Announcements, Announcements, Announcements!

(Blog title from a Girl's Camp Song)
Ever had 5 sisters all having babies within a month of each other? We did last year, with a baby being born in September, November, December, January, and February. We didn't think that could be topped. Then the blogs started. This is what my family has discovered.

Cheri's Announcement posted January 29. She's due August 27:Tauna's announcement posted February 8. She's due on August 7.So, here's my announcement. Posting today. Due August 13.

Yep, that means 3 sisters having 3 babies now within 3 weeks of each other (yes, in 3 different states, Sorry Mom!). Maybe this is what happens when you're from the greatest family in the world!

Another ironic point about this pregnancy:

• Carter was born on Mine & Steve's anniversary.
• Addison was due on my birthday.
• This baby is due on Steve's birthday.

That just makes us laugh!!!! Are we really in charge here?

I had a BLAST announcing the news to my parents...I made an 8-9 foot wordsearch puzzle, with over 60 words to search for, with the remaining 203 letters spelling out a message for them. It was so fun and such a shocking surprise for them! And now for you, the rest of the family!

Carter's Happy Logic

Carter had watched a PBS show that emphasized Giving to Others. On Wed morning, he woke up and asked,

"What makes Jesus Happy?" (Must have come from nursery).

Me: Well, What do YOU think we can do to make Jesus Happy?
Carter: Hmmm..well...(his face lights up with an idea)...We could make Him cookies or Bread or Himph!! (he's into making up words now)
Me: Yum, those sound so good! Hey, what did the elephant learn about sharing?
Carter: We should GIVE to Others!
Me: Right

So later in the day we made muffins...I thought this plan was going oh so well.

On our way to bring a muffin to our friend Katie down the street, he decided this was no longer a great idea. He kept saying, "No, that would not be nice [to give her a muffin]. It will make her sad." I tried my hardest to teach him in all kinds of ways that YES, giving to others--a muffin to Katie--would make her soo happy, and that would make Jesus happy...not working...

Next tactic: "Well, maybe if we give Katie a muffin, then you could eat yours WITH her and see who could eat it fastest; wouldn't that be fun?" Nope, he kept saying, that was not a great idea, and it would not be nice.

So I turned the tables to him..."Well, what would be a nice thing to do, then?"

Carter: "Say, Thanks for having us over; we'll see you next time!"

Right, yes, that would be a nice thing to say...the discussion ended there.

Adventurous Moms of the Year

Phone rings at 10:15...'What do you want to do today?" "I don't know...any thoughts?" "Whatever, I just have to get out of my house"...45 minutes later...5 kids, 5 carseats, 2 double strollers, 2 Moms, and packed lunches are headed out for our Grand Adventure!

With Carter, Addison and Leah in the back, Parker and Zach were thouroughly entertained.

Carter, Addison, and Leah enjoying the Jim Gill CD

And then Addison discovered he could chew on his toes :)

Carter, Addison and I went with Lindsay and her kids to the Shedd Aquarium. And for a free day at the museum, it was not busy at all, giving Carter and Leah PLENTY of space to see the fish, and do a lot of running around.

I'm so impressed with everything Carter learned and could tell his Daddy when we got home (especially because it looked like he was just running around and around)! He told him all about:

• the Jellyfish that changed colors,
• the Seahorses bobbing up and down,
• and the School of Fish we saw (his new favorite phrase...he even got his cars lined up..."Look, they're a school of fish!"),
• and his crackers during dinner were swimming like stingrays.
• When I thought he was only looking at the jetted waterfall at the Blue Iguana Exhibit, oh no, he apparently was paying attention becuase he told Steve all about what the iguanas were doing and could do quite the impression of them on the rocks!

And to top it off...I happened to run into Heather--My next door neighbor growing up who I've been friends with since I was 3. Why didn't we take a picture?

It was a FUN day! So much for the laundry and tubs that thought they'd be attended to, but it sure was FUN to be spontaneous!

Duck-Duck-Goose--I've been tagged

I got tagged. It made me laugh enough that I had to follow through:

The Rules:

1.go to the document/ my pictures site on your computer

2. go to your sixth file

3. go to your sixth picture

4. blog about it

5. tag 6 people

Approximate time of photo? 1987. Wow! Weren't we the stylish bunch!!!

This was taken while camping, after a Family Reunion, in Washington? (please clarify in comments). Perhaps this is when we went to the Worlds Fair. Perhaps this was the beginning of the Bowling Ball Tradition? Where's Shaun? The pic has: Mom, Heidi, Tauna, Cheri, Brent, Andrea (cousin), me, Uncle John, Aunt Katherine, Janae, David (cousin), and Dad.

• Heidi: Cute side pony-tail Heidi!
• Tauna: I haven't seen that haircut since the last Barbazon commercial (and as a side note, your right arm is BUFF)!
• Janae: Thanks for not poofing your bangs for this picture! But hey, what more could be done in our Green-with-electric-tape-holding-it-together Pop Up trailer?
• Dad: Thanks for pointing out the Continental Divide--again.
• Mom: Thanks for sending back the Peanut Butter and jelly sandwiches made in the front seat of our Oldsmobile Station Wagon all the way to the "Way Way Back" where Cheri and Heidi and I were sitting, or the cups of water from your thermos so Tauna could stick her head out and pour the water on her face.
• All: thanks for picking up the Pictionary Cards every time they flew off the top of the car roof after stopping at the side of the road...it taught me well, and contributed to my own blog post about it this summer.

Oh yeah, the tag: Who may have the most interesting stories/pictures to share?

Janae, Stefani, Holley, Roseanne, Heather, Brandi

Our Oh-So-Clever Valentine for Daddy

Yes, I thought of this myself, and Carter pulled it off oh so cute!

While Daddy was taking a shower, Carter and I snuck in.

Carter said: "Daddy, do you want a kiss?"

Daddy: "Well, Sure!"

Carter: "Then we are going to SHOWER YOU with kisses."

At which point we poured a whole bag of hershey kisses over the curtain to a very surprised--yet loved--Daddy!

Heart Attack

I can't leave my V-Day posts alone without blogging that I got Heart Attacked by the Young Women in the ward!!! Boy, do I miss them! I was released in December as the Beehive Teacher after being there for almost 3 years. We came home from our Valentines Trip (see below) to discover hearts all the way up the stairs, guiding me to my room where there were heart messages all over the bed and dresser!

Thank you Girls (and leaders!!!) You made me soo happy! And thanks, Katie, for letting them in my house!

Perfect Valentine's Getaway

When our friends, the Harmons, moved away we were all so sad! We've known them for 5 years, and moved together 7 times, in 4 different states. So how else should we spend our Valentine's Weekend than with them!

We met half way between our current lives in Wisconsin Dells and took advantage of a time share there! HOORAY! The boys reunited with a rousing round of Jumping on the Bed! (and surprisingly survived with no tears, bumps, or broken teeth!)

The rest of the time was spent at the Pool, where we fell in love with the Adventurous Carter going down all the slides by himself...

...we also played at a huge indoor Playground nearby

...and loved eating fantastically yummy food! (This is our V-day Candlelight Dinner with Cheese Fondue!)

We LOVED the adult time we shared after the kids went down for the night, too. I love all the friends I've made the past few years, but I value so much the friendships of those that knew Steve and I BEFORE we had kids. We were so much cooler back then, when we weren't so tired and our sense of humor revolved around making fools of ourselves over Kareoke instead of who has the funniest diaper changing story. Thank you to the friends I've made WITH our kids, for somehow thinking that we are still cool enough to hang out with! Still, It sure was nice to reminisce back to those times with Daniel & Heidi, including our trips together to Hawaii and our Cruise to Mexico!

Daniel & Heidi also shared a FANTASTIC movie with us that I highly recommend. It's called Fireproof and is a real and inspirational movie about making your marriage last and more meaningful, even when it's on the brink of breaking. It's a movie we watched for the message, not the acting.

Fly Lady's Got Nothin' on Me

Spring. Glorious Spring. It's what calls me to action! So when the temps soared to the 50's and 60's yesterday and today, I took FULL advantage!

1) Washed all the upstairs windows--inside and out (it rained last night, so now they are spotted again. Oh well, I still was ushering in the sunshine)
2) Vaccumed and Dusted all the upstairs
3) Did 4 loads of laundry
4) Went on 4 walks with my kids (Around the neighborhood with Carter's Tricycle twice, Around the lake once, around our block once with Carter's training wheel bike--during this walk at dusk, Carter said he wanted to go inside "Never Never Never, and just stay here and see all these beautiful stars"!)
5) Went to the Zoo (sorry, the pics with the animals, just didn't turn out so bloggable)
6) Went to the Park to play on slides with friends

7) Washed the car (even though it's going to rain all day tomorrow)

8) Washed the nasty salt/dirt/snowy grit off the garage floor (even though snow is forecasted later this week)

9) Had the Windows open and the heat OFF! (Take that Nicor Gas!)

And aside from the Zoo--which we did on Saturday--that was all within the last 36 hours and aside from all the other things I normally do! We got 2 days of spring and I was not going to waste it!

I'm going to bed now with soar muscles, but a rejuvinated spirit!

Don't think I can take the 30's and 40's again? Bring it on! I've soaked up the sun!

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!

Or at least the SNOW is MELTING!!! Hooray! It's going to be a great day!

Admittedly, it is funny to see our 6-ft yet now-headless Frosty outside!

We're Having a Heat Wave...

...A tropical heat wave!

Well, not quite, but while the temps got up to 35 this weekend (WOW!) we took advantage of the outside sunshine!

And FINALLY the sun has melted a little snow to create enough moisture to make our first FROSTY!

Carter is actually very happy in this picture! He was saying "FROSTY!" and I guess I caught it at a wrong moment in the word...Next Time We'll stick with "CHEESE!"