Oh My Heart

No doubt about it.  We are in love with this little Delsie girl.  The kids can not get enough of her.  First thing in the morning when they wake up and first thing after washing their hands from school, they want to hold her.  They like to help feed her. 

They like to read to her.

 And kiss her.  Seriously, I think the kisses must be what are making her grow.

 

And cuddle her. 

 And just be by her.  They can not walk by her without stopping to touch her.

 L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore

And what's not to love?  She is such a content and pleasant baby.  So mellow and easy going.  Her dad loves having a baby that isn't too particular about who holds her.  He actually feels like he can take care of her, unlike some of our other kids who only wanted their mom.  Most nights before bed, he will hold her and chill.  Before long, they're both sleeping like babies.  She has brought such additional love into our home.

And as her mom, I love stealing those innocent hungry kisses and rocking with her in my chair until I doze off.  I love slathering her with baby lotion and breathing in the sweetness.  I love her squeezies and the satisfaction that comes from a roly-poly baby.  She's just starting to smile and it fills every void in my heart.  I love this stage and look forward to the next.

Hanging With My Homies

I get to spend most of my hours of most of my days with these kids.  Routine? Sure.  Chaotic?  Always.  Fun? Absolutely.  Sometimes I have to remind myself how lucky I am. . . to be needed (all at once by 4 screaming kids.)  Or how rewarding it is to fix a nice dinner. . . (only to have it stay on their plates even after dinner is over.)  Lately I get on my treadmill to take a break.  Go figure.  

Here is how we've been rolling lately: 

Ruby loves to put barrettes in hair.  Her hair.  My hair.  During RS meetings.  Whenever.

 She also loves to sport her leotard, albeit with some rather interesting choices of accessories.

 All four of us crammed into the rocking chair.  Some of the best naps are taken here, all squished together.  Just don't ask me to get out to answer the phone.

A cheap case of eyeshadow has offered lots of entertainment and a bit of relaxation for me.

 

 Mommy-Daughter date.  Being silly in the dressing room while I fed Delsie.

 Poo-Poo Pants.  Where this ever originated, I will never know.  But this much I do know, the kids love Brent to put the blanket on them like a giant diaper.  They beg him to.  Strange

An occasional nap makes everyone happier, Mom included.

Valentine's 2013

I can't tell you how many times we read this book during the season.  It's a favorite!

We spent a FHE making hearts for everyone.  I love how the kids' turned out.  Dalanie's turned out to be a jumble of names and words.  Hudson's were meticulously penned and so sincere.

Our 'mailboxes' were filled to overflowing with snips of paper, re-gifted classroomValentine's, scraps of fabrics and original works of art and literature.  They sure kept the girls busy.

We kicked off our Valentine's week with a cookie decorating party at the Jolley's.  It is always a lot of fun with tons of people and tons of sprinkles and frosting.  They will bake up a ton of cookies and invite people over to frost them, it's such a fun thing.

As you can see, the girls like all the sprinkles.  Ruby had quite a knife collection, since she can't resist licking anything with frosting on it.

 

We made up some fortune cookies to send to friends and family.  The guy at the post office said he had never before seen a take out box sent in the mail.

Some yucky bug found it's way into our house the beginning of the week.

So since kids were home, we had time to work on making Valentine's and watching lots of t.v.

 

first valentine's day

 I made special meals for the day, making sure to include lots of hearts.  Toad in a [heart]hole, heart-shaped quesidillas, apple slices with the core removed with a heart cookie cutter, and chicken potpie with heart shaped carrots and crust.  I really enjoy coming up with something special for the day.

Both Hudson and Dalanie came into our rooms on Valentine's convincing us that they were healed and ready to head to school for their class parties.  And since no fevers were detected, we sent them on their merry way.

Dalanie and I made this pig 'box' for her and Hudson got special permission to take his mailbox.  That makes it the 3rd year in a row that he's used it- talk about a good investment of time and energy.

And even though we decorated cookies at the party, I couldn't resist making up some of our own.

By the end of the day, the kids were wiped out.  Hudson fell asleep before we even had dinner, and it was all the girls could do to get through dinner before crashing.  So much for a fun and fancy family date night.  Ah-well.  Lower expectations made the day quite pleasant.

50's Party

Ruby and Natalie- Twinners

Natalie turned three and Melanie planned a 50's party.  It was complete with poodle skirts, 50's music, hamburgers, homemade fries, and root beer floats.  It was so much fun.  The girls loved twirling around in their skirts and being together with their cousins. 

The ''Guys"

Planter Clinic

The business with Brent's with Precision Planting dealership has continued to grow and evolve.  Consequently, Progressive Crop Systems has been born and we hosted our first planter clinic.  Like most things, it turned into a family affair.

I served as the event planner and coordinated everything from the invitation design and printing, down to the meal and registration.

  

The kids were recruited to help us assemble some folders that contained contact information and brochures.

The kitchen became our assembly line.  The kids loved being part of the factory.  And let me tell you, Dalanie can be quite a slave driver.  She hardly gave me a break to feed Delsie.

 

We pulled the kids out of school so they could be involved and help, which meant they spent the entire day with me at the meeting.  We had to be to the convention center bright and early to set up.   They helped pass out folders and distribute pens.  So by time the meeting was underway, all available devices were employed to keep them entertained.

The crowd was quite family friendly and the kids actually made all sorts of friends.  The girls especially liked one particular salesman that sat on the couch and showed them all sorts of pictures and movies on his iPad.  Delsie made her big debut at four weeks of age.

  Since the meeting was in Burley, Dad came out for lunch.  It was a 'pink shirt day.'

We had the regional manager from Precision Planting there to help present alongside Brent.  Since this was the first event like this, we didn't know what to expect.  We had the room packed and had to pull out more tables for lunch.  It was a success with over 100 people in attendance.  And they seemed to value it since most stayed the entire day from 8:30-3:30.

Fried Chicken Lesson

Now as a mom to four, Relief Society president, and default book keeper for our business, I had become buried in my responsibilities.   I was barely scraping something together to put on the table and keeping up with the laundry.  I worked feverishly to prepared our financial statements in time for our tax appointment in between feedings and coloring and listening to my budding reader (as she demanded my undivided attention.)  Brent's new business was preparing to host it's first planter clinic and I got to help as the event planner (compiling addresses, designing an invitation, and working with the caterer.)  It appeared as if an infinite number of ladies needed visits, and I was confined to my own home trying to keep that baby healthy.  As the icing on the cake, another funeral presented itself, so I was spending time on the phone with the with the family and our compassionate service to coordinate the luncheon.  I volunteered to fetch the fried chicken for the funeral (since it was most compatible with the baby's feeding needs and my kindergartener's schedule.)

It just so happened that I found myself at the grocer's deli just a few minutes before the chicken was ready.  I panned the produce section looking for something fresh to contribute to my emptying refrigerator during my minute or two of waiting time.  That was when I spotted a lady I had not seen in quite awhile.  I approached her, rustled up a conversation, and helped her find the cheapest tomatoes.  She was waiting for me at the cart return to tell me the good news of her son's just-completed surgery and then we exchanged parting words in the parking lot just before climbing into our vehicles.  I delivered the chicken to our meeting house and then hurried home to meet my kindergartner.  Mission accomplished!

The following Sunday, I had made arrangements with the baby so I could be at church.  After Relief Society, this same sister pulled me aside.  I could not remember the last time I had seen her at church, much less all three meetings.  Teary-eyed, she told me thanks.  She attributed her attendance that day to the care and concern I had shown her at the grocery store. 

I was humbled. 

I was not at the grocery store for her, I was just picking up chicken, doing my duty.  But I realized that the Lord can still use me.  Even if I was overwhelmed and running hectic.  He knows our hearts.  I was reminded that people are the ones that matter.  Not schedules or to-dos.  People.  Big people or little people.  And as a mother, I have several of my own 'little people' that need my care and concern more than anyone or anything else.  I need to remember that.

If all life's lesson were taught as well as fried chicken smells.

Picture Perfect

My talented aunt, Alisha, was kind enough to take pictures of Miss Delsie when she was 2 1/2 weeks old.  It was so fun to watch her work her magic.  I found it very relaxing, like when someone brushes my hair.  Maybe it was just watching the sleeping baby.  I was so impressed with how patient Alisha was to get just the right shot.