Delayed

Whelp, funny thing about plans are that they can quickly change.  We were supposed to be traveling to KC tonight for James' interview tomorrow morning.  But, there seems to be a massive winter storm that is bound to interrupt those plans.  James received an email this morning saying that the interview was to be rescheduled for Thursday morning.  I guess they don't want their potential students traveling in a blizzard.  While I'm thankful for their thoughtfulness, it is hard to wait a few extra days.  Why is it so much harder to wait the last few days than it is to wait at the beginning?  We were both pretty bummed, but know that this is all part of His plan so we just have to trust in that.

I do have to share a funny story about James.  He couldn't decide which tie to wear for the interview so Sunday morning he dressed up in his suit and brought 2 ties to show our Sunday school class to get their opinion on which one was more professional.  What a girl thing to do!  Actually, I thought it was pretty cute...now we all know if I had done something like that he probably would not have let me live that one down.  I'll be nice and not tease him too much, though.

Back to the interview.  Now our plan is to leave Wednesday afternoon and his interview is Thursday from 9am-4pm.  Prayers are appreciated!  Will keep you all posted...

How to Explain a Baby Shower to your Child

My group of friends has been richly blessed with 4 new babies due all in the month of February.  I am so excited to snuggle with all these newborns.  I sure do miss those times when the kiddos were just so content to be held and cuddled.

After church for the past 3 Sundays, I have spent the afternoon celebrating these newborns.  I love to see all the new gadgets that are out there and of course, who can not resist "oohing" and "aahing" over some adorable clothing!  Today, on the way home from church, I told the kiddos that Mommy needed to leave right when we got home because I had another baby shower to go to.  I didn't think anything much about my comment since it was beginning to become a Sunday ritual.

But, the term "baby shower" intrigued Malachi.  He asked if I would go to his baby shower when he was going to have a baby.  I told him that only girls can have babies in their bellies.  He replied ever so sweetly, "I know, but will you come over to my house when my wife has a baby?"  There were so many answers I wanted to say like:  a) you're forbidden to ever date a girl so therefore you're never getting married,  b) you're forbidden to ever date a girl so therefore you're never getting married, and c) you're forbidden to ever date a girl so therefore you're never getting married.  But instead, I simply said, "Yes, of course, I'll come."

Isaiah, on the other hand, took an entirely different approach to the topic.  He kept talking about a baby swimming in his tummy, tickling him (once again, I told him that only girls can have babies, but that didn't stop him from pretending).  Then, he thought that I was going to give a baby a shower. Makes sense to me!

I ended the conversation explaining that we "shower" someone with gifts...they get a lot of gifts because they are having a baby.  They seemed satisfied with that explanation.

Even though it will be nice to have Sunday afternoons free again, I'm really going to miss seeing all the cute baby items, having girlie conversations, and who can forget the cake and punch.  Hmm...maybe some more friends need to have more babies =)

A Visit to the Doctor According to a 5 Year Old

This morning Malachi decided that I needed a visit with the doctor.  He went upstairs and came back with all of the necessary equipment.  The blood pressure cuff was wrapped around my arm to check my blood.  He said my blood looked good.  Next he took the otoscope so he could look at my ears, nose, and throat.  My ears turned out to be clean, my nose was hairy, and my mouth was big.  Following that, he took my temperature; he said I was sick.  So of course, I needed a shot.  He gave me a little poke and then decided that he was wrong.  I wasn't sick after all.  What relief...I have a clean bill of health!

Just Another Walk in the Park

60 degrees...perfect weather for play time at the "library park" (the park across the street from us which is behind the library).  James was on his lunch break so he joined us along with George.  The boys ran wild, running from the swings to the different slides, fireman pole, etc. Samara was a little more timid and needed reassurance.  Malachi wanted her to go up to the tallest slide with him and he sweetly told her "I'll be with you, every step of the way". (taken from Little Einsteins)  But, at the top of the slide, he ditched her and went down it.  She climbed back down the stairs pleading for Mommy to help her.  Eventually, James convinced her to try it again and he walked up with her but didn't abandon her like big brother did.  After that, she was hooked on going down by herself.

Samara pretended the border around the playground was a balance beam and "balanced" herself around the entire thing.  At one point, she pretended that she was struggling with balancing and waved her arms up and down like a gymnast.  Of course, she did take a few tumbles into the grass, but she quickly got up and returned to her spot on the border.

George ran laps around the park.  He would chase the kiddos then run the other way and back.  It wore me out just watching him go back and forth so quickly.

We ended our outing with Malachi swinging all by himself and Samara being pushed in her swing by Isaiah.  What a nice way to spend part of a Friday afternoon!

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Ah, cabin fever; we had it bad!  There's only so many days the kiddos can run the loop around our living room, dining room and kitchen screaming at the top of their lungs before a person goes crazy.  There's only so many books or games or coloring they want to do while being cooped up.  But today, we got to break free and run, ride the Wheels, swing all while enjoying the gorgeous, sunny day outside.  Not too shabby for the end of January!

Before we got to experience the outdoors, though, they needed to have their naps/quiet time. Isaiah had earned a nap today because of multiple bad choices. So it was just Malachi up with me. The bond he and I had today is something I wish I could just bottle up forever.  I was upstairs putting Samara down for her nap and he came up to see my "lovely face".  He hung out the entire time with me.  James had introduced the kiddos to the show Wipeout.  (hilarious!)  Malachi wanted to watch it on the laptop so we hung out on my bed watching it and eating Wheat Thins.  He kept laying his head on my shoulder and cuddling with me.  There was one point that he looked me in the eyes and said, "I love you, Mom".  My heart melted.  He is not one to really want to cuddle a lot so days like these are etched in my memory forever.

After everyone was awake, we went out and had so much fun.  George, of course, was in his element.  The kiddos were laughing and chasing each other.  Samara wanted me to follow her on her tricycle; she is going pretty fast on it now.  We ended our time by all of us sitting on the swing porch and I sang a spiritual I remember my parents singing to me as a little girl while I was swinging. "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"  The kiddos just sat there and listened quietly.  Isaiah said it was beautiful. After awhile, Samara started to sing her own version "Sing Low".

Here is Etta James singing this classic (way better than I can do!)

 Beautiful Day with Beautiful Kiddos!

Sweet Prayers of Children

Isn't it amazing that at such young ages children can understand the reason for prayer? It is pure joy to listen to what each child is thankful for and what is on their heart and mind.  I just love hearing each of our kiddos pray their own individual prayers.  The past few nights have been some of the sweetest prayers that have been said.  Below are just little snippets of their prayers:

Malachi - "Thank you for the bunk beds that we'll get in a few days" (um, more than just a few, buddy!)
                 "Please let us move to Kansas City so we don't have to spend a long time in the car to see
                 Grammie and Papa.  Then we could ride our bikes, or walk, or drive the car there." (he's been
                 on a kick recently about living up in KC.  When given the choice to live in the town where most of
                 his friends are or KC, he chooses KC because that's where family is)

Isaiah - "We love our Mommy, she is the bestest" (this was so wonderful because today was just one of
              those days when mothering didn't come easy)

Samara - "Thank baby, Amen!"  (that was the extent of her prayer, but it was heart felt)

God, thank you for my 3 little blessings.  They truly inspire me to be a better mommy and a better example of what a Godly woman and mother is.

A Successful Nap Time = A Happy Mommy

Since changing to a toddler bed almost a month ago, Samara has yet to take an afternoon nap.  It's been a daily dreaded battle.  With the boys, they would eventually fall asleep, but Samara's stubbornness prevents her from giving in.  I have definitely paid my dues for being a stubborn nap-taker when I was a little girl.

We've tried many different ways of approaching naps with Samara.  First, we pushed back nap time until later in the day. I've laid on the floor next to her bed.  She's laid in our bed.  We've let her read books in her bed in hopes that would get her to settle down.  I've tried rocking her before laying her down so she might get sleepy.  Nothing, I repeat, nothing has worked!  It doesn't bother her that she has red circles under her eyes from exhaustion.  When I walk in her room to put her back in her bed, she will shush me because her babies are sleeping.  Samara, I want MY baby sleeping!!!

Today, I had a new idea.  For her 2nd birthday, she was given a little tent that is already set up in her room and for Christmas, she received a sleeping bag.  I asked her if she wanted to sleep in her tent.  Of course, she was thrilled.  I placed a pillow inside along with 2 stuffed animals and her sleeping bag.  She looked so cozy in there.  For the next hour and a half, I kept listening to her door to hear her talking or playing, but it was completely silent.  I finally wanted to sneak a peek so I walked in and this is what I found:

She had moved all of her animals and blankets inside the tent and there wasn't enough room for her in there. I tried to sneak back out before she woke up, but she opened her eyes and immediately said, "Hi Honey!"

I don't know if nap times will now be continuously better, but I certainly enjoyed this little victory today!

"Help me, Baby!"

This morning Samara was not listening so I was approaching her to put her in time-out.  She had a hold of her favorite baby. Before I picked her up, she looked at the baby and said, "Help me, Baby!". I had to turn away to keep her from seeing the huge smile on my face.  Poor thing!

After her stint in time-out, she is happily being a multi-tasker.   She is walking in circles, carrying her baby, talking on her phone all while carrying her "bag" (purse).  She is having quite the conversation with the phone. I love it.

New House Rules

So lately the boys have been obsessed with pretend fighting each other.  I'm not exactly thrilled about their choice of activity.  I do not understand it nor do I enjoy the inevitable "Mommy, he hurt me" or the excuse, "Well, I didn't want to fight, but he made me" that always ends their fighting session  James has told me that it is only natural for boys to want to fight each other, but we just need to lay some ground rules regarding it.
   Rule #1:  Both parties must agree to participate in the "fight"
   Rule #2:  Prior to the fight, both parties must ask permission from a parent
   Rule #3:  Getting hurt is a risk of playing fight so the other party will not get in trouble if there is an injury (of
                  course, unless it was a completely flagrant foul)
   Rule #4:  If you can't handle Rules # 1-3, then you can not fight
Here's to hoping that this helps my sanity!

On another note, Samara has a new house rule applied to her.  She is no longer allowed to play with the dog's water bowl.  This evening while I was making dinner, I felt her behind me and I looked down to see what she was up to.  The little dear was taking George's water from his bowl and "washing" her hair with it.  Um, did you throw up in your mouth a little like I did when I saw that?  Yeah, the girl is banned from the bowl.  I'm hoping that her bath tonight got rid of the dog slobber smell.  What is funny, though, is she is not a fan of getting her hair washed during bath time, but she has no problems with George's water.  G-gross!!!  That's a story that we'll probably share with her boyfriends to scare them off.

Bear Suit and Jalapeño Seeds

Yesterday was a busy day at the Dinkelberry house.  First thing in the morning, the kiddos and I made a trip into Wichita for the boys to get measured for their tuxes.  In March, they are going to be ring bearers in Kristen's wedding (James' little sister).  Isaiah fondly calls the tux a "bear suit".  I think it's short for ring bearer.  They were sooo excited.  On the way there, I had to prep them for the idea that they wouldn't be bringing the suit home right then and that we were just going to borrow the suit, not keep it.  Malachi made the comment that he wished he was a girl so he could have a pretty dress to keep like Samara was getting.  I expected that comment from Isaiah not Malachi.  After all, pink is sometimes Isaiah's favorite color.

We made it to the store and it was an hour filled with, "Don't touch", "Stop running", and "Please sit down".  Granted, there is nothing there for little kiddos to do, but to touch dresses/suits and run around.  The boys did listen attentively when it was time for their fitting.  Each was so proud to try on a suit jacket and Isaiah did not want to take it off. The tuxes are a black pin-stripe and their vest and tie will be buttercream.

While we were there, Samara tried on her flower girl dress and we ordered that, too.  Unfortunately, the smallest size they had in the store was a 4.  She tried a dress on and it was WAY too big.  She didn't let that slow her down, though.  She had a great time modeling her dress.  Her dress is white with buttercream flowers and sash.  Of course, I'll show pics of the wedding!  There will be some A-dorable kiddos there =)

In the afternoon, I made Stuffed Jalapeños.  Our couple's Sunday school class was having a belated Christmas party at our teachers' house.  The main dish was going to be chili so we decided to bring the jalapeños.  I've made them before and never encountered any issues. Everything was going smoothly.  I had successfully sliced and took all the seeds out of 14 big jalapeños. While I was cleaning up the mess from the seeds, I must have touched under my nose and on my collarbone. All of a sudden, there was the most intense burning sensation at both of those spots.  My skin was bright red.  I tried putting a cold cloth on the areas, but found no relief.  All I really wanted to do was stick my nose straight into the cream cheese mixture because it was a base so that should balance out the acid.  I refrained myself, but for the next 20 or so minutes, I was utterly miserable.  Once I put them in the oven, I rushed upstairs to get ready.  Mind you, I had washed my hands, rewashed and repeated  many times over by this point.  I thought I should be good to go.  I put my first contact in my eye.  OH MY GRACIOUS!!!!  Fire, burning, immediately red-eyed, looked like I had been crying nonstop for days.  Because I didn't want to have half corrected vision, I went ahead and braced myself  to put in the left contact.  It hurt worse than the right eye and the contact immediately fell out.  I decided that I had had enough.  I would just go with one contact in because I could not fathom having any more burning sensations.  Unfortunately, I had dry hands and my thumb and pointer finger burned all night long and into this morning.  I'm thinking next time, I will invest in some gloves!

We had a wonderful time with all the couples there.  Our stomachs hurt from laughing (or maybe from all the food we ate!).  The girls beat the boys in "Battle of the Sexes".  No need to gloat over the victory; it was no surprise that we were better ;)  Kristen was nice enough to watch the kiddos and they enjoyed their time with her.  Minus the seeds, it was an overall good day!  

A Little Tid-Bit about Samara

Samara can seem so unassuming, but lately, I've noticed quite an ornery side to this kiddo.  She purposefully tries to get the boys and dog in trouble.  George will just walk by her (not even touch her) but she'll scream, "Bite me!"  The boys will be playing quietly and she'll come along and yell, "Ay-ah hit me". She'll then say they need a time out. Samara, Mommy is onto you ;)

The Number "4"

It's today, it's today!  Isaiah is officially 4.  We enjoyed a day long celebration of Isaiah.  To start off the morning, he listened to a voicemail that Papa left at 5:10am wishing him a "Happy Birthday".  Then Grammie and Cousin Sofia called to sing to him.  I had planned on a nice breakfast of pancakes and turkey sausage, but instead the Birthday Boy decided Fruit Loops sounded better.

After getting his tummy full, he opened up a birthday gift from Uncle Matt.  Spiderman Color-by-Number and a "Bad Guy" Transformer.  His reaction while jumping up and down, "This is awesome! I'm so excited!"  He had to call Uncle Matt to thank him for his great gifts.

For a special snack, I made homemade double peanut butter and milk chocolate chip cookies.  I stress homemade because when James ate one he asked if I made them.  I replied, "Yes, they're homemade".  He then asks if by homemade I mean I made them from scratch like with eggs, flour, and sugar.  Yes, James, no pre-made cookie dough this time.  I spent 2 hours on those suckers; trust me they're homemade =)

Throughout the day, James and I asked Isaiah how it was being "4".  We were met with the same response, "It means no more sucking thumbs and I get a Quiet Time". He also kept commenting on how long his birthday was today.

Ah, yes, he is an official Quiet Time member now.  He colored 2 Spiderman pictures (he wasn't interested in the following the color by number rules which is ok with me), played with his Transformer, and then watched "The Incredibles" all while wearing his Wolverine costume with mask.  A wonderful start to a new era.

Isaiah was a quick study. Every time the phone rang, he figured out that the person calling needed to sing to him.  This afternoon my sister called for the specific purpose to sing to him, but before she could start, he asked, "Will you sing 'Happy Birthday' to me because today's my birthday?" Who could ever say no to that?

We finished the day off with cheese pizza, chocolate fudge cake with strawberry frosting and mint chocolate chip ice cream and a "Happy Birthday" call from Grandma and Grandpa Dinkel.  Since most of the boys' birthday gifts where given at Christmas or on Malachi's birthday, we saved one gift for the both of them to open tonight.  It was a Thomas the Train train track.  I'm sure they'll have many hours of fun with it.

Isaiah is already saying that he's excited for his next birthday because he'll be 5...son, don't wish to grow up so quickly.  Enjoy being 4!

Things You Never Thought You'd Hear Your Child Say

                        "5 more minutes"

That is what Isaiah said this evening after I tried to get him to wake up from his nap to eat dinner (it was already 6:10pm)  Seriously?!?  Why yes, Mr. Isaiah, you can have 5 more minutes.  Sweet dreams!

Hodge-Podge of Things

Our family had quite a fun-filled weekend.  Lots of time was spent with family and friends.  Our winter is stacking up to be quite busy and we had 2 events scheduled for Sunday so we had to tag-team to make it to both.  First, I'll start with James' and the kiddos outing.

James has an uncle who has been deployed for the past several months to Africa.  On Friday, he returned home for a 2 week break.  To celebrate his arrival, a dinner was planned at James' Grandma's house in Salina.  We rarely get to go up and hang out in Salina for a lengthy period of time so I suggested that James and the kiddos go up Saturday night so they could sneak in some one-on-one time with Great Grandma.  All morning Samara asked to go to "Gamma's house".  Around 5:00ish, they packed up the car and headed up there.  They didn't return until 11pm last night.

This morning while eating Fruit Loops, I asked the kiddos what they did.  It's always so interesting to hear them recall the day's events. This is Malachi's account: When they got to Salina, they ate macaroni.  Then they went downstairs and played.  Great Grandma let him sleep in her bedroom; she made a little bed on the floor for him and he had a yellow pillow.  Isaiah wanted to sleep in Grandma Dinkel's bed (the bed that James' mom usually sleeps in when she's staying the night).  He also had a yellow pillow. Then the next morning, they ate oatmeal and yummy toast for breakfast.  Also, there was an Army guy there. I asked if they played with anyone and he said that everyone wanted to play with him and Isaiah.

All Isaiah said was that Uncle Jason played fight with him.  When I asked who Samara played with, she replied, "MATT" with a smile.  Surprisingly, they didn't mention something that I already had found out about.  James had texted me a picture of Samara wearing her adorable white sweater and her face was covered in something red. He thinks she got into Great Grandma's all-day lipstick. It wouldn't come off so they had to use make-up remover. (it explains the lotion smell that was on her face when I tucked her in!)  When I unpacked her overnight bag this morning, she had make-up all on the white sweater as well.  Thank you Shout for the miracles you perform =)

My Sunday was spent helping out with a baby shower for a dear friend.  They are expecting their first and it's a boy!  It was so refreshing to hang out with the girls, drink coffee, eat cake, and even wash some dishes (YES, mom, by hand...gasp!)  all while celebrating a new life.  Can't wait to meet the little guy!

Today had its hilarious moments.  James had gone to sleep a little after 1am and, as usual,went to work at 6am. At 8am, he realized that it was a holiday!  We have enjoyed him being home an extra day.  Since the temps were in the 40's earlier, we blew some stink off of us and played outside.  The kiddos were bundled up in coats and wore their snow boots even though the snow is almost completely melted.  They rode the Big Wheels and tricycle with much enjoyment.  Isaiah keeps asking if it's tomorrow yet since he'll be officially 4!  Oh, I remember anxiously waiting for the day to be older.

Trusting

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11


I have contemplated writing about this because if it doesn't come to pass, I'm sure, at first, there will be disappointment and confusion. And it may be hard for me to read, but God does have a plan and in the end, once that plan is revealed, then it will be awesome to have a record of how He brought us there.


As many of you know, for the past 2 years, James has been finishing his pre-reqs and applying to med schools.  In the Fall, he had his first interview with KU Med. The school is expanding to add a 4 year campus in Wichita and we thought that would be perfect so we wouldn't have to completely uproot the family.  He was told by a few Dr's that he shouldn't have anything to worry about regarding admissions.  We were just so excited about the prospect! But, it did not come to pass.  He found out that KU thought his scholastic and concern for the community was a match for the program, but felt that maybe he didn't know what it would take to be a doctor.  After discussing some of the answers he gave for how he would handle family and school, we talked about how to improve those answers. We were still left with disappointment and wonderment regarding what the plan was going to be now.


We decided that he should apply to the DO school in KC.  That's my hometown and all of my family is still there.  It would be incredible to have such a huge support system just down the street (or a few miles away!)  He received an email from the school this past week requesting an interview on Feb. 1st.  James let out a barely audible gasp and then said "wow" before telling me of the email.  We both had been praying for this opportunity for him to interview again this year.  He has scheduled a few times to meet with "Doctor Friend" (our former PCP who is James' good friend) to go over some of the questions he may be faced with.


Meanwhile, at night, I have been feverishly looking at for sale houses online.  I am a nerd and love to peruse these websites to see what is out there.  Currently, I think that getting a house close to my parents would be ideal because if I needed something, they wouldn't be too far away.  But, such is the case in any major city, you have to be mindful of which schools your kiddos would have to attend and what not.  I have found a few that I love, close to my parents, and good schools nearby.  


Along with housing, I've also been looking at open nursing positions.  While we don't know what the financial aid packets look like, I highly doubt that they offer a good, family health insurance policy. This means that I would probably need to work at least part-time if not full-time to support the family.  I knew that staying home may only last for a short season and while the idea of not being home daily makes me a little teary, I know that if this is what I am supposed to do, then God will give me the strength and courage to do it. 


It is hard not to dream and think about what it would be like to live by my parents, my sister/husband, nieces, aunts/uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc.  I asked Malachi if he would like to live close to Grammie and Papa and Cousins Sofia and Stella.  He said, "I think I would like that very nice".  I think I would like that very nice, too.


As exciting as it is to think about, though, I know that leaving this place would be heart-wrenching.  Since we've been married (7 1/2 years now), we have always lived in the Wichita area.  We are a part of an awesome church family, we live in a smaller town which we wanted, and we have incredible friends.  But I know that God would not take us away from all of this and then not supply our needs.


While in my mind, this seems like the perfect fit for my family, I need to just rely on God.  He knows my future and my future will be full of hope.  Even though I don't know how this will end, I know that He knows the ending, and that's all that matters.            

Birthday, Dinosaur Poop, and a Haircut

So yesterday marked another year of my life passing by.  This past year has seen a lot of change and I'm so excited to see what this next year holds for me and the family.  Since we are still adjusting to one income and also trying to conserve money for if James is accepted into med school, I didn't want elaborate birthday gifts.  I received a coupon in the mail from the jewelry store we bought our wedding set from.  It was for a free pearl bracelet with the "I AM LOVED" charm attached.  Perfect!  It was definitely within our budget and would require James to plan ahead and go into Wichita to get it.  I set the coupon on the piano and reminded him of it earlier this week.  Now normally, I would keep track of it and notice if it was missing.  I must be slacking because I had no idea when it was no longer where I put it!  James' schedule hadn't changed; he didn't mysteriously work late one night or was away at the store for a long period of time so I thought that maybe he forgot about it.  Mentally, I was trying not to be disappointed if he hadn't went to get it, but it was a battle. 

I walked into the kitchen to get the kiddos breakfast and on the counter, there was a container of chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting and a birthday message from James written on the container.  But on top of the cupcake container, there was the red jewelry box with the bracelet inside! It was a wonderful surprise.  When did he go get it?  How could I have not noticed?  James finally told me that he left work early one day this week and went into Wichita.  I felt honored that he would take the time to surprise me with it.

The kiddos were super great yesterday.  On their own, they decided to sing "Happy Birthday" to me or as Samara sang it loud repeatedly, "Appy to You".  The boys kept calling me the Birthday girl and would come over to me and give me hugs and kisses for no reason.  We had a cupcake snack in the morning; don't you just love the face of a kiddo who just ate a chocolate cupcake?  Even George behaved himself!

My family called and sang "Happy Birthday"; I also received birthday cards in the mail.  On Facebook, I can't begin to count the number of "friends" who sent birthday wishes.  The bracelet said exactly how I felt...I AM LOVED!  It was truly an awesome birthday.

Now, I'm sure you're wondering, what is up with the Dinosaur Poop.  Well, it was nap time and I was finishing putting dinner in the crock pot.  I told Samara to head upstairs and I would be up in just a minute.  Ok, maybe it turned out to be 2 or 3 minutes, but it was a very short time later, I went upstairs.  She was in the bathroom shouting, "POOP!"  "YAY!".  I naturally thought that she went poop like a big girl.  But instead she had her pink dinosaur on the floor, wiping its bottom and a huge amount of toilet paper in the toilet.  She was so proud of her dinosaur.  So I ask you, if the dinosaur can poop in the toilet, why can't she?

At long last, this morning Samara went for her first haircut.  Seeing how she hardly had any hair until about 6 months ago, she really didn't need one until recently.  She was very apprehensive about it because she doesn't like her hair played with (although she loves to play with other people's hair).  James seemed a little nervous, too, because he likes long hair and I prefer short hair.  But, I think little girls should have longer hair so after teasing him a little that she would come back with a boy hair cut, I promised him that she was just going to have a trim, but keep most of her length.  On the way there, Samara was saying that it would "huwt" (hurt), I told her that it was fun and I loved to get my hair cut.  Her reply was "Ooh" and her attitude immediately changed.  Normally, there's at least a 30 minute wait so I packed juice and books to keep her preoccupied.  To my surprise and delight, we were able to get right in.  Samara did awesome!  She didn't move at all and did exactly what she was told to do.  There were a few smiles on her face during the cut, too.  When her bangs were being cut, her eyes got huge, but she stayed very still.  The cosmetologist said Samara was the best 2 year old she had ever had.  Really was there any doubt that she wouldn't be?   Cute girl with cute hair.

My, My Malachi

It's amazing to see the transformation from baby to toddler to little boy to just a boy.  Malachi is no longer a little boy; he is a "youth".  We go to the "youth" department for clothes, he wears "youth" size shoes.  Where has the time gone?  I know you hear that kiddos grow up quickly, but can it really be that fast?  I don't remember life without him, but it doesn't seem like he's been with us for 5 years already.

Malachi Luke was our New Year's surprise.  He continues to surprise us, though.  His memory is remarkable.  Already, he remembers events or what we said from a few years ago.  Scary, huh?  I have a good memory, but not quite to his level. The depth of his love for the younger kiddos is amazing.  I don't remember a time that when he asked to do something, he didn't say "Can Isaiah and I". They are best friends and are pretty inseparable.

He no longer takes naps, but enjoys having "Quiet Time".  He will play quietly by himself, color pictures, work on preschool, or watch some "Transformers" episodes.  Since Malachi and Isaiah are so close in age (12 months, 17 days), he never really had a lot of "Mommy/Malachi time".  We have been enjoying our one-on-one time.

He has reached quite a few developmental milestones lately.  He is able to color inside the lines, recognize most of the alphabet, and count to 30 (misses a few of the teens, but we are working on it).  He is able to start a movie on the computer (please don't be quite the computer nerd as your daddy ;) )

For meals and bedtime, he loves to say his own prayers.  They consist of thanking God for what He has given us and then about how he "always listens to Mommy and Daddy and if he doesn't then he has a time out".  It's hard not to chuckle because he repeats exactly what happens when he makes bad choices!  He also will sit down with his guitar and make up beautiful worship songs.

Malachi has shown interest in cooking so he regularly helps out.  He is such a good helper.  Yesterday, he wanted to make my bed for me!  He also tries to teach the younger kiddos about making good choices.  His heart is so sweet and caring, and is continually developing into a well-mannered boy.

While I miss the baby/little boy phase, I'm excited to see him grow into the Godly, young man I'm sure he'll become.  I love you!

Ay-ah (AKA Isaiah)

Isaiah Mark is a very dynamic little boy.  He is the combination of a tender-hearted, sensitive child and just an all-out boy.  He was born 3 weeks early and weighed 8 pounds.  When it was his actual due date, he weighed 12 pounds.  Isaiah has always been my little chuck of love.  But, he also has been our most stubborn child, too.  Since Malachi and Isaiah are only 12 months and 17 days apart, he has had the mentality that he should do exactly what Malachi does.  While normally this is true, there have been times when we've had to teach a few hard, life lessons that sometimes you have to be older to do certain things.

For instance, since staying home, I've implemented a "Quiet Time" for Malachi.  He wasn't really needing to take a nap and was just keeping Isaiah awake by pestering him.  At first, Isaiah didn't think it was fair that he didn't get a "QT", too, but I told him that it was for 4 years old and once he was 4 and could have a good attitude all day long, then he would be able to have one, too.  His birthday is in a few days and he couldn't be more excited!  It will be quite an adjustment, though, because there are days when it isn't yet nap time and he will ask if he can go ahead and go to sleep.  Just like his Mommy; I *heart* sleep!

We haven't started him in league play for sports, yet, but he has already shown that he has a good throwing arm and can catch the ball really well.  It's not that I don't want him to play on a team because eventually I'm sure he will, but I just don't like the idea of all the competitive parents out there who can permanently change the way a child views sports.

In typical boy fashion, he loves an array of male activities. He's discovered video games; he enjoys playing "Walking Mario" and "Racing Mario" on the Wii (Mario Bros and Mario Kart).  Of course, running around the house is required multiple times each day. I'm not a huge fan of the wrestling that boys seem to believe is necessary, but he loves it. Any time he is outside, he wants to ride his Big Wheel. For Christmas, he received a bike so he is pretty anxious to ride that more.  Right now, he loves the movies "Toy Story", "Ironman", and "Cars".     

Isaiah has a special friend that he's been attached to since infancy.  Most of our pictures contain this friend lovingly yet simply called "Bunny" (or sometimes "Bunny Foo-Foo").  Another unique trait of Isaiah is his addiction to his left thumb.  At all of our sonograms, Isaiah was sucking his thumb and at birth, he cried until he found his thumb, and then everything was right in the world again.  For the past year, we have attempted to get him to stop, but it's such second nature to him that it's been a struggle.  All we have to do is say his name and he immediately takes his thumb out of his mouth.  I really hope that he isn't one of those kids who is in school, but still sucking that thumb!

Isaiah is a cuddle-bug.  In the morning, he loves to hop into our bed and just lay very still and cuddle.  I look forward to this time every morning.  Throughout the day, he will ask me to come over to him so I can give him a "hug and a kissy".  Currently, he says that Malachi and he needs to marry me at my next wedding...oh, the mind of a child! 

When he talks, you can hear the excitement in his voice and he has such awesome expressions when he speaks.  There's nothing like listening to him tell a story.  He holds such a special place in my heart!

Samara-mara

For the next few posts, I wanted to concentrate on each kiddo individually. They each bring so much joy to our lives in their own ways. Today, it's Samara's turn to be in the spotlight.

Samara Jayne has such the personality. She is so sweet and caring, but is quite bossy (especially with the boys and George). She normally has a soft, girly voice, but that can change instantaneously. And she has a way into her Daddy's heart that only a girl can have. She gets away with sleeping in our bed whereas James wanted the boys to stay in their own beds. If she is cuddling with James when it's bedtime, she sneaks in a few extra minutes because he doesn't want her to get down. But, Samara is a Mommy's girl, too. She doesn't like it if I am upstairs and she is downstairs. She likes to know where I am at all times. I relish the times when I am sitting on the floor and she stands by my side and wraps her arm around my shoulder and gives me a kiss. Her brothers adore her and watch out for her. Of course, they give her a hard time, too, but what else would you expect?

I've mentioned before that she is in love with music. She also loves her "babies" and stuffed animals, shoes, purses, and her soft, pink blankie our neighbors gave her when she was born. Reading books has always interested her. She'll love to just sit on my lap and show me the pictures. She also enjoys playing with the boys' Ironman/Buzz/Woody/car toys, too. Her newest obsession is Play-Doh and coloring. Every color she calls "pink"...it is by far her favorite and I'm not going to complain! When it's her turn to pick a movie, she will normally choose "Spiderman", "Shrek", or "Napoleon Dynamite". Quite the spectrum of movie taste.

I love her vocabulary. She is at the stage when she can almost say the word correctly, but it comes out just a little off. I normally don't correct her because she has the rest of her life to figure out how to say words. No worries, though, by the time she starts school, I promise she'll say them right. Below are some of my favorite words for her to say:
Aight = alright
Saw-ee  =  sorry
Dap = lap
Georgie = George
Ay-ah = Isaiah and/or Malachi
Gammie = Grammie
Poppy = Papa
Eat now, cereal, milk = the first words she normally says in the morning
Toming = coming
Panties = her panties, daddy's boxers =), or her pants
Fia = Cousin Sofia
Ella = Cousin Stella
Color = crayons
Jack = jacket
Choc = chocolate
Yep = yes
Cuse me = excuse me
No, me do it
Towel = paper towel, bath towel, toilet paper
Deems  =  sweet dreams

She certainly has brightened up our world and God knew what He was doing when he added her to our family!

Oh George!

For years, James and I wanted to add a dog to our home. But, since we both worked, we decided it would be unfair for the dog to be in a crate everyday. Periodically, the boys would ask for a puppy and we would tell them that someday we would get one.

That "someday" came Sept 1, 2010. It was my very first day of being a stay-at-home mommy. I packed the kiddos up in the Honda and drove the 4 hour round-trip to OK to adopt George. He was a 4 month old, yellow lab. The kiddos instantly fell in love. I signed the paperwork, but we had to wait until the following day to pick him up because he had to have a special "boy surgery" before the shelter would release him. So yes, the next day, I drove another 4 hours to pick him up. Insane? Maybe. But, I did it for 3 kiddos who were adjusting to not going to daycare anymore and needed a new friend.

In previous posts, I've mentioned that I didn't grow up with dogs so let me reiterate this detail. I had NO idea the amount of attention these creatures from God require. Some days he is more exhausting then all 3 kiddos combined. When he was adopted, he wasn't potty-trained. James researched potty-training options and we decided it would be great for him to ring a cow-bell to let us know when he needs to go outside. Since our backyard is not fenced, I have to walk him outside each time. The cow bell hangs at the bottom of our steps in our foyer. Let me tell ya, sometimes, I am not the biggest fan of being a servant to a cow bell.

It did not take him long to learn the purpose of the bell nor did it take him long to realize that every time he rang the bell, it was an immediate way to go outside. I can't begin to count all of the conversations I've had with that dog while walking him outside just for him to smell a rock or chase after a leaf. "George, you are driving me crazy!" George, go potty now!" "George, I need to go fix dinner, hurry up!" Of course, he loves to ring the bell at the most inopportune times i.e. taking Samara potty, putting a kiddo in time-out or the rare moment I get to sit down in the morning.

I do have to say that walking George throughout the day can be a humbling experience. My daily attire no longer consists of well-groomed hair, application of make-up, or a cute clothing ensemble. Instead, my hair is pulled back, no make-up on, and I wear lounge pants with T-shirts. Watch out, here comes a Sexy Mama walking her dog ;)

However, this week, I had to laugh a few times at my walking outfits. With there being several inches of snow, I didn't want the bottom of my pants to get wet so I tucked them into my warm, fuzzy, thick, TALL socks (mostly have been a bright, hot pink color so there is no chance of missing those!). I am also bundled up in my super warm coat with a fur hood and a classy, pink plaid scarf. At that moment, I am rockin so many different styles! Fortunately, George is not a fan of the sub-zero wind chills so he is all about doing his business and then getting his paws in a nice warm house. I don't mind this one bit because a) I'm freezing and b) I look absolutely ridiculous and want to get inside before anyone sees how crazy I look.

This whole dog experience is worth it though when one of the kiddos gives him a hug and tells him how much they love him. The sacrifices we make for those dearest to us!

Snow Bunnies

SNOW!!!!!

We woke up to snow! Of course, the immediate reaction was, "SNOW, I want to go play in it!" After breakfast, I could no longer contain the kiddos (or dog) inside. So we bundled up and went to our backyard.

The boys, including George, ate snow while Samara struggled to walk in the deep parts. No worries, the boys were warned about "yellow snow". Soon, George was running at break-neck speed and having the time of his life. I didn't grow up with a dog so I was unaware of the pleasure they have playing in the snow. It was hilarious!




Isaiah made a snow angel; Malachi and Samara said it was too cold to make one. I then started the snow ball fight. It was a dry snow so the balls wouldn't keep their form. Samara improvised and got a big handful of snow and then came and rubbed it all on my pants and coat. The boys loved that idea so they did the same thing. Of course, I was the only one without snow pants or boots and I was covered in snow. Good thing I was wearing some cozy, fleece pants my sissy got me for Christmas or else I would have froze.

After awhile, Samara and Isaiah didn't want to keep their gloves on so it was time to head back inside. George was NOT ready, but he finally complied. Once inside, we enjoyed hot chocolate (Samara had juice because she didn't like it).

George has now crashed and is taking a long nap. Hope the same
goes for the kiddos later!

Weekend Update

This was the first weekend since Thanksgiving that was spent at home relaxing. Here are a few highlights:

* Made Chicken Tacos in the Crockpot
* Isaiah moved from the Toddler class to Children's Church
* We played Toy Story Yahtzee, Jr. James won and I came in last place so the boys made sure to rub it in that Mommy lost.
* George had to get a large collar because he is growing into such a big boy.
* Sunday night saw the first snow of the season

The Joy of Music

When I was a little girl, I remember singing along with musical greats like James Taylor (yes, I am old enough to know and appreciate who he is!) I come from a family who, while weren't talented with musical abilities, appreciated and loved music. I ended up taking piano lessons for about 10 years, but became burned out by all the theory hoop-la. Even though I listened to music everyday, the joy of music had diminished...until now.

Last year, James and I gave the boys their own "Cars" acoustic guitar. They would strum along and seemed to enjoy it. But when Samara started to get into music, that's when you could tell the boys had the most fun. At first, the boys would play their guitars and sing made-up praise songs while Samara danced by them. Now, Samara will sing and dance with a guitar. Her microphone is the water facet taken off of her play kitchen. The other day I was cooking in the kitchen and she came in and we took turns saying "Oooh oooh" in the microphone.

Most of her songs consist of one word that is whispered, shouted, and repeated over and over and over again. That word is "song". "Song, song, song. SONG SONG SONG, song, song". She will dance in circles, jump up and down, shake her booty all while singing this word. I can't begin to tell you the hours that have been spent laughing, playing the other guitar, and dancing with her.

But her love of music doesn't just stop there. I introduced her to YouTube music videos. Her favorite band right now is Dixie Chicks. Anytime someone is on the computer (or cell phone) she will come up and tilt her head and say, "Song?" Depending on her mood, she'll either snuggle up with you and watch or she'll dance her little heart out. The boys have enjoyed the music, too, and will sing along.

Their passion for music can only help but renew my love for it as well. This year, I hope to play the piano more and encourage the kiddos to explore what musical instrument they might want to play.

"Like Mr. Isaiah"

This Fall I started to teach Malachi and Isaiah to call someone "Mr " and "Miss ". I always thought that it showed honor to your elders and so I wanted my kiddos to begin that tradition. I had no idea that Isaiah would take it to a whole, new level, though. He decided that he needs to call himself "Mr Isaiah". For example, if he needs a drink, he'll say, "Mommy may Isaiah have a drink, like Mr. Isaiah?" He has also started calling Malachi, "Mr. Malachi". Now if only I could get him to remember to call his elders by "Mr" or "Miss"...

The World of Transformers, Spiderman and other Super Heroes

I've come to the realization that I am out of my league having 2 boys. I thought I had a handle on boy toys. After all, I was a "Hot Wheels" kind of girl growing up! When Malachi and Isaiah were smaller, they loved to fix things with their hammers, screwdrivers, pliers. I knew what each tool was called and how it was used. Piece of cake.

But as the boys are getting older, they are becoming more interested in the unknown (to me) world of Super Heroes. Really the only experience I had with Super Heroes growing up was when my dad, sister, and I were wrestling, my dad would say "Nah nah nah nah, Batman!". When James and I were first married, the Spiderman movies came out so I became familiar with him and I also enjoyed the movie "Batman Begins". But other than that, I was clueless.

This past year, though, I've been introduced to Ironman, Wolverine, and the Transformers. For Christmas/birthdays, the boys received Transformer toys. They've asked me to help get their guys changed from a helicopter to a car back to the guy. Um, help! And don't even begin to ask me what all of their names are!!!

Also, for Christmas, the boys received a treasure box with Spiderman, Ironman, and Wolverine costumes, complete with masks. Now this I can handle! It's precious to see Isaiah dressed as Spiderman with his mask covering his face. The only part of his face you can see are his big, brown eyes with long eyelashes peeking out at you. He will come over to me and say, "Don't worry, Mommy, I'm a Super Hero here to save the day!" He then saves me from all of the "bad guys".

Samara condenses all of the Super Heroes names into one word: "MAN". Smart girl =)

The Wonders of Spray Paint

Notice the beautiful floors James installed! (ignore the door, I didn't get to paint that this past week...it's on my to-do list this week, though!)




It compliments our upstairs hallway table that my mommy found on clearance and we just brought home on Saturday!



When I was a little girl, this was a mirror that my mommy found in the trash at a fire station. She took it home and used it for years. Now it is going in our home!

The End to Personal Space

Yesterday was over the top and, in the middle of the night, you just had to laugh. Samara was in the mood where if I left the room she would cry, scream, yell "Mommy!" and then immediately run to where I was and want me to hold her. I knew she was tired from all of the Holiday events so I was hopeful that a good nap would be just what she needed. Unfortunately, her new "big girl bed" stood in the way of that.

This week she began sleeping in a toddler bed. We held off as long as we could since we enjoyed knowing that when it was her nap time she was actually IN her bed and not playing. That is no longer the case. After tucking her in and singing her favorite lullaby, I went to check to see how my exhausted little girl was doing. I found her on our bed putting lotion on George (our yellow lab puppy). I put her back to bed and a little while later she comes downstairs, wraps her arms around my neck and says in her sweetest little voice "I play now?" I knew this nap would be a lost cause. So I let her sit on my lap and snuggle. George, though, wanted to snuggle, too, and thus began the battle that would last the rest of the day. Both insisted on being on my lap at the same time and would inch their way closer to taking over my entire lap if the other moved just a little.

Before I started staying home full-time, the kiddos would climb all over me and it never would phase me. At work, I had my own cubicle and enjoyed having personal space throughout the day. When I came home, I didn't mind being a jungle gym. But now, I have to wait until bedtime for a possible chance of not having a child or animal jumping on me for attention.

Last night, though, there was no end. After the kiddos were tucked into bed, I was laying on my tummy in my own bed enjoying not having anything but PJ's and blankets on me when Bob (our tabby cat) came and laid right on my rear-end. Then I felt a little hand on my shoulder. Samara proceeded to climb on me so that she could sleep with us. I let her stay there for a little while, but then tucked her back into bed. But this fun game would go on until 4:30 am this morning when struggling with sheer exhaustion, I let her sleep in between James and I. She is a very restless sleeper so I was kicked and hit in the face on multiple occasions.

When it was time for the kiddos to get up and eat breakfast, James was a dear and took care of the kiddos and I slept and enjoyed S P A C E, beautiful space.

I know that too soon the kiddos will be of ages that it will be embarrassing to snuggle in my lap or the idea of sleeping in our bed will never cross their mind so I try to enjoy this time, but days like yesterday, whew, are tiring to say the least!

My First Post

As is the custom, the beginning of a New Year brings about thoughts of new goals and a renewed sense of determination. After much thought about what I would like to try in 2011, I decided that a blog would be a fun way of recalling all of the happenings in our life. And since both James and my family live hours away from us, this would be an ideal way of them keeping up with all of the crazy stories that are sure to occur!

I'll catch you up to speed on our year so far...well, let's start with Christmas and work our way up. In the past, we had rotated which grandparent's house we would be at on Christmas Eve/Christmas morning. But this year, we decided that we would like to have the kiddos wake up in their own home. This resulted in celebrating Christmas the weekend before with the Dinkel's and going to KC the weekend after. Yes, it was 3 weekends of Christmas, but I found the time at each house to not be as rushed and we were able to come home and put away all of the gifts before the next celebration.

The week after Christmas the kiddos spent the week with Grandma and Grandpa Dinkel (and Uncle Jason). While they were away, James and I were very productive. Samara's bedroom was carpeted, I painted her closet, painted the trim in the living room, the coat closet, doors, and the foyer trim. James installed hardwood flooring upstairs in the hallway and started the hardwood flooring in the foyer. It felt so wonderful to get so much accomplished! We also enjoyed a movie date night along with a lunch date during the week. James found some gift certificates so all of our dates ended up being free!

For NYE, James and I went to our first party as a couple. We had always either been with family, working, or getting ready to have a baby. Our good friends, the Rebels, had a party at their house. Couples from our Sunday School class were there. It was such a wonderful evening talking, eating, and playing Pitch. The next morning we picked the kiddos up in Junction City and headed to KC to celebrate Christmas and Malachi/Isaiah/my birthdays. Malachi turned 5 on New Year's Day. It's hard to imagine that he is no longer a "little boy", but now a "boy".

When we got home, Samara discovered her "new" bedroom. We had taken down the guest bed so her room was now filled with just her bed and toys along with the new carpet. Her closet had toys on the shelves and her play kitchen, too. Her response was "wow". She will now summon me up to her bedroom for a tea party. The joys of having a little girl.

From here on out, I hope to post funny stories, yummy recipes, discoveries, etc. I'm excited about this new adventure!