Trees planted. Check.

Wow.  We got so much done today.  I ventured out with all of the girlies (minus Rachel who was off hanging pj's on a fence.  Don't ask.)  to Al's Garden Center to pick up pansies a plenty and some fruit trees.  I had originally planned to buy wood for our garden beds today also, but when my back hurt as we were leaving Al's, I thought that might be overly ambitious. Sometimes my downfall can be my brainless optimism, but today my caution paid off.  We barely finished planting the trees by 5 pm.

We had fun perusing the many flowers and trees while Lilly rode on my back (with quite the snotty nose, turns out!).  We decided on a 4 in 1 cherry tree, which has 4 varieties grafted onto one tree, and a 5 in 1 Apple Espalier, which is great for growing along our fence in our not quite so big backyard.   And, of course, we couldn't leave without the 30 pansies that some of Chris' coworkers gave us a few months back.  I let the girls choose the colors as Hannah serenaded us with "Little Purple Pansies" . (which used to be "Little Purple Panties" when Rachel was little. )

We came home and dug like crazy through our horrible clay, amended the soil and now we have our beautiful, tiny fruit trees in.  Until those decide to produce (in what, three or four years?), we will distract ourselves with our garden and some berries.  This week's plan?  I am going to get the girls growing some of our veggies from seed and will have them help build our garden beds.  Yes, the spring bug has bitten us.  I am ready to be out of the house and I can't begin to tell you how refreshing it was to hear the birds sing for me as I dug. (even if it was starting to feel a little like "The Birds" when there were 21 of them sitting on the fence watching me.  Spooky stuff.)

Our new addition

Not that I really needed to sell the girls on our new worm bin, but Hannah's excitement doubled (if that's even possible since she was already begging to open the package of worms) when I announced the worms as our new pets.  She can't wait to tell Rachel that mom let them have pets!  Elise, on the other hand, is pretty sure we should eat them.  This surely stems from the wide variety of foods that we feed our kids, including octopus and baby anchovies.  When I told her that we needed to go buy worms, she responded with "Yummy worms?  We eat worms?"  I thought I had succeeded in explaining that we would not be eating the worms when we met up with Chris.  Her first question for Chris was "Daddy eat yummy worms?"  We then came home to a delicious dinner of meatloaf and potatoes.  When I served them up and called everyone for dinner, Elise ran to the kitchen, asking if we were eating worms for dinner.  This was not a "Eww" questions, but an excited request for those much anticipated worms.  I guess we will keep an eye on the worm bin and make sure Elise doesn't break into it to eat all of our new pets.  It would be a shame. And down right disgusting. (No offense to all of you worm eaters out there, right?)

late nighters at the Kang's

Chris: Do you know what time it was when you went to bed last night?

Me: Don't tell me!  It makes me more tired!

Chris: (insert inaudible mumbling)

Me: If you only knew what I was doing last night!  You would think it was totally worth it!

Chris: What was that? (expecting another laundry fairy visit or something)

Me: I made cute wraps to go around the towels in the girls' bathroom! Actually, only one because I kept messing up.  I think it was too late.

Chris: (speechless)

Here is my lovely work of art that has been wandering around my brain for a week or so.  It probably would have turned out better if I had done it during daylight hours when my brain was at least working at 50% capacity, but it also probably would have never been completed if I had waited for that.

  

In addition, below is a treasures that I found at my favorite little Snohomish shop, Joyworks.  The clippy board isn't completely finished as I have to add some pictures that reflect the last two girlies in our family.  (reflecting when I got my digital camera and stopped having a ton of extra pictures around)  Note the basket at the bottom that used to have a bunch of paper in it.  Once I refill (and teach Elise that they paper is to color on, not to tote around the house), the girls will continue to color little pictures for me to display in empty clips.    

Side Note #1: The fabulous St. Cleanliness that came to my house does have a real name.  I highly recommend her.  Her name is Jess and if you want any more info about her, you probably better e-mail me as I don't want to go willy nilly posting her info on here.  Fabulous.

Side Note #2:  I forgot about the Thomas Quiz and I am sure you are all checking regularly for these very important answers.  Here goes.

1. Grey/Black

2. Green

3. Brown

4. Blue

5. you got me there!  I think pink is about it, but is Chris manly enough for a pink toothbrush?

My house glisteneth

I have always balked at the idea of a house cleaner, for a myriad of reasons.  Things like not wanting my kids to think that others will clean all of their messes, the cost, the fact that I feel like I should be doing it all, the cost....I could go on.  

Just like my first pedicure, I will always remember my first house cleaning.  When Chris had his stroke, my sister called  and told me that she realized that she couldn't help a lot, but that she had scheduled a house cleaner to come the day before Chris came home.  House cleaner is not the right word.  Miracle worker?  Yep, that is a lot more accurate.  Imagine my delight when some friends of Chris' from work gave us a gift card for another visit from St. Clean House!  I have put off setting up an appointment because I wanted this at the perfect moment.  Before a big get together?  Hmmm.  Good because  it would save me from a lot of cleaning, but would it last as long as if I did it on an ordinary day?  Yet if I did it on any old day, would anyone get to witness my house being so clean?  Finally, I decided to just do it and today was the day.  Let me just say: Natalie and Kitty, you know the way to a woman's heart.  I love you guys!  Hannah told me, "When I first came upstairs, I couldn't even talk it looked so clean!"  That is pretty much how I felt and proceeded to let the little girls watch a Thomas show while I nursed in my quiet and clean downstairs.  Enjoying the miracle of my house that glisteneth. (Yes, spellcheck, I know that it isn't a real word!)  Maybe I'll take some pictures for you tomorrow, but I am now off to do the laundry.  Is there a St. Launderette? 

Life with a sicky Lilly Lu

Nothing is sadder than watching your children suffer.  Lilly has gotten the whole cold thing that a bunch of us have around her, but she is littler so the cold is bigger.  Overall, she is quite happy for sounding so horrible.  As Hannah came in announcing today, "Lilly lost her voice!"  (It was actually quite cute because she was extremely concerned about the well being of her baby sister and....like we didn't know that she had lost her voice!)  

The big sympathy grabber is when she cries.  At first, it isn't even an audible cry.  Within a few seconds, she gets a voice and lets out these pitiful, hoarse cries.  Very heart-rending and it just makes you want to cuddle her forever. (which is why that is just about all I did today)  To add to her sad cry, part of her sickiness is that she doesn't want me to leave her side.  If I do, the crying begins and I am quickly back in her presence.  This is why not a whole lot got done today around the Kang house.  Actually, considering, a whole heck of a lot got done.  We even had Sarushi for dinner tonight.  (Sarah's version of sushi!)  I am just hoping that she gets better before she gets worse.  Please?

She isn't so fearless afterall

For those of you that know my Hannah, you will be surprised.  For those of you who don't know her, just note that this is very abnormal for her.

Last Monday, we took Chris' mom on a little day trip to Cannon Beach.  It was Rachel's birthday and she wanted to see some starfish , so we tried our best to deliver.  We looked up the low tide time and planned to be there about 2 hours before.  We tromped across the sand to the rockier area, in search of the requested starfish.  The water appeared to be coming in a little instead of going out, but nothing crazy.  At one point we had to walk a little higher to avoid some cold, wet feet, but not where we were running for our life.  This was when Hannah started wigging out.  I have never seen her so frightened and truly afraid that she was going to die and the interesting part was that there was really nothing to be afraid of.  Nobody had gotten a drop of water on them and we were not even close to the water.  I had to go back to the car with her because she was so upset and certain that she was about to die.  

The case of the missing toothbrush

As you all know by now, Elise is head over heels obsessed with a certain little blue train. (no, not the engine that could.)  If you want to be on her good side, as Jacob learned, you bring a train and talk tracks with her.  Because Lilly has been accepted into her world, she is either called Lilly Poop (it was supposed to be Lilly Lu) or Baby Thomas.  We have Thomas "panties" that are always worn backwards because why on earth would any true Thomas fan want the big picture of Thomas on their rear where they can't see it?  We have accepted a Train Table as our new coffee table because her trains get played with so much.  Tonight when she went to bed, a freak out about her lost owl pj's quickly came to an end when she saw a Thomas shirt to wear instead.  My impossible to photograph daughter will sit in front of the camera forever (albeit in her diaper) if she is getting her pictures taken with her train friends.  When she colors or needs to refer to a color, she uses the trains for reference.  This is great if you know all of the trains and their names, but otherwise you might be a little lost in the beginning.  Let's have a little test in honor of the lack of formal schooling that occurred in the Kang house this week.

Rules: No googling.  Post your answers in the comments and I will give you the key on Monday.

1. Elise's favorite goat at Grandma's was Diesel goat.  What color is he?    

2. Elise was angry at Hannah for sitting on her Percy stool.  What color was the stool that caused this mid morning meltdown?

3. Mommy saved the day by suggesting that she sit on the Toby stool instead.  What color was the stool that restored peace at Grandma's?

4. Chris keeps complaining that his toothbrush disappears on a daily basis.  Elise came to me today and said with much irritation, "Daddy took my Thomas toothbrush!"  What color is Chris' toothbrush?

5.  What color of toothbrush can we buy him that won't be connected to some Thomas character, thus preventing anymore thievery on Elise's part?

Half adorable baby, half borg

Once upon a time, I used to hate Star Trek.  My family would watch it and I would leave the room in disgust.  This was before I fell in love with this cute Korean boy who loved Star Trek.  That is all it took. :)  My first Star Trek movie was First Contact, that has Jean Luc fighting off the gross and slimmy borg queen.  I remember a scene that has Jean Luc (aka the ever so handsome, yet older than my parents, Patrick Stewart) instructing his crew on the in and outs of fighting the Borg.  One thing he tells them is that they have only so many shots before the borg adjust to their weapon and it will be useless.  This is where Lilly comes in.  She took a nap for two days in the closet and now my closet weapon is not effective.  She is back to refusing to sleep at all during the day, which is sad for her and me.  She really does need more sleep as I can't think that her 10 hours at night (which I am grateful for) is enough and I did enjoy a little bit of time in the afternoon to clean, cook or....sew. :)  Dang it, you cute little borg baby, you.

Side note:  When I see all of those people walking around with their hands free device in the store, chatting away to what appears to be themselves, they look pretty borgish too.  I find it a little creepy and I would think that anyone who has watched First Contact would too.   Random thoughts a la Sarah.

Whoo got more sleep than me last night?

At the Kang house, we have a rule that allows you to have a big birthday party on your even years and a family party on your odd years.  It is a fabulous rule because: 1. I only have to plan a birthday party every other year for the girls.  2. It simplifies 3. The even year/ odd year allows the girls to have big parties on "big" years (8:baptism, 12: They enter young women's at church, 14: They can go to dances, 16: They can't date and 18: They are NOT adults yet!)

The downsides to this rule are: 1. I had all of the girls 2 years apart (minus Hannah) so 5 of them are on an even year together.  5 parties a year vs. if I had split it up a little.   and 2. I am a sucker!  

This year Rachel is turning 11.  "Wait!", you say, "That would mean that she didn't have a slumber party last night."  Ah, but she did.  With us being in a new area with new friends, I figure birthday parties are a good way to hang out with friends.  I am a sucker, but at least I don't regret it.  Yet.   This started out as a small slumber party and ended up with 7 girls, which I consider kind of big. At least the noise level was big, right?  They had lots of fun being silly and when I went to bed at 2 am, it was still pretty loud down there.  I am pretty ok with the noise as long as it was "joyful chaos" instead of cat fights.  But there wouldn't be cat fights because all of Rachel's new friends are great.  Silly, but great.  I have felt zero regrets in moving out to Forest Grove.  I have been so happy with all of the friends that the girls have made and definitely feel like we are in the right place.  

Back to the party.  There was lots of twisting, snorting and all sorts of spoonerificness.  Rachel decided on owl cupcakes, a la Hello Cupcake, which we still love dearly.  Cupcakes rock, but they rock even more when Elise calls them bupcakes.  I think bupcakes might even taste better than cupcakes.  Overall, a very fun evening.  Now it is off to planning our fairy soiree for my other odd numbered birthday. (Although Autumn deserves hers because her even birthday was cancelled last year due to selling our house and an 8 month pregnant mom who was VERY stressed.  I'll make up for her.  This birthday is going to rock all of fairy realm.  Big time. )

for the birds

In the midst of packing up our old house, my sister gave our family the coolest present ever.  Because of the moving, living in a dungeon of a townhome and other craziness, we are just know getting to enjoy it.  For anyone who is trying to think of a cool present for a family with young children: Pay attention.  In the last week, our family has enjoyed this present more than any toy out there.  And it would make an adorable gift basket, to boot.  She included a bird feeder, a bird watching book and a bird whistle.  

It took a week for the birds to start coming, but once they found us, they have been ripping through the food.  With the help of Birds of the Williamette Valley, we have started our bird watching adventures by finding many a dark eyed junko and rufous sided towhee. (we are new to this and I am sure we will slowly start recognizing different birds with the help of our little guide)  All of the girls shout in glee when they see the birds dive in to get some bird feed and we love watching the birds wait on the fence for their turn to eat. (They have a little line system.  They must have gone to kindergarten or something to learn such order!)  

Below is Hannah's own "bird trap".  While doing school with the older girls, Hannah came in to tell me about her outdoor adventures.  I "listened" like I sometime do, but my ears perked up when I heard something about a fire and catching birds.  What?  I clarified with her, "What are you going to do with the birds once you catch them? Eat them?"  She started to think it over and quickly decided that the fire would be to warm their wings since it was so cold.  Note to Chris: Maybe we are watching too much "Man vs. Wild" with the kids?  It turns out that the bird seed in the trap was much enjoyed by the birds and I think they are thankful to Hannah for not adding the fire feature.  Whew.  

Note to dad: I double checked and they are definitely rufous sided towhees, not the red breasted nutchatches.  Maybe we just have better bird feed than you. :)

Two sweet quilts for two special babies

I just finished making these matching baby quilts for two very special babies.   These were free motion quilted (Thank you, Heidi, for teaching me this wonderful skill!) and they were my first quilts to do a mitered corner binding on.  Thanks to Bend the Rules, I have learned that for a vintage, worn look you simply skip prewashing your fabric.  My favorite part is washing a quilt because it looks so loved when it comes out of the dryer.  Kind of like putting the outlet covers back on and removing the tape after painting a room.  It is the final unveiling of your masterpiece. 

My other cool little secret?  The binding was made from some cute crib sheets that I happened across at the Goodwill Outlet.  I had tried to find a fabric that I really liked for the binding, to no avail.  Rachel pointed out the sheet to me and I knew they would be perfect.   

Just one more cool secret, okay?  I used to think that I hated quilting because I could never get the final quilt top and backing assembled without bubbles.  Then the ever so famous Heidi introduced me to 505 Basting Spray, which, quite frankly, rocks.  It makes for a pretty close to perfect quilt sandwich.  You may be thinking cheap thrills, but you are reading someone's blog who gets excited about a spinach smoothie.  What did you expect?  (By the way, we've been adding carrots and orange juice concentrate.  Very tasty, even according to Hannah!)  I just loved the final result of these quilts and when I think of the precious babies that will be wrapped up in them, I love them even more. 

life altering stuff here

My darlingest Lilly, how I love you!  My fun little visit with my sister, Rachel, just came to an end.  It was packed full of Twilight fun and chatting, but the best part of her visit was completely unexpected.  Lilly's crib is in the guest room and since we think our guests will enjoy their stay more if they aren't taking care of Lilly all night long, we normally move Lilly's crib out while they are here.  This tend to result in sleepless nights, as Lilly smells me near and won't sleep as through the night. (And expects to eat all stinking night long!)

So I shook things up a little for Aunt Rachel's visit and moved her crib into our closet instead of our room.  I figured out of sight, out of mind.  What I did not figure into the equation was the darkness of our closet, which resulted in Lilly sleeping in a whopping 2 hours later in the morning.  And I hate to even mention this in fear of jinxing the whole bit, but *she took a nap today*! (Warning: Do not read out loud.  Maybe that will prevent the blog gods from hearing this and ruining all of my nap time fun that I have planned for the rest of the week!)   For those of you who are unfamiliar with our day to day happenings, naps have been nonexistent in Lilly's world.  This results in no free time for me and a very tired Lilly.  It appears that darkness is my friend and "Napping Queen" is Lilly's new middle name.  Let's just cross our fingers that this keeps up.  Pretty please with a cherry on top?

Silly Sentiments

The silliest things can make me cry sometimes.  Yesterday, it was a rubik's cube.  About a year ago, Chris decided that he needed to master the Rubik's Cube.  I think it was simply because he was bored at my parents' house, but pretty soon he always had it in is hands.  He got to the point where he could solve it in less than a minute and had moved on to the 4 x 4 Rubik's.  I think it was somewhat soothing for him, akin to knitting for me.  

Since the stroke, the rubik's cubes in our house have become a toy.  They are played with by the kids and can be found throughout the house.  I asked Chris if he thought he could solve it now and he just laughed.  It just takes too much fine motor skills for him and because of this, they stay unsolved.  I know it is a silly thing.  Not life or death.  Chris can have a fulfilling life without the rubik's cube.  Yet I still found myself fighting back tears while holding this game, thinking of what used to be and what is.  Not what will be because I am sure he will "Rubiks" once again. (Is that a verb?)   I am sure it won't be long before I am begging him to put the Rubik's cube down again.  Ah, the little things.  I guess it is pretty nice that all I have to cry about right now is a silly Rubik's cube.  We are blessed.    

Happy Birthday to the coolest of the Tunnell Chics

She's got style and the big heart to top it off.  My sweet baby sister, Rachel.  You've gotta love her and all of her funkiness.   Big Rachel (referring to her age compared to our Rachel, not to her size because that would be inaccurate and quite mean) is the fun aunt that all of my girls love.  She is the aunt that dropped everything to come down and take care of my girls, with a mother's love, when I was camping out in the hospital for most of September.  She is the sister that sent me homemade ketchup and bbq sauce made with agave sauce when I had gestational diabetes.  She offered to come down and take my blood when I was worried about it.  She's got your back.  She is also my sister that is coming to visit tomorrow and I can't wait!  We are going to party hardy all 3 days long.  And since I don't think she will be checking the blog tonight, here is a sneak peak of her birthday present.  Not the best pictures, but this is a grocery bag (made from curtains and fully lined) with 3 more grocery bags inside of them.  Grocery shop your green little heart out in style, little sis!

Healthy Momma: Take 2

My tech support guy has been a little backed up lately (or was he just slacking?) and finally got to my ticket request to work on my Healthy Momma chart.  So, let's try this again.  And thank you, dear Chris. (who, by the way, lifted his big toe yesterday!) 

Weight Watchers

Plain Jane
SP (this has a spot to mark off reading your scriptures and saying your prayers)

Peer Pressure wins

I have been tagged a million times for these picture things and am finally doing it.  

Here you go.  4th picture in my 4th file.  Not even my child, but dang cute.  I think this was taken about a year and a half ago.

Tag you're it: Jen (since it is your kid), Karen, Mom and Becky (ha!  I got you back  for starting this whole thing in the first place.)

I had it coming

I am reluctant to even post this because it shows you just where 6 kids can take you.  I am sure that there will be many a first time mom that reads this post and shudders "Yuck!".  On the other hand, it was so stinking hilarious that I have to share. (And it was obviously a slow blog day since this is all I can come up with!)

Elise has always hated me cleaning her face, yet she seems to get her face dirty faster than any of the other girls did at this age.  Everytime I would clean her face, I would then have to listen to her cry for the next 10 minutes while swatting at her face.  A little while ago, I discovered that Mommy Dog could clean her face, even though I couldn't.  Or maybe it is that baby dog doesn't mind having her face clean as much as Elise does. (Although lately she has been branching out to baby birdy, baby joey, baby cow, etc.)  Here is the gross part.  Being that I have adapted to convenient mothering, this normally is done by simply licking my fingers and wiping her face.  As long as I say "Oh, baby dog, we need to clean your face" or something of the like, she is happy to oblige.  Tonight, as I was tucking her in, mommy dog realized that baby dog had a little speck of something on her cheek that needed cleaning.  Mommy dog did her duty (at least I don't just lick her face, right?  That would be REALLY gross!) and suddenly, Elise licked her fingers and cleaned mommy dog's face right back.  This was somehow much grosser than mommy dog cleaning baby dog's face.  Yet, it seems to me that I am fortunate that she hasn't done this sooner.  

Side Note: On Super Nanny, she suggested making this cute little towel puppet to clean your child's face with.  When I saw this, I remember thinking "Yes, I guess that might work, too.  Way less gross." but in all reality, my fingers are always with me and when would the towel puppet be? Probably never.

Side Note #2: I still remember when Rachel was officially not my baby.  I went to "clean" her face and she jumped away, shrieking in disgust.  

Side Note #3: I just want you guys to know how hesitant I am to even post this.  I am going to quickly push publish before I change my mind. :)

Hello Cupcake

For the girlies' birthdays this year, I have handed them Hello, Cupcake and let them choose out their celebratory selection.  So far, I am thinking that cupcakes are way easier to decorate than cakes.  I have also found that the ideas in Hello, Cupcake are simple and geared toward the non cake decorator in all of us.  Chloe chose out this little box of chocolates idea to go with the February theme.  I think she just wanted all of the candy, personally.  The hardest part of hers was: 1. Trying to convince her that her cupcakes could be on a pretty plate with the same effect as a heart box and 2. Laying down a stinking $9.99 for a box of chocolates that I didn't even want after #1 proved unsuccessful.  3. Getting Elise out of the bulk candy aisle, screaming because she could not try all of the candies that seemed like samples from Costco.  Beyond the 3 previously mentioned issues, it was a piece of (cup)cake.  And a big hit with Chloe, which is what really matters.  

Rachel is debating between the owl cupcakes (which I am personally routing for) and a colorful birthday tower sort of thing.  I won't tell you what I want Autumn to choose because she will get on my blog, read what I say and then choose anything besides it just to be....like her father.

Oh!  Check out what Rachel wants for her birthday:  Two piano books with church songs in them, our piano tuned, and a library card. (which is free, but I haven't let her have one yet.)  I love you, Rachie.  And to top it off, here is what she told me she did while sleeping at a friend's house last weekend. "We made a blanket for the Russian orphanage, we wrote letters to missionaries, made cookies for our teacher and watched Anne of Green Gables."  I told her she obviously couldn't hang out with a friend like that! (winking all the way) I will add that she left out t.p-ing her friend's brother's fort, but I can't complain when the list started out so good, right?  

Happy Birthday, Dear Chloe

My third born in the wilderness. (aka Las Vegas)

I started making the girls birthday shirts this year, which so far has been a big hit.  (1 out of 1 isn't bad, eh?) In fact, I overheard Chloe excitingly telling her friends about her shirt and how it was ONLY hers forever, never to be passed on to her younger sisters.  All hers.  

Chloe's shirt had a little hidden lesson in it.  Turns out she doesn't know what tally marks are.  Or she didn't know.  Now she is all over them.  Whew.  Good thing I made her this shirt.  Maybe my dad can add that to his homeschool jokes.  He loves the Autumn inspired joke: "How can you tell a homeschooler?  They can read when they are three, but they don't learn to tie their shoes until they are 7!"  Now he can add "They can do 3 digit addition, but they don't know how know how to count to 7 with tally marks!"

Chloe is the fashionista of the Kang house.  She will put together the craziest things and they look great.  She has an eye for accessories.

Chloe definitely takes after Chris' mom.  They look alike and are extremely tiny.  I never understood who needed slim jeans until Chloe came along.  Slim all the way.

Chloe's favorite color is orange.  It has been since she was 2 (minus a short period where she turned to green just to be like her cousin.  She quickly returned to orange.) and she is pretty particular about the different shades of orange.  "Mom, that isn't orange.  Its pumpkin."

Chloe has always been a sweet big sister.  (Little sister?  Hmmm.  I'll get back to you on that.  It all started with biting her big sisters at 1 year old.  She's gotten a little bit better.)  She's got their back. 

Chloe says she is like me.  She kind of is.  Indecisive.  A little manipulative. (Did you know that about me?) The "middle child".  Smart.  Beautiful.  (Those last two were just for fun)

Chloe could cuddle me all day long.  (and all night if she had it her way)  She knows how to weasel into the smallest spot to make room for her in order to get her cuddles in.  I love it.

Chloe asked for My Littlest Pet Shop (SIGH) stuff and clothes for her birthday.  She always asks for clothes for presents.  2 years ago, Santa brought her an outfit. (Hey!  When you ask for it, he delivers.)

Chloe tells everyone that she was my biggest baby.  She was. (for the 1st week or so @ 8 lbs 13 oz.)

Chloe's middle name means joyful song and she lives up to it.  She has always (before she was actually talking) wandered around the house, singing some song.  

Chloe was due on the 21st of January.  Whenever she complains about someone being older than her, I remind her that she could have been much older if she would have just come on her due date.  

Happy 7th, Chloe!