TheHenrichsens.com

Novemeber 21st

Wednesday the kids had a half day at school so I convinced Mark to take the day off and we all went to see Enchanted. Our friends were in town from Chicago and they joined us at the theatre. The movie was totally cute and Caleb was amazingly good. We picked the twins up from the babysitter and the Restuccias came over and played for awhile. Our kids are almost all exactly the same age so it’s kind of fun to watch them all play together. Denver and Evan almost instantly hit it off and we came to the conclusion that it must have something to do with the fact that they look so much alike. What do you think?

November 22nd–Thanksgiving Day

We started the day really early by loading the kids in the car around 5:20am and heading to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade with Drew and Sara Brown. They invited us to join them several weeks ago and earlier in the week I had decided we wouldn’t go because there was rain in the forecast. Then Wednesday they said it would be in the sixties and clear and we decided we couldn’t pass on such nice weather and good company. So, off we went at the crack of dawn into New York to see the giant balloons. Hunter asked why we couldn’t just stay home and watch it on TV and seemed concerned that his entire holiday weekend was about to be wasted but I think by the amount of confetti he brought home in his pockets and the number of people he’s bragged about the parade to, he was glad we didn’t just sit on the couch watching TV. I think all of us were glad we went. The crowds were hideous and juggling the three babies while Mark ran to fetch us some McDonalds was a challenge but watching the kids hi-five the clowns and scramble to scoop up confetti and having a front row seat to see all of the balloons and bands and famous people (at least people tell us they’re famous–Mark and I didn’t recognize any of them except for Bob from Sesame Street and Dolly Parton. Oh, and I recognized Jordin Sparks on the Pillsbury Float but Mark missed her cause he was totally watching the Dough Boy instead.) Anyway it was totally fun and a great way to spend Thanksgiving.

Afterwards we hit the grocery store for the items we needed to do our share of the Thanksgiving cooking and returned home to rake leaves and bake and bake and bake. Hunter and Denver helped me do the raking and when all was said and done we raked 570 gallons of leaves. Then I made orange rolls, pumpkin roll, sweet potato casserole and Cafe Pumpkin Pie. Mark made blueberry delight and popped us some popcorn so we could string some cranberries and popcorn for a homemade garland for our tree. Then we all sat around and watched Elf until we couldn’t keep our eyes open any longer and we all crashed.

November 23rd
Friday we finished cooking our assignments for Thanksgiving Dinner-a-day-late and then headed over to Chris’s house for the rest of the afternoon. We had so much fun eating and playing games. We haven’t been able to play so many games for a long time. We played Five Crowns, Sequence, Pictionary, and Rumis. Chris made a most delicious turkey and we all ate ourselves silly. Melanie came with her little Isabelle and we were all thrilled that she stayed and played several games with us. We’re definitely going to have to have a game night more often. The boys entertained themselves watching Ratatouille and building mansions out of Ben’s lego.

November 24th

Saturday Mark had piano lessons as usual and then Sam Cousins and Jacoline Tagg came over to work on some invitations for the Ward Christmas Party. Sam did an awesome job on the invites and we had them put together in less than an hour. Next time us girls will have to work slower because as soon as we were finished the men got together and played themselves a round of Settlers. I wrangled kids and played playdough and changed diapers and put out various fires until the men were done and then we headed off to Walmart and Home Depot for a few necessities before Sunday.

November 25th

And Sunday we did the usual church thing. Hunter wrote his very own talk for the first time and did a great job. He never seemed nervous and didn’t even bat an eyelash when I informed him that he was old enough to write his own talk. He just sat down and did it. I was very proud. Then we had a meeting for the Ward Christmas Party which is in five more days and coming together, at least so far, quite nicely. I think it’s going to be a great way to start the Christmas Season. Then we returned home and had some Turkey Potpie for dinner and decorated our tree and watched Ratatouille and broke into our giant tin of popcorn.

It really was one of the best weekends we’ve had in a really long time. We didn’t have to rush anywhere or do anything really important. We just laid back and enjoyed the holiday and our family and it was truly wonderful. I have one more crazy week ahead of me–a work party for Mark which I still don’t know what I’m going to wear to, and a GE holiday party for the kids, and of course, the ward Christmas Party which we’re in charge of–but once we’re through this week, my goal is to have a really low-key and simple Christmas this year. I want to read our Christmas books and watch our Christmas movies and bake all the yummy things we like to eat and enjoy the kids and the season and not stress so much. Simplify–that’s my goal. Simplify and relax and enjoy.

Because the past week and a half I’ve had to wake up running practically every morning. Seriously. We’ve been so busy this past week or so, it blows my mind how many things we’ve had scheduled. Here’s just a sampling:

Sunday: Plan ward Christmas party, hold meeting to organize ward Christmas party, run home and get a tea party set for Denver and Faith so we have something to write about in Barbara Bear’s Journal, have Hoggan’s for dinner, crash on the couch.

Monday: Run the boys to school only to return home to find Denver in tears because he doesn’t want to miss the Veteran’s Day celebration at school. Send Mark with Denver to Veteran’s Day celebration while I hurry to feed and dress the three babies as well as myself in half an hour. Run the twins to the babysitter and Denver to his fourth dentist appointment in two weeks, pick up the twins, get Denver back to school, guest read in Hunter’s class, playdate for Noah, FHE, crash on the couch.

Tuesday: Try and catch up on housework that’s piled up over the last two days, run to Norwalk for flu shot with the three babies, run like mad to get home before the boys get home from school, load everyone up and head to McD’s because everyone’s starving, homework, piano practice, dinner, crash on the couch.

Wednesday: Get the boys to school, run the twins to a paid babysitter because all of my regular free sitters are just as busy as me, run Hunter to Diabetes Clinic, run Hunter to Neurology Clinic, run Hunter to the lab for his second blood draw in three days, run to the bathroom before I pee my pants, run to the grocery store, run to pick up the babies, run to pick up Denver from his friend’s house, and make it home just in time to pick Noah up from school. Throw together a Faith in God activity for the Wolves as I shove french fries and a chocolate shake down my throat. Run to scouts with Hunter and the three babies, two of which are still poopy but I didn’t have time to change. Dinner, homework, crash on the couch.

Thursday: Major catch up on housework day. Actually fall asleep with Caleb during naptime only to be awakened by the phone a million times. Arrgghh! Piano practice before their piano teacher shows up to play Nintendo with them. Dinner, homework, crash on the couch.

Friday: Get the boys to school and run like mad to get in the shower.
Babysitter arrives ten minutes early and catches all of us in our underwear. Literally run out the door to find Hunter on a field trip where I’m supposed to make sure nothing happens with his blood sugar. Run home, practically frozen to death from standing outside in 38 degree temps for two hours. Babysitter informs me the babies all slept the entire time at which point she leaves and Caleb wakes up, followed thirty minutes later by the twins. Try and pay the bills before the Visiting Teachers come with the three babies climbing all over me. VT’s are late and stay just long enough to get Denver completely bouncing off the walls and welcome the other two boys and a playdate home from school. Send playdate home and head to the church to clean the building with all six kids in tow. The Hogan’s show up to help us (I could so totally kiss them) and we finish before eight. Pick up dinner at La Salsa (I could so totally kiss La Salsa) and watch half of National Treasure before we both crash on the couch.

Saturday: Piano lessons starting at 9:30 and ending at noon. Mark makes cookies for reception and I clean up the mess while he runs to a baptism. Then we have to hit Walmart for diapers and BJ’s to price food for the upcoming ward Christmas party. Unload kids and put them to bed. Unload purchases and put them away. Crash on the couch.

Sunday: Off to church again. Another Christmas Party meeting. Pull dinner together. Mark has to go out with the Bishop on ward business. Work on a spreadsheet with to determine cost of ward party because Bishop is stressed about us going over budget and make a few phonecalls to determine other expenses. Put the kids to bed. Crash on the couch.

Monday: Get the kids to school, finish paying the bills that I never got around to on Friday, pull all three babies in the shower with me with only thirty minutes to get everyone ready for the doctor. Show up fifteen minutes late for the appointment. Wrestle the three babies for an hour and a half in the doctor’s office. Twins get four shots each and a blood draw. Get everyone home and settled, finish putting together cards for FHE, playdate, chaos, dinner, FHE, crash in bed with Caleb who wakes up coughing and crying hysterically. Can’t go back to sleep. Help Mark finish cleaning the kitchen, mop the floor, organize a few photos, watch some TV, still can’t sleep, blog, finally crash at 2:00am.

Tuesday: Jump out of bed and into the shower, pack ten cups of flour and chop two bags of cranberries for Hunter’s class, get the kids to school, run home for ten minutes to finish applying makeup and styling hair, run up to the school to read in Denver’s class, hurry back home so Mark can leave for work, and who knows what tresures the rest of the day holds for me?

Yesterday I mentioned to a friend that I blog and she said, “Oh I didn’t know you have a blog.” To which Hunter replied, “Yeah, it’s just complainy and whiney.” And I’ll just have you know, I’m not complaining or whining here. Just stating the facts. I really am considering sleeping with my tennis shoes on because I’ve been running around like a turkey with no head for some time now–wouldn’t you agree? Thank heavens we have no big plans for Turkey Day. I’m looking forward to a whole lot of nothing to do.

For the past couple of weeks we’ve been spending our Monday nights talking about gratitude and the importance of giving thanks. Last week we started making all sorts of thank you cards for people we’ve been needing to thank for some time now. Some of the ideas I found on the internet worked really well and some didn’t but we all had fun creating and making a royal mess of the kitchen. Today we finished them off and wrote our thank you notes inside. Hopefully Mommy will get her act together enough tomorrow to get them in the mailbox. But here are a few of the cards we made that were really quite simple but turned out pretty darn cute.

We have way more people to thank than we made cards for but that certainly doesn’t mean we’re not thankful. So just in case you don’t get a card in the mail but you deserve one–Thanks so much from all of us.

Mark got hired to bake six dozen of his famous chocolate chip cookies for a wedding reception tonight. Our house smells like one gigantic chocolate chip cookie and all of our mouths have been watering the whole entire afternoon. Usually Mark allows us to help ourselves to the cookies and more often than that he brings us the hot cookies, with the chocolate chips still all melty and ooey and gooey. But today, every time one of us has attempted to get our pudgy little hands on a cookie he’s flat out rejected us. That my friends, is torture at its best.

Everywhere I’ve gone this week where people know us we’ve been bombarded with comments on our family’s recent fame. Mark and all three big boys were mentioned in the Connecticut Post. And Hunter got to perform with Blue Jupiter on Thursday and received an autographed poster with all four of the performers’ signatures. It’s not like we’re already famous enough, prancing around town with six little boys in tow. But now we’re famous for Denver’s insisting on attending the Veteran’s day ceremony and Hunter’s acapella cymbal talent. Dang–we’re on a roll. My next plan is to drag all six boys into New York and make our debut on the Today Show–how could they not interview a family of six boys, especially when two of them are Jericho and Justus? And at that point TLC will totally be begging us to sign a contract to do a show titled something like Mark and Shana plus Six. And then I’ll be writing books about raising boys and Mark will be an inspirational speaker and all of our financial woes will soon be forgotten. Ha!

That said, Noah’s little friend just came over and the first thing out of his mouth was, “It’s a mess in here.” Hmph! That kid better hope he doesn’t end up in the news. . . .

So tell me how it’s possible that Thanksgiving is in just a week? And by the way. . . is it still only Wednesday?

Dear Soldiers of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow–

Thank you. Thank you for all that you have sacrificed, are sacrificing and will sacrifice on behalf of my freedom and the freedom of my children and my children’s children. Your service to God and Country does not go unnoticed and we will ever be indebted to you.

Love and Support Always from The Henrichsen Troop

P.S. Click here to see Denver sing a special Veteran’s Day selection from their school program.

So last Sunday we’re sitting in Sacrament meeting and I’m fishing paper and crayons out of the diaper bag for Denver and bottles for the babies and gum for Noah and crackers for Caleb and trying not to be bitter but wondering why exactly I’m sitting there in Sacrament meeting when I’m not getting much of anything out of it besides a headache. And Grandma Gribble, who faithfully saves us a row up front every week, slaps me on the arm and points up at the podium sort of like my parents used to do when they wanted me to bear my testimony. So I shake my head “no” cause I’m not going to bear my testimony when I have my head buried in the diaper bag and don’t see myself coming up anytime soon and she immediately slaps my arm again and nods towards the podium. So I sit up and look at the podium and there’s my Hunter, taking a deep breath in his little tie and suit coat, getting ready to bear his testimony. I was so proud my head about popped off my shoulders. He did it all on his own. We didn’t have an FHE about testimonies nor had we encouraged him to do so. There was no nudging during the Sacrament and no bribes from the Primary. He just did it. Completely on his own. And it was at that very moment that I realized we’re halfway to him leaving on a mission and somehow I just know he’s going to be an awesome missionary, that is if I can find the strength in my heart to let him go.

Later that same day while we were still at church I found Hunter looking for a tithing slip. I’m not sure what posessed Hunter to start bearing his testimony and paying his tithing but I thought it was pretty neat. So I helped him find a tithing slip and when he got home he immediately started filling it out. He brought it to me so I could double check it and the receipt to the left was what he’d done. Hunter thought he could divi-out his tithing money however he wanted and clearly he wants more temples to built. We had a little discussion about tithing and that after he pays ten percent to the church he can include more money to specific areas. He was a little disappointed, probably more about having to fill out the slip all over again than the fact that he didn’t get to decide how his money was spent, but he quickly got over it and filled out a second slip right away. And I couldn’t be more proud of him and his great example.

And last but not least, every day after school for the past couple weeks I’ve noticed this little girl lingering just outside our yard. We met her early this school year when she and her brother wandered by and we invited them to come play in the backyard with us. I think she’s one of the cutest little things I’ve ever seen and part of that is probably because she reminds me of Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter and I totally love Luna. So anyway, she’s been hanging around every day after school and it dawned on me that she was probably waiting for Hunter to come home. And sure enough on Wednesday she and Hunter showed up at the back door wondering if it was okay if Luna could stay and play. We tried looking up her phone number in the student directory but she was unlisted. So I gave Hunter permission to walk her home and ask if it was alright for her to stay and play. I gave him my cell phone and sent the two of them on their way, down the street. And then I just stood there at the window wondering how in the world this little baby boy of mine got so grown up and so good and a girlfriend too! Time’s really got to slow down around these parts. These little men of mine are growing up much too fast for my liking.

I was talking to Kathy the other day and all of the sudden it dawned on her that the twins had turned one and she said, “Why didn’t you blog it?” And I guess it has something to do with the fact that Mark’s been away and the twins are one and Caleb’s two and I have three other kids on top of that and mountains of laundry and piles of dishes and blah, blah, blah. But right now the babies are all asleep and the laundry is washing and the dishes are done and I’m here to tell you, the twins survived their first year of life and successfully turned one. Hurray!

First of all, I have to admit, having twins was not as bad as I thought it would be. The two of you little boys are quite a joy to have around. Yesterday your daddy said, “Just one of you alone couldn’t be cuter if you were twins” and then surprise, you are twins and you are even cuter. Plus, there’s just something extra fun about watching two babies interact with one another. On our way home from church yesterday, the two of you were sitting all grown up in your new forward facing carseats, holding hands. How often does anyone get to see two babies really holding hands? You both were totally aware that the other one was there and you definitely wanted to be holding hands. It was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen. And a few days ago Justus was sitting in the living room drinking a bottle of milk. Jericho crawled into the room and straight over to Justus where he slapped the bottle out of Justus’s mouth. But Justus didn’t cry. He just picked up the bottle and stuck it right back into his mouth. And Jericho immediately slapped the bottle out of Justus’s mouth again. This time Justus started laughing and all of the sudden the two of you were having the times of your lives, slapping the bottle and picking it up again, giggling together like someone had just cracked the biggest joke ever. Several times in recent weeks one of you (and you take turns doing this) has come peeling around the corner from one room into another, squealing and laughing, half excited, half panicked, racing towards us. And seconds later, the missing baby also comes peeling around the corner, in hot pursuit of his brother, laughing and sqealing also. And I didn’t even know babies could play chase with other babies. I guess that’s the neat thing–the two of you totally understand each other in a way most other babies never will. Jericho was crying the other day because I forced him to take his inhaler meds, which he hates. Justus doesn’t like them anymore than Jericho does, but he seems to take it a little better. Anyway, Jericho was hysterical, crying on my lap and all of the sudden Justus crawled over and started kissing him, clearly trying to make him feel better. It really is the neatest thing and one of the funnest things, I think, to have the two of you. And to think I thought twins were the worst thing that could ever happen to me.

Of course not everything you do together is cute, like when you empty my kitchen cupboards all over the floor or go fishing together in the toilet. Jericho is our little Houdini and is very good at wriggling out of the high chairs. It doesn’t matter how tight we pull the strap, you find your way out. And we almost always find you sitting on the table, handing food back to your brother and stuffing your own face. Jericho is also the climber and about a week ago I found you in the bathroom on top of the toilet. You had pushed the stepstool over to the toilet and had climbed up all by yourself. Then you handed my porcelain frog from Grandpa Stout down to Justus who was happily banging it on the toilet lid, while you returned to get the porcelain froggy vase for your own hammering pleasure. Just today Jericho climbed from the floor onto the couches and proceeded straight for the end tables where you were in a hurry to stand up and see just exactly how the lamp works. Luckily your big brothers have had some excellent training (thank you Mr. Hell on Wheels a.k.a. Caleb) and they know right when to sound the alarm and taddle on you. The two of you aren’t always together. There are times when you go your separate ways and quite happily too. But it seems whenever there is trouble to be found, you find it together.

Your personalities are definitely different. Jericho is much quieter and more reserved. Your smiles are more stubborn and you are much more serious about things. Justus is louder, more outgoing and smiley. Today Jericho was sitting in our bedroom happily playing with a basketful of cables and various odds and ends. Justus crawled in and joined his brother, and as soon as he saw his reflection in the mirror he immediately started smiling and shouting and waving vigorously at the two of your reflections. Justus loves to swing. Jericho loves to slide. Justus is a little more social and seems to handle the passing around at church much better than Jericho. Justus has a soft spot for Grandma Gribble. Jericho can sing “Happy Birthday.” Justus can walk. And it seems to me, that wherever one of you is lacking, the other one is strong. And together you make each other very, very complete. I hate to label you already. My family labeled me–I was supposed to be the barefoot and pregnant one living in a shack for the rest of my life–and look what happened. So I hesitate every time I tell people this because I don’t want you to feel like this is the way it’s gonna be and that you have no control over your fate. But the way your personalities are now I can totally see Justus becoming the high school jock with lots of girlfriends, struggling through school. And I can totally seeing Jericho being the brain behind both of you, whizzing through school but struggling to get a date–not because he’s not handsome because we already know that’s not going to be a problem but because I think Jericho will be a little shy and introverted, like his mama. And as a result, Justus will get the dates for Jericho and Jericho will help Justus ace his tests and just like I said, you’ll balance each other out just fine and hopefully both of you will end up perfectly happy in every way.

Everyone that’s reading this will probably never believe me but you both can sing KT Tunstall’s Black Horse & The Cherry Tree. Okay, maybe not all of it but you’ve definitely got the “no, no” bit down and you sing it to yourselves on a regular basis when you’re about to get into trouble. Your other favorite phrase right now and your only other phrase right now (besides Jericho’s ability to sing Happy Birthday) is uh-oh and you love, love, love to throw things on the floor or out of the bathtub and repeat it over and over and over again. But I have a feeling it won’t be long before the two of you are chattering away just like the rest of your brothers.

I’d love to tell you more about yourselves but there’s not much more to tell. I’m busy and most of our time together is spent putting out the various fires you and your brother Caleb start and feeding the three of you and changing the three of you and bathing the three of you and putting the three of you down for naps. And I only get to cuddle you for a few minutes at a time because then I’ve got to cuddle the next baby and the next and at least you’ve gotten really good at taking turns. But I think the one thing the two of you should know is that you are really, really loved. I cry sometimes because I feel bad for the two of you being the last and all attention deprived and stuff. There’s certainly not enough of me to go around and sometimes I feel a little ripped off because I don’t get to enjoy you as much as I want to. But Hunter and Noah and Denver think you two are the neatest thing since bubble gum and I think they make up sometimes for the parts where I’m lacking. They get up early in the mornings and put the two of you together in one crib and give you lots of toys. And they fight over who gets to take you down the slides at the park or carry you down the stairs when my hands are full of other things. And they love to sit and hold you and they are always looking out for you. And no matter how hectic things get around here and how busy things may be, the two of you will always have a lot of people just waiting around to love you and that is one constant that will never, not ever change. And my only prayer for the two of you is that you never, not ever forget how much you are loved. We love you Jericho. We love you Justus. Happy Birthday!