"Radda Radda"

Okay, so this is going to seem like one of the most random posts ever, but I just had to do it. The character above is Shnitzel and he's in a Cartoon Network cartoon called Chowder. Chowder is a fat little cat-kid that is a chef's apprentice in a place called Marzipan City. I don't quite know why, but I absolutely LOVE this cartoon!!! For me it's all about Shnitzel. If you've seen the show, you probably can understand this. Shnitzel is a rock monster who does all the heavy lifting, etc., in the kitchen. And "radda radda" is the only thing he says. All the characters understand him as if he's speaking english, but "radda radda" is literally the only phrase he can say. I love the way his tone of voice describes his emotions, and his facial expressions are hilarious. So, I highly recommend Chowder for your entertainment. If you don't have Cartoon Network, go to their website sometime and check it out. (Too bad I can't get paid for this plug, huh?)

Farewell Leighton Street...

The past few weeks have been so busy and stressful that I haven't really thought about the fact that we are leaving the home we have worked so hard on for the past three years. When we first moved to Keokuk we had purchased a house on High Street. Well, after about ten months we ended up buying a different house on Morgan Street. In fact, the new house was literally a block away from the first one. Roughly three months after moving into that house we came across 909 Leighton Street. The neighborhood was wonderful and the house was definitely more of what we had wanted in the first place. We decided to move one more time (at this point I was 7 months pregnant with Kaitlyn). We put in a lot (and I mean A LOT) of hard work scraping wallpaper (8 layers to be exact), painting, putting in new flooring and windows... just making the house more us. We moved in on Halloween in 2005. (At this point I must point out that my husband is a wonderfully loving man to allow me to move us 3 times in a little over a year.) I love my house. It was built in 1908 and it just has a lot of character. I love the big picture window in the living room and the way the sun sets just right within its frame. I love how my kitchen went from having no counter space, a rotted out stove and an icky metal cabinet/sink combo to a kitchen I totally love. I love the way the girls' playroom is surrounded by windows and lets in plenty of good play light, and you can glimpse the Mississippi River from there. There are definitely a few things I won't miss about this house... the basement is at the top of the list. If any of you have experienced a 100 year old basement you'll understand, especially if you had to do laundry down there. Our girls know it as "The Dungeon." I won't miss the winter utility bills since it's almost impossible to well insulate a house this old.

As I think about the past few years of our life, I am reminded of all of the things I have to be thankful for. I am so glad that we have had the opportunity to own a home, especially one that we've loved and learned so much from. We are especially going to miss our wonderful neighbors, who just happened to have children the same ages as ours, and they all got along. I hope that whoever ends up buying our home will be able to feel the love and care that not only went into the house, but was nourished within its walls.

Good-bye Leighton Street... we will miss you.

Comfort Food

What is it about a nice big bowl of warm oatmeal on a chilly morning? Maybe it's the way it makes tummies feel all warm inside. Perhaps it's the combination of the oats, milk and sugar that gives my tastebuds a reason to sing and dance. I can't quite put my finger on it, but maybe for me it's about knowing how much my girls love to eat oatmeal, or how fun it is to watch them try to put some on their toast the way that I do. All I really know is that we love our oatmeal!

My Baby

I can't believe how fast time flies... Avery will be 5 months old on Wednesday. She's growing way too fast! I remember when Laura was a baby and we were so excited to see her take each new step. With Kaitlyn it seemed like time went by a little bit faster, plus it seemed she did everything so fast just so she could try to keep up with Laura. Right now I just want Avery to stay where she's at for awhile, like maybe a few more months (or years). She now likes to sit in the highchair and play with her toys. She's actually getting pretty good at it... she was pounding away on the tray with her rattle, and then her little fists. I love to cuddle with her because she's just so soft, plus she can't quite push me away yet or say, "Stop it Mommy!" We were outside the other day so I laid a blanket on the grass and then laid Avery on it. She wasted no time in rolling over so she could get a better view of her sisters and the neighbor kids. She actually rolled onto the grass and she loved it! The first time Laura really sat in the grass she kept trying to hold her feet up so they wouldn't touch the grass. Those were cute photos. But Avery kept grabbing the grass with her little toes (she inherited monkey toes... must be from her dad). I know that in no time she'll be crawling after her big sisters, wanted to be included in the fun. Is it so wrong to wish that day were quite a bit further away? I guess I just need to enjoy each moment of her babyhood and remember not to complain too much about the sleepless nights. And I suppose it'd be okay to look forward to the beautiful young woman she'll one day be. I love you my baby Avery.

Kaitlyn the Crazy Driver

So both our neighbors have Powerwheels for their kids. Aaron and I have always thought it would be fun for our girls to have one of their own, but we have yet to get them one (we've always had a better use for the money). One of our neighbors have two little boys who are Laura and Kaitlyn's ages, and they have a tractor and jeep. Yesterday we were outside with everyone and Kaitlyn decided to hijack the tractor. Please keep in mind that she's only driven it once or twice by herself. It was so much fun to chase her around, helping her steer clear of flower beds and small children, all the while trying to photograph her expedition. I loved the photos I got because I think they truly show how much she enjoyed "driving." Maybe we will have to break down and buy the girls a Powerwheels... perhaps a hot pink Barbie jeep? We shall see...

Our Little Thumb-Sucker

About a week ago my mom pointed out that Avery has become a thumb-sucker. To be perfectly honest I hadn't noticed. I suppose I had seen her do it once or twice, but I didn't think it had become a habit. While we were in Colorado, Aaron ended up pointing it out. Since he used to manage a dental practice, I thought he'd be concerned because of the damage thumb-sucking can do to little teeth (although Avery didn't have any yet). He said he thought it was better she do it at this age instead of discovering it as a toddler. I suppose he's right. When we got home Mom pointed it out again and Ashley pointed it out last night. So, I guess I must admit that yes, I do have a thumb-sucking daughter. Another discovery we made last night was that Avery's first tooth cut through. She had been chewing on everything and it seemed she had a waterfall for a mouth, but she hadn't been fussy or running a temperature, so I thought we had awhile. I was quite surprised to feel the edge of her tooth yesterday. Both Laura and Kaitlyn got their first teeth right after they turned 4 months, and since Avery turns 5 months next week I thought she'd break the trend... but nope. I must say that she is going to look so darn cute with a little toothy grin!

On The Move To Colorado

What an adventure we have had the past five days! First of all I should explain that about ten days ago we had someone call and ask if we'd be interested in renting our house until it sold. What a blessing that was! The family will be moving into our house on the 25th of this month, which means that we need to find a house in Denver ASAP. Last Wednesday I was talking to Aaron on the phone and I was quite stressed over trying to find a house in Denver from Iowa (Aaron wouldn't have much extra time to house hunt). Aaron said, "Why don't you just drive out here today?" Well, I decided to do just that. I packed and loaded the girls up and we left. Since we didn't leave until 2:30 in the afternoon we ended up staying in Lincoln, Nebraska for the night. We got to Denver at about 2 the next afternoon. I can honestly say that driving 850 miles with two toddlers and an infant isn't much fun. Not only do they get incredibly bored, and I'm amazed at how quickly they learned the phrase "are we there yet," but when the toddlers sit next to each other they figure out how much fun it is to poke, pinch, kick, pull hair, etc. Though that isn't much fun for the lone driver. I must add that before the drive home I said a really long, pleading prayer asking for a little bit of peace during the drive. I am pleased to report that it worked until we got about 3 hours from home. While we were in Denver we stayed in a small RV that is parked at Aaron's work. I don't know how many of you have spent much time in a small RV with three children, but I wouldn't put it high on your to-do lists. Needless to say, we spent as much time out and about as possible. The girls and I house hunted part of Thursday and all day Friday. We were so incredibly blessed to find a house Friday afternoon that is absolutely perfect for us. We are a little sad that we will be renting for the next year, but such is life. The house is adorable and has plenty of room for us and Ashley, as she has decided to move with us. We are very happy about this. The neighborhood is wonderful and the school district is one of the best in the area. In fact, Laura's school is one street over from our house. So, we are very excited to say that we will be leaving Friday, October 24th for our new home. Since I accomplished finding a house on Friday, we decided to drive up into the Rocky Mountains on Saturday. It was so incredibly beautiful! I never cease to be amazed by God's talent. The Aspen trees have turned golden and they really stand out against the evergreens. I am so thankful to be moving to a place with so much diversity and things to enjoy.