Day 29...

Mason and Savannah had so much fun playing together yesterday.  They discovered this mostly empty box and decided that it looked like a great toy.  Ah, to be young and so easily entertained. 

So, I am not doing so good at posting my picture every day.  I do take at least one everyday, I just don't always get it posted that same day or even the next day.  I will try harder to get each picture posted on the day I take it, but with my crazy household right now, I can't promise it. 

Day 28...

Timothy is getting so big.  He is seven months old now and really growing fast.  He now sits up all by himself, does a really cute army crawl all over the place, and is learning all about eating solids and drinking from a cup.  He is such a happy baby and he really fits into our family well.  I love this little man and hope someday he will be my son.

Day 27...

1

It snowed on Wednesday.  A light, beautiful snow.  I love how just a coating of fresh snow can make even the most normal thing, like a snow drift, into a beautiful thing of nature.

In other news:  We went to court today for Timothy and the judge gave Teela and Alex two more months to work on their issues.  So now we go back March 11 to find out the next step.

Day 26...

Savannah was never one for a noni, or pacifer.  Now that she is older, she thinks that they are fun toys.  Here she is playing with one and looking very cute.  I am glad though that we will not have to break that habit.  Getting rid of the bottle has been hard enough.

Day 25...

Not the greatest picture, but I love when Savannah is happy and spending time with Daddy!

Day 24...

The great instrument of moral good is the imagination.  ~Percy Bysshe Shelley

We got to church a few minutes early today, so I thought I would get a picture of the kids looking nice.  They had other ideas, they wanted to dance.  Okay, whatever.  Not sure what they are doing in this picture but they look cute and are having fun.

Day 23...

The foolish think that nothing is well done, except that which they do themselves. ~anonymous

This is our chore chart.  Everyone has a row and every day has a column.  This way you can just look at your row and find the day and you know what you need to do that day.  It works really well for helping us to remember what needs to be done and it makes sure that all of the chores get done.  And it means the kids have no excuses for not doing their chores.

Day 22...

A slight touch of friendly malice and amusement towards those we love keeps our affections for them from turning flat. ~Logan Pearsall Smith

Damien and Issac spent the night last night.  These children have been playmates since they were born, so a lot of the time they act like siblings.  They bicker and argue but have a great time playing together.  Because of our cramped quaters right now, we take down Evelyn's bed when the boys spend the night and then line the kids up against the wall.  It just looks so cute and they think it is a real treat.  Kids are so easy to please sometimes. 

Day 21 ...

Beauty as we feel it is something indescribable; what it is or what it means can never be said. ~Goerge Santayana

On Wednesday, we had a decent ice storm here.  It left quite a bit of ice on the ground and a nice hard crust on top of the snow.  But it also left us this chance to appreciate the beauty of winter.  When the sun catches the ice on the tree, it does make for a very pretty picture and it is just one of the reasons why I love winters in Iowa.

Day 20...

"If you are doing something fun at the Cullen's tonight, Bella, you should take some pictures.  You know how your mother gets-she'll be wanting to see the pictures faster than you can take them." ~Charlie Swan

Last night, Nicole and I went to see New Moon in the theater one last time.  This makes three times for both of us.  We saw it together on opening night, went to it with our husbands, and then last night.  I really enjoy the series and it is a great escape.

Day 19

Not the best picture, but for me today it's not about what you see in the picture.  It is about the fact that I got the picture.  Evelyn's school had a family math and reading night today.  Originally it was suppose to be at 6pm, but last Friday they changed it to right after school.  Okay, I thought, we will probably miss this one.  Evelyn was so excited it though that I decided I would brave it with Dietrich, Savannah, and Timothy.  With the double stroller I figured it would be fairly easy.  Wrong!  The singing portion was in the gym which was only accessible by going down some pretty steep stairs.  No way I was taking a stroller down them.  So I decided to watch from upstairs through the windows.  Dietrich is not having it at all.  He wants to be down where he can really see Evelyn.  Fortunately, Grant has some great staff that offered to stay with the babies in the stroller while I took Dietrich downstairs.  Once we get down to the gym, Dietrich wants to go stand next to Evelyn and sing with her.  After chasing him back to where we were sitting and snapping a few pictures, we headed back up to the babies.  So, the picture is not that great but I think I will remember this day more for the story.  And maybe the fact that I am crazy to try and do things like this without asking for help. 

Day 18

This is how the kids stay busy when Nicole is making dinner and I am helping wherever she needs me.  I just love how the kids all play together, especially the little ones.  Mason and Savannah are so cute together and Timothy just loves any attention he gets.  Which is a good thing, since Savannah likes to smack his face right now and Mason has a tendency for walking on him. 

Picture of the day is late because we ran into computer problems yesterday and today.  We are going to have to buy a new one pretty soon.  The motherboard, or brain if you will, is starting to die.  Jessie was able to fix it today and buy us some time, but I guess I know one thing we are buying with his bonus this year.

Day seventeen...

We are each other's business: we are each other's magnitude and bond. ~Gwendolyn Brooks

So Jessie had to work from home last night and I was unable to access to computer to post.  But I did get my pictures done and on the computer.  This is my great-great-grandfather Valentine Stephan and his wife Jane Easterfeling(Isfording).  Last October I got very into doing family history and was finally able to identify who these folks were.  I was very excited.  I also connected with a distant family member who had a ton of information about this line.  With all of it, I made my mother a keepsake book of The Stephan line.  It was one of the coolest things I have ever made and she has really enjoyed it.  Now that I am done with that project, I am trying to get back into doing more family research and finding more names and connections in the family.

Day sixteen...

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance. ~Franklin P. Jones

Savannah was not a happy toddler today.  One of the few things that made her happy was eating an orange and then trying to eat the orange peel.  What a silly girl I have.

Day fifteen...

How do I know it has been a good day?  The mess!  ~me

It was a good day, LOL.  The kids had a lot of fun playing and they all played together well.  Days like today make it all worth it.  The joy and happiness in their eyes as they play and make believe are just wonderful.  I think it actually helps me to be less stressed when I see how much my kids are thriving in our home.  We may not have everything we want, like an actual play room, but we have everything they need. 

Day fourteen...

Every year on your birthday, you get a chance to start new.  ~Sammy Hagar

Dietrich was born on Janury 15 but we had his party a day early this year.  We went to Chuck E. Cheese's with the Fosters.  The kids had a great time and Evelyn was even brave enough to dance with Chuck E. Cheese when he was out doing birthday stuff.  It was a good party and Dietrich got some great gifts including 9 pairs of big boy underwear! 

In other news:  Could the day have been any more hectic for me?  I had to get some stuff from my mom at her work during her lunch break.  Then I hurried to playgroup, come home, wrapped all of the presents, and made the cake.  As I am getting ready to decorate it, Jessie calls to say that he has to work late because something broke at work.  Okay, so now I get to decorate the cake, Jessie usually does that part as he is much better at it than I am.  It is now 5:15 and I am suppose to be at the church at 6 to help set up for the relief society meeting I'm not even going to.  Get the cake done, everyone and everything in the car and realize that I have to go to Jessie's work and get the gift card for Chuck E. Cheese's.  We won it at a christmas party for the kids at Jessie's work and it was the whole reason we decided to do the birthday party there.  Go pick up the card, get to the church at 6:10, and start setting up.  Leave church and get to birhtday party and Jessie was able to make it.  Wow, what a hectic day.  Thankfully we survived it and the kids never knew how close mom was to just giving up.  After al of that, I just didn't have the energy to post last night, sorry.  But I did get the laundry finished and dishwasher running before I went to bed.  Go me! 

Day thirteen...

It's fun being a kid. ~Bradford Arthur Angier

Day twelve...

As I said, men value their independence in a weird way, above practically everything.   ~George Weinberg

So this is yesterday's picture of the day.  I had a horrible headache, actually I think it was the first migraine I have had in a few years, last night and I just didn't have it in me to post last night.  Dietrich set the table all by himself last night.  He was very proud of it and I just had to document it.  He has started his independent phase.  He can do everything by himself, or so he thinks.  I am feeling much better today, just have to catch up on yesterday's chores. 

In other news, we are not below zero anymore!!!!  I am just a little excited.  he he  Evelyn got to play outside for recess yesterday and my hands were not freezing as soon as I walked out the door.  Life is good right now.

Day eleven...

Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try! ~Dr. Seuss

The other day, a friend of mine posted how her daughter likes to dress herself and the strange combinations she comes up with.  The little girl is 2 and the mom really doesn't feel like the fight is worth it, so she wears these crazy ensembles.  Well, here is a picture to show her that she is not the only one.  When we went to pick Evelyn up from school today, this is what Dietrich wore.  He is friendship bear with spiderman boots and his coat.  I figured that since the halloween costume was actually a warm one and he wore his coat and boots, we were okay.  So not worth the fight.  And it made for one adorable picture of the day.  My kids are such great photo opportunities and it is so neat to capture their little personalities on film.

Here is Evelyn in one of her crazy ensembles. Oh, the things this child dreams up.  She has quite the imagination and a very unique fashion sense.  I can't wait to see what crazy things my kids think up every day.

Day ten...

Cleanliness is next to Godliness.  ~English 18th century proverb

When my house is clean, I feel so much better.  I can think clearer, I don't get frustrated as easily, and it is easier to feel like I have accomplished something with my day.  Of course, a clean house with five kids doesn't last long, but it is still really great to go to bed knowing that I will wake up to a clean house.  We recently put away some of the baby things that take up space, like the swing, and so the house feels less cluttered and more open and spacious.We took the Christmas tree down yesterday and that freed up a good amount of space too.  It is good to feel like my house might belong to the adults as well as the children.  LOL

Day nine...

This is me.

My photo of the day is me.  I thought I might as well do one on a night where I made the effort to look nice.  Jessie & I went on a double date tonight with Matt & Nicole.  We went out for dinner & then saw Sherlock Holmes.  It was a very good movie and we had a lot of fun.

Day eight...

Truly, my dear young friends, you are a chosen generation. I hope you will never forget it. I hope you will never take it for granted. I hope there will grow in your hearts an overpowering sense of gratitude to God, who has made it possible for you to come upon the earth in this marvelous season of the world's history. ~ Gordon B. Hinckley

This is my hope for each of my children.  I want them to grow up and know who they are and where they come from.   I want them to have a real sense of purpose and a desire to be the best that they can be.  There is a song by Lee Ann Womack called 'I Hope You Dance' and it really sums up the hopes and dreams parents have for their children. 

So today was a little different, picture wise.  I knew what I wanted my picture to be, I just had to wait for my children to be asleep and that took a while.  Then I had to decide which picture looked the best and I just love how innocent Savannah looks when she sleeps.  When the children are asleep is about the only time there is peace and quiet in my house right now and it is such a wonderful gift.  Good night everyone!

Day seven...

If you haven't learned what friendship means, then you haven't learned anything. ~Muhamid Ali

Today, we played at Nicole's house.  The kids had a lot of fun and were just being silly together.  This is their "house" and they are watching t.v. in it.  What great imaginations they have.  We have  been really blessed with the children that we have.  They are a great treasure and truly great teachers.

In other news, we got a lot of snow last night and today.  I think we got betwen 5-8 inches.  And the temps, they are so cold.  I love Iowa winters, but I think we could do without all these below freezing days, especially since it makes it hard to enjoy the snow.  Stay warm and safe everyone!

Day Six...

Let us live for the beauty of our own reality. ~Tim Robbins

So I took a lot of photos today and at least half of them were after dark, with the snow falling.  Unfortunately I don't know my camera well enough yet to have them turn out well.  Guess I need to read my manual and play around with my camera some more. 

This house is one of my favorite houses to look at.  I pass every day when I take Evelyn to school and pick her up.  I have never seen inside but the outside is just about perfect in my opinion.  I love the height of the house.  I love the wraparound porch and the landscaping.  I even like the location, I would love the location if it wasn't on a very busy street.  Some day I hope to have an old, charming house like this.  Maybe even as a bed and breakfast. Who knows, always been a dream of mine.  Maybe when the kids are grown and I miss all the noise and joy that comes from a full house.  Or maybe the quiet will be so nice that I will just relax and enjoy it.  Either way, I would love to have a house like this one, I guess you could call it one of my goals in life.

Just some thoughts to share....

So it has been almost a year since my husband started my other blog and the experience has been different.  I thought it would be easy to write little updates and share our lives with our friends and families, but it has been hard to find the time.  Now, with my project 365, I am forced to find the time everyday and to really look at my life.  I am very grateful for that.  I want to share my experiences with the people in my life who really matter.  I want to write everyday and to reconnect with the creative person inside of me.  I hope that as this project continues, that I will discover things about my self and my life that are new and exciting.  Thanks for going on this journey with me. Hope the ride is as fun for you as is it hopefully will be for me.

Day five...

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.  ~James Baldwin

Dietrich was so excited to go to his "school" today.  He is quickly growing into such a little man.  I love this picture because it shows how much he has grown in just three short years.  In ten days he will be three and it is easier to see it everyday.  Makes me a little sad, but also so happy.  That is the thing with children, it is such a bittersweet experience to be a parent.  We are so happy to see them grow big and strong and develop their own personalities, but it also sad to say good-bye to the little ones that they were.  Ah, life.

Day four...

No quote today, just my hubby doing something he loves, cooking.  He has become quite the cook over the last few years.  I love that he loves to cook because I am not a huge fan of cooking,  but I love to eat. 

So today was one of those days that just flew by for me.  We put the kids to bed and I realized that I had not yet taken any pictures today.  A little bit of a panic, but then Jessie decided to make himself an omelot and I was saved.  I am hoping that we settle into our school routine again quickly.  I think that will help me be more on the ball with my pictures, and the temps warming up couldn't hurt.

Day three

Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them. ~Richard L. Evans

So today's picture of the day was suppose to be a family portrait but the pictures did not turn out well.  Instead I am using this picture of Timothy and I cuddling on the couch this morning.  It can be hard to find time to cuddle with my babies but I know that it is important to show them how much I love them and how special they are.

Day two...a little late

Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come. Never take yourself too seriously. ~Og Mandino

I had a really late night last night, so I am posting yesterday's picture of the day now.  This is Matt's brother, Alex, shoving himself into a tote for the christmas tree.  It just made me laugh and after the evening I had, I needed to laugh.  Thanks Alex!

Day one....

How am I going to live today in order to create the tomorrow I'm committed to? 

~Tony Robbins

Today was kind of a challenging day.  My kids have been cranky and just worn out from the last week and a half of vacation and holiday celebrations.  But when I look at pictures like this one, I know that it is all worth it.  The quote above is kind of my mantra right now.  It's how I want to raise my kids, it's how I plan to try and make this world a better place.  It makes me stop and think about how my choices today affect tomorrow.  I can take the time to clean my house and make sure all the chores are done or I can spend time playing with my kids, showing them how important they are to me.  It is a tricky balance, of course the chores do have to be done, but one I am determined to find. 

So, one day down, 364 to go.  Wish me luck!  Happy New Year Everyone!