A Night Owl's Musings

Snippets

2010-08-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

Since I can't (or won't) make the time to update this poor blog properly, I can at least post the highlights of our lives over the last several months.

May: School ended on the 14th, which was also our sweet 16th Anniversary! I can't resist the urge to brag about Daniel's all A plus grades. Sorry. Memorial Day weekend found us in our RV heading to Delta to the annual ATV Rally. We had a blowout the night we started out from home so we had to head back to town, get some new tires and start out again the next day. We're so thankful it happened when and where it did and for the good Samaritans who heard the loud bang and came to help.

June: Molly started her baseball season as a New York Yankee (much to the dismay of her diehard Red Sox fan relatives.) We left on our major RV trip on the 18th. We covered over 7,600 miles from here, through Canada, down to WA, OR and CA, then back via NV, CA, OR, WA, Canada and home sweet home. I hope to get some pics and more details up soon.

July: We returned from our trip on the 17th. Molly finished out her baseball season. Daniel went to the Alaska Summer Research Academy up at the University for 12 days. He did the robotics module and had a great time. Lonny took half the kids to the air show at Elmendorf and Matt stayed behind to visit his cousin. I stayed home with the others so that Daniel and Nicholas could start Cross Country practice at the beginning of...
August: My dad had yet another intestinal blockage which required yet another surgery. Fortunately, this time it looks like the surgeon corrected the problems left behind by the previous surgeon so we all hope and pray that Dad does not ever have to go through that again. And now here it is fair time. We entered Samantha in the baby contest today which she did not win. No matter -we know who the cutest baby is! I really don't know why I wanted to enter her except that I had wanted to enter Ethan the past 2 years but always thought about it about a day too late. With that boy's overflowing personality, I feel sure he would've won something! :) So, since we paid the entry fee to get in, we decided to take the other kids tonight. We don't really DO the fair. Lonny just likes to do a brisk walk around, maybe get something to eat, and do the bare minimum of other things to keep the kids happy. The boys were okay with that but Miss Molly was not. I promised her we'd go together, just the two of us (maybe one or two little ones too) next year. That way we can take our time looking at all the animals, see all the booths, see the entries and ride a ride or two. Oh, and of course get some yummy food.

School starts all too soon and I cannot say that I am ready in the least. I am not mentally prepared or physically prepared. Hopefully I will be by the first day! I still have my head filled with berry picking, veggies, and home projects. Speaking of which...maybe tomorrow we'll start tearing out the big rock fireplace! Whoo hoo!

Ponderings

2010-07-25T00:24:00.000-07:00

I heard some very sad news today about a Ketchikan pilot who died yesterday leaving behind a wife and four kids. I knew of the family and had met his wife before. News like this leaves me feeling almost as bereaved as if I had been close to the family. I couldn't stop thinking about it today. I just can't fathom the depth of grief and shock she and the kids must be dealing with right now. I cannot imagine having a husband one minute and then finding out that he's suddenly gone forever. Everything you had recently done together was for the last time. Your kids would be fatherless. I just cannot imagine what they're going through and what they will be going through for a long time. My thoughts and prayers are with the Murdocks. And I will hold my husband closer than ever.

Bloggity Blog Blog Blog...

2010-05-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I haven't posted in FOREVER! I have Molly's First Communion pics to post, and some cute ones of Ethan and Sam.

Right now I feel like sticking a vacuum cleaner into my ear and sucking out everything that is stuffing my head. I'm quite sure I have a sinus infection so first thing Monday, I'm going to the clinic to have my ears cleaned out and get some antibiotics. Blah.

I must say, apart from runny noses and stuffy heads, our summer is starting off very well with some fantastic weather! It's 74 degrees right now and it's 7pm!

We got lots done today. Lonny cleaned the carpet upstairs and I washed Abby and her bedding. I always like to wash carpet and dogs on the same day; it just makes sense. :) Lonny fixed some stuff on the RV and it's all ready to go.

Now it's off to our annual fast food outing. I think we deserve it.

School is out! (Daniel)

2010-05-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

The title says it all! Complete freedom for three months! We can stay up late and wake up late! We can drive down the coast in an RV! I can stay up at the University for two weeks! Ah glorious relaxation.

Eastertide

2010-04-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

Youth Group was in charge of the Easter Egg Hunt and party at church on Holy Saturday, so the boys helped set things up and hide eggs and then Molly and Ethan participated in the festivities. Molly won a giant pink stuffed bunny after finding 62 eggs!!! Ethan was happy with his 18, which Matthew helped him find. He's actually a pretty good searcher, for a toddler. Ethan, not Matt. :)

A Traditional Lenten Food...

2010-04-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

A friend's facebook post gave a link to the origins of pretzels. Apparently, the ropes of dough were twisted to look like crossed arms which was the prayer stance of the time. They were invented by a monk and they were found to be a good food to give to the poor because they were nourishing and portable.
So...I made them on Holy Thursday and they were gobbled up in short order! They are sure to become one of our lenten traditions along with Hot Cross Buns which I also made last week. I didn't get a photo of them but they too were scrumptious!

Happiness is...

2010-03-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

...hearing your precious toddler say his prayers for the first time. I figured he was listening but had no idea he had the whole thing memorized! What a sweet memory.

Farewell, Spring Break...

2010-03-15T01:15:00.000-07:00

It is with great sadness that we bid adieu to a school-free week. In some ways it seemed to go by like greased lightning but, at the same time, our last day of school seems really long ago. I'm pleased by what I was able to accomplish during the break but I'm not sure that I'm ready for the school routine to start up again. For one thing, that hour we were robbed of last night has really done me in! I'm tired! I know, I know... I just love this time of night when there's no one else awake but me and no one needs anything from me. My hands, hips and lap are free!

Sammy's first birthday was today! I was able to sew her the traditional Puppy Towel at the traditional last minute and I think it came out very cute. We invited our neighbors, her Godparents, over for cake and ice cream and they brought her some books, among them the Corduroy board book and stuffy to go with it. Very nice gifts! We gave her a harbor seal Folkmanis puppet as well. Her cake was chocolate, of course, round, encircled by cupcakes like a flower. The middle had chocolate frosting covered by coconut and rainbow sprinkles and the cupcakes were also frosted and sprinkled with pink sugar. The birthday girl wore a sleeveless white dress with ladybugs on it and red tights. She also wore a tiara for a short time which she tolerated surprisingly well! She seemed to know that it was HER day and regaled us all with cherub cheeks and dimpled smiles. Goodbye infant, hello baby!

Phase 1 Completed

2010-03-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

Much better, n'est-ce pas?

I progress....

2010-03-09T00:10:00.000-08:00

In case anyone is wondering...yes, I have made a small amount of progress on the downstairs mess. If I took a picture, you wouldn't be able to tell that I've made any progress, but I know that I have. I'm sure I would've made palpable progress had my husband not been away for the long weekend and had I not been simultaneously potty -training our 2 year old and sleep-training our almost 1 year old. Not that I'm complaining (I've given that up for Lent. HA!) That's just life with kids.

What holds me back is that I still don't really have a plan for where everything should go yet. I've done a lot of sorting and have put lots of odds and ends into containers. The work remaining involves labeling and savvy storage solutions. I may even have a label maker purchase in my future. We'll see if the finished product eventually resembles the neat, organized and humbly elegant vision inside my head!

Before....

2010-03-05T20:31:00.001-08:00

Okay, so it's a little embarrassing to show these photos of my hopeless-looking mess. The boys who occupy the downstairs will tell you that I rarely set foot down there, except to do laundry and when I do venture into their domain, I tend to sigh heavily and make whimpering sounds. I add to their mess by putting things down there that either a)don't have a home or b)have a home downstairs and I haven't bothered to put it all the way away.

I worked a little bit down there this afternoon while the littles were napping and the bookcase looks a little bit neater. It's a long process, of course, since I end up having to go through all the stuff and sort it and get rid of some and take some upstairs...yada, yada, yada. It didn't help that I fell off the counter while trying to get the last bottle of paint off the top shelf of the cupboard. The stool wasn't quite under my foot. Apart from a nasty-looking red patterned (from my sweater, I'm guessing) bruise on my back where I hit the drawer knob, a sore wrist, and a broken belt loop, I'm okay.

Too much inspiration, not enough perspiration

2010-03-05T00:15:00.000-08:00

I've decided on a name for my current affliction. See above. Lately, I find myself perusing other blogs (for hours on end!), purchasing craft kits (to add to my collection of unused craft kits), and ordering more homeschool materials...all because they inspire me! I am on fire with inspiration! Only problem is, I have to actually do something with it all. I could be inspired for the entire school year and we still wouldn't have a whole lot to show off. Sad, but true.

What, oh what is the cure for this affliction? Discipline. I cringe but say it again...discipline. Self-discipline. Methinks I've just found my nemesis.

I'm going to try something: I'm going to post a goal on this blog (for my countless followers...hee hee) and then I'm going to post whether or not I have completed or attained the goal. Let's get a little perspiration going here! Okay...first goal is organizing the homeschool/arts/crafts stuff downstairs. I'm going to post a before picture either tomorrow afternoon or Saturday and then start tackling it. My ultimate aim is for the domino effect of an organized downstairs family room, then laundry room and then master bedroom closet. That probably doesn't seem to make much sense but I'll fill you in as I go.

Wish me luck!

2010-02-21T22:19:00.000-08:00

Me just finishing my 5 kilometer relay. As you can probably see, It was very tiring.

Public School- Different ain't it? (Daniel)

2010-02-21T22:01:00.000-08:00

On my first day of public school for 5 years I felt like I did on my first day of kindergarten- scared and a little bit weirded out by all the people. West Valley High was the most crowded place I'd been in for a long time. Looking back on the first day I realize it must have seemed more crowded because I was about shoulder height to everyone else. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The teachers were nice, and, once I got to know them, the people were nice too. And, a semester later, Here I am! I have a lot of friends, I ski after school, and I get good grades. I look forward to World History Honors and English Honors next year, which I hope won't be to hard! German is especially fun: Ich habe mien Deutschclasse gern. Ihre seit verruckt. Skiing is going well. We just had Regional Championships in which I beat 3 people in the 10k, Although my team did come last in the 4X5k relay. I think I'm doing pretty well!

Science and History with Murals

2010-02-02T16:59:00.000-08:00

I got a flash of inspiration yesterday. I had taped a long piece of freezer paper on the wall for Ethan to color on and started him off by drawing a couple of fish. As usually happens, Molly and Matt got interested in the project so I suggested they make an undersea scene. Before long, there were sharks devouring fish and octopi leaving clouds of ink behind them. Ethan had long since lost interest but the other two were having a great time.

As I was lying in bed last night, I got to thinking that we should do a more accurate undersea mural with more sheets of paper for the upper, middle and deepest layers of the ocean. We could research and look at lots of pictures to really get it right and then label things and illustrate different behaviors of the sea creatures. Then, (I pondered further) we could do murals for other habitats as well, such as desert and forest. More inspired by the minute, I thought we could also do history murals by either illustrating a timeline of a certain period or by illustrating a specific historic event. Heck, we could even do a book report mural! The possibilities are endless!

Now, stay tuned to find out if this spark of inspiration actually catches fire or simply burns out like the trivia game idea I was so excited about a couple of years ago. I still may try to do that....

The Procrastination List and The Someday List

2010-01-24T21:38:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about things I'd like to do "some day." I've realized that I have two lists; one of things I would like to have done but don't really want to take the time to do - I call that one my procrastination list, and the other of things that I would like to do but perhaps don't have the time at this point in my life - my someday list.

When I think about my procrastination list, it's with a sigh and a sinking feeling of guilt. Items on this list include: organizing all my recipes
organizing craft supplies
cleaning out closets
moving files from one cabinet to another
cleaning out files
painting all the boring white walls
making curtains for the kids' rooms
You see what I mean about the sinking feeling?? Cleaning, organizing, painting and sewing are not things that I love to do. I love the feeling the finished product gives me but the process is tedious and often frustrating.

On the other hand, I get a feeling of creative euphoria when I think about my someday list. These items include: acquiring a flute so I can start playing again
learning how to play the piano
learning how to knit socks and mittens
knitting Christmas stockings for the family
knitting Icelandic sweaters
acquiring Nordic skis so I can get out there with the kids
hiking the trails around the area

I've found that it's just as easy to put off the things you want to do as the things you don't want to do. My various unused knitting patterns and paraphernalia are testament to that. Sometimes starting a project is the easy part and finishing it never seems to happen and sometimes it's difficult to get started, but once you jump that hurdle, the rest is easy. I love to daydream about how my house would look if I painted the walls that warm honey color. I even bought the paint! The thought of actually moving furniture, doing all the necessary prep, painting and clean-up makes me want to...keep on writing about it and never do it! So, I've lived with white walls for four long years. I hate white walls! Another problem of mine is deciding what to do first. I want to do it all, so I end up doing nothing. I suppose that all I can do is chip away at my procrastination list and as I find more free time in the next few years, reward myself with things on my someday list.

What's on your lists?

Crafty

2010-01-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

I like to wile away the winter hours with quick projects like those above. This year I tried felting soap. I got the idea from Family Fun magazine, where I've gotten so very many other cute ideas. I actually had to stop subscribing to the magazine because I had stockpiled a surplus of crafts I want to try! I love natural fibers and thought the felted soap would make unique gifts. I did have some trouble with it. The hardest part was getting the contrasting stripe to stick to the main color. I suspect that needle felting would work, if I knew how to do it.

I bought a kit for the little pixie doll at my favorite local toy store, Enchanted Forest Toys. I just think they are so darn cute!! And I thought Sammy would be able to grab onto a small, squishy doll. She does seem to like it but I think a cotton yarn might be friendlier to her little gums so I intend to try a cotton version.

Window Stars

2010-01-23T15:35:00.001-08:00

I finally got the gumption to try some of these really cool paper stars that I've admired on other people's windows over the years....They're surpisingly easy once you get the hang of them. Of course I only did the easier ones. I'd love to try some harder ones, eventually.

Neglect

2010-01-21T14:50:00.000-08:00

Oh dear. It appears that I am too busy with Facebook to bother with my poor blog. I'm sure my few followers have given up on me by now. I could come up with a list of excuses but what good would that do? The simple truth is stated above. I would love to catch up on my blogging today since it is a dreary, cold day and my chores are nagging at me. Isn't that when we suddenly get a strong urge to blog? What I will do, though I would much rather succumb to my blogging urge, is build a cheery fire, make a cup of something hot, relax for a few minutes, and then put the last of the Christmas decorations away and clean the house. I wouldn't even do that much, sadly, if we were not having company for dinner!

I will try not to forget you, dear blog.

We're Baa-aack (Bridget)

2009-07-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

We made it back from our trip, alive and semi-conscious. What a fantastic time we had. We always cram as much into our trips as possible while still relaxing and this time was no exception. We flew into Washington DC on a Saturday night and spent the rest of the weekend there relaxing in the hotel pool and finding a rental big enough for our family (we reserved one but were informed at the last minute that it was only a 7-seater.) We drove all the way up to the tippy-top of VT where my dad lives and where all my siblings were waiting for us. It was a long and often very loud drive with many, many stops. We spent a good 10 days in peaceful VT recovering and laughing it up with my family. Then it was off to CT to catch the ferry over to Long Island. As I recall, Samantha screamed for a solid 45 minutes at one point. The ferry ride was nice because there was no car seat involved! The McGee family was gracious enough to put us up for a couple of nights and we thoroughly enjoyed visiting with them and swimming in their pool. Lonny really wanted the kids to see a big fireworks show on the 4th of July so we drove to Jones Beach where we and tens of thousands of other people watched an amazing show. Even Ethan and Samantha were duly impressed. The next day we visited one of Lonny's buddies from Southern Police Institute. Kevin is the quintessential NYPD officer. And what a great family he has - they were very good to us and we had a wonderful visit with them. Then it was off to NJ where we were able to visit a good friend from The University of Dallas, my alma mater. Mary and her family put us up for the night and once again, we thoroughly enjoyed our time together. The next 5 days or so we spent at my brother's house in VA. The kids swam and played with their cousins, we went to Arlington National Cemetery and to a couple of Civil War sites, Fredricksburg and Manassas, everyone went to King's Dominion and I stayed behind with the little ones, we went to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and of course had a good visit with my brother! We also met up with a high school friend of mine at Manassas and met her little boy. For our last couple of days in VA, we went to my cousin's house in Stafford and hung out with her and her dad (my uncle) and her family. We got to meet her daughter's Samantha Marie who is 2 months older than ours. Everyone had a great time playing Pool and Wii. My uncle, Lonny and the 2 older boys went to the Marine Corps Museum on our last day while Matthew spent time with my cousin's husband and Molly, Sam, Ethan and I hung out with my cousin and played all day. It was a memorable visit. We spent the last night in a hotel close to the airport and, thankfully, had a fairly uneventful flight back home where Abby met us with frenetic barking and tail wagging. Whew - what a ride - but it's good to be home again.

Planes, Kiddos & Automobiles

2009-06-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

We leave in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday for our big trip back east to visit my family and do some sightseeing. I'm taking a much-needed breather after running (driving) back and forth ALL day long today doing errands and chauffering kids. Starting at around 1pm it was Fred Meyer and back, immediately followed by Molly's violin lesson and back, immediately followed by a bunch of errands and back, immediately followed by Daniel and Nicholas' Youth Mediation meeting downtown and back. Then I got about an hour at home to make dinner before I went back downtown and picked them up. Poor little Samantha screamed in her carseat over and over to the point where she was hoarse and emitting the high-pitched cry that makes everyone in the car collectively say, "Ooooohhhh, poor Sam!" She is now sleeping peacefully in her crib, no doubt still involuntarily sniffling from her sad day of neglect.
Back to the trip...I've spent all week making lists, running errands and getting the house in order since we have a housesitter coming to stay with Abby. Tomorrow our big group of friends comes over for lunch (no, I'm not cooking) so that we can all get together before we leave. I wanted them to come here so I would be forced to clean the house and not wait until the last minute when I needed to be packing. So, tomorrow we'll visit and relax a little bit after doing the frenzied cleaning that we always do before anyone comes over. Then tomorrow night we'll hopefully mow the lawn and weed whack and that leaves all day Friday for packing and those last-minute details. Assuming we all survive the plane rides and the 12 hour car ride,
I'll try to blog while we're gone and post some pics of our vacation fun as it happens. Pray for us!!

Magic Piscoya October 6, 1995- May 19, 2009

2009-05-19T13:51:00.000-07:00

Our beloved dog, Magic, has to be put to sleep today. It's a sad day for all of us. The 4 older kids have all grown up with her and Ethan and Samantha will not even remember her. Abby, her puppy who never left the nest, will miss her terribly, I'm sure. We console ourselves by thinking how happy she will be in the afterlife since we believe that God would never leave our pets out of heaven. We imagine her romping joyfully with other dogs and hunting to her heart's content, eating popcorn and apples, cheese and peanut butter and whatever else she can find! If there are garbage bags in heaven, I'm sure she'll find them and get into them too. There are no gates, no closed doors, no leashes, no baths, no pain.

Rest in peace, Magic. We'll miss you.

My One and Only on our 15th Wedding Anniversary (Bridget)

2009-05-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

Please indulge me as I wax mushy on the subject of my sweet husband today. This is our 15th anniversary and I love him more now than I did on the day we married. I still remember that day (duh, who doesn't remember their wedding day?) :) I didn't sleep much the night before. I went down to breakfast and could only get a few sips of coffee and a bite of a muffin down. I was SO nervous. It felt so right to stand there next to Lonny in front of the altar in the church I attended as a child. I received all the sacraments in that very church - baptism, confession, first communion, confirmation and finally, matrimony. The wedding was beautiful and I still think it was so nice that we had friends from all the stages of our lives there to witness our marriage. The weather was sunny with a cool breeze - much warmer than it had been the day before. Anyway, that was the day we became "one" and though it hasn't always been easy, we have remained "one" all these years.
Marriage is tough - there are no two ways about it. But we grow every time we make it through a rough patch. We have to try not to let life get in the way of caring for each other because if we stop showing each other how much we care in little ways throughout the day, we end up drifting apart and no longer acting as one.
I hardly ever say it but I notice the little things Lonny does for me and they make a HUGE difference in my day and in my life. I notice that when I heave an exhausted sigh in the wee hours of the morning when I've fed Samantha but she just won't go back to sleep, my husband's feet find mine as if to say, "I'm here with you." I notice when he sees that my cell phone needs charging and puts it on the charger for me. I notice when he offers to go to the store for me when I've run out of some ingredient that I need for dinner. I notice when he leaves work early to chauffeur the kids to their activities. I notice that he gets up in the morning on the weekends with Ethan and lets me sleep in. I notice when he brings me coffee on those days. I notice all the things he does around the house. He truly is "my handyman." I notice the ways that he shows the kids how much he loves them and that makes me feel loved too.
I hope that my one and only notices the little things I do for him and that he feels loved. Because I love him with all my heart.

Hobby tron.com (Nicholas)

2009-05-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

Hobbytron .com is a good place to buy anything for your hobby but I go there for the airsoft! You can buy pistols for a buck fifty!!!(not incuding shipping) I bought an airsoft shotgun there, but it has not come yet. NOTE:DO NOT EXPECT THE THING YOU BOUGHT TO GET THERE WHEN THEY SAY IT WILL!!

~Nicholas

Money Season (hopefully)

2009-05-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air! And you know what that means? Its time to rake those leaves you forgot to rake last fall!! Don't want too?? We`ll do it for you!! That's how we get money! The three of us go door to door asking people if they want us to rake their lawns!We`re really raking in the dough,heh,heh...

Nicholas~

TOTAL AIRSOFT WAR!!!!

2009-05-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

Since Matthew and I bought airsoft guns the whole neighborhood exploded into TOTAL AIRSOFT WAR!!!!!!! Right after we bought airsoft guns we found out our nextdoor neighbor had a couple, then our other neighbor got three!! Then Daniel`s gun broke and I gave him mine and just ordered an airsoft shotgun form an awsome airsoft website! We have been having airsoft wars almost every weekend now and everybody keeps upgrading their wepons and just making the TOTAL AIRSOFT WAR bigger!!

Nicholas~

The Moho (Bridget...who else)

2009-05-03T00:51:00.000-07:00

Lonny got back with the RV last Sunday! It's a beaut - and it fits in our side driveway without having to cut down any trees. Yay! The kids spent the night in it the first couple of nights and have been doing their schoolwork in there as well. I may invest in a Do Not Disturb sign and lock myself in there from time to time!

Summer! At least temporarily...(Bridget)

2009-05-03T00:42:00.000-07:00

We had the most gorgeous day today - 77 degrees and sun, sun, sun! I went out and did yard work for about 2 hours while the babies were sleeping and I have the blisters to prove it. I even hung a load of clothes out for the first time in a long time. I'm sure I won't have time to do it every day like I wish I could but maybe once school is over.... Lonny and I took Ethan and Samantha for a walk this afternoon and saw a robin at the tippy-top of a tree just singing at the top of his little lungs. That's what this weather makes me feel like doing too. I know that I'd feel a lot less energetic if I woke up after very few consecutive hours of sleep every night to darkness and cold instead of bright sunshine and warm(ish) weather. If only my body didn't require sleep; there's so much I feel like doing! Actually, it's not so much my lack of sleep that's keeping me from doing what I want, it's lack of time. When Lonny is home he can hold Sam and help with Ethan but if I have to do it all, there's very little time left for anything else.

She's Here!! (Happy Mama)

2009-04-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

The Piscoya kids welcome Samantha Marie born on March 14 at 1:53am. She weighed 9lbs, 3oz. What a joy for Molly to have a little sister, finally! The "girls" are having way too much fun dressing their new "doll!" Ethan loves his baby sister. He calls her "Nee-nee", his word for baby, or "Nam" since he doesn't say "s" on the front of words. He loves to talk to her and give her kisses and shove her pacifier in her mouth a little too hard. We can't wait until they can play together and be best buddies.

The birth went well. I started having contractions on Friday morning and thought the baby would be born on Friday the 13th but as soon as I got up and started my day, the contractions pretty much stopped though I did have some on and off the rest of the afternoon. I finally decided to make arrangements for someone to come watch the kids, since I hadn't asked anyone yet (denial?) so I called Kelly when I got home from group and told her I would probably be going into labor sometime in the next couple of days and she agreed to be on call. I lay d0wn and took a nap and when I woke up the contractions were stronger and getting closer together so I called Kelly and gave her a heads-up. We both laughed at how soon I ended up calling her! I made pancakes for dinner and busied myself with laundry and general cleaning and finally packing the rest of my overnight bag. We left for the Birth Center around 10:30pm and my water broke in the car on the way there. That was a total shock since in all my pregnancies, my water has never broken on its own except when I started pushing Nicholas out. I got right into the soaking tub when I got there and ended up staying in the entire time. I was so relaxed during labor that I almost fell asleep a couple of times. Then of course transition was still horrible and intense even in the warm water. All I could think was how much worse it would be if I wasn't in the water! I only pushed for 5 minutes, my midwife told me later. It was a little disconcerting for the baby's head to be under water before the rest of her was out and I had to ask if that was really okay! When she was all the way out, - I was craning my neck trying to see whether it was a boy or a girl but the cord was in the way and finally Lonny said, very matter-of-factly, "It's a girl!" My jaw dropped and I said, "Are you kidding me??" Anyway, she is beautiful and sweet and a wonderful addition to our family. Now if I could only get some sleep....

Busy Month and then some! (Bridget)

2009-03-02T17:41:00.000-08:00

Well, February ended with our biggest snowfall in 8 years - 6.5 inches. I know, that's really not a lot but it's a lot for us since our snow is very dry and fine. The boys made out like bandits with their shoveling jobs while avoiding a mama moose and her calf the whole time and Nicholas and Matthew both bought Airsoft pistols.

Nicholas decided to submit an entry to the Homeschool Science Fair at the last minute so he did a report on How a Hand Grenade Works. He did it all in one week. We were so tired from our busy month that on Friday night before the fair we were really dragging and he still had to print out all his report, draw his diagrams and put it all together on the project board. He had a hard time staying focused but managed to finish and get to bed at a decent hour. His hard work paid off though as he got a first place for his project and moves on to the Interior Alaska Science Fair at the end of March. He can make improvements to his project between now and then, so he's planning on adding a little more info. on tear gas grenades and flash-bang grenades.

Oooh, I almost forgot - I got a girls' night out on Saturday! Six of us homeschooling buddies got a couple of rooms at a B&B up on Chena Ridge and had a heavenly time. We went out to eat and then went back and soaked in the hot tub under the alternately starry and snowy sky. Then we indulged in assorted chocolates, chips and cheesecake and watched a couple of movies. We enjoyed a very nice breakfast in the morning and then went home a little more relaxed and with our cups a little bit fuller. This will definitely be an annual event!

Daniel and Nicholas are both enrolled in the spring session of Youth Court training starting at the end of March. They'll go two nights a week for 2 hours and end with a mock trial at the court house on April 18. It seems like a pretty intense class and they'll learn all about the laws and how to act as attorneys and judges for actual youth court cases involving their peers. I'm really excited about it and hope they get a lot out of it.

Today Daniel got his tonsils and adenoids out so he's sitting on the couch with a huge cup of ice water and a book. He's had about 7 little popsicles since the operation, as well as a milk shake and yogurt. The poor kid is hungry for real hot food but he can't have any yet. We're just thankful that the surgery went well and that he's feeling as good as can be expected. He should be fully recovered and eating a normal diet in plenty of time for his birthday. And at least he can have ice cream by the time we celebrate Matthew's birthday and possibly even some cake if it's soft enough.

So, that was an overview of recent events. I did manage to get my valances made for the kitchen, dining room and living room and I must say they add a little something to the rooms! I started on my next goal of cleaning out our messy bedroom and getting it ready for the new little one. I should do before and after pictures but I'd be embarrassed to show just how bad our room is/was! I'll say ta ta for now so I can go start dinner. Ta Ta!

SNOW,SNOW,SNOW!!

2009-02-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

It finally snowed!! just today we passed out fliers and we also have a job to do later today,so that should be good ...hope they pay well...

Nicholas:Germany project.

2009-02-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

This past week we have been doing a biiiiiiiiiiiiggg report on WWII Germany and it is due today,and i`m not sorry...I had to do lots of pages on different subjects,the SA,the SS, the luftwaffe, Hitler, propoganda, the Hitler youth and so on and so forth....Hope people like it!

Nicholas:new safe!

2009-02-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

About a week ago I bought a steel safe to put my money in! That may seem extreme but it was only 20$ so i thought "why not?" It is very cool and comes with a coin tray and combanation lock. It really is steel and is very sturdy!

Post-Holiday doldrums (Bridget)

2009-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

In some ways I really love the time of winter after the major holidays are over. It can be a very relaxing time of unwinding after a whirlwind of preparation and festivities. I usually get inspired to do crafty things or clean out closets. Of course this year, I'm very pregnant right now and it's exhausting just getting through my regular chores. I have managed to do some small things that I've enjoyed though. Before the holidays I made homemade vanilla by soaking vanilla beans in vodka. I haven't tried any yet but it smells heavenly! The kids and I treated the poor frigid birdies to pinecone feeders covered with bacon grease and birdseed. I made an all-purpose cleaner by soaking orange peels in white vinegar. It smells better than plain vinegar and seems to work well. I plan on phasing out all my toxic cleaners and replacing them with natural ones. They're so much cheaper and they really do work. I used plain old baking soda on Lonny's shower and it really removed that soap scum from the glass door! I've also switched from Downy fabric softener to white vinegar, which I just put in the Downy Ball and add to my laundry. I have noticed no difference in softness after switching and there's no vinegar smell either. I dry each load in the dryer for 15 minutes and then hang them on racks to dry. It does take more time and effort and sometimes I end up just drying the clothes all the way in the dryer, especially the whites because of all the dang socks! I guess every little bit helps. We also made fire starters using dryer lint, cardboard egg cartons and old candles melted down. They work really well. I found a knitting pattern for the cutest kids' winter hat. We already bought Ethan a fleece one in the same style but I was excited to find a hand-knit version and it was a free download from http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/. Anyway, it's called a pigtail hat or an ear hat. It's kind of squared off on top with tassles on the corners so it does look like pigtails. It's still very cute on a little boy though. I decided to try it out, so I made the smallest size and it fits Ethan so he wears that one too. I'll get a picture sometime and post it. I can't wait to make some more. I think it'll be my new go-to baby hat pattern for gifts because it's so easy and cute. I bought fabric (75% off - yay me!) for window valances for the living and dining rooms and I'm excited to make those as well as paint the boring white walls. I figure I'd better get it done before the baby comes or it won't get done for another 3 years! As you can tell, my spirit is ready and willing. Now, if only my body would cooperate!

Just call us the Griswolds...(Bridget)

2009-01-25T18:09:00.000-08:00

Well...we actually did it. We bought an RV. Lonny is in AZ right now picking it up from the dealer and storing it with friends until he can drive it up here in the spring. Buying an RV was the furthest thing from my mind when Lonny first started looking at them online. I thought he was just trying to make me think he had given up on his truck obsession. Maybe if he had made me think he was now moving on to RV obsession, it would make his truck obsession seem more palatable and I'd actually let him get one! The more I thought about having an RV, the more I got used to the idea and though it seems like such an extravagence, it makes a lot of sense for a family of (almost) 8. We haven't traveled anywhere as a family, unless you count road trips to Anchorage, since we moved here 3 years ago. It's just too expensive and too much of a hassle. With an RV, we can hit the road and not have to worry about imposing on friends (who really wants a family of 8 invading their space?) or about hotel and meal expenses. And this 35' behemoth even cost less than our used Tahoe! Of course we'll be paying through the nose for gas but it's still cheaper than hotels and restaurants, or airfare. We're all really excited to cruise around our great state this summer and most likely venture down the west coast next summer since we already had a big back-east trip planned for this summer. Who says you have to wait until you're old and grey to creep along scenic highways with a long line of irate drivers behind you? :)

Christmas Morning

2009-01-08T01:01:00.000-08:00

Whew! (Bridget)

2009-01-08T00:27:00.000-08:00

The holiday season has come to a close and I look forward to taking a deep breath and relaxing. Still not sure when that will happen, but hopefully this weekend or even as early as Friday! I feel like I have been going non-stop since November. I definitely tried to do too much for Christmas, as usual. As much as I tell myself to just relax and enjoy the season, I always manage to work myself into a frenzy. I was really proud of myself for "getting everything done" but afterwards I questioned the point of it all since I was too exhausted to even enjoy the magic of Christmas.
I love Christmas and I'm always in search of the elusive "Christmas Spirit." I seem to get it as soon as winter comes which is October here! I feel like listening to Christmas music, I feel like shopping for gifts and doing Christmas crafts...then Thanksgiving comes and after that I feel like it's a mad rush to "get everything done!" I feel my anxiety level rise exponentially each day when my darling children gleefully announce how many days are left until the big day. I make lists of things I need to "get done" and as soon as some are crossed off, more find their way onto the list. Is anyone pressuring me to do these things? Not so much, although I did have to remind the boys (read: threaten them with present withdrawal) that they were not allowed to bug me about wrapping their presents or decorating the house or putting up the tree until all outside gifts were wrapped and mailed off.
The kids were all very willing to do things for me and I couldn't have "gotten everything done" without their help. I was amazed to find that by the time we headed off to Mass on Christmas Eve, I was READY for Christmas! It's always magical to be in the beautiful Cathedral all decorated for Christmas and with my whole family around me.
I wasn't quite as tired Christmas morning as I was last year when we had a 2 month old but I was really tired all day. It didn't help that I was 6 months pregnant either. Usually, the week after Christmas is very relaxing and I even find time to play games with the kids but somehow that didn't happen this year. Lonny bought me a new stove and fridge for Christmas! They were delivered 3 days after Christmas, so that meant that I spent that time between Christmas and delivery day cleaning the oven, fridge and freezer inside, outside, underneath and to the sides! Mind you, I'm not complaining! I love my new appliances!
By the time I felt like I could relax, it was time to start school back up and now work samples are due! I'm sure that I will find some time to enjoy that after-holidays calm sometime before the baby comes. Happy New Year!

Christmas is coming!! (Nicholas)

2008-11-26T11:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas is practically here!! We have started buying and wrapping presents, buying food and making plans! It's so exciting now that I have some presents and all the decorations are up in the stores (even though it's not even Thanksgiving yet.) I love being this busy! And I love Christmas!!

Pictures, finally!!

2008-11-21T21:10:00.000-08:00

"Fang Face"

"Kipper" at her puppy party

Not too keen to show off her new hat

Ethan's Halloween costume

Mukluks!

cute boy

Winter!! (Bridget)

2008-10-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

Forget summer being over...it is now winter! Amazing how short fall is here and how long it's been since we've blogged! Apologies all over the place! Lots has happened since you last heard from us. School is in full swing and going pretty well. We've been able to establish a decent routine even with Ethan in our midst. He can definitely be a distraction from school work, but a good distraction. I've come to realize that entertaining and enjoying a younger sibling is at least as important as any of the kids' school work. If I didn't know that now, I'd be sure to find out soon since we'll have another to enjoy by the end of the school year. Yes, you read that right. Another little one will join us in mid-March.
This month we celebrated Ethan's first birthday and Molly's 7th! I'll get some pictures on here very soon. Next month the kids will all start Nordic Skiing again and Molly will begin violin lessons. The boys have already made some money shoveling snow as we've gotten several inches in the past couple of days. I love the feeling of coziness our house gets when it's snowing outside and we have a nice fire going in the woodstove, soothing music in the background and comfort food in the oven. Aaaahhh. There's nothing better than that.

Can Summer Really be Over?? (Bridget)

2008-08-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Wow. I know it's been a long time since I blogged but really nothing eventful has taken place this whole time. We've had a non-summer as far as weather is concerned with nothing but rain and cool temperatures. I feel like we're back in Southeast. Now we're headed toward fall. The chokecherry leaves are already turning gold and falling. It's really unbelievable when you think of the rest of the country having the hottest month of the year. Oh well, this is Alaska after all.
Having an early fall helps get me geared up for school which starts this Wednesday! We've received pretty much all of our school stuff so all that's left is to do some planning. It'll be tough homeschooling all 4 kids for the first time and keeping up with Ethan who is starting to walk now. I'm hoping to get Molly's work done in the morning and have the boys get their tough subjects done in the morning so we can do our reading and projects in the afternoons. We'll see how that works. As usual, I'm excited about the new curriculum we're trying out and happy about the tried and true curriculum we've come to appreciate. Having allotments for 4 kids gives me leeway to buy some frivolous and fun things this year like a bunch of cool art supplies from Dick Blick, some games, some arts and crafts and logic puzzles and workbooks. I also bought tons (not as much of an exaggeration as you might think!) of classics. The boys are going to be involved in the Young Statesmen Club where they will read classics and discuss one per month with other boys their age. Even Molly will be getting together with 2 of her friends to read some Five in a Row books and do lapbooks and cooking projects associated with what they read.
So, it's goodbye summer and hello school. I don't have many school supplies to buy, like pens and notebooks and all that but I couldn't resist buying a few new clothes for the kids - especially Molly. To me, that's what "going back to school" is all about! You have to have a new outfit and new supplies for the first day!! The boys couldn't care less about new clothes and Molly isn't as enthused as most girls would be but by George she's going to have new clothes anyway.

Garage sale! (Daniel)

2008-07-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Talk about payday! We just had a VERY successful cul-de-sac garage sale! Everyone in the neighbor hood got together the day after 4th of July (which means the 5th of July for all you not so bright people out there...) and set up tables and tables of stuff. Nicholas, Matthew, and I gathered up all of our Legos that we didn't like and sold them for good prices! I made a lot of money selling lemonade to people! In all we made over $40.00! Not bad, eh?

~Daniel

Fire Pit! (Bridget)

2008-06-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

Lonny's Father's Day weekend project was constructing a fire pit on one side of our house. I admit I was skeptical about it but I love the way it looks! It's a big improvement over the half grassy, half gravelly area it used to be. The rocks around the pipe came from our neighbors who happened to be tearing out their fireplace at the time - luckily for us. The kids all pitched in and helped, knowing that a hot dog roast and s'mores would be their reward. The project was complete by Sunday night, June 16, and we christened it with, of course, hot dogs and s'mores and invited all our neighbors over. A good time was had by all. This weekend we'll hopefully get some more logs for the rest of the perimeter and some really big logs for benches inside so we won't have to bring chairs out and take them in every time.

Next project: reseeding the lawn!

Our little "Ether Bunny" (Bridget)

2008-06-10T17:21:00.001-07:00

Here is a recent picture of Ethan. He'll be 8 months on June 15. He's a very happy and affectionate little guy and gives lots of kisses, especially to Matthew! He has 4 teeth and is working on two more. He really keeps us on our toes as he is crawling all over the place, pulling himself up on anything he can and cruising. Some of his favorite things to do include playing in the dogs' water, dumping everything off the coffee table, getting into the papers in the computer desk and the DVDs in the entertainment center and destroying any Lego creations the boys are unlucky enough to leave within his reach. He loves dogs and other kids, pictures of people, especially babies. He gets very excited by vacuum cleaners and Daniel's old stick horse, "Hank." He likes to imitate us so we often have fake-coughing and squealing contests with him. He is sometimes content in his playpen or jumper and he loves being in the backpack or stroller. If I feel like gardening without him on my back, all I need to do is put him in the stroller and pretty soon he's besieged by neighborhood girls begging to take him for a ride. Pretty sneaky, huh? :)

Long Time! (Bridget)

2008-06-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know it's been a long time since we've updated this blog but there were gardens to plant, leaves to rake, sunshine to enjoy.... I've really been enjoying outdoor work. The chokecherry trees in the back yard are in full bloom and the air is perfumed with their lovely scent. As soon as Ethan goes down for his nap, I'm outside planting, weeding, starting a compost pile, digging a new flower bed, hanging out clothes, anything to be outside in the sun! Now it's cooler and overcast with a forecast of rain for the next week and a half so I can get indoor stuff done.
I planted my first real garden this year. For the past couple of years, I've only done containers but I've been really wanting more of a harvest so this year I dug out one of my big rhubarb plants to give to a friend and transplanted all the delphiniums which were hogging garden space and planted lettuce, beans, radishes and carrots. The lettuce and radishes are already up. I also planted peas and beans in containers. Hopefully by next year I'll have another small raised bed to work with. In the meantime, it's nice to start small until I really know what I'm doing.
I got some really disappointing news last week - my dad and sister are not going to be visiting this month after all. My dad is having some health problems and the trip would just be too much. I didn't realize how much I was looking forward to some of my family visiting, for once, until the visit was canceled. Next year though, my whole family will be getting together in VT and we will be there, by hook or by crook!

IT'S SUMMER!!! (Daniel)

2008-05-16T22:41:00.000-07:00

School is out!! It's time to try to cram in all the fun you've been wanting to have all winter!(but couldn't because of school)And how better to start it than movie at the theater and a birthday party the next day!(Which happens to be Saturday the best day of the week...otherwise known here as cartoon day!) Ahhhhh......makes you want to sit down with a good book and soak it in! I plan on spending whole DAYS doing things like building Lego's, playing video games, or reading a book!
~Daniel

School's Out! (Bridget)

2008-05-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

Whether we're ready or not, school is finished for the year. I went to the Kindergarten Celebration at Molly's school today. It's hard to believe she's not in Kindergarten anymore. I'd be really sad but I know Ethan is just around the corner. Molly showed no sadness whatsoever as she informed a friend this afternoon that today was her first day of 1st grade!! Who needs summer? I know, I certainly do.
I'm very glad that summer is here because I just wasn't able to get the things done around the house that I really need to do while doing school and keeping up with an actively crawling baby. I'm sure I won't get all the things done that I want to get done because of said crawling baby even during summer break but I'll definitely have more time than I had.
On the other hand, I always feel a twinge of regret when summer rolls around because I never feel like we've gotten enough "school" accomplished during the year. There are words the kids can't spell and books we never read and Matt might not know all his times tables cold.... I have to remind myself of the things we did accomplish. We added another member to our family and folded him right into the midst of us. We've all commented that we can't imagine life without him now. The kids have been especially great about giving him lots of love and attention. We've read lots of classics, both individually and as a a group and have been touched by some very special people within those classics. We've learned about honor, perseverance and other positive character traits through them. Father, Mother and Ralph from the Little Britches series have really moved us and made us want to be better people. I find myself thinking about how Mother would react when I'm faced with a trying situation. I think we've learned that education doesn't end when the school year ends but that we should be pursuing our interests and setting new goals continuously. We'll continue to read throughout the summer and our shelves are stocked with new enticing books for those lazy days in the sun.

NEW 4-WHEELER!!! (Nicholas)

2008-05-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

We got a new four wheeler!! It is black and silver and goes really fast! Yesterday we went to show it off to our dad's friends and we ended up driving it all around creation (not that I had a problem with that)at high speed. We also plan to go hunting as soon as possible so it should be fun!

4-Wheeler! (Daniel)

2008-05-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

We bought a new 4-wheeler! My dad and I went down to Anchorage yesterday to get it. Boy, is it COOL! It is really big(the kind that can fit two people)and it is silver. We're going to have a lot of fun on that this summer!

Warning: TJEd May be Dangerous to Your Health!!

2008-05-04T11:52:00.001-07:00

I spent hours and hours organizing my bookshelves on Saturday. I had what I thought was a brilliant idea - to make more room on the shelves by grouping books of the same subject in tubs, like unit studies. I stacked and I piled and I went and bought tubs. By midnight, I had the shelves all nicely organized with classics. I'm not sure whether it was last night or this morning that I noticed the bottom shelf had fallen and was resting comfortably on the books below it. Okay, that was frustrating but not that bad. I tried to lift the shelf and put the pegs back in... big mistake. The shelf above it fell on my hand. Still not that bad, just a tiny cut and a few choice words. What happened next, I'm not entirely sure, but a chain of events occurred in which all but the very top shelf cascaded down onto my head and then books ended up all over the floor. See picture. I had to apologize to Matthew and Ethan for the hissy fit that followed. :( Fellow homeschoolers, this is what happens when you have too darn many books!!! Now I'm faced with taking every book out and trying to find pegs that fit tighter so this never happens again!

Happy May Day! (Bridget)

2008-05-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it's May and we still have snow on the ground. We had a very depressing snowfall on Tuesday but it turned to rain in the afternoon so it's basically gone but we still have some from before. The kids are demolishing the snow hill and kind of having a race with the neighbor girls who are demolishing their snowhill.
We went to the IDEA Curriculum Fair Monday and again on Tuesday and I came away with about $700 less allotment for next year. I mostly bought lots of Jim Weiss CDs, Teaching Textbooks Math for all 3 boys, some books, and some TJEd CDs and booklets. I wish I had gone to some of the workshops, but I didn't want to try to work around Ethan's naps and feedings so I didn't even bother. Next year!
Well, Matthew is itching to bid on a Lego Set on Ebay so I'd better go.

The Fields of Home (Daniel)

2008-05-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

The Ralph Moody books are always very good, but I think tis one was the best! the basic story is, Ralph gets in trouble in Medford and has to go away to his grandfather's farm in Maine. Grandfather lives with a woman named Millie and a dog named Old Bess. He is very stubborn and he hates machines. Ralph has a hard time convincing him that machines are the only way to keep all his fields plowed!
On a scale of 1 to 10 I would rate this book a 10!!YOU should read this book!
~Daniel

Archery (Nicholas)

2008-04-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

Matthew and I are finally going to get our longbows that we have been wanting forever! The idea to get bows was mine since I took archery at a place called King`s Nock and liked it. But if anyone wants to take archery, DONT TAKE IT AT KING`S NOCK!The teacher is really mean and makes up dumb rules! It`s best to just buy one and teach yourself!

This picture is me at age 3 in VT at my grandparents' house. I was into archery even then but had to make do with sticks.

L.O.T.R Diaries (Daniel)

2008-04-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

For writing we did diaries of people in Lord of the Rings. I did one on Sauron titled "The Journal of Sauron the Great."Nicholas did one on Saruman and Matthew did one on Lurtz. It's fun to do stories from another point of view, especially if it's from the point of view of a villain!

To make one I typed it out in a funny font(like this) and printed it out. To make it look more convincing, I took some black paper and crumpled it up to make it look like old black parchment. I used this for a cover. Here is the finished product:

New Bloggers! (Bridget)

2008-04-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

I've been so inspired by all the blogs I've been reading lately that I couldn't wait to start one for our family. Actually, Daniel has taken on the task of getting us started but has graciously allowed me to post this entry.

My intention for this family blog is for us to post the goings-on of our family, of course, and for the kids to have a chance to post about things they're doing or learning about. We just bought a new camcorder so we'll make good use of that on here as well.