Finally 4

Marlow Jane turned four. She had a party yesterday with a bunch of her little girl friends. They all dressed up as princesses and had a tea party... And they got to put sugar cubes in their tea! Mmmm... They painted stuff for a while and then were directed outside where Ezra had orchestrated a scavenger hunt. Cleverly, the final clue led them back inside to the birthday cake.

Amy and I took her shopping for some new clothes, which absolutely thrilled her. We told her a few days ago that we would be doing this, and she told me yesterday she was excited about going to the store to buy some 4-year-old clothes. I thought that was cute... and then I thought I sure hope she doesn't think we're replacing her entire wardrobe!...

I still need to find the right socket wrench so I can raise the seat on her bicycle which she insists is too low now that she is 4 years old...

At least Michael and Ruth have blogged about our China trip

Well, I keep telling people I'm going to post more about my trip to China.
But I still haven't.
But Michael and Ruth have!
Of course those of you in the family have already seen their blogs, too, but for my other two readers who don't know Michael and Ruth, here are the links to what they've posted about the our trip together...

http://michael.jofis.com/2008/05/joseph-and-ruth-in-class.html
http://michael.jofis.com/2008/05/hanging-out-with-students.html
http://michael.jofis.com/2008/05/beijing.html
http://michael.jofis.com/2008/05/hangzhou.html

http://ruthnichols.blogspot.com/2008/05/great-wall.html
http://ruthnichols.blogspot.com/2008/05/from-denver-to-la.html
http://ruthnichols.blogspot.com/2008/05/beijing.html

A glimpse of our incredible time in China so far

I just wanted to post a few pictures from our Great Wall experience. We were blessed with a "chance" encounter with a guy selling tours to a certain unnamed section of the Great Wall that is "unspoiled by tourists." We were skeptical, but decided to go for it, and we were not sorry.
First thing we saw was a sign that said in Chinese only "Closed to the public. Do not enter" Our driver drove past it and through the woods a bit then we got out and started hiking. Michael passing another sign...

We got to the wall and Michael and I said, "We're climbing to that point."
And Ruth said, "We are?"
We stopped here and ate our picnic lunch. Then we all three climbed down and up to that next point across the way.

Yes, this is awesome.

Even Ruth enjoyed the climbing... up to this peak.

Scary, huh? (yes, it's fake... I'm safely standing on a solid surface below... heh heh.)



Michael and I went a little further while Ruth stayed behind and read The Lonely Planet.

At the bottom.


At the top.

I'd love to write more, but I have to catch a taxi to the airport in 15 minutes. We're off to HangZhou. Then Shanghai. Then Suzhou. Then back to Beijing. More later...

Spring is in the air

Eliot working on his hula hooping technique

It is impossible to not be in love with the weather and all the green and flowers that are surrounding us....I suppose if you have horrible allergies this might not be your favorite weather, so not completely impossible, but I love Spring. I love the warm sun and cool breeze and kids running around trying to pop bubbles or playing soccer in the back yard.  Marlow and Eliot love their swing set, and lately they can't wait for me to let them out so they can run outside in our backyard.  I also love that it is light a bit longer, that we can play outside a bit after dinner and enjoy our evenings.  I am looking forward to summer vacation so I don't have to be so worried about getting them to bed at a decent time so they can wake up for school.  

Playing with our cousins Jack and Ian at dusk in the back yard

My sister Michelle and her family are visiting. Her husband's family lives near us and one day we went out to their house to play.  They have a gorgeous yard, beautifully landscaped and planted with lovely trees and plants.  The kids really enjoyed riding bikes and pushing things in the driveway.  It is super fun to have so many cousins to play with.

Gemma loves to practice walking.  In the distance you see Kelly with Marlow pushing Calliope in a car and  Eliot riding a trike. 

Jack, Ian, Calliope and Eliot chasing bubbles

Eliot loves being a big brother and was so proud to hold Gemma on his lap for a ride in the little car.

Gemma celebrated her first birthday recently.  

She isn't a big fan of food yet, but she gave her cake a little taste.  I completely forgot to give her a little bit of ice cream -- which I know she likes.  The bigger kids generously showed her how to open her presents and play with her new stuff.....Ok, so they kind of took over, but she is used to it and enjoyed watching.

Everyone wanted to show Gemma how to work her new Jack-in-the-Box

We gave Gemma a little Radio Flyer ride-on.  She is still a bit small for it but she likes it when her siblings push her around on it or she will push it and practice walking.

The girls helping Joseph put together her little bike

Speaking of Joseph, he and his sister Ruth went to China to visit their brother Michael.  We miss him SO much but are so happy for him to have the chance to take this trip.  Eliot gets confused (understandably, he is two) about Joseph being gone and how far away he is.  A couple of times now we have been getting ready to go somewhere and he will say, "Are we going to go have lunch with Dad?" or "We going to go see Dad at work?"   We then get to talk about how daddy is far away and how he will be back a few days and then we count the days together.  The kids have been super good for me -- and they were so excited about Mother's Day. The boys made cards at school and Ezra gave me a potted plant, but the main thing they were excited about was giving me my card and box of chocolates that Joseph had got and helped them hid in their room since he would be gone for Mother's Day.  They all trooped into my room this morning with big smiles and their hands behind their backs.  Marlow handed me my card (which was a funny one -- the best kind from a bunch of silly kids) and Ezra handed over a big box of chocolate which, of course, they were wondering when I was going to open it so they could help me eat it.  So we are hanging in there without Joseph but can't wait for him to get back -- plus we have the help of Aunt Michelle and her boys to keep us entertained and busy while he is gone.

Gemma

with her Dorito at Asa's birthday party.

Celebrating #7

This past weekend was a weekend of celebrating Asa's 7th birthday. Saturday we woke up early and had our Birthday Orange Cinnamon Rolls. When I was a kid my siblings and I loved these -- the cheap kind out of a can -- and I made them for several birthday breakfasts when the boys were small. For Ezra's last birthday I woke up early and baked something....scones or muffins or something similar -- something that takes time :) And he was thankful, but wondered aloud where the orange cinnamon rolls were. So, it was an established tradition evidently, and that is fine, they are quick and easy, totally unhealthy and delicious.


We woke up early, not because we are early birds, but because we it was opening day for baseball and we had a parade to be at at 8:30 am. The boys had their first game too and they both did really well....I didn't keep my eyes on the game the whole time because I was watching Marlow and Eliot too, but I know they both scored at least one run....maybe more and their team won. Go Giants!

Asa is getting ready to throw a bunch of candy at us, Ezra is to his right.

On Sunday we had a party, it was Star Wars themed with a cake decorated by Aunt Kelly.

Count Dooku fighting Anakin


Asa eating Anakin's head

We had a treasure hunt with clues that had the boys hunting all over the back yard for their goody bags. We also played "pin the lightsaber on Anakin" with a picture of Anakin that Ezra drew and a bunch of lightsabers of varying sizes he drew and cut out. We generally always play "pin ______ on ________" at birthday parties depending on what "we are into" at the time. I imagine we will play something like "pin the crown on the princess" or "pin the glass slipper on Cinderella" at Marlow's birthday party.

Boys lining up for the next clue


Searching high and low

All in all, it was a beautiful, slightly chilly day. Fun was had by all and Asa is now officially seven years old. And we don't have to talk about "what to do for my (his) birthday" for at least six months. Gemma is up next, turning one May 1st. Then Joseph, and Marlow....the list goes on and on :)

whatchamacallit

This morning Marlow came to me and said, "Mom, can we watch a movie? We want to watch 'The Girl Who is in Wonderland'"
"Ummmmm....." I say, trying to decide if I want them to watch a movie.
I'm taking too long to think and she runs off and comes back a few minutes later with a DVD case, "Mom, instead we have in mind to watch 'The Three Little Skunks'" and holds up the case for Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas cartoons.
I burst out laughing, told her "They aren't skunks, they're chipmunks and yes, you can watch it."

Spring Break

We (Amy and the kids) spent the first half of the boy's spring break in Tallahassee visiting my sister Katie and her husband Ryan and their two boys, Mason and Gage. I uploaded a bunch of pictures from our visit.....they will tell the story of our adventures, along with a bit of commentary from me.

Easter festival manicure

Saturday we visited a nearby church for their Easter activities. The plan was to join in on their egg hunt, but we got there right at the beginning of the event and the egg hunt was in the last 15 min (2 hrs away) it was a tad windy and we had too many little ones who needed naps, so we played for a while and headed home. Marlow got two bunnies painted on her cheeks and her nails done. She scratched the blue polish off about 3 minutes later because she didn't like the color she picked.

Ready to go hunt for eggs!

Ryan put together an awesome egg hunt in their backyard since we didn't do the one at the church.

Marlow and Mason looking for eggs


It's all so exciting!!!

Their huge sandbox was an awesome place to hide eggs. Actually, their whole yard was great. Ryan made some of them pretty easy for the little guys, but a lot of them you really had to look hard for.....I think it took us a good 15-20 minutes to find all 100 of the eggs he hid.

Sweet Gemma


Early morning coloring session while the moms rest a bit more.


Walking down the road at Grandpa's house.

The kids and I went out to my Dad's one night for dinner. The kids enjoyed visiting with their grandparents -- Grandpa and Zippy. We had a lovely dinner out on their deck, with perfect Florida spring weather. Their property is gorgeous with lots of beautiful plants and trees.


Playing in the pool


In the bird sanctuary at the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science -- Down at the end of the line Ezra is looking at a bald eagle.

I lived in Tallahassee from when I was 4 till I went away to college at 17. Over the years I went many times, mostly during elementary school years, to the Junior Museum (now renamed the Tallahassee Museum of History of Natural Science). It has animals that are native to Florida like deer, panthers, turkeys, black bears, alligators, skunk.....the list goes on. It also has a farm with farm animals and old farm buildings, an old church, school, train car, and plantation house. I loved going when I was a kid and it was fun to take my kids -- especially since and it was well kept up and virtually unchanged from when I was a child. The only big change was an awesome playground -- super cool.


Looking down at a deer

There are long boardwalks that go through the wild animal section and make it easy to view the animals. I love the feeling of walking around in the trees and looking down at the wild animals.

We had more lovely spring weather and the animals were out enjoying it. This black bear walked right up under us and started digging around in the dirt....he looks tiny in the picture but was pretty huge -- about three times bigger than me.

I loved playing in the old caboose when I was a kid. It was fun to see my kids doing the same sort of things I did at their age.


Marlow, Asa, Ezra, Eliot and Mason


Me and the kids: Asa, Eliot, Ezra, Amy, Gemma & Marlow


All the little crazies: Asa, Eliot, Ezra, Marlow, Mason and Gage

We had a fabulous week visiting with Aunt Katie, Uncle Ryan and our sweet cousins. Katie and I survived the house full of rambunctious kids and enjoyed our evening thank-God-all-the-kids-are-in-bed chats (I am not at all implying that Ryan didn't survive....He was fabulous playing with the kids....but being the Dad, he had to go to work and wasn't with the kiddos as much as we were -- he very graciously welcomed us and didn't complain a bit about the added chaos of five more kids.) We compared parenting techniques and had a couple of nights spent praying for family and friends. I am always so refreshed after spending time with my dear Katie.

trip within a trip

Michelle, her two boys, Gemma and I went on a three day adventure south to the Alps. The mountains were incredible. There were tons of people there to ski and lots of people shopping and eating in the downtown area near the place we stayed.

This the view of the mountains from the lodge.

We had lunch outside at a little restaurant. Even though it is winter, it wasn't too cold -- in the sun we were actually pretty warm. I had the "Bavarian Lunch Special" -- two big sausages floating in warm water and herbs, with a pretzel and mustard.

I encountered this weird creature in a shop that sold all kinds of different things from cuckoo clocks -- to toys -- to swords. It is called a Wolpertinger and reminded me of when I was a kid and went to Jackson Hole, WY and saw tons of Jackalopes. It is a conglomeration of several animals....How many different types of animals can you see? It was also pretty expensive -- about 210 euro.

Because we wouldn't all fit in a car together (and didn't feel comfortable navigating across the country on our own without Erik) we took the train and then a bus. So we had to pack light since we would be carrying all of our stuff plus three little ones. So that pack on my back, that was REALLY heavy, has all of our clothes (two adults and three kids). Michelle had a backpack with food and diapers and those sorts of things for children, plus she was carrying Jack and pushing Ian in a stroller. It was hard getting on and off the trains -- but so satisfying to do so much on our own with the kids.

I want pink flowers

Don't be too hasty to judge Dad for this fashion crime. Yes, I am entering the third trimester of my 10-day Mr. Mom adventure, but even without the help of Amy, I am capable of dressing our daughter pretty fashionably. But when it comes to picking pajamas, anything goes. Marlow had a hankering for something pink and floral, and this is how she ended up. :-)

Goodnight Gemma

Amy sent me this sweet goodnight snapshot of Gemma and a quick note just before putting her to bed. Due to the 6 hour time difference between here and Germany, it is pretty much impossible for us to video chat during the week. So we wait patiently for Saturday to come so we can video chat in the middle of our day... and we try not to think about how long they've been gone or how many hours are left until we pick them up from the airport Sunday night. I miss you guys tons!

My Sweet Little Boy

Eliot is two. I really like this stage. Sure there is the mischief and defiance that two year olds will forever be stigmatized with, but there is so much good that comes from that age, too. We've been through the two-year old stage 3 times already, but I always tend to forget what happens at which stage until it happens again... Eliot's rapid development of conversational skills has astounded and amused me. I just adore hearing him talk... similar to the fascination some people have with hearing the accent of a Scottish or British person.

I like the way he helps himself to a snack from the pantry (I know I shouldn't. I know it drives Amy crazy, but it's just so cute.) To his credit, he does ask sometimes... Well, maybe it's not exactly asking... He'll walk up to me with a box of crackers and tilt his head and shrug and say, "I'm gonna have a snack, OK?" He got into an almost empty box of teddy grahams today after church. Marlow discovered his find and demanded that he share. So he gave her one. This sent her crying to me. I said, "Eliot, can you give her five?" He complied and counted 5 out. And I thought "Wait a minute... He knows how to count to 5!?" I didn't even think about it when I asked him, but then it took me by surprise to hear him count them.

Back when his vocabulary was not so advanced (like a couple of weeks ago), as I gave him a final goodnight kiss after singing him some bedtime songs, he said something. I couldn't make it out, so asked him to repeat.... "wi do dar do"... "wi do dar do"... I kept trying to guess and was obviously not getting it. Finally I tried repeating the sound back to him exactly as I heard it. "Wi do dar do?" He brightened up. "Yes!" He was so excited... and then I had to burst his bubble and confess that I still did not know what that was. I was just about to turn around and walk out when it struck me and I let out an "Oh!" that startled the poor boy and made him jump. He was saying "Little star, too." He was asking me to sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, too.

When I say goodnight to him, there is this whole crazy ritual that has evolved. This would include such things as the simulation of bed bugs attacking his neck after saying "Night night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite." (These bed bugs, of course, tickle.) And then me saying "Good night, my sweet little boy" and him sincerely echoing back, "Good night, my sweet daddy."

Our First Video Chat

Everyone was excited today when they got to not only talk to but SEE Mommy in Germany. I know video chatting is far from new, and you would think that someone who spends all day around computers would surely have used this technology by now, but this was actually my first time. And you know it was pretty cool. Amy said the video quality on her end was pretty bad, but on our end, it was so clear and smooth that the kids soon forgot that she wasn't physically in the room.

For example, Marlow wandered away looking for her balloon which had lost its string. After her granddaddy retrieved it from the ceiling, Marlow came running in saying "Mo-meeee, where's the string? I need some string." as if Amy could just hop up and help her out. And then after a while, Eliot said, "I have idea. Let's play with the train track!" I told him Mommy was busy and asked if I could substitute for her.

I was very disappointed that Gemma had to go to bed before we got the audio set up. When we signed on and had video connection, she was there and looked very excited to see us. Looking forward to trying again later in the week...

Missing her brothers and sister

Michelle, Gemma and I went to a cafe after walking around a nearby village and had a little refreshment. There were several families there with kids around my bigger kids ages and Gemma couldn't take her eyes off of them. They all liked her too, kept smiling at her and talking to their parents about her (in German of course -- I couldn't understand them, but they were looking at her and talking and gesturing so I assumed they were talking about her). At one point a bunch of little boys were playing with some toys on the other side of our booth and Gemma was glued, hanging over the side watching them play.