Monday, October 31, 2005
Chris, Cliff, Ben, Megan and Megan's Friend, Nate and the girls, Kak-Kak and Xion, our neighbor Elizabeth and a few neighbor boys all came over tonight to celebrate Halloween. We had chilli and cornbread, cider with dry ice, donuts and lots of candy. Megan was in heaven hanging out with Luke (our strange neighbor boy) and his friends. Hunter had a blast handing out candy. And I ate way too many donuts and drank way too much cider. But I think everyone had fun.
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Sunday, October 30, 2005
Denver lately has been using the word "ridiculous" in a lot of his sentences. So today I asked him what ridiculous means. His answer was, "It's when an elephant hits you." And I said, "Oh. . . so when I say, 'Don't be ridiculous' I mean 'Don't get hit by an elephant?'" And he said, "Yup!" Who knew?
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Thursday, October 27, 2005
 
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Wednesday, October 26, 2005
 
I promised Noah we'd sign him up for Karate when Hunter went back to school. Hunter's been in school for over a month now and well. . . today was Noah's lucky day. He even got to break a board--Noah's dream come true! I'm not sure we can afford it, but Noah he's worth it. He sort of needs it right now. And for Noah we'll make it work.
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Tuesday, October 25, 2005
I attended Jewell Elementary school way back many years ago. I think I probably had some of the world's best teachers back then, one of them being my music teacher, Mrs. Wood. Anyway, every Halloween I think of her for one special reason. Every year, on or around Halloween, she used to turn all the lights out in her music room and have us gather around her. She held a flashlight under her chin so she looked all spooky and then, she would sing us this song. I've tried to find a better recording but haven't had much luck. Anyway. . . I loved it so much when I was little, the way she'd turn off the lights and scare our pants off, that this year I've decided it's time to pass it on to the next generation. So tonight guess what I'll be doing. Gathering my boys around in their dark bedroom and singing them this song. I can't wait!
Here's another version of the song, with a mom and her kids and their dog singing it. I think it's time for Mark to do a children's c.d. of his own, and this song will definitely have to be on it. Happy Haunting!
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Monday, October 24, 2005
I've wanted to make pumpkin pie from scratch for quite some time now. Mom said it wasn't worth the work and I believed her. . . for a little while. But lately, the realities of another baby in our home have been setting in and the kids have been, let's just say, a little attention deprived. And of course, preschool hasn't been happening and Noah has been suffering. So, today I woke up and decided we were going to make a pumpkin pie from scratch, no matter how much work was involved. So I bundled up the kids and we hit the pavement, brown paper bags (for leaves and rocks and other assorted treasures)and wagon in tow. We were off to find our pie pumpkins. The boys ran ahead of me for awhile, happy to be out of the house and free, stuffing leaves and pinecones into their bags with wreckless abandon. When they got tired of looking for leaves, they hopped in the wagon. Just around the corner from the grocery store we came across a mini excavator/front-end loader digging up tree roots and stumps. So we stopped and watched for awhile. Then I noticed a farm store across the street that had what looked like perfect pie pumpkins right out front. So, we bought our pumpkins there and the lady there loved the boys so much she gave them each a painted pumpkin for free (another treasure for their paper bags.) We hit the grocery store for some apple cider and then stopped at McDonald's for lunch with Mark. Noah fell in love with their new interior design and decided he wants to live there forever and invited Denver to join him. After lunch we returned home and turned one of our pie pumpkins into a real pie. The boys washed the pumpkins, scraped out the pulp and seeds, scraped out the meat of the pumpkin after I cooked it, and Noah mixed up the pumpkin with the eggs, spices and sugar. It was one of the funnest experiments we've ever done and I think it was well worth all the work. And may I add, it was one of the most delicious pies I've ever tasted in all my life. Anyway, if you're looking for something fun to do I highly reccommend making a pumpkin pie out of a real pumpkin. For help just visit Pumkin Patches and More--they've got pictures and everything you need to make it as painless as possible.
 
 
 
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Sunday, October 16, 2005
 
 We went pumpkin picking yesterday. Silverman's Farm has tons of pumpkins, hayrides up to their apple orchard, a working cider mill, a petting zoo, funnel cake and pumpkin pie and candy apples and all sorts of fun goodies in their country shop. We went mostly for the pumpkins, but the funnel cake and pumpkin pie was good too. The boys don't look like their very happy in the picture but that's not because they weren't having fun. They just didn't like being called away from the oodles and oodles of mud puddles they were sloshing through. Anyway, we got almost $60 worth of pumpkins and an old fashioned honey wand (like we had when we were little--mostly for Noah, who loves honey) and some apple cider. There's a farm next door to Silverman's that offers FREE hayrides which we'll probably do next weekend and of course, we want to visit Lyman's orchard for the haymaze there. Benedict's Farm has a great haymaze for little kids, which we've already visited once but plan to visit once more before the weather takes a turn for the worse. I think we'll do a pumpkin carving party at our house the Saturday afternoon before Halloween--anyone interested?
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Saturday, October 15, 2005
  
Just thought you'd enjoy a few pics of the baby with his eyes open. And yes. . . that's an inkling of a smile you see there!
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Friday, October 14, 2005
Denver woke up this morning feeling a bit under the weather. No big surprise considering the amount of rain we've been having. I was a little disappointed, because I was planning on going to see The Ark with Mark, Kathy and Hunter in New York. But my own throat was feeling a bit raw and Denver was acting so cranky, I decided I'd better stay home. Anyway, as everyone left for the show I was feeling a bit sorry for myself--Mark was going on his second date with my sister in a week. They were getting out of the house. They were getting to eat out. They were going to see a show in New York. And I. . . I was staying home with the babies as usual. But, the night ended up being a wonderful evening with Denver and the time spent with him was just as much fun as I probably would have had in New York. We didn't get to eat out, but we did get to eat together. The ottoman was our dinner table and we had steak and potatoes brought to us by the Dance's. We didn't get to see a show, but we did watch Fantasia. We didn't get sugared peanuts fresh from the peanut stand, but we did have strawberry shortcake. Between the two of us, we ate an entire can of whipped cream and enjoyed every squirt of it. We laughed together, to the point that it hurt, and shared some one on one time we've never really had before. And so you see that sometimes life gives us lemons, but when we make lemonade with them life can be just as sweet as if it had offered us caramel apples. Which speaking of caramel apples--I think I want one. Tomorrow is my last day of my "eat whatever you want" diet. Then I gotta get back to eating healthy and light--I'm not making a baby anymore so I have no more excuses!
 
Denver's new teddy bear, Caleb. That's all he wanted this afternoon--to lay down and snug Caleb.
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Thursday, October 13, 2005
I've really been spoiled lately. When I had Denver, I had two meals brought in. That was about it. It probably didn't help that we had just moved into the ward and barely knew anyone. And, with my mom twenty minutes away, maybe people figured I had all the help I needed. But this time around, I think I've had more than my fair share of help--so much so I'm beginning to feel guilty!
First, my mom was here for two weeks. I had to share her of course, but she cooked for us and played with us and kept me company while Mark had to work. It was so nice having her here. Then, the day she left, the meals started coming. Friends, neighbors and ward members have been bringing meals daily, even to the point that we've gotten two meals on some days. I haven't cooked a single meal since before Caleb was born! Our fridge is filled to capacity and I haven't been grocery shopping in weeks!
 Thursday, the Relief Society President came and took the three big boys to her house for a playdate and kept them for four hours. The kids had a blast and I had a wonderful break. I even got Megan for the day to help out. Then a friend of Hunter's came and took him putt-putt golfing and Hunter got a much needed playdate of his own. And to top it all off, Caleb sleeps and sleeps and sleeps and minus his middle of the night "happy hour," I'm feeling happy and rested. I've even managed to keep the house relatively tidy and the laundry washed and folded. We've been showered with gifts and offered so much help with everything. I really feel blessed and I definitely feel spoiled. A million thanks to everyone who's made having baby boy number four so delightful!
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Wednesday, October 12, 2005
 
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Sunday, October 09, 2005
 "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anquish, for joy that a man is born into the world." (John 16:21)
Caleb's birth was probably the worst labor I've experienced, and I even had Denver completely natural. The contractions were very strong and painful and lasted almost two minutes each right from the start. Unfortunately, they stayed 15 minutes apart for almost 14 hours. They began around 6:30pm and around 2:00am I decided we should go to the hospital because the contractions were hurting so bad. Anyway, I ended up walking around Labor and Delivery for two hours trying to get the contractions closer together. That didn't work and eventually the doctor explained that sometimes with the third and fourth child, your uterus sort of "wigs out" and takes longer to get the baby out. Sometimes up to 2 to 3 days longer! That pretty much brought me to tears and I was certain I was going to be sent home, left for three days contracting and contracting and contracting. Thankfully Dr. Servetas stepped up to the plate and delivered Caleb about 6 and 1/2 hours later and yes, I definitely had an epidural!
With all that said, I must say that I am completely happy and was as soon as Caleb was delivered. . . just like John says in the Bible. Caleb is delightful and now I just wonder what I was so afraid of. I know things are still going to get crazy at times but when I sit and hold him, I can't imagine anything more wonderful than being a mother of four beautiful little boys.
 
 
 
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Friday, October 07, 2005
I must admit I was a little worried about how well Hunter was going to take to Caleb. Noah and Denver seemed so excited about having a new baby. But Hunter seemed uninterested and bothered by the whole thing. When we took the hospital tour and the instructor tried to get Hunter to practice holding a baby--he wanted nothing to do with it. When Mark brought the boys to the hospital to see Caleb, Hunter just wanted to watch Cartoon Network. But something seemed to have changed overnight and a little spark of excitement seemed to light within Hunter. I think it might have been Grandma Stout pointing out that when Hunter held Caleb she could tell that the baby recognized Hunter's voice. And that Hunter looked like a pro--holding that teeny tiny baby so well. Whatever happened, Hunter has definitely fallen in love with his baby brother and seems more excited about him than his two other brothers put together.
Ths school made an announcement over the PA system that Hunter had a new brother. Hunter was so proud. He keeps begging to hold him and even started getting up extra early so he can cuddle Caleb in bed with us. He has learned how to swaddle the baby and loves to show off his newly developed skill. And the other night, while we were reading scriptures, Hunter asked to hold the baby. As we sat there on the couch I watched Hunter as he held Caleb. He started by carefully tracing Caleb's little ear with his finger. Then he leaned way over so he could peer into Caleb's ear. Then he stopped and felt his own ear. He then moved on to Caleb's eyes and gently touched his eyelashes and eyebrows. Then Hunter traced his own eyes and eyelashes and eyebrows. It was so sweet to see him discovering and comparing himself to his baby brother. A memory I will always treasure.
 
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