Anders makes an art form out of sitting in a box. In his mind there is no box too small for him to try to sit inside.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas
I'm horrible about sending Christmas cards. Sorry. I probably always will be. I do enjoy getting Christmas cards, so keep sending them my way. I'll try to get better about making my own. To be fair, I thought I'd put our "card" on my blog, along with a letter that sums up our year.
It's been a year since we left Denver. We pulled away from the Rocky Mountains on December 5th and rolled up to our final destination on December 17th. Hans was installed as the pastor of River of Life Lutheran Church on December 18th, 2010 and we have had a very blessed and wonderful year here. I know Hans is very thankful for the members of River of Life and I am too. We couldn't ask for a better congregation. We are both looking forward to many, many, many, many more years here.
Aside from his full-time gig at River of Life, Hans started Lutheran Satire, a collection of animated videos meant to teach using satire. Now the whole world gets a small taste of the man I deal with everyday. Hans also has a blog, The High Mid Life. I feel he needs to write actual posts more often, but I can be a little demanding. I'm also a bit biased, but I believe my husband has a way with words. He is a wonderful pastor and I enjoy reading the things he writes. Even if they are controversial.
John started Kindergarten this year and he absolutely loves his teacher, Mrs. Dernulc. As if we weren't already thankful for our church and where we live, John managed to get a teacher that is a wonderful match in every way. I get a little sad thinking about the fact that there are only 5 months left in school. We all might be going through a little Mrs. Dernulc withdraw. John loves everything about school and is still excited to get on the bus everyday. He is a stickler for the rules, even if he doesn't always follow them himself. He loves math and reading and pretty much everything else about school. In a recent email from his teacher, she stated that she was sure she could show John a paper bag and have him exclaim "WOW!" I hope his enthusiasm for learning sticks around for awhile.
Gus is two. Enough said. He loves his brothers and cried every day the first week John went to school. Now he is over that and enjoys some quiet, or not so quiet time, with Anders, but he is always anxious to look for the bus about the time John comes home. Gus likes everything John likes. In fact, if you give John a toy, it is guaranteed to end up in Gus's hands. He can be a bit of a bully, but thankfully only to his brothers. He is a cutie though and often times very sweet. So I guess we will keep him around for awhile.
Anders turned one this year. It is crazy to think that he was only 2 months old when we left Denver and now he is a babbling, walking one year old. Anders loves people, especially those who give him candy. He went through a mommy stage but now he just wants to walk around and visit everyone. He, like his brothers, is also a daddy's boy. So, if you aren't watching closely enough he will wiggle his way into the center aisle at church and try to make his way up to his dad on Sunday morning. He also gets a little competitive with his dad and tries to talk louder than Hans during the sermon. I think the score is Hans-1, Anders-26.
In 2010 we purchased our first house. I think we put offers on 11 other houses before finally landing this one. We kept telling ourselves at the time that our offers weren't being accepted because there was something else out there, but I was having a hard time believing that after 6 long months. But, alas, we found the perfect home. We love our house and the proximity to church. We love our neighbors and the fact that the whole neighborhood is busting at the seems with kids. All in all it, was worth the wait.
We also got a dog this year. I've been telling Hans for 5 years that, after we got settled and bought a house, we could get a dog. He took me at my word and got a dog about 2 weeks after we moved in. It was a little hectic trying to paint the place, unpack, settle in and house train a dog but we made it. I can't say I will ever get a puppy again, but Fritz is a good dog and a wonderful addition. The boys just love him and he loves the boys.
Well, as usual, I was supposed to summarize our year and I think I wrote a novel. Summations were not my strong suit in school. I don't think they will be John's either. So, here it is more to the point: We've had a wonderfully busy, fantastically blessed year. We are all happy. The end.
It's been a year since we left Denver. We pulled away from the Rocky Mountains on December 5th and rolled up to our final destination on December 17th. Hans was installed as the pastor of River of Life Lutheran Church on December 18th, 2010 and we have had a very blessed and wonderful year here. I know Hans is very thankful for the members of River of Life and I am too. We couldn't ask for a better congregation. We are both looking forward to many, many, many, many more years here.
Aside from his full-time gig at River of Life, Hans started Lutheran Satire, a collection of animated videos meant to teach using satire. Now the whole world gets a small taste of the man I deal with everyday. Hans also has a blog, The High Mid Life. I feel he needs to write actual posts more often, but I can be a little demanding. I'm also a bit biased, but I believe my husband has a way with words. He is a wonderful pastor and I enjoy reading the things he writes. Even if they are controversial.
John started Kindergarten this year and he absolutely loves his teacher, Mrs. Dernulc. As if we weren't already thankful for our church and where we live, John managed to get a teacher that is a wonderful match in every way. I get a little sad thinking about the fact that there are only 5 months left in school. We all might be going through a little Mrs. Dernulc withdraw. John loves everything about school and is still excited to get on the bus everyday. He is a stickler for the rules, even if he doesn't always follow them himself. He loves math and reading and pretty much everything else about school. In a recent email from his teacher, she stated that she was sure she could show John a paper bag and have him exclaim "WOW!" I hope his enthusiasm for learning sticks around for awhile.
Gus is two. Enough said. He loves his brothers and cried every day the first week John went to school. Now he is over that and enjoys some quiet, or not so quiet time, with Anders, but he is always anxious to look for the bus about the time John comes home. Gus likes everything John likes. In fact, if you give John a toy, it is guaranteed to end up in Gus's hands. He can be a bit of a bully, but thankfully only to his brothers. He is a cutie though and often times very sweet. So I guess we will keep him around for awhile.
Anders turned one this year. It is crazy to think that he was only 2 months old when we left Denver and now he is a babbling, walking one year old. Anders loves people, especially those who give him candy. He went through a mommy stage but now he just wants to walk around and visit everyone. He, like his brothers, is also a daddy's boy. So, if you aren't watching closely enough he will wiggle his way into the center aisle at church and try to make his way up to his dad on Sunday morning. He also gets a little competitive with his dad and tries to talk louder than Hans during the sermon. I think the score is Hans-1, Anders-26.
In 2010 we purchased our first house. I think we put offers on 11 other houses before finally landing this one. We kept telling ourselves at the time that our offers weren't being accepted because there was something else out there, but I was having a hard time believing that after 6 long months. But, alas, we found the perfect home. We love our house and the proximity to church. We love our neighbors and the fact that the whole neighborhood is busting at the seems with kids. All in all it, was worth the wait.
We also got a dog this year. I've been telling Hans for 5 years that, after we got settled and bought a house, we could get a dog. He took me at my word and got a dog about 2 weeks after we moved in. It was a little hectic trying to paint the place, unpack, settle in and house train a dog but we made it. I can't say I will ever get a puppy again, but Fritz is a good dog and a wonderful addition. The boys just love him and he loves the boys.
Well, as usual, I was supposed to summarize our year and I think I wrote a novel. Summations were not my strong suit in school. I don't think they will be John's either. So, here it is more to the point: We've had a wonderfully busy, fantastically blessed year. We are all happy. The end.
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
The Will of a Child
I am by no means a perfect parent. In fact, I'm far from a perfect parent. I get too upset about trivial things. I yell too much. I don't spend enough one-on-one time with my kids. I get irritable. I get frustrated when John writes his 'M's upside down (and he is only in Kindergarten!). Do I need to go on? Because I can. Despite all of my parenting flaws, my kids love me and, even better, they know I love them.
There is no doubt about the fact that I bore 3 strong-willed children. And, if you are asking yourself how I can possibly know that my 1 year old has a strong will, then I can assure you that you do not have a strong-willed child yourself. I became astoundingly aware of the strength of my first child's will about a month before he turned 2. He daily took pleasure in showing me just how strong his will could be. It was horrible. It felt hopeless. My husband and I felt like an inadequate parents. There were days when I felt like all I had done was yell and spank. I tried talking to our pediatrician at the time about the length and persistence of John's fits and I was told that the situation was not normal. I again felt hopeless and horrible. And yet, we emerged from the dark place. He grew and I never gave in. A fantastic, and utterly hard to accomplish combination. However, I am entirely convinced that, had I not put in countless hours of standing my ground, we would still be in that dark place. Even worse, the dark place would only be a foretaste of what it would be like in the coming years.
In my years of teaching and being around children from preschool to high school I have seen and heard a lot. Before I was married and had kids I would always make mental notes like When I have kids I'll never let them act that way. What I really should have told myself what When I have kids I will never let them think unacceptable behavior is acceptable. Let's face it. We can't always control when our kids have tantrums, or if Susie hit Sallie on the playground. But we can control how we respond to such actions. And, I hate to break it to you, but how you respond now will help shape what kind of adult your child becomes. As saddened as I was at times viewing the behavior of children, I was horrified viewing the behavior of adults when I worked retail. Working retail for any length of time will simply knock the wind right out of you, make you want to crawl in a dark hole, and pray that you never reproduce for fear of having your offspring turn out like some of the adults you encounter on a daily basis. Thus started my infatuation with watching people interactions. I'm a people watcher by nature. I watched the kids I taught and the interactions between parent and child. I watched the encounters between customers and employees. And, today whenever I'm out, I watch those around me. I am astounded by what I see.
I've seen many parents of strong-willed children just give in to their child's wants and excuse their bad behavior. Before I had kids I just kept thinking, take control! You're the parent! As if they could snap their fingers and make it all change. Now that I have kids I still think, take control! You're the parent!! But now I know just how hard it is. Parenting is hard. It's hard with a compliant child, hard with multiples and infinitely harder with a strong-willed child. What's even harder is that you have to tailor each disciplinary session or consequence to fit each child. Just because something worked for one kid doesn't mean it will work for another. I was a strong-willed child. Hard to believe, huh? My parents would draw a line and tell me not to cross it and I would go running over it like my sole purpose in life was to cross that darn line. My brother on the other hand was pretty compliant. Not so hard to believe. He would generally do as he was told. My mom could just look at my brother and say, "Mark" in a disappointed voice and that boy's world would crumble. My mom could then look at me and say, "Katie" in the same disappointed voice and I would snort out, "What?" I was pretty much a snot.
So what do you do with a kid like that? How in the world do you bend their will without breaking their spirit? How do you go to bed each night knowing you are doing the right thing?
The answer isn't as simple as the questions. To other parents with strong-willed children, know that you aren't alone. The fits your kids have starting at the young age of 2 that last 30-45 minutes or more are not unusual. Your child is not strange, he is strong willed. I think the biggest piece of advice I can give to other parents is to never give in. Don't threaten anything you are not willing to follow through with. And, while you can't control their outbursts, you need to make them aware that their actions are not acceptable. It is a long, hard, challenging road. But it is a road worth taking. You may feel like you are in a constant battle with your child. It won't always be that way. However I must state that, whatever battle you've chosen, whether it is not letting your child wear his pajamas to school or making him eat the same thing for dinner as the rest of the family, it is important that you win. Always.
I am thankful everyday that my parents chose to make their will stronger than my own. Even if that wasn't their nature. I am positive that I wouldn't be who I am today had they not set and enforced boundaries. They did these things because they love me. I am still very strong willed, but now I know how to work within limits. I know that my needs, wants and desires are not greater or more pressing than those of anyone else. I know that to comfort themselves my parents would often say, "She'll make a great adult." And I hope they find that true. This is often something I say about my boys.
Now that we have lived through the fits of one strong willed child and survived, the other two don't quite seem so devastating. We aren't over the hump yet, but my husband and I are armed with love, compassion and very strong wills of our own. It is important to us that we raise good, strong, loving, morally sound and God fearing men. So every time we reach the battle field our feet are firmly planted and our ultimate goal is in mind. So, catch me iin 20 years and see if I still say all of this was worth it. I assure you my answer will be "YES!"
Here are a couple of resources I've found helpful.
Parenting the Strong-Willed Child and Keeping the Upper Hand by Bonnie Foshee
The New Strong-Willed Child by Dr. James Dobson
*** I feel I must add a little note to this book. Most of the reviews of this book are raving. Some are not. Some people feel that this was an answer to prayers while others ding the book stating that Dobson advocates "that you tell the child, then smack the child. That's it, lather, rinse, repeat." which is not at all what the book is about. I strongly urge you to to read the link I provided with the book title and scroll down to the Corporal Punishment & the Strong-Willed Child section for a better understanding. My only negative comment on the book is that Dobson is a little bit of a fundamentalist. But, if you ignore that, the rest of the information is great.***
Discipline for the Strong-Willed Child
There is no doubt about the fact that I bore 3 strong-willed children. And, if you are asking yourself how I can possibly know that my 1 year old has a strong will, then I can assure you that you do not have a strong-willed child yourself. I became astoundingly aware of the strength of my first child's will about a month before he turned 2. He daily took pleasure in showing me just how strong his will could be. It was horrible. It felt hopeless. My husband and I felt like an inadequate parents. There were days when I felt like all I had done was yell and spank. I tried talking to our pediatrician at the time about the length and persistence of John's fits and I was told that the situation was not normal. I again felt hopeless and horrible. And yet, we emerged from the dark place. He grew and I never gave in. A fantastic, and utterly hard to accomplish combination. However, I am entirely convinced that, had I not put in countless hours of standing my ground, we would still be in that dark place. Even worse, the dark place would only be a foretaste of what it would be like in the coming years.
In my years of teaching and being around children from preschool to high school I have seen and heard a lot. Before I was married and had kids I would always make mental notes like When I have kids I'll never let them act that way. What I really should have told myself what When I have kids I will never let them think unacceptable behavior is acceptable. Let's face it. We can't always control when our kids have tantrums, or if Susie hit Sallie on the playground. But we can control how we respond to such actions. And, I hate to break it to you, but how you respond now will help shape what kind of adult your child becomes. As saddened as I was at times viewing the behavior of children, I was horrified viewing the behavior of adults when I worked retail. Working retail for any length of time will simply knock the wind right out of you, make you want to crawl in a dark hole, and pray that you never reproduce for fear of having your offspring turn out like some of the adults you encounter on a daily basis. Thus started my infatuation with watching people interactions. I'm a people watcher by nature. I watched the kids I taught and the interactions between parent and child. I watched the encounters between customers and employees. And, today whenever I'm out, I watch those around me. I am astounded by what I see.
I've seen many parents of strong-willed children just give in to their child's wants and excuse their bad behavior. Before I had kids I just kept thinking, take control! You're the parent! As if they could snap their fingers and make it all change. Now that I have kids I still think, take control! You're the parent!! But now I know just how hard it is. Parenting is hard. It's hard with a compliant child, hard with multiples and infinitely harder with a strong-willed child. What's even harder is that you have to tailor each disciplinary session or consequence to fit each child. Just because something worked for one kid doesn't mean it will work for another. I was a strong-willed child. Hard to believe, huh? My parents would draw a line and tell me not to cross it and I would go running over it like my sole purpose in life was to cross that darn line. My brother on the other hand was pretty compliant. Not so hard to believe. He would generally do as he was told. My mom could just look at my brother and say, "Mark" in a disappointed voice and that boy's world would crumble. My mom could then look at me and say, "Katie" in the same disappointed voice and I would snort out, "What?" I was pretty much a snot.
So what do you do with a kid like that? How in the world do you bend their will without breaking their spirit? How do you go to bed each night knowing you are doing the right thing?
The answer isn't as simple as the questions. To other parents with strong-willed children, know that you aren't alone. The fits your kids have starting at the young age of 2 that last 30-45 minutes or more are not unusual. Your child is not strange, he is strong willed. I think the biggest piece of advice I can give to other parents is to never give in. Don't threaten anything you are not willing to follow through with. And, while you can't control their outbursts, you need to make them aware that their actions are not acceptable. It is a long, hard, challenging road. But it is a road worth taking. You may feel like you are in a constant battle with your child. It won't always be that way. However I must state that, whatever battle you've chosen, whether it is not letting your child wear his pajamas to school or making him eat the same thing for dinner as the rest of the family, it is important that you win. Always.
I am thankful everyday that my parents chose to make their will stronger than my own. Even if that wasn't their nature. I am positive that I wouldn't be who I am today had they not set and enforced boundaries. They did these things because they love me. I am still very strong willed, but now I know how to work within limits. I know that my needs, wants and desires are not greater or more pressing than those of anyone else. I know that to comfort themselves my parents would often say, "She'll make a great adult." And I hope they find that true. This is often something I say about my boys.
Now that we have lived through the fits of one strong willed child and survived, the other two don't quite seem so devastating. We aren't over the hump yet, but my husband and I are armed with love, compassion and very strong wills of our own. It is important to us that we raise good, strong, loving, morally sound and God fearing men. So every time we reach the battle field our feet are firmly planted and our ultimate goal is in mind. So, catch me iin 20 years and see if I still say all of this was worth it. I assure you my answer will be "YES!"
Here are a couple of resources I've found helpful.
Parenting the Strong-Willed Child and Keeping the Upper Hand by Bonnie Foshee
The New Strong-Willed Child by Dr. James Dobson
*** I feel I must add a little note to this book. Most of the reviews of this book are raving. Some are not. Some people feel that this was an answer to prayers while others ding the book stating that Dobson advocates "that you tell the child, then smack the child. That's it, lather, rinse, repeat." which is not at all what the book is about. I strongly urge you to to read the link I provided with the book title and scroll down to the Corporal Punishment & the Strong-Willed Child section for a better understanding. My only negative comment on the book is that Dobson is a little bit of a fundamentalist. But, if you ignore that, the rest of the information is great.***
Discipline for the Strong-Willed Child
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Weekend in Denver
My fantastic husband booked me a flight to Denver for my birthday. Yes, I know my birthday was last month. I decided to take the trip at the most inconvenient time for everyone, Advent. But everyone seemed to manage just fine. I think I'm going to make this a yearly tradition. I took Anders with me this year, but I just might fly solo from now on. Flying solo. Sound great, right? The last time I flew solo was when I flew up to Indianapolis to see Hans. It has been almost 7 years. I'm not sure what I would do on a flight all by myself.
Quit daydreaming, Katie! Back to the days in Denver.
Since I was going to be with my friend, Camera Jan, there was absolutely no reason to bring my camera. So, look at Jan's blog here, here, here, and here to see a little of what we did.
Boy, that was an awful lot of 'heres'.
Aside from going to a concert, baking cookies and dying my hair, we also managed to get a little shopping done, and work on some Christmas presents for our kids. Oh--and we also stayed up entirely too late every night I was there. We had a wonderful time and I want to thank our wonderful husbands for putting up with our shenanigans during this busy time of year.
Quit daydreaming, Katie! Back to the days in Denver.
Since I was going to be with my friend, Camera Jan, there was absolutely no reason to bring my camera. So, look at Jan's blog here, here, here, and here to see a little of what we did.
Boy, that was an awful lot of 'heres'.
Aside from going to a concert, baking cookies and dying my hair, we also managed to get a little shopping done, and work on some Christmas presents for our kids. Oh--and we also stayed up entirely too late every night I was there. We had a wonderful time and I want to thank our wonderful husbands for putting up with our shenanigans during this busy time of year.
Monday, December 19, 2011
The New Name
I put way too much time into naming and renaming this blog. This is exactly why I made the web address fienefamily.blogspot.com and not the actual title of my blog. I figured fienefamily would always ring true. So I think the blog started out as "John and Kate Plus Hans", then morphed into "Two Men and a Katie", "Two Men, a Katie and a baby", and then I start to lose track. Most recently it was "My Three Sons. And Hans." which I never really liked. I contemplated for a long time naming the blog "Y Me?" but figured that most people wouldn't realize the Y was for the Y chromosome and not just that I was lazy when typing out the title. As much as I like the fact that I can change the title, I really wanted to come up with something that would last a good long while. It was in a recent blog post that I joked about how successful and independent I was until I married Hans. This got me to thinking. I wouldn't have all this stuff to blog about if it wasn't for Hans. I'm not sure if I would have ever felt I had a reason to blog if it wasn't for my family. So I figured the best name I could come up with is "And then I married Hans". So there it is. My new blog title. Hopefully this will stick around for awhile. Now if only I could stop my itchy fingers from changing the background all the time.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Julia Cook
My next book recommendation is "My Mouth is a Volcano" by Julia Cook. This book is about a kid who is constantly erupting. He blames his mouth the volcano. The book is a good read and teaches your kid how to deal with his erupting mouth.
If you know John even just a little bit, you know he has a lot of words. I'm not really surprised since his dad and I also have many words. John has had some trouble in school with interrupting the teacher, so my friend Pam recommended this book. This book sparked the need to read more of Julia Cook's books and I haven't found one I haven't liked.
If you know John even just a little bit, you know he has a lot of words. I'm not really surprised since his dad and I also have many words. John has had some trouble in school with interrupting the teacher, so my friend Pam recommended this book. This book sparked the need to read more of Julia Cook's books and I haven't found one I haven't liked.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
3 Places in 9 Hours with 3 Boys
Debbie and Pam took all three boys ALL DAY! Not only did they have all three rugrats from 9-6, they worked their magic and were able to keep the three boys, and themselves, pretty happy. AND, not only did everyone live through the experience, Debbie and Pam took the two oldest boys on an overnight trip to Chicago this past weekend. These ladies deserve sainthood.
Their fun filled day with the three boys included going to the zoo to decorate a Christmas tree, a trip to Bass Pro Shop for lunch and a visit with Santa, and going to watch a basketball game in which Sophie's team won. Just writing that sentence made me tired!
The boys really had a good time at Bass Pro Shop and came home with ornaments and other crafts that were all free. I heard the food isn't too bad either. If you haven't been there, John says you have to check it out.
Their fun filled day with the three boys included going to the zoo to decorate a Christmas tree, a trip to Bass Pro Shop for lunch and a visit with Santa, and going to watch a basketball game in which Sophie's team won. Just writing that sentence made me tired!
The boys really had a good time at Bass Pro Shop and came home with ornaments and other crafts that were all free. I heard the food isn't too bad either. If you haven't been there, John says you have to check it out.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Unromantic, Yet In Love
I am not the romantic type. Never have been. Don't get me wrong, I love a good love story and have been known to watch sappy movies because they usually have nice and tidy happy endings. I love my husband very much. Probably more than he loves me (don't you dare edit that out, Hans Fiene). I'm just not a mushy person. I'm practical. Maybe too practical. My poor husband is way more romantic than I am. I feel bad for him. He has grandiose ideas of wonderful date nights, weekend getaways, and even thoughtful presents. Ideas I often squelch because we don't have the money and/or the idea of pawning off the boys for too long on anyone seems unfair (to the person watching them, not the boys). I shouldn't even say that we don't have the money. This is where I get too practical. Rather then spending X amount of dollars on dinner and movie I can think of 105 things that we could use for the house that would ultimately last longer than an evening. See? I'm kinda a buzz kill. I'm not sure how my husband puts up with me.
Now, before you go off and feel too sorry for the guy who is married to Unromantic Girl, just hear me out. Hans knew exactly who he was marrying. We talked about this when we were "dating". Our dating experiences were very different. Hans, the romantic, would fall head over heels for every girl he dated. I'm sure he was a fantastic boyfriend to every girl lucky enough to have him. He would call them every day, spend time with them, and spend all the money he had on wooing them. I know this because Hans took some substitute teacher jobs and worked for his mom to get enough money to fly to Texas to see me. Hans had and still has dedication when it comes to his girl. Obviously, because I'm a girl, I didn't have to do the wooing. I was generally being wooed. But that always seemed to backfire for the wooer. I loved meeting people, loved to flirt, loved the initial conversations. Somewhere in between the initial flirty conversation and week 2 I knew if the guy was a keeper. And, obviously until I met Hans, they weren't. I would generally start off a relationship by explaining my busy schedule. I wasn't the kind of girl who sat by the phone and was available to meet at any time. If a guy wanted to date me, he had to find a way to fit into my schedule.
Boy, that sounds completely harsh. But sadly, true.
And, every relationship started off with the guy saying that my schedule would work. They sounded relieved to meet a girl who wasn't demanding of their time or money. And then something would change. They would call all the time. They would send flowers. They would get on my nerves. There was nothing wrong with these guys. I just knew the relationship wasn't going anywhere and that would be about the point when the sight of their name coming up on the caller ID would make me want to puke.
A bit drastic, don't you think?
When Hans started to woo me, my dad contemplated calling him to coach him through the 'Katie dating' experience. There were a few times my dad thought Hans would be a goner. But, the 740 phone calls a day never bothered me. I never felt like throwing up when I saw his name on the caller ID, and I even went as far as to rearrange my work schedule to see him. Despite my husband's and my drastic difference in the level of our romanticism, we have a strong and healthy relationship. I think we go together perfectly. He comes up with extravagant ideas, and after I bring the extravagantness down to our financial level, I learn to let go and live a little. We compliment each other well.
So, while I would rather get practical gifts for birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries, and while Valentine's Day is not celebrated in our house, I am forever smitten with my man. And I think I would miss it if Hans ever decided to become completely practical like me.
Now, before you go off and feel too sorry for the guy who is married to Unromantic Girl, just hear me out. Hans knew exactly who he was marrying. We talked about this when we were "dating". Our dating experiences were very different. Hans, the romantic, would fall head over heels for every girl he dated. I'm sure he was a fantastic boyfriend to every girl lucky enough to have him. He would call them every day, spend time with them, and spend all the money he had on wooing them. I know this because Hans took some substitute teacher jobs and worked for his mom to get enough money to fly to Texas to see me. Hans had and still has dedication when it comes to his girl. Obviously, because I'm a girl, I didn't have to do the wooing. I was generally being wooed. But that always seemed to backfire for the wooer. I loved meeting people, loved to flirt, loved the initial conversations. Somewhere in between the initial flirty conversation and week 2 I knew if the guy was a keeper. And, obviously until I met Hans, they weren't. I would generally start off a relationship by explaining my busy schedule. I wasn't the kind of girl who sat by the phone and was available to meet at any time. If a guy wanted to date me, he had to find a way to fit into my schedule.
Boy, that sounds completely harsh. But sadly, true.
And, every relationship started off with the guy saying that my schedule would work. They sounded relieved to meet a girl who wasn't demanding of their time or money. And then something would change. They would call all the time. They would send flowers. They would get on my nerves. There was nothing wrong with these guys. I just knew the relationship wasn't going anywhere and that would be about the point when the sight of their name coming up on the caller ID would make me want to puke.
A bit drastic, don't you think?
When Hans started to woo me, my dad contemplated calling him to coach him through the 'Katie dating' experience. There were a few times my dad thought Hans would be a goner. But, the 740 phone calls a day never bothered me. I never felt like throwing up when I saw his name on the caller ID, and I even went as far as to rearrange my work schedule to see him. Despite my husband's and my drastic difference in the level of our romanticism, we have a strong and healthy relationship. I think we go together perfectly. He comes up with extravagant ideas, and after I bring the extravagantness down to our financial level, I learn to let go and live a little. We compliment each other well.
So, while I would rather get practical gifts for birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries, and while Valentine's Day is not celebrated in our house, I am forever smitten with my man. And I think I would miss it if Hans ever decided to become completely practical like me.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
The Time Between Thanksgiving and Christmas
Last year my husband wrote an article for the Lutheran Witness. It was pretty good. He does have the capability to write a noncontroversial article every now and then. I read this article a few times last year because, aside from the already chaotic time between Thanksgiving and Christmas that we call Advent, our family was relocating from Colorado to Illinois. So sit your stressed self down, take a deep breath, and read the article. You'll thank me later.
How to Escape the Christmas Madness
How to Escape the Christmas Madness
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Douglas the Tree
I love living up north, especially when it comes to Christmas trees. We were never able to have live Christmas trees in our home because my dad and I were allergic to them. And a pastor can't be sick and lose his voice during the Christmas season. When Hans and I got married and moved to Indiana, we got a live tree for our first Christmas together. We actually cut down our own tree. For the first time in my life I actually didn't get sick. I think it is the mold that grows on the trees when they are being shipped down to Texas that causes my allergies.
Last year we were "living" in a hotel for Christmas so getting a tree wasn't an option. The boys actually opened their presents underneath the tree in the hotel lobby. This year we decided to start the tradition of cutting down our own tree. So we packed up the family and drove a whole 8.13 miles to the nearest tree farm. I knew we were going to get a tree and yet I forgot the camera. Where is my head? At least I remembered to bring the kids. I did have my phone so I was able to capture a few pictures.
We walked around the muddy, muddy farm on the lookout for the perfect tree to bring home. I knew I wanted a Douglas Fir since they have softer needles and don't shed as much. The first tree Hans and I ever bought was a Spruce and it was absolutely beautiful. It also shed virtually all of its needles by the time we took it down. I don't really feel like stepping on pine needles for the next few weeks.
We finally found the area with Douglas Firs and, low and behold, we found a beauty. John must have heard us asking where the Douglas Firs were, so when Hans asked him what the tree's name should be, John quickly replied, "Douglas". It is not a Christmas tree. It is Douglas. John tells everyone he sees about Douglas and asks if they want to come over to see him. I'm kind of afraid I will emotionally scar the boy when he sees Douglas sitting on the curb come January 1.
So Douglas is now in our home. He fills the house with the wonderful aroma of pine and is adorned with 500 lights and what seems like 50,000 ornaments. Douglas also serves as a fun new toy for Fritz and Anders. I don't think I've ever felt sorrier for a tree.
Last year we were "living" in a hotel for Christmas so getting a tree wasn't an option. The boys actually opened their presents underneath the tree in the hotel lobby. This year we decided to start the tradition of cutting down our own tree. So we packed up the family and drove a whole 8.13 miles to the nearest tree farm. I knew we were going to get a tree and yet I forgot the camera. Where is my head? At least I remembered to bring the kids. I did have my phone so I was able to capture a few pictures.
We walked around the muddy, muddy farm on the lookout for the perfect tree to bring home. I knew I wanted a Douglas Fir since they have softer needles and don't shed as much. The first tree Hans and I ever bought was a Spruce and it was absolutely beautiful. It also shed virtually all of its needles by the time we took it down. I don't really feel like stepping on pine needles for the next few weeks.
We finally found the area with Douglas Firs and, low and behold, we found a beauty. John must have heard us asking where the Douglas Firs were, so when Hans asked him what the tree's name should be, John quickly replied, "Douglas". It is not a Christmas tree. It is Douglas. John tells everyone he sees about Douglas and asks if they want to come over to see him. I'm kind of afraid I will emotionally scar the boy when he sees Douglas sitting on the curb come January 1.
We just found Douglas and are waiting for Hans to find a saw to cut him down. Gus is not at all impressed.
Let the cutting begin!
Cutting the tree is "man's work" apparently. I have no problem with this, but this man decided to wear his nice pea-coat (or 'pea-standing-up-coat', as he likes to call it) and then lay on the muddy ground.
So Douglas is now in our home. He fills the house with the wonderful aroma of pine and is adorned with 500 lights and what seems like 50,000 ornaments. Douglas also serves as a fun new toy for Fritz and Anders. I don't think I've ever felt sorrier for a tree.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Thanksgiving
We had a Thanksgiving Eve service at our church followed by their annual pie festival. Pie festival? Hans had no idea what this was but was game for anything including pie. After church, we all sat, chatted and enjoyed various pies.
On Thanksgiving morning, we drove to Indianapolis and had a great meal with family.
On Friday we had a relaxing day in Zionsville.
Some of us enjoyed our pie more than others.
For as much as was on his face, hands and clothes, he actually got a good deal of pie in his mouth.
On Thanksgiving morning, we drove to Indianapolis and had a great meal with family.
Despite what has been said about the thing on Hans' forehead, I assure you it is not a hickey. That would be very, very weird. Hans bumped his head on the bathroom faucet while brushing his teeth. He is still working on his depth perception.
On Friday we had a relaxing day in Zionsville.
We all went to the park to play a little basketball and throw the frisbee for Fritz.
Grandma showed her strength as she hoisted John up for a basket. That kid is A LOT heavier than he looks.
Anders just enjoyed walking around. He loves his new found freedom with walking.
Hans was showing the boys how it's done.
Look at the wrist. That is some great follow through. I remember my grandpa teaching us how to shoot baskets in our backyard. He drilled us on our follow through (in a loving grandpa sort of way).
Solveig got a new chair for her front porch just Anders' size. Now he wants to sit by himself in every chair he sees. What a big boy.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Leaves
I have to admit that I'm loving living in a neighborhood that doesn't have mature trees yet. Don't get me wrong. I love trees. They are beautiful, create shade and privacy and are needed for our environment. But, I don't miss raking leaves. Every year I would spend several hours raking and bagging, raking and bagging. I would end up with double digits in bags full of leaves, sore, and sometimes allergy ridden. I would do all of this just to have to do it again a week later when the yard would once more become littered with leaves. One year I flat out refused to rake until all the leaves had fallen. Then I ended up with a yucky, wet mess and dead grass since it had rained on top of the 4 inches of leaves I had accumulated on my lawn. So I love the fact that this was something I didn't have to do this year. Especially since our yard is constantly littered with dog poop. Try raking leaves in those conditions.
While I didn't have to rake leaves, my in-laws did. But they have a small yard and a leaf blower ,so it isn't so bad. This year my father in-law had some helpers. The job took twice as long, but it was also twice as fun.
While I didn't have to rake leaves, my in-laws did. But they have a small yard and a leaf blower ,so it isn't so bad. This year my father in-law had some helpers. The job took twice as long, but it was also twice as fun.
The conversation at the point consisted of, "Grandpa, can I do that? Grandpa, is it my turn yet? Grandpa? Grandpa? I want to use that thing!"
The pile didn't remain a pile for too long before kids would run through it or take handfuls of leaves and throw them.
I don't miss raking leaves, but I do miss watching the kids play in them. The kids had a lot of fun and Grandpa actually did get most of the leaves out on the curb.
Monday, November 28, 2011
A Birthday Celebration
A couple of weekends ago, the boys and I went to Indianapolis to visit with family. While we were there, my sister in-law and my mother in-law planned a little party to celebrate my birthday and Anders' birthday.
The birthday boy with an awesome party hat from Grandma.
Andrina picked up nuggets from Chick-fil-A. That, in and of itself, made it the best party ever.
Christian even entertained us with his recital piece.
There was lots of laughing, dancing, jumping, and popping of balloons. It was utter chaos. But I loved every minute of it.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Favorite Children's Books
Alright everyone. I want your help. Well, really I need your help. I'm putting together book lists for the easy reader section of our library. Lists like 'If you like Elephant and Piggie then try...' or 'Books about Princesses'. I know the books I like and the books my kids like, but I'd like to know what books you and your kids like. I'm always looking for new books, new authors, and new series. I want to put together some totally awesome lists. When I'm done with this project I'll gladly share my findings with all those interested.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Kitchen
This room took a couple of days to complete. I still have some big plans for this room, such as refacing the cabinets, changing out the floor and getting new counter tops. I'm sure my husband is having a heart attack just thinking about all the work we've done and all I still want to do.
Before
During
Before
During
There was some mold on the drywall behind the sink so all that had to be cut out and replaced. This is also the first faucet I replaced...isn't it pretty? I should have held off on replacing the faucet until we completed the painting and backsplash, but I just couldn't wait.
Appliances had to be installed and the walls were prepped for a new tile backsplash.
Kelsey jumped right in and became a pro with the wet saw. If she hadn't come to visit, the kitchen would still look the same as the day we moved in.
After
My fridge screams "There are kids living in this house!" I probably should have spruced that up a bit.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Babe's Chicken Dinner House
I asked Hans what he wanted to do while we were in Texas and, of the three things he mentioned, two of them involved food. It didn't take Hans long to get acclimated to the wonderful restaurants we have down in Texas. A trip to Texas simply wouldn't be complete without a trip to Babe's. This is the place where John had his first taste of mashed potatoes when he was 9 months old.
They have stuff like this covering the walls.
The good stuff. Not the good-for-you stuff but the good tasting stuff.
John enjoyed his food.
Anders really enjoyed his food. The people at the table next to us had a great time watching Anders shovel it all in.
Gus just enjoyed sleeping on Grandpa. He missed the whole chicken experience.
John just had to wear his cowboys boots and John Deere shirt to Babes.
This little cowboy was tired after all that food...or maybe he just wanted Grandma to carry him.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Family Room
This was the first room we painted. This was the only room I primed because I didn't know how well the Valspar paint covered. The paint was the consistency of pudding. It covered so well I decided not to prime anything else.
Before
During
Before
During
We didn't have any fans in the house. It gets pretty hot and sticky here and I really wanted a fan in this room and all of the bedrooms. The problem was that there also weren't any overhead fixtures in these rooms. This is where some nice, handy men from church came over and installed the fan for me. I'm forever grateful.
Partially primed and ready to go!
After
Kelsey and I painted the walls and trim in one day and then built the Ikea furniture the next day. Yep, the Ikea stuff took almost a whole day to complete. But, to be fair to ourselves and Ikea, it was several units worth of furniture and it is all bolted together and to wall. This unit is not going anywhere.
Kelsey also made me some great curtains and pillows to go in this room. I just haven't been organized enough to put them up yet.
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