Thursday, December 31, 2009

Whew...I think I made it!

We'll, I think I finally caught up! I'm trying to not let the randomness of my posts bother me, but it is really hard having them all out of order!

One last post of 2009...some playing in the snow!




Perry did the majority of the building for the snowman, but said there's now way I could have got the head on there with out Parker's help!

Parker is hiding out in his snow fort, having a blast out there in the freezing cold!
He doesn't seem to even notice it!

We'll see ya in 2010 (that's twenty-ten) for the Guts folks and the rest of the cool peeps!

Winterfest...am I really still in Tulsa?

Ice Skating, while its snowing...in Tulsa, how can this be?

Well, one of the activities on Grandma's calendar to us was a trip out downtown to go Ice skating.
I'd never ever heard of an outdoor ice rink in Tulsa, but evidently we have one this year.

Libby's friend Abby came along with us, and we had a great time.Everyone did a pretty good job skating and no crashing, even though Parker only seems to be able to go full steam ahead!


Libby and Abby

Libby got ice skating lessons for Christmas from her dad so maybe she'll be able to teach us a few cool moves in a couple of months!

While we were there the boys saw a friend from church and we had a little bit of a snowball fun going on...I even joined in on the fun!

Thanks Grandma and Crappaw for taking us to winterfest, it's was a blast!

Christmas Day Bustle

We'll the day started off especially early this year...5:15 the alarm rang...we didn't get up for another little while but I think maybe we are the only ones who have to actually set an alarm for Christmas Morning. We actually had to wake up the babies first and give them some breakfast, since they aren't quite old enough to be excited about presents. The only thing Corban is excited about in the morning is eating his banana! We had rounds to make, so being up early is the way it is around here! We were supposed to be at Grandma and Crappaw's house at 7:45 and then off to Aunt Debbies at 9:00....but since we were still sitting at mom and dad's at 9:00 we knew the day wasn't going to go as planned. Everything was delayed a bit because we didn't schedule in road conditions when we made Christmas day plans...as it was 60° just 5 days before, who would have expected to get over a half a foot of snow! NOT ME!

Once we got started Corban got the hang of opening presents this year, His birthday is coming up in a month and it should be lots of fun!


We'll after talking to grandma about presents and stuff this year..... ya know the talk I've been having with her every year for the last 3 years or so....how we don't have a whole lot of room for the stuff we have, and I have no idea what to do with a lot of extra things. Since we have 5 kids that even if each child only gets 3 things that's 15 new things...and we do have 8 families that buy them things....which all in all is a lot...A TON of stuff to play with.

So, Grandma made plans this year with all of the adults to exchange calendar's with a few activities written in so we can spend some special times together throughout the year. I thought it was an amazing idea, and we're moving in the right direction away from all this materialism. I was expecting a nice simple Christmas that's not too over done....boy was I wrong! The presents were still stacked to toppling over! I'm thinking maybe she just rearranged the budget to spend it all on the grandkids! GRANDMA!

So, you know how she was sneaky about getting that cool Nintendo DS for Parker's birthday...we'll whoops, she did it again...and now they have multiplied x3....now with games and all the gear a kid could possibly need. Libby also got a "big girl" 20" bike from Aunt Sara and Gramps and GG (grandma pitched in a little too) The boys got a really cool snap circuits set, which we can use to learn basic electricity for School....that was from Aunt Debbie...and grandma as well. We got Candy bags, and wardrobe fillers for the boys (shoes, shirts, pants) and then a few miscellaneous fun toys they were looking forward to, a cash register for Libby, Nerf Tag, Magnetic toys, Aqua Pack (for turning your digital camera into an underwater camera), puzzles and games....Who needs Santa! We went to Aunt Debbie's for breakfast, The Johnson's for lunch. Jeff picked up the big kids around 4:00 and we headed back to Aunt Sara's for Dinner....then finally back home to crash into bed! Whew, Christmas is a lot of work!

Celebrating the Eve of Christmas

Our Christmas Eve Program was small this year due to a blizzard in Oklahoma. Granny says it's the first one ever called in Oklahoma. I guess since we had 40mph winds and 6-8 inches of snow that's what its called! All I can say is that I hope those who prayed for a white Christmas are happy! Dad played pickup and delivery man for the Douglass side, so they all got to be there. Joe and Jeanette made it out as well. The show must go on, so it did!


Libby and Parker sang a song from the Christmas program at church, Perry read a story about Omar the Camel, set to music of We Three Kings. We had the candle lighting ceremony and sang Silent Night as the usual tradition goes...then played "dirty Santa" for the gift exchange. Granny stole my mama's dove ornament and tea mug, Granny's blanket was stolen by Jeanette, and Debbie stole her own gift from me to keep as her own!

We can't have a get together without food and this year we ended up doing something a little different...Frito Pie! Dad J and I dishing up ourselves a plate!

A few random pix of my especially photogenic boys this evening.....



Halloween funtimes




We had a big halloween gathering at Aunt Debbie's house this year. Debbie and Marsha made a HUGE batch of Taco soup, and I brought the cinnamon rolls which unfortunately caused more o a mess than they were worth! It was especially fun this year with lots of families represented I love it when all sides of the family get together. Having daughters seems to bring everyone together, so I better figure out the recipe for a few to add to our side! This year Danielle, Regina and Grandma Johnson joined us as well as the Oylers (Will's parents) We had a parade of 7 kids, and 10 adults...and about a ton of candy after going around the block!

Granny and Gramps stayed in with Debbie and Marsha and passed out the candy, there were over 200 trick-or-treaters this year!

Perry the Ostrich Rider, Parker the Roman Soldier, Libby the beautiful buzzing bee,
Corban the turtle and Clayt the Monkey!


and the cousins came too!

Josie as Tinkerbell and Danielle as a fairy princess

Turkey Day



Well, we all got together for Turkey Day at Sara and Will's house. Eric's family went to Missouri and the big kids celebrated with their dad. It was great getting together with Will's parents and the rest of our people and having all my favorite holiday foods! Eric cooked the turkey and of course it was perfection! I made sure Josie and Corban had some good foods to enjoy...sweet potato, turkey, and avocado, and some green beans! YUM.

Clayt had his first solid food- Avocado. He wasn't so sure about it all, but seemed eager to eat...just like dad I guess!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Evening of Surprises...


We'll this year we explained to Parker that it would be a year of no birthday party, not even a family one with grandma. We told him he could pick out a dinner and a homemade dessert and we'd celebrate at home, *just* the 7 of us (hey, sounds like a party to me!). While I'm sure he was a little dissapointed, I didn't hear any complaints....though he did make sure that it would be a deal for each of the other kids' next birthdays too.


Well, that wasn't the plan at all...we decided to have a surprise party! It took a while for me to come up with the details....did I "queen of detail" just say that about myself? We'll I thought about it so long the time was quickly passing me by to work out the invites. My first idea fell apart when we had a weekend conflict. So we ended up having........not one, but TWO surprise parties.

Perry, Libby and I dropped the babies off at Aunt Sara's house. Dad and Parker went to run an errand. I met with a few of Parkers friends from church at Hideaway Pizza and once we arrived and were seated we gave dad a call. He decided to casually ask Parker about stopping in for dinner, and boy he was a little confused when he saw his friends and siblings and mama all there!

It quickly sank in!



Perry in the back, (L to R) Libby, Parker, Will, and William


After pizza -we ordered Cheese for the kids, and mama's favorite...hamburger, bacon, onion, mushroom and pineapple...as well as a third...off the specialty menu, which I can't remember!

Parker was so excited about getting together with friends for pizza that I think he completely forgot about presents....even more to be excited about!



Instead of doing cake, we ordered a cookie off the dessert menu for each of our guests...I think all the adults were drooling just a little over the aroma of the freshed baked cookies...well worth the price, that for our small gathering cost less than a cookie cake from the store, and much, much yummier...or so the kids say!



We'll the party was over and we were heading home, I enjoyed a little one on one time talking about the surprise and what he thought of it all, but before going home we had to stop at Aunt Sara's to pick up the babies. But what he didn't know...





all of his extended family...Grannie and Gramps, grandmas, grandpas, Aunt Debbie and Marsha, aunt Sara, uncle Will and Josie, Dad, Perry, Libby and the babies jumped out from behind the couch with confetti going everywhere...SURPRISE AGAIN! ROUND 2!




This time, I don't think he was surprised about the presents! Grandma had a little surprise of her own up her sleeve...cause I know I never woulda put *that* on the gift idea list!
The Nintendo DS had to be the surprise of the evening, and what fun they have had playing it!

BTW, I've be come a "foodie"

for my online novices..BTW = by the way :)

Our little Corban would eat and eat and eat then poop and poop and poop, but never getting fed. His food went strait through his system without absorbing the nutrients from his food, staying in a constant state of hunger. His diapers were overflowing and a huge mess multiple times a day and Mama needed a solution. Our pediatrician said he didn't know a whole lot about special diets, so I took some friends' advice and called up a nutritionist.

When we first tried giving him dairy (at 11ish months) it didn't seem to go over very well, even when we used raw whole milk instead of the dead milk they sell at the grocery store, interesting concept. Pasteurization isn't really for our health, but actually for the convenience of shipping milk all across the country.

Corban has been on a Gluten Free and Dairy free diet for the past 4 months....it seems like it's been forever though! He's been wheat and dairy free since April and started an enzyme as well which really helped his appetite. Two days before we went to see the nutritionist we tried giving him some Goat's milk, to see how he would react and he had his first "solid" BM since...maybe ever!

The nutritionist (Lorrie Metford) did a finger prick and we looked at his blood under the microscope. His cells were 3 different sizes and clumped together so she advised that we start a few things. The gluten free diet helped his appetite and nutrition absorption issues some, but she advised that we continue the enzyme as well as the gluten free diet but keep doing the goat's milk, she also added in a pro-biotic, zinc and b complex whole food supplements. Things were shaping up nicely...especially in his diapers! They were what I think is "normal" and only once a day for a change. Which is great when he was having 5-6 a day that were a complete mess!

Well a few weeks ago, I didn't make it over to the dairy to pick up the goat's milk...which is much cheaper there than the store ($9.50 vs $16 per gallon) and I started noticing that his diapers were going back to how they were before we started all the supplements. The past few days we stopped doing the supplements also just to see how he reacts and we aren't seeing much of a change, so I think all in all it's the goat's milk that is really helping the most. Come to find out, interestingly enough Goats milk is the most closely realated to human breast milk and what people have been consuming as "milk" all over the world, and it's mentioned in the bible. Imagine that, God knows what we should be eating, maybe we should ask Him instead of the food network?

I'm prayerfully considering taking him to see a pediatric-dietitian or an allergist. Meanwhile he will continue the healthy diet, and hopefully help get the rest of the family off processed food and sugar....which leads me into my food rant, you have been forewarned: enjoy!

Researching all this nutrition information has made thinking about food very frustrating. We've been convinced over the past 50 years that what we are supposed to eat was based on balancing the profit margins of the main areas of the food industry rather than our nutrition. They have won us over by chemically addicting the American people to THEIR idea of "food" which means as long as it only kills us off slowly, is shelf stable, cheap to make and sell all they gotta do is slap some bold and misleading label...like "all natural flavors" or throw in the tiniest amount of "fruit or vegetable" in the recipe and call it Yogurt Blends or Sweet Potato Puffs....so we feed it to our infants and Voila....our babies are slowly drawn into this unhealthful addiction as soon as they are off of 1st stage foods (that's the little jars that they eat for the first 2-3 months, at least they only contain water as an extra ingredient.)

I knew that processed foods were not the best, everyone does, I think. What about baby formula which is also a culprit and represented as the "only" option (it is not) besides breastfeeding. Since I make my own "baby food" I know for sure what is going into the food and thought using "basic" ingredients would be enough. Nope. I found that I didn't even realize that some things are processed that seem natural. I found that I could get puffed wheat by the bag, the only ingredient listed was red wheat, and it was cheap...Score!! I fed it to Corban around 9 months of age and he loved it, it was a great alternative to cheerios, which daddy is not fond of, even if anyone tries to convince him that they have a "breathing hole". One choking episode with his niece a few years ago was all he needed! Anyway, a few weeks ago, I read about a little study on puffed wheat. you can read it here: should we eat puffed grains? Evidently lab rats are better off eating a card board box than what the grocery store sells as cereal. The ones who got cornflakes died before the ones who got cardboard box and the ones who ate puffed wheat lived 2 weeks, while the ones on regular whole grain wheat lived over a year. I didn't really think about puffed wheat even being processed...who knew, don't I feel stupid! Then there's also the sugar issue, even the rats addicted to cocaine chose sugar over their drugs. We wonder why we're the most unhealthy people in the richest nation in the world. Forget health care, we need an overhaul on the food industry, maybe if we stop filling our bodies with garbage we'll feel better and live longer....but then again it means more time and work and getting past that addiction. I think unfortunately most Americans would rather die and enjoy it while lasts, so sad.

For more information on food check out the Weston Price Foundation its a great resource, very interesting reading.

December Happenings



We took the family to Rhema to see the Christmas Lights...it was Corban's first time and he seemed to enjoy it even though it was super cold!

The Church took all of the volunteers (Eric and I) to see The Christmas Carol in 3-D at the I-Max Theater. Guts Church filled the entire theater, it was a great time of "Gathering and Connecting". We also came to the conclusion that Eric doesn't see in 3-D....but the film was great anyway! When we started talking to the kids about it, they said they hadn't seen it...I couldn't believe it! So Eric picked up the "classic 1980's" version had a movie night with popcorn and reeces pieces.

We went to the Annual Kaplin Christmas Party and got to catch up with great friends and check out their car collection...Perry had a blast! I'm sure it's some sort of sin, not knowing how to identify these cars, and even if I knew what they were I'm sure I couldn't spell it right.




I think this one is my personal favorite :) But what do I know?





We finally got around to getting out the decorations the week before Christmas and we finished the evening we watched Eric's favorite Christmas movie...Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.


Then the 3 days of fun began with the family celebrating my birthday at the Dock Dinner at church, with Parker and Libby starring in the "Christmas Counting Spelling Bee" program at Church. They both did awesome! Parker was spelling bee contestant #5 Ferris Wyler, the "nerd"...who by the way...ties for first in the spelling bee and has the role of Joseph in the Christmas manger scene.






Christmas Eve...can you believe that it started Snowing, and snowing and snowing. We missed the Church's Christmas Eve service, but we did make it over to Aunt Sara's for the Family Christmas Eve Program. By the time we got home there was 6-8 inches on the ground, but with the wind blowing the way it was it there were drifts about 3 foot high in front of the house.

Corban update


Corban moved up to the 1's class room a little bit late...I think he was about 16 months old (may 2009) before he was ready for the pester-y, I mean curious toddlers. After a few months of warming up he loves going to his class. Recently we got a new director and she's starting a bit more structured program (Praise God, Structure is my friend :) They still have lots of fun play-time, but they have a praise and worship time, and read short a bible "story" and have pretend offering time where they get to put coins in a bank. But I think the most fun of all is that they have been coming home with the cutest little crafts! This is a picture of Corban's first "art work" from the church.



Corban has also had a mini-explosion in his vocabulary. He's still missing a lot of his consonants, but we can usually figure out what he's trying to say. If we just think through our common phrases, often he's copying them. Then sometimes it is 100% jibber-jabber and we can't figure out even one word that he's trying to say, but that doesn't keep him from his babbling. At the beginning of November he started saying his brothers' and sister's names. Libby is by far his favorite, and well..it took him a little while to try to start saying Perry's name. He also thinks he is very funny in his brother's "glasses".



6 months old




While most 6 month olds are starting to think about crawling, Clayt perfected his preferred form of transportation which is more like a more like doing the "worm" belly flop crawl about a month ago. He started hands and knees crawling two days after he turned six months old. I guess he got bored with the crawling, because Perry caught him doing this after nap-time the day he turned 6 months old.







At 6 months, Clayt still hasn't started solid foods, but he did get his first 2 teeth. It takes a little while to get a that cute little grin showing off his choppers, so I don't have one yet!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

a little of what we like to call.....Crazy Baby

Thanks to Perry, we've got some cute little moments captured on video, since he's the only one in the family with a digital camera besides Grandma. I'm holding out to replace my pro-film camera, but I gotta figure out what to do with it first.

A little background before you watch the video. Corban has a love for turning in circles. He can make it about 4 times around before falling down if he gets a good spin going and he moves his eyes all around for the especially crazy effect. Clayt sure seemed to be enjoying his big brother that evening too...it was so funny it was hard to decide who to film the spinner or the laugh-er. Laughter is contagious, they both had us all going!





Super Dad!


Eric has been busy as a bee always working hard, and learning new things. He can fix anything if he has a little time to think about it and it is such a blessing!

He's had the opportunity do get lots of practice doing drywall...with all patching from various mishaps around the house. I'll never forget hearing a sound somewhat like a cat falling out of a very tall tree...and the kids respond...Did dad fall through the attic agaaaaaaaain??? I told them to hush and of course not, and went to check. Sure enough, there he was hanging from the rafters!  Anyway, my point...his drywall skills are impressive and the walls look better than new when he's finished patching!

He's great with all my design ideas...and believe me I have come up with some doozies! I just say the word and a little while later he's got it all figured out and built. He made several dove Christmas ornaments as gifts this season, I tied them up with some left over ribbon from our wedding bouquet.  The kids came home to a new shoe rack yesterday. Last week he finished building a bookcase for his sister and is super excited to begin designing a dresser for his newest niece...due to arrive in April.

He absolutely loves building and creating things, so much so, that he's decided to begin working towards his own woodworking business. I'm very excited about the journey we are starting and can't wait to see the dream come to fruition. He has some awesome ideas and ministry goals in mind once it is all up and running. I can't wait to have him "on-site" though I admit it will take some adjustment to our routine!

Monday, December 28, 2009

updating

A few things have happened since I last posted. But I'll start with today and then back up and see what I can remember!

Updates

Kitchen Happenings- Preparing for my first 21 day Daniel fast. Bought some cookbooks with my birthday money, planning meals and menus is on the agenda this week as well as detoxing (mainly sugar and working on proper hydration...starting now, as in this instant.). The fast starts on January 3rd and I"m excited, and expectant.
Spirit-Mind-Body--its all about to Change. mind and body move over, there's a new leader in my life. YHWH is the Father, and Jesus is His son, and the Holy Spirit lives in me to Direct, Comfort and Lead me into all truth. Better wife, better mama, better me wait and see. (and look I'm a poet too, didn't even try to make that rhyme :)
 
Our schooling- On a holiday break right now, but the boys got a really cool basic electricity kit called snap circuits that I plan on incorporating into their day for Science. Libby and I will be starting the Ruby Doll kit and learning more about Proverbs 31. She's been working to memorize the scriptures 10-31 and has done a great job!

Home keeping Agenda- Well I think that we are trying to get this place ready to sell still? Not totally sure. Just purged through all the kids stuff. Simplified their load of responsibility and am working on my stuff now. So much stuff, no where to put it all. 

Sunday, September 27, 2009

on the move....ALREADY, ACK!

Well, Clayt has things to do, I suppose...The day he turned 4 months old he figured out how to roll from back to tummy so he was well on his way from that day, since he's been rolling the other way since he was about 3 weeks old. Then he figured out the tummy spin and could be 180° in nothing flat! Now he's moved on to bigger tricks He's so stinking strong, he doesn't know what to do with himself...so he just keeps on moving! About 2 weeks ago, he found his knees... started this at 4½ months old!


He's moved his knees a couple of "steps" then flops to his belly and tries some more.
After a week went by he moved on to just hopping to his knees, and then pushes up to his feet


This week he's learned to move from his tummy to his Seat...


At first he would to get his bottom and fall right over and bonk his head so hard we heard a thump, but after a few days of practice he's starting to sit up more steady and plays with his toys.
Clayt is such a happy boy who loves to play!


Think they're related?

Yesterday was so beautiful, so we decided to take a trip out to Afton Landing for a picnic by the "lake"...err navigational channel. It was the day before Clayt turned 5 months old, so I dressed him up the same way I did for Corban's 5 month pictures....




Corban is on the Left and Clayt is on the right


Monday, September 14, 2009

Cookie Monster in the house!

Recently I purchased some gluten free Arrowroot Animal Cookies for Corban. Refined sugar hasn't had much place in his diet, I usually use fruit to sweeten anything I make for him. But atlas...the Cookie monster has emerged. Cookies are a requested every 1-15 minutes or so of his waking hours and we often have a very angry boy when the answer is not to his liking. It was so cute when I first figured out what he was trying to say when he looked at me and so sweetly said "t-t" and looked to the cabinet where I keep them. He's learned how to sign for it also. We usually break the cookie up in to as many pieces as possible, but recently I let him have a cookie in the living room and he walked around with it for 10 minutes just happy as a clam just savoring it [read, licking it instead of eating it].

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Big Brothers & Baby Brothers

Well, one thing is for certain, we've got lots of brotherly love in this house! 
Clayt is doted on by all, especially by his littlest big brother! Corban learned to sign Baby 4 days after Clayt arrived and brother is one of his favorite things to talk about! He signs when he sees his brother, hears him cry, or even when we mention his name...whether we use the words Clayt, Brother, or Baby. Corban also loves to love on his brother.  He can hardly pass by without giving him a "head-lean" hug and even kisses every so often. 
Now the big big brothers...they dote on him also, rarely resisting  a moment to talk to the wee one who will smile and squirm with delight as they so so. They are also super great helpers, even when it comes to the less than desireable help like diaper duty, cleaning up the high chair tray and sweeping up the floor messes that toddlers seem to generate wherever they go!