The Felker Family

Sidewalk Chalk Is Non-Toxic, Right?

2012-01-06T12:51:00.000-06:00

One is Fun!

2012-01-02T23:36:00.002-06:00

Lucy is One!

2011-12-23T11:55:00.000-06:00

Miss Lucy is one!

She is a busy little girl that only stops to sleep and sometimes eat.

I don't have many photos of her looking at the camera anymore because I can't get her to sit still long enough.

The photos are either blurry,

or they are of the back of her head.

She has definitely mastered walking and has about mastered running! She loves to climb. Any time the baby gate is not in front of the stairs she makes a dash for them. She also loves to sing! When she finds a paper, she holds it up like it's sheet music and sings her heart out. She does the same with any kind of book, although she is beginning to love to have them read to her, too.

She is BUSY!!! Either I don't remember the other kids (except Elizabeth) being in to everything, or I'm not such a youthful parent anymore. I call her The Tornado. How can one little baby make such messes so quickly?! I just think she is going to be a smarty pants and is curious about everything. Or at least that's what I tell myself as I've put the Tupperware back into the cabinet for the 89th time each day.

Happy birthday, sweet Lucy!

Who Needs Toys?

2011-12-14T00:47:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I laugh when I think about the difference in my parenting from Ross to Lucy. It's not that I love #5 any less than #1. It's just a natural loosening up I guess. For instance, with Ross I think I never left home without anything he might possibly need - toys, extra clothes, wipes and diapers, books, etc. I laughed recently when at church I realized there were no toys in the diaper bag for Lucy to play with. I offered her a shoe. And last week I gave her some dental floss to hold while I was shuttling kids back and forth. She seemed to enjoy it.

I don't think she even needs actual toys for Christmas. I might just send the kids around the house to wrap objects we already have on hand. Maybe a toothbrush, coaster, tape, Q-tips. They're just as fun, right?

11 Months

2011-12-07T17:18:00.000-06:00

Lucy is officially a little walker! With her new found mobility comes a curious nature. She is in to EVERYTHING. She opens cabinets, empties drawers, rips up papers, climbs everything, and on and on all day long.

She has brought so much joy to so many. Her role in our family has been especially important at this very sad time for us. My brother, Ben, passed away very unexpectedly two days before Thanksgiving. Lucy's smiles, tender snuggles, and happiness have helped our hearts. Our entire family has been together a lot over these last two weeks. The night of Ben's funeral we had a sleepover at my parents, even though we just live one block up the street from Mom and Dad, and my sister's family lives about three blocks away. All sixteen of us brought pillows and sleeping bags, just to be a little closer to one another. As we all gathered for bedtime prayers in the living room, Lucy entertained the crowd. She climbed all over the pallets, clapped, giggled, and put on a show. Everyone was laughing and cheering her on. I had the distinct impression that those ten minutes of pure joy she was bringing to our wounded family were the reason she was sent to our family. I think back nineteen months ago and remember the shock upon learning a baby would be joining our already large family. How grateful I am that our Father knew we would need her so much at this specific time in our lives.

They're On To Me

2011-11-21T00:17:00.001-06:00

After twelve years of parenting I've figured out why I have naughty little children. Much too often I CAN'T HELP LAUGHING WHEN I SHOULD BE DISCIPLINING!

Case in point: Mallory got in trouble and we had to make good on a threat to send her to bed early. An hour after she was sent to bed, I walked around the corner to find her sitting on the stairs playing with her doll. I stopped in my tracks and gave her The Look. She immediately replied with a straight face, "I can explain it all." She proceeded to concentrate really hard and was deep in thought for about ten seconds. She then responded, "Actually I can't. It's too hard to explain." I had to stifle my giggles behind Lucy's little head, but Mallory was on to me and broke out in a laugh herself.

My kids are smart! They've figured out that all they need to do is say something witty or clever and I lose it.

Crazy Things I've Heard This Week

2011-11-18T08:40:00.000-06:00

*Do poor people use socks instead of napkins? (Drew)

*I'm gonna name one of my kids Cute Face if they have a cute face. (Mallory)

*Mom, you look like a penguin with swagger! (Elizabeth, embarrassed as I showed her some of my dance moves)

*Lizzie! You're getting into my darkness! (Mallory, said as Elizabeth blocked the light as she was crafting)

*Me: Mallory, why are you wearing two pair of underwear?
Mallory: In case we have a fire and the other ones fall off.

~Everything I've ever posted from Mallory, she has said seriously. She has never said any of these things to try to get a laugh, unlike some of the other kids. That makes what she says even funnier to me!

I Want To Remember

2011-11-13T00:58:00.000-06:00

It's these little things I want to always remember.

Lucy always perches her tiny little foot on the handle of her high chair tray. Always. And it makes me smile. Always. I want to remember this. Just like I want to remember when Ross was her age he always kicked off his right shoe and pulled off his sock every time he got in his car seat. And I want to remember how Elizabeth held a section of her hair and rubbed it against her mouth and nose when she was a sleepy toddler. And I want to remember how Drew loved earlobes. He liked to feel them. He loved to feel a newborn baby's earlobes the best. And his cousin Sterling's. If he loved you, he rubbed your earlobes. And I want to remember how Mallory said "squirrel." When she said it, it sounded like "squeal."

It's the small things that make a mommy smile.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-13T00:33:00.000-06:00

I'm a bit behind these days! Halloween 2011 is in the books. This was the first year Ross didn't dress up. Sniff, sniff. He hung out with my nephew, Grant, and some friends while we took the other kids trick-or-treating.

The above photos were taken by my talented friend, Kacey. The backdrop was painted by her mother. Talent obviously runs in their family!

Elizabeth was inspired by a friend and chose to be a mime. She won a costume contest with this cute little number. And of course she had an act which she gladly performed upon request.

Drew (not so happy to have his photo taken) wanted to be Mario. More specifically he wanted to be this Mario riding Yoshi. I always feel a little bit of pressure with the confidence the kids have in my costume-making abilities! I made an attempt, and it was utterly ridiculous. I really wish I would have taken pictures, but just imagine Squidward instead of Yoshi. Epic fail.

Mallory's cute little owl came from recycled sweaters from the thrift store as I said in a previous post.

And Lucy's little sock monkey costume also came from a thrift store sweater. She, too, won a costume contest for "Most Original." She was the cutest little sock monkey around!

10 Months Old

2011-11-07T10:32:00.000-06:00

Oops! I forgot to post this one. I'd better do it before she is officially 11 months old.

Our smiley girl now has six teeth. And she uses them. She's a bit of a biter. And for that very reason she is no longer nursing.

She is a busy little baby that loves to explore. She is FAST! She has made us baby-proof lickity-split!

She loves to play peek-a-boo. She can say Mama, Daddy, Baby, Hi, and I think Grammy.

She stands alone and is starting to take a few steps. It's fun to watch the other kids as they are so excited for her when she does.

She remains the family toy!

Crazy Things I've Heard (From Mallory) This Week

2011-11-01T23:26:00.000-05:00

*I wish Daddy had a beard that looked like this leaf. (Mallory)

*Edward: Mallory, what is one of the 10 Commandments?
Mallory: Always brush your teeth?

*I look evil. (Mallory, wearing a shirt with a collar that was sticking up)

*This stain on my shirt looks pretty, doesn't it Mommy? (Mallory)

Giving Credit Where It Is Due

2011-10-27T00:54:00.000-05:00

I posted a few pictures on Facebook today of Mallory and Lucy in their costumes. While I did make their costumes, the ideas are NOT mine so I cannot take one bit of credit. I am one of those nerdy moms that enjoys making her kids' costumes. The kids and I have a lot of fun deciding on costumes each year. We peruse the Internet looking for inspiration. What would I do without the Internet?! My life's motto is, "There is no need to reinvent the wheel." Pretty much anything I do in life revolves around this motto! My secret is out.

Last month as the kids and I were coming up with this year's costume ideas, I had a hard time nailing Mallory down to something reasonable. I am not exaggerating when I say two of her suggestions were hair and a digital clock. I think when I asked her what she wanted to be, she would just look around the room and tell me the first thing she saw. When I saw this cute little owl costume created by the genius Alphamom, I talked her into it.

(The inspiration)

I raided my closet and found a few sweaters I wasn't using anymore and cut them up. I didn't want her to have to mess with a mask, so I bought a regular sock cap from the dollar store and cut it up and refashioned it. I love all the cute knitted hats, but sadly, I don't know how to knit. I stitched the shapes on the hat and sewed it back into this creation. I must say it looks darling on her.

Grosgrain Fabulous created the inspiration for Lucy's costume. It's so soft and warm and thrifty!

(The inspiration)

It turned out really cute. The material came from a Goodwill sweater that worked perfectly. Again, I took an existing hat and hand sewed the pieces on. I'm not crazy about the mouth, but not annoyed enough to redo it. :) And Lucy is not crazy about the hat. It just has to stay tied on at all times. Sorry, Lucy!

Our favorite costume that we've done in the past was inspired by this costume from my go-to website, coolest-homemade-costumes.com

(The Inspiration)

Here is our adaptation. It was so cool! Obviously the head and legs belong to Ross. We built a torso and arms for the mad scientist. It was a lot of fun.

Family Fun is another great resource for costumes. This cute little mermaid was the inspiration for Mallory when she was two. Any costume that incorporates a stroller is great in my book.

(The inspiration)

Mallory - age 2

;

Another idea from coolest-homemade-costumes.com.

(The inspiration)

Drew - age 4

We don't do blood and gore at Halloween at our house. It gets kind of hard for bigger boys to look cool at Halloween with those rules, so we have to get creative. When Ross was ten he was inspired by this man-eating shark costume listed on ebay. I was a little daunted at his faith in me!

(The inspiration)

Here is our take on the idea.

When Mallory was a baby, I fell in love with the baby chicken costume published on Martha Stewart's website.

(The inspiration)

Six-month old Mallory in all of her feathery sweetness.

Another Family Fun inspiration.

(The inspiration)

Elizabeth - age6

The kids and I have a lot of fun with Halloween, but I am no where near creative enough to come up with our ideas on my own! Thank goodness for the Internet!

Origami

2011-10-22T22:18:00.000-05:00

(The inspiration)

"Hey, Mom. Here's my origami Yoda. Nailed it."

This kid is a riot.

Crazy Things I Heard This Week

2011-10-21T15:50:00.000-05:00

*I'm a vampire, and toilet paper is unbreakable to vampires. (Mallory)

*These shoes look like potatoes. (Elizabeth)

*I think there's a toenail in my eyeball! (Mallory, crying because her eye hurt)

*I'm going to be the first pianist to play with his chin! (Ross, after getting in trouble for jacking around during piano practice)

*Mom, that would be offensive to hobos. (Elizabeth)

Crazy Things I Heard This Week

2011-10-13T16:39:00.002-05:00

*I'm 60 years old. They say I have dementia, but I don't think I'm demented. (Random woman that struck up a conversation with me at a thrift store)

*Mexicans make good hamburgers. (Elizabeth - eating at a Mexican restaurant)

*This candle doesn't taste good. (Mallory)

*Elizabeth (talking a little baseball thanks to the excitement of the Cards making it to the playoffs): They could put Pujols in Yadier's position
Me: Pujols as the catcher?!?!
Elizabeth: If it's the Lord's will.

9 Months

2011-10-02T23:20:00.001-05:00

Lucy is 9 months old and as sweet as ever! She is 19 lbs. and 14 oz. Her top two teeth have made it through, but it was ROUGH! I suspect her next two top teeth will emerge any day.

She loves to wave!

And eat- whether or not something is edible! She's not too picky!

She has the most beautiful, long and thick eyelashes.

And it's getting harder and harder to get her to sit still!

She doesn't stay in one place for too long. She has places to go and people to see!

Candy Girl

2011-09-30T23:30:00.000-05:00

Since Lucy is incredibly mobile these days, no one is safe from her scavenging. If she sees or hears someone eating, she is there at lightning speed. Earlier in the week Ross had a sucker in his mouth. When Lucy noticed, she was like, "Roooosssss! Buddy ol' pal. How ya doin'?"

Crazy Things I Heard This Week (And Crazy Conversations)

2011-09-28T23:48:00.001-05:00

*Awwwww! Baby slippers!!!! (Mallory, upon seeing these hair removal pads)

*(Drew singing) Kumbaya, Lord. Kumbaya! Lady Gaga wrote that.

*I wish I could meet Mr. Rogers in real life, but he's dead, isn't he, Mom? (Mallory)

*Ross: (Grumbles about doing a writing assignment) This is useless.
Me: Bud, writing is something you will use for the rest of your life. You will use it in your job.
Ross: No I won't. I'm going to be an MLB player.
Me: Well then, it will help you with your English. You need to sound proper when you are interviewed.
Ross: I'll just pretend like I'm Dominican.

*Mallory: Will you tell me the story of the Ugly Duckling?
Me: (After I tell the story) See? We all have feelings, and we don't want them to be hurt. We are kind to everyone.
Mallory: Yeah, even ugly people.

43 Days

2011-09-17T22:33:00.001-05:00

43. That's how many days are left until Halloween! That means it's time for me to start thinking about costumes for the kids. I'm one of those nutty moms that loves to make handmade costumes for her kids. If at all possible, I try to steer them toward ideas that are outside the box. I enjoy seeing them dressed as something other than the thousands of Spidermans and Cinderellas I see each year. That's not to say we haven't had a child dress as Spiderman or Cinderella - we have. I just enjoy coming up with unique costumes.

My motto with everything in life is "there is no need to reinvent the wheel." I live by it. And with the world at my fingertips, I get a lot of ideas online. Halloween costumes are no different. All of our ideas from years' past have come from the Internet. This costume of Ross's was our best yet. We received many compliments and had a lot of fun.

This year, I've come across a few ideas on my new obsession, Pinterest. Here are two Drew and I are considering:

Mario

A Despicable Me Minion

And I can't decide which of these two I'll be dressing Lucy as. They are both darling!

An aerobic instructor

http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2010

Or a sock monkey

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com

Which one should I choose?

Crazy Things I Heard This Week

2011-09-14T16:38:00.001-05:00

*This feels like your stomach after Lucy was born. (Drew, said while kneading dough with me)

*Mom, that's so weird I don't even know what it means! (Elizabeth, unappreciative of my humor)

*I can't fit my big toe in my nose. (Mallory)

*Hey! Did you know I can crack an egg with one hand?! I would make a good amputee! (Elizabeth)

*Mom, I want to call sleep "shut-off," okay? (Mallory)

*Mallory: Does Lucy have a brain?
Me: Yes.
Mallory: Well she doesn't know a lot of stuff. She's not very smart.

Excercise is Wierd

2011-09-09T13:56:00.002-05:00

Let it be known that I do not enjoy exercising. (I know. I know. Looking at my figure that's pretty hard to believe.) I have never enjoyed it. I distinctly remember every year in elementary school the dread I felt when it was time to run the mile for the Presidential Physical Fitness Test. I loved my PE teacher. He is still special to me to this day. However, lap after lap, as I ran with a stitch in my side, I remember muttering under my breath that he should have to run if we were being forced to.

I go through spells of catching glimpses of myself in full length mirrors and deciding I need to do better at getting in shape. I'll get on a kick for a while then remember why I hate it then come up with excuses not to exercise. I wish I was one of those people that runs and enjoys it. I truly admire them. But I simply cannot wrap my brain around it. Running for fun makes about as much sense to me as people who enjoy taking part in the Polar Bear Plunge - you know breaking the ice to jump nearly naked into a pond in the winter. I don't get it.

I recently read that one can lose 1 pound for every 7000 jumping jacks. Break that up over a week, and it's 1000 jumping jacks per day. I can handle losing four pounds a month. So I decided to give it a try. I calculated that I can do 100 jumping jacks 10 times per day. No sweat. So today I decided would be day one. "Ten. Eleven. Twelve..." Mallory looked over and yelled, "MOM! Stop it! That's embarrassing!" I immediately cracked up and stopped bouncing. I said, "I'm just doing jumping jacks." She whined, "That's weird! Stop!" Apparently my children think everything I do is aimed at embarrassing them. I told her, "Just don't look at me." To which she replied, "Just go in the other room. I can still see you."

I went into the other room and began jumping again. This time little Lucy crawled around the corner after me. As she came in the room and sat down, she began cackling when she saw me! Even a baby knows exercising looks unnatural on me.

Vote for Elizabeth!

2011-09-01T08:48:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth has decided to run for Student Council at her school. She needs to come up with one poster to hang up in her hallway for the campaign. She has asked me to brainstorm with her. We are having trouble agreeing on a slogan that is suitable. I think her ideas are a little too bland. She wants something like, "Elizabeth for StuCo. Just Do It." As with everything else, she thinks my ideas are weird and embarrassing. We even asked my witty brothers for suggestions, but they were also embarrassing to her.

I browsed one of my favorite blogs last night for ideas. I came up with a few, and she laughed when she saw them. But the thought of her peers seeing them mortified her. I think they are hilarious if I do say so myself.

She is a little more inclined to use one of these of Lucy.

I had a lot of fun doing these. Maybe I should just run for StuCo myself!

The Only Thing Better Than An Ice Cream Cone...

2011-08-26T16:37:00.000-05:00

...is enjoying it with your sister.

Crazy Things I've Heard (Recently)

2011-08-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I've posted about the crazy things I've heard recently. I'm not going to lie. It's because the end of summer break can be brutal, and I didn't think the kids were too funny anymore. But now that they're back in school, I can find the funnies again. Without further ado,

*Lucy's trying to kill me! She's trying to tackle me. She'd be good at linebacker or center because she's sort of fast, she can hit, and she can sorta block. (Drew)

*Mom, even when we're sleeping the government is watching us? (Mallory - asked while looking at the eyeball on a dollar bill)

*Are we gonna have to live under the bridge with the hobos?! (Elizabeth)

*Can you tell me a real story about fake people? (Mallory)

*Death smells like cheap perfume and used tissues. (Elizabeth - said upon entering a funeral home)

8 Months Old

2011-08-22T17:36:00.000-05:00

Miss Lucy at 8 months. Still cute and smiley!

Her new loves this month are clapping...

kisses...

and playing the piano. She is OBSESSED with the piano. You can't walk past it while holding her without her trying to jump out of your arms to play.

Pocket Safety

2011-08-19T00:08:00.001-05:00

It's back to school time for our kids. *Hallelujah chorus plays* The first few days are filled with learning new routines and rules. While I try to encourage the children to have good attitudes about the school year and teachers, I had a bit of a hard time being positive about one of Ross's PE rules. He came home today to tell me about gym. This is the one that got me: They are not allowed to wear shorts with pockets to gym class because if the kids run, they might get one of their fingers caught in the pockets, dislocating or breaking a bone. *Crickets chirping*

I've been alive for thirty-three years. I've never met anyone who has had a pocket mishap in gym class, resulting in a maimed digit. I've never even heard of that. Perhaps instead of gym clothes, the kids should just wear bubble wrap.

Needle In A Haystack

2011-08-17T13:43:00.000-05:00

Lucy is at the stage of finding microscopic particles on the ground. If it is tiny and barely visible to the naked eye, she will find it. We've told the kids that it is very important for us to vacuum regularly and make sure things are picked up off the floor. Their solutiuon is to buy a playpen and keep her in it.

Mud Fest 2011

2011-08-08T10:25:00.000-05:00

While I normally detest the kids making unnecessary messes, I stepped out of my comfort zone and let them play in a little mud Saturday. Our community had a Mud Fest in one of the local parks to encourage recycling. Personally, I didn't get the connection. Oh, well. They had a blast.

Drew, in orange, was the first to compete. A HUGE obstacle course was set up, and the winners of the heats were suppose to compete in the end.

Drew jumping over the barrels

That kid is so fast! Even in the soggy mud he passed kids from the two races before him.

Dirty Monkey Boy

Almost done!

Even his teeth were dirty!

And his ears.

Lucy was like, "You fools are insane."

Mallory took a turn.

Her muddy little foot

And it turns out she hated it. She was finished pretty quickly.

Much cleaner and much happier

Elizabeth (on the left) competed with her friend, Anna.

It's hard to tell because all of the muddy kids look the same after a while, but Elizabeth and Anna are on the ramp.

Getting ready to cross the finish line

Muddy beard

Elizabeth and Anna, and their pretty white teeth

Of course Edward had to compete. He and Ross are ready to go.

Showing Ross no mercy! "Eat my mud, Ross!"

Ross

This is my cousin, Joe. The kids said, "Mom, that's Joey." I never would have recognized him, and I don't know how they did. All you could see was his blue eyes!

We ended up throwing all socks away and most of the clothes after the festival. We never let the kids play in the mud so we thought, "Why not." It certainly will go down in the memory books!

7 Months

2011-08-08T00:17:00.000-05:00

I figure I had better post Lucy's 7 month photos before she reaches her birthday! This month really got away from me. Some of her new tricks include clapping and rolling herself any where she wants.

She fake-laughs to try to get people to laugh. We sit in the pew in front of my sister's family at church each Sunday. When we go sit down, she looks down the line at them laughing, knowing she's about to get some attention.

She loves to pull Drew's hair and chew on his head when he's lying on the floor. She doesn't do it so much to the others. I suppose she has an inborn knowledge that she's suppose to be rowdy with her brother.

She has also really grown to love her Daddy. She nearly jumps out of my arms when she catches a glimpse of him. None of the other kids have reacted that way to him this early, and it makes for happy people all around.

Lucy went from this...

...to this fakeness...

...to this elation in a matter of about four seconds. She is such a happy girl.

Crawling is just around the corner. She gets where she wants by an assortment of methods. Currently she does a little move we call "The Inchworm." It's like a little combat crawl, but she always inches along by pushing off with the toes on her left foot.

And those cheeks!

Rubber Girl Is At It Again

2011-08-03T00:11:00.000-05:00

I came around the corner to find Mallory in this position. Her head and her feet are on the same step.

Elizabeth gave it a try.

It turns out she's not quite as flexible as Rubber Girl.

She's A Smart One

2011-07-24T23:43:00.000-05:00

Ever since we have had kids, we have chosen to take a break from all TV on Sundays (Yep. Even the Super Bowl). It really is nice to unplug from the world on the Sabbath. The kids can watch what they call church movies as well as home videos and classic movies like The Wizard of Oz. The kids are constantly telling us that The Three Stooges are classics (That is a little true.).

Tonight my little Mr. Bean fanatic, Mallory, asked if she could watch a Mr. Bean episode. When we told her no, she asked, "How about the episode when he goes to church?"

She's a smart one, that Mallory!

Freckles

2011-07-23T00:25:00.010-05:00

A Flat Tire and the St. Louis Arch

2011-07-21T01:01:00.000-05:00

Saturday turned into an adventurous day for our family. We had planned to travel up to the St. Louis Temple and spend a fun day in the city afterward. However, about twenty miles away from the temple we blew a tire. On an eight lane highway. Thankfully Edward got over to the shoulder safely, but it was scary.

Let me just say, vehicle operation manuals should be much easier to understand. When you're shaken and nervous it's hard to get your wits about you. If you've never changed a tire, you should be able to easily follow the instructions. It took us about twenty minutes to calm down long enough to figure out the first step to change the tire.

And wouldn't you know, two of the kids had to go to the bathroom. I gave them two options. 1.) Strap on one of Lucy's diapers or 2.) Walk into the woods twenty-five feet away. They chose the woods. I asked Edward if it would be inappropriate for me to get out the camera and document the situation for my blog. After a laser beam was emitted from his eyeballs, I told him I was kidding. Kind of. And not two minutes after Tina Tiny Bladder and her partner, Mr. Puddles, got back into the van, a police officer pulled up behind us. I honestly don't know what I would have told him if he saw two children emerge from the woods and get into our van while we sat reading a vehicle operating manual as our back tire lay shredded on the side of the road. The officer made sure we were okay and then headed on his way.

An hour later we were rolling again, this time on the spare. And for my sisters-in-law that are reading this, YES, my manly husband changed the tire. I know you will be impressed! We were a mile from a tire service station when the tire blew. $750 later (ouch) and an hour later we were good as new. We didn't have time to make it to the temple, so we grabbed a bite to eat and decided to head to the St. Louis Arch.

We parked and planned to make a quick stop inside and to the top. That didn't quite happen. Now, I've lived close to the Arch all of my life. I have only been up to the top once, and that was when I was about eight years old. The last time I went up, it was a quick trip. Being a Saturday in July, we did not have a quick trip. We were there for nearly four hours. While I recommend going to the Arch, I don't recommend going on a Saturday in July. Perhaps a Tuesday morning in March, but not a Saturday in July. WAY too crowded.

After all is said and done, I'm glad the kids got to experience the Arch. It's one thing we can cross off our To Do list.

(The photos are in a mixed up order. Blogger has an updated posting format that I still have to get used to.)

The Arch's shadow on the Mighty Mississippi

Drew, Elizabeth, and Edward at the top

We saw the U2 concert being set up inside Busch Stadium.

The kids inside the tiny little tram

Purina Farms

2011-07-20T01:00:00.001-05:00

One day a week during the summer, my mom hosts the oldest eight (Lucy hasn't reached the age requirement yet) of the grandchildren for Grammy Camp. They usually have an activity, have lunch, and make a craft. The kids (and I) look forward to it each week.

My dad happened to take the day off of work recently to attend Grammy Camp as well. They took the kids to Purina Farms near St. Louis. Lucy and I tagged along even though Drew was not happy that I inserted myself into the fun. I was so glad I decided to cramp his style. What a great little place! There are educational displays pertaining to animals and pets. There is a barn filled with all kinds of farm animals which the kids could pet. There is a wagon ride, but we had to leave before we had a chance to ride.

The crew stepping on a gigantic scale...

...and working together to test their strength.

The highlight of our day was watching an agility show. It was quite impressive. We saw several dogs (and a fat pot-bellied pig) demonstrate an agility course. And they amazed us with their jumping abilities by catching frisbees.

They even long jumped into a pool to catch the frisbees.

The kids tried their hands at milking a cow.

They had the cutest little piggies!

Lucy was very interested in this fluffy chicken/bird.
It made itself at home by jumping onto Mary Catherine's lap.

I highly recommend Purina Farms if you live near or are visiting the St. Louis area. And in my opinion, the best part is that it's free!

Look-a-likes

2011-07-13T20:05:00.003-05:00

Family Swimming

2011-07-04T10:07:00.017-05:00

Edward's sister's family and his mom and her husband came for a visit this weekend. We headed to the pool for an evening swim.

I was sad I didn't have the camera out, but Papa Otto was doing flips off the diving board!

The kids took advantage of the dads being there. There was a lot of dad wrestling going on.

Mallory and Andrew had just as much fun in the pool as they did making footprints.

Twelve

2011-06-29T00:14:00.004-05:00

Just For Fun

2011-06-28T00:26:00.017-05:00

6 Months!

2011-06-23T09:55:00.009-05:00

How can that possibly be?! Lucy has been with us for half a year. She is such a joy. This has been a busy month for her. She finally rolled over. I think it took so long because she rarely gets put down! She is a laugher. She belly laughs constantly, and it's contagious. She sits up now, and she has two cute little teeth. She is a champ at eating baby food and never misses a chance for a meal. She has enjoyed popsicles on a blanket in the grass the last several evenings.

At today's check-up, Lucy weighed 17 lbs. 15 oz. (75 - 90 percenile) and was 25 1/2 inches long (25 - 50 percentile).

This Week's Crazy Things

2011-06-21T10:12:00.007-05:00

*Dancing in the 80's was hard. (Elizabeth, said while playing The Michael Jackson Experience on Wii)

*Did you forget to pay the water bill or somethin'? We always run out of hot water so fast. (Drew, said after being the last kid to bathe one night)

*I've only brushed my teeth twice this week. (Ross, said after coming home from camp)

*It was easy. That's because she doesn't even move. (Drew's friend, said after I told the boys thanks for keeping an eye on Lucy when I stepped out of the room)

*Weird is the new brown. (Drew)

*It looks like a car crashed into my hair. (Elizabeth)

*I want to have a big hoosier wedding! (Drew, said after I told him I absolutely will not tolerate a cake smash at my children's' weddings)

Right, Dear?

2011-06-17T23:42:00.001-05:00

Mouse Hunt

2011-06-11T22:34:00.004-05:00

To get ready for a yard sale, I spent every waking hour this week (that I wasn't nursing or fixing meals) down in the basement going through our junk. Unfortunately I discovered evidence that a mouse was residing there. I picked up some mousetraps and prepared them late one night.

Man! Those suckers hurt! I REPEATEDLY snapped my thumbs trying to set the traps. I felt like I was in a Tom and Jerry episode!

I ended up bruising my right thumb...
...and my left.

I'm not the type of woman that flips out when I see mice, snakes, or bugs, but I have to admit I was a little nervous walking downstairs the next morning to see if the traps had been sprung. And one of them was. Ick!

Elizabeth was away at a tennis clinic that morning, but you'd better believe the other kids were right there watching me dispose of the little vermin. When Elizabeth got home I told her about the mouse and asked her if she wanted to see it. She did, but she told me to wait a minute. She ran up to her room for a while. When she finally came downstairs I led her to the garbage can outside and showed her the mouse. She felt sorry for the little critter and then dropped something on top of the mouse.

While in her room she quickly crafted a little tombstone for the mouse that read:

R.I.P.

Fred the Mouse

Born: Sometime

Died: June 9, 2011

Rest in Peace, Little Fred!

A Cracked Windshield And An Interrogation

2011-06-11T22:02:00.008-05:00

One evening last week as I drove to Ross's 468th baseball game of the season I heard a mysterious crackling noise that sounded like glass breaking. After a quick scan of the windshield, I found it to be in one piece. I asked, "What was THAT?!" Elizabeth said it was Ross's water bottle, so I figured she was correct. She was not. After the ball game, I got back in the van and saw a four inch crack at the bottom of the windshield. Fantastic.

Luckily I know a pretty great insurance agent who called in a report as soon as we got home. Usually the glass company we use comes down to us from St. Louis. I had to take Ross to his endocrinologist the next day in St. Louis, so I set up an appointment for the crack to be patched while we were in the city. We got out of our endo appointment earlier than usual, so I headed over to the glass company to see if they could get us in earlier. They couldn't. We had to leave and come back two hours later. In those two hours the crack spread. And spread. And spread. Beyond repair. We now had to have the windshield replaced. Since Ross and I were on a tight schedule (because we had to get back for his 469th baseball game) I told the glass company I would need them to come to our house the next day to replace it.

The service technician arrived at our house the next day, and of course the kids wanted to watch.

All started out well enough. Then came lots of questions from Elizabeth (ever the student) to the nice glass man. "Is that black stuff glue?" "Is that a big screw driver?" "Can I have the old windshield?" Wanting to join in on the questioning, Mallory thought of her own questions to ask: "Is that that you're standing in, grass?" followed by, "Do you want to see a dead mouse?" Thankfully this man was a grandpa and simply smiled.

The kids began to grow weary of watching the van get repaired. The girls decided to trade shoes. Mallory tried on Elizabeth's sneakers, and Elizabeth paraded around in Mallory's dress-up shoes. She was looking good.

Next the boys got out the basketball. After narrowly missing the stand that held the new windshield, I thought it best for Mr. Glassman's sanity and mine to send everyone inside.

I'm sure Mr. Glassman appreciated the peace and quiet while working in our van - that is until Mallory got a hold of my keys and hit the Panic button. I'm sure that man nearly soiled himself.

Crazy Things Heard This Week

2011-06-10T11:37:00.006-05:00

*My pinkie toe looks like it's pregnant. I'm going to call it Junior. (Elizabeth)

*Ugh. My hands are all soft now. I'm a boy. They're suppose to be rough. (Drew, after being asked to put lotion on Lucy.)

*She's cute and small. Cute is the new small. (Drew)

*Can I pet your baby? (random little girl at ballpark)

*California is a very dangerous place. (Mallory)

*Well at least I didn't hurt this finger. This one is my favorite. (Drew, said {seriously} after smashing his finger.)

*Me: You need to wipe your snotty nose, buddy.
Andrew (2 year-old nephew): No, I lick it.

Crazy Things Heard This Week

2011-06-04T00:01:00.005-05:00

*Mommy, I think I'm turning into a vampire because these teeth (canines) keep growing longer. (Mallory)

*Do black people get tans? (Ross)

*I can just see the headlines now: Mormon Boy Goes To Jail For Stealing Water Bottle (Ross, said after nearly forgetting to pay for an item at the store)

*Mallory: Can I call you "Grandma?"
Me: Why?
Mallory: Because you look older than your age.

*It looks like I have a tooth growing in my fingernail. (Mallory, looking at a white spot on her nail.)

Got (Soy) Milk?

2011-06-03T01:00:00.002-05:00

My parents and brother, Aaron, just returned from Germany where they attended the wedding of my German sister. Grammy and Grandad spoiled the kids with some souvenirs upon their return. Grandad picked out Big Sister Dora especially for Mallory.

Dora's baby brother and sister didn't come with names, so Drew decided to name them.

Introducing Lactose and Intolerant:

Why I Shouldn't Sleep In This Summer

2011-06-02T00:27:00.003-05:00

When I do, I find scenarios like this:

3 Thoughts on Sunday

2011-05-29T16:57:00.003-05:00

Today at church I noticed a few things.

1. I suppose I need to keep one eye open during all prayers. That's when sneaky naughtiness takes place.

2. Lucy will belly laugh if someone sneezes during a prayer.

3. I'm so thankful our bishop can laugh about armpit toots.

5 Months

2011-05-27T09:33:00.008-05:00

Lucy turned five months old this week. As always, she is such a delight. Fat and happy! She is pleasant and just rolls with the punches. She has discovered her meaty little feet. She is trying to sit up on her own, but she still hasn't rolled over. Frankly, I think she hasn't rolled over yet because she is always being held. But it's hardly our faults! We just can't resist cuddling and hugging and smooching her!

Crazy Things I've Heard This Week

2011-05-26T17:21:00.009-05:00

*Drew: You must have lice. (Being a pesky big brother.)
Mallory: Yes, I do have lifes.

*My pinkie toes look like they're pregnant. (Elizabeth)

*Are germs bigger than dinosaur poop? (Mallory)

*She must need her own MySpace. (Harrison, my nephew, said when Lucy was fussing because all the kids were getting in her face.)

*Is 5 a popular number? (Drew)

*Lucy is so bulgy. At least I didn't say fat. (Drew)

*And Dad isn't brave? (Drew, said while I was explaining Memorial Day and all of the brave men and women that serve our country)

*Do major league short stops or little league catchers sweat more? (Drew)

Kewpie Girl

2011-05-19T17:04:00.001-05:00

Often Lucy has a lone curl on the top of her sweet head. It always makes me think of a Kewpie doll.

Crazy Things Heard I've This Week

2011-05-18T00:15:00.009-05:00

*Yep, it's definitely a blowout. The poop is stacked twice as high as the diaper. (Drew)

*Mommy, I just threw up a little in my mouth. Can I please have something to drink to wash it down? (Mallory)

*Is there such a thing as hand jam or finger jam? Like would I get it after I massaged a foot? (Mallory - seriously pondering the equivalent of toe jam)

*{Coming down the stairs rubbing his chin} "Ugh. I hardly got any sleep last night. I feel like I have whiskers this morning." (Drew)

*I hate how sneezes taste. (Mary Catherine - my niece)

*Mallory: Mommy, speed! Speed! Speed!
Me: I can't. There is a police officer right there, and I would get a ticket.
Mallory: I would kind of like to see you take that ticket.

Little Miss Muffet

2011-05-13T16:00:00.006-05:00

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a spider,
And sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.

At preschool, Mallory was asked to choose a Nursery Rhyme character to represent. I think she made an awfully cute Little Miss Muffet!

Crazy Things Heard (And Said) This Week

2011-05-09T23:36:00.007-05:00

*Lucy, you have elephantitis. (Drew, said while looking at Lucy's chunky legs)

*I can't swim or else I would drain. (Mallory's little friend)

*Can I please wash my hands?!?! There was a dead snake, but I didn't touch it. (Drew - I think he was fibbing.)

*I really need Hanes panties. They don't give you wedgies. (Mallory - said after watching an underwear commercial that made the claim that their undies didn't ride up.)

*Mom, do you ever try to say something no one else in history has ever said? Like, "Mr. Feldmore, I'm wet. Please bring me the ocean." (Elizabeth)

*I have strong bowels. (Anonymous)

*I am an underwear gypsy. (Elizabeth)

*Who put tape on Lucy's face? (Me)

*I wish there was a wrestler named The Ear Pincher. (Drew)

*That was a long time ago... before I was responsible. (Drew, when presented with an inappropriate drawing he made)

*Mallory: Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!
Me: Hang on a sec.
Mallory: I don't have any hang ons. I only have horsies to hold.

Crazy Things Heard This Week

2011-05-02T10:27:00.008-05:00

*I can't bear to watch this. (Mallory - covered her eyes and muttered under her breath while watching a kissing scene on Tangled)

*My name would be Erizabeth in Chinese. (Elizabeth)

*This dance move is called "Junk Arms." (Drew)

*There he is! Oh, wait. That's a woman. (Elizabeth)

*Mallory: This sucker tastes like beer.
Me: Do you mean root beer?
Mallory: No, I mean beer.
Me: Well, Honey, we aren't suppose to drink beer, so I don't really think you would even know what it tastes like.
Mallory: (Extremely offended) Yes I do because I am so smart!

Why We Never Have Decent Family Pictures

2011-05-02T00:24:00.026-05:00

In a family of seven, it's hard to get a picture where everyone is looking good at the same time. Drew, a.k.a. Jerry Lewis, never helps our cause. Keep in mind, I usually set up the self-timer so I don't see his shenanigans until after the photos are taken. These are some of the images I find:

The Stone Face

Wiggle Worm

The Purple Nurple

The Fonz

The Elvis

The Karate Kid

Tiny Eyes

The Mentally Challenged Child

No Teeth

Again, Mentally Disabled

Mentally Disabled - Yet Again

Tough Guy

The Bulldog

Making Pootie Noises

Again. Disabled.

The Over Smile

The Fake Smile

Closed Eyes

The Tilted Head Over Smile

The Smirk

The Gopher

Apathy

Thank you, Drew, for making our family photos memorable.

Fantastic at Four

2011-04-29T16:23:00.015-05:00

Four years ago this little bundle of joy joined our family. Mallory has been a blessing from the second we saw her! She is possibly even sweeter than she looks. If all kids were as pleasant, obedient, funny, and kind as her, I might just give Michelle Duggar a run for her money.

Mallory - 1 day old

2 months old

3 months old

1 year old

2 years old

3 years old

4 years old

We celebrated by having a combined birthday party with Aunt Annie on Easter day. On her actual birthday on Monday, the kids were off school and Edward was off of work. We spent the day in St. Louis at Krispy Kreme, The Magic House, and Golden Corral - all requests of the birthday girl.

Elizabeth was sweet enough to give her one of her favorite porcelain dolls. I think "Emma" might be Mallory's favorite gift. She hasn't left her arms much this week.

Mallory got a few more toys, books, and outfits. She also got a new bike. She was so cute when she got it! Unfortunately due to all of the rain we've received, she has only been able to ride it indoors.

Happy birthday, Sweet Girl!

Easter 2011

2011-04-29T09:53:00.010-05:00

4 Months Old

2011-04-24T23:44:00.008-05:00

Little Lucy is 4 months old!

At her check-up today she was 15 lbs. 5 oz. (78th percentile) and 25 inches (65th percentile). So far she is following in Elizabeth's big healthy footsteps. Elizabeth was always the 95th percentile in weight and height, for the next oldest age group! And Mallory was always in the 15th to 25th percentile.

Lucy is such a smiley, happy baby! She is a giggly little thing, too. I often hear sweet cackles coming from the back seat. And she and Mallory have squealing contests. Mallory will shriek and squeal, and then Lucy takes a turn. So cute!

She is very curious and intently watches all of the crazy happenings at our house.
She is usually a slobbery blob because her hands are always in her mouth now. She is trying to put EVERYTHING into her mouth. Time to start making sure the carpets are always clean again!

And her quick little cat-like reflexes have her reaching for everything too!

Crazy Things Heard This Week

2011-04-15T08:41:00.005-05:00

*You are not a legend, Mom. (Elizabeth - said when I reminisced about my superb April Fooleries of past years)

*Ross, quit trying to pull an Aaron. (Elizabeth - said when Ross was teasing her)

*Do you think Lucy will be special needs when she gets bigger? (Drew - said because... I don't really know)

*Quick! Somebody grab the cannoli! (Drew - said as we were sitting down to eat homemade cannoli when the tornado sirens sounded)

*You know, when the blood went into my mouth, it tasted kind of like chicken. (Drew - said after a nose bleed)

*What happened to the back of her head? Did an animal bite her? (Woman at church - asking about the bald spot on the back of Lucy's head due to sleeping on her back.)

The Equivalent of a Vacation Slideshow

2011-04-13T23:46:00.050-05:00

This is a fair warning that you are about to be inundated with vacation photos!

Edward had a conference in Las Vegas that he invited Lucy and me to accompany him to. We decided that since it was near Salt Lake City, we would make a quick stop there before heading to Vegas. Edward's oldest sister lives with her family a few hours from Salt Lake City, so they met us there. It happened to be the same weekend of our church's semi-annual General Conference. Since General Conference is broadcast live worldwide, children under the age of eight are not allowed to attend. I sent Edward into the conference and gave our nephew my ticket. Our brother-in-law and niece were also able to attend the conference. Jessica and I visited the Visitor's Center and Temple Square with our little ones while the others were in General Conference. Their oldest son, Judson, was such a trooper to help us with the babies.

Lucy's First Airplane Ride

She was SUCH a fantastic traveller! We had cancelled flights, lots of waiting, and lost luggage, and she was so pleasant through it all. We were very grateful.

Edward and Jessica with their babies, Audryn and Lucy

Meeting Audryn for the first time

The Christus at The Visitor's Center on Temple Square

The Salt Lake City Temple

This is where both my parents and Edward's parents were married in the 1970's. It's so beautiful.

The Carle Family with Edward, Lucy, and Me and Andrew Olsen.

Edward's family has recently reconnected with a friend that served his mission in Sikeston when Edward was a little boy. It was a delight to meet him. He was kind enough to take time to meet with us and give us a tour of the church office building. He is the author of a book about the early church pioneers and their extraordinary stories of faith and sacrifice. He generously gave us a copy, and we are excited to get started on it.

Jud and Olivia

Olivia

Judson

Sweet Katrina

Edward

Cutie Audryn

While we were in Salt Lake, we got to spend a few precious hours with my lifelong friend, Dylan, and meet his beautiful, funny, talented family. I'm kicking myself that I didn't take any photos! We haven't seen each other for fourteen years, so it was beyond fabulous to see him again! Dylan was a great friend to me from the day his family moved here when we were in the third grade. He is still the same funny guy I knew way back when!

We left snowy Utah for warm and sunny Las Vegas early Monday morning. We arrived at our hotel, The Palazzo/Venetian and felt a little guilty. It was pretty fancy schmancy! Edward had just a minute to freshen up before he was to report to his conference. Miss Lucy and I met up with my dearest friend, Jessie (her husband is also and American Family Insurance agent) for lunch.

We set out to walk a long The Strip. Um, that was a bit interesting. I certainly felt like a fish out of water! The Strip is a tad bit Sodom and Gomorrish.

This was inside our hotel. It was kind of disorienting.

The gondola was also inside the hotel.

Indiana Jones at Madame Tussauds

Edward and MJ

Walking along The Strip

The Fountains at The Belagio

Paris

Edward's youngest sister, Mary, lives with her husband in the Las Vegas area. She rescued, Lucy, Jessie, and me from the strip one afternoon and introduced us to Red Rock Canyon. It was by far the highlight of my trip to Las Vegas. These pictures cannot begin to represent the breathtaking scenery. It was such a humbling experience to feel the love our Father has for us to create such beautiful things for us to enjoy. I don't even feel like I have the proper words to describe just how amazing Red Rock Canyon is.

Mary Caroline and Lucy

Jessie and Me

This place is massive. The two arrows are pointing to two hikers.

This sweet scenery is just as breathtaking as the canyon.

We had a fun trip, but it was so nice to get home to all of our babies. They were graciously taken care of by my mom, Aunt Cathy, and Andrea.

There's no place like home!

The Progression of Parenthood

2011-04-08T13:49:00.004-05:00

When did I go from only letting the children out of the house dressed like this...

...to letting them leave the house like this? This is how she fixed her hair to run errands today. And I was okay with it.

The first few years of parenthood were spent spiffing the kids up in matching, clean clothes. They never left the house in anything that didn't match. That digressed to letting them wear whatever they wanted while we were at home. And that digressed to letting them wear whatever they wanted pretty much any time of the day. I still have the final say over what is worn on special occasions or holidays, picture days, and church days. I am pretty vigilant at catching someone trying to smuggle a tiara to church or holey jeans to family photos. Other than that, they can pretty much use their creativity with their appearances.

When Mallory appeared today, she was so proud of herself for the "fancy" (as she called it) hairstyle she created. As much as I cringed, how could I crush her accomplishment and feelings of self-worth? So I asked myself, "What's the harm?" In the end, there wasn't any. There was no harm letting her parade her fancy hair at the electronics store. And no one ever laughed or said anything about the fancy hairdo. I doubt anyone thought a thing of it.

I recently had the chance to visit with a life-long friend and meet his beautiful family. Their three year old showed up wearing one sneaker and one sandal (in the snow). Did I think he was weird or his parents were too liberal? Not in the least. I thought it was cute!

It's taken almost 12 years of parenting to learn to let some things go - fancy hair and all!

Little Sucker

2011-04-02T00:02:00.003-05:00

Guess who is putting herself to sleep by sucking her thumb now?

I've never had a thumb sucker. So cute!

April Fool's Fun

2011-04-01T23:09:00.012-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year... April Fool's Day! All week the kids have been taking sides. We've heard, "I'm on Mom's team!" and "I'm on Dad's team!" at the house. Ross even said, "This is our second favorite holiday after Christmas." We have had a lot of fun with it in years' past, so the kids really anticipated it this year. Here is a synopsis of some of our Tom Foolery:

Drew put some of his (clean) underwear on Mallory's arms while she slept.

Edward stuffed tissues in the tips of Drew's shoes.

Edward and Elizabeth saran wrapped the boys' doorway. Ross could see it but Drew didn't. It startled him a bit.

I drew mustaches and beards on Mallory, Drew, and Elizabeth with eye liner. I tried to get Ross, but he woke up. That kid can sleep through numerous finger sticks each night, but that eye liner really tickled his lip! And Elizabeth woke up and asked what I was doing in her room at 1:00 a.m., but I muttered I was just kissing them good night. She bought it, and I laughed.

Mallory did a ginormous, man-sized toot this morning. I said, "Mallory! Whoa!" She giggled and said, "April Fool's!"

My favorite one was pulled off when I picked Elizabeth and Drew up from school. Apparently just my mere breathing is mortifying to Elizabeth. I embarrass her daily without even trying. So I wore a bicycle helment as I drove to pick her up today. Priceless. The pick-up duty teacher was laughing. Elizabeth yelled, "You're ruining my life!" as she got in the van. I'd say it was a successful prank!

I created some fake poo using ripped up wet toilet paper tubes. Everyone but Mallory knew it was fake. She came in the bathroom this morning, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the turd on the toilet. She whispered, "Poop."

Edward tinted the milk green with food coloring.

I snuck over to Andrea and Tommie's house and hung a sign on their house that read, "Welcome Home Waddell Family - Winners of the 2010 Missouri Duck Calling Competition"

And perhaps the best prank was pulled off by Mallory! Edward and I will be attending our church's semi-annual General Conference in Salt Lake City on Sunday. We secured our tickets, and they arrived yesterday. They were in an envelope, and I set them down with our mail yesterday. As Edward was clearing off the table for dinner last night, he noticed that the tickets were missing. He and I tore the house apart looking for them after the kids were put to bed. He even went through the trash. All night we kept asking the big kids if they had anything to do with their disappearance, and we could tell they honestly had not. I asked Edward if he had done it, and he, too, sincerely had not. This morning he found them in one of the kitchen cabinets. At dinner tonight, I again quizzed everyone to find out who did it. Mallory smiled and said, "I did!" I thought she was joking so I asked where she hid them. I then asked Edward where he found them, and they were one in the same.

That's my girl!

My Cute Creation!

2011-04-01T08:45:00.004-05:00

At our house, we really feel strongly about teaching our kids how to work. They all have daily chores. We feel they will benefit as adults if they learn how to work when they are young. The older they get, the more they despise chores. Too bad! Mallory is still at the age that it is a treat to get to do chores. She is more than excited if I ask her to help me dust or fold washcloths. Ross is now at the age that it's as if I told him to swim through a shark infested pool when I tell him it's chore time.

We wanted to get an early start with teaching Lucy how to work. I came up with an age appropriate chore for her. I found a dusting rag at the dollar store. I cut it up and sewed it to this thrifted outfit. As she has tummy time, she will be able to help clean our floors! And with a household of seven people, our floors get really dirty really fast! When she starts scooting and crawling within the next few months, she'll have the floors shining in no time. It's a win-win situation!

My Cute Creation

April Fool's!

This is really a product in Japan.

More Crazy Things I've Heard...

2011-03-30T13:09:00.007-05:00

*Lizzy, can you feed me grapes like a princess? (Mallory)

*Mom! A Jesus clock! Can I please get it for my birthday?! Then I can see Him all the time! (Mallory)

*When I grow up, I'm going to be a cop so I can pull people over and say, "April Fool's!" (Ross)

*Mallory: Do you know what I want to be when I grow up?

Me: I don't know.

Mallory: A big giant meerkat. Do you know who I will marry?

Me: Um... Barney.

Mallory: No, Silly! Another meerkat.

*Doesn't my mouth sound like I have sand in it? (Mallory)

*My heart just breaks for hobos. Whenever I see them I feel guilty because I have a lot of things, and all they have is a box to live in. (Elizabeth)

*You can corndog your friends, but you can't corndog your family. (Edward)

Alien Encounters

2011-03-30T08:53:00.005-05:00

While travelling one day last week, Mallory and I had this conversation:

Mallory: Do we have to be nice to mean aliens?

Me: Well, no.

Mallory: They were wrong then in Primary (children's Sunday school at our church). They said we had to be nice to everyone.

Well, Mallory... you have my permission to not befriend aliens. :)

This Week's Crazy Things...

2011-03-30T08:46:00.006-05:00

*Can I do my hair in corn rows some time? (Mallory)

*I don't like it when you sing low. It sounds like you're a woman pretending to be a man. (Elizabeth)

*But, Mom. If I just itch my nose, boogers will come out. (Mallory)

*I counted 89 dead-fish trees (blooming Bradford Pears) on my way to PAGES today. (Elizabeth)

*-Are you losing your voice, Mom? (Ross)

-Sounds like it. (Me)

-But if you lose your voice than you die! (Mallory)

3 Months

2011-03-24T09:17:00.011-05:00

*Little Lady is three months old and such a delight. She truly makes our home a happy one.

*Within the last month she has started taking a paci like a champ (Woot! Woot!). She came through for me in the knick of time. She will be taking her first airplane ride next week, and I really needed to be able to plug her up quickly for my sanity! Thanks, Lucy!

*She has also started sucking her thumb. I think it's darling. I don't have a preference of thumb or paci - both have their pros and cons. As long as she has some way to calm herself, I'm a happy mommy.

*I think she is going to have curly hair. It's super curly on top when she gets out of the bathtub. She usually has a crazy curl on top. Love it.

*And she is a smiley little thing, especially when her momma is around.

Enjoy!

Indoor Pool - More Fun With Water

2011-03-18T08:48:00.003-05:00

Something about a 70 degree day after a cold and snowy winter makes the kids want to break out the slip 'n slide and swimsuits. Mean ol' mom always crushes their dreams. Drew decided to bring the fun inside, choosing to be obedient by not creating a water world outdoors.

We recently purchased a new tv. The ginormous box has been taking up space in our living room as a make shift fort/cave/play house. Every kid loves a big empty box. I didn't even notice that the box disappeared out of the living room. I know, I'm just observant like that.

Last night when Edward got home from work, he found the box upstairs in the kids bathroom - filled with water. Drew decided to make an indoor pool. I don't know how long it had been filled with water. It was not long enough to cause a flood (thank heavens), but it was just long enough to make the box nice and soggy - thus ending its fort/cave/playhouse days.

I guess the bright side is there won't be a ginormous box sitting in my living room anymore!

Good One, Drew

2011-03-14T22:17:00.002-05:00

I walked into the kitchen tonight to find Drew and Mallory standing in chairs pulled up to the sink. Water was EVERY WHERE, and Drew was holding the sprayer in his hand. I demanded, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!" Drew replied, "Muscle spasm."

I had to give it to him. That was a pretty good response! After five children, I've certainly never heard that one before.

More Crazy Things I've Heard This Week

2011-03-11T22:55:00.002-06:00

-Mom! That scares me when you put that on! Don't look at me! (Mallory, said to me while applying my under eye concealer)

-Any men you see on t.v. are wearing make-up, and it's totally legal. (Elizabeth)
-Unless it's HD.... Even football players. (Drew)

-Mallory, wait a minute.(Edward) I can't! I don't have any horsies! (Mallory, as in "hold your horses")

-I want to be a humanitarian when I grow up and help kids from the streets find homes. It breaks my heart to see hobos. (Elizabeth)

-Please bless Daddy so he won't get fired. (Mallory, said during family prayer)

These are the things I heard while the kids were watching King Kong:

-Monkeys are really talented. (Drew) Well, the DO have imposable thumbs. (Elizabeth)

-I think he's gonna eat her and poop her out then fall in love with her 'cause she'll look all ugly. (Mallory)

Piano Man

2011-03-09T23:56:00.002-06:00

We are mean parents that make our kids take piano lessons. They don't really enjoy them. That's a shame.

This is Drew's piano book. It was mine when I was a child, hence the tattered cover. Drew made his feelings known about the piano.

Let's take a closer look:
"Noo (That would be NOOOOOOO!)
This is poopey"

This Week's Crazy Things

2011-02-25T09:19:00.007-06:00

-I wish I had matching gloves. My gloves are blue, but my shorts are red. (Mallory, said while playing wii boxing)

-Me: "I love you, honey!" Mallory: "I'm not your honey! Daddy is your honey. I am your daughter. Daughters are called daughters, and sons are called sons!"

-I'm going to take this little rock home and plant it and grow a big tree. (Mallory)

-Mom, can I listen to some smooth jazz? (Drew)

-That's for a fat girl. (Mallory, said while clothes shopping)

The following things were said while Elizabeth and Mallory enlisted Edward's help to put on a play at my parents' house.

-Grammy, do you have anything that looks like throw-up? (Elizabeth, said while gathering props)

-Our play is called, The Englishman and His Two Daughters That Made Him Floss His Toes. (Elizabeth)

-It's my mustache, can't you tell? It's made out of paper and tape! (Edward)

-But I don't know how to floss his toes. (Mallory)

Two Months

2011-02-24T15:41:00.004-06:00

Sweet cheeks is 2 months old! She is 12 lbs. 5 oz. and 22 1/4 inches long.

Growing like a weed!

Crazy Things I Heard This Week

2011-02-23T11:29:00.012-06:00

-Are all drunk people fat? (Drew)

-Who are your grand kids, Mommy? (Mallory)

-Mommy, why are you eating barf!?! (Mallory {And I wasn't. It was spinach and artichoke hummus.})

-Hey, Ross. You know that time we had country fried steak at school? Well, it was just a hamburger with a couple of crumbs on it. (My nephew, Harrison)

-Said during a prayer, "...and thank you for Ross. And thank you for Elizabeth. And thank you for Drew. And thank you for me because I'm the goodest kid...." (Mallory)

-You don't have to cry about it, Lucy. (Drew)

-Maybe a hobo snuck in and stole all the water. (Elizabeth)

-Your baby has a very nice chin. (Nurse)

-Look who it is, Lucy! It's me, Mallory - your favorite person! (Mallory)

I'm glad Mallory has such high self-esteem.

Lucy's Blessing

2011-02-18T09:31:00.012-06:00

The first weekend of February was a happy one for our family. Baby Lucy was blessed at church, and we had a houseful of family and friends to help us celebrate.

Lucy's beautiful blessing gown was made by a friend from church. This is the same friend that made Mallory's blessing gown.

Four of Edward's siblings and their families as well as his mom and step-father made the trip to celebrate this special occasion with us. Saturday night we had 29 people sleeping at our house. The 19 cousins that were here had a great time catching up with each other.

Sweet Lauren meeting Lucy

Four of the five cousins born in 2010

Rex, Ruby, Lucy, and Emme

#2 and #4

Caroline and Ross

Mallory and her Ellie

Rex couldn't help but chew on Lucy.

Some of the boys talking Pokemon

Lucy, Jani, and Papa Otto

Lucy puts their combined grandchild count somewhere in the 30s. I have lost track.

Papa Otto and Mallory

This is the group shot of our family and friends that came to Lucy's blessing, minus my grandma and a few aunts and uncles. Big families are the best!

A Second Installment of Crazy Things Are Spoken Here

2011-02-17T19:43:00.002-06:00

Here are the crazy things that have been said at our house this week.

Because I love the taste of wood glue.

Can I go to a real barber? 'Cause you're not a professor of hairtology.

"But Mom, I'm not going to remember." "Son, I promise I will remember." "But old people forget a lot."

Mmmm. This bacon tastes really good. Like it's from a fancy hotel - not one of those cockroach hotels. And I've been to a cockroach hotel.

How can you tell if someone's been sleeping in your bed? (Asked after being told the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.)

Is this where Jesus was born? (Asked during a funeral at a Catholic church.)

Mallory, you just got schooled by our thirty-five year old dad. And their brains don't even work that well.

Jews can't have meat on Fridays.

It's always exciting around here.

Light As A Feather. Stiff As A Board.

2011-02-09T10:07:00.002-06:00

After discovering Mallory's amazing feats of flexibility, we've now learned that baby Lucy has an incredible talent as well. When you hold her in the air, she extends her legs straight behind her.

I see a future in the circus!

Crazy Things Are Spoken Here

2011-02-08T15:04:00.002-06:00

These are just a few of the wacky things I've heard around the house this week:

-Do you like my toe people?
-Stop touching his underwear! Do you want to buy him new underwear?
-"Bless you" me, Mom.
-Do monsters not like toots?
-This tastes like a zebra.
-At least snot didn't come out!
-I really hope that's chocolate.
-Mom, Mallory cut her pants.
-You're small, but you're densely compacted.
-Mom, you're weird. Lizzy gets the weird from you.
-You are crinkly.
-I can't wait to go through puberty! (One guess as to which kid said that.)

Once again, this place is a zoo.

7

2011-02-04T11:57:00.001-06:00

Happy birthday, to our funny little man!

Cute As A Button

2011-02-03T13:06:00.002-06:00

I received this package in the mail today. I don't know who sent them for Lucy, but they are darling! If you are responsible, please come forward so I can thank you properly!

1 Month Old

2011-01-26T12:49:00.006-06:00

Getting help with a smile from big sister

Fluffy McChubbers went from 7 lbs. 11 oz. at birth to 10 lbs. 8 oz. in her first four weeks. She is now in the 75th percentile in weight and height (She's now 22 inches.).

Look Natural

2011-01-22T20:58:00.001-06:00

They Were Only Out Of My Sight For 10 Minutes

2011-01-16T23:05:00.005-06:00

Newborn babies require a lot of attention. Newborn babies like to eat. A lot. Frequently.

This afternoon, I suggested that Edward lay down for a nap. He has been Super Dad these last few weeks since Lucy's arrival. I take that back. He has been Super Dad the whole pregnancy, picking up what I have had to neglect due to nausea, fatigue, and, frankly, lack of mobility. He was deserving of a nap and a whole lot more. While he holed up in a corner bedroom, the kids were asked to play quietly, and I went into my bedroom to nurse Lucy for the 357th time today (because newborn babies like to eat. A lot. Frequently.).

When I came downstairs, Elizabeth yelled to me from the living room, "Mom! We have a surprise for you. But wait just a minute. I'm almost finished.... Don't come in yet.... I'm not done.... Okay! Now you can come in!"

I was hoping for a meticulously cleaned living room, not this:

Elizabeth decided to turn Mallory into a meerkat. When that proved too hard, it was decided that she was a raccoon instead. Despite the facial expression, Mallory really was a willing participant.

I immediately told the girls to wash the make-up off before it ruined Mallory's sweater or got on the furniture. This was the sad result of their attempt:

Nice work, Ladies. Sweet little Mallory had been transformed into The Joker.

Thankfully Daddy and eight pounds of Vaseline restored Mallory's face to its original cuteness.

Just Because...

2011-01-13T13:07:00.012-06:00

...she's so fun to look at.

Mallory Loves Being A Big Sister

2011-01-10T17:22:00.004-06:00

Mallory loves her new role as big sister and takes it very seriously. She helps me pick out Lucy's outfits everyday. This is a time consuming process as she feels like she has to find just the right outfit each day. She literally has her very own baby doll to play dress-up with.

Mallory is of course very curious about every aspect of caring for Lucy. When she was examining her in the hospital, she said, "Look! She has pink teeth!" upon seeing her little gums. I guess we forgot to tell her the baby wouldn't be born with teeth.

The first time she saw me feeding her, she asked, "How are you thirsty-ing her?" After a brief and toddler friendly lesson on nursing, she asked, "So when you drink water, how does your body turn that into milk?" Uh, I don't know dear. Bodies are wonderful things?

This morning she wanted to help me change Lucy's diaper. As I lifted up her little gown, Mallory blurted out, "Wait, I want to do the next level!" She was referring to unsnapping her little onesie. I suppose Mallory is certainly a child of the technology age!

And she created the perfect accessory for her little sister. She crafted a baby bracelet for Lucy out of Bendaroos. It looks smashing, I would say!

I can't wait to watch these two grow up together!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T19:44:00.019-06:00

We woke up Christmas Eve morning to find snow! Edward took the opportunity to play with the kids for a while, and I think they all had a great time.

That evening, Edward continued the tradition his family had when he was growing up of reading the family 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Luke 2, and now Santa and the Christ Child.

Lucy and I sent everyone to my soon-to-be 98 year-old great-grandma's house for Christmas Eve. She and I took the opportunity to take some cute photos while the house was so quiet.

Christmas morning brought with it excitement! Drew got the goat cheese from Santa that he requested.

Mallory wanted a "cheap dancing Dora doll." We don't know where she got the idea that Dora needed to be cheap, but Santa came through, none the less. He also brought her a soft little meerkat - her favorite animal.

Ross got a new Gators hat.

Elizabeth got a new camera.

Edward helped Drew log onto the web to activate all of his new spy gear.

Elizabeth and Ross tried out her new wii game, Just Dance 2. It was funny!

This little dancing machine can really groove!
The boys played with Drew's new Hex Bugs. They are so cool!

And Ross put on his new sneakers as soon as he found them. Hopefully they can keep up with this active boy!

Mallory loves to hold Lucy when she's hungry! She belly laughs as Lucy searches for an adequate food source.

Christmas was a wonderful day that wore these two little sugarplums out.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Our Best Christmas Gift

2010-12-24T14:28:00.022-06:00

Our sweet little surprise has arrived! Lucy Ann Felker was born December 22 at 10:05 a.m. She weighed 7 lbs. and 11 oz. and was 19 inches long. She is a delight! She was born on what would have been Joel's 28th birthday. So our very special little girl was born on a very special day.

Because I was almost two weeks overdue, I was scheduled to come in for an induction Wednesday morning at 5:30 a.m. My doctor asked me to take castor oil (BLEH!!!) to try to start labor on my own. He wanted me to go into labor on my own rather than give me pitocin due to the fact that I had a c-section with Ross. Well, that castor oil worked! Holy cow! I took a dose at 8:00 Tuesday night (and I could vomit now just thinking about it). We dropped the kids off at my parents at 10:00 p.m. and hit the sack at about 11:30. At 1:30 a.m. I was JOLTED awake with a strong contraction. Then three minutes later I had another big one. Two minutes later, another. I woke Edward and said we would be going in earlier than 5:30. With how quickly and intensely they were coming, he asked if we even had time to shower. I informed him that we did. We got ready and headed out the door within the hour, all the while the contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes.

We got to the hospital, and they slowed down some, although they were still intense. Things moved pretty quickly for me. I was able to get an epidural, and it was WONDERFUL! I've never had one that worked very well, so I was thrilled.

Pushing took quite a long time for me - an hour-and-a-half. As soon as she was born, we discovered why it took so long. She had the cord wrapped around her neck and twisted all through her little purple body. She was jump roping with it in there, I tell you! It took the doctor a little bit to untangle her. She was also positioned face up, or posterior. That was why I had to have a c-section with Ross. He was also face up and got stuck, so I felt very, very grateful that I was able to deliver her on my own.

The whole process was wonderful. I never thought I would say that about labor and delivery, but it really was great. I had a wonderful staff - two great nurses, my very nice new doctor, and even my beloved first doctor as well. And of course my favorite and most important person, Edward.

We feel so blessed to have this beautiful, pink, healthy tiny girl to celebrate with this tender Christmas season!

Getting the doctor's approval

We all "oohed" and "aahhed" when Lucy found her thumb at one hour old.

A very happy Mommy

And a smitten Daddy

Sweet big brother Ross

Elizabeth's wish came true!

Mallory is such a proud big sister!

Drew and his new little buddy

Drew was eager to help change her diaper.

We caught him examining her tiny hands and thought it was cute.

Getting ready to come home from the hospital

The Fabulous Felker Five

Our new family of seven

Baby Watch 2010

2010-12-20T16:42:00.002-06:00

After nearly 10 months of residency, Baby Girl has worn out her welcome. She will be evicted Wednesday morning. She will be sharing her birthday with her Uncle Joel, which we are all thrilled about. Just another element to her joining our family that makes her all the more special!

A Rite of Passage

2010-12-12T18:05:00.002-06:00

Our "Million Dollar Boy" as we like to call him, has entered into a new phase of life. He recently earned the privellege of wearing braces. As with everything he is thrown, he is optimistic about his new look. I think he is as handsome as ever!

Shaving Potatoes

2010-12-10T18:29:00.002-06:00

When Edward needs me to pick up supplies, such as disposable razors, deodorant, or lotion for him he leaves them out on the kitchen counter to remind me. Recently he needed some more razors. A baked potato was also left out on the counter. It would be reasonable to assume that if a potato and a razor were left together, someone should take it upon themselves to shave that potato, right?

Our Karate Kid

2010-11-22T12:58:00.004-06:00

We've recently discovered that Mallory is freakishly flexible. We have her do her "tricks" for others often.

After watching the new Karate Kid last week she attempted and mastered this pose.

"I Like 'Em Chunky. I Like 'Em Plumpy."

2010-11-18T22:40:00.004-06:00

This is my theme song. I sing it to myself every time I catch a glimpse of my roundness in the mirror. I might as well make the best of it!

34 Weeks

One night last week, Drew saw a little of my big ol' belly as I was trying to hurl myself off of the couch. He remarked, "Wow. Your belly is getting REALLY big.... And a little ugly."

Wait until he sees it after I deliver.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T22:26:00.013-05:00

Our Little Spooks

Ross is his favorite football player, Tim Tebow.

Elizabeth is Medusa. She created the costume concept all on her own.

Drew was my favorite. He was Mr. Six (the dancing old man from the Six Flags commercials). It was a very fitting costume for his personality.

And Mallory was Snow White and Cinderella. She dressed as one for one party and the other for a few more. She even dressed as a lion for our library story time. I guess that's the good thing about having an extensive dress-up collection.

I tried talking her into dressing as a cupcake when I found a cute idea online. She insisted on being a boring ole' princess. I reneged when I told myself she should be allowed to have an opinion on her own costume. :)

Getting ready for the big night

Drew practices a few dance moves.

Mallory chose to be Cinderella on Halloween night, but she wanted to add some stickers to her face to "scare some people."

Bob or Jane

2010-10-16T10:13:00.003-05:00

A Conversation With Drew

Me: Drew, what do you think we should name the new baby?

Drew: Is Bob a boy name and girl name?

Me: Uh, no.

Drew: Then I guess Jane.

After the question, "When are you due?" (followed by a look of utter shock due to my increasing girth), the question we get most is, "What are you going to name her?" At this point we are down to Lucy or Jane. We have gotten a lot of feedback from the kids, especially Elizabeth. We mostly hear, "Dad! Do NOT let Mom name her anything weird!" to which we reply, "You don't really get to choose the name." Surprisingly the whole family likes both names, and it's interesting that the girls favor Lucy and the boys favor Jane. Of course with two months left in this pregnancy we could choose something else entirely.

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails... That's What This Little Girl Is Made Of

2010-09-21T09:26:00.005-05:00

Lately our Saturday afternoons have been filled with heavy duty home demolition and renovation. And of course we have a couple of little willing helpers. Mallory spent the afternoon outside with us this weekend and busied herself with hammering nails, climbing trees, and digging for worms. This is her cute little pet, Daisy.

Need A $75 Spatula?

2010-09-10T12:17:00.002-05:00

Drew stepped in the van yesterday when I picked him up from school, and he excitedly told me, "Mom! We are having a fundraiser at school! If I sell 200 things, I can get an iPod or a flat-screen TV!"

Dear, naive little Drew. He hasn't been in school long enough to know just how much his Momma detests school fundraisers. I detest them for a variety of reasons.

1. The stuff the kids have to sell is JUNK. And it's not just junk. It's over-priced junk.

2. A new tactic the schools now use is to reward the kids who sell just two items with a special assembly. Any student that sells just two items gets to go to a special assembly. If a student doesn't sell any items or sells just one item, he/she stays in the classroom and works while the other students attend said assembly. This happened to us last year, and I think it's pretty crumby.

3. In past years, our kids' school has used the majority of the proceeds from this fundraiser to take all of the students to see a movie. And it costs them over $2000 to take the whole school to a movie - usually a movie half of them have already seen any way. In all fairness, the school has not done this for the last few years. I have been pleased with the all-day school carnival they use the money for. I do hope they continue this in the future.

4. And the main reason I dislike this fundraiser is that the company's spokesman comes and gets the kids all fired up to sell their junk, and I have to be the bad guy to tell my kid he actually won't be getting a flat-screen tv.

Drew and I literally spent hours yesterday debating this fundraiser. He was a determined little guy while he pled his case. He even had Ross trying to join his cause. And I thought, "Silly Ross. You should know this routine by now!"

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

2010-08-23T20:50:00.000-05:00

The Many Uses Of Vegetable Oil

2010-08-17T08:53:00.006-05:00

Mallory's fine baby hair causes a lot of crazy bed-head. So one day when it was looking particularly ratty, I assumed she had slept wildly. Well, combine that with the fact that we don't get up and moving quickly on summer mornings, so it doesn't get combed until noon or after. I used my fingers to try to smooth her hair and realized she had a big hard clump stuck in it. Great. Gum. Now, this chunk of hardened gum was right on the top of her head, and I started thinking, "How am I going to get this out without...

...ripping out handfuls of hair and leaving a bald spot that rivals Dr. Phil's?!"
Let me tell you, ice does not work. Neither does peanut butter. I hopped online, desperate for ideas that would leave my three-year-old with enough hair that people wouldn't think she had Alopecia.

Apparently other mothers have experienced the same episodes with their toddlers and suggested using vegetable oil. We gave it a try, and it was the cure! It felt nasty in my hands and in her hair, but it was definitely better than having her walk around with one big dread lock-looking strip of gum-covered hair. In just a few minutes the oil and comb got the wad of gum out with minimal damage. A quick wash of the hair and we were good to go.

Yesterday at the grocery store I threw three packs of gum in my cart while simultaneously screaming in my head, "NO! NO! NO! What are you thinking?!" Mallory is banished from gum for a while.