Lovely Luisa

So the news is almost official.

It is looking like we will have a German student come and stay with us for a bit as an Au Pair. Luisa should be a HUGE help for us and it will be a good adventure for sure!

T.F. Traditions

The Tooth Fairy is going to be visiting our home very soon - maybe next week. It is a big milestone, a friend at church compared baby teeth to getting a puppy (excitement) and then having the puppy die (sadness) ~ for the mom at least! I am grieving Gracie's sweet little teeth coming out! I am trying to think of some traditions to start so if you have any from your experiences with the Tooth Fairy, please comment. After some research, I have found that not all Tooth Fairies are the same...

* According to a CBS report, the going rate for teeth is rising, up by 22% a year ago. The average kid is raking in $2.09 on average per baby tooth.

* Some Fairies put glitter on the window and a dollar bill folded into an oragami star.

* Put the change under the mom's pillow so the tooth fairy doesn't forget.

* Once the child hits double digits, they don't get visits anymore. (It can get expensive with a 4 kid family!)

* To solve the problem of waking up light sleepers, one tooth fairy left instructions that teeth should be left by the tooth brush in the bathroom because she likes to check the brush as well and make sure you've been using it.

* And when a tooth comes out and is swallowed, rendering a child inconsolable and in floods of tears, one Tooth Fairy wrote the child a note about how accidents happen and she'd be back for the next one. God bless a communicative Tooth Fairy!!

* Tell the child to just put the tooth in a glass of water by the bed and in the morning, it would be a coin in the glass of water.

* One Tooth Fairy said that she keeps a stash in a trinket box on a high shelf (less chance of a child finding them). That way she has a coin when the tooth falls out during dinner.

Ellen has an infected ingrown toenail... big bummer.

...Our Treasure...

The women at our church got together last night for a beautiful evening. It was at one of my favorite people ~ Claudia's ~ home. Diane spoke on Jesus being our treasure and focusing on what He did for us on the cross. The cake from Amphora was delicious.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell (Volume 1 & 2)

This is a new feature for my blog

~~Don't Ask, Don't Tell.~~

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" posts are dedicated to the little mysteries I find around our home.

The ones I don't know anything about until I stumble across them, but they always have an interesting backstory. (And they make OTHER people laugh outloud.)

Volume 1:

Powder on the floor...

someone got into Ellen's baby powder and it wasn't Ellen.

Volume 2:

Sam at 9 pm last night - fast asleep - PJs unzipped?

I want to give proper credit to Pam's "hand-me-down friend" Aurora for the idea. We love our "hand-me-down friends."

She has a DARLING blog so click HERE to see it.

Letter to the Governor

Dear Governor,
I want to write you a letter to make you proud of one of our state employees. I was driving my minivan today on 66 West, just outside of Vienna, when my tire blew out on my minivan. I was so scared and pulled over next to the snow banks in a HOV lane. I was in a very dangerous place and couldn’t get out of my vehicle because of the traffic whizzing by. I called 911 and two state troopers came immediately to park behind my vehicle with flashers to keep me safe.

What impressed me the most was the nice man that came 10 minutes later with the truck to help me change the tire on my minivan. He drove one of the trucks that have the blinking arrows on it with “VDOT” written on the side. He was the most calming man that could have ever arrived to assist me. He opened my door for me and gave me clear instructions and directions on what to do. My safety was his first priority. The spare tire on my vehicle was in poor condition and could not be changed but he assured me that he would protect me and check on me while I waited for a flatbed tow truck.

Please commend this employee, “Mike Musgrove” for his exceptional service to me. I could see that he had a wonderful relationship with the state troopers and acted extremely professional. He has a very dangerous job as I watched a motorist pull over to ask him for directions while assisting me. I was so thankful for his help.
Sincerely,
Andrea
Minivan mother to 4 children under 5

Get To Know You Saturday!

I am refeaturing something that I did in the early days of my blog...

an opportunity to get-to-know my friends.

Here is a mini interview with my wonderful friend.

Enjoy.

Name: Erin Gingrich

Occupation: Well, everyone who has kids is a full-time mom whether they have a job outside of the house or not, right? At least that's the way I see it. So I'm one of those crazy women who gets to balance being both a full-time mom AND having a full-time job outside of the house. (The other day when I was explaining what I do to my 3-year-old, he responded with, "What? Are you crazy?" I think so...) I teach 7th grade English and a reading-writing workshop elective. While I don't change diapers at school, one would be amazed at the striking similarities between dealing with middle schoolers and preschoolers...drama, defiance, crying, stubbornness, messes, more crying, naptime (for middle schoolers this happens during my grammar lessons), and more crying.

Erin's children and what they're into:
Luke, age 3 years: My kooky firstborn son is a great mix of rough-and-tumble and sweetheart. He is currently addicted to anything Toy Story. He has always been and still is an "on his terms" kind of kid. I can push all I want, but he usually ends up being the decider--crawling, walking, potty training, and more. (Speaking of potty training, he keeps calling his underpants "andies" instead of "undies", which I think is hilarious since his daddy's name is Andy!) So I have gotten really good at spinning things just the right way so that he ends up thinking they were his great ideas all along. Every day I wake up praying that this isn't the day that he is suddenly too old for me to get away with that! Luke can put down food like there's no tomorrow. I do wonder sometimes if the 529 college fund will go to waste because he'll end up being able to support himself with prize money from eating contests. From very early on, Luke demonstrated that he has my OCD nature for organizing, sorting, and just doing things in a particular and orderly manner (a wicked combination with that previously mentioned "on his terms" approach to life!). He has an unparalleled knack for puzzles and putting things together. He is confident in who he is, or at the least he just really likes his name, because whenever I call him little pet names or nicknames (as in--"Hey buddy, you're the Puzzle Master!"), he looks at me with such fervor and intensity and says, "No I'm not. I'm Luke Andrew Gingrich." Well, excuse me... Which reminds me, he is such a verbal kid. He loves to parrot anything he hears (which means I have to be REALLY careful what's on the radio in the car). It cracks me up how he'll often start sentences with, "Well, actually Mommy..." or "Apparently, Mommy..." Can't wait to see how all of the facets of his personality play out when he's in school. Since Daddy's a pastor and Mommy's a teacher, I guess we're just doomed to have the assumed "bad kid".


Noah, age 5 months: Noah is seriously a bundle of everything sweet packaged in a roly-poly almost 17-pound baby. He loves music and responded to it so interestingly at just several weeks old. Like his brother, he is a champ when it comes to eating. (Heck, maybe they can be like a winning duo and Daddy WILL be able to take that 529 and go for the Ph.D. after all!) But he is opposite from his brother when it comes to adjusting and trying things. Noah is so go-with-the-flow. It doesn't matter if it's sleeping or eating or tubby-time, every milestone moment with him was almost uneventful--but in a good way. He just doesn't fuss about much. For example, he started veggies yesterday. Andy had the camera all ready to capture some gags and grimaces for the scrapbooks, but he swallowed as if he had been eating carrots for weeks. Funny kid. Of course, since I had to return to teaching when he was only 10 weeks old, I praise God daily that he is such a flexible baby and has no problem sticking to a schedule. He is really into his feet right now. Amazing how he can grab those suckers and fold himself up into a little 17-pound baby taco. He is so stinkin' cute that I seriously want to put him in my pocket and carry him around with me all day...although, I guess I would need something more along the lines of a Costco flatbed to haul around this chub-a-chub!



Hometown:
Barrington, NJ (Holla' for the East Coast!)

Other cities where Erin has lived:
Cedarville, OH; Plano, TX; Sterling, VA; Centreville, VA



Erin's one piece of advice for someone about to become a first time parent:
Be as organized as you possibly can because it will allow you to keep your sanity, but at the same time learn to let things go because that will also allow you to keep your sanity. How does this play out for me? For example, I probably spend almost 30 minutes every night preparing for the next day--laying out outfits for both boys and for me (even down to my accessories and shoes), making my lunch, putting an on-the-go breakfast together for Luke that he can grab and eat in the car at the ungodly hour we leave, and making sure both hubby and I know what's on the menu for dinner so whoever gets home first can get it going. This makes for stress-free mornings trying to get out of the house--a time that could be an absolute war zone in any household. At the same time, the dishes are not washed every day, the laundry occasionally sits in the baskets for days before it's put away (although neatly folded!), the beds are NEVER made, and the ironing pile is usually higher than Mt. Kilimanjaro. But I just have to be okay with that and choose my battles. Everything always DOES get done eventually.



The one fashion item Erin cannot live without:

Can I pick two? 1) A casual structured jacket--Great for a stylish, layered look but it also kind of pulls everything in and gives the appearance that you are thinner than you are. If you choose a fabric like denim or corduroy, it ends up being really versatile and goes with a lot. 2) Colorful jewelry--I make it a goal to try to own a chunky necklace, bracelet and earrings in every color of the rainbow (or at least every color that's in my closet). Amazing how adding just a few pieces can update an outfit you've had in your closet forever and can get you compliments.



Anything else we should know about Erin:

1. I am a scrapbooking fiend. I have recently branched out to include digital scrapbooking in my repertoire. It is a time-saver and allows me to stay current in preserving and journaling my family's most precious moments.
2. I am a pianist. I started taking lessons in 3rd grade, competed classically in high school, have played in everything from bands to weddings to churches to school groups, minored in music in college, and have taught lessons and wish I could afford to quit my job and still teach lessons. Upcoming performance--pianist for my middle school's production of Disney's "High School Musical" in March. I think I'm driving my family (and probably my neighbors) bonkers with the amount of time I have spent practicing "We're All In This Together" and all of those other cheesy teeny-bopper hits.
3. I love, love, love, love, love to read. Fiction novels in particular, but I am open to other things (just not books about running, weight, and nutrition--sorry, honey). I guess you could say I am "print hungry". Give me a good story, and I'm lost for hours.
4. I am pursuing leaving my classroom teaching job for something that would still bring in a decent amount of income but allow me to work from home and not have to watch almost 25% of my salary go to childcare expenses. Any ideas? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Desperate here...
5. I am in awe of my darling friend, Andrea, who thought that my small life was interesting enough to be featured on her blog. A mother of four kids under age 5 with a stylish look, a quick wit, an infectious optimistic personality, a knack for all things consignment and thrift, veins that pump creativity, and a strong marriage and testimony--what is there NOT to be in awe of??? You rock, girlfriend!

Snow Project #2

Snow Project #2: Call Dyson and find out why our vaccuum isn't working anymore. Nate and I have tried everything to get it to suck and it will not suck anymore. The nice lady on the phone walked me through some things that we have NOT done before and low and behold:

need i say more?

Bling Board - Organizing Jewelry!

One of my snow/superbowl projects was a "bling board." I made it to put on my wall to organize jewelry!

Adventures in Snow

I am glad my husband is from Michigan. We were the first ones on the street to be out and driving around and OF COURSE the first ones with our driveway and sidewalk plowed. It was funny. We drove around yesterday. It wasn't too bad but just so odd to see RiteAid's parking lot completely full of snow and not touched. All of the gas stations were closed. People walking down Route 50 (normally a very heavily traveled street.) McDonalds was open so we went through the drivethru. Only 2 employees were inside. We also visited some friends from church who live pretty close. Starbucks parking lot with neighbors... lots of traffic in this lot. I could of sold cups of coffee!

Sam in front of Chipotle.

On the snow mountain...

Sam at Vienna Inn.

15+ inches of SNOW

Grace saw something special outside... do you see it?

You can see all the snow on our deck!

Walgreens Lotion

We have a new Walgreens in town. I was very excited to go there today to try out the pharmacy. I was very excited about the water bottles that were lined up by the pharmacy. I was very excited when I was told that they are free. I was very excited that my kids each got one filled with crayons and other samples (like hand lotion). I was NOT excited to turn around and see this:

Dinner from OHIO!

Two of my college girlfriends ordered us dinner last night (helping us in a creative way) after our past 6 weeks. It was such a fun blessing! I promised I would post a photo of the event. The food was awesome - cheesy breadsticks, pizzas, dessert, a HUGE salad - thank you. It was a typical loud dinner with 2 out of the 6 family members crying until they got fed. The photo isn't the best but you get the idea.

Thank you friends!

Dorm Living 2010

Wow, everyone has been emailing me and asking what is the story with this house!?!?! We aren't really "actively looking" for a house but when I see something unusual come up on the market, we go and look at it. Anything that seems too good to be true. We looked at a farm house last spring (with horses - no for us), a house in a cul-de-sac (was sunken in the ground - no for us), and this one.

I was prepared for the worst knowing it was a short sale. What I saw was so much different that what I could have prepared for. The owners had made it into a dormitory. The place was full of bedrooms from head to toe that they were obviously renting out. Two of the rooms we were unable to see because they were locked and we heard people in them. I think I counted 15 beds?

The entire basement was set up as an apartment with a full operating kitchen. The laundry room was like a laundromat with instruction on posterboard of "do's and don'ts" written in Spanish (like no lavar zapatos, etc). There was a shelf of laundry detergent for each person.

I could see us taking on a house like this as a project with a vision in mind but ... with our four young children!??! Nate could make the outside of the house amazing but doesn't have energy to invest in the interior so we would have to contract that out.

This is what the outside of it looked like. For those of you who don't live around DC can understand - houses around here that would go for $100,000 in other parts of the country go for $600,000 around here.

This is the neighborhood - lots of trees, big lots, huge backyards, older homes, close to the highway and metro.

That is the house from the distance.
That is the house - a lot of potential, four cars parked there in the middle of the day - eck!The other side of the house.

What do you think? Leave a comment...

winter shots

reading time at night... ellen's leg is funny

this is the first photo I have of her laughing
interacting with the cheetah

sam, oh poor sam

surrounded by girls - his bedroom has been taken over

you can see he had a little black eye - he fell down the stairs while riding on his ride on bike

got into my makeup

rita posing in front of my mantle - (betsy-tot)

I follow a blog of a lady who has the best mantles. I don't have a mantle so this is my attempt at a valentine's day mantle!! the blocks are more fun for my kids than to decorate with

eyelash curler

We are going to look at a HOUSE this morning. I am very excited to see what it is all about... it is 200K under market value, 1/2 acre.

Ellen is doing great.

Got to run, Sambo is into my eyelash curler.