An Angel's protective hand...

Oh how did the day start? I supposed the background started the night before. I mentioned to Rick that both toilets were not flushing properly and asked him to take a look. He did take a look as he was getting ready for bed. Nope, couldn't unclog them with the plunger. 

The next day, he spent researching, running to town and trying different things to unclog them. Well, it was 20 degrees and snowy outside. Who wants to go outside and use a bush in that???

Lucas to the rescue!  He took a large sheet outside and strung it in the corner in front of the dryer vent- which was running.  On the ground he put the dog's heating mat for our feet. A 5 gallon bucket equipped with a stolen toilet seat from the house completed the makeshift bathroom. Abrianna pitched in by bringing a bucket of hat soapy water and lid for clean up. Smart creative kids.

Meanwhile, the little girls and I had been baking many loaves of pumpkin bread. (Using the pumpkin from our garden was a genius way to make gifts for our neighbors.) 

Around 4:00 I loaded up 4 of the kids in the van to go down the road to Carissa and James' house under construction to use their outhouse.( Abrianna was at Peggie V's house making caramel corn)  We sallied forth delivering bread in a winter wonderland of heavily falling snow. The snow fell so heavily at times, I let the van idle down the road while trying to see out. Lucas and Caleb waited in thewarm van while Abby, Emmy and I trudged through the snow to the houses to spread a little Christmas cheer.

We visited at the  Segerman's for a few minutes. In the course of conversation, Valerie mentioned she worked as and ICU nurse at St. Mary's. Little did I know within a few minutes I would be calling upon her knowledge. 

I herded the girls as quickly as I could out through the dark in the heavily falling snow to warmth of the van. I climbed in through the side door with them, turning to close it. It didn't close. In fact, I was wondering if something in the mechanism had broken again, when I heard a blood curdling shriek. Caleb was in the front seat with Lucas. Had he put his hand in the door and now it was smashed and broken?!?! I scooped him into my lap gently checking his hand, puzzled I didn't see any damage.

 My heart dropped as I noticed his head was cocked funny and he continued to cry. "Oh dear Lord! I slammed his head!!! Did I fracture his head or his neck????" I sent the girls running to ask Valerie to  come out and check him. Within a minute or so he had settled down and I felt it was safe to carry him into the better lit house to be assessed. See the picture? That is the only damage. How can that be? How can just an ear stop a heavy door? I think an Angel stopped the door and prevented Caleb's death or serious injury. Thank you Father God.

Psssttt... By the way... Rick did get the toilets fixed. Caleb had flushed a shower gel bottle and rock down my toilet and two small hard plastic doll dresses down the kids toilet. Glad daddy fixed it!

What do all these pictures have in common?

Emmy's owies.

The Yaris' owies.

Abrianna's remorse and owies.

The last piece of the puzzle.

Sometimes we simply have to thank God for His mercies- even with injuries and damaged vehicles.

I was bathing Caleb when Emmy came crying to the bathroom- nothing unusual. "Just the girl I wanted to see!" I exclaimed, starting to direct her to the bathtub. "No! I have an OWIE!!" she wailed. So she did, abrasions on one eye and what looked like a rubber imprint of the handle bar from the four-wheeler above her other eye. "Did you fall off the four-wheeler?" I asked. "YES!!!" she wailed in reply.

About that time, Abrianna stumbled in crying and holding her face followed by a demanding older brother telling me dad wanted me RIGHT NOW and to bring the van, a screw driver, and a cable to tow the run away four wheeler back. Huh???

"What do I do first???" I wondered, trying to assess how badly the girls were injured and piece together what happened....

All three girls were on the four-wheeler in fourth gear with Emmy at the wheel. ( WHAT?????) Lucas seeing the careening four-wheeler stormed out of the house yelling at her to slow down! She panicked and pushed the throttle harder while going around the corner, skidding into the side of the Yaris. The impact knocked two girls off. The third had wisely already jumped ship.

The throttle jammed and the four-wheeler rocketed down the hill, launched of the fence, tumbled down the drop off, righted it self, crossed the road, and ended its crazy ride by tumbling end over end off the other side of the neighbors field down a bank into tall tumble weeds. Rick followed its trail and was able with the aid of a screw driver delivered by Lucas to limp it back home with a flat tire.

When Emmy calmed down she fell asleep. I called a nurse friend Wendy to ask what I should watch for. (I woke her several times during the night and she was ok.)

I am grateful to God that the car stopped the careening four-wheeler. Yes, the car has $2800 worth of damage ( Ouch! Grateful for insurance). The four-wheeler has some damaged plastic, brakes, steering, ignition, and throttle. I am grateful that the damage happened to vehicles and the kids are all healed up! 

Emmy

Emmy stumbled out of the girls room crying. "That's not water coming out of my eyes! Its tears! " she wailed.

Tonight's entertainment sponsored by Dawn's blue dish soap.

Hey Kids! Want to have some fun and "help" mom at the same time! Try this new experiment using Dawn dish soap.
1. Wait till mom goes outside to change the sprinklers on the garden.
2. Decide you want to clean the bathroom floor for mom.
3. Grab that bottle of blue Dawn dish soap.- Make sure to use enough to turn the bath water and floor blue.
4. Dump lots of water out of the tub onto the floor- being sure to flood the floor thoroughly.
5. Skate around to create plenty of bubbles.
6. Be sure to squirt it in little sisters hair so she's crying when mom comes back in.
7. ENJOY!

( In their defense the one who had the idea thought she was being helpful. Only took 20 min to clean up. Cleanest bathroom floor I've ever mopped.)

Emberley says " ssshhhh...!"

Hot weather, swimming and cold ice cream say summer has arrived! The oldest 2 have been diligently reading to reach their 500 pages for free $5.00 gift certificate from Blue Palm yogurt shop.
Yesterday I made the time to take them in for their first treat.   We gathered around our table with our  unique yummy treats. Next to us was another table of ladies and children having a jolly loud time. Emmy leaned over placing her finger over her lips seriously saying, " Ssshhhhh....!" Emmy! That's not your job! I corrected her slightly embarrassed. Ignoring me she once again placed her finger over her mouth and said ," Ssshhhhh! I can't here the music!!!" Fortunately the ladies weren't offended, laughing at the situation. What can I say, she is her father's daughter.

15 Months and growing....

Cause brother's goggles are so cool!

Gotta fix it!

Caleb is 15 months old and about 21.5 lbs. Such a smart boy. 

He is beginning to string words together. Examples,  After being removed multiple times from mom's books he threw himself on the floor exclaiming, "I wanna book!"

Every day has hugs with "I wuv woo!". Me working in the garden, looked up and asked, "where's Caleb?" to which he replied, "I here!".

He says many single words, like "No, brother, momma, dada, up, moos like a cow, barks like a dog. 

He LOVES his flip tab books. Favorite thing to do is pull of the tabs and try to replace them.( I gave up trying to keep them on. Last kid. He can pull them off and then we'll throw away the book.)

He unlatches and opens the dishwasher door to use it as a stool to get things off the counter.  He removes the 3 weights off of Skittles the rat's cage ( biggest 10 lbs) and gets the rat out.

He goes into the bathroom, opens the drawer, removes an electric toothbrush ( Lucas' is his favorite) and comes toddling out with it on brushing his teeth.

He loves outside. Jumping on the trampoline is a favorite. He climbs up a step (its missing the next step) and hollers for somebody to put him up on the tramp where he runs and bounces.

Favorite foods are whatever somebody else is eating at the table. He is now in his booster at the table to be better included. Applesauce and oranges are some of his favorites.

If a chair is cocked at the table its permission to climb onto the table. Many times daily I remove him. As I do when he climbs the back of the ladder back kitchen chairs.

It happened! Uncle Reggie married Joni Giem on 6-19-16 ( same date forwards or backwards). That night Daddy and I were relaxing on the couch recuperating after the long joyful day. Caleb was toddling about while Lucas was supposed to be going to sleep on the other side of the room. Naturally  Caleb walked around to where Lucas. He responded by roaring so fiercely that a terrified baby made tracks bat to momma as fast as his little legs would carry him, wailing along the way in fear. Shame on you big brother. Lucas apologized and coaxed him to come back. Unfortunately he listened and the same thing happened again. Well, daddy thought he'd help Caleb be brave and scare his brother back. Down he went onto all fours, knocking things out of the way and growling. Whoops! That just scared him all over and he ran back to momma. Lucas was feeling a little bad about now. He coaxed to get Caleb to come back once again. Well, Caleb would have none of that!. He sat on momma's lap and explained in gibberish in no uncertain terms he wasn't coming back. Two recogizable words were "brother" and "no!" No amount of coaxing could persuade him this time.

Caleb is 1 Year OLD!

Here he is... A fresh new baby boy, minutes old.

Fast forward a year. Here he is again...

Sinking in his fingers.

Eating his birthday candle.

Having more fun with the tissue than  the present.

Seriously trying to open it by dropping and throwing it.

Victory.

Having friend Noah show him his prizes.

11 Months

Lucas cleaned up the sandbox for him to play.  

Brothers....

Oh my baby, you are growing oh so fast. At 11 months your climbing so much better. Look out world if the stool is left upright. You had your first bloody nose from climbing up the stool and pulling a cool pan off on top of you and falling to the floor. 

 Daddy had to empty his aquaponics system cause you climbed in twice.  

Walking is your mode of transportation ( you started  walking at 10 months).  Your balance is good enough that you love to carry things while you walk.

 You want to be included with the big kids. Your little face crumbles up as you cry when they harshly tell you to go away cause you are making a mess out of their play. The door left open a crack is an open invitation to get outside. 

 Inevitably when you are down for a nap someone gets too noisy and you wake right up. Naps are getting fewer.

You are so busy yet so contended. You are my first baby to happily play for an hour at a time. Sometimes, I lose you in the house cause you take off to play- especially in somebody's room or in the bathroom.

This past month has unfortunately seen you with a second burst ear drum and your first bloody nose. The bloody nose was from climbing up on the stool and pulling a pan down on top of you when you fell off. 

When daddy and I play music youa re right in the middle of it trying to make music too. You love vibrations. You press your head against daddy's drum or guitar. I've seen you do it to the dishwasher, vacuum, and radio too.

A kirby dealer came for a demo this month. You walked up behind him and he knocked you in the nose giving you your second bloody nose in a weeks time.

Your great grandpa Vernon Anderson died this month. You met him in Minnesota when you were 6 months old. He was so proud of you.