Are you a little confused...

It's the night before Thanksgiving, I've packed everything we would need for the four children for our big trip tomorrow...they're sitting by the door ready for our early exit tomorrow morning, my salad is prepped and ready to be assembled when we arrive, and I really have nothing else to do..except to paint my nails this really cool "Pat on black"...so what do I do??? I decide to create an alias for each of my children on 4 under 3. So I went back through EVERY. ONE. OF. MY. POSTS and changed each name. Hmmm....I know. But I just wanted to warn those of you who know us outside of "bloggy world" so you don't think that I have completely lost it. (tip to remember: "big sister" twin is Geneva, "little sister" is Layla... Think of it this way...G comes before L in the alphabet.)

Two Cart Train

We did it again. Last night I took the kids shopping by myself, all four this time. The store of choice was Target. Mr. Marvelous was out of town for the night and I was feeling confined to the house after naps so I loaded everyone up and we headed out. It was a quick trip. We found a couple outfits for the little girls & two bottles of fingernail polish (one was my choice and the other was J's), got wonderfully nutritious meals at the food court...ahmm...., and an Iced Venti sweetened Black tea lemonade at Starbucks. Shhhh...don't tell anyone at my Starbucks that I purchased at an independent Starbucks store like Target's. How did we do it this time, you ask? The same as last...I pulled Luke's cart and pushed Norah and Hazel who were in their carseats in the other cart, J walking along side. It was great!

After we got in the car to leave J asked, "Mommy weren't we soooo good!?"

I have no pictures of the event but here is one of our little teething-drooler Hazel.

I have a date with Oprah.

My friend, Ehlan, posted about Julia Roberts being on Oprah yesterday which reminded me that TODAY IS OPRAH'S FAVORITE THINGS show. I can't wait! I have to start brainstorming now of how to keep the 4 kiddos entertained while I indulge in a little Mommy-time with Oprah.

Black Friday

I can honestly say that I have NEVER been shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. Growing up, my family didn't get into Black Friday shopping deals...like yours Stace....and since we've been married, well, we've pretty much had babies the entire time, almost, and I never really got the urge to go hit the sales before the sun came up. However, 2 years ago Jaclyn and I had to run to Burnsville for something. I don't remember what it was but I do remember that it was supposed to be a really quick trip there and back. Yea right!!! Our 20 min drive there turned into almost an hour because of the traffic that started about half way there. It was stop and go for about a half hour. Ahhh..I was about pulling my hair out. It was then that I realized that I am best at home the day after Thanksgiving, eating turkey sandwiches and leftover pumpkin pie. My husband on the other hand ventured out last year at 4am. He said Best Buy and Walmart had the biggest lines. You know, the ones that wrap up and down the aisles inside and then end up curling around the store outside... Wow. Regardless of the great deals, like this GPS system by Tomtom that retails for $399 but is on sale for $119 on this special day, I'll be staying home again. Am I the only one that misses out on all this "fun?" What are some things you HAVE to get this Black Friday?

I had to do it....

it was driving. me. crazy!!!! Even after numerous hours spent trying to understand Wigets, CSS, streamline, r:header//slekdrjwelkrje crazy ewrwoerjes, blog-talk I STILL couldn't figure out how to center our Viking picture on our sidebar. I was tired of seeing Julia fall off our picture. So I had to part with my fun polka dots. I hope you'll still visit me. ;)

I'm jumpin' on....

the mommy-of-a-teething-baby bandwagon, that is!
Congratulations, Layla!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful...

1. that Julia and Luke LOVE eachother

2. that Mr. Marvelous has XBOX night with his friends every other Thur.

3. Cranberry Omega-3 Flaxseed cookies

4. for Rachael Ray at 3:00

5. that Luke loves giving kisses

I conquered a fear today...

...taking the 3 youngest to the doctor all by myself. Yes, Oli, Geneva & Layla have been battling a cold for too long so I took them in this morning. I left Jaclyn across the street at the neighbors to play because I didn't want to infest her with yucky germs from the clinic. I was pretty proud of Oliver. He showed an improvement with the listening skills today. He held on to the double stroller while we walked from the car to the front doors of the clinic....as well as back to the car. I showered him with compliments and he seemed pretty proud of himself. I felt like he was going to bee line it to the parking lot the entire time...but he refrained. For some reason Jaclyn had an amazing amount of self control when she was Oliver's age and I never worried about that kind of thing (except the one time she wanted to play tag in Marshall Field's shoe department last winter). Then, he was very entertained by the Dora book in the room while we were waiting for the doctor...which helped a lot. The girls were great. You know...they were fed, changed, burped, and amused by their dangling carseat toy...so they really had nothing to complain about. So a great trip....except....that ALL THREE have Bronchitis, Oliver the least intense...but he has a slight ear infections on top of it. :(

I'm still in awe of Planetshakers...

I haven't blogged in a couple of days..hours....not because I haven't had time to get to the computer but because when I'm at the computer all I'm doing is listening to Planetshakers. I am still in awe of their music. And I guess Luke likes them too because just now, he walked in pushing his teddy bear (from Karna) in Julia's baby stroller....stopped in front of me, picked up little Teddy, hugged him close with one hand while putting the other hand in the air as if he was "praising Jesus." Oh I wish I had that on video.

Turn on your speakers...check PlanetShakers Out.

You've GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!! Ever since Amy Grant's The Collection CD back in elementary school when I would jam out to El Shaddai...well, as much as you could jam out to that song, I did....I have been accoustically drawn to music. I loved Amy Grant, DC Talk during their "Down with the DC Talk" debut cd, and Petra. Then I took a stray turn down the Country Music road only to turn onto the Hip Hop train for a couple of years and then back to Christian music. Throughout these listening years..I felt I really knew my music. My mom always said, "If you memorized The Bible like you do that music, you would be a walking plethora of knowledge." But now....Where was I when PLANETSHAKERS was recording all their amazing songs? Who of you have heard of this group? I came across this group just today...and was caught stunned with their annointing behind the microphone. My favorite type of music is Praise & Worship, Darlene Zschech/Hillsong & Vineyard being at the top, so this music fits right in. After "Yahooing" them I found they have cds all the way back to 2000-12 in all. (I'm saying this with astonishment.) "Dedicated to the cause of Christ, it is their desire to see this planet impacted by the power of God." Are there any other groups out there that I have missed?

A Stay-at-Home Mom

I like how Jill Savage puts it. "Motherhood is a gift and a season of life to treasure. If you’re a mom, you can stand with dignity, offer no apology for what you do, and say, "I’m a wife and mother. I love my job.""

Jill Savage, author of Professionalizing Motherhood, encourages moms to take pride in their chosen career and share with people that they are in the profession of motherhood. While attending the Hearts at Home conference here in Rochester a couple of months ago, I was refreshed in knowing that this career that Mitch and I have chosen for myself is the perfect place for me right now. Even though some days I feel that I would be much more appreciated in the "professional" workplace, I really do try and cherish each one of my days during this season of my life.

After my weekend with other moms, sitting through great sessions about how to take care of the "Me in Momy"...I was encouraged to rethink my role as a SAHM. I have created a Purpose-Oriented To-Do List for my house. It helps to remind me of the greater impact I have in our house. I hope it does the same for you.

This list reflects not only the tasks that a I as a full-time mom accomplish during the day, but also my reasons for doing them and my long-term goals as a mother.

*Read to Jaclyn, Oli, Geneva & Layla to expand their imagination and comprehension skills.
*Help Luke climb the ladder at the park to develop strong muscles.

*Take Jaclyn & Oliver to the library to expand their knowledge of pumpkins and changing leaves.

*Snuggle with Geneva & Layla to embed a sense of security and love in them.

*Teach Jaclyn how to write her name and use scissors to prepare her for Kindergarten.
*Wash four loads of laundry to take care of my family’s physical needs.
*Prepare breakfast to give my children a nutritional start to the day.
*Clean up the kitchen to take care of the home God has given me.
*Cook dinner to give my family the opportunity to sit, talk and be refreshed.

Rethink what you do and why you do it. The value of being there for our children in simple ways can never be underestimated.

If I was to be granted 3 wishes....

Today I would wish-

To be able to snap my fingers when I wanted to:

1. unload the dishwasher (However, I don't mind filling it. It's kind of a challenge for me each time I fill it, I like to see if I can organize it so I can fit the most in.)

2. put my make up on and do my hair (Self explanatory)

3. Send out a letter or package to a friend (I think about my friends every day but somewhere between what I'd like to write/send them and a stamped package in the mailbox or at the post office...it gets lost.

What are your 3?

What does a mom do....

This morning I woke up ambitious to make a trip to Walmart, with the children. Not Jaclyn though. She left last night with Grandma Net and Great Grandma to spend a couple of days with them. So after the girls' morning nap, cut short by about a half hour, we ran to a friends house for an hour to play than proceeded on to get some groceries. I knew I had 1 1/2 hours to shop, get home and feed Oliver lunch and have them all down for their 1:00 nap. (Any later than that and the girls come "unglued.") I figured that Walmart would have some sort of contraption that would allow a parent of 3 young children to all ride in the same cart. Wrong. Why? Why wouldn't Sam realize that if he isn't going to offer a child care area inside his store (like Hyvee Barlow) he should make it convenient for parents like me to manuever through the store with my three little ones? We ended up having Oliver sit in one cart, strapped in, along with one of the babies in the big part of the cart in her carseat. Then the other baby did the same in the other cart. Then I pushed Oliver's cart and pulled the second behind me. Talk about a circus walking up and down the aisles. I do have to say that all three children were PERFECT, I guess counteracting the UNPERFECT DOUBLE CART situation.

Thankful Thursday

1. The way Luke moves his legs while he dances.


2. "Red Cup" season at Starbuck. (It started today.)


3. Psalms 91:11
"For He shall set His angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways."


4. Grandparents


5. Electric fireplaces during the fall and winter.


6. My friend Stacey's post on Tuesday about "Daddies." (Check it out, it made me laugh out loud)