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The Adventures of JR, Jenny, Olivia, Molly, Violet, and Red.
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Zombie Alert!

This is serious folks.

In case you don’t know much about zombies here are a few zombie facts:

  • Zombies eat brains.
  • Zombies are slow.
  • Zombies tend to gather in groups.
  • You can’t technically kill a zombie because they are already dead.  Although they can be stopped by decapitation, destruction of their brain, or incineration.
  • Zombies can’t swim. (I don’t hold this against them as I can’t either.)
  • If you are bitten by a zombie you too will become a zombie. If a zombie eats your brain, you’ll just die.

And in closing, I leave you with my favorite zombie song.

[audio:http://www.drozmonkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/re-your-brains.mp3]

“Re: Your Brains” by Jonathan Coulton (licensed Creative Commons by-nc)

OK, gotta go. They are getting close…


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Family Camping: Take Three

So it’s a little late, but we just got our pictures up from our annual Fall camping trip. You may remember Take Two last year so now after three years it is an official family tradition to go camping in the fall. Now that we’ve got 3 kids, all under three at that time, you might have thought we’d given up our primitive ways and switched over to car camping. We don’t have anything against car camping (where you camp close to your car and have access to running water and restrooms) but we still prefer primitive camping. We had such a good time last year that we went back to Bastrop State Park again this year.

From November 2008

As we were strapping on our packs we ran into a friend of mine from work and his wife at the trail head. They had been mountain biking and were also primitive camping. They were gracious enough to take our family picture with all of our gear. Then we hiked out about 1.5 miles to where we knew of some good areas to camp. I really like Bastrop State Park’s primitive camping policy. You have to hike out past a certain point and then you can camp where ever you want as long as you are 50 feet off the trail. Most parks have designated campsites or at least a small area, so it is cool to just pick your own campsite.

Once we picked our site, I set up our new tent. Yup, we finally upgraded from my beloved two person backpacking tent. So I threw up our brand new tent, with a little help from Livy with the tent poles, but mostly she just told me what to do. ;-) Then I unrolled our camping mats and sleeping bags and turned my attention to getting our camp kitchen set up. The next thing I know I hear all kinds of laughter coming from the tent. Jenny had Livy and Molly in the tent and they loved it. I suspect that they thought it was bouncy house, you know those inflatable things, and they were jumping up and down in the tent. After laughing, I quick put a stop to that for the simple fact that in a few hours we were going to be trying to get them to go to sleep in there. The last thing we needed was for them to think it was a bouncy house when I was trying to sleep in it. To burn off some steam we went for a hike before supper. When we got back it was time to cook, but there was just one small problem. No fire. As in, I forgot to pack matches, a lighter, or some other source of fire. At that point, you think about watching the contestants on Survivor attempting to produce fire by rubbing sticks together and failing miserably. But not to worry. Whoever gave us the self-igniting camping lantern off of our wedding registry deserves a big thank you! I was able to take the top off the lantern, light it, and then light the stove off the lantern. Disaster averted. We cooked dinner and ended with stories and Livy’s fav camping snack. Popcorn! Yes, believe it or not, you can still buy the cool stove top kind.

I’m happy to report that bedtime was actually pretty uneventful. Red probably got the best night’s sleep and enjoyed having a bit more room than last year. Somehow by morning I ended up with Jenny’s short sleeping bag and was boxed in so I didn’t have room to stretch out even if I would have had a sleeping bag long enough. The upside to that was that I got to snuggle Violet, who slept almost as well as Red.

In the morning we made breakfast, washed dishes, and broke camp. Primitive camping is pretty much about the basics of survival. But the simplicity of just surviving and enjoying nature around you makes primitive camping worth it. You also don’t have any noisy neighbors, barking dogs, or crying kids (except your own, of course). Once we were loaded up, we got on the trail. Livy was super cute wanted to walk and hold Red’s lead and sing songs. She really was a big girl. Molly was just beside herself with glee. She thought she was a big girl (she was about 14 months) and wanted to walk at times. She’d trip on a tree root or a rock and fall down. Instead of crying she would laugh and laugh and play with the sandy soil in her hands. Violet and Jenny were both pretty mellow just enjoying the scenery and the girls (Violet was about 7 weeks old).

A couple of notes on gear. My backpack is one of my prized possessions. I got it in college when I was going to study abroad in France. It’s huge, with a capacity of 6400 cubic inches which is about the biggest you can buy. But it is also super comfortable even under a heavy load. When I bought it, I thought that it would be too big for normal camping, but now when I’m packing for a family of five it even feels a little small. I can’t wait till the girls are big enough to get their own packs. Also, we love our Bob Stroller. We had a single and upgraded to the double. The wider double was more stable on the more technical sections of the trail. Even if you aren’t going off-roading, I’d recommend a Bob. We ended up selling our single on Craigslist and made back 85% of it’s original value.

Spring is almost here. Where are you going camping next?

Don’t forget to check out all the photos here.

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A Woman Who Knows What She Wants

Livy asks for a carrot for a snack. I get out the bag of baby carrots.

“I don’t want baby carrots,” she says. “I want a big carrot.”

“Oh, come on,” I say, “let’s just have little ones.”

“I don’t have little teeth,” she exclaims!

So I peel her a big carrot because if she’s gonna make me laugh, she’s gonna get a big carrot!

Simple Woman’s Daybook (1.26.09)

Monday, January 26, 2009
Outside My Window…
I see gray skies. It is foggy and about 50. I guess it’s a good day to stay in and catch up on laundry!
I am thinking…
how easy it is to despair about all the things that life isn’t and miss the wonderful things that life is. I am thinking about a bookmark I got once that said “If you really want to be happy, no one can stop you.” I am thinking that there is a lot more truth to that than a lot of people like to admit (a lot of people like me).
I am thankful for…
knowing each of my grandparents as a young child, especially since three of them died when I was still young (in fact, I lost one each year when I was 10, 11, and 12). I also had two great grandmothers living into my college years and got to know one of them very well (unfortunately, the other lived in California and I didn’t get to see her more than a few times). I am especially thankful that I have been able to enjoy one grandmother all of my life. What a blessing! I love you, Grandma!
We are learning…
The great thing about very small children is that a major accomplishment is always just around the corner. So last week we were working on Violet rolling over and guess what? She can do it! Now we are working on staying asleep in spite of the fact that one can roll herself over and over and over all over the crib, making it so much harder to settle down and actually sleep! We are trying to get Molly to say “Livy”. Last night after bath, we were saying, “Mama” and she would repeat. “Daddy” and she would repeat. “Livy” and she would mostly giggle, but sometimes repeat “Ibby”. Olivia is learning how to sing the Hail Mary. Our friends shared their secret to improving participation during prayers – sing them! This has worked great for us as Livy LOVES to sing!
From the kitchen…
We did pretty well in the first week counting Weight Watchers points. In fact, last night I had 11 points in the “bank”. Not too shabby for the first week back. We even enjoyed some tasty beef enchiladas, chili, and chicken pot pie last week. This week I am thinking we will have those sirloin kabobs and lasagna I mentioned last week and never got around to making, as well as a ham steak (Livy’s favorite) and a salad dinner with grilled chicken breast. Livy also found the pumpkin bread mix in the closet so we will probably end up making muffins one morning. We are thoroughly enjoying the fresh fruits & vegetables we got at Costco last week. My favorite combination is the green grapes with blueberries (and only 1.5 pts! for a bowlful!). Livy’s favorite are the sweet peppers – she had 8 before the chili was ready last night!!
I am wearing…
flip flops, stretchy guacho pants, a pink t-shirt and a ponytail – my work around the house clothes.
I am creating…
a list of ideas for grandparenting long distance to share with my parents. One good idea I found was sending a jar with the exact number of M&Ms as days that are left until the next visit, instructing the grandchild to eat one a day until they are together again. I thought that was a great way to help little ones build excitement for the next visit and gauge how far away it is. Of course, everyone recommends taking full advantage of modern technology (and especially webcams). Do you have any ideas?
I am (still) going…
to focus on the 5 basic things I must do to be a healthy person in order that I might serve my family better – pray, shower, eat, exercise, & sleep.
I am reading…
Didn’t get much reading done last week. Still would like to finish The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori.
I am hoping…
my dear friend Carleen has a most Happy Birthday today!
I am hearing…
the pitter patter of little feet (Livy wandering around in her princess dress up clothes while the babies sleep). And Pandora playing my new station created around a song that was special to JR & I in our dating years. It has these qualities:
folk rock qualities
country influences
acoustic sonority
minor key tonality
a good dose of acoustic guitar pickin’
acoustic rhythm guitars
I’m not sure what all that means, but it sounds good! ;)
Around the house…
We are starting to feel more like “normal” around here. We even started chipping away at the home organization & decluttering – a little here, a little there . . .
One of my favorite things…
is watching my husband with our children. Being a father truly brings out the best in him – kindness, gentleness, and a whole lot of fun! He is amazingly creative!
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
Livy will go to “school” Tuesday & Thursday morning. I plan to attend a meeting at JR’s work gym on Wednesday and considering joining their 14-week fitness program. Perhaps attend our bilingual playgroup on Friday (we joined them at the park last week and had a lot of fun!). Saturday I am registered for our parish retreat – my first retreat in a long time. I am excited and a little anxious. It is a very long day away from the girls (8am to 7pm). At least I”ll have Violet to keep me company.
Here is picture thought I am sharing…

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Be sure to visit Peggy for links to more daybooks.

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7 Quick Takes Friday (take 1)

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1. Yesterday and today have been unseasonably warm, even for Central Texas. Yes, we’ve reached highs of 78 or better. You northerners may be green with envy, but consider this – if it is 80 in January, what will July or August look like? Oh, Lord have mercy!

2. Molly has learned how to say “yes” and it is like having our own personal Magic 8 Ball (remember those?). So far our 8 Ball has the following responses:

  • “yesh” (uttered in hushed tones with a bashful head tilted)
  • “no” (sometimes screamed, sometimes stated matter-of-factly)
  • “yeah” (said in a rather uninterested manner, usually without even looking at you)
  • “UH-UH” (rudely grunted in a very disgusted, angry tone)

3. Here are some really good articles I’ve read recently that I think a lot of you mothers (and fathers) of young children would appreciate:

Pre-school Learning Plans – Homeschooling Series Part 1 (these are really good tips for any mother of preschoolers, not just homeschoolers)

Every Single Stinkin’ Thing I Ever Learned About Potty Training

4.  With three girls in the span of 3 years, I have the benefit of using and re-using (and re-using) their clothing. The hand-me-downs have worked really well so far, with the exception of some minor variations in the seasons. What this means, however, is that I must be on top of my game when it comes to stain removal, organization and storage. I’ve learned a few things along the way – like store shoes separate from clothing in your attic as some shoes will melt in the TX heat! I consider it quite a victory that Violet will be wearing most of Olivia’s clothes, which means I’ve only purchased slightly more than one girls’ wardrobe so far. At some point, it is possible that two of the three will share the same size for awhile or something, but it sure is nice to know when I buy something that it will get a lot of use. That also means that I like to buy clothing that will withstand many wearings and washings and still look good. My favorite clothing brand is Carter’s and I like to go straight to the source – the Carter’s store (basically an outlet). I sincerely recommend checking to see if they have one in your area (unfortunately their on-line shopping is seriously limited). The prices can’t be beat for their clothing (keep in mind that the exact same items are sold at department stores; Carter’s also has a  line that they sell at discount stores like Target & Wal-mart, but in my experience, these clothes are of a little lesser quality – I’d say they’d last through 2 kids as opposed to 3 like the ones directly from Carter’s). Also, please note that Carter’s sizes run large, and especially pants run long.  Livy is wearing some 5T shirts, but still looks just fine in a pair of 3T capris (worn as long pants)! But don’t get me started on the randomness of children’s clothing sizes!! I got quite confused with the last round of Livy’s clothing purchases – she is some mixture of 4T/5T/4/5! The clothes I bought for our trip to NE this year all ended up too big, but I think we’ve got it figured out now and I guess she’ll just wear those clothes to NE again next year. Who needs long sleeves with weather like this anyway!

5. One of the most beautiful things in my life is watching Olivia play sweetly with her younger sisters. This morning, she laid on the floor with Violet telling her stories, teaching her to hold a rattle, and saying “God bless you” when she sneezed. She was so gentle & sweet. Yesterday, she took the time to teach Molly to do a puzzle we got from Grandma Kane for Christmas. It makes the animal sound when you get the piece in the right spot. “What’s this Molly? It’s a horse. Can you find the place where the horse goes? Right here, Molly. Good job, Molly, you did it! Great!” she said. These are the times when I think I must be doing something right!

6. If you read my Daybook, you saw that we started tracking points in Weight Watchers again. I really think it’s a good idea to do this on a regular basis because every single time I realize how terrible I am at guessing what’s going to make me gain weight. This week’s worst guess was sour cream – what was I thinking loading up my enchilada with that stuff? And nuts may be nutritional, but they are no weight loss food – 1/4 cup of pistachios was as many points as a meal replacement shake! I guess that’s why people calculate points BEFORE they eat things . . .

7. When we received two containers of Bubble Tape from Grandma Andrews for Christmas, I was not so pleased. What just-turned-3-year-old & not-even-one-and-a-half-year-old need 6 feet of bubble gum apiece?? We managed to get it home without anyone noticing it, but in the last round of unpacking, Livy came across it and wanted to open it. Since it is a present from Grandma, I decided to let her have the equivalent of a normal stick of gum. She, of course, loved it. And realized there was a lot more where that came from!

Before I get to the punchline, the other half of this story is that we went to a parenting seminar before Christmas where they suggested that a young child receive a daily chart with 8 spaces. The first 3 spaces are free spaces and the next six name a privilege that can be lost for misbehaving. Each time the child misbehaves, a square on the chart is marked out and whatever privilege is inside the square is lost for the rest of the day (they start fresh every morning). Livy has been pushing the limits a lot lately and we have started using some of this thinking in her discipline (in fact, I think I’ll print out some charts after posting this).

So here’s the punchline – thank you, Grandma, for giving us a very effective privilege that can be lost. The mere threat of losing the precious Bubble Tape is usually enough to make Livy do (or not do) whatever we’ve asked. And thankfully, at this point, she is so ecstatic to carry it around and talk about its many wonderful qualities (“isn’t it fancy, Molly?”) that she hardly even asks to consume any!

Update: Molly, on the other hand, is not fooled in the slightest by the fanciness of the Bubble Tape and much prefers to eat it over carry it around. Yikes! It can’t really take 7 years to digest, can it??

Hope you enjoyed my 7 Quick Takes – be sure to visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary for links to more 7 Quick Takes Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!!

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National March for Life

You can watch the National March for Life live via Faith & Family’s Website today. Keep any eye out for my little brother, Zach!

http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/

Let us remember in our prayers those directly affected by past abortions, and those little ones whose lives are threatened by abortion even now. Let us build a culture of life in our country and around the world.

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Simple Woman’s Daybook (1.19.09)

Monday, January 19, 2009
Outside My Window…
It’s sunny and I can see my heavenly bamboo shrubs blowing in the wind. It should be 70 today. Maybe we’ll get out our bikes this afternoon.
I am thinking…
I will go ahead and make that pot of coffee after all. I was thinking I would try to get by without it, maybe even sneaking in a nap when the girls nap, but it is not looking like I will get all three to nap at once and it sounds so yummy! It might help me forget waking twice with Molly in the middle of the night and a half a dozen times with Violet since they are both pacifier users and stuffed up.
I am thankful for…
JR helping me get this all set up this morning and my new computer desk out in the living room so that I can type this while the girls eat breakfast and then color in the same room. Good idea, honey!
We are learning…
many, many things. Violet is working on rolling over – I’m trying to make a more conscious effort to get her time on the floor to try it out (which still requires a lot of supervision when it comes to her sisters). Molly is trying to do big girl things like color, but she really doesn’t have the attention span or fine motor skills to do so. For example, after coloring for a few minutes she has crumpled up her paper and is putting it on like a hat. Livy is learning about the dentist for an upcoming first visit to our family dentist. She is reading “Show Me Your Smile” starring Dora and got a new power toothbrush shaped like Cinderella this weekend. So far so good.
From the kitchen…
I plan to dig out my meal calendar and start using it again. I am looking forward to the lowered stress levels that accompany forethought with regard to preparing meals. I know we will be trying a couple recipes with frozen grilled chicken breast strips that were on special at Costco. I have ingredients for chicken pot pie and chicken enchiladas. Of course, we’ll be rounding out our week with plenty of beef, too, probably sirloin kabobs & lasagna. JR & I are also going to keep track of our Weight Watchers points starting today so it will be that much more important to plan ahead regarding meals.
I am wearing…
socks, denim capris, a grey pullover hoodie, and pearl earrings.
I am creating…
on-line photo albums (October is up now). It’s so hard to choose pictures these days. I was looking back last night and noticed that when Olivia was born there were about 20 photos in each of her monthly albums. Now there are anywhere from 50 to 100 photos in our albums! Of course we’ve multiplied the subjects, and then there are all the various combinations, and just so many more adorable moments to capture.
I am going…
to focus on the 5 basic things I must do to be a healthy person in order that I might serve my family better – pray, shower, eat, exercise, & sleep. I realize this is not rocket science, but I also know that I have been cutting too many corners on each of them.
I am reading…
There are a few books on my nightstand that I’ve started and left unfinished. I saw JR pick up a book last night (Between a Rock & a Hard Place) and I think I’ll choose one for myself and get going on it tonight. Perhaps The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori.
I am hoping…
my friend Tanya’s daughter, Ana, is healed completely of her cancer and returns to full health as soon as possible. Her family has asked that we recite the following prayer:
O Lord, You are constantly at work in your Church And through, individuals and communities You manifest your Spirit for the good of your people.
In a special way You bestowed your Spirit on your servant Blessed William Joseph Chaminade So that he might live fully according to the Gospel And with love devote himself to your saving work.
You have inspired communities of men and women to follow his example by consecrating themselves to You To serve the Church under the leadership of Mary.
We now pray to You to give us visible signs Of your grace and holiness in his life By granting us the special favours We ask through his intercession. (Ana’s complete healing, heart and soul, mind and body)
May the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit Be glorified in all places Through the Immaculate Virgin Mary.

Amen.

I am hearing…
Livy talking to Violet about ladybugs and Molly saying “I want more (breakfast)”! And Pandora playing my Norah Jones station.
Around the house…
We are still not back in our rhythm after being away from home for two weeks and then sick for two weeks. I would like to get us back on track this week. Then we will begin the huge project JR & I have been wanting to tackle – home organization & decluttering (especially rethinking our play spaces and collapsing what’s left of the office/making a nursery for Violet).
One of my favorite things…
is a reminder that life is beautiful – that though I may feel overwhelmed at times, I have so very, very many things to be happy about and a truly beautiful life. Working on our photo album yesterday was my reminder.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
Tomorrow we will watch the inauguration of our new President. And later this week we will watch the coverage of the National March for Life in memory of the 36 years since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. I pray that President Obama has a change of heart on this issue. Livy will go to “school” Tuesday & Thursday. There are several fun events planned this week for Employee Appreciation Week at NI. We are thinking of attending an Austin Toros basketball game on Wednesday night and a free day at the Children’s Museum Saturday. It is also the Texas Rally for Life on Saturday, but we will likely not be going this year and instead taking the little ones home for naps after a morning at the museum. We may fill in here and there with a couple playdates that were canceled while we were sick, but that is starting to sound like an awful lot.
Here is picture thought I am sharing…

Be sure to visit Peggy for links to more daybooks.

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Old Notable Quotables

While sorting through drafts of blog posts, I came across this old list of quotes from Livy. Thought I’d share for your enjoyment (they are probably from around the time Violet was born).

“Holy Mary Mother of God . . . pray for us sinners . . . and thank you for my baby Molly and thank you for my baby Violet . . . ”

“I had a good day at school today, Daddy.”

“Violet came out of your tummy for me, Mama. She’s my baby.”

“God bless Molly and God bless Violet and God bless Red . . . and God bless Obi? Mama, Obi’s a bug!”

Plans for Random Thoughts

Several friends have started doing regular Memes, especially the Simple Woman’s Daybook on Mondays and 7 Quick Takes on Fridays. I always enjoy reading them because you get to know the writer through these little snapshots into their lives. I’m hoping to start these two Memes next week to keep up with blogging better and create a journal for myself & the girls of this chaotic time with 3 girls, 3 & under. My ideal thinking says I will wake before the girls, make myself a good cup of coffee and write about our happy life in the peaceful quiet hours of the morning . . . more than likely, I will hurriedly scratch out some thoughts while Molly colors at the table, Violet hangs out in the swing & Livy wanders the house aimlessly talking about how much she loves her bubble gum (like what’s happening now) until that deteriorates into Molly literally coloring the table, Livy (aka the coloring police) confiscating the colors in an ugly throw down and Violet fussing in the swing. At which point, I will sign off.