Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving was great again this year!  I decided it deserved to be on Belle's blog because she's the one who enjoys all the get-togethers the most.  MaryAlice  too loves the friends, but Belle is the one who truly  loves all the events.  She'd be at one daily if it was up to her :)

We enjoyed a completely gluten/dairy free meal and it was delicious!  Dad and Ben were even with us.  They're usually hunting over Thanksgiving, so it was a rare treat.  Dad even added pheasant to our traditional turkey meal. 

We made family history with a family picture.  It wasn't great or even really good, but it was us...
all of us in one picture.

Uncle Ben spent the night with us & the girls loved it!

Grandpa & Grandma with grandkids... Abby goes for the hair!

The girlfriends!

Happy Abby loving Grandpa & everyone

this was a better representation of our pic event!

family pic too! 

The whole family!

out of school

My poor Belle was out of school almost a whole week with a fever over 102 degrees and a dreadfully sore mouth.  The first couple of days she simply seemed to have a bug where she seemed fine during the day, but suffered from a high fever in the evenings.  A few days later the fever persisted throughout the day and sore gums accompanied the fever leaving us to assume her molars were coming in as two were just appearing and the other two well swollen.  A day later I begged her dentist to take a look as he determined an infection from the molars emerging.  He gave her antibiotics and prescribed a peroxide/water mouthwash a few times a day (it seemed simple, but was pure torture to her).  A couple days later her entire mouth seemed red and swollen without improvement, so we went to the pediatrician who said it was a viral infection that would go away in five to eight days.  As we were on the 7th day and seemingly improving, albeit slightly, this all made sense.  She was pitiful uncomfortable for the better part of a week, but on the bright side I so enjoyed having her around with me and MaryAlice!  I send her to school for her benefit alone right now.  If she didn't love it so much, it would be an easy decision to keep her home with us. 

Look at the honey.  I had to take some pics, so we could document our tough girl.  She's such a lightweight when it comes to injuries, but crazy tough when it comes to any sicknesses.  She has been known to wake up  in the middle of the night, go to the toilet to vomit and then come tell me.  She was no less amazing during this sickness.  What  a trooper!

7th Birthday party!

butterfly party...

Belle had her first girlfriend birthday party this past weekend.  We had so much fun with ten girls here!  Thanks to Grandma Mary, Auntie Andrea and Danielle it went smoothly.  The girls did some crafts first as they came in.  They made tissue flowers and wrapped them around their wrists as bracelets.  Then they decorated their bags for their stuff and took turns putting tatoos on. 

I missed getting pictures of Daddy giving rides on the go-kart we borrowed from a friend.  We thought a few would like a ride, but they soon all lined up for a turn!  Wish I had some pics of this.  Next we divided into two groups and along with Grandma and Auntie the groups had to perform ten stunts and take a pic of each.  The goofy group photos are those stunts.  It was my creative way of getting pics of all the friends posing.  They got into new groups and ran around for about half an hour looking for items in a scavenger hunt.  They are all such nice girls.  It was very cute how they were able to make friends with each other in such a short time.  I was really proud of them.  They were also very conscience of the younger girls and made a point to help them out whenever they could. 

back: Therese; Middle row:  Belle, Chloe, Anjolie, Tirzah, Natty & Isabel; front row:  Jaana, Jane & Audrey

Stunt game:  lie on the ground like sardines

act like an animal?

Dance

sitting on top of something

underneath something

sitting in a row with someone lying across the laps



in a vehicle making funny faces... Belle isn't doing it, I guess



Next we made homemade pretzels.  This was a shot in the dark since I'd never done it before, but if you know me I like new things so we went for it.  They turned out awesome!  The girls enjoyed them along with red chili (per Belle's request) on a blanket outside which was enough to call it a picnic.  Grandma became the waitress and "waited" on the girls.  We finished the party with cupcakes and outside to collect wood for a bonfire.  We invited the girls' families and our family over for a bonfire as they came to pick up their girls.  There's nothing quite like a bonfire and the weather cooperated fully!  We ended up roasting marshmallows and hanging out with friends until after 11 pm. 

Belle was in her element with a housefull of friends, but MaryAlice and Abby's reactions to all the friends in the house when they woke up from their marathon naps was priceless.  MaryAlice couldn't smile big enough and Abby wasn't too far off.  Abby usually hates all the noise and new commotion of a party, but she recognized the girls and was really happy to see them too!  The party was for our Belle, but it makes it so much nicer to have her sisters having fun too!

Apple utopia

Belle is happiest when we are out and about doing something... anything.  This is where she's like her daddy... and mama, I guess.  We went to Bayfield with the Tanners and she had a ball!  Her and Graham always have a great time together. 

Could you two stop long enough to pose?

always time to pose for the camera... I love this girl!

she's a pro

Mama's buddy

Daddy's girl

climbing a tree for the apples

by the water

Belle finally smiles for the camera!

there's a mouse in my house!

We had such a great weekend!  We started Thursday off with Belle having a fever and staying home from school, but by Friday afternoon she was bouncing off the walls.  Ethel was sick on Thursday and Friday, so Abby was home from school- not so happy!  Uncle Ben saved us by hanging out on Thursday and Molly came and took Abby to her utopia (school) for their half day on Friday. 

Friday night Belle and I joined a friend and her two kids (Kris, Natty & Leo) for classic movie night at their house.  They're practically neighbors (5 min away in the country = neighbors)  with a girl close to Belle's age, and I can't believe this is the first time we've done this.  The movie was really good, as I like old classics, but the highlight was the "intermission".  About halfway through the movie we heard scratching noises coming from the laundry room.  I need to back up here.  Neither of our husbands were there as Andy was home with Abby and MA and Jon & Nik were camping.  Leo, at 4, was the sole testosterone in the room.

Back to the scratching...  I asked if she had a cat because it kind of sounded like a cat sneaking around ( FYI I don't like cats).  She said no, so we figured it was a mouse.  Mice are commonplace in the country, so we're not particularly surprised; but nonetheless shook up because we don't have our big male friends around to take care of any critter that shows itself.  We know they can be around, but actually seeing them is a completely different animal (pun intended). 

SCRATCH... SHUFFLE... SHUFFLE... SCRATCH!  YIKES!  Then she says, "Well, Jon did say that he put two traps out the other day, but when he went to check them... one of the traps was gone."

 "NO WAY!" I say.  So... let me get this straight.  There is a mouse down here pulling a trap behind him because he's caught in it!!!!!  "Probably," she says.  I'm laughing at the thought of it... until...

"There it is!!!!" I shriek (as the intermission starts).  The mouse is stuck under the buffet/desk (I don't remember what it was because I wasn't paying attention the furniture above the critter) about two yards from where I was sitting!  I'm screaming because it isn't one of those typical mice appearances where they run across the floor so quickly that you might be able to convince yourself you were seeing things and not have to deal with it (I tell Andy so he can deal with it, but pretend I didn't see it so I don't lose my mind and have nightmares of mice in my bed).  It was stuck, so we had to deal with it.  Since neither of us are "warrior princesses" when it comes to small rodents, going anywhere near it wasn't going to happen. 

At this point Kris still hadn't even looked at it.  I sat there screaming and she just shook her head refusing to even look in the general direction.  I'm just laughing at the thought of someone watching us.  To top it off we had to make the kids stay away from it!  Belle and Natty wanted to make a new pet of it.  Unbeknownst to me there were visitors upstairs visiting Kris's dad who just had foot surgery (which is why he couldn't battle the thing himself).  Thankfully, the guests included a male species who didn't find small rodents as fierce as we did.  He moved the chest to set the mouse... and attached trap... free! 

What was he thinking?!  Now it was like one of those pitiful animals who had lost its back limbs and some psycho vet made a contraption with wheels to replace the back legs like prosthetics.  It was dragging the trap behind it!

It just sat there in plain view (for me and the kids to see as Kris still didn't want to "face the giant")!!!  I was so kind as to give her a play-by-play of every detail in a high pitched screeching voice.  She especially enjoyed the part where I felt the need to give her details of the mouse's size being larger than a mere mole or shrew.  We sat there staring at it as Natty rushed around the house looking for a camera (I had visions of  winning America's Funniest Home Videos).  I didn't even have my phone for the Kodak moment!  Boy, were we a sight! 

Thankfully Garrett showed up with a camera phone to capture the event, take it outside, and set it free... to come back in the house (I told Kris).  He! He!  What a fun evening!  There is something unsettling about a mouse in your house, but something completely hysterical about one in someone else's!!!

please talk...

My girl LOVES school, but doesn't want to discuss it when she gets home. I wonder if it's because it's her private world or if she doesn't feel like anything special took place that needs to be rewarded with a conversation.

She's soooo..... me

If you get a chance to read my last entry on my other blog  Welcome to my world  you'll see that my frustrations with her are often my frustrations with myself.  I don't often feel the need to talk about certain stuff.  Sure, life affects me more than I let on, but sometimes it takes me some time to process stuff before I want to talk about it.  Belle is just that.  She'll all of a sudden randomly start talking. Oh how often my husband will look at me and say, "Where did that come from?"  I just finished processing something and I HAVE to talk about it right away!

 I'm totally "Random thoughts with Allison!"

As I work on getting to know her better, I find that I'm getting to know myself better.  In many ways it's like counseling myself when I have a discussion with her.  I leave our conversation with her and finish it in my own head.  It's a weird form of self talk.

First week of school 2nd grade

the three 2nd grade girls

Belle has eight kids in her class and a brand new (recently graduated) teacher who is super sweet and adorable.  To say the least the kids adore Ms Flesvig.  I wish I had more of an idea how school is because it is so her world, and she is hesitant to let others into it I guess.  She likes to leave it there and rarely talks about it.  I would wonder if she even liked it the way she is so tight lipped, but being ready to go before I get up tells me something.  I had to call Krista Harju to see what Nik says to make sure it's going well!

Belle and Therese

Today was her third day.  When I got up at 6:40, she was already dressed and downstairs eating her breakfast.  We "let" her have cold cereal on school days.  It's a treat for her because I "make" her eat big breakfasts on the weekends and during the summer.  To add to the "treats" in her mind she's been begging me to ride the bus and do the after school program!  We've decided to "let" her ride the bus from time to time on the way home (basically whenever Ethel decides to take Abby home early).  That seemed to subdue her for the time being.  The afterschool program will happen on occaision if we have an appointment to go to.  She also liked that possibility.  She's so funny like that!  Who would've thought that riding the bus and going to daycare were special treats!  Thank God she is like me and easily amused!

first day of school... 2nd grade

It's funny how excited I am for Abby to go to school, but I want to keep you here.  I guess I know Abby will be happier there, but you and I could have so much fun here.  Maybe next year when MaryAlice is bigger and can do more stuff.  I know it's where you want to be, so I console myself with that.  You are such a good friend that school fits you to a "T". 

You set your alarm, packed your lunch and laid out your clothes all before bed last night.  You woke up at 6:14 (or so you said because we all know I wasn't up yet) and were pretty much ready to go by 7.  I thought you would lose your mind waiting until 7:30 when Ethel picks you up!  I can't wait to hear about your day!

all about Belle

There are so many days that your sister takes center stage without anyone really noticing it, so I decided I needed a blog just about you!  You take my breath away every day and I absolutely adore you and the beautiful girl you are inside and out.  You've never complained why your life isn't fair.  I think it's because you don't know any different or you are like me and your daddy and simply don't care.  This is our life and it's crazy, but we like it.  We seem to fit into it like it was meant for us.  I often hear people talking about going through life and feeling out of place.  I can't imagine how God could've put our five puzzle pieces together in such an unusual way to make such a perfect picture of "us". 

When I describe you I usuallys say, "I couldn't have put together a better fit to our family even if I had sent a request to God."  Like your grandpa says, "The Lord outdid himself on that one!"  

You're 6... almost 7.  You will start the 2nd grade at St. Rose this year along with Abby for the 2nd year in a row.  We had a hard time deciding to send you this year because we both so love having you around that we would've preferred to homeschool you, but it seems that school is where you desperately want to be.  So we obliged you again this year.  Last year was a trial of sorts.  After having two extra foster babies in the house, you were a 2nd mom rather than a little girl.  You are so capable and helpful that you step right in and take care of the babies, but you are still so much a little girl too.  We decided you needed to be that little girl, so we let you have your own world at school.  I lacked the time and energy to get involved much, so it really was your world entirely and I think you needed that.  This year I hope will be a bit different as I'd like to be around more to see about the quality of education.  Your class will be only eight kids this year, so it looks great for you! 

You are truly one of the nicest girls I know.  You seem to get along with everyone and you love to be around everyone all the time.  You like to be on the go.  I so often just want you here, but you love to be out and about whenever you have the time.

This is going to be fun writing about you getting bigger!  I love you "My Belle"