"When life gives you Lemons"

So the saying goes, but I'm a little sick & tired of "making Lemonade".

I try to be an open and honest person. With this blog I can remember all the good things the last couple of years. Every moment captured in blog form has been mostly positive. I want to look at the world with optimism. But as 2010 draws to a close, I just wanted to vent and document a few of our low points. 

We've been struggling financially, like really struggling. 2011 might be the year we lose our house- the bank has started the foreclosure process. Defiantly not a proud moment for us, as Jerimy and I are both very hard workers. (I am a two of days away from working at the same company for exactly 10 years.) We're not bad with money- we were actually able to pay off our car this year ahead of schedule. It's simply a matter of following our dreams and finding work we love to do hasn't paid the greatest salary.

We are on the government funded WIC program to help with supplemental nutritional groceries for our little misters. How I hate even saying that. I know these programs are in place to help us, but I really don't want to have to ask for help.

Then, today the mail came and what to our surprise was delivered a notice the IRS needs a token amount of money from us or we'll be audited. Augh, what else world, What? ... Actually I don't want to know.

I have a wonderful Husband, my health is good, my two little ones are simply fantastic. I doubt I could wish for more... except for a little money to pay the bank. My life is everything I want and I have learned what makes me the happiest. Heres to 2011, come what may.

A start of the Christmas Loot

After four Christmas' here's a photo documenting all the new treasures the boys have received so far. I think the only thing that I forgot to add in the pile was the tunnel from Auntie Em. Most of this stuff has found a new home and has been fought over several times already. Christmas number #5 was to take place this weekend at Grandma Great's house with Jerimy's extend family, but due to bad weather it's been canceled. We're a little sad not to see family but it's better to be safe. Christmas #6 is on January 8th at Grandpa Gales house.

Christmas on Sunday {aka Christmas #4}

 Sunday we drove up to Oma and Opa's house for yet another Christmas. If you're still counting that's number 4- four times we've opened gifts. Oliver and Lucius are two very special boys who are loved by a lot of people. They also happen to be the only grandchildren on Jerimy's side.

Oliver again helped pass out presents, but he was really looking for gifts for himself. He watched and helped a few other people open their gifts, but was super excited about his new trucks from Uncle Jason. They both received a lot of really great new toys this year, but I think we'll need to build an addition on our house to hold it all.

 

 Lucius had his first taste of Striped Delight- a huge family favorite in the dessert department. Auntie Dana made it extra yummy this year. I believe its graham cracker crust with chocolate pudding and whipped cream in layers. Yet another Christmas where we were able to enjoy everyone's company and share in the joy of the season. And we have TWO more Christmas' to go...

Christmas afternoon sledding

 We started a tradition about three or four years ago, before there were kids to tag along, of going sledding on Christmas day. After all the gifts have been opened, food has been eaten, we thought- what else should we do to really make Christmas fun and special.

Of course this year we had 10 people to get all bundled up. Four of those being small people who have the patience of ... well small people. We piled into the cars and drove over to a sledding hill. Oliver rode down the hill twice with Daddy. He's at an age when everything is "scary", which ended his sledding for the day. He wanted to run down the hill instead, but it was a bit too steep for that.

Lucius took his one and only trip down with Daddy. He was a little grumpy and wanted nothing better than to go home, be warm and eat food. Silly parents, trying to share with him some fun.

After a couple of runs, it was back to Gammlemor's house for fancy hot cocoa. She buys the real shaved chocolate bits and uses whole milk to make super yummy hot cocoa.

Oliver asked for cold cocoa and got a pretty good milk mustache in the process of drinking it.

It was a great day spent with my sisters and parents. Wonderful gifts, fun sledding, and just being able to hang out while relaxing.

Christmas Day {aka Christmas #3}

Around 11am we were off to Mormor's house for another meal and open more presents. We attempted to lay Oliver down for a nap right away when we arrived, in hopes we could maybe open a few presents without him. I mean we love him but it's hard to enjoy gift opening when little ones need watching. Plus, Lucius was able to open a few of his own without brothers help.

Lucius mostly just tried to eat them but he soon figured it out. 

 Oliver didn't really nap- he laid quietly for a short while and then "I'm awake" was heard. He joined us downstairs to open his gifts. Mormor hid a few of them around the basement so that Oliver would have to find them. It was a terrific idea, because it stretched the unwrapping time out a little.

 One of the best gifts we just had to open and start using right away was this Ikea Tunnel from Auntie Em. All the babies LOVED crawling through it. They mostly took turns. It was fun to share!

After all the gifts were opened we sat down for a wonderful Turkey dinner. Great Uncle Paul was even able to join us. He brought Swedish Meatballs, which Lucius absolutely gobbled up.

My sisters and I all gave my parents a gift that wasn't really something we could wrap- a new grandparent name. So from now on when you read about our adventures, Mormor has become Gammlemor and Morfar is now Gammlefar. It's Norwegian for Grandparents. We chose this name to unify the cousins that would be spending many a day at their grandparents house and wanted to not confuse them with all the different names we had previously.

Christmas Morning: {aka Christmas #2}

 Christmas morning came sooner than expected. I thought the boys would have been completely tuckered out from all the energy they spent crawling/ running around on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately they were up at 5:30am. Much, much too early for our tastes. Oliver didn't even remember Santa had come while he was sleeping till we reminded him, at that point we needed to go check it out. It still took him awhile to figure it out. I captured the moment with this little video:

We had a minimal Santa delivery, just a few select things we knew we wanted/ needed. AND because the Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles love to spoil them rotten with an enormous amount of gifts we are all so grateful for. Oliver opened a gift and then we made him give a present to Lucius to open. It's hard to watch your younger brother not open gifts fast enough, so he helped a bit.

Then it was breakfast time, or close enough. Daddy made us all hashbrowns, eggs and bacon to get us started on the right foot. Lucius went down for a nap around 8am and I put "Rudolf the red nosed reindeer" into the DVD player for Oliver to watch. It was only 9:30am when it finished. REALLY?!?! Four hours couldn't have left longer to someone who is most defiantly NOT a morning person. After we got showered and dressed for the day it was on to Christmas DAY at Mormor's house. (more coming soon in Christmas #3 post)

Christmas Eve {aka Christmas #1}

 Christmas Eve we spent at my parents house with some of my Mother's extended family, two Aunts and all their kids. It's been a tradition that has occurred as far back as I can remember. The little misters, Jerimy and I all headed over a bit early to help with last minute stuff and spend a little quiet time there before the masses started to arrive. Dinner was at 6pm and presents afterward.

Oliver was super excited to have my cousins daughter (Alyssa) to run around and be crazy with. She just happens to be about three weeks younger than Oliver and they couldn't have had more fun together if they had tried. It was exciting for us as parents too, to see Oliver have a friend his own age at a family gathering. Jerimy and I both loved gathering with family because there was always kids/ cousins to play with.

The two littlest ones eating- at one point Lucius reached over and started eating off of Casen's tray. Of course they were already eating the same thing, but try telling him that.

 Oliver smuggled food from just about everyone. How can you refuse a three year old more cookies when it's Christmas Eve?

Oliver and Alyssa got to pass out the gifts from under the tree this year. I think it made us all laugh when he'd ask "are you Phil? or are you Phil?".

It's a good way to keep the little ones occupied until everyone had a gift to open. Then it was time to tear into the presents. After all the treasures are unwrapped the traditional wrapping paper "snow ball" type fight began. Oliver (our little south paw) would get right up next to you and throw it. He was having the time of his life. I think we made it home by 8 pm or there abouts. The little misters crashed pretty hard. I thought they'd sleep in BUT ... (for more on that see Christmas morning- aka Christmas #2: post coming soon)

This is how we roll

Yes, this is my one year old using a walker as a climber yet again. 

Doesn't matter if is was empty or full with cousins.

AND... the video is evidence we will soon have a second expert walker on our hands.

A year older

Lucius turned one yesterday. Amazing to think last Christmas we had just found out who he was, named him and  welcomed him into our family. Bringing him home was a bit of chaos, with it being Christmas Eve.  Now a whole year has gone by and oh so much has changed. We can celebrate that we have two wonderful children over the age of one. Both with individual shining personalities, energy up the wazoo, and a love for each other that is a treat to witness.

Yesterday the little misters and I went to Mormor's house to help with a bit of cleaning to get things ready for Christmas Eve with the extended family. While cleaning we found a few treasures and some things in plenty. As we think of all the things we will recieve in the coming days, we attempt to remember those who don't have. We were lucky enough to start our celebration off by donating a monster load of Blankets and kitchen towels to families in need. (yes, they weren't my blankets and towels- they were my mom's but I still feel better knowing they will be getting a new home. Oliver and I will also be making a toy donation after the holidays- giving toys that he's out grown to make room for the "new stuff".)

After lunch and naps we went home to see Daddy. Lucius opened one very special gift. Then it was off to dinner and a special light show. Oliver sat in my lap as we drove through the park. He was SUPER DUPER excited to be able to look out my window and see all the lights. It was worth the whole $8 to hear all the "did you see that!?" and the "look at that daddy". Christmas through the eyes of our young children is a treasure worth it's weight in gold (hmm...think they'd cash that at the bank?).

Overall a very fun day to celebrate Lucius' first birthday. 



His big party is forthcoming- summer 2011.

Make a Mess Monday

With so many of these Felt Flag Banners I been making, I have a lot of scraps. I'm not one to throw away something that might find a purpose later on. While brainstorming activities and crafts for Oliver, I remembered the scraps. We pulled out several colors in various shapes, a bottle of glue and an old manila envelope.

Oliver glued the felt pieces all over this envelope and created his first, of what I'm sure will become many, textured mosaics. My idea/ goal would be to design and package "make a mess Monday" kits. Using some of the projects Oliver and I have come up with and the scraps of materials I use in my own crafts, I could put together pretty cool little art kits.

Could you see the kits changing a young person's life? Introducing art in an easy, "all you need to get started is right there" kind of way, without photos of what it should look like when completed because that's up to each child's imagination. If you'd have asked me before having kids- I would not have thought art was all that important to teach young children. As you might have guessed, I have changed my mind. I see all kinds of positive benefits and impressions our "make a mess Monday" sessions have made on Oliver.

the insanity of photos

I tried to get a few photos of the boys together. Ha, that's funny and next to near impossible.

Out of the 116 that I haven't deleted yet, there are a handful of ADORABLE photos.

 I wasn't intentionally out for a photo shoot with the boys today, we were really on a field trip with our ECFE school class. I just can't resist taking photos in ball pits because of all the color. Plus its a cage, it's a toy- that's got happy toddlers written all over it, right?

 Some photos are just one. Some are just the other - whoever I could catch. And a couple, like three, are half way decent of Oliver and Lucius actually close enough to touch each other.

 When they weren't running away from me in two different directions, they were climbing all over each other.

and loving every minute.