update

(anyone want a recorder?!)


(this is actually an old picture from Halloween. We told Ivan to go get his jammies on after trick or treating. We found him on a blanket on the floor with just his shirt on sound asleep!)


I swear, I don't mean to go a week between updates. Hmmm, I guess it just happens that way. So let's see, where shall I begin.

Ms. Harmony got to go visit the eye doctor yesterday. We knew that her glasses were no longer the correct perscription but was SHOCKED to find out that hers were worse than both mine and Ben's!! At the rate she is going, she is going to be legally blind by age 12. We went to a GS activity on Tuesday where she spent half her time goofing off with our neighbor. She explained that in the two hours they hadn't seen each other, they were having seperation anxiety! What? I showed her the pictures I took of her and her friend, and she replied, " oooh I really like my outfit". Can we say tween?

Thursday was parent teacher conference day. Before I left, Ethan said, "Mom, when you get home, will you tell me if it was good or bad?" I looked him in the eye and said, "trust me Ethan, if it is bad you will hear about it!!" Lucky for him, he has been a very good boy. Ethan is an ice cream fanatic. Seriously. But yesterday, he got to try pumpkin pie. He looked at me wide eyed and said, " I think I might like this more than ice cream!!"

Connor was caught with his DS in his bed, on a school night, at 9pm. He lost it. For a long time. He just barely got it back. He has barely blinked since. Connor is still adamant about joining the military. His favorite song is Danger Zone and his new favorite movie is Iron Eagle. Let me tell you, you don't realize how many swear words are in a movie until you let your kids watch it!!

Ivan is doing very well. He has surpassed all IEP goals and may be saying goodbye to special ed. We are not sure as he still needs to be tested by our pediatrician and a developmental ped. Once they look at him we will see where he is placed. It is exciting to see how far he has come. He keeps me on my toes but I just love that little man!

Mason is the happiest, smiliest baby you have ever seen. He has figured out how to go from his tummy to his back. He doesn't go the other way yet! He was just about 17lbs at his 4 mo. well child. He has chubby little thighs and just gets bigger every day. Just a precious little boy.

Ben and I are busy. Always. We are gearing up for Thanksgiving next weekend. We have 7 people coming over (so far) and I find myself getting a little nervous about cooking for that many people!! I am sure it will be fine...right?

math problems

( I found this picture on my camera the other day)

How come I haven't updated for a while? Let's tell it in story problem form shall we? If you take...

1 Mom +
5 kids +
a 4 month old who is teething +
same child who won't sleep for longer than 2 hours +
a Mom who doesn't get more than 2 hours of sleep +
1 10 yr old who has Achievement days & Girl Scouts +
2 cute boys who are doing Scouts +
1 cute little 4 yr old who is struggling in school right now +
3 kids and a Dad who have sore throats, coughs and runny noses +
a Dad who is busy with work +
church +
cooking +
mountains of laundry +
homework +
a dog that is not potty trained +
meetings +
social obligations =

No blog updates. Life is busy. We are worn out. Mason and I have slept a grand total of 9.5 hours the past two nights. Yes that is our accumulative for TWO nights. Tonight we are staying in. Here is one more math problem...

ordering Dominos + renting movies + popcorn + blankets + pillows= family movie night!

heart sick

A few weeks ago, Mason and I hurried to the BX on the Air Force base to get some formula. We got out of the car and I noticed 3 security vehicles pull into the front. Lights flashing. Guards were carrying huge guns and not letting anyone into the building. Everyone who left the store, was stopped, taken their ID card away,and not allowed to leave. We all sat in the heat wondering what was going on. Finally, we were given the all clear. Apparently, an alarm had gone off and they couldn't let anyone leave until it was cleared.

Only a few days later, as I was driving home from picking up Ivan, we were stopped by security cars. On the side of the road, there were 4-5 soldiers with a man face down on the ground. His vehicle pulled over to the side. I looked and realized that the man being handcuffed, was in uniform. Later a friend told us not to worry, it was just security doing an exercise.

We also drove by as a car was pulled over and searched. It was said that there was a suspcious package.

I have always felt so safe living on a military base. But with the events in Fort Hood today, my sense of security is a little shattered.

I am grateful for those who are here to protect us. Thankful to those guards that stand outside and check id's, search cars, and makes sure that we are safe. I often complain about having to show my id to come into my own home. Or annoyed when they let me know that I need a new sticker. But I know that they are to there to keep us safe.

My heart breaks for those in Fort Hood. The military is like a big family. Despite being in different branches we all have one thing in common, we are all united in our desire to protect the freedoms of this country. So sad today...

motor mouth

There was a time, not so long ago, that we were very concerned about Ivan's speech. At two he really didn't talk. By three he wouldn't engage in conversation and did most of his communicating by grunting/pointing/screaming.

Well, believe me, we are not worried anymore!

The other night, I decided to go to the store to grab some pizza. Ivan told me "I can go with you because I have my shoes on." So I let him come.

In the half an hour that we were gone, he didn't stop talking. Not once. Question after question. It went kind of like this...

" What store are we going to?"
"Why are we going to that one?"
"Why does Daddy's car have a cd player?
"Why can't I watch a movie in here?"
"What is that bird doing?"
"What do dragonflies eat?"
"Did you know that I love to have pizza?

We get to the store...
"Why is that ice cream up there?"
"Why are there posters on the ceiling?"
"Did you get that one?"
"If you run around in the store like a crazy boy you will have to sit in the cart."
"I don't like the cart Mommy."
"What do bugs eat?"
"Why is that hanging from there?"
"Can we buy this Mommy?"
"How much is this? Do we have that many dollars?"

On the way home...
"Why don't we have stairs at our house?"
" I really like stairs Mom."
" I wan to live in that house because they have stairs."
"I live on the down from Shawn and he lives on the up. (Meaning he lives up the hill and we live down it.

It was a long trip to the store, believe me.

But the cutest happened the other day. He was watching Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. At the end ( hope you all have seen it) Indy and Marian get married. So I said, "Ivan did Indy get married?"
Ivan "yucky, no"
me- "What getting married isn't yucky! Are you going to get married?"
Ivan "no"
Me- "So are you just going to live with me forever?"
Ivan " No, I just want to live with Ethan forever!"

Our first last

(The graveyard cake...what do you think?

(Ivan won the cupcake walk, and chose one that he and I made! Awww)

(as soon as Ben heard "family picture" he was out of there! Stinker. He said he didn't hear me say it, and just went out to get the trunk ready. Hmmmm...)

( Harmony went as Marie Arnold. Don't know who that is? It is the main character in the book she is writing!!)

( the older kids hamming it up)

(Expecto Patronum!!)

(One of our Indy's. Connor was also Indiana Jones)


(arrrgh! Hanging out in the carrier. I bought this for $1 at a yard sale and I have to say it was worth every penny!)

( me with some friends at the trunk or treat)

With just a little over six months left on our sentence...I mean time left on Guam, we are starting to experience some lasts.

As we walked around housing for 2 hours last night, dripping sweat in the 80+ degree weather, trick or treating, we thought about the fact that this is our last Halloween on Guam! It was the first of many lasts that we will be experiencing. It is amazing how fast time really does fly!

Friday night was a busy day. I sent the kids off to school with an orange & black lunch (mac & cheese, oranges, orange juice, purple grapes and oreos) with Halloween stickers and jokes. I also placed a spider ring in their mac & cheese. They told me that their friends were fooled...but not them!

After picking up Ivan,I spent the day baking. I made a graveyard cake as a treat for the trunk or treat. I wasn't very happy with how it turned out but Ben told me to "let it go, it's not important". I am not sure if I agree or not. But, it doesn't matter anyway because it was devoured 48 hours ago!! I will try again next year and see what happens!

The kids had fun doing their usual thing. Playing games, making crafts, eating way too much sugar etc.

Saturday we went around housing and filled buckets. Mason was in his carrier and so we forgot the stroller! By the end of the night, I was carrying Mason, 2 Indiana Jones hats, 1 "leather" jacket, and 3 treat bags. Ben was carrying Ivan.

As the kids complained about the heat, and how far they had to walk, I just laughed! Our kids have it made. In White Salmon, homes were not that close! We had to walk a lot farther than up and down a few streets! I told them they would not have cut it as trick or treaters "way back then".

And of course, they were all up at the crack of dawn, counting, sorting and trading their candy. Let the teeth rotting begin!

Let the Haunting begin...

( his class all lined up)

(with his teachers)

(Holding a "bubble" in his mouth. The teachers do this when they want the class to be quiet. Ivan held his bubble the ENTIRE time!)

(walking in the parade)

I have quite a few friends who are big Halloween fans. Me...not so much. But the kids, of course, love it. How can we not share in their enthusiasm right? So far, the Halloween costumes have been sitting on top of the freezer just calling to them. But I haven't let them play with them. We paid a pretty penny for a couple of them and I do not want them getting ruined!!

The older kids have been having Red Ribbon week. They have enjoyed wearing their clothes inside out, wearing ties and today they are sporting their pj's. I swear they have never been ready for school so fast! I wish every day was pj day!

Ivan however got to have a character parade. My original idea was for him to dress up as a pirate and be from the book, "Pirates Don't Change Diapers". Mason is going to be a pirate this year so I thought it would be cute. Ivan said, "no pirrrrrrrrrrrrates!" to that idea. So he wore Ethan's Harry Potter costume.

With Ivan, change is never easy. Even if it is something fun. Our morning went like this...
" Why do I have to wear a costume?"
"What is a parade? Where do I walk to it?"
"Why does Harry have a scar?
"Why is it shaped like that?"
"Do you have to wear your rain coat on a costume?" (He just got his new rain coat on Saturday and has been wearing it every day since then)
"Ms. Adams said there is no snack in the parade."
"How come we are doing this?"
"Can you wash this scar off? I don't like this."

On and on it went. By the time we got to school, his frustration level had risen. He wasn't happy. He hid his scar, hid behind me. No eye contact. Finally after a little convincing he put his costume on and was a happy little wizard. I love the pictures, he looks so cute.

Honestly, if he didn't want to wear it, I wouldn't have pushed him. But I am glad that he decided to just go with the flow! Fun times. He is now eating a ghost shaped sandwich. (:

Tomorrow he has snack so we are making fun Halloween snack bags. We also have our trunk or treat tomorrow. I will be busy baking and decorating but looking forward to it!

To do List

Found these today and laughed until I cried! (: Enjoy!

a sick day

( my favorite 4 year old!!)

( I have rotated this picture about a million times and it just doesn't want to go the way it is supposed too. Sorry! Ivan has decided that he doesn't want to get pictures taken anymore!)

(avoiding the mamarozzi)

(big brother kisses)

( Cute little boys in red)
Yesterday, Ivan started coughing. He was grumpy. This morning his little body was all warm, he still had a cough and very dramatically kept pointing to his throat saying, " that hurts". So it is official...he has his first cold of the season.

Mason came home from church yesterday and went to bed at 5pm. We have that lovely 1-4 church schedule right now! Anyway, he went down and I decided to just let him sleep. Unfortunatley, he didn't sleep as long as I hoped. Isn't that the way it always works? We were up at midnight, back to bed at two and than up at six. This Mama is a little tired!!

So we are taking a sick day. The house is so quiet and peaceful. So I thought I would take the chance to update my blog. Unfortunatley...there is not much to update! We have just had our normal busy-ness! But here you go anyway!

Harmony is a busy girl enjoying Girl Scouts and Achievement Days with church. Unfortunatley they both fall on the same night. So every other week she is missing Girl Scouts. But it works right? She is struggling a little in school with her lack of organization. We are working on it. She is growing up so fast.

Ethan is turning into such a BOY! He was watching Raiders of the Lost Ark and felt the need to watch the "melting face part" over and over. He has been playing outside a lot lately! He even used his own money to buy a jump rope from the PTO. He is also becoming a really good reader.

Connor is our sneaky little boy! He lost his DS, 4 out of 5 (seriously!!) lego bins and more. Hopefully his behavior will improve soon and he can have some things to play with! He is a sweetheart though. He loves to make Mason smile and laugh. He is drawing constantly and is doing such a good job on his art.

Ivan has been driving his Mom crazy with just three words..."why?" and "how come?" He is constantly asking me why! He has been doing well in school lately. He is so proud when he comes home with a green bear in his folder. He really likes his teachers. Primary is still a work in progress though!

Mason got off his schedule...and I really hope we can make it back!But in the meantime he loves to delight us all with his sweet smiles and laughs. He is actually playing with his gym so it is nice to have a few minutes to get things done.

Ben and I are busy. Always busy. It seems like that is just the way it goes! Ben was just called to be in Cub Scouts and so he and I will be working on that together. Otherwise I am trying to get some ideas flowing for the holidays.

So like I said...not much going on. But at least you know we didn't fall off the planet! (: