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!