milk

9. Can you do push ups? I haven't tried in a REALLY long time-maybe I could get one good one out

10.What's your favourite piece of jewellery? My wedding rings

11. Favourite hobby? is sleeping a hobby?

12. Do you have A.D.D.? No

13. What's one trait that you hate about yourself? NO patience

14. Middle Name? Grunewald, does that count

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? wonder if the boys are going to break my bed, I wish I could breath, how come I can't call in sick to work?

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water/Milk/Juice

17. Current worry right now? surviving this cold without passing it on to my daughter

18. Current hate right now? a lot of things, but I'm still very hormonal

19. Favourite place to be? alone, quiet and chocolate

20. How did you bring in the New Year? Who can remember that? probably sleeping I was a few weeks pregnant and not feeling well

21. Like to go? to bed!

22. Name three people who will complete this? I don't know, I'm surprised I did

23. Do you own slippers? yes

24. What colour shirt are you wearing? purple hoodie

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I would probably love it

26. Can you whistle? yes

27. Favourite colour? purple, now that Staccey moved away she can't save me from my addiction :D

28. Would you be a pirate? No I couldn't go that long without showering and probably wouldn't be able to handle the motion sickness

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't sing

30. Favourite girl's name? Ainsley of course, it used to be Avery but that is too common now and used for boys too.

31. Favourite boy's name? right now Riley (but we won't be having one)

32. What's in your pocket right now? Nothing

33. Last thing that made you laugh? Korben laughing when he was playing dinosaurs with Alecia, Ainsley laughing last night

34. Best bed sheets as a kid? I don't remember

34. Worst injury you've ever had? destroyed my knee in high school

35. Do you love where you live? Not particularly but it's the best place we've lived so far in our marriage

36. How many TV's do you have in your house? Two

37. Who is your loudest friend? Logan

38. How many pets do you have? None

39. Does someone have a crush on you? My husband,I hope

40 What is your favourite book? I haven't done much pleasure reading in a while

41. What is your favourite lollie? root beer

42. Favourite Sports Team?

43. What were you doing 12am last night? sleeping

44. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I wish I could breath

45. Worst habit? jumping to conclusions

46. Do you play an instrument? The piano

47. How long does it take you to get to work? HA-I'm a mother-I never LEAVE work!

48. Plans for the weekend? food drive, date with my hubby :D

49. If you could eat anything in the world right this second? Reece's

50. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes

A Good Lesson, thanks Erica.

2008-09-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a girl who had four boyfriends.

She loved the fourth boyfriend the most and adorned him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the third boyfriend very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.

She also loved her second boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.

The girl's first boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first boyfriend although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him!

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, 'I now have four boyfriends with me, but when I die, will I be a alone.'

Thus, she asked t h e fourth boyfriend, 'I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?

'No way!', replied the fourth boyfriend, and he walked away without another word. His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked the third boyfriend, 'I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?' 'No!', replied the third boyfriend. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to marry someone else!' Her heart sank and turned cold.

She then asked the second boyfriend, 'I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!', replied the second bofriend. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.' His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated.

Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter wher e you go.' The girl looked up, and there was her first boyfriend. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the girl said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!'

In truth, you have four boyfriends in your lives:

Your fourth boyfriend is your body. No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die.

Your third boyfriend is your possessions, status and wealth.When you die, it will allgo to others.

Your second boyfriend is your family and friends . No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave.

And your first boyfriend is your spirit. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world.

However, your spirit is the only thing that will follow you where ever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity.

Thought for the day: Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray.

Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections.

First Day of School

2008-09-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, take a moment. This is a momentous day. Logan had his first day of kindergarten. So I would love to show a picture of him getting on the bus being a big boy off to school, but the bus didn't show up. Yes I know there is a driver shortage but it doesn't affect his school. We waited for 30 minutes and then I drove him. We got there and the ladies in the office said the bus company decided that since it was staggered entry for kindergarten this week they weren't going to drive the route. WHAT??????!!!!!!!!!! HELLO, you can't just decide not to do your job, at the last miunute, when we are waiting at the bus stop for you. Thanks a lot. So not too happy about this historic day. Then Logan takes the bus home, and we waited almost an hour since I had no idea what time the bus would arrive. Luckily Frieso was off early and he and Korben played at the park for a while, and Ainsley was asleep in the snuggly since we decided to walk. School must have been exciting for Logan though, he didn't even finish supper he was exhausted and went straight to bed. I wish I could go to bed.
So here are my goofball boys getting ready to go to the bus that never arrived.

Such a cutie

2008-08-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

So I know everyone thinks their babies are the cutest and some really are, (especially mine) :D
Here's my little girl, I can't believe she's 2 months old. In a way it seems like she's been here forever and also 'wow it's already been 2 months, how did that happen'. I've shown lots of restraint when it comes to buying her things. Frieso wouldn't agree but HELLO they are just so cute and if I can get it at a great price then yes I will buy her an adorable baby gap hoodie. I love it when rich people don't need their stuff anymore. My children are dressed, I now have a KitchenAid and a patio swing. Now to just find a new vehicle and a bigger house. I don't know that I'll get the same great deals but it is worth looking into :D

more to say

2008-08-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

Apparently I have a lot to say today. Actually I was going through some pics and thought they were funny and needed to share. On Wednesdays we usually go to the church to play. It is open for our enrichment mom and tots group, though this summer is very sparse. Anyways it gets the boys out of the house and they can run in the gym for a couple of hours. Last time we were there Korben kept putting the ball under his shirt, he looked pregnant. TOO Funny!

Then of course Logan wanted me to take pictures of him shooting baskets. He's actually really good. We will definately be putting him in basketball when he's big enough.

And also the man who is saving me from my insanity. No not Frieso, my brother Blaine. I'm so glad he didn't find a job this summer, though I doubt his bank account is doing well. But he drops in and plays with the boys and it is wonderful. He helped me out when I had a doctor's appointment and my stress that day was nice and low because I didn't have to worry about craziness. It is somewhat strange. Blaine and I did not get along growing up but I guess growing up does help and so does living a part :D I used to say that I didn't get along with my sister until she moved out. But she also moved out when I was a teenager with issues :D

And as you can see Logan loves it when Uncle Blaine comes over. He asks EVERYDAY if he can play with Uncle Blaine.

And last I wanted to share this pictures of Ainsley and Korben. He is so gentle with her. Sometimes he loves her a little too much and there is a little jealousy creeping in, but he is not having any issues with her. What a blessing!

Just think Korben started out her size. Hard to believe!

And yes my husband is awesome, he spent his whole day off yesterday cleaning the house, doing laundry, got some projects done in the house, then I forced him to take us to the zoo for a couple of hours. I'm sure he is completely exhausted today :D

This is from a couple of year ago but he still looks the same :D

Life has calmed a bit.

2008-08-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

I sometimes feel like I'm invisible. Not that I want to be the center of attention but every once in a while it would be nice to be noticed. (though that is another blog in itself) It's easy to hide at home right now with Ainsley. She is still too little to be carting around just because. We have gotten out a few times. But I'm not venturing too far without Frieso. I just don't want to be stuck somewhere and need to feed her and not be able to contain Korben.
Speaking of Korben we got the results back from his Autism assessment and yes the psychologist has diagnosed him. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I don't really agree with her but it will get us the funding/programs he needs so I guess having a little extra help for him isn't a bad thing. The lady at LEAD called earlier this summer and we will be getting his program set up soon, YEAH!! This means he can go to preschool in September and an aide will be with him the whole time. That will be very helpful for him, I just wish he could have an aide in Nursery. I don't know why he has such a hard time in nursery. I'm tired of them saying they don't have enough people. We live in a big ward, there are plenty of people, just call another person to the nursery. I'm also frustrated that when I have gone in to talk to the leaders they have dismissed me. Though I hear things will be changing so hopefully we can work with the new leaders and have a plan in place for him. He is actually doing really well lately. Yes he copies what he hears on tv, but don't most kids at this stage of learning to talk? Actually today I gave him a cookie and he said 'tank u' YEAH!!! He spends all day chattering, it's just I don't usually know what he is saying. Sometimes I'll hear something that sounds remotely like english, and that is very exciting.
Logan is having the hardest time right now. I don't know what is up with him. I don't know why he thinks he needs to freak out over everything. Sometimes I think he's leaning towards 'negative attention is still attention'. It isn't like he's completely ignored, Ainsley sleeps most of the time so it isn't like I don't spend time with him. I am excited about school starting for him. He is a lot like Frieso and needs more socializing then I do. I just wish there were some kids on our street for him to play with. The crazy neighbours are not a good option.
It is very strange getting ready for school, I can't believe he is 5, where did all that time go. There are days when I wish he was a baby again, at least then he wasn't mouthy and opinionated :D
And lastly we had a busy POUWER weekend last weekend. Saturday we all ventured to Calaway Park and the kids had a great time. It was a little tough with so many different ages. But we managed and the kids had fun.

We then all headed over to Caroline's for a BBQ. Then the storm hit, luckily it waited until we were inside.
Then Sunday we had Ainsley's blessing because Frieso's family was here, though only his brother and Mom stayed. The rest of the out of towners headed home Saturday evening. Oh well. It was really nice to have Rogier here, he lives in Houston and we only see them maybe once a year. Frieso's family isn't sentimental about family things since we all live in different places but I know Frieso was excited about Rogier (and his mom) here for Ainsley's blessing.

Well that is life updated so far. Obviously I need to write more often so my posts aren't 10 miles long :D Now just to find the time :D

Wanted: a BIG dose of sanity

2008-07-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you know you have now turned into the worst version of yourself? I know it is because of sleep deprivation and exhaustion. But really I'm not sure who the crazy lady is that has taken over my body. The boys are being ridiculous lately and I don't have anymore of whatever I need to get through this. I'm ecstatic that Ainsley is here and she is a super good baby. Usually we're only up once in the night, but losing at least an hour of sleep every night and then my 'morning' children coming in and jumping on my head first thing is not boding well at this house. Frieso isn't any help because he's exhausted too. So nothing is getting done, I don't know what is up with Logan and I'm sure my neighbours are ready to call the authorities. Life takes so much longer these days, it is hard for me, who is an 'on time' person to try and remember that Ainsley is going to take at least an hour to nurse and then get her stomach settled. She is still really spitty and of course the times I'm in a hurry and haven't taken the time to hold her afterwards she spits up everything she just swallowed. I'm not that concerned because usually I can take the time to rub her back, but even then she spits up all over both of us. We'll see at her next appointment next week if she has gained any weight. Last week at her checkup she hadn't, and the doc it a little concerned. Maybe I just have skim milk, Debbie can I put in an order of whole cream from you :D
Seriously I know I don't have any right to complain I have a husband that cleans and does the dishes. But life is crappy right now I need a break. Finding poop around the house because my 3 year old decided to take off his pull up and then wander around the house sets me up for an awful, stressed out day. That was yesterday, today I got to use my brand new mini cleaner and get the poop stains out of my furniture. I was so ready to lose it I emailed the bishopric counseller to cancel my talk in two weeks. (hopefully he got my email) So don't need that stress in my life right now. Like the 27th won't be crazy enough. We're blessing Ainsley that day because Frieso's family will be in Calgary because we're going to Calaway Park on the Saturday. So we'll be completely exhausted the kids will be crazy with all their cousins around, sure why not lets ensure I have a complete break-down and have me speak on that Sunday. I really do not enjoy speaking but know I have to do it, but not right now. Sorry my sanity is a little more important and it is very lacking right now. But don't ask because you know I'll say that we're fine, I put on a very good public face. I've had lots of practice. Well I guess that enough venting for this week, I certainly did need to get it off my chest and writing it down is better then screaming it out. I need some chocolate and a vacation from my life. Who signed me up for this program anyways?

But just to end on a bright note here's my beautiful baby girl at two weeks old. The only difference between her and the boys is more hair and pink clothes :D Apparently we only have only 'recipe' at this house.

She's Home!!!

2008-07-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

Just an update, Ainsley is home. I was hoping to bring her home earlier for good behavior but they just didn't want let her go. Too cute I guess. But right now she is upstairs napping in her humungous crib. Now the real work will start :D

Ainsley Levina Pouwer

2008-07-01T22:02:00.001-07:00

We would like to introduce the 'diva' of the family. She arrived Monday June 30 at 4:36pm. Weighing in at 8 lbs 2 oz. She is doing great, other than having a little issue with eating so her blood sugar is very low. They have her on an IV and are monitoring her. Really she's just being hard to get along with! She is a little spitty so obviously if she isn't keeping her food down it can't help regulate blood sugar. I came home tonight, so ready to sleep in my own bed. She is in the NICU and I'll be back tomorrow. She has made some good progress today so hopefully in the next day or two she can come home as well.
She looks like Logan but with more DARK hair. Hopefully she keeps it. I deserve a little bit of credit for these children. I'm the one sacrificing my body and sanity yet they come out looking like their father. Alright off to bed.

Today's smile

2008-06-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

So finally going through pictures and getting them off my camera. Since I'm planning on adding a bunch soon, right baby????? Anyways these go back to March and Logan's birthday so there were a bunch. I just happened to click on one from the wedding and I am sitting here laughing out loud so I thought I'd share my 'boys'.
I hope you enjoy a little more than Korben is :D

The final countdown!!

2008-06-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

I tried to get the song to play on my blog but it is having issues. My new theme song is 'the final countdown' you the one they play on the Telus commercial :D

My induction is booked for the end of the month. I find out tomorrow which day exactly. Though I have a sneaky suspicion that I may go earlier. My doc is going to remove the stitch next week and who knows what will happen after that. Well I know what will happen I'm just wondering when :D I am sooooooooooooooooo ready to have this baby. Have I mentioned that I do not enjoy pregnancy. I am beyond exhausted and now that the weather is warmed up I get to enjoy an whole new set of pains. The allergies have kicked in since the rain has finally stopped, so I can't breathe. My feet are starting to swell, which isn't painful but not attractive but I am finding that it helps get Frieso to rub my feet for me :D and of course Logan wants to play outside all day, but I have to be with him. No thanks I'm hanging out in the basement where it is cooler.
These annoying 'practice' contractions are becoming very painful and I think there has certainly been enough practicing for one event :D I had an ultrasound yesterday, HOPEFULLY my last. Baby is measuring at 7 pounds. Okay any day now would be great. We got a fun look at the baby's face and eyes it was pretty cool. I do see that this one has the same nose as the boys but head shape is a little different so I'm starting to wonder if I'll get any credit for this baby. Since I don't get any for the boys. Even complete strangers stop us and comment on how much my kids look the same and like their father. Yeah HELLO, they may look like Frieso but the fact that they are so cute is from me. Trust me Frieso's baby pictures aren't really anything he wants to brag about :D Poor man, he should have married a women who would drowned him in compliments and always be fawning over him. Instead he picked me. HA! Though he doesn't deserve any sympathy he knew what he was getting himself into. I wasn't trying to get married or win him over so he got the real me from day one. Speaking of, our wedding anniversary will arrive just after the baby, holy crap it has been 9 years. Seriously we deserve gold medals, we are still married and some days even still like each other. KIDDING!!! Hormones have not been on his side but I do love and appreciate him I just don't tell him as much as he'd like me too. It's hard to be married to a 'touchy-feely' person when I'm just fine being in the same room. No need to touch, (especially these days). But every once in a while I'll lessen my personal space boundary and let my husband put his arm around me.
Well that's me in a nutshell this time. Oh yeah, Korben has been making huge improvements lately. There is a glimmer of light on the horizon. It will be a costly ride to get there since brain gym isn't cheap but SOOOOOO worth it since he is improving. Though I'm not sure him speaking spanish words will help the situation, need to cut back on the Dora, but he loves it and its getting him talking. I just need to learn the words as well and we'll be set. So he is tri-lingual. Actually 4, he speaks his own 'Pouwer speak', english, spanish and we do sign language. No wonder other people have a hard time understanding him. :D

Korben Update

2008-05-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

Well I guess I should do a Korben update and vent a little of my feelings before I go nuts. For those that know him, we all know he's having some challenges. Well he has been having some assessments done lately and even though I'm not shocked at the results it still is very hard for someone to tell you your child isn't perfect or normal. The audiologist and occupational therapist that have been seeing him have assessed him at 9-12 months developmentally. I would agree with that for speech, but he is starting talk a lot more, he just doesn't like to talk to her. The psychologist is also doing an Autism assessment of him, which is a lengthy process. She is leaning towards diagnosing him. I don't know that I agree with it, but we'll see. She will be coming and seeing him at home and I hope that some of her opinions of him change. Since he is different at home than at the clinic. We have gotten him into a program that will help him at preschool and also here at home. That probably won't start until September so I'm bracing myself for a rough summer. But the more I worry about Korben the more I have been feeling he needs to do more Brain Gym sessions, so he starts again tomorrow. He made huge steps when we took him before, we had stopped only because I thought he would have benefited more from this special preschool program we've been waiting to get started. I haven't felt that he has benefited at all. They didn't focus on speech therapy like I feel is needed and now because the baby is almost here they don't want to stress me out and are only giving him one more class. So sending us home with no tools and he really didn't benefit is less stressful? Whatever, I'm ticked off and really hoping and praying we can find a different solution. This would probably be a little easier to take if I wasn't completely exhausted and stressed about the baby coming. And having to have all his assessments to certain agencies before the end of June. Thanks I don't have enough on my plate right now. Oh yeah did I mention the baby's room has no floor in it right now and Frieso is going on a business trip next week. Here's hoping the rain will hold off a little so he can get his saw out and get the flooring in.
But on a brighter note I washed all the baby stuff today so I'm totally ready. Korben is so cute, he has decided he likes sitting in the baby car seat, which of course he is spilling out of. But looks so funny. But it's clean and ready to go. I didn't realize how dirty things can get being stored in the basement for two years. But I feel good know it is all clean and ready to go, I still have a about 4 weeks. I think when I see my doc next week we'll just decide on a date and then go ahead. To hard to plan for everything when I have no idea when I'm going into labour. I was induced with Korben so I'm not concerned about that at all. Actually I'd rather have the baby here and start feeling myself again. And be able to take care of my kids the way they need me too, especially Korben. I know he knows something is about to change. He has been so loving and snugly lately. Which is not like him, I think he gets his personal space issues naturally :D But I'll take what he gives, it's just a little hard with a 'basketball' in the way. He also gets frustrated when he wants to sit on my lap and finds there is no more room, he's actually hit my tummy a couple of times. So please give me some understanding this summer when I go completely insane. Here's hoping the Lord knew what he was doing when he sent this 'blessing' into my life. Certainly I didn't read this part of the 'contract', this must have been at the bottom in fine print :D

blog theft

2008-05-19T15:32:00.000-07:00

I saw this on my friends blog and HELLO like it doesn't describe me!!

Logan

2008-05-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

I grabbed my camera today to take a picture of Logan, he wiped out on his bike yesterday and we wanted to capture the 'war wounds'. His fat lip is a lot better today but he still looks pretty beat up.

So I noticed that my camera had like 92 pictures on it. So I'm scrolling through and find what I'm going to affectionately call 'in the eyes of a 5 year old, when daddy isn't really paying attention' I thought these were pretty funny. Our living room from his view point and apparently what he thought was interesting. Kids can be really strange. (hopefully the slideshow works, I've had enough)

Also I found on my camera Logan's birthday pictures. What a bad mommy. 2 months later and they are still in the camera. Yeah this year is pretty much a write-off. If I'm not feeling like crap with the pregnancy soon I'll be too tired and busy with a newborn to do anything. Here's hoping I at least get a first day of school picture done in September :D

With this due date fast approaching (hopefully) we have put the boys together in Logan's room and set up the bunk beds. Logan is excited. He's been asking for months when we're going to put the beds 'up and down'. Last night went well. Frieso only had to stay and read to them for an hour. Hopefully that can decrease quickly. Mommy does not have the time or patience for that. And we're re-doing floors and paint in the nursery, well because it is needed. There were already mystery stains in the carpet when we moved in and now that Korben has lived in there for 3 years and mommy has woke up to a few surprises in there, we figured we should just replace and start again, and the walls needed a freshing up as well.(especially after the last surprise) You will not believe the amount of dirt carpets collect. YUCK. I do like carpet but this house is soon going to be a non-carpet house. We have found a great laminate floor we love and it is easy to install. Yes it does take a while to adjust your thinking from soft flooring to hard flooring but we love it. Plus I'd rather know what is on my floors and vacuum it up then let it be camaflouge.

Well that's it for today, a blog about Logan and the adventures we have with him. Korben's life continues to be eventful but that's another blog that I'm not ready for yet. Assessments aren't finished yet, but things are looking good to get him into the programs he needs. And please can the next 6 weeks go by a little faster I'm really done.

Boobie Pottysprinkles

2008-05-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

We certainly won't be using this method to name the baby. But what is your new name? :-D

A. Follow the instructions to find your new Name.

The following is excerpted from a children's book, Captain Underpants And the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants, by Dave Pilkey, in which the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names...

So:-

1. Use the third letter of your first name to
Determine your New first name:

A = snickle
B = doombah
C = goober
D = cheesey
E = crusty
F = greasy
G = dumbo
H = farcus
I = dorky
J = doofus
K = funky
L = boobie
M = sleezy
N = sloopy
O = fluffy
P = stinky
Q = slimy
R = dorfus
S = snooty
T = tootsie
U = dipsy
V = sneezy
W = liver
X = skippy
Y = dink y
Z = zippy

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:

A = dippin
B = feather
C = batty
D = burger
E = chicken
F = barffy
G = lizard
H = waffle
I = farkle
J = monkey
K = flippin
L = fricken
M = bubble
N = rhino
O = potty
P = hamster
Q = buckle
R = gizzard
S = lickin
T = snickle
U = chuckle
V = pickle
W = Hubble
X = dingle
Y = gorilla
Z = girdl e

3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

A = butt
B = boob
C = face
D = nose
E = hump
F = breath
G = pants
H = shorts
I = lips
J = honker
K = head
L = tush
M = chunks
N = dunkin
O = brains
P = biscuits
Q = toes
R = doodle
S = fanny
T = sniffer
U = sprinkles
V = frack
W = squirt
X = humperdinck
Y = hiney
Z = juice

Frieso is now Dorky Pottysprinkles
Logan is now Dumbo Pottyspinkles
Korben is now Dorfus Pottysprinkles

I don't know what would be more annoying, always having to spell your name or have a REALLY stupid last name like Pottysprinkles? ;-D

For the record...

2008-04-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

(okay the pics for this blog are being hard to get along with, just keep with the message)

For those of you who have been watching the news and may have wondered....

Some Mormon women sing...

Some Mormon women dance...

Some Mormon women write scary stories...

Some Mormon women have lots of money and really great hair...

I know hundreds of Mormon women.

They do all kinds of different things and live all different kinds of lives.

This woman served as a leader in the Mormon church. She recently spoke to teenage girls worldwide. She encouraged them to stand up to peer pressure, strengthen their families and serve others. (Click here for more.)

None of the Mormon women I know look like this...

None of them are marrying off their teenage daughters and-- although some may joke about wanting a sister-wife (preferably one who is really fat & ugly, does bathrooms and changes diapers)--none of them really want to share their husband with anyone.

Furthermore...

Some Mormon guys can throw a ball...

Some Mormon guys yell at the ball...

Some Mormon guys make crazy movies...

Some Mormon guys have a lot of money and really great hair...

I know hundreds of Mormon guys. They do all kinds of different things and live all kinds of different lives.

This is one of the leaders of the Mormon church. Last Sunday he spoke about honoring women, especially mothers, and gave advice to husbands and children about how to treat the women in their lives. (For the whole story, click here.)

None of the Mormon men I know look like this...

The Mormon men I know are honest and hard-working. They don't cheat, smoke, drink or gamble. And TRUST ME....the last thing any of them want is another wife.