Who do you Hate? That's your date!

I love the things my kids learn at school. Actually it makes me very nervous, especially when Jake, the oldest and only 6 at the time, came home one day from KINDERGARTEN and told me that boys can marry boys in Massachusetts. That one really freaked me out. But since that shock, they've come home with new jingles, jokes and tricks, and all a lot less scary. Such as:

"Lemonade, Iced tea, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, turn around, touch the ground, kick your girlfriend (boyfriend) out of town - Freeze!" Every time we have lemonade with dinner that song surfaces.

Or,

"Open the gate. Pick some flowers. How many flowers did you pick? That's how many boyfriends you have!"

Or,

"Open the gate. Who do you hate? That's your date." I used to always say, I hate nobody, but the kids wouldn't stand for that as an answer. I had to name someone, so I've learned that if I say Daddy, then he's my date. But I feel like I always have to follow up with "I don't really hate him."

Today, Hannah must dropped that gig on Annie, because she came into my room giggling so hard I could barely understand her, and she told me, "I get to go on a date with Daddy. I said I hate him (giggle, giggle) and I'm going on a date with him." She was getting the biggest kick out of it. Lately we've had a battle over who gets to be married to Jeremy. Annie insists she gets to when she's older (who can blame her), but I always argue and tell her he's taken so back off and leave my man alone! So after she announced her date with Dad, I said I want to go on a date with him and she agreed that we both get to date Dad. Then I told her, "I get to kiss him, not you, and I planted a big one on him" Then she tried to match me and kiss him on the lips, but he wouldn't stand for it and kept giving her his cheek. Ha, Ha I win!

I sure hope Annie finds someone as great as her daddy to marry. He's a real catch!

The Christmas Hangover

The Highlights and Lowlights of Christmas 2010

High Lights

Soups and breadbowls on Christmas Eve

Hearing the Christmas story twice - Christmas Eve and Christmas Night

Jeremy getting to be King Herrod, saying "Foiled!" when the Wisemen went the other way -leading some adults (Jarred) to make Scooby Doo comments

The other actors were pretty good too: Abby - Mary, Jake - Joseph, Hannah and Annie - Angels, Kalicia and Devon - Shepherds, Oliver, Simon and Talmage - Wisemen

Watching the kids open their loot on Christmas morning

Jake got a remote control car, Abby a camera, Hannah a Go-Go my Walking Pup, and Annie a new bike (Sorry, Jake - somehow I missed your picture)

Hearing the Dutton's perform two nights before Christmas

New Christmas PJ's from Grandma Platt

Sharing Christmas breakfast with Mom, Dad and Matt

Pigging out on Red Vines and Whoppers - my favorite treats from Santa!

Jamming out with Rock Band - we finally got a Wii with Rock Band -as it turns out, none of us have a lick of rhythm, but we enjoy every minute of failing out of the songs

Learning how to bowl a strike in Wii bowling

A great White elephant exchange - always a surprise and great fun (this year some KY made it into the mix of gifts - good job, Joe) . We scored a framed quote and picnic blanket

The annual rendition of White Christmas by the Goodman Brothers and Dad (The tradition started out with Grandpa Goodman and his 3 sons). My bros and dad do it as passionately as the older generation.

A delicious Mexican feast on Christmas night.

Low Lights

The Christmas hangover when the house is trashed and the anticipation and excitement is gone

Annie being sick the week leading up to Christmas and even a few days after

Hannah being sick this week, not able to enjoy her new loot

That's it for the low lights. Not many. It was by all means a wonderful Christmas and we hope for many, many more.

Christmas by the Senses

I love Christmas. I love the anticipation on my kids faces waiting for the big morning, and I really love that all of my senses get hit during the Holiday season.

I love the smells of the season. The gingerbread men ornaments, the yummy goodies that I spend hours baking and my parents' fresh real tree (that used to be my favorite smell of the season in my house until we got ourselves a fake tree).

I'm definitely a fan of food and eating. I get giddy just thinking about all the yummy flavors and treats. I love the soups and bread bowls on Christmas Eve, Whoppers, Red Vines and all the plates of tasty goodies delivered to our house.

Last night we went on a hayride around my parents neighborhood. Their neighbor has the best light display set to music, it's truly a sight to behold. My other favorite sight is our decorated house. We don't have a lot of cool decorations, but my kids don't know that. They think our house is amazing at Christmas, especially the tree that they get to decorate, in all its mismatched glory.

I just read that December is statistically the coldest month is AZ. It definitely makes it feel like Christmas when I get to get bundled up in a sweatshirt and sneakers instead of flipflops (cold is a relative term - I mean it gets to be about 115 in July, so a freeze warning seems downright Michigany to me). We even get to burn a few fires in our fireplace. But sipping hot chocolate and burning a fire makes it feel like Christmas for sure.

I think my favorite part of Christmas is getting to hear so much music. Some I can do without, like the Santa that Grandma Taylor gave us that sings Jingle Bell Rock until my ears want to fall off, but I'll take that sound with gratitude that my ears work, so I can hear the music of the performers at the temple or my ward choir singing with such passion at church. There are amazing voices everywhere, and though I wasn't one born with one, I sure can appreciate others. I cry at least 5 times during the holidays when I listen to amazing music, such as the song, "I, said the Donkey..." which is my fav this year, or any rendition of "O Holy Night". I love singing along with all my favorite songs or even singing without them in the background, until Annie tells me to stop singing because it's ugly - gotta love that honesty.

The sense I love the most is the feeling of love and gratitude that abounds (I don't know if that counts as a sense, but it's my blog, so I say it does). I'm thankful to my Heavenly Father for giving me His Son, so that I can live again. I love the feeling of joy when I get to serve others and when I feel like I've successfully taught my children the importance of serving others. This week Jake has attempted to make me breakfast in bed twice. The first was Mini-wheats with milk and a cup of Crystal Light fruit punch. The second was this morning when he started making me waffles, but I foiled his plan when I came into the kitchen. But the happiness on his face because he was serving someone was so priceless.

Merry Christmas!

Jake's 9

Today, my dear oldest child and only son, Jake, turns 9. It seems like just yesterday I was being called to go to the hospital to be induced with him. I brought a deck of cards and my mom insisted that I would not feel like playing cards in the hospital, I'd be in too much pain. But alas, no contractions for Karrie and at around 3:00 after lots of games of gin, and hours of pitocin, Jake's little heart was distressed and he couldn't take much more of this long labor (at that point I was dilated to a 2, and I got to the hospital at a 1), so Dr. Layton recommended a a c-section. I don't remember much after that, just being scared. At that point things moved really fast. I was given some medicine and about 2 minutes alone with Jeremy, then off to the OR. By 3:30 Jake was here, with his loud hearty cry, big mouth and what I thought was red hair. I was taken back to my room without him where I got to start making calls. I was super cheery because I was totally numb and my family couldn 't believe I had really had him. It was quite funny. I hadn't even really gotten a chance to hold him and soon everyone started showing up to see the cutie.

It wasn't until the next day that I felt like I really bonded with Jake. We had a lot of alone time and it was cherished. He was perfect and, oddly, I fell in love with his ears. To me they signified how perfect his tiny body was.

Jake has been such a great boy over the years. He is cute, smart, very coordinated, a fiery competitor, a vigorous teaser, avid sports fanatic and a gentle soul all at the same time. Happy Birthday Jake, I love you!

Jake went through a mad Superman phase. He wore his cape ALL the time. He would go to Walmart in it and ALL the old people would comment on how safe they felt knowing they had the Man of Steel protecting them at the store. This picture is of Jake being Clark Kent with his cape sticking out of his shirt and tie.

Jake at the end of this soccer season. He is a really good soccer player with some amazing moves. He's a lot of fun to watch when he drives up the field for a score.

Jake had his first piano recital last night. He did really well. I'm so proud of him. He only sometimes complains about practicing and he's learning so much. Way to go!

Boo! Did I scare ya?

Every morning I get greeted by the same scary surprise. Hannah, without fail, will try to sneak into my room, the kitchen, the bathroom when I'm going, anywhere... to try to scare me. It is always "Rarrrr! Did I scare you?" And Jeremy and/or I have to jump a mile, only sometimes faked, and she laughs with complete satisfaction at scaring her old parents. I have to admit, she has her moments where she is really stealth and can genuinely make me jump and that just makes her even more proud of her accomplishment. Tonight, she went so far as to put on a mask in the Walmart toy aisle and then snuck around the corner to scare me. Hannah has always been her own person, but lately her individuality has made me laugh out loud sometimes. Maybe it's the happy, juicy cheeks that make her so endearing, or maybe it's her fun personality, but she is definitely a sweetie!

(On a side note for any who care - I certainly do -Last week she had her first clean urine sample in the past two years. She is finally free from a UTI. It was a glorious doctor's appointment - And I think it has contributed to her happiness. We have finally found something that works and she is so much less stressed, as am I).

Four. No, Five... Who's on first? Who.

(Abby on a normal night doing her homework - all business)

(This is Abby this week - a hysterical, giggling mess)

Every night Abby has reading homework, and a lot of it sometimes. Last week I made our own Abbot and Costello bit. She had a list of words to read and number four was the word FOUR. So when she'd get to it she'd say "four" and I'd say, "yes, I need you to read number 4". Then she'd say "four" and I'd pretend to be annoyed and say again, "yes, do number 4" Then she'd squeal and giggle. This would go on for a few minutes until I had no more witty ways to tease her, so we'd go on to number 5 and so on...

Well this week, she once again had the word four, but it was on the review column of words and this week it was number 5. She was devastated that we'd have no way to joke around with it.

(here's part of her list)

1. way

2. find

3. follow

4. found

5. four

6. full

But her ever so clever mom came through. Here's how it would go down...

Let's read your words, Abby. Start with number 1.

way

number 2

find

number 3

follow

number 4

found

number 5

four

OK, you can do number four again

found

Now do number 5

four

Abby we already did number 4 can you read number 5?

four

No, we're not doing 4 we're doing 5. Please read it.

four

Abby, I'm getting kinda tired of this, Stop arguing with me and do number 5

four

OK we'll go back to number 5 later do number 6...

full...

Ok are you ready to try number 5 again?

four

Forget about it, I quit. Go have your dad help you (At which point, Jeremy takes over the game for the next 10 minutes, until I tell them she really does need to get her homework finished and she goes on, but not before she is hysterical and can hardly breathe from laughing so hard. It will really be a sad week next week when the number four is no longer on her list.

But it beats last year when I'd arrange her sight words to be read in this order - I- like- to- go- do- do... She never really appreciated that one. I've come a long way. And Abigail really does have a great sense of humor. I love that girl!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

We went last weekend to see the play the "Best Christmas Pageant Ever". And it really was the best Christmas pageant ever! It was a children's production and absolutely hysterical. I had recently read the book to the kids not sure if they'd like it, and they loved it. Hannah started counting down the days two weeks prior to the big play. They were all so giddy to go. And believe me, it was no disappointment. I laughed out loud, Laura even snorted once she was laughing so hard, then I bawled, no surprise there. It was amazing. Those kids were so talented. I'd highly recommend anyone in the East Valley go see it this weekend before it goes away. After the play, the kids got to meet some of the actors. Their favorite, by far, was Gladys - the meanest Herdman of them all. They even got their picture taken with her and were a bit surprised that she wasn't mean in real life. At one point Annie asked if she could tell her a secret. She whispered, "Are you the meanest Herdman?" I laughed really hard. I wasn't sure she got anything out of the play at all, but apparently she did.

A good night, a great play with a great perspective on what Mary must have felt like, great company - the Ricedorff's, Laura, John, and Mom and Dad, and a super fun way to bring in the Christmas spirit.

So Thankful

I love Thanksgiving. It seems to be so underrated as a holiday. I love making my Thankful list, the one that my mom started making us make growing up, that I have continued to make every year since. Although, sometimes my list is in my head and not on paper.

Well, this year, my kids have been somewhat whiny lately. They complain about everything, from their clothes, to having to go to church, to what's for dinner. Some of my kids are worse than others, but I'm not naming names. So last night for FHE we continued our lesson from last week in the car about being thankful. We talked about Polyanna and my favorite story from the movie. It's the story where she asks for a doll and the mission sends her a pair of crutches instead. Her dad made up the Glad Game and they found something about the crutches to be glad about. They were glad they didn't have to use them! I love that story and I want to have Polyanna's outlook on life and her gratitude. I fear my kids' ingratitude is coming from their mom. So we decided to make our own family list, but this year we did put it on paper, individual pieces of paper, and then taped them all over the walls, as a reminder of how fortunate we are. The kids have never been so excited or participatory in a FHE. It was one of those FHE's that make up for all the ill prepared ones.

Our walls look something like this -

my family

my bed

the rain

food and clothes

my trike

Jesus

Jeremy's job

Maddix's puppies

friends

The Book of Mormon

my Grandparents

my bike

temple

teachers

America

Atonement

Bishop Fletcher

President Ostler

President Monson

Maddix

aunts and uncles

cousins

Maddix's clothes

my wife

Bodgie

books

my babies

the ten commandments

Mom

Dad

TV/movies

I love the honesty in their answers. I hope our list can continue to grow this week and that we can all be a little more grateful.

Holiday Services

If anybody is looking for any of the following services during the holiday season, please don't go anywhere else. You can come to the Platt home and surely get a bargain. My kids will probably try to charge you a lot, but they're very negotiable.

My kids are offering:

Jake - Hair styling

He's fantastic, and you only lose about half your hair in the process. Multiple ponytails are his specialty, but he also rats and teases.

Hannah - Etiquette Lessons

She will teach you the proper way to act at dinners and family functions

Annie - Fashion lessons

For those who don't know how to accessorize your outfits, Annie's the one for you. She can even show you how to make a leotard look cute over a dress and pants all at the same time. I can't even begin to tell you how many comments (I wouldn't go so far as calling them compliments) she gets each day on her get ups. When she sees clothes she likes, she wears them ALL together

Abby - Photographer

She can come to your house and photograph every messy corner of your home. She also takes great pictures of bums, and nostrils. I haven't posted any of her work due to the fact that I'd be way too embarrassed, and we already have a picture of me with awesome hair. Oh wait, she took the above picture of Hannah.

P.S. - As it turns out, Annie and Hannah are just as good at picture taking as Abby. And Hannah can also come to your home and help you learn how to wear tights with short t-shirts.

Abby - my almost 7 year old with pierced ears

Last year when Abby's birthday was coming up, I asked her if she wanted a party or to go shopping with just her Mama at the mall. She chose the latter. We had a joyous time and even peeked our heads in to Claire's contemplating getting her ears pierced. I had to be 10 to get mine pierced because my mom didn't want to have to care for my ears for me, good logic right? Using that reasoning, I talked her out of it and APPARENTLY I told her we could do it when she turned 7. Leave it to my elephant memory child to not forget something, because a while ago, she started reminding me that that is what she wanted for her birthday.

So last night for FHE, we loaded the family in the van and headed to the mall. On the way there we threw in a little lesson on gratitude and the pilgrims. The kids each took turns saying what they were grateful for. Hannah was the most eager, yelling out 5 things to each person's 1. Jeremy even said, and I quote - "I'm thankful that I saw that cruiser bruiser before anyone else!" Then he hit me. I digress, sorry - back to Abby.

We got to the mall, and we spent a good chunk of time picking out her earrings. Then it came time for her to sit on the chair for the piercing. Jake was rather disappointed that the gun wasn't more intimidating. All were staring at her hoping for some great drama. It didn't happen. Abby took it like a man and did great with the first ear. The second one was a bit more painful I guess, 'cause I could tell she wanted to cry, but she stayed composed and was all smiles as soon as she got to see herself in the mirror.

My camera died right as the girl was getting ready to do the first ear, so I had to wait until this morning to get the after shot.

Happy Birthday, Peanut!

Autumn Time

I'm a little behind with things. In fact, Saturday night it finally caught up to me when I dreamed that I didn't get anything for my kids for Christmas and thought I could trick them into celebrating it a few days late so I could go to K-Mart. I don't even shop at K-Mart. Needless to say, I woke up in a panic. I guess the things that I usually stay caught up on, I haven't been. For instance: I'm way behind in my Reading and Phonics Class. My house is a mess. I haven't made my detailed Christmas list yet. I haven't even mentioned Halloween on the blog and we hadn't made our annual Caramel Apples.

So here goes...

Halloween was fantastic. As I mentioned before, we had some flip flopping on our costumes, but we ended up with a solid Halloween and all the kids were happy with their costumes. We had our ward Trunk or Treat and Chili cook-off. It was great fun and such a fast and easy way to trick-or-treat. Then we headed off to my mom and dad's house to bug them for the second time that evening. We looted their neighborhood and the kids made out with a ton of candy. When Hannah was asked if she got any candy, she replied, "Too much candy!" Annie didn't have much candy in her bag when we got home. She would get a treat at a house, and as she'd walk away she would be opening the wrapper and eating the treat. I'm pretty sure she littered all her trash as she'd walk down the walk because there were no wrappers in her purse.

On Sunday we enjoyed a quiet evening passing out candy at home. That was a first for our family. Hannah gave out huge handfuls to every one that came our way until I had to fire her and take the job over myself.

The kids

Steve Nash -with a nasty wig that never did comb down like Nash's hair.

Belle - who ended up looking like a homeless kid. She shed her shoes and picked up a coat that she got quite dirty with chocolate drool. At least I got her to take off the black and hot pink dress she was wearing under her costume. Score a small victory for me.

A pink witch -Hannah got a hold of my blush before the partying began. She looked sunburned.

A vampire - with awesome crimped hair and black hair spray and no fangs because they hurt her mouth.

Annie and Keelie - the Princesses

Last night we decided that it was better late than never to make Caramel Apples. I think the kids enjoy the event of making them better than eating them. They all ate about 6 bites and quit, but they had fun making them (not like it's even hard to do- that's something Hannah would say). Jeremy and I kept reminiscing back to our second October in NY when Abby was just about a year old. We made caramel apples and she went to town on one. She ate it all and left only the stick behind. My all time favorite picture is of her chowing down on an apple, her mouth wide open, caramel dripping and drool oozing from her mouth. She was so darn cute as a baby -still is for that matter.

Jake

Annie

Hannah

Abby - notice the wrap on her wrist. She was crying that her wrist hurt, so Jeremy wrapped a towel around it and tied it with a shoelace. All Better! Best placebo cure ever!

The Girls - Our caramels didn't come with sticks this year, so we improvised and used spoons.

Humility - Not in our House

Last night we were sitting around the table enjoying some fine dinner and ever so enjoyable entertainment, compliments of our kids. We had, what me and Jeremy thought was a hysterical conversation. It went something like this:

Jeremy: Do you know who has gotten really good on Jake's soccer team?

Karrie: So and so, or so and so? (I'm not mentioning names here)

Jeremy: Oh gosh no, are you on crack!? No, it's so and so.. He's gotten so much better at handling the ball and more deliberate in his shots.

Jake: Like I am?

Jeremy: Yeah, and boy are you humble

Jake: What's that mean?

Jeremy: When you don't think too much of yourself, you're not cocky and you don't think of yourself as better than others...(or something to that effect)

Jake: I don't think I'm better than anyone else, I am humble

Jeremy: Well if you think you're humble, then you're not

Jake: Huh?

more conversation that I forgot... then,

Karrie: Like if I said, that on my volleyball team, I'm the worst player

Jake: You are?

Karrie: Yeah, I'm getting old

Family: Chuckles from all

Jeremy: She's not the worst, but if she said she was the best, then it would sound like she was proud and not humble

Jake: Well Abby's not humble. She thinks she's the best dancer

Abby: Well, it's not me saying I'm the best dancer, it's my teacher who says I'm the best, so I am.

Karrie and Jeremy: Bust out laughing, trying hard to stifle the hysterics, but failing miserably.

I think we have a ways to go on our lessons in humility, and if Jeremy and I can grow up a bit and keep our composure for a while, then maybe we can teach them a thing or two.

Did you Know...?

Did you know...

*That we have about 50 mechanical pencils floating around our house, but only 3 with erasers, and I have NO idea where they all go.

*That when a sea star eats something yucky it leaves its stomach behind and just grows a new one. That's what Hannah learned in pre-school this week. She comes home every single day and educates me on something new. From the outside looking in, it may seem that I'm just humoring her acting like it's all news to me so she feels smart, but she really is, and I'm apparently not.

* That beads multiply in our house. Every single time I vacuum, I first pick up about 4000 beads and then still manage to vacuum up another 2000. And out of all those beads, only one originated from a bracelet that I made. I have also been very unsuccessful in re-making the broken necklaces and bracelets. I don't even try anymore and the girls don't seem to notice that they are down about 50 pieces of jewelry.

* That my kids have switched Halloween costume ideas about 4 times each this month. I have been to Wal-Mart and Target multiple times returning costumes, wigs and accessories. The beautiful thing is that we have now definitely decided on costumes and they are all borrowed or handed down, or costumes from Halloweens past in our home. I have spent 4 dollars on Halloween and will not spend another cent (unless I come across a wig that Jake can use to be a Steve Nash wig).

*That Abby now has her own room. She even keeps it clean, as do Hannah and Annie. I guess 3 girls in one room was just too much.

*That my kids are obsessed with kissing. I wonder where they get that?

They gag every time Jeremy and I kiss. So now we make-out in front of them just to annoy them. And in return, they do things like kiss a milk jug or the Big Time Rush boys on TV just to annoy me.

(These pics may give you some idea of how a typical Platt dinner goes down - always chaotic, but hey, we're together)

Twice in one day!

So I cried twice yesterday - once at the gym on the treadmill (as previously posted) and then, more justifiably, at

Beauty and the Beast.

Every year for my birthday, my marvelous husband tries so hard to make the day perfect for me. It took him a few years to realize that I'm a brat on my birthday. It's my one day a year that I'm spoiled, the one day that gets to be all about me. I always try to campaign for a birth "week" instead of just a day. This year he asked what I wanted, I told him an apron, frying pan or tickets to Beauty and the Beast. After 11+ years of marriage, I can safely say, he knows me well. I did end up getting both the apron and frying pan, which I LOVE! Anyway...when Hannah saw me open my gift of two tickets, she said, "You get to go twice" I had to explain that I was just going once and was going to take her dad. Then she started begging to go with me.

Darn it!

The play was beautiful. The sets were amazing, the songs were fun and the music was phenomenal. I was giddy when they sang "Gaston" and hopeful when they sang "Something There." I cried when Belle came back for The Beast and when he was transformed into a human. It was such a great production.

After it was over, I was ready to bolt for the door, tackle people to get outside first and sprint for the car, but Jeremy, always the patient man who gets his money's worth, insisted that we go down to the Q&A with the cast. I was a bit annoyed because we were already up way past my bedtime, but I'm glad we did. We got to listen to Gaston, Lefou, Lumiere (my three favorites), the Beast and a few others. They were so funny and down to earth.

I don't normally wish to be wealthy, but like the song "Billionaire", last night I wanted to be a billionaire so freakin' bad, (the new favorite song in our house. It makes me laugh) but only because I wanted to bring my girls. I think they would have loved it...

Maybe someday.

The joys of being a woman

Today I was at the gym. I was running on the treadmill in the midst of my usual routine: my Ipod in my ears blaring Les Miserables' "One more Day", watching, but not hearing, the TV which was turned to ESPN. As always in every SportsCenter the Top 10 Plays of the Day came on. But this time it was the top 10 plays of youth sports, sent in by parents that were recording their children, anything from a high school basketball game, to a trampoline trick, to a pop warner football run... I found myself on that treadmill, just about crying with excitement and oozing with pride and giggles as I watched these amazing plays of people I didn't know. I always get a little emotional over a beautiful play or the winning of a championship, but it has never happened while on the treadmill. Then after the top 10 were played there was a story of a young boy in Wisconsin, with cancer, that was a huge Badger football fan who was befriended by the team and the quarterback. It was a beautiful story

It started the water works really coming. Who sobs on the treadmill? I didn't ever think it would ever be me, but I guess it is and will most likely be again someday, because I am a woman with hormones and that is just what we girls do.

*by the way, I'm not pregnant

*I think jogging and crying has to burn double the calories, right? So now I'm entitled to double dessert tonight!

Happy Birthday, Annie!

Last week Annie turned 3! My baby is already 3 years old. Aaagghhh! And because she is my baby, she got 2 parties. Friday night we invited all the family that was in town (not many) for hot dogs, cupcakes and a pinata. Annie was sporting her new birthday outfit that she wore all day Saturday, too.

On Saturday morning, Annie's birthday, we went to St. Johns. It was planned long ago, but Annie thought it was a special trip just for her. When we got to Grandma and Grandpa Platt's house, Cyndi had a Raggedy Ann cake for her. It was adorable and Annie got to be the center of attention once again. She ate it up.

She got a lot of good loot, but her favorites were her new clothes, including the tu-tu outfit from Grandma Goodman, her skinny jeans from Alex, and her new bouncing baby doll.

Annie is such a great kid. She is very much a 3 year old. She is opinionated and, with her hands on her hips or her arms crossed, she will let you know exactly what she's thinking.

Each day I know how her day is going to be by how she wakes up. I ask her, "Annie how did you sleep? Did you have any dreams?" If she answers yes, then I know it's gonna be a great day because the next question is, "What did you dream about?" Always, the answer is "Crocodiles." I have no idea where it came from, but that is the standard answer when she wakes up in a good mood. Then we make up a story about the crocodiles, they were dancing, or were wearing diapers, or putting on make up, or singing Taylor Swift songs...you get the idea. We laugh and our day is off to a great start.

Annie, I love you. You may not like to be called my baby, but for now and maybe for always you are my sweet, special baby!

Do as I say, not as I do

This last weekend we went to St. John's for part of October break. While there, we headed up to Greer to do our second annual walk along the creek with Jeremy's parents. It was a great time: beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, trees turning colors, chilly creek, great company... As any good mother would do, I warned my kids over and over again to stay dry and stay out of the creek. And wouldn't you know it, by the end of the hike we had 4 wet feet coming from 4 different kids. "Deal with it, I told you to stay out of the creek," I told them. I tend to not be very sympathetic sometimes, wondering why on earth it's so hard to stay dry. With only minimal whining we made it through the rest of the hike and then the kids were back in the van with their wet shoes off and bundled up under their blankets.

(The whole crew, minus Drew who was behind the camera - Annie, Karrie, Jake, Abby, Jeremy, Hannah, Cyndi)

(Jake)

(Annie)

(Hannah and Abby)

Fast forward a few days to yesterday at McCormick Train Park in Scottsdale. We spent a lovely morning with the Ricedorff's and Goodman's playing at the playground, riding the train, riding the carousel and then finally chowing down on yummy ice cream, when wouldn't you know it, I turn around and bam - step right in the only puddle at the whole park. Every eye was on me and Joe even said, "really, Karrie, you didn't see that puddle?" Obviously not.

(The Crew in the train at McCormick Train Park - they all squeezed into the only enclosed car)

Rewind to every single time I sweep the floor (about once a month - haha) and the kids, without fail, step in my dirt pile. "Really, I told you to watch out for the dirt." I'm usually a little annoyed by their absent mindedness.

Fast forward to today when I was sweeping up the floor after Hannah's parmesan cheese fiasco last night (only one day later). What do I do? I step right smack dab in the middle of my dirt pile.

Thank goodness only Alex was there to see me do it. Boy oh boy, if the kids had seen it, what little credibility and respect I still hang on to would be history!

The Desk

A few weeks ago, we listed an old desk, that was handed down to us from Jeremy's parents, on Craigslist. It was posted for about 2 hours and then it was sold, picked up, and gone. I commented to Jeremy that I was sad to see it go and he just looked at me like I was crazy.

We got it not long after we were married. It always housed our computer until we moved to New York. That was in 2003 when Jeremy started PA school. It soon became his studying desk. We lived in a 3 bedroom house on Long Island and at the end of the hall was the spare bedroom that doubled as his office. That was where Jeremy would spend countless hours studying. And I mean 3 binders of notes open at any given time, 10 textbooks piled on the corner with about 3 open as cross references, re-listening to lectures. It was the most dedicated I had ever seen him to that point.

A typical day would go like this: Get up, eat, family prayer, go to school all day for class, come home go to his room to study, come out and play with Jake and Abby for a while, go back and study some more, come out and eat dinner, go back and study again, come out to read to Jake and kiss the kids good-night, and then go back to study until usually at least 1:00am.

He never complained, he never gave up. He worked his tail off and showed his kids by his great example the importance of hard work, and he ALWAYS found time for his wife and kids. Sometimes the kids would beg to go see him and I'd make them wait at least an hour for his study break. Then they'd storm down the hall, burst in to his office and he'd wrestle Jake and hold Abby.

The wonderful traits that came out so strongly in PA school are still there, but even better. He still rarely complains. He still reads with Jake every night. He still studies and expands his already full brain. But he also teaches Hannah to ride her bike without training wheels, wraps Abby's "hurt knee" in a towel for her, treats family and neighbors' illnesses late at night, attends church meetings all the time, takes Jake home teaching, dresses the girls' dollies, builds a treehouse, jogs the dog, brushes Annie's teeth...and on and on.

I love Jeremy. I love him for making me want to be a better person, for his patience, for his kindness, his amazing work ethic, for the fantastic husband and father he is. I'm thankful for all the long hours of studying at the old desk and that he works so hard now to provide a living for our family.

Thanks for the great example you are to your wife and children, Jeremy.