Zeke teaches music

While going through my lesson for tomorrow and Zeke keeps getting instruments out of the bucket, handing me one and then standing next to the door.  He points behind him and says "Momma!  Go!"  When I stand behind him, he shouts at Daddy and then Kurtis gets in line.  Finally when he's satisfied, we follow him and march around the living room while playing our instruments.  Future Drum Major in our house?

I believe in Santa Claus

Yesterday Santa Claus came to Izzy's school during lunch to visit with the kids.  Izzy informed me later "It was the real Santa.  Remy pulled his hair and it was real, not a wig!"

While watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I stopped everyone and told the kids "Look!  Santa is on the end of the parade."
Kal: "That is NOT the real Santa!"
Me: "Of course it is, why would you say that?!"
Kal: "His reindeer are statues, not the real reindeer."
Me: "well, the real reindeer are resting up for the big flight at Christmas so Santa is using statues just for today."

Kal's field trip

I missed Kal's preschool field trip today b/c of no car. He told me they sang to "old folks who can't take care of themselves any more." Also, he told me "we sang ABCs, Twinkle Star, Jesus Loves Me, The Turkey Song and they laughed at us, and then we played the bells. I gave them the turkey picture I made and they gave us claps. And that was all!" Sad that I missed it but glad he had a good time.

Never negotiate with terrorists, but what about toddlers?

Kal's 5th birthday party is in 5 days so naturally last night he freaks out and tells his dad that he doesn't want a Ninja Turtle birthday party.  He wants a GI Joe party, meaning everything camo.  Of course, I've already purchased everything Ninja Turtle.  Of course, we are down to one car and I can't get to the store to even track down a bunch of camo decorations.  Of course, he was fine with Ninja Turtles when I bought the stuff 3 weeks ago.  Of course, of course, of course.
Take a deep breath.  Calm down.  In the grand scheme of things, this is NOT the end of the world.....it's just that he WILL have a tantrum at his party, he WILL make a huge deal of it, he WILL make my life difficult for the next week unless I find a solution.  Relax.  It's okay. You have a college degree.  Surely there is some way to calm this tense toddler and help him find reason.  Negotiate, find any and all ways to convince him that he WANTS a Ninja Turtle party.  Get your game face on and give it to him straight.
"All right buddy; how about this?  We'll get some GI Joe plates and cups but we'll put the Ninja Turtle decorations up around the house."
"Can I have a GI Joe cake?"
"Yes, I'll make a GI Joe cake instead of the turtles if we can just use the decorations and pinata with the Turtles."
"Can we hang up the Turtle decorations TODAY?"
"Yes, we'll hang up the Turtle decorations today and leave them up all week.  Then I'll make a GI Joe cake and we'll get camo plates and cups."
"Okay!"
And that folks is WHY I have Ninja Turtle decorations all over my house a week before Thanksgiving....and I should add we also have Bubble Guppies decorations on the other side of the house b/c Zeke's birthday is two days after Kal.  Now, admit it, didn't that give you a good laugh!

a little saying by Kalen

With his birthday coming up, I mentioned to Kalen that we could look at his baby book and talk about when he was born.
He says "I want to see pictures of me as a baby."
Me: "yes, this book has pictures of you as a baby."
Kal: "I mean when I was a real baby."
Me: "yes, when you were a real baby baby."
Kal: "I mean when God made me as a baby"
Me: "Okay, well, we'll be sure to look at those."

A little extra effort

I've been very thoughtful lately....not thoughtful as in kind but thoughtful as in thinking a lot.  I'm gonna be honest, I'm a little emotional about this post.  Growing up I was very close to my grandmother.  I'm named after her and spent my childhood being known as "Little Greta" simply b/c there was also a "Grandma Greta".  I would spend a lot of my summer at her house with her and grandpa, fishing and learning to play rummy.  We lived with them from the time I was 2 until I was 6 years old.  I remember her being the one to sew all my Raggedy Anns when they got a little too raggedy.  She also made comforters for all of us kids and I still have mine.  While I learned sewing from my mom, I still associate sewing and Raggedy Ann sewing with my grandma.  As I've been working on making my dolls, Grandma has been on my mind quite a bit.
 
Now, as an adult, my relationship with Grandma has been different.  She was not happy with me when I became a mormon and I spent a part of my early marriage not speaking to my grandparents. But once Sam was born I worked hard to repair that relationship and all four kids met my grandparents before Grandpa passed away last year.  Unfortunately, it felt like Grandma died alongside Grandpa.  She doesn't talk to us much and sometimes she pretends to not remember us.  It's really broken my heart that I can't be close to her.  Especially now when I'm making these dolls, Grandma has just been in my brain and today I began to make a little extra effort.  Today I started making Grandma's doll.  I selected the fabric with her in mind.  I carefully picked out and arranged every detail--from which part of the fabric makes up the apron straps to how the bottom of the shoes show certain pictures.  I even cut out the collar to match the shoe straps!  I've put my heart and soul into this doll and the details.  I hope to finish the doll in the next week or so and mail it to Grandma with a little note.  I pray that she will see what I'm trying to share with her.  I hope that this little extra effort will just be a good way to say "I love you".  I hope that if anybody can speak to Grandma, it will be Raggedy Ann.

Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday

It seems like every November I post the same thing and the truth is "I'm gonna do it again".  I love November.  When I was a kid, Thanksgiving was good for two things: eating a lot and three days off of school.  I was never extremely close to our extended family and even if we did get together for the holidays, none of my cousins were my age so I don't have a lot of big family moments around Thanksgiving.  But I've grown up and Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
My first Thanksgiving memory: Kurtis and I had been married 10 months and I was just entering my second trimester with little "Sammy in the oven".  We had our first home that we had purchased about 6 months before and decided to squeeze all the extended family into the house for our first Thanksgiving as a married couple and in a new home.  After everyone left, we had a mess to clean up but it was late and Kurtis had suggested we hold off washing the dishes till morning.  I was tired but couldn't sleep so I found myself washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen at about 11 at night.  As I went back to bed and laid down, I felt the tiniest little flutter, almost like a little finger running down the middle of my belly.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the first time I felt my baby move.  Not just the first time I felt Sammy but the first time I felt any baby of mine in my belly.  It is imprinted in my mind.
Now fast forward quite few years to Thanksgiving 2009.  I was 39 weeks pregnant exactly on Thanksgiving Day.  All the Christmas decorations were up. Christmas presents were bought, wrapped and hidden.  And at 4:30am on Black Friday, Kurtis and I were on our way to Kettering Hospital to bring in that new little baby of ours.  Something special about Kal like no other of my children, we did not know the sex of the baby until he was born.  We already had a boy and a girl so either way we would be surprised.  Kal's birth is the only one I cried at and I simply believe it was b/c he was a surprise to us.  One of the most perfect Thanksgivings ever!

 Then Thanksgiving 2012 (actually the week after) we had a similar experience.  Christmas was done and ready and the Thursday after Thanksgiving Kurtis and I welcomed our last little guy, our grand finale, Zekey to family.  I even broke the tradition and brought him home in a turkey onesie b/c it seemed appropriate.  It was a special delivery b/c we knew this was the last baby.  He just means so much to me b/c of the joy he brings to us.

So yeah, Thanksgiving means more to me than all the holidays. It is a time to be thankful, to cherish and enjoy our families, to remember that no matter what happens in life we are blessed.  So before you  put up the Christmas tree or break out the Christmas albums, take a moment to appreciate the turkey and what his special day really means.

Halloween 2014

So we were super blessed with a Trick or Treat night that happened to be in the low 70 degrees this year!  It was awesome!  What made it awesomer was that we invited some friends from church and had such a good time. I'm hoping to get more pictures to add but until then I'll share what I have. 
Sam wore Daddy's Darth Vader hoodie!  Easy-peasy costume! 
Izzy wore her Ariel dress from last year and started with a wig but it didn't last too long.
Kal was Optimus Prime, but only b/c he no longer fit into his Bumblebee with muscles costume.
And Zekey!  Ah alas, Zekey is my last little darling to fit into the one and only Halloween costume I made for the kids.  I made it for Sammy back in the day and all three boys have worn it.  I was a little teary eyed when I put it away.

I forgot to add that I did make my Raggedy ann costume too!
To make it perfect I'm including pics of Sammy, Kal and Zeke all in the costume!

cute kids sayings

Isabel was given a shirt that says "I'm a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it." She read the shirt and I said "do you know what a Mormon is?" She replies: "no, what is it?" Me: "it's someone who goes to our church." Izzy: "So I really AM a Mormon! That's great!" I love her little "epiphanies".

I literally just yelled at Kal to leave me alone for a little bit. Not 5 minutes later, he comes running in saying there is a big spider in his room and he needs me. I grab a shoe just in time to see the spider go back in a corner, so I'm moving everything out of the way and ask Kal to move back. He says "I'll help Momma. Nah-nah-hah-boo-boo Spider! See it's coming to me!" And suddenly, I'm over need my space from Kal.

my exact conversation with Kal: me: "where is your underwear?"
Kal: "it's in the bathroom. my butt stinks. It went 'toot' 4 times, toot, toot, toot, toot. Then it came out and it smells so I didn't put my underwear back on. I don't want my underwear stink."
And people wonder why I am the way I am? You can't have daily conversations like this and be normal, folks....you just can't.

you know that time in the evening when the 19 month old is running around with your bra in his hands....flinging it at people like a whip! yeah, it's party night at the Ebers

October in a nutshell

Lately, I've been so overwhelmed with just life.  Four kids, a new puppy, teaching toddler music class, teaching voice lessons, sewing dolls, planning for upcoming holiday season (Halloween, Thanksgiving, two birthdays and Christmas), taking care of a house and still trying to be a happy, healthy mom.  I changed my diet to a more healthy diet in an attempt to feel better, physically and mentally.  Life is just crazy....the new normal, but still crazy!
But a lot of good things have come from October. 
We got a new puppy (okay, we got him in Sept but still, he is fun).  Meet Oren the Beagle (named for great-grandpa Oren Franklin Snapp).

The Cub Scout pack took a field trip to the Fire Station and the boys all loved it.  I took all four kids on my own b/c Kurtis had to work at a soccer concession stand.  My favorite photo is Zeke sitting all on his own on the bumper of a fire truck.  I think he was overwhelmed by all the cool things. The best part was when we were getting ready to leave and they got an emergency call so we all stood outside the fire station and watched the ambulance take off with the sirens/lights.

I recently tried to do some new craft projects.  My favorite as of late has been this canvas with the kids feet prints making owls on a branch.  It hangs in our living room.

We went to the circus as a family.  Last year we went and Daddy was on a business trip so this year it was exciting to have him with us.  We did take a potty break and missed them shooting a woman out of a cannon but the theme for the circus was "under construction" so Kal was super thrilled to see the construction theme vehicles and costumes.  We also really enjoyed the unicycle-riding basketball players.  Sam now wants to learn to ride a unicycle.  The elephants were also fun to see.

Sam started choir this year in fourth grade and though I try not to get super excited or push music on my kids, it does make me super happy when they enjoy singing and music. He even sang in a trio of boys for a small bit in one song.  Loved it!  I don't have a lot of pictures of it all b/c I videotaped most of it.  They sang "Money, money, money" from ABBA and "when I'm 64" by the Beatles plus a few others.  I enjoyed the different selection of songs.  Zeke also enjoyed the concert.

I got super excited when I was able to get this one Raggedy Ann that I've been looking for.  She's been pretty expensive and she's very big (34") so I've had a hard time finding one that I could afford. I was able to snag this girl for $35 (with shipping).  I was very happy!

We've really made a huge effort to feed the missionaries more often.  I like to have them in our home and try hard to get the kids used to seeing the missionaries often.  One night the elders joined the Eber boys in an all-out shoot out of nerf guns.  It was a good time had by all!  Note Zeke was carrying around the largest gun.

Kalen had not one but two field trips in the last week. Both were outside and cold and he and I had to bundle up hard to keep warm.  The first one included a pumpkin patch, hayride, and playing outdoors.  The second was on a farm with lots of animals (we touched ducks, pigs, goats, horses, cows, chickens, and a donkey named Marshmallow).  It was a lot of fun and we did come home with another pumpkin!

Last night Daddy and Izzy had a date together to see Disney on Ice Princesses and Heroes!  They had a super good time and Daddy surprised me by relenting and buying Izzy an Ariel doll!  He usually doesn't splurge like that.  He took 207 pictures but I'll just show one.  Of course, he did not get one picture of him and Izzy at the event....silly man.

Lastly, while taking the dog for a walk, Kurtis and the kids come running into the house yelling for me to come outside quick! I panic and run out to see them all ooohhing and aaahhhing over the rainbow and the sky. Just perfect b/c last night for Family Home Evening we talked about the Lord's creations and how beautiful the world is. Coincidence? I think not.

Yes, October has been a good month.  So much has been going on that it is hard to keep up and keep going but I'll take the good and the bad and be grateful that our kids are happy and healthy and safe.  We keep trudging along and are blessed in small, simple ways but I think those are the best ways anyhow.
Next week is trick or treating and Sammy gets braces.  The Ebers are growing up and moving along and I'm pretty happy that I'm along for the ride.

Wise words from Sam

After working all around the house today on various projects, I expressed the need to take a shower.
Me: "I look a mess right now."
Sam: "You don't look a mess."
Me: "Okay, well, I feel a mess."
Sam: "Well tell that feeling that Greta is no mess!"
I love that this little boy is so sweet and innocent in everything!  He is just what I need!

counting my blessings

In the last week, I've found out 5 people I know are pregnant.  And I've these insane moments where I'm sad that I'm not pregnant.
I was out "pooper scooping" the front yard tonight and thought "this is total suckage that I have to be the one to scoop the poop".
Last night I had someone had church who hardly knows me tell me that I'm neurotic and I need to calm down about things.  He only sees me on Sundays and knows little about the struggles that I go through with anxiety and panic attacks.  But it hurt my feelings.
I've been really frustrated with "mommy monotony" and feeling little appreciation for everything I do for my family.
So, why am I starting out my post so negative?  B/c I'm about to count my blessings!
This week I've also heard about a friend who son passed away, a friend who was hospitalized, a dear friend who is awaiting surgery and is in extreme pain.  And I realized:
1. I am healthy...for the most part.  Yes, I suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, IBS.  But I'm healthy.  I manage my illnesses.  I learn to cope and I haven't been hospitalized except for "baby births" in my adult life.
2. My babies are healthy.  Healthy enough to drive me crazy with their demands, their needs, and all the requirements to bring out the "mommy monotony".
3. I am insane for wanting a puppy with 4 young children.  But this is a great experience for my family.  None of us have pet allergies.  My kids get to experience something (good and bad) that other kids beg for, pray for, and never get to have.
4. I am not having any more babies.  But I made it through FOUR c-sections.  I made it through 4 pregnancies.  And I have 4 kids counting on me every day.  That in itself is a miracle.
5. God loves me.  He knows all the good, bad, ugly, beautiful, whiney, and thankful parts of me.  He sees me as someone who has great value.  Sadly, that is something that I do not always consider.  I get lost in the motions, in the things people say, in the ways I feel about myself when I look in the mirror.  My Father in Heaven loves me when I can't love myself and when others can't see it either.  That's all that matters!
6. and lastly, I have an amazing husband who DRIVES. ME. NUTS!  Kurtis often irritates me (and vice versa) and when it is all crazy, we both have to take a breath and say "I love you".  But the truth is (as I was pondering this evening) he's mine and I'm his and really, I don't know how I could survive if it wasn't the way of life!

stAGE of life

Often when I talk about my age, I get scoffs (usually from people who are older than me) and the truth is age is JUST a number however, stAGE of life is real.  I cannot eat what I want like I did when I was 22.  I can no longer spend the day on 4 hrs of sleep nor have a breakfast of a Snickers bar and a 20oz Pepsi!  When I was in college, the idea of changing diapers and catching vomit in my hands was just a nightmare....today it's a reality!  Do you know how many times a day I handle poop....with my hands....
It's real people!  My stage of life is different now than it was when I was 22, even though 22 and 35 are just numbers!  They are numbers that determine what I eat, when I sleep, how good I will feel in the morning and so on.  So why is this on my mind?  Is it because I had a birthday recently?  Is it because we just got a puppy and I find myself now a mother of 5 (one being a furry baby)?  Is it because I'm tired of feeling sluggish and sad and thought that I might need to eat healthier?  Is it because I walked saddle-sore for a weekend after teaching a toddler music class?  Yes, yes, yes, and yes!  All of these things have me thinking that age is more than a number.
I'm supposed to be more mature now, more selfless, more responsible, and more grounded at 35 years old than I was at 25 years old.  And the truth is....to some extent.....I probably am!  But I'm not always happy about it!  Why can't I have a snickers for breakfast, a hamburger for lunch, and a milkshake for dinner and call it good?  Oh that's right, because my number is 35 now instead of 25 and 35 year olds have to eat healthier!  That sucks!
So yes, this is on my mind a lot.  Last week I taught a group of teenagers during Sunday School.  In the lesson I challenged them to follow a commandment that they had a particularly hard time following.  For me, I admitted that I have a hard time following counsel to eat healthy for "our bodies are temples" (you get the idea).  I told the kids I would go a whole week without eating a burger or greasy food and I did it!  Sure thing!  I won't say that I felt better but I did it.  On Monday, I went out and got me a cheeseburger!  Oh yeah, then I spent most of Monday afternoon sick as a dog!  Really?  Are you kidding me?  This is whole eat healthier, take better care of yourself stuff is real?  I find myself looking into multivitamins!  Are you kidding me?!?  Ugh!  It's true; we have to take better care of ourselves as we get older and I'm not happy about it.  So yes, 35 years old is not old BUT it's older than I once was!  And while I'm super blessed and have some GREAT things/people that I didn't have at 25, I really would be just a teensy bit happier if cheeseburgers were healthy for you!

there's a special place in heaven for Uncle Joes

Growing up, our extended family argued on and off so I never grew up feeling particularly close to any uncles or aunts.  I never really thought I missed it until I became an aunt and wanted to be so close to my nephews.  Then once I became a mother, it was SO important to me for my kids to be close to my siblings.  Kurtis has 5 siblings and there are 24 nieces and nephews.  Unfortunately, many live in other states and there are so many but I try really hard to be a good aunt to them.  I want them to feel love from me and from Uncle Kurtis.  But it is also EXTREMELY important for my kids to feel love for and loved by my siblings.  So on nights like tonight when my only brother and his wife come to visit, it hits home. 
Tonight I watched Uncle Joe wrestle with my boys, snuggle with Zeke and Izzy, and I even heard him whisper "I love you" a few times.  I also witnessed my bro, who had 3 sisters, braid Izzy's hair.  She's the only girl with 3 brothers and 2 boy cousins and Uncle Joe took the time to brush her hair, braid it, and give her special attention.  It touches my heart so deeply. It means the world to me and I know that my kids will treasure evenings like this evening.  Yes, brothers can be a lot!  But it's mostly a lot of good!

I know how Dr. Frankenstein felt

I've spent quite a bit of time jokingly telling those who know me that my idea of the perfect retirement is to learn how to make Raggedy Ann dolls and pass them out to the little girls of the world.  I never really thought I would actually do it.  I have several patterns for making a Raggedy Ann doll but have you seen the hair?  So hard to do.  I could never do something like that.
Then one day I did it.  I made a Raggedy Ann doll for myself.  I wanted to take her to the Raggedy Ann Rally and was so proud of myself for making a doll.  I love her!  One of a kind!
After a series of unfortunate events (yeah, I stole that title), I found myself wondering if I could do it again. Could I make another doll?  Could I actually make a doll to sell?  Well, there is a parable that Christ told. Synopsis was that you should develop your talents, put them to use, learn and keep learning and you will be blessed.  I always thought I had two talents: talking and singing.  I didn't really imagine that I could do anything else.  But as I've done this thing, started making these dolls, started using my sewing machine on a daily basis, I've been blessed.  I've seen my creativity grow and I've found JOY in creating these dolls.  I've always enjoyed creating: song, blankets, food, drawing, writing.  I love the "productive feeling" when you create something tangible and have it in front of you.  Well, now I've discovered a new way to create and let my artistic side thrive.  So I've made 5 dolls so far and have several more in line. I've made a camel that goes with the Raggedy Ann story: Camel with the Wrinkled Knees.  And I'm working on another character as well as an Andy.  We'll see what happens and as of right now, I'm not really making dolls for all the LITTLE girls in the world but I know several collectors who have enjoyed their new doll a great deal.

another school year begins

The kids started school today and I've had a lot of thoughts about it.  I always love them starting school, having time to themselves away from siblings, something to keep them busy and occupied, a chance for them to grow.  But it is also hard to let go.  To watch them get on the bus and go off to be another year older, another year bigger, another year wiser, another year closer to growing up.  It's hard.  I posted this story on facebook last night and wanted to keep it on the blog for posterity.  It's a testament to being so proud of my children and yet, my heart feeling the weight of their worries.
Clothes are set out for tomorrow. Bookbags are ready. Lunches are packed. Everyone got a Father's blessing before bed. Izzy comes out and says "Mommy, please come talk to me in my bedroom" As I follow her in, she begins to cry that she is scared and nervous and she "forgot to sharpen a pencil for her desk at open house last week". I hug her, kiss her and tell her "Mommy left a sharpened pencil in your pencil case. It's all ready for you." I'm so excited for them to start school tomorrow but I'll be honest, I cried when I came out of her room. Letting go is the hardest part.
Also, here are the pictures....First Day pictures!  Fun, fun!