These kids...

• Alayna is a bit of a thief.  At our gym, the kids get a numbered sticker on their back when their parents check them in.  My sweet baby makes her way around the other kids swiping stickers as she goes.  If one of the children tries to get away from her, she boldly persists till she's accomplished her goal.  The attendants in the kid's club fondly refer to her as "Swiper."

• Madeleine and Ian helped themselves to some stickers we had stashed away and were putting them on themselves, empty soda bottles, etc.  Ian had one on the front of his shoulder and Alayna reeeaaalllly wanted it.  Her method at first was to tug on his sleeve with all her might, which is sayin' something.  The girl's got some strength.  But Ian is strong too and was able to shake her off.  So what did she do next?  She turned the tugging into hugging and when she was near enough, that sticker became hers.

• I was in my room "working" on the computer while the kids played in the backyard.  I heard what could have been crying, but I'm not the mom that goes running out at that sound so I kept working.  Soon I heard Ian come in, snoop around in the kitchen, grab a snack and then he slowly made his way to my room.  I think he was supposed to be "rushing" to tell me Madeleine was hurt.  Good thing it wasn't serious because that message was not delivered with much urgency today.

Merry Christmas!

We had a really wonderful Christmas!  The kids were thrilled with all their gifts, which is what pleases us the most.  Madeleine seems happiest to now have a her very own Snuggie and a gigantic pillow pet.  Though Ian wanted a Nintendo DS (we assured him he wouldn't get that) he's super happy that we got several new games for our Wii and more remotes too. 

Spencer surprised me with a new camera and I have to admit, I couldn't be happier about it!  Ian had to hold his smile for a minute while I got my bearings, hence why the smile looks so painful and fake and actually not like a smile.

The giant pillow pets.  Grandma Montelius, these are from you.

Alayna got this sweet trike and Madeleine and Ian got new bikes too.

We had planned to go to the Children's Museum on Christmas Eve like we did last year, but since Ian had an ear infection we spent that whole morning at Walgreens in the clinic to get medicine.  So instead of wasting our passes when we'd only get to spend a couple hours there, we went a couple days after Christmas instead.  I'm certain it was much busier than it would have been two days earlier, but we had so much fun anyway.  I took this picture on the way there.

Alayna on the pulley seat.  You're supposed to try all three to see which pulley makes it easiest to pull yourself up.

On this one there's a camera that takes three photos of you doing three different poses.  Then it plays it back and you match your moves.  It gets a little tougher as it speeds up.

I think this is the Power Tower or something like that.  It'a a 3 story high climbing structure.  Adults are welcome and I did it, but it wasn't roomy.  Fun, but a tight squeeze in places.

"Tw-ITCH-er"  This section was all about lice, mosquitoes, bed bugs and one other bug I can't remember.  So this version of Twister would say Right Hand Bed Bug, etc.  You could also look at each bug under a microscope and learn lots of interesting facts about them in other parts of the exhibit.  These few pics are a tiny sample of all they have to offer at the Children's Museum.  We love that place!   

I didn't get pictures of it, but the day after Christmas we went down to Galveston and went to Schlitterbahn to experience the indoor waterpark.  It was pretty cold that day (for us) so even though the water is heated, it still felt really, really crazy to be running around in swimsuits and getting wet.  Once we got going, and especially when it warmed up a little in the afternoon, we had a really great time!  Perhaps this will be the beginning of a new tradition?  We'll see.

End of Year update

I would love to say I will get in more than one additional post this year, but I should be realistic.  And since this is probably it, I will try to make it a good one.  And since this will take the place of a Christmas newsletter from our family, let's make it a proper update on this bunch, shall we?  Yes, let's!

Madeleine: Loving 2nd grade at the wonderful school located just behind our house.  She has 2 fabulous teachers and is in a class full of top performers so they move through the curriculum quickly, which suits her very well.  For extra-curricular activity she does gymnastics twice a week.  She is a very graceful little girl and she's doing great in both classes she takes (tumbling level 2 and gymnastics level 2).  She is such a good big sister (almost always to Alayna and pretty often to Ian) and a very helpful child.  Madeleine is looking forward to turning 8 in May and being baptized soon after.  Anyone planning a trip to Houston for that?

Ian: This kid absolutely cannot get enough of video games.  His top fave is Super Paper Mario, which is a really fun game, but since it's one of two games we own (the other being Wii Sports) it may be by default more than anything else.  Luckily he has some other things going on in his life to give him a little balance.  He is still at a nearby Baptist church for pre-K but he has moved into a kindergarten class since he was already proficient in the pre-K skills.  (We plan on him doing kindergarten again next year once he is old enough for K at public school.)  He told me today that he thinks it's pretty cool that he goes to a school where they are teaching the gospel.  I couldn't agree more!  He's playing basketball again through the YMCA and enjoying that somewhat.  I think we all know what he would rather be doing, but again, we are aiming for some balance. :) 

Alayna: Words to describe Alayna....busy, funny, sweet, busy.  Oh, did I say busy twice?  I should have said it 3 or 4 times!  This girl is at the age where she is into everything, and climbing on everything else.  Our Christmas tree has multiple conspicuous bald spots at Alayna-height.  And you better believe that if there is something or somewhere we want her to stay out of, it's a never ending battle to get our way.  But we love her and she is pretty hilarious.  She's a good little talker.  For quite some time she has been shaking and nodding her head.  Awhile ago she added "yeah" to her repertoire.  She's figured out that "uh huh" and "huh uh" can be used to indicate "yes" or "no," respectively, and she's expirimenting with that.  The problem is she says "huh uh" when she means "yes."  I'm sure in no time at all she'll have it all figured out.  We're eagerly waiting for her to start saying Maddie's name.  She's been saing "Eee-uh" (Ian) for a long time and "Mama" and "Dada" too.  Madeleine is feeling a little left out. 

Spencer: Really enjoying work at ExxonMobil.  He is doing such a good job and his superiors are all thrilled with what he's accomplished.  One of his colleagues at the company Christmas party told me that Spencer is single-handedly changing his department.  That might be a slight exaggeration, but a very kind thing to say and an indication of how well he's doing.  In February he will be starting a new position as an Asset Portfolio Manager and he couldn't be happier about it.  It's exactly the position he was hoping to attain and we feel extremely fortunate that he was able to get to it so quickly.  The only move associated with the new position will be down the hall from his current office.  At church, Spencer serves as the Sunday School President. 

Rachel: I find it most difficult to do my own update.  Each day for me is so full of things that are hardly worth mentioning.  And so now a year has gone by and I feel like there's not much to note.  I'll say this: I feel like we have really settled in to a good life here in Texas.  We have made some really wonderful friends and that is such a source of joy for me.  I have not been doing many household projects lately, but I have a feeling there are several in store in 2012.  I love being a stay-at-home mom.  It sure isn't glamorous, but I find it really challenging in a good way.  And I love my kids.  They are just so wonderful.  I think about them and think, "Are those awesome kids really mine?  Wow!  I am a lucky mom!"  Of course there are times when my thoughts are a little less gushy, but that's part of the gig I signed up for, right?  I wouldn't trade it.  At church, I am still the Nursery Coordinator overseeing about 45 kids ages 18 months to 3 years.  

We hope all of our friends and family are enjoying a wonderful Christmas season!  We are grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and this special time of year to celebrate His birth.  We are also grateful to have each of you in our lives and for the happiness it brings us to know you.  Merry Christmas and happy New Year!

(Family pictures were taken in Mesa, AZ in November by Jessica Drew) 

How We Spent Our Summer Vacation

*Warning: This post is also not well thought out, but I had to do it.  I wish I had done it earlier to devote more time to it, but I gotta do what I gotta do.

This post has been a long time coming. The main thing of note from the summer was our mega road trip from Houston to Oregon (and all over other parts of the West) and it took a looong time to recover from all those days in the car.  We've been recovered for quite some time, but then school started and everything else and I just barely looked again to see this post sitting as a draft since September.  Ooops!

The picture above was at the Mulolla Rodeo.  I think the rodeo each summer is the main thing Mulolla is known for.  We loved it.  I much preferred the quaintness of this little outdoor rodeo to the Houston rodeo and all its giganticness.  Is that a word?      

Since thrift store shopping is one of my favorite pastimes, I was sure to do as much as I could while on vacation.  At some point before our trip I found this sleeper for Alayna.  Then in Oregon I found one in Madeleine's size at one of the secondhand stores there.  What are the chances??  How many size 7 footed pajamas even need to exist??  I couldn't resist them.  Now our girls wear matching p.j.'s about once a week.

There's a fabulous little park right around the corner from Spencer's parent's house.  We played in the water there several times during the 2.5 weeks we were there.  While the weather actually felt cold to us Houstonians, we loved being in a cooler place for a while.  And of course being with cousins and grandmas and grandpa made it even better!

Ian and Noah are exactly a year and a day apart in age.  They had such a great time together this summer!  We are hoping and praying and crossing our fingers that Mark gets to do his residency in Houston so we can have them nearby.

Alayna at another fun park one day.  The summer in Oregon is so beautiful!  It makes you want to live there.  The non-stop drizzle during the winter doesn't.

We spent one day at the children's museum.  So fun! 

On our way home we were able to see friends from college who are now in different parts of the west.  This is Allen, who introduced Spencer and me.  I wish we lived closer!  Spending the morning together wasn't nearly long enough, but it was better than nothing.

Grandma Sandi and Aunt Shelley took Alayna and her twin cousin Maren to the library one morning for an activity geared at babies.  Just look at that cute face!

Grandma Montelius lives right by Spencer's parents so we were able to spend lots of time with her too.  She's awesome.  Kris and Cameron (not pictured) are Spencer's cousins who came out from Ohio for the reunion.  You can just see how helpful everyone was.

Here are the twin cousins.  Maren was born on July 1 last year and Alanya was born on July 13.  I just know they are going to be BFFs. :)

On one rainy day, we went to the Family Fun Center and played a few video games as well as climbed around in the Kidopolis playland.

Spencer and I left the kids with grandma and great grandma while we went rafting on the Deschutes River with Holly, Mark, Drew and Aunt Shelley.  It was so much fun.  Though the water was super cold and I vowed to not get all the way in, tradition says you must at a certain point and I gave in to the peer pressure.  The frigid water took my breath away but obviously I survived.

Spencer drove us out there then had to fly home to work for week before flying back for the reunion.  This must have been one day while he was home.  Check out Madeleine's hideous gorgeous necklace.  The things weighs a ton and I doubt it was really meant to be worn as a necklace, but she sure thinks it's the most beautiful thing around. 

Here we are with the whole Rands crew on beach day.  Pretty creative sand building, right?  I had absolutely nothing to do with that.  That was all Grandpa Paul and Uncle Drew.  Very impressive, don't you agree?

A family picture on the beach. 

One last photo-op with Grandma M before we had to hit the road and head for home.

Last but not least, our family photo from the professional photo shoot.

I think I will have to find more pictures to post because there was so much more to document.  Stay tuned for another post on this topic.  Hopefully before next year!

Halloween 2011

*Warning: This post is not very well thought out and is a major picture dump.  Sorry if you're expecting something more eloquent.

Halloween was so great this year!  We went trick-or-treating with a couple families from church and it was pretty much perfect!  Spencer kept Alayna with him at the house with the other dads and another baby.  The other moms and I took the bigger kids out.  Madeleine and Ian are both big enough to really get it and really enjoy it.  Plus we were with really great friends!  No complaints from us whatsoever!  Hallie brought an extra cow costume for me to wear.  Madeleine told me I shouldn't wear it.  "That will be so embarassing!"  I'm not sure if she thought it would embarass her or me, but I did wear it and I wasn't embarassed at all.  I'll have to ask if she was.  Ashley's the cute witch in the middle.  You maybe can't tell but she is wearing a witch hat. 

This was not for Halloween.  It was just an instance of Maddie putting Alayna in dress-up clothes.  I love her nice round tummy.

Carving pumpkins was so great this year too!  Again, Madeleine and Ian are big enough to help, and appreciate what we are doing.  And they took a break from fighting with each other while we did it.  The icing on the cake was part-way through when Madeleine went and got the scriptures to read to us during the carving.  Thinking ahead, I tell ya. 

Ian as Ben 10.  I'm pretty pround of his costume.  I bought the pants at Goodwill for about $5 then used fabric paint to put the stripe on a white shirt we already had.  And the omnitrix (or ultamatrix, who knows?) we already had too. 

Good likeness, right?

This picture is horrible, but Madeleine's costume is adorable.  She had decided a few months ago that she wanted to be a fairy and we were planning to use some stuff we had and add a few things to it, hopefully items found at the thrift store.  Well, I happened upon this dress with the wings at Goodwill for $5.  Amazing, right?!  The dress was about 6 inches longer and there were some tears in the tulle, but I was able to make it the right length above the rips in the fabric and put the ribbon back on and it turned out just perfect.

 

Alayna was Marie from the Aristocats.  I haven't even seen that movie, but we've had this costume from when Madeleine was a baby so this is what Alayna got to be.  She only wore it to the Trunk-or-Treat at church and since it was actually pretty chilly that night, I think she was glad to be in such a warm get up.  Her face in this picture cracks me up!

We made it to a couple Fall Festivals too.  One at Maddie's school (no pictures from that one) and this one at the church where Ian goes to Pre-K.  They really went all out!  There were several different bounce house type things.  On this one, you see how long you can stay on the surfboard while it moves around.  Ian told me I messed him up by telling him to look at me for a picture.  Oops!  Sorry!

They also had a pony ride.  Oh and by the way, everything was free.  

Alayna wasn't too sure about the pony ride.  She was quite upset at first, but once they got moving and she realized Spencer was staying with her she calmed down.  I'm not prepared to say that means she liked it, but she didn't cry the whole time.  Just a little at first.

I can't believe how fast the year is going by!  I feel like I'm being catapulted into the holidays.  Am I ready?  Probably not, but I better get there.

October, so far...

I am sitting here wondering how in the heck I have let so much time go by without posting anything to this blog of mine.  And to tell you the truth, I can think of a few reasons.  One is that I have a new calling at church as the Nursery Coordinator.  As the person in charge of overseeing 3 nurseries with over 40 kids total, I have spent a good bit of time and mental energy there instead of here.  Also, Ian's birthday just passed (which I will cover shortly) and again my time and mental energy was required there.  Finally, and probably the real culprit, is that I finally got into Pinterest and nearly every time I sit down at my computer I get sucked into Pinterest for more time than I care to admit.  And though I feel bad for neglecting my blog, I am so in love with Pinterest!  Corralling so many awesome ideas, recipes, etc. into one neat little spot is genius!  I feel strangely productive after browsing around and gathering ideas even though I've really accomplished nothing.  Anyway, this post isn't supposed to be all about Pinterest.  I better move on to more important things.

Believe it or not, Ian turned 5. It actually is so silly to say that because it is not at all hard to believe. He's seemed like a five-year-old for at least a year already. 



We had a Ben 10 themed birthday party and it turned really great.  You'll just have to take my word for it though since, as usual, I forgot to take a single picture.  (I have previously mentioned his love of Ben 10, who you can read all about here, if you're so inclined.)  It was decided long ago that Ian would dress up as Ben 10 for Halloween this year so I let him wear his costume to the party.  We played a couple games, ate yummy food, played at the park, had cake, and opened presents.  Same as most parties I guess, but since we were at the park and not our house it was much less stressful.  Plenty of great friends were there and Ian got lots of fabulous gifts, so to him it was perfect. 

He had a couple gift cards to Target (thank you, Grandpa Gus and random lady at Target last week) and this is what he picked out.  The plug-in-and-play video game controller.  He couldn't be happier.  Well, that's a lie.  If we let him play non-stop like he wants to, then he couldn't be happier.  We gave him another video game for the wii, too, so he has lots of games he wants to play and that equals lots of motivation for getting the homework/reading/chores, etc. done in a hurry.

I can't say enough what a wonderful kid Ian is!  I can almost always count on him to be quick to obey whenever I ask him to do something.  He's also a really good eater.  His most recent favorite foods are carrots and apples.  He's a great conversationalist, even if his favorite topic is video games or tv shows.  Every now and then it will be about a book he's read.  And he is a really good reader!  He loves to lay on the rug in our entryway where the library books are and read and read and read.  It's awesome.  We are endlessly impressed with how smart he is.  And we'd love to take credit for it, and maybe we can take a little since we are trying to be good parents who teach our kids a lot, but he is just really gifted.  I have a feeling his smarts will keep me on my toes.  Anyway, he is just so sweet and so kind and such a blessing in our lives!  Happy birthday, Ian!  You are the best and we love you!!   

11 Years and counting....

Last Friday, Spencer and I celebrated our 11th anniversary.  Congrats to us!  We went out to a lovely dinner, lazily walked around the shops while we waited to go see The Help (which we really liked).  It was so nice to just hang out together.  Our lives have become so busy that it takes real effort to fit in time to just hang out and often all we get is a few minutes here and there.  So we greatly appreciated being able to spend a good hour and a half just talking, walking around, holding hands, enjoying each other's company.  Of course we usually enjoy each other's company, but most times we are enjoying it simultaneously with our kids' company, which you know is not the same.  And being out of the house meant we weren't multi-tasking, like watching tv together and folding laundry.

Lately I have been reflecting a lot on how truly fortunate I am to be married to Spencer.  As a 21 year-old bride, I was so in love and was so sure I had snagged the best possible husband.  Now as a 32 year-old veteran wife and mother, I am reminded daily of how right I was.  And I really had no clue back then.  I couldn't ask for a husband who works harder to provide for our family.  Or for a husband who is so concerned and interested in our children's lives, their progression and devleopment.  Or for a husband who readily sees past my many flaws.  I'm sure I should be better at showing my appreciation for all he does for me and our kids.  And I hope he feels equally blessed to have me as his wife.

P.S. Sorry to be so sappy.  Sometimes there's just no way around it.