the bartle bulletin

True love

2012-02-14T04:06:00.000-08:00

My love language is Acts of Service.

Garry knows this.

So on Saturday,

when he cleaned out the nastiest, smelliest fridge EVER,

he was my hero.

And today he's my Valentine.

Love you, Babe.

Awesome EIGHT

2012-02-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

Tyler is eight years old today! Huzzah!

Tyler is an awesome kid. He has done some big stuff this year with his grade acceleration, and we are just so proud of him. Although the social transition was rough at first and he's had some challenges at home, Tyler seems to have hit his stride. He's a happy, helpful, kind, thoughtful kid, and a great part of our family.

Tyler is thriving on the piano. We took about a two-month break with practicing and lessons (that's what happens when Mom's the teacher!), but now we're back into the regular swing of things. Last week Tyler finished the Primer level of piano books and has launched into Level 1. He seems to "get it." Hand position, note-reading, and a certain finesse just come naturally to Tyler. I'm excited to see how he progresses on the piano. I hope he'll develop a life-long love of music.

Speaking of music in general, Tyler is loving his once-a-week music club after school. The club has 95 second- and third-graders, and they are putting together a musical about inventions from the last century. Tyler always comes home humming a tune. He's having a great time.

Tyler is really enjoying the Kindle he bought with his Christmas money. An e-reader is the perfect toy for a bookworm! When he's not reading, Tyler loves to build with Legos. He has an ever-growing gallery of creations on the top of his bedroom dresser and on a shelf in his closet.

Tyler's baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is coming up in March. We are so excited about Tyler's choice to be baptized, and about the family who is coming to celebrate with us. If you can read this announcement, consider yourself invited to the baptismal service.

Another part of turning eight is joining our ward's Cub Scout troop. Tyler is beyond excited about becoming a Wolf and doing exciting things like racing a car in the Pinewood Derby this spring. No more sitting on the sidelines for Tyler!

We celebrated our very special boy early this morning. He is thrilled with his art supplies and books from us, as well as Legos and cash from his generous relatives. We are planning a yummy dinner of his favorite foods and will finish off the night with a fabulous ice cream cake from Cold Stone.

On Saturday, Tyler had a birthday party. We departed from the norm this year and let Tyler take three friends (plus Zach) to Art Sports for lots of jumping and playing. After the trampoline extravaganza, Garry took the boys out for ice cream at Cold Stone.

So far, being eight is pretty great!

Sabbath scripture

2012-02-12T00:04:00.000-08:00

Everyone but Tyler

2012-02-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

I am working on an all-about-Tyler post for his eighth birthday next week, so this one will contain tidbits on the rest of the kids.

Zach has become an enterprising young fellow. After learning how to make duct tape wallets in Webelos last week, he decided he would make some to sell to his friends. He created his own sales flyer, took orders, bought tape, and set to work! I'm impressed! Zach might start a trend at his elementary school.

Last week I took calls from two of his teachers (TAG and Spanish), and both of them said the same thing: Zach isn't quite reaching his potential at school. Zach and I talked at length, and he agreed to shoot for the "exceeds standards" grade instead of the "meets standards" grade. Zach openly admits that he wants to do as little as possible to get by, but when he has teachers who demand work commensurate with his abilities, he is willing to try harder. Garry spent some time working with Zach on a Spanish assignment, and when he turned it in, Senora Brewer was so thrilled with the final product that she kept his assignment as an example for her other classes. Zach was pretty happy about that.

Gavin is adjusting well to his no-nap schedule. How is that, you ask? Basically because I give him free reign of the TV and the pantry--as long as he is quiet and doesn't bother anyone else. This tactic inevitably involves messes to clean up later (notice the pile of orange peels on the couch), but I'm finding that my chance to relax/sleep/work during his quiet time outweighs the hassle of the mess. It's all about survival, folks.

We learned yesterday that Gavin has qualified for additional testing for early kindergarten enrollment. That will take place next week. We are very pleased to move forward in this process. If you are so inclined, please pray for Gavin and his evaluation on Valentine's Day!

Lexi is...two. I'm not sure what else to add here. She is fond of tantrums, defiantly yelling "no!", kicking doors, doing the exact opposite of what she is told, and demanding that I do not, in fact, love her. This is a season of tried patience, embarrassing public spectacles, and many time-outs (for mother and daughter alike). This too shall pass...right?

Kate continues to be her darling self, offering infectious grins, belly laughs, and frequent rolling demonstrations. She likes to hold her own bottle and her own spoon. She seems to love her twice-daily oatmeal feedings. She does not sleep enough at night, but is a great napper. I am ever grateful for her content personality, and for her willingness to be entertained in/by our many baby-holding contraptions. She seems to really enjoy the times when I play the piano. She sometimes falls asleep in her swing as she listens to me play. I like that arrangement just fine.

Garry continues his Super Dad ways. He is never upset when he comes home and I don't have a dinner plan. He does all the grocery shopping and puts the kids to bed every night. He rubs my sore neck and lets me go to bed ridiculously early. I sure love that guy.

I am taking a half-dose of my new medication and dealing fairly well with the tempered side-effects. The most annoying one is the dizziness. In the temple today I struggled to focus since the room seemed to be spinning. My pillow is my favorite thing in the house (besides ice cream). The morning hours are the best part of my day, and I continue to love my daily sessions on the treadmill. Tomorrow night I'm in charge of the Family Feud game at the "high school reunion" adult ward activity. Hopefully that will be a fun event for all who attend.

So there's a current run-down on each member of our family, save Tyler, who will be properly spotlighted on Monday--the day he turns EIGHT! We are all looking forward to his happy celebration.

Snippets

2012-02-07T18:49:00.000-08:00

Kate learned to roll over on Saturday. I was thrilled to watch her do it for the very first time. Sweet little missy.... Once she figured out rolling she did it again and again and again and again. I always find it amusing when my babies hit the milestone of rolling onto their bellies. They suddenly have amnesia and can't remember how to roll back. And they get frustrated. And I laugh. Kate is already pulling her knees up under her tummy like she wants to crawl. I hope that's a couple months away. Still, I'm thinking I'll have to start cleaning the floor again once she's mobile. And re-install baby gates.

One thing Kate has NOT learned to do is sleep through the night. In fact, she is seriously regressing. She typically wakes up three times a night now--and that's a good night. Gone are the 8-hour stretches of blissful slumber. It's so very tragic. And Lexi is waking up just about as often. Nights are a circus around here.

...

Yesterday I went to Denver to photograph the 90th birthday party of my dear friend's mother. Thanks to Denver's blizzard on Friday, I didn't get to spend time with Melanie that night, but it was still lovely to see her for a little while at the party.

...

This morning, after a fitful night of rest, I got up with Kate at 5:00 a.m. While she played on the floor I took my morning meds, which include a new prescription. Down the hatch it went with all the rest, and I settled into a chair to read. Garry came out to relieve me of parenting duties (since I'd been up with Kate half the night), and I went back to bed for a couple of hours before school. When I woke up, I was seriously nauseated. I quickly read over the new medication's side-effects. Nausea was listed (of course!). Within an hour, nausea was the least of my concerns. I was dizzy--so dizzy that I felt detached from my body. My muscles were weak and I felt like I couldn't move. I was cognitively impaired, too. I couldn't speak very clearly or even connect my thoughts. It was ridiculous. Garry picked Gavin up from preschool since I wasn't safe to drive, but he had to go back to work. Around 12:30 I sent a distress text to my friend Becky, and she picked up the three Littles for the afternoon. She had to help me get off the floor (where I'd been attempting to watch Kate) and walk to my bed. I spent the next five hours drifting in and out of sleep, during which time I gradually came out of the fog and back to reality.

Should I take some more of the new prescription tomorrow? This is currently under debate...

Random bits

2012-02-04T04:20:00.000-08:00

At 7:00 Monday morning, I was blissfully asleep in my bed. Tyler came into my room, and before I could coherently respond to his urgent, "Mom, Mom, Mom...." he started smacking my forehead to get my attention. Once I opened my eyes, he told me that the glass cover on Gavin's bedroom light fixture had somehow come loose, dropped onto a wooden step stool below, and shattered all over the room. What a lovely wake-up call!

A few weeks ago, I discovered three of my children running on the treadmill at the same time. I confiscated the key and hid it from their view. The trouble was that an hour later, I could not remember where I had put it. Since that time, we have searched high and low for the key with no luck. We have been using a heavy-duty magnet to make the treadmill work, but I have been so frustrated about the missing key. Yesterday, while on the phone with my mom, I sat in the office chair and spun towards the door. From that vantage point, I happened to look into the linen closet, the door to which was open across the hall. There, on the top shelf, was the treadmill key!

Kate and Lexi currently wear the same size of diapers (3). One of them needs to be potty-trained. Any volunteers?

At dinner last night, Gavin reported that he played "shoot some ladders" with the babysitter. He winned three times in a row.

An excerpt from Gavin's recent dinner prayer: "Please strengthen Dad to appreciate his work."

On our way home from Nevada in November, we stopped at a Walmart somewhere in Southern Utah. I ran in to buy something and happened upon some BYU slap bracelets. I thought they would make fun stocking stuffers, so I bought five. Today, while searching for something in the van, I found the bag of bracelets, which I had stuffed into the glove box. Oops! I guess we'll put them in the kids' Easter baskets instead.

Garry asked the kids what they want to be when they grow up.

Tyler: A volcanologist.

Zach: A video gamer.

Lexi: A Dad with a lawnmower.

Gavin: A Dad who mows lawns. And I'll do the laundry if you are too busy.

Later, Zach asked, "If we have another baby sister, can we name her Charlie?" That's just funny on so many levels....

Art by Gavin

2012-02-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

In my quest to keep Gavin quietly occupied during nap time today, I set him loose (actually, I closely supervised his movements) with a green Sharpie. Gavin wouldn't have anything to do with crayons or pencils or pens or regular markers, but he wanted to draw. I was exasperated and finally gave in. Gavin subsequently drew these three masterpieces, which I love, proving that sometimes the reward is worth the risk.

First, Gavin drew himself:

Then Kate:

And then Daddy:

Maybe tomorrow he will create portraits of the rest of the family. I'd love to have a complete collection!

The Happiness Project: February

2012-02-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

I'm a little slow getting my February goals in gear, but better late than never, right? This month's resolutions are well-timed. As I am struggling to keep my chin above water, my family relationships are suffering. It's a good time for Mommy boot camp.

This month's theme is "Connect with kids." I chose a Louise Hay quote as a sub-theme: "I allow the playful child within me to emerge and have fun." Yes, I'm a weirdo; having fun does not come naturally to me. I'm also not the Mom who loves working puzzles and doing crafts and playing Chutes and Ladders. This month I will work on that, especially with my preschoolers.

My kid-focused goals include: read out loud daily; play on the floor; cultivate a soothing, happy voice; pray for each child individually; praise success; make time for one-on-one. Hopefully as these new habits become ingrained, we will all be happier!

Public pajama day

2012-02-01T05:03:00.000-08:00

Remember when Gavin was two, and I shared every one of his nefarious deeds in rich detail? Now we have another two-year-old in the house, and while her escapades don't always rival those of her brother, she is plenty mischievous. What she lacks in life-threatening action she makes up for in sass and drama. Lexi is SUCH a two-year-old right now. Most days I'm just too tired to re-live her antics in print. Now, during a 4:30 bout of insomnia, I feel compelled to record one episode.

Miss Lexi was mad at me (nearly a perpetual state these days) for not giving her enough attention during Kate's morning nap. It was true. I was racing the clock to finish my blog book before the January 31 coupon deadline. The usual activities that engage her interest weren't working. We tried play dough, water color painting, dolls, snacks, and a TV show. She sat in my lap. She played with my hair. She took off my shoes. Finally, after more than an hour of poking my face and the computer keys, she agreed to watch one TV show so I could finish up.

Within a few minutes, I was done and she was bored with TV. She wanted me to fix her hair, and I readily agreed. I asked her to fetch the rubber bands and spray bottle from my bathroom. That's when I discovered that she had locked my bedroom door. Lexi just shrugged her shoulders and walked away. I tried to find a key.

The bedroom door knobs have locking buttons that turn, rather than those that pop in and out. Unlocking them requires a small tool about three inches long with a flat end. When we moved in 3 1/2 years ago, only one existed in the house. Of course that disappeared long ago. We have resorted to using tiny flat-head screwdrivers to unlock doors. On this day, every screwdriver of that nature was missing. I tried half a dozen different implements to unlock the door. No luck.

Being denied access to my bedroom posed one significant problem for me: clothing. I had run on the treadmill that morning and taken a shower. I had fixed my hair and applied make-up, but I had only gotten half-way dressed. I put on a regular shirt (dark orange), but instead of putting on jeans for going out, I wore turquoise-and-purple plaid pajama pants. Yes, I know the colors clash. But it was laundry day, and my more subdued pajamas were in the wash. And I wasn't going anywhere. Jeans are for going out ONLY. So I laid them on my bed, where I could easily put them on before preschool pick-up.

Well, the morning passed and I still couldn't find a key. I was also managing lots of other things--phone calls, a friend in distress, a fussy baby, Lexi's perpetual tantrums and clothing changes, housework, etc.--and, my memory being what it is, I forgot about the door for a while. Quite suddenly it was 11:10, and I was still locked out of my bedroom and wearing a ridiculous outfit. I didn't have a choice, so I went to pick up Gavin.

I wore a coat, so the general public probably thought I just didn't bother getting out of my pajamas this morning. I'm not on a first-name basis with anyone at the school, so I just walked in and out of there like nothing was wrong. Of course, Lexi was screaming the entire time about some injustice in her life, so hopefully fellow parents and their children were distracted enough by the spectacle to ignore my attire.

During the girls' afternoon nap, I had to leave again. I hired a babysitter (to whom I explained my outfit) so I could take a friend to the doctor. Happily, this time I didn't have to leave the van; my obligation was to provide a ride only. My friend chuckled at my predicament. I decided to email the Relief Society with my story to see if anyone had a key that would work in my door. As the day dragged on, I began to worry I wouldn't be able to sleep in my bed that night without breaking a window. Someone offered a key, which I picked up after school. It worked, and I put on my jeans...just in case.

It wasn't until about 7:30 p.m. that I discovered the reason Lexi locked my bedroom door. When I began preparing for bed (yes, at that hour; it had been SUCH a day), I found a thick layer of granola bar crumbs all over my sheets and pillow. Apparently Lexi had raided the pantry for a snack before settling down for a TV show. Knowing she would get in trouble for eating in my bed, she locked up the evidence of her crimes.

It's a good thing she was asleep when I discovered the mess. Maybe to get revenge I'll lock myself in my bedroom tomorrow.

Eight loads

2012-02-01T04:18:00.000-08:00

This is a hazy picture of my clean laundry pile, but I think it's an accurate representation of my perspective. Brain fog, anyone?

Garry has some 2011 PTO that he has to use before March 15, so he is spending a few random days at home. Monday was one of those days, and I took advantage by spending the day in the office, editing my blog books for publication. Monday was also the fifth day since my last round of laundry, so I kept the washer and dryer busy all day, too. I had a big deadline for the blog books (a 20% off coupon that expired Tuesday), so I didn't take the time to fold the laundry. Instead, I piled it on the couch, hoping magic fairies would attend to it while I worked. They didn't.

So yesterday, which was particularly high-strung and frenetic, I tackled the massive, towering heap during the girls' nap time. Aside from the socks, I managed to get through the whole pile in 45 minutes. After dinner the family pitched in (under duress) and put away every bit of it.

And so ends another post about laundry.

January goals revisited

2012-01-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

January is almost over. Even though it's been a very long month at my house, I still shake my head in disbelief when I look at the calendar. Time marches on!

I am very glad I set health-related goals for January. Making better choices about diet and exercise has been a good way to kick-start the year. Doing a separate fitness challenge was probably a mistake, because I feel lots more pressure than I would if I was relying on my internal motivation alone. It's too much; I might bow out of that. Live and learn!

Through this process, I have learned and/or remembered a few things about myself.

First, I am an "abstainer" rather than a "moderator." It is SO much easier for me to cut dessert out completely than to eat it occasionally, or to have no ice cream at all than just a small serving. On the flip side, exercising every single day (except Sunday, which I always take off) is lots easier than three days a week. I'm an all-or-nothing girl.

Second, fruits and vegetables taste yummy and are very satisfying. I love apples.

Third, I am rarely hungry. If I only eat when I'm actually hungry, I don't eat nearly as often as I habitually wander into the kitchen. And I'm not always hungry at traditional mealtimes, which is complicated, since I live with and am responsible to feed six other people.

Fourth, I am a very emotional eater. The last two weeks have been really rough, and I'm sorry to say I abandoned my goals for a while in favor of old habits. My empty resolution chart has haunted me, which hasn't helped my mood! I keep telling myself that tomorrow is a new day...

Fifth, exercise makes me happy. Endorphins coupled with the uplifting material I'm reading in the Ensign magazine (during my walking periods) can boost my mood significantly. When I'm walking/jogging, good things click into place mentally and I feel empowered to do better in many areas of my life.

So now, at the end of January, as I take account of my efforts to change, I think that overall it has been a successful month. I'm glad I will continue with my health-related goals throughout the year. It will take a long time to extinguish bad habits and solidify the good. Because of my persistent ill health and imbalanced hormones, I haven't lost a single pound, my clothes feel exactly the same, and I haven't been able to change how I feel, but I don't think my January goals were a waste. Onward and upward!

To sleep or to learn?

2012-01-26T13:55:00.000-08:00

Gavin is giving up on naps. *sigh*

I know I have been totally spoiled with a child who has napped for four solid years, but I still grieve the loss. Since I take a nap nearly every day, Gavin's new life plan will require a significant adjustment for me. That said, Gavin and I have had some sweet one-on-one time while his sisters have napped this week.

One day we read books in my bed. We took turns; I read a page, and then he read a page. Gavin was delighted with the quick progress we made through his BOB books. Then he wanted to write letters on the whiteboard. We started with words from his books.

Gavin has also decided he wants piano lessons. I think he's pretty young for all of that, but while he is interested, we will pursue it! Right now he is learning about the groupings of black keys and the numbers assigned to each of his fingers.

Earlier this month Gavin formally applied to our school district's Early Access program for kindergarten. We had to create a portfolio of Gavin's abilities in several categories, plus write a letter and have his preschool teacher write a letter endorsing the decision. We are hopeful that Gavin will be able to start kindergarten in the fall, which would be a year ahead of schedule, and that he will be able to attend the same school as Zach and Tyler. We won't likely have the district's decision for a month or two. If it doesn't work out, that must mean that God has something better in store for our amazing little boy....and his mama, who is really missing her naps.

My brain just thinks in letters now

2012-01-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Fitness Challenge 2012,

You were a really good idea and super motivating until the Dark Days of last week (aka Wednesday through Saturday). I have lost all motivation for drinking water, eating vegetables, and avoiding sugar. And guess what? I weigh exactly the same today as I did on January 1. Hmph.

The fat lady who's ready to sing

Dear St. Patrick's Day 5K,

I was all stoked to run in your race, and had even convinced Garry to join me, but then I found out that Sheri Dew is speaking to the women of our stake at exactly the same time, so you lose.

Sorry. But not.

Heidi

Dear Hannah,

Remember last week, when I called the office where you work and the receptionist pulled you out of a meeting when I told her you hadn't called me back for eight days? You told me that you had faxed a referral and my medical records to two different endocrinologists that morning. I'm a sucker and believed you. Well, the doc I want to see still doesn't have my paperwork, which means I still don't have an appointment, and I've lost another week waiting for nothing. I promise your sense of urgency would skyrocket if you had my symptoms for 24 hours.

You said you'd fax my info again right away, but since the office manager at the new place didn't call me back today, I'm guessing that didn't happen.

Shall I visit your office tomorrow and stand over you with a pitch fork?

A disgruntled patient

Dear Echo,

You have an interesting name. I hope that one of these days I can see your name tag in person so I can properly thank you for repeatedly looking for my patient information in your system, when in fact it has not been there. I pray daily that your endocrinology office is more efficient and accommodating than that of my dear OB/GYN.

Sincerely,

The squeaky wheel

Dear Summer the PA,

Just for the record, I can't remember the last time I suspected my child had an ear infection, hauled that child to the doctor, and was proven wrong. I'm glad for Kate to be spared pain in her ears, but couldn't help but be embarrassed that I took my fifth child in for a chest cold.

The embarrassment could also have stemmed from the shocking behavior exhibited by children three and four, but in their defense (and mine), it was nap time, and none of us had slept the night before. Maybe next time we'll shoot for sunshine and roses when we visit.

Shamefully,

A humbled mama

Dear Mrs. Reynolds,

You are one awesome TAG coordinator. I love that you love my kids. I love that you bend over backwards to accommodate them. I love that you are rooting for Gavin to start kindergarten this fall. I love that you and the district TAG lady discuss my kids all the time. I think you're a big reason we didn't move to Arizona. On days when I'm mad that the relocation didn't work out, thinking of you makes me smile.

Thanks for the call today,

Zach and Ty's mom

Dear ARC,

Thanks for picking up my pile of junk today. I love it when you call while I'm in the midst of a purging/de-cluttering project. I don't have to haul stuff to Goodwill OR feel guilty about not supporting a charity solicitation. Win-win. I have to say, though, that I was a little sad to part with the ratty denim comforters. Even though the boys have much nicer bed coverings these days, you hauled away a piece of my history today. But I won't miss the 15-year-old measuring cups.

The donation lady

Dear ward friends,

For some reason I agreed to be in charge of games at the upcoming "high school reunion" adult party. I'm sure you're tired of me asking you to submit completed surveys about your high school experiences. Even though entering your answers into a spreadsheet is getting a little tedious, it's pretty fun to learn about your glory days. And the Family Feud game will be awesome. Just thinking about how awkward I was in high school makes my toes curl, but I am planning to wear my letter jacket to the party. (Mesa Rabbits! We are number one!)

Heidi Dixon, class of '96

Dear neighbor to the right,

You could not have surprised me more when you knocked on the door the other day and announced that you were ready to pay for your portion of the fence we built last May. Are you a tithing blessing?

Gratefully,

Your neighbor to the left

Dear book club,

I'm so glad you chose to read The Count of Monte Cristo this month. As much as I enjoyed the book (which is fiction! I know!), the fact that Garry is listening to the audio version is even better. Having Something In Common with my husband is quite revolutionary...and lovely! Gretchen Rubin says couples should have one indoor activity and one outdoor activity that they like to do together. I might die of happiness knowing that we've finally found one of the two!

Would it be too much to ask for you to figure out the other?

Love,

One happy wife

The free bed

2012-01-22T07:46:00.000-08:00

On Friday afternoon a friend posted on our Relief Society Yahoo group that she was giving away a queen mattress set, frame, and headboard. I responded immediately, thinking that surely a bigger bed would be a blessing in our household. Within five minutes of posting the offer, my friend agreed to hold the bed for me.

[Sidebar: I find it amusing that when we were newlyweds and Garry had a lucrative job, everything we owned was new. We didn't acquire our first piece of hand-me-down furniture until three years ago. Now we have a couch, a dresser, a desk, a bookshelf, a kid table and chairs, and a bed from generous benefactors.]

After Garry got home I pitched the bed idea to him. The kids overheard, which kick-started a lively discussion about who would get the big bed and where it would go. After a lengthy debate we settled on a plan. Zachary, who has had his own room for over two years, would move in with Tyler again and share the bunk beds. Gavin would move to Zach's old room and use the queen bed alone. Garry picked up the bed that evening, and despite a very busy Saturday morning ahead, we decided to attack the room swap project the next afternoon.

I took some "before" pictures of the boys' messy rooms. First, Zachary's:

And then the room Tyler and Gavin shared:

The room swap project spawned a few side projects. When Garry took the seats out of the van to transport the mattress, he ended up vacuuming the van, which was shockingly dirty. Moving furniture led to de-junking projects. (I was secretly thrilled about this.) As we moved clothing to new dressers and closets, we thinned and organized those things as well. We filled two big trash bags with junk to toss, plus two laundry baskets with stuff to donate, sell, or put away for later. Dealing with that will be my project on Monday.

By about 7:30 p.m., both bedrooms were clean, organized, and vacuumed. Zachary, who was initially upset about giving up his private room, was happy with his new space. Tyler was glad to be sharing a room with someone who will respect his belongings and share his interests. Gavin was thrilled with his big bed and blue walls. He has also started to rediscover some of his toys!

Here are the "after" pictures. Gavin's bedroom: We don't have immediate plans to buy cute bedding for the queen bed (although we did spring for a mattress pad and a bed skirt, and will need to buy a padlock for the crawl space entrance above his bed). Gavin picked his favorite of our "wedding quilts" to put on the bed and we called it good. His walls are completely bare, except for the name letters he wrecked last year. I'd like for the room to be more decorated, but he's content, so I am (trying to be) too.

Tyler and Zach's room: For bed spreads, the boys are using the awesome quilts Aunt Heidi made them for Christmas. After I took these pictures, we moved a little table into the room, where Tyler can work on his Legos in peace.

In a couple of years, when the girls are ready for bigger beds, we will move them downstairs to share Gavin's room (and maybe the big bed), and move Gavin upstairs to one of the smaller bedrooms. Maybe by then I'll be sleeping through the night and such an undertaking won't be so overwhelming!

Tyler at school

2012-01-20T20:34:00.000-08:00

I found these gems in Tyler's backpack this week and thought they were worth sharing.

I love Tyler's art. Any kind. Anywhere. I think this turkey looks pretty happy. I wonder where he was going.

This story cracks me up. Tyler is so creative! A transcription is below the picture.

The Trimpsterator

The Trimpsterator is a deadly, cute little devil. It lives everywhere on land and in water, but not in swamps. It may look cute at first, but it can change its head from hampster to alligator within a second. It has 3 toes and legs and eyes like a triceratops, eyes for protection, and toes and legs for a fast getaway. The monster-like trimpsterator has a body like a hampster and a head like a gator (most of the time). The trimpsterator eats anything that is available for its meal! Watch out!

Because we have children

2012-01-20T20:27:00.000-08:00

The other afternoon, I walked into my bedroom. I planned to take a nap, but Stanley was in my spot.

Gavin and Lexi love playing "sleepover." They drag pillows and blankets all over the house and make beds for themselves. Their favorite resting spots are the treadmill and the stairs.

At our house, all the kids brush their teeth in Mom and Dad's bathroom. This routine developed when we bought an electric toothbrush. It has four heads, so Mom, Dad, Zach, and Tyler all use it. We have four kinds of toothpaste and six toothbrushes in the same drawer, which, ironically, resides in the smallest bathroom in the house. It is tiny but gets LOTS of traffic. Zach recently decided he likes the taste of my toothpaste. I don't mind sharing, but Zach can't ever remember to replace the cap on the toothpaste, and it drives me nuts. When this tube runs out, I'm labeling the new one "MOM ONLY."

The kids love goldfish crackers. I hate them.

The end.

Five months!

2012-01-20T12:42:00.000-08:00

Dearest, darlingest Kate,

Oh, how time has flown since you joined our family! We just can't imagine life without you--and you are truly a joy in our household.

One of the new things in your life this month was the big bathtub. You were a little tentative at first, all alone in the big sea of water, but now you love to kick and wiggle. Lexi loves to join you. Bath time is a very happy time.

You have been sleeping in Lexi's room since the end of November, but a recent furniture move put your crib and Lexi's little bed on one wall. One of her favorite things is climbing in bed with you when you wake up. Gavin does this, too. They are anxious to babysit, apparently. They love to make you smile, and you love the company.

You are a hungry girl and drink 6 ounces of formula about every three hours. The significant uptick in your feeding demands has helped you really fill out this month. We love your darling rolls! You wiggle and arch your back while you drink your bottle. You are so interested in the world around you!

You don't enjoy eating rice cereal. It's time to try oatmeal, but your general lack of enthusiasm isn't very motivating! You do like holding spoons, though.

Your hair is getting a little longer, and the hair growing in over your bald spot is very blonde. You and I are both growing white hairs these days! People say you are becoming more like Gavin, and I have to agree. I'm sure you'll have your own look eventually, but everyone comments on how you "got the Bartle stamp." You belong to us!

Your nighttime sleep habits were taking a turn for the better around Christmastime, but have since regressed into two or three night wakings per night. How can we help you learn that there's plenty of time for snuggles during the day?

You have discovered your voice and delight in loud shrieking. Sometimes we can't tell if you are happily talking or bordering on terror. Either way, you are highly entertaining. You have learned to blow raspberries with your lips and tongue. This endlessly pleases your rowdy brothers, who like to mimic the noise you make...and the spit you produce.

You spend lots of time batting at toys hanging above you. You don't grab toys much yet, but do hold onto toys I give you--and you put everything in your mouth. You are learning (finally) to enjoy the swing. It is ten years old and doesn't work especially well, but it comes in handy during piano lessons and dinner preparation. The doorway jumper is another venue for your entertainment. We think you quite enjoy an upright view of the world. This is another place that Gavin and Lexi find highly amusing. They can't wait for you to start jumping up and down.

You celebrated your first Christmas and your first New Year this month. This time last year, I wasn't sure we would survive until your birth. But we did! We are so, so glad that you are here. We love you, Katelyn Joy!

Classified Ads

2012-01-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

WANTED

TEMPORARY MOTHER

Qualifications:

Must be kind, temperate, patient, infinitely energetic

Drivers license required

FBI negotiation skills and/or advanced degree in child psychology desirable

Proven track record with ornery two-year-olds mandatory

May not exhibit fatigue, menopause, or flu-like symptoms (ever)

Job description:

Manage household with five children, including...

Cooking, cleaning, giving piano lessons, changing diapers

Managing schedules and transportation

Soothing, rocking, consoling, and encouraging children

Helping with homework and cub scouts

Daily laundry, dishes, ironing, shopping

Responsible for teaching manners, building character, and growing testimonies

Pay:

No financial compensation

Healthcare benefits provided

Duration of employment:

Six months

Current mother checked into the loony bin with books and some chocolate

Notes for later

2012-01-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

I have several partially-composed blog posts rolling around in my head, but right now my limited free time is occupied with this:

I'm not usually one to read much fiction (confession: I don't like being swept away), but in an effort to broaden my literary horizons, I decided to try this hefty classic. And I love it.

Right now, I'm dying to know whether Valentine and Maximillian will end up together; if Mercedes ever discovers Edmond in disguise; what sinister role Benedetto is going to play; and how Monte Cristo finally exacts his revenge upon his enemies.

Despite the fact that my reading opportunities are few and far between, I'm hoping to finish up the last 325 pages before book club meets on Thursday. Maybe when I complete the novel, I'll catch up my blog friends on:

*blonde hairs and white hairs

*customer [dis]satisfaction

*kindergarten portfolios

*many layers of clothing

*sorbet

*one pound

*and maybe some other stuff

See you on the flip side!

Letters

2012-01-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

Dear Kate,

How did you like the big bathtub? Pretty fun, eh? Even though your expression showed complete indifference, I'm hoping you liked the switch. You were way too big for that sink tub.

Love,

Mama

Dear Kathleen,

Thanks a ton for the fabulous cinnamon rolls. I'm sorry that my diet prevented me from tasting them, but I savored the smell and the children said they were delicious. The dress you brought for Kate is darling, too, and I hope that one of these days I'll find the time to dive into that awesome parenting book. I'm glad we're friends! It's nice to know you've done what I'm doing...and that you survived.

Love,

Heidi

Dear Tyler, Zach, and Garry,

I emptied my camera's memory card and you weren't in any of the pictures. Sorry about that.

Sheepishly,

The household photographer

Dear Lexi,

You are two. And you are CONTRARY. Today you asked what day it was and when I told you it was Wednesday, you screamed that you didn't want it to be Wednesday. Sorry, Sis, but I can't change the calendar. If I could, I would change the day to Sunday, just as you wished, so that someone else could deal with you for two hours in nursery class. And I would sneak home and take a nap.

Love (or trying to),

Mommy

Dear Melinda,

Thank you for trying to help balance my crazy hormones for the last couple of months. I think I'm ready for a second opinion. If you could just call me back, I'd like referral to an endocrinologist, please.

Thanks much,

Out-of-whack

Dear owl-patterned shower curtain,

I love you. Thanks for making me smile when I walk past the newly-dubbed "girls' bathroom."

Happily,

Your decorator

Dear January,

Yesterday it was 60 degrees in the afternoon, and my delighted children (plus the three extras in my charge) happily jumped on the trampoline without jackets. Today it is 20 degrees, windy, and snowy. Can you please make up your mind? It's easier to get the boys to wear coats when it is consistently cold.

Much obliged,

The mean mom

Dear Laundry,

I cannot believe you were off my radar for so long. How did I forget that you needed to be done? That error probably originated in the same part of my brain that remembers where the car keys are, or what time I fed the baby, or when I changed the baby, or where I put the baby. That part of my brain is broken. But there's nothing like the reality check of running out of underwear and having to go to preschool in pajama pants because nothing is clean.

Sincerely,

Exasperated

Dear Memorial Health System,

Kate was born in AUGUST. Can you stop sending us bills for her birth already?

Yours truly,

Broke

Dear House,

I'm sorry that you are so darn messy all the time. I blame the kids. If I clean you up real nice and don't complain, will my fairy godmother show up with a golden carriage to whisk me away?

Your servant,

Cinderella

runningfan reborn

2012-01-10T18:16:00.000-08:00

When I started this blog back in 2008, I had to create a profile with Google. At the time, I was training for the Hippie Chick half-marathon and generally considered myself a runner, so I picked the moniker "runningfan." It's been four years since that day, and during that time I have rarely felt like a runner. I haven't been lean-and-mean since high school, but my state of fitness has gradually declined through my child-bearing years. "Tragic" is the only way to describe my physical status at present.

But I am trying to change that. Once again, I am trying...and it feels fantastic. This morning on the treadmill I got in touch with a part of myself that I haven't known for a very long time. I felt like my goals were attainable and that I don't have to be bogged down by poor health forever. I imagined taking long runs again, training for races, and having the energy to balance my many responsibilities. Even though my treadmill stats today aren't very newsworthy, I am thrilled with them.

Two miles down, a million to go. One step at a time.

Seriously?

2012-01-05T16:35:00.000-08:00

Lots of silly and/or wacky things happen around here. I thought I'd catalog just a few from this week:

I found Gavin and Lexi running on the treadmill. Both of them. At the same time. Fast.

When I put an end to their fun, Gavin protested: "But Mom! I need my exercise!"

Just before dinner, Tyler looked around the kitchen, living room, and dining room. He made a confused face and said, "Did you clean up this house or something?"

(Instead of being offended, I was glad that someone noticed my efforts!)

Lexi and Gavin got into Tyler's tub of Flarp (farting putty...it's as ridiculous as it sounds), and Lexi apparently wanted to get up close and personal with it. She came upstairs with a huge wad in her hair.

I spent the next half hour picking it out, strand by strand. Then I washed her hair thoroughly in the bathtub and combed out the rest. Although Lexi lost a few hairs, I didn't have to cut out the Flarp. Disaster averted.

I stepped on the scale today after a full week of my new diet and exercise regimen. I have really reduced my caloric intake and had a 20-30-minute date with the treadmill every day. My reward? A three-pound weight GAIN.

I love my life.

Growing up

2012-01-05T06:24:00.000-08:00

I don't know much, but this I do know: Time marches on, and kids grow up.

Last week Garry and I took the kids to Target to spend gift cards they got for Christmas. They had a great time choosing the perfect things. Zach also had some birthday money to spend (he'd been saving it for a trampoline), and after briefly perusing the toy aisles, he gravitated towards the clothing section. Since the other kids were getting pretty wily at this point, I offered to take Zach on a special shopping trip just for clothes. He readily agreed to this plan.

I was not emotionally prepared for this shopping trip, a fact I did not appreciate until we were standing in the men's department at Kohl's. For the first time ever, Zach was footing the bill, and he had definite opinions about what he wanted to buy. I was just the chauffeur for his expedition. I quickly learned that my opinion doesn't count anymore, and being silent is the best course of action. (Because if I like it, then he won't.) Zach still had to abide by the household rules (no skulls, no blood, nothing violent or offensive, etc.), but he still didn't really choose things I would have chosen. Despite his desperate need for pants, he refused to buy pants. And so on and so forth.

That's not to say that Zach was unpleasant. Quite the contrary! He was a lively and talkative shopping companion. Our relationship is just shifting, and while I am pleased with the young man Zach is becoming, his desire to grow up outpaces my desire to let go.

Gavin is making great strides of his own. He has been showing an interest in reading, and yet he doesn't enjoy formal reading lessons like I gave his older brothers. I decided to check out a series of books from the library to see if those might capture his interest, and they did! While sitting on the couch in the children's section of the library, Gavin read a book all by himself for the very first time. It melted my little mama heart. Another reader is born.

Miss Kate is growing like a weed--a smooshy, chunky weed. Oh, how I love her rolls! (I'm also loving the freedom of formula feeding, but that's another story!) Kate is starting to move, too. She arches her back and cranes her neck and shifts her hips...certainly the precursors to rolling. She's showing more interest in toys, chews on her fists all the time, and gives the most heart-warming dimpled grins you ever did see.

Kate is also quite the vocal performer. She is loud!! We play fun "talking" games with her, and even though most of her "words" sound the same, she is clearly trying to communicate. We love it. And we'd better, because in two or three blinks Kate will be the one with opinions about her clothes.

I'm quite certain I'm not ready for THAT.

Ray of sunshine

2012-01-04T19:39:00.000-08:00

I've had a few rough days in a row, and this morning I woke up feeling kind of desperate. My morning prayer included a plea for help--any kind of help! The day that unfolded was a certain witness that a loving Heavenly Father knows my name. Although my problems haven't disappeared, I have renewed hope, and also gratitude for the Lord's tender mercies.

Tyler had the chance to play with his friend Owen this morning--at Owen's house. He was beyond thrilled at the opportunity. Zach called to see if his buddy, Trace, could come over while Tyler was gone. Instead, Trace's mom invited Zach to spend the day with them, first playing at home, then eating lunch and going to a movie. Suddenly both boys had super fun plans away from home! That solved the problem of getting through the last day of winter break.

With Zach and Tyler happily occupied, the Littles and I could more easily accomplish some errands that have been on my list. At Target we picked up a new shower curtain and rugs for the hall bathroom (Thanks, Grandma Dent!) that I'm really excited about. Then we met Garry for lunch at Chick fil-A. Gavin and Lexi were thrilled to romp around the play land, I was glad to see my husband in the middle of the day, and my salad hit the spot. Kate was a gem. It was a lovely outing.

We stopped at the library next. Sharing a happy experience with Gavin (at the public library, no less!) was a boon for our relationship.

The next miracle happened at the pharmacy. After talking to my doctor again yesterday, we decided I would try a new medication. When I went to pick it up the first time, it had been processed with Kaiser insurance, but our Kaiser coverage ended December 31. I couldn't find my new insurance card, so I had to return later. When I went back for the medicine today, the pharmacist remembered me. She knew my history and the crazy cocktail of drugs I'm using to try to regulate my system. To make a long and complicated story short, she was able to fill an old prescription that Kaiser wouldn't cover, but that my current insurance DOES cover, and a month of meds only cost $9.11. The potential cost of my prescriptions on our new insurance has weighed heavily on my mind. I can't express my relief and elation at today's good news at the pharmacy!

When Tyler came home, he immediately ran off to play with a neighbor friend. Then the planets aligned and the Littles all napped at the same time. I got to rest, too.

The family enjoyed amusing and interesting dinner conversation thanks to our Table Topics cards (Thanks, Holly!), and even though dinner included the usual messes, tears, and general mayhem, I was able to laugh about it. Now that the kids are all in bed I don't have the nearly-dead feeling that usually possesses me around 4:00 p.m. I feel light and happy and energetic. It's pretty amazing.

I'm very grateful for the ray of sunshine that permeated the clouds over my head today. Very, very grateful. God is good!

Amusing anecdotes

2012-01-04T15:08:00.000-08:00

Our family has had a pretty low-key week, although we have tried to fit in some fun things for the kids before they return to school (tomorrow!). Happily, we have crossed almost everything off of our bucket list.

Gavin received a "gigaball" from Grandma and Grandpa Bartle for Christmas. On Monday (which Garry had off, as it was a federal holiday!) Garry spent about an hour pumping it up, and then he took the Littles to the park across the street to roll around in it. I tagged along to take pictures, and I'm glad I did! Hearing the kids' giggles as they spun 'round and 'round was so much fun!

The kids slept in a tent in the basement last night. Well...some of the kids did. Gavin and Lexi just couldn't calm down and go to sleep, even though I stayed in the tent for a long time to try and soothe them. They were so excited! So Zach and Tyler spent the night in the tent, and Gavin and Lexi have enjoyed "playing sleepover" inside during the day.

Garry received a new ice cream maker for Christmas and has enjoyed experimenting with different recipes since then. The mint chocolate Oreo ice cream was utterly delectable, but we have enjoyed the lower-fat sorbets as well. On this night Garry poured V8 100% juice in the ice cream maker and this is what we got! It was delicious, and though high in sugar, offered one serving of fruits and one serving of vegetables! It was the perfect Family Home Evening treat, and given the nutritive value, I indulged in some myself.

Also on the treat theme, the kids devoured their gingerbread house one night. It was quite a scene! As everyone scrambled for sugar, Gavin yelled, "Someone get the camera!" I was happy to oblige with my cell phone.

One night I made something for dinner that spilled over in the oven and burned on the bottom. I forgot to take care of the mess, and then baked breakfast a couple of days later. The crusty stuff on the bottom of the oven burned and smoked and stunk up the house at 8 a.m. Zach was so bothered that he taped his nose closed. Hilarious!

The trampoline has been a big hit, as you might imagine. It is a gathering place for the neighbor kids as well as our own. In fact, our kids like to start jumping before breakfast, even though it has been pretty cold! They just bundle up and head on out. On this day Lexi did a reverse bundle, stripping down to her diaper in the mid-30's weather. When I looked out the window to check on the kids, this is what I saw! I quickly took some warm clothes out to her.

I have been reluctant to get out of bed in the mornings, so children frequently join me until I can't ignore them anymore. It's actually pretty charming to cuddle with these cuties at the beginning of a day.

Cuddle time isn't restricted to the wee hours, either. Today Kate woke up from her nap just as I intended to lie down. So I took her with me to the couch. Just as we were drifting off, Gavin woke up prematurely from his nap. I think he just planned to give me a hug, but he ended up lying on top of me and falling asleep. I wasn't super comfortable, but he obviously was! The three of us rested for another half hour until Lexi woke up. There wasn't room for her to join us.

We have been reading a lot. Although I don't think we'll make my goal of reading every picture book in the house during the school break, we have read a huge chunk of them with lots of repeats. Lexi enjoys looking at books before she takes a nap. Seeing a child of mine asleep under a book is one of my favorite things.

Winter break didn't seem especially long and tiresome until this week. I'm not sure how the kids feel, but I'm definitely ready for the return of our schedule, routine, and school-time activities!

The sun will come out...tomorrow

2012-01-03T19:35:00.000-08:00

Today is gone. Today is done. Tomorrow is another one.

{Dr. Seuss}

Thank goodness.

The Happiness Project

2012-01-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

For people who know me well, it's probably not a huge surprise that I'm thrilled to start a new year. Aside from the fact that 2011 was a very challenging year for my family and me, I've been longing for a fresh start. The new year seems like the perfect time to work harder, aim higher, and do better.

Last fall I read a fun and inspiring book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. The author spent a year setting goals and trying new things in order to boost her personal happiness. While I consider myself a reasonably happy person (and certainly I have many blessings that ought to inspire gratitude), I think that adopting a similar strategy could bless my life. Gretchen's organized, thoughtful approach to goal-setting really appeals to my Type-A brain, so I'm going to give it a whirl.

During each month of 2012 I'll have a specific set of goals related to a theme in my life. I haven't defined all of the details yet, but that will come in time. My January theme is Improve Health. This might seem pretty prosaic, but for the girl who has spent a year in state of poor health, it's a desperately needed resolution! My current medication cocktail, which is intended to balance my hormones, mood, and energy, isn't yielding terrific results yet. I am hoping that some efforts of my own might aid the cause.

My resolutions for the month include daily exercise (20 minutes to start), eliminating sweets and bedtime snacking, and eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day. Sadly, these goals will require a significant change to my daily routine (dare I admit?), but hopefully after a month I'll have some solid habits that will pave the way to better health. I definitely have some weight loss goals in mind, but the higher purpose is simply feeling better! I'm ready to move beyond survival mode.

In February I will set new goals but still maintain my January efforts. The project adds new resolutions each month, which should keep my momentum going throughout the year! I'm really looking forward to this year of change and growth.

The next ten years

2011-12-31T15:59:00.000-08:00

I tend to be pretty nostalgic on New Year's Eve as I contemplate the closing year and the new one opening before me. This particular Eve is especially full of memories, since ten years ago today, Garry and I started our post-college life in a little apartment in Beaverton, Oregon. We moved in at the end one of the wettest Decembers on record with a two-month-old baby, two degrees but no job for Garry, and not a friend in the state. The next week, The Bartle Bulletin, then a weekly email newsletter designed to keep in touch with faraway friends and family, was born.

I always make New Year's resolutions, and this year will be no different. Although I try to focus on improving the here and now, my recollections about the past make me think a little further into my future than the next 12 months. As I consider all of the marvelous things that began in January 2002--parenthood, Garry's career, the beautiful Oregon segment of our life, and a detailed family history, to name a few--I can't help but wonder what the next ten years will hold.

This New Year definitely feels like turning the page into a new chapter of my family's life.

Post-holiday happenings

2011-12-29T06:38:00.000-08:00

Our winter break is flying by. The days since Christmas have been gloriously unstructured. I wish I could say that the days have been lazy, but nothing about our family life is very lazy!

Because Garry was feeling better on Monday, he and the kids set up the trampoline. It was cold outside, but that didn't deter Dad's excited band of helpers. Since about noon that day, the kids have enjoyed bouncing and playing on their dream-come-true Christmas present...at least until their toes are numb from the cold. I'm still trying to let go of the anxiety that someone will get hurt. I'm an awesome worrier like that. Today Garry set up the net enclosure for the trampoline, which should help a little with safety.

Other Christmas toys, like these doll clothes from Granny, have been a hit. I'm grateful that she made darling tops to match all the pants I managed to eke out before I got overwhelmed with the doll clothes project. Lexi and Gavin are having a blast with their babies, which have had many rides around the house in Lexi's new shopping cart.

Tyler received the Lego Ideas Book, which is a marvelous companion to the tub of Legos-without-instructions that reside in his bedroom. It has provided the perfect spark of interest for Tyler and Zach alike, leading to hours of creative building.

Of course, there is lots of this: total vegetation on the couch. I'm grateful for moments of relative calm, even if the kids' brain cells are dying in front of the television. Zach discovered America's Funniest Videos on Netflix, so we have all been laughing a lot.

Everyone in the family found a fake mustache in their stockings, so we took a few pictures.

The van has been at a repair shop twice this week, since Garry's vacation days and our relaxed schedule allowed us to live without it for a time. Honda replaced the power steering pump and a wheel bearing, and also repaired the tire pressure monitoring system (all covered under recall and warranty), and then our trusted mechanic gave the van new brake pads and rotors. That was a lame holiday-time expense, but we're glad to have our trusty van back!

Garry took the kids "glow golfing" at the mall on Tuesday. (Kate and I stayed home for some peace and quiet!) They golfed 36 holes in two hours. Gavin won a prize for sinking a put on the 18th hole. He was the only person in the family to achieve that feat!

We fed the missionaries last night. Elders Roos and Stowe were very charming guests and left us with a wonderful message on faith from 1 Nephi. Garry made a delicious meal of fettuccine alfredo for dinner. He has experimented in the kitchen every night this week. The pasta was a hit.

With the remaining days of our vacation--Garry is home this week and the kids don't go back to school until January 5th--we hope to finish Christmas decor take-down; repair the wall behind the Christmas tree (damaged by the recliner); rearrange Lexi's and Kate's bedroom furniture; take the big boys to play laser tag; try a couple more recipes; and maybe hit a few more items on the boys' bucket list. Personally, I hope for a couple more naps!

Our Christmas

2011-12-26T03:17:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone! After so much anticipation, the holiday always passes so quickly.

Our festivities began at 6:00 a.m., which required waking Lexi. With 9:00 a.m. church, a sleep sacrifice was necessary! She didn't mind too much. After briefly gathering on the stairs for a photo, we released the kids to discover their presents from Santa Claus and attack the packages under the tree.

What followed was a joyful celebration full of smiles, yelps of excitement, and expressions of thanks all around.

Santa brought Lexi a shopping cart. She pushed it around a bit, and then filled it up with goodies from her stocking. She was especially excited about her very own "gubble gum."

Gavin saw his present from Santa and yelled, "Santa is the best boy EVER for giving me this remote control car!" When he opened his monkey pillow pet from Granny and Gramps, he said, "I wanted this so badly!"

Tyler jumped up and down when saw his Harry Potter: Years 5-7 game for the Wii. He offered a few fist pumps and rock star poses, too. Tyler was very focused on organizing his loot, getting a Ziploc bag for his candy and a laundry basket to carry his things to his room--all before his gifts were opened!

Zach was so busy oohing and ahhing over an NBA Wii game that he didn't even notice the large gift from Mom and Dad, which was prominently displayed across the room.

The kids were all thrilled to see that they had received a trampoline for Christmas. Mom and Dad didn't get them anything else (besides framed pictures of the Denver Temple to put by their beds), but they couldn't have been happier.

Kate slept through all of the ruckus we created in the living room until about 7:30. After I gave her a bottle, she participated in a little gift-opening herself. So far she has enjoyed the play mat Santa brought her.

Our tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve led to five sets of slipper-clad feet. I was surprised at the kids' excitement over this simple gift!

Garry, Zach, and I also got a stomach virus (or perhaps food poisoning) for Christmas. Zach was the first to succumb, immediately after dinner last night. Garry and I had a rough time overnight, and Garry suffered the worst all Christmas Day. Although my symptoms were somewhat alleviated with Zofran and a little breakfast, Garry was out of commission. I was involved in musical numbers in Sacrament Meeting, so I packed up Kate and went to church, leaving everyone else behind. Some sweet friends cared for Kate during the meeting. Happily, my musical number went off without a hitch. I was sad that my family missed church on Christmas Day, and that Garry was so ill! Sickness was a sad element of our holiday.

Garry and I have reflected with fondness on Christmas 2010, which was the day I found out I was pregnant with Kate. Garry discovered a positive pregnancy test in his stocking, and we spent the day basking in our happy news. We had no idea what the next year would hold, but we are glad to have survived the treacherous journey and are so very grateful for the beautiful, healthy daughter who came to our family!

And finally, I love this picture of our little house, all decked in Christmas cheer. We had a snowy-white Christmas this year, too. It was a lovely holiday.

Peace on earth

2011-12-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

Zach (shepherd); Lexi (Mary, with Baby Jesus); Gavin (wise man, with gift); Tyler (Joseph); and Kate (angel)

Luke 2:9-14

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Let it go, let it go, let it go

2011-12-24T14:05:00.000-08:00

This has been a Christmas season of cutting back and letting go. I've given myself permission to eliminate many things from our typical holiday celebration pattern and have simplified as much as possible.

For example, this year we added a child to our family, which meant we didn't have enough stockings. I really wanted to buy monogrammed stockings (we've talked about it for years) that all match, but that was too spendy after a year chock-full of medical bills. Then I decided to make matching stockings. I picked out a pattern and everything. That proved to be a stressful plan, requiring time I don't have, so I bought Kate a stocking at the dollar store and called it good. Good enough, anyway! (See hers in the middle?)

I traditionally bake a variety of goodies to give to our neighbors, visiting teaching and home teaching families, etc. This year we gave wrapping paper. I cut back on our distribution list, too. Hopefully our dear ones near and far know we love them anyway.

Usually our family follows three different advent calendars religiously: the magnet nativity, the scripture pockets, and the book of songs and stories. This year the kids have kept up with the magnet calendar just fine (well, mostly they have messed around with the pieces and I just let them), but we haven't done the scripture advents at all. I feel good about keeping up with our morning verses from 2 Nephi and talking about the real meaning of Christmas when we can.

I had to miss a couple of very fun holiday parties with friends this year because of scheduling conflicts. On other years I have made such gatherings real priorities, but this year a simpler way had to be good enough. I'm glad for the friendships I have and look forward to future opportunities to socialize.

That's not to say we haven't had some Christmas fun around here. We are chipping away at our holiday bucket list! This week we mixed, baked, and decorated sugar cookies....

...and built a gingerbread house (given to us by our sweet neighbor, Mary)...

...and played in the snow with friends...

...and made a few crafts...

...and read lots of books...

...and put all the presents under the tree. (Except there's no space under the tree.)

The boys went sledding with friends on Tuesday (another big check!), but sadly, my friend that took them crashed during a fast run down the hill and broke her rib. It was a memorable day for the boys, to say the least!

We attended our ward's Christmas party last week. I've also had the happy opportunity to be involved in some of the musical numbers at church this season. I'm most excited about a piano/organ duet on Sunday (I'm playing the piano part) that should be awesome. Considering I learned most of it one hand at a time, while holding Kate in my free arm, I'm thrilled with the way it is coming together. Christmas just isn't the same for me without good piano music!

So...although this has, out of necessity, been a season of cutting back and slowing down, I'm pleased with what our little family has accomplished. We are poised for a very merry, very white Christmas tomorrow!

Endings

2011-12-23T01:31:00.000-08:00

With the final days of school before Winter Break came parties, celebrations, concerts, and end-of-season games. Here's a quick rundown on some of the 2011 "lasts" at our house.

Gavin had a preschool program and party last Thursday. He and his adorable classmates sang a few little songs, complete with reindeer hats and spirited movements. Gavin was much more focused on the waistband of his shorts and his slipping headdress than on singing, but his teacher assured me that he knew all of the lyrics by heart. After the mini concert, Gavin and I snacked on holiday treats in the classroom. He gave each of his teachers a big hug and a "Merry Christmas!" before we left for home.

Gavin (#20) also played in his final basketball game of the season. His mood was a little off that morning and he didn't want to participate after the first quarter, but he did make a great basket and ran enthusiastically from one end of the court to another. Getting his very own medal and cupcake was super fun, too. Gavin was distraught when he left the medal at tithing settlement later that morning, but Bishop Shumway kept it safely on his desk until we returned to retrieve it.

Zachary's last game was Saturday, as well. He thoroughly enjoyed his first season of basketball and clearly improved his basic skills. It's fun to watch him go after the ball, make rebounds, and shoot for the hoop. Zach had a great coach this season, and although he won't be coaching next season, Zach hopes to continue playing with some of the same boys, several of whom are LDS. Zach also got a participation medal at his post-game pizza party Saturday afternoon.

Last week Garry and I finally completed a year-long goal: drafting and signing our will and trust. Meeting with an attorney to prepare these documents was a sobering task, but we were thrilled to finalize and sign everything last Thursday. Knowing our kids will be taken care of in the event that Garry and I both pass away is a great relief! There's nothing like peace of mind to close out a calendar year.

Christmas greetings

2011-12-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings fromColorado Springs! The year 2011 wasquite memorable for us. Here are thehighlights:

Inthe first month of this year, life gave our family thepromise of a new baby

Inthe second month of this year, life gave our familyhyperemesis

And the promise of a new baby

Inthe third month of this year, life gave our family “It’sa girl!”

Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby

Inthe fourth month of this year, life gave our family aWomen’s Conference talk

“It’sa girl!”
Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby

Inthe fifth month of this year, life gave our family onebrand new fence

          Women’s Conference talk
          “It’s a girl!”
          Hyperemesis
          And the promise of a new baby

Inthe sixth month of this year, life gave our family baseball,track, and Mom Camp

One brand new fence!
Women’s Conference talk
“It’s a girl!”
Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby

Inthe seventh month of this year, life gave our family a week-long stay with Grandma

Baseball,track, and Mom Camp
One brand new fence!
Women’s Conference talk
“It’s a girl!”
Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby

Inthe eighth month of this year, life gave our family KatelynJoy Bartle

Week-longstay with Grandma
Baseball, track, and Mom Camp
One brand new fence!
Women’s Conference talk
“It’s a girl!”
Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby

Inthe ninth month of this year, life gave our family threeboys in school,

KatelynJoy Bartle
Week-long stay with Grandma
Baseball, track, and Mom Camp
One brand new fence!
Women’s Conference talk
“It’s a girl!”
Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby

Inthe tenth month of this year, life gave our family soccerseason frenzy

Threeboys in school
Katelyn Joy Bartle
Week-long stay with Grandma
Baseball, track, and Mom Camp
One brand new fence!
Women’s Conference talk
“It’s a girl!”
Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby

Inthe eleventh month of this year, life gave our family a long Thanksgiving road trip

Soccerseason frenzy
Three boys in school
Katelyn Joy Bartle
Week-long stay with Grandma
Baseball, track, and Mom Camp,
One brand new fence!
Women’s Conference talk
“It’s a girl!”
Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby

Inthe twelfth month of this year, life gave our family a season to be grateful

Along Thanksgiving road trip
Soccer season frenzy
Three boys in school
Katelyn Joy Bartle
Week-long stay with Grandma
Baseball, track, and Mom Camp,
One brand new fence!
Women’s Conference talk
“It’s a girl!”
Hyperemesis
And the promise of a new baby!

Our lives are rich and full – even more sobecause of you, our dear friends and family. Merry Christmas!

Four months!

2011-12-21T07:47:00.000-08:00

Miss Kate, you are four months old! The days are mighty long, but the months are flying by.

You are such a darling girl who warms our hearts on the coldest days. This month you discovered your voice and delight us with your gurgles, coos, yelps, and screeches. You are clearly trying to communicate. You love it when we mimic your sounds. You are happy to be surrounded by so many people who love you, and you flash your fabulous dimpled grins whenever you see a familiar face.

Kate, you are continuing to grow! You aren't going to be in 3-6 month clothes (or size one diapers) for long. Last week at your check-up you weighed 12 pounds, 8 ounces and were 23 inches long. You jumped from below the 3rd percentile at the end of October to the 25th percentile in mid-December! Quite suddenly you have chubby thighs, a round belly, pudgy wrists, and a double chin. You love your bottles and drink 4-6 ounces every 2-3 hours.

You are showing an interest in toys. Although you still prefer sucking your fists, you are starting to grab at toys and put them in your mouth. Your silly mommy misplaced the box of baby toys, so at the moment your options are limited!

You sleep better some weeks than others (don't we all?). On a good night, you'll sleep from 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. until 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. Once you stretched that to 4:45 a.m.! But other nights you wake up three or four times, always wanting to eat. We know you are still catching up, growth-wise, so we try to be patient with your erratic sleep patterns. You take a consistent morning nap around 9:00 a.m. and sometimes take a 3-hour nap in the afternoon. Sadly, as the fifth child, you don't have a super strict routine. We are often on the go and you catch a snooze when you can!

You don't spend tons of time on the floor (with so many feet in the house I'm not sure it's safe!), but when you do, you kick and wiggle and squirm. Sometimes you dig your heels into the carpet and scoot. That's not doing much for the bald spot on the back of your head! You always travel in your sleep and almost always wiggle out of your burrito-wrapped blanket. You strenuously object to being cold, but we're not sure how to keep you warm!

This week you tried rice cereal for the first time. As you can see from these pictures, it wasn't your favorite thing. Since you aren't super steady in the Bumbo chair, we thought you might be more comfortable in my arms, but your opinion of the cereal remained the same. Hopefully you will enjoy the addition to your diet as time passes.

During your fourth month you traveled to (or through) five states on our Thanksgiving road trip. You met a great chunk of your extended family in the process. Now we are looking forward to your first Christmas!

The Covert Cookie Case

2011-12-19T13:45:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday Garry came home from church with a large briefcase in hand. I was mystified; Garry isn't a briefcase-carrying fellow. Later he revealed its purpose: transporting treats in and out of Elders Quorum meetings.

Inside the briefcase was a large plastic food container with the following message taped on top:

"Welcome to your week with the Covert Cookie Case. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to provide a minimum of 40 units of delicious homemade goodies to your fellow Elders next Sunday. Remember, Elder, we have been asked to keep this on the DL for security and crowd control purposes. If you succeed at your mission, you will be rewarded with praise from your fellow quorum members. Good luck, Elder."

Apparently the men in our ward have snack time every Sunday! Ha!

Luckily for me, Garry's responsibility didn't become my responsibility. He made his own treats: Candy Cane Fudge and Raspberry Fudge Balls. I'm quite partial to the Candy Cane Fudge.

The guys at church liked the treats, too. Go Garry.

Holiday bucket list

2011-12-19T10:43:00.000-08:00

The kids are out of school until January 5, and with a week left until Christmas it feels like we have a lot of time on our hands. This morning we planned a menu for the next week and made a list of the things we'd like to do over our long break.

* Make and decorate sugar cookies

* Drive around town to see the Christmas lights (again)

* Go sledding (if it snows!)

* Read every picture book in the house to the Littles

* Deliver the rest of our neighbor gifts
* Have friends over to play

* Donate to the Cub Scout book drive

* Go skiing with Dad

* Fix Gavin's bean bag

* Eat lasagna for dinner

* Go out to eat

* Make paper stars (like the ones at the ward Christmas party)

* Decorate a gingerbread house

* Watch "Joy to the World"

* Watch new Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos

* Complete more indexing batches

* "Camp" in the basement

I'm not sure how much of this we'll accomplish, but it's a good place to start!

Tyler's school work

2011-12-16T05:12:00.000-08:00

During my latest bout of insomnia I scanned a fat stack of the boys' school work, pictures, and certificates. Eventually I will include them in their individual memory books, but I couldn't resist posting a few of Tyler's fun work from this fall.

Tyler is very interested in art and has some natural ability. I think this pumpkin looks great.

Third graders are apparently learning about drawing faces. These two pictures are self-portraits.

I love Tyler's colorful rendition of a jungle bird.

This one is my favorite. It is a tribute to his Great Uncle Garry on Veteran's Day. The content is very sweet -- but mostly fiction. Tyler's father was named after this uncle, and Uncle Garry was bald (and awesome), but those are the only facts in this piece. I love that Tyler clearly reveres Uncle Garry, a Las Vegas dentist who died in an accident in 1998, well before Tyler was born. Somehow Dad's stories of his uncle have turned him into a legend! The translation of Tyler's writing is below.

Garry (my uncle)

I think my uncle (Garry [my dad is named after him]) deserves a very special monument. He deserves a monument because he was saving peoples lives ALOT!

He also deserves a monument because he helped with our freedom. He is bald, nice, and very old. He was a great fighter!

Garry's monument would be in mesa, arizona because I think that is where he lived at the time. The monument would be completely white. On the front, it would have his name and why he deserves it. Inside, there would be a statue of him in war, made of gold.

That is why my uncle deserves a monument. He was a great fighter, and an AWESOME uncle!

Deep thoughts by Gavin and Lexi

2011-12-15T18:59:00.000-08:00

Gavin: Mom, what is Tyler going to do when he's a dad?

Mom: I don't know; what do you think?

Gavin: I don't know! What is Dad going to do when Tyler is a dad?!?!

Mom: Probably hold his grandbaby!

Gavin: But what car is Dad going to ride in when he is a grandpa?

Random person: Where did your baby get her dimples?

Heidi: From her daddy.

Random person: Do your other kids have dimples?

Heidi: They do. Zach and Gavin and Kate have two and Tyler has one, but Lexi and I don't have dimples.

Lexi: (lifting up her shirt) Mom! I have dimples! See? Here and here!

This-n-that

2011-12-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

I think it's time for a little family update, don't you?

Garry has been busy at work, doing...um...work stuff. He received a "Team Impact! Recognition" award for participating on the third quarter 2011 Enterprise Matching project (see him for details). He has been sweet enough to let me sleep in several times over the last few weeks, handling the breakfast/scriptures/make lunches/get kids ready portion of the day. What a man! He has also been coming home a little earlier in the evenings, which is perfectly glorious. Occasionally I have a warm meal on the table when he walks in the door, but the Littles always attack him with hugs and kisses, which makes up for the lack on days I'm not especially domestic. Last Saturday he and the boys hung Christmas lights on the house, and they look great! Garry was also my date to the Denver Temple last night. He is currently being treated to the 12 Days of Christmas. A little gift shows up on his dresser every night after work.

I am pleased to be done Christmas shopping (assuming one of Tyler's presents is shipped to the house on time) and need to tackle wrapping next. I can't quite keep up with the housework, but am pleased to report that I am nearly caught up on the ironing. I am working on the piano portion of this piano/organ duet for our church Christmas program, and have organized a group to sing a sweet little song on Sunday in Relief Society. My musical muscles are out of practice! Last week I started a regimen of thyroid, estrogen, and progesterone medications. So far they have sent me on a wild ride. I look forward to a season of balance...one day. I logged onto familysearch.org for the first time and indexed a batch of records last week (so did Garry!), and last Sunday I subbed as a teacher in Relief Society (my favorite place to teach). Oh, and I cut bangs.

Zach is thrilled that we lifted the ban on shorts if the temperature is below 32 degrees. He enjoys the increased freedom over his wardrobe choices in frigid weather, which has eliminated a daily fight. We should have done this years ago! Zach is the resident mail-picker-upper. He also fills in as a nice baby-holder and pot-stirrer (literally and figuratively) when I need extra hands. He plays basketball on Monday nights and Saturday afternoons, although his season ends this week. Zach loves watching "Mythbusters" on Netflix and reads three or four books at a time. His current reads are Harry Potter #5, Summer of the Monkeys, and The Son of Neptune.

Since finishing up the science fair on Saturday, Tyler doesn't know what to do with his free time after school. Oh, wait...now there's more time to watch TV! Tyler also loves reading, and can often be found curled up in bed with a good book when he is supposed to be doing something else, like getting ready for school or cleaning his room. Tyler is enjoying an incentive program for controlling his temper, which has been getting out of hand lately. Somehow using Cheerios to fill up a Mason jar has flipped a switch, and Calm Tyler is on his way to earning all kinds of fun rewards.

Gavin has a love/hate relationship with preschool. He hates getting ready for preschool in the morning, but he loves being there every day. He is really thriving at school, though, and has great stories to tell after his mornings away from home. Gavin loves his birthday bean bag, back rubs, and the movie Gnomeo and Juliet. He likes to picnic on the living room rug for lunch, play games of chase and hide-and-seek with Lexi, make Kate smile, play with my hair, and do anything the big boys are doing. He does NOT like time-out, going to bed, or staying in his car seat. But using a seat belt with his booster instead of a five-point harness is pretty cool.

Lexi is a little spitfire. She has many opinions and prefers to share them in an ornery tone of voice and at the top of her lungs. She wants what she wants, and she wants it NOW. Lexi loves having her nails painted and her hair fixed "like Mommy," especially if the styling involves the flat iron (on her stick-straight hair) and hair spray. She likes the idea of bows and clips and headbands, but can rarely tolerate them for more than 30 minutes. Lexi was thrilled when she figured out that we have a back-up Betsy doggie, so now she carts both of them around. Her bed is often so crammed with books and dolls and toys at bedtime that I wonder how she can sleep in there (oh wait...she wakes up 3-5 times per night!). Lexi is also interested in wearing panties, but not in sitting on the potty for very long.

Kate is growing, growing, growing. She loves her bottles and has the rolls to prove it! I am thrilled, although she is going to blast through her 3-6 months clothes way too quickly. Kate is a happy baby and gives us lots of grins and coos. She is starting to develop an interest in toys, and in her fists. She tolerates tummy time for longer periods now and holds her head high. Kate's peach-fuzz hair is starting to grow and lighten a little bit. It will be interesting to see if she is a tow-head, too.

This update turned out to be sort of Christmas-letter-ish. 'Tis the season, right?

You're never too old for Santa Claus

2011-12-13T01:51:00.000-08:00

Our ward sponsored a pancake breakfast

with Santa Claus Saturday.

While the pancakes were nothing to write home about,

Santa Claus was a hit.

And much to my surprise,

all of our pajama-clad children

wanted to sit on Santa's lap.

So what do our children want for Christmas?

I stood close enough to listen.

Tyler:

"I don't really know, but maybe an iPod.

Or a Smell-Pod. I read about that in a magazine."

Gavin:

"Two watches, so if I lose one, I still have one. And lots of toys."

Lexi:

"Something pink. And dolls. And Mom."

Zach:

"Um....Hex Bugs and remote control Bey Blades and a remote control car."

Kate:

"Breakfast would be good."

I didn't sit on Santa's lap,

but I would like to sleep through the night for Christmas.

Do you think I might find that in my stocking?

Homework for Mom and Dad

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Another science fair has come and gone. [Insert giant sigh of relief.]

Tyler had the dubious honor of being the guinea pig for his class's science fair. While all of his classmates will complete science fair projects in the spring, Tyler did his project this fall and prepared video diaries of his progress. His teacher has been showing these videos in class to prepare everyone for next semester's projects. Tyler has enjoyed his time in the spotlight.

I tried valiantly to give Tyler the reins on his project. He selected the topic and did most of the research online. He made calculations and offered ideas and drew conclusions. He wrote the final report. He completed the display all by himself. I think his seven-year-old efforts are pretty awesome!

Zach was a good sport and helped Tyler with all of his videos, acting as a reporter on a news team. I wrote a script for each interview, which the boys relied upon more heavily as the weeks passed. Here are seven of the eight videos (#4 wouldn't upload for some reason), each a couple of minutes long. They make me laugh. Many thanks to Garry, who spent many late nights converting all the videos for classroom (and blog) use.

On Saturday night, Tyler presented his project on camera. I'm impressed with his delivery, considering I gave him about two minutes to prepare.

Overall, I think this was a good experience for Tyler. He worked hard and had a great attitude about 90% of the time. However, next time we set academic goals with the Talented and Gifted coordinator, I am going to make sure that Tyler's goals involve less parental homework.

family

2011-12-11T02:01:00.001-08:00

I spent some time on Thursday hanging our latest family pictures on the wall. Since moving here 3 1/2 years ago, our formal family photos have always been downstairs, but I decided I'd like them in a more public living space. So after arranging frames and letters on the rug, I hammered about a million holes into the wall and eventually ended up with this.

I think it will make me smile every day.

Last week as I pondered my mortality, I achieved a certain clarity that only seems to come to me in a crisis. I understood more than ever the importance of faith and family. Less meaningful things like holiday shopping, festive parties, the ironing pile, and my waistline slipped into oblivion as I thought about how much I love my children and how grateful I am for my Savior. I realized that I need to cherish holding my baby, to enjoy reading books to my preschoolers, and to take every opportunity to hug and encourage and praise my older boys. I need to hold Garry's hand and express my appreciation to him. I need to spend more time in the scriptures and make my prayers more meaningful. I need to get to the temple again. These are the things that matter most.

Since receiving the amazingly good news that I am tumor-free, I have tried to hold onto the gratitude, peace, and complete joy that settled upon me. It's like an orb of light in my chest. I hope I can always keep my priorities in line. The view from this perspective is amazing.

One phone call

2011-12-08T15:15:00.001-08:00

This week I went to my doctor (well, actually, she's a Nurse Practitioner in my OB's office) to discuss the results of some lab work she had ordered the week before. I just haven't been myself since Kate was born, and three and a half months out, I expect to feel more normal. The extreme fatigue, dizziness, headaches, insomnia, vision and memory problems, and irritability, coupled with my nursing struggles, prompted my initial visit. Lab work validated how lousy I have been feeling. My thyroid numbers were way low. Liver enzymes were high. Progesterone and estrogen levels were post-menopausal. Although blood counts didn't point to anemia, the other markers definitely showed reason for my lethargy and malaise. Melinda (the NP) wasn't surprised that I felt lousy! She was also quite concerned about what the labs meant. Two things seemed like possible culprits: early-onset menopause or a tumor on my pituitary gland.

Gulp. You know things are bad when menopause at 32 sounds terrific.

My meeting with Melinda was on Tuesday. She was content to wait for the results of additional labs, but I was not. Once the word "tumor" popped out of her mouth, I needed to know if she was right or wrong. I needed to know if I had a foreign body growing in my skull, threatening to take over my hormones, my sight, my personality. I pressed, and on Wednesday morning I found myself in an MRI machine, getting a map of my brain. That experience is on my short list of freaky medical things I never want to experience again. Aside from having my head caged and my body shoved in a tiny tunnel, the noise was deafening and frightening. And that only covers the physical discomforts! I couldn't believe what I was doing--that those 40 minutes could define the rest of my life. I would be quite content to never have another MRI in my life. It was not pleasant.

And then the waiting game began. Garry and I discovered we have very active imaginations. During waking and sleeping hours, we imagined every scenario--from best case to worse case--associated with impending brain surgery. Two of my friends have had pituitary tumors, and knowing about their experiences added details to our dreams that were scary and surreal. We certainly haven't slept enough in the last couple of days as we have pondered my mortality, five little kids who need their mama, our stressed-out bank account, and the Christmas holiday around the corner. But through it all I had complete peace. I knew that whatever happened, we'd make it through.

This afternoon I was unloading kids from the car after school and talking to a friend who was dropping something off when my cell phone rang. Immediately my heart started racing. It was Melinda. I knew she was calling with the MRI results. So with kids swarming and a friend standing by, I stood in the garage and heard her say, "The MRI looks great. You do not have a tumor."

Sweeter words were never spoken! I went weak in the knees and had to sit down. I had convinced myself that I had a tumor, and that I would be spending Christmas in a Denver ICU. Poor Garry sounded shocked when I called with good news. Of course he was relieved, but like me, he had expected the worst. My mom cried when I called her. Our prayers were answered!

Of course my symptoms persist, tumor or not. The quest to feel better has just begun. I am going to try some hormone and thyroid supplementation to see if that helps remind my body how to function properly. The way is uncertain, and I already feel like I need a nap. But I also feel like I have a new lease on life.

It's not a tumor! Hooray!!!!!

Live from Begonia Terrace

2011-12-08T05:43:00.001-08:00

Last night Zach and Tyler produced another science fair video at the kitchen table. Once again, Gavin wanted his turn in the spotlight. He and Lexi climbed into chairs and Gavin started to interview his sister. What follows is what I find to be a hilarious (and very real-life) exchange between siblings. Enjoy!

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-07T04:13:00.001-08:00

I love our Christmas tree this year, and of course the kids who decorated it.

Last night as we finally opened the boxes of ornaments, I stood back and basked in the kids' happiness. They were delighted to rediscover hand-crafted baubles of years past, "First Christmas" photos, gold and glittery ornaments from Great Grandmothers, and unique emblems symbolizing events from their lives. As the tree filled up with family memories, I snapped a few photos and made memories of my own.

2011 has been quite a year for our family and adventures are surely on the horizon. Today I have renewed gratitude for happy, healthy children; a supportive and adoring husband; my faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ; and family traditions that bind us all together.

Letter to a chair

2011-12-04T21:01:00.001-08:00

Dear recliner,

You came into my life when I was really sick, when sleeping in bed with an IV was pretty impossible. The Lovejoy family in my ward heard of my plight and donated their well-loved and care-worn chair so I could sleep more comfortably. You, dear recliner, did just that. We spent many miserable nights together, both during the IV/PICC line phase of my pregnancy and during other phases of those long nine months, when insomnia, heartburn, and/or swelling made sleeping in my bed so uncomfortable.

You were cool and comforting on hot summer nights. You were soft and squishy when other chairs were hard and stiff. You offered a comfortable place to rest my swollen feet. Garry now adores you because he fits your contours just perfectly. And of course my children love you, both for your spinning and your reclining capabilities. My walls do not love all the holes you put in them, but I imagine you don't love crashing into the walls too much, either.

Dear recliner, it is time for you to have a new home. We don't really have the space for you (especially because you're sitting in the spot where we put our Christmas tree). The kids fight over you. And I know that beggars can't be choosers, but I'm not crazy about the way you look. A really nice lady in our ward will take you away in a couple of days, and I am sure her family will love you a lot.

And even though I'm super grateful for your timely service, I'll be glad not to remember hard times whenever I look in the corner of the living room.

Best wishes,

Heidi

Party time

2011-12-03T17:47:00.001-08:00

Gavin joined the ranks of the big kids today with his very first birthday party. To say that he was thrilled would be an understatement! He has been talking about his party for a Very Long Time, and the day finally arrived.

Gavin invited five little friends from church to his Cars-themed party. Many thanks to my college friend, Melissa, who responded to my Facebook plea for party ideas with an awesome invitation and the entire structure of the party. I tweaked some things, but definitely relied on her ideas to pull together a simple party.

As the kids arrived, they zoomed Matchbox cars all over the slick hardwood floor. The boys enjoyed this more than the girls, but it kept them entertained long enough for everyone to show up. Then at "Ramone's Body Shop," we played a board game with Cars characters. I picked this up for five bucks at the party store. It was a little tedious with so many players, but I think the kids still enjoyed it.

Then we moved on to "Mater's Fishing Hole." This was a hit. I was surprised that the kids were so excited to take home paper images of their favorite movie characters.

I didn't get any pictures of "Luigi's tire toss," but the kids enjoyed throwing balls into a large black inner tube. One boy wanted to play this game for the rest of the party. He loved it! After that the kids colored giant pictures in "McQueen's Craft Corner." It was fun to see how the kids expressed themselves with their crayons. Some were meticulous and others scribbled wildly. Gavin was somewhere in the middle.

We had some time to fill, so I let the kids play with some balloons I had blown up. This was another good lesson in party planning for small folk: the simpler the better! They had more fun with cheap balloons than anything else!

The kids were nice and hyper for the opening of presents. Gavin was thrilled with his gifts.

And of course we had cake and ice cream at the end. It turns out the best picture I got of the cake was before the party, so here it is.

In the end, seven little faces looked just like this:

Tonight Gavin threw his arms around me and said, "You're the best mom ever! Thanks for my party." I'm sure his compliments were coached, but they were still music to my ears.

Public chaos

2011-12-02T20:16:00.001-08:00

It's one of those days that I think my family shouldn't be allowed in public.

Tonight was supposed to be a warm-fuzzy, put-Christ-in-Christmas sort of night. Garry and I took the kids to the Creche exhibit (which is free, open to the public, and perfectly lovely if you aren't us; how's that for an advertisement?) at our church building tonight. The event included a live reenactment of Luke 2 and displays of over 400 nativities. Musical performances in the chapel provided a nice backdrop for the tour, as well.

For most people, I imagine the experience was peaceful and sort of reverent, perhaps maybe interesting or awe-inspiring. I bet some people even had fun. But for Garry and me, it was an exercise in crowd control, constant counting of heads, and strict vigilance to make sure one of our children didn't run away, break something, or get hurt. We lost Gavin before entering the building. He and Tyler took turns disappearing throughout our stay. Zach was furious about being forced to attend in the first place, and Lexi cried about walking, and holding an adult's hand, and not being able to touch the displays.

The children's room offered a brief reprieve from the chaos, since everything in that room could be handled by little fingers. There were baby dolls and dress-up clothes and coloring pages and child-friendly nativity scenes. But there were also candy canes, which the kids quickly got all over their hands and faces. That led to play time in the bathroom. That's when Tyler disappeared, too.

The kids were all anxious to see the live animals that were available for petting before the nativity reenactment began outside. I fetched coats and we bundled up against the cold (the temperature was in the mid-20's with a breeze). Once we got outside, I felt badly that Tyler was missing the opportunity with the animals, so Kate and I went back in the church to find him, leaving Garry with Zach, Gavin, and Lexi. Tyler was completing a scavenger hunt of sorts, looking for specific nativities throughout the building. He only had one left to find, and he yelled at me when I made him come outside with me.

When we met up with Garry, he looked totally exasperated. He blurted out, "Gavin was just kicked in the stomach by a llama."

What?

Apparently Gavin scared a llama by approaching it from the rear, so the llama reacted with a swift kick to the ribs. Gavin was crying, but the injury appeared fairly minor. We decided to stay and just monitor Gavin's pain level, hoping the kick wasn't a big deal. Garry and Zach secured seats for everyone and then went to get hot chocolate. Lexi hadn't had her chocolate in hand for two seconds when she spilled it all over herself. Then she started stomping on her chair in anger, and made Garry spill his hot chocolate all over her chair. I went back inside to get paper towels to clean up the mess, and then I stood in a long line to get hot chocolate for Garry and me.

Our seats for the performance were close to the back and we couldn't see anything. Lexi stood on her chair and whined that she couldn't see. Gavin ran up and down the aisle. When the wise men walked down the aisle with the llama, Gavin yelled, "That's the llama that kicked me!" Shortly afterward, Tyler wanted to leave the seating area to get a second cup of hot chocolate and when we asked him to sit down, he turned red in the face and crushed his styrofoam cup in his hand.

Somehow we survived the next 10 minutes until the closing number of the performance. Garry and I kept exchanging significant glances, as if to say, "Are we done yet?" "Why do we even try?" "This was SUCH a bad idea." Then Lexi started screaming--full-blown, toddler-tantrum style. Garry got up to take her to the car, and Gavin ran after him. I collected the big boys and we made a hasty exit.

I had to stay to sing with the ward choir in the chapel, but I helped buckle everyone into the car. Three of the kids were crying. Garry had a wild-eyed look about him. As I closed the last door, I told him I would get a ride home. His response: "THE KIDS WILL BE IN BED."

And he was right. I came home to a quiet house. As we recounted the details of the evening, we laughed together and made a solemn vow to never take the children anywhere ever again.

Until tomorrow, of course.

Fantastic Four

2011-11-30T08:09:00.001-08:00

Gavin Drew, our energetic, curious, enthusiastic, spunky, perceptive, affectionate preschooler, is four years old today. In some ways, it seems like he was a baby just yesterday, but in others, his life seems to have encompassed much more than four years! Gavin is a boy just bursting with spark and personality. We're lucky to call him ours.

Gavin is certainly a mover and a shaker. Running, jumping, climbing, biking, hanging, and spinning are still his favorite things. All of his birthday gifts, from immediate and extended family alike, suited his active temperament. He received baseball gear, a balance board, Velcro "monster mitts," a bean bag, a chinning bar, a pogo stick, and Nerf guns. He also got the clothes he is wearing in these photos.

Gavin's little body is always busy--but so is his mind. With all of his who/what/when/ where/why questions, he might grow up to be a scientist or an inventor or a doctor or an investigative reporter! For now, he is thriving in preschool and keeping us entertained at home. Life is never dull with Gavin around.

Gavin and Lexi are best buddies. They love to play together, and Lexi idolizes her big brother, copying everything he does and says. Gavin, in turn, wants to do everything Zach and Tyler are doing. He considers himself one of the big boys.

Gavin has finally entered a stage of enjoying television. While I probably shouldn't be thrilled with this, I admit that it is perfectly lovely to know he will turn on a show and sit and watch it! His favorite shows are Go, Diego, Go!, Sid the Science Kid, Busytown Mysteries, and the Cars movies. He was sooo sad (so was I!) when Netflix stopped offering Word World episodes. He could probably watch that show all day! I credit that program with turning Gavin onto reading (which he does, a little).

Gavin loves banana-and-Nutella sandwiches, grapes, chicken nuggets, goldfish crackers, spaghetti, and milk. He loves cuddling with pillows and blankets. He loves comfy clothes like t-shirts and track pants. He loves his puffy orange coat. He loves dancing to music, being silly, and making people laugh. He loves giving hugs and kisses. He loves having his back scratched. He loves playing with my hair. He loves family scripture time and giving Family Home Evening lessons. He loves Primary songs, and I'm certain he can feel the Holy Ghost whispering to his heart.

This evening as we were preparing to use the video camera for Tyler's science fair project, Gavin wanted some time on camera. And so this candid, impromptu, charming interview was born. It captures Gavin's awesome personality perfectly.

Gavin is such a fantastic kid. Watching him learn and grow this year has brought us great joy.

The 10th percentile

2011-11-29T13:38:00.001-08:00

Kate had another weight check today. Any guesses on her weight?

Well, I will tell you: 11 pounds! Wow! She gained a pound and a half in the last two weeks! Kate is back on the 10th percentile line (she was below the 3rd a month ago) and Dr. Yochim is thrilled with her progress. Garry and I have marveled at how Kate has grown before our eyes. On our trip she was clearly growing out of her newborn diapers and size 0-3 months clothes. She suddenly has chubby legs and a round belly and a nice soft chin. (Kate and I share these attributes, but somehow chub only looks good on babies.)

Last week while we were in Mesa, I spent about 20 minutes nursing Kate. I thought it was a pretty good feeding, but Kate wasn't satisfied until she had 3.5 ounces of formula, too. That's when I decided that formula is the way to go. So for the last week or so I've been cutting back on nursing. We're down to about once a day. It has been a painful transition for me, of course, but Kate is doing just fine. She's actually super hungry all the time (making up for lost time, apparently) and doesn't seem to have any bad reactions to the formula. Formula feeding has a learning curve for me, but we are finding our groove.

Now if we can find some more happy baby grins for the camera, we'll be set.

Road Trip: The off-road parts

2011-11-29T11:26:00.001-08:00

Our Thanksgiving road trip is done! We spent lots of time on the road, covering 2,074 miles in five states in ten days. Half of our vacation days were travel days, since we broke up the driving into manageable chunks of 5-8 hours. The kids traveled really well, thanks in large part to our portable DVD players and lots of snacks. Between heating bottles at gas stations and making numerous stops for food and potties and fuel, we definitely had our roadside adventures, but overall I'd call the effort a success.

I hardly took any pictures on our trip (maybe because I always had a babe in arms!), but hopefully this brief rundown will help us recall our happy memories one day.

Our time in Mesa was full of family fun. On Saturday evening my parents hosted most of my siblings and their families for a hot dog dinner. It was so great to see everyone! The kids immediately reconnected with their cousins and Granny's swing set and play room.

The adults sat around a table for hours, just talking and laughing. The next night everyone congregated at my parents' house for dinner again. More playing and eating and laughing! Eric told Tyler he would pay him a dollar to lick his elbow. Tyler tried valiantly for about 15 minutes, providing ample entertainment for us all! My favorite part of our trip was late-night laughter with the adults on the couch. I haven't laughed so much in a really long time. I love being related to such funny people!

Since the entire family was present for the weekend, we also had a photographer take some family portraits. It was a fun photo session. I'm happy to have this time in our family's life recorded, even if I'm not thrilled with my figure right now. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for making the effort to do this for us!

On Monday and Tuesday we had more play time with cousins. We played at a park, ate pizza together, played with Granny's toys, and visited the farm animals in Granny's neighborhood. The boys were quite enamored with this giant cactus. We were definitely in the desert!

I also had the chance to lunch with my dear friend, Melanie. She made excellent company and even better conversation! I'm still not sure why she had to move away, but I take comfort in seeing her a few times a year. Garry had his own lunch date while in Mesa. Two of his high school buddies, Mike and Tyler, live in Gilbert, so they got together for the first time since their BYU days. (No photo, though.)

Leaving Mesa on Wednesday was extra hard because Eric's wife, Jentry, was in labor with their first child. I had SO hoped that little Beckham would arrive during our stay so I could meet him! Late that night Jentry delivered him by c-section. On Thanksgiving Day we enjoyed a video chat through Skype. Thank goodness for technology. A piece of my heart is always in Mesa with my dear family.

Garry's family welcomed us with open arms when we arrived on Wednesday evening. The seven-hour drive to Logandale, NV wasn't too bad, although everyone was definitely tired of the car! We enjoyed a few hours of visiting with Garry's sister, Heidi, who left for California the next morning. Garry's grandma was also visiting for the weekend and we were glad for a chance to see her. Many of Garry's cousins were in town for the holiday weekend, which made for some fun reunions on Thursday night.

We enjoyed a yummy Thanksgiving meal together on Thursday and then Garry's cousin took family pictures for us.

Afterwards, Garry and the kids enjoyed Grandma and Grandpa's trampoline, which our boys listed as one of their favorite parts of our trip. Watching them fly in the air made me smile.

Garry and the boys helped Duane and Becky with several projects around the house. On Friday afternoon they took a substantial pomegranate harvest and participated in the juicing process. Gavin was especially engaged in this activity! Some of the kids also took a ride on a horse that afternoon.

While the boys worked, Grandma Terry bought my purse, which she had admired since our arrival. I transferred my belongings to a plastic bag. I'll be laughing about that for a long time.

On Friday night Garry and the boys helped hang Christmas lights. Zach was thrilled to lend a hand in high places, but Lexi stayed a little closer to the ground.

We also celebrated Gavin's fourth birthday a little early. He was thrilled with the BBQ, the lemon pie, and his baseball gear from Grandma and Grandpa. What fun!

On Saturday we left for home, stopping in Grand Junction, CO for the night. Thankfully, our final leg was peaceful and fast; we completed the journey in just 4.5 hours without stopping once! We were happy to find our house in one piece (though still very messy!). Although the trip was wonderful, it is good to be back. There's no place like home.

Road Trip: Episode Two

2011-11-26T20:55:00.001-08:00

I'm sitting in a dark motel room, listening to my children sleep. It's a glorious sound, really.

Three hours ago, we pulled into the parking lot of a Wendy's restaurant in Grand Junction, Colorado. 6:45 is much later than the kids are used to eating, but we left Logandale much later than expected. Everyone was hungry, tired, and ready to get out of the van after 7.5 hours on the road. Lexi had spilled her water bottle all over herself, Kate had a full diaper, and Gavin had been coughing all afternoon. By the time we got ourselves into the restaurant, Lexi, Kate, and Gavin were crying. Lexi was soaked from head to toe, Gavin looked like he'd been a fight with a garbage disposal, Tyler had major bedhead, and I'm sure my appearance resembled that of the half-crazed Old Woman who lived in a shoe.

Garry ordered our food while I helped Lexi change into pajamas. He and I took turns trying to get hot water out of the bathroom sinks, since the cashier said hot water for a bottle could only be obtained that way. The boys pinged off the walls like pinballs on speed. Various Wendy's employees and patrons just stopped and stared at the melee.

We had selected Wendy's for dinner because we all wanted chocolate Frosties, but the chocolate machine was broken. A small vanilla Frosty was a poor substitute. Zach started crying because his Frosty wasn't big enough. Gavin and Lexi ate their ice cream but didn't touch their burgers and just threw their fries on the floor. They begged for cups of water so they could peel open more straws. Kate fussed in Garry's arms because she was hungry, but Wendy's doesn't sell formula on the value menu. Only Tyler ate contentedly.

Eventually the bedlam was too much--even for us--so we cleared out. On the way out the door, Gavin suddenly started screaming and clutching his ear. He had been coughing and sniffling all day, so I shouldn't have been surprised that an ear infection might be brewing. I gave him a dose of ibuprofen in the car. He was quite upset that it didn't numb his pain immediately. Lexi cried in her soaking wet car seat, which we padded with a blanket for the short drive to the motel.

A bright spot in the evening was our two-room suite at the Quality Inn. Our family of seven fit much better in three beds than in two. Kids changed into pajamas and brushed teeth while Garry brought in the overnight bag, toiletry bag, and a few other supplies. He also brought up Lexi's car seat, which I dismantled and started drying with a blow dryer. Then it was time for bed.

After a family prayer, the kids found their sleeping spots. Gavin and Zach were thrilled to share a bed, but Tyler refused to sleep with Lexi because she has diarrhea and he thought she would stink. Tyler opted to sleep on the floor and fell asleep almost immediately. But the others? Boy howdy, they were wired! I rubbed backs and sang Primary songs for more than an hour--until I was hoarse, actually--and finally gave up. Garry's magic touch finally convinced Gavin and Lexi to hold still long enough to sleep.

It remains to be seen whether Gavin's cough, Gavin's ears, Lexi's bowels, or Kate's belly will be the first to awaken us. My body is aching for a good night of sleep. But I will be content with the ice cream Garry just fetched from a nearby restaurant and whatever quality sleep comes before daybreak.

And then we hit the road for home.

Behind the scenes

2011-11-22T14:45:00.001-08:00

"Dixon, Party of 22!"

That's what my dad has to say when the whole family gets together. Our party of 22 is composed of 12 adults and 10 children (with another coming any day!). And when that whole group gets together, it's definitely a par-tay!

On Sunday afternoon the family gathered for a photo session. The photographer had a real job on her hands, so those who weren't being photographed tried to entertain those who were in the hot seat. I got a real kick out of watching my parents and siblings doing their best to make sure everyone kept smiling.

Here, Holly and my mom were playing a very active game of peek-a-boo to entertain David's kids.

Then Holly and Ryan entertained Angie's kids with this little number.

Angie loved on Kate to keep her happy.

Rachel led the kids in Simon Says to keep them still and clean.

Eric tried to make Jentry go into labor.

And Ryan and Eric made me laugh...again and again and again.

Somewhere in the middle I captured these fun photos of Gavin and his cousin, Chloe, who is five.

I can't wait to see the pictures our photographer took. They should arrive just in time to send out with our Christmas cards!