Corn Maze

Saturday was a little daring for this newly self-proclaimed hermit.  We ventured out as a family and although our plans changed a dozen times, I truly don't remember a better day.  It started as our heater went out late Friday night so we froze through the night until I finally woke Shem to say, "alright, now the baby's hands are cold."  He got up around five as I was up feeding baby and never got back to sleep.  The house warmed up though I never heard the heater kick on and I swore my hubby was a miracle worker.  However, when I wandered upstairs I looked in horror at the open oven door (not a gas stove) on full heat and a huge pot of boiling water on the stovetop.  I guess drastic times call for....hillbilly moves??  Hey, it worked for the most part.
Doesn't sound like a perfect day, does it?  Well, after all that I was determined to meet some friends at a nearby pumpkin patch and corn maze but thought I should call my sis to see if they wanted to join.  After a completely stressful morning and giving up on the heater, Shem decided to leave it all and come with us to first go to my sisters house then to the patch.  We took longer than anticipated visiting (and for me, working up the nerve to be in public) but made it an hour or two after our friends had arranged a meeting time. (No, I didn't actually commit and I told them to go on without us if we didn't make it).  What an awesome surprise to show up, text them we had finally made it and receive a text back of, "We're in the maze".  They were still there and we got to hang out for a bit altogether. 
So the kids were lost in a big pit of dry corn kernels, went to a makeshift slide which consisted of a long farming irrigation tube mounted at an angle down a large stack of hay bails made out as stairs, went through a corn maze that had punch stations set up throughout to make sure you had actually hit all the checkpoints and a small petting zoo with chickens, a calf, a goat, and several bunnies.  The goat was an obvious favorite as he would eat anything you held in your hand, so as you reached out, you would feel the soft fluttering of goat lips nuzzle your palm.  The kids dug it!
From there we ate lunch and headed back out to Tara's which ended up in an impromptu game of "Catch Phrase" that was hilarious.  I have to brag a little and say that Tara and I, having shared a childhood, always come out on top without having to say much.  For instance she says, "I've got...."
To which I replied.....wait for it...."a lovely bunch of coconuts'.  Alright, I guess you had to be there, but trust me, we dumbfound a lot of people.  Half the time we amaze ourselves. 
Crew did awesome for the day and it caused only slight freak outs as it was outdoors so I didn't have to worry about a bunch of sick people coming over and wanting to see the baby, or touch the baby or just bother me in general.  Open air events are about all I will be attending for a while I suspect.  The kids had such a great time burying eachother in the corn, (which is what I did as a child in a less safe environment when my cousins and I would play in the grain silos at my uncles ranch) racing eachother through the maze (we split into girls against boys), and finally grabbing the biggest pumpkins they could find.  They even weighed them when we got home and the smallest weighs over 30lbs. 
Shem fixed the heater when we got home, and since I had put a stew on early in the morning, we had a delightful meal ready for today.
Today we carved the pumpkins and used the eye, nose and mouth pieces to steam, mash, and make into pumpkin puree which turned into the best 6 pumpkin pies you've ever tasted.  Then we seasoned and roasted the seeds, and finished up by making popcorn balls!!  A busy and awesome weekend the likes of which I haven't seen in awhile.

Mad Update

So what has been new here.  Only everything, and since I've been a horrible blogger, I'll skip the goods and get to somewhere near now. 
Crew Christopher was born on August 30th and is 8 weeks old today.  The pregnancy- horrid.  Delivery- horrid.  Baby boy- AMAZING!  I was a little shocked when they told me I was having a boy simply because I have grown accustomed to my girls and Landon is quickly approaching 14 so I have forgotten the wonders of a baby boy.  How could I have been so blind!! He is everything I have ever dreamed of and more.  I stare at him in utter amazement at how I can be so in love once again with a new addition to our family.  Everyone is captivated by his every move, sound and I've even had people ask to smell him???  Albeit weird, I happily oblige.  Okay more like I try to stifle a wrinkled nose and questioning face while wondering in my head..."What the.."  I understand your own baby smelling like heaven to you, but other random babies???  Whatever.
He got very sick at two weeks old and had to be hospitalized.  Blood draws, xrays and even a spinal tap were ordered and a 3 day stay while getting 3 very strong antibiotics for some unidentified infection that had made it into the spinal fluid.  It was awful.  Since then I've been a little more protective and worry constantly...anyone who knows me is now thinking..."Is that possible?"  That's right people, Kasi, on some serious worry steroids!  It's not pretty but man is this kiddo worth it all.
His sisters and brother are loving him like crazy..though Ireland is having quite a time adjusting.  She has said, "Mommy, I think the baby is taking you away from me."  Is that the saddest thing you've ever heard??  Broke my heart so we take extra time for her and have put her in the best preschool around so she has something that, "only big girls can do, sorry baby brother."  It makes her feel awesome and she is loving life.  Since then she doesn't worry about whether or not I'm even around.  The older girls are goofy as ever and can I tell you how happy I am that Hailey is ready to let her hair grow long again.  WOOHOO!  She cut it to about shoulder length and it not only makes her look older, but I can't do much with it other than straighten it and leave it down.  Abby took a good cue and left hers long and gorgeous. 

Ireland with the mother's day bouquet from David



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Landon, Hailey and I usually run races together.  Since I was pregnant this year, they chose to run together.  Hailey even ran one on her own.  They both beat their previous best times.

 Landon's voice officially cracks all the time.  I love to hear him laugh because the ups and downs are uncontrollable.  I laugh so he laughs then I laugh harder...you get the picture.  He is only about a half inch shorter than I am now.  It's weird to look eye to eye to your sweet little boy and not recognize his voice.  I just keep thinking...please..slow down.  I am happiest when they are all home and hanging out together.

WOW weather

Posting about the weather? How bored am I? Sitting here at about midnight because a huge flash of light lit up our house and set off a car horn across the street. Moments later a thunder, that Shem thought was a jet engine, shook our house for awhile. Kids were either frozen in place or running from their bedrooms. Now there is the longest hail I've ever seen going on outside. An eventful night for us here as we sit in bed and watch the lights dance across the walls or sit in the living room and delight in the hail that looks more like snow because it's coming down so hard. It makes me want to text my friends and neighbors and just hear what's going on in their house!! Oh the sad life of a bored woman.

Broken Bones

What a beautiful day it was yesterday. It was cool all day and then rained just enough to make the kids on our street come out like bugs. There were kids out all over including my own, riding scooters, bikes, roller blades and anything else they could get the feet on. A little neighbor girl came over and Ireland, Hailey and the neighbor went to jump on the trampoline. Abby ran through a short time later and apparently went out to join them. My mind began to wander and I could hear Gene telling me the dangers of trampolines and how he had watched a boy die on one. I started to think, "What would I do if that happened to one of my children." I walked my dinner dish to the sink just in time to hear a sickening thud and look out the window to see Abby lying flat on her tummy out back. I wondered if she had tripped and ran to the back door to see if she was alright.
Abby rarely cries when she's hurt. She tries to hold it together until she gets away from people. She tried to walk in but tears were streaming down dirt covered cheeks. Her teeth were coated in dirt as were her clothes and she gasped out that she had fallen off the trampoline. I looked over her whole body and she looked fine. I asked where she hurt and she pointed to her tiny wrist which was red. I saw it was swelling but knew enough to feel to see if I could feel a break. It felt like I was feeling the letter U. I took her to the front and yelled at Shem who was out front. Of course, he took one look at her and said, "She's fine." I said I thought there was a break and he actually rolled his eyes and said, "She doesn't need to go to the ER." (Can you sense the buildup to a gloat?) Her wrist began swelling so much I could no longer feel the U and gave in and got her an ice pack. Shem took her to lay on the couch. Her crying intensified and after 5 minutes, I pushed passed him to get my keys and take her in.
I expected a buckle fracture or even a sprain but when the Dr. came in and asked to see us out of the room, my stomach plummeted. Bottom line, she had fractured the growth plate and seriously displaced one of her wrist bones. Not only would they need to transport her via ambulance to the main hospital, but she would need to be put under so they could snap her bones back into place!! In Shems' defense, even the Doc said he didn't expect something so severe.
All went well and she is now casted and doing well. What a long night but how terribly we blessed we are because it could have been sooo much worse.

It's a.....boy??

I guess it's time I said it out loud. We're pregnant. Well, I guess I'm pregnant, but Shem has to put up with me so I guess all is fair? The other news....It's a boy! The ultrasound tech may as well have said you're having an alien or a puppy for all that matters because my ears are still adjusting. I don't have boys, well, I had one 13 years ago and ever since it has been hair and bows and pink. I am finally adjusting to the shock and am still not quite sure how to handle this new information. It's not that I don't want a boy, but how exactly do you care for one again?? It's been a long time. For those of you thinking, "Oh, Landon must be happy!" You'd be wrong. He says babies are loud and bossy and we don't need anymore. That is his unwavering stand on the matter.

Oh, and let's clear all of your questions up here;

Yes, this makes baby 5. Yes, our hands are full. Yes, we know what causes that. Yes, we are glad it's us and not you, and Yes, we planned this.

Did I get them all??

This pregnancy has been rough and being down all the time really leaves time for the mind to do it's own thing. Week 18 and counting...

Patient Shem

Shem had surgery yesterday....again. Other knee and is doing just fine. He's kind of a twerp when it comes to listening to anyone about doing anything. He came out of surgery, opened his eyes and calls to the nurse...,"Can I go now?"
Nevermind he was just coming out of surgery and anesthesia, but had also had a huge dose of pain meds. He kept asking until they said yes and then complained the whole time that they wouldn't let him stand up till the last minute.
Getting home was a lot easier. I called a friend and asked if they could help get him into the house (though it wasn't really needed) because they looked at me at the surgery center and said, "Is there anyone else besides you who could walk with him?" What's that supposed to mean? We do have some ice and snow on the ground so I obliged and called. Once we got home he was soooo much easier. Having three daughters yelling at him not to move is awesome. Landon just kept asking what he needed. After piling him high with food and drink, he was set and had a pretty great first night. His pain is managed well, and we are sooooo glad it's over.

Short Update

whew! alright brag time. This is what happens when you don't keep on top of the blog...you end up knowing there are things you need to record and know they are from all over the place...so hang on.

Landon just won some money for his essay contest he entered for the Veterans of Foreign War. They held a banquet today and handed out these amazing awards and surprised everyone with cash rewards as well. He took first at the local post and third at the regional level. Probably one of my highlights were the two old men who came up to Shem afterward and both said, "it sure shows all over your face every time they call that boys name...congratulations." In Kasi language, that means, "What an awesome Dad you are!" And they're right.

Landon can't wait til soccer starts again in March and has finally decided he's going to surpass Landon Donovan. His new hobby in the meantime....juggling...Nonnie sent him a little juggling kit and he had it down in two days. Only obnoxious when he is constantly trying new things and hitting people.

Hailey (4th grade) is now not only doing fifth grade reading, but fifth grade math as well. Didn't I tell ya I was gonna brag?! She loves loves loves doing her faith in God requirements for church and is just a little weird that she loves our little dog so much she sleeps with him every night! At least she doesn't bathe with him......hmmmmm.....yup that's for you LD.

Abby (3rd grade) is also moving forward and has moved into 4th grade reading. I remember what the teachers who had Hailey first would say after Abby, "Hailey would walk through fire for me....Abby says....I don't feel like it" It's quite a push to get this girl motivated, but when she is, she yells at everyone around her because..., " I can't concentrate". This makes sense out of the many times I would walk in to volunteer at the school and find Abby irritated behind a folder she had rigged to hide herself from others so they would, "quit bugging me."

Ireland (sigh) Oh Ireland. She talks about Hawaii all the time. Talks about the "airporch" we left from and how awesome it was to fly. She loves reading books all the time and we play a lot of "oxie" (Yahtzee). She knows that she gets a lot of Yahtzee's, but still asks her siblings to play oxie???

What'll come next, you never know ;-)