Thanksgiving 2013

33 family members at my house.  Good times.

Chad the Rat King

Last night after I finished writing my blog post, I found these three pictures waiting for me in my inbox, straight from New York.  Deviled eggs (with shrimp on top, of course), Pork chop (with quail egg on top, of course),  and German-Chocolate Cake (with coconut whipped cream on top, of course). Despite the fantastically poor picture quality (I think that all that cholesterol was fogging the camera lens), my carrots were not quite satisfying after seeing these. 

In the email with the picture of the cake, Chad mentioned he was wrapping up dinner and would call me when he got back to his hotel.

I waited until 10, and then as I was drifting off to sleep shortly thereafter, Chad called.  The city noise bustled across the line with his frustration as he explained  that he had been trying to hail a cab for the last half hour.  A huge section of the street was barricaded for the lighting of THE Christmas Tree and it was crazy everywhere.  “Man, poor guy,” I thought, as I lay in my cozy bed and drifted off to sleep immediately after. 

I have never been to New York and all my New York education is based solely on Chad’s two trips there (crappy pictures, lots of work), Hey Natalie Jean (fantastic pictures, fantastic style), and You’ve Got Mail (pencil bouquets, Christmas sing-a-longs, and bend in the flower garden at Riverside Park). 

Oh, and let’s not forget 30 Rock.  My absolute favorite New York clip from 30 Rock:

And a You’ve Got Mail and 30 Rock connection that any true fan has already made, as an added bonus.

Keepin’ It Real Wednesday

This morning started off rough.  Gabe stayed home from school sick (read: very tired and ultimately, very bored). Everyone was slow to get going and when our carpool van showed up, Oliver did not have his backpack on yet.  When I went to get it, I found that it was still in the van from the previous day, and then discovered that he had unfinished homework inside (rows and rows of Chinese characters to write).  I quickly wrote the teacher a note  saying he would bring his homework tomorrow (which I have never done) and sent the freaking-out kid out the door.

The kindergarten adjustment has been a tough one for my guy and he is reacting in the same manner than he has reacted to every big adjustment in his life: waking up over and over again at night, lots of emotions spilling over,  heels dug in with all his might and needing my constant love and affection without knowing how to show that that is what he needs.  I know him and I know he will get through this.  I know his teacher and I know that when Colin had her he cried every single night about not wanting to go to school the next day.  She is a good teacher-no one can doubt her desire to help the children learn and grow-but she is tough.  When Ollie’s folder came home today, it had a post-it note addressed to me, informing me that homework is supposed to be returned the next day and reminding me that she discussed that with me at the parent –teacher conference.  Thanks.

Those kindergartener emotions didn’t just spill over tonight – they gushed over, drenching the whole household.  I put the homework back away until tomorrow morning and took him to bed, where he was asleep before 7. 

Carina just feel asleep so now it is my chance to munch on carrot sticks while I watch The Host and fold laundry.

 

Did I mention?  Chad is in New York.  He is eating at Bobby Flay’s restaurant as I type this.  Oh, and he just sent me this picture:

Winning.

Gabe’s Baptism

November 24, 2013

 

Baptism of
Gabriel Robert Coleman

Fort Mill Ward of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

Charlotte, North Carolina

   Conducting: Brother Boyd Rogers

Pianist:   Sister Kelly Johnson

                Music Leader:   Sister Deann Ballard

 

        Welcome:   Brother Boyd Rogers

 

               Opening Song:   Choose the Right #239

 

            Opening Prayer:   Sister Ashley Wright

                                             Aunt

 

            Talk on Baptism:   Brother Robert Jeppson Jr.
                                             Uncle

 

  Baptismal Ordinance:   Brother Chad Coleman

                                             Father

 

                       Witnesses:   Brother Seth Morris, and

Brother Roy Wright,

Uncles                          

 

Special Musical Numbers:            Colin Coleman, “How Firm a Foundation,”

Sister Kelly Johnson, “Jesus Once Was a Little Child”, Cousins, Aunts and Uncles,” A Child’s Prayer”

                                            

       Talk on Holy Ghost:   Sister Katie Coleman

                                             Mother

 

                 Confirmation:   Brother Robert Jeppson Sr.

                                             Grandfather

 

        Primary Welcome:  Sister Connie Simms

 

     Bishopric Welcome:   Bishop Chuck Johnson

 

                 Closing Song:   If The Savior Stood Beside Me

 

              Closing Prayer:   Sister Lindsey Morris
                                             Aunt

Please join us for a picture and refreshments after the service.

For more information about baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, click here.

Christmas Tree

 

End of soccer

It is official.  Soccer is over.  All three boys played this season, and with how it worked out, we had soccer practice every single night of the week.  Yes, even Fridays.  Chad took them to practice, and I did bedtime with Carina and whoever was at home each night.  We almost always managed to have dinner together, but it was always punctuated with pleas to find cleats and balls and hurry to the field.  Saturdays meant three soccer games, sometimes spread out through the day, sometimes standing between two fields so we could watch two games at once.

I love soccer for so many reasons.  I watched Gabe play this year and I could see that it has done so much for him.  Do you remember when he first started?  Our shy and unsure boy was now quick, strong, and so confident.  All of my lectures about working hard and seeing results could never amount to that lesson that he learned for himself, and the self esteem that he obtained for himself – not through praise or trophies, but trying and seeing. We got an email from the soccer commissioner yesterday letting us know that Gabe was chosen by his coach to be on the all-star team – one of two kids from each team.  He has come so far. We quickly and happily turned it down because practices are Sundays and we are done.

For everything that I love about soccer, this is the biggest problem I have with it:  It is good way for our family to spend our time, but is there something better?  Probably.  It has been a time thief, and when it comes down to it, we have not had a lot of family time the last two months.  Our scripture study, our family prayers, our family home evenings, and just our family fun have suffered.  Now, if we were more organized, we might have managed all of those things and soccer, but it just didn’t happen as much as it should have. There really are only so many hours in a day and school and homework already take up a lot of that.

Not only that, but I am getting yelled at every day, eyes are rolling at every suggestion I make, and the loving brothers have not been so loving. Can I blame all of that on the lack of family time?  I don’t know, but I do know it hasn’t helped. 

This is the part of parenting that I never realized would be so hard.  Small decisions that can seem positive and are positive in many ways, but can have major affects.  How we spend our time, how we spend our money, where we place our priorities.  The decisions are complex and what may be the right decision at one point for our family might not be the best decision at another time.  Or a good decision for one child might not be the best decision for the another, no matter how much we try to make everything “fair.”

It makes me very grateful to be in this with a husband who is so involved, and with our Heavenly Father, whose perspective is so much broader than ours. 

Halloween 2013

 

The night before Halloween we carved pumpkins.  Colin did his COMPLETELY by himself.  Pretty impressive, right?  The other three….let’s just say my hand was cramped by the end of the evening.

Halloween evening.  I had to include a couple of different group pictures because Ollie’s poses crack me up.

No, Chad is not saying “Call me” and no, his swimsuit is not partially open in front.  Awkwaaaaard.

OH MY GOODNESS do I have the cutest kids on the planet?!  Seriously, these pictures make me so happy.  A word on Carina’s costume – I bought it at Walmart for a couple of bucks four or five years ago after Halloween, long before I had a baby girl.  I didn’t have any great ideas for her when I happened to pull it out and let her try it on.  After that, there was no going back.  She was just so adorable in this costume – my dad could not get over it.  Every time he saw it he would start laughing.  We got the hat on Amazon – the tiara part lit up and flashed.  Just what every little princess cowgirl needs.  Most of Ollie’s sheriff costume was one I made for Colin 7 (!) years ago.  We just bought the hat.  Gabe’s Quidditch uniform was one Colin wore a couple of years ago.  And Colin’s was just an old uniform that we added zombie blood and makeup to.   He was pretty thrilled by it, but his cousin Leslie was not.

We went trick or treating that night with my sister Lindsey, her husband Seth, and their girls Leslie, Mayan and Lily.  We all had a great time and it wasn’t cold at all.  Carina was pretty darn excited and was almost always the first kid to each door.  We brought a stroller and she was too happy to use it most of the time. The boys were exhausted because earlier that day they had a fun-run at their school were all three of them ran the maximum number of laps –36, which equaled about 2 1/2 miles!! We didn’t stay out long, but they still got a fair amount of candy.  When we came home, Ollie and Gabe wanted to go out longer, so they went out with Chad.  We finished it of with a little clip of Treehouse of Horrors, and Carina took foreeeever to fall asleep that night. 

Halloween 2007 here and here. Halloween 2008 here and here. Halloween 2009.  Halloween 2010. Halloween 2011.  Halloween 2012.

Video of our girl

I need to be better about documenting our Carina is at this age - so here is a little video of her eating lunch (a wrap with lettuce and kidney beans and Taco Bell mild sauce on the side - her request).  We listen to Disney Radio on Pandora almost every day while the two of us have lunch, so that is what is playing on my computer.

Great Wolf Lodge

On Wednesday, just before I was going to put Carina down for a nap, my Dad called.  “Hey, do you know anyone who wants a free night at The Great Wolf Lodge?” he asked.  He and my mom had been there the previous night, planning to stay for two nights, and they had decided to come home early.  He explained that they had two bracelets to get into the water park and said we could have their room.  I had just finished going to play group with Carina and was preparing to feed the two sets of ward missionaries that night and Ollie had soccer, and it was a school night, so I just laughed and told him that I really didn’t think we could manage it.  As soon as I hung up I started wondering…hmmm, how much does it cost to get more bracelets? Answer: $40.  No way.

I called Chad and told him I wanted to run it by him just to let him know (we have wanted to try this place our for a long time) and he immediately went to work seeing what we could do. Of course, he is not as Jeppsonish as me and just called the resort and explained the situation.  They said there would be no problem transferring the room over to us, and giving everyone in our family bracelets.  WOW.  THANK YOU GREAT WOLF LODGE.

We ordered the missionaries pizza (again), Chad called his boss to get the next day off, and as soon as Chad got home from work we broke the surprise to the kids.  We had been planning to surprise the kids by taking them out of school on Columbus Day, which is Gabe’s birthday, and taking them to Discovery Place.  So instead we made this Gabe’s birthday celebration, and they could not have been more excited.

I have to say, this little getaway was just the type of little getaway that is really good for me.  Not enough time beforehand to obsess and stress about everything that needs to be done.  Close enough and simple enough that I managed to pack everything in about 15 minutes.  It was a 40 minute drive in traffic and just the right amount of spontaneity to make us all feel a little giddy.

The lodge was just wonderful for the family.  It is well done to begin with, and then they had done it up for Halloween really nicely.  Everyone there is very friendly – to the point that is has a Disney feel to it.  We got there at almost 7 that night and immediately changed into our swimsuits to play at the waterpark for the hour that was left before it closed for the night.  In the morning we strolled to Dunkin’ Donuts (inside the lodge), then lazed around, went to Carolina Mills and lunch, and then spent the rest of the day in the waterpark.  It was one of those magical family days when almost everyone is happy almost all the time.

 

We really loved this place and one night there was really perfect for our family.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

It’s Monday, and it is the 7th of OCTOBER. How is that??

I like to moan and groan to Chad about much I hate Mondays.  He kids me about how cliché the whole thing is and calls me Garfield, but it is still oh-so-true.  I wake up in a panic about what I am going to feed the kids for breakfast, what I am going to pack them for lunch (today it was smoothies and leftover waffles, and bean burritos, respectively). Why is it that no matter how much food I buy for the week, it is always always gone by Monday?  Like we the amount we eat just depends on what there is in the house – if it is there, it gets eaten. 

Zumba with Sabina happens every Monday, which is a highlight, but my goodness I was so tired today and watching the clock like a hawk. 

There always seems to be something I have neglected all weekend that pops up and steals the hour or two of my get-things-done-time.  Today it was finishing off the photos for care packages I was planning to mail off today to our adopted girls.  I have their little dolls and clothes packed nice and tight in Ziploc bags, but CVS photo was just really sucking, so the pictures are now being sent to Walmart to be picked up tomorrow, extending my last-minute project yet another day.

Chad and I just finished cleaning the downstairs and putting away the groceries and I am so ready for sleep.

Gabe’s birthday party is this weekend, Lindsey is hosting cooking club at my house next (which means I have to actually clean my fridge), and sometime in there I need to start thinking about Halloween costumes.

Do I should whiny enough already?  I guess I just wanted to document a plain ol’ hectic-yet-not-exciting day. 

And in the meantime, I have THREE episodes of Downton Abbey waiting for me. That’s a good thing, right?  Add that to the fact that Monday is almost over and I am feeling pretty good.

Here’s to sleep, care packages, and Downton Abbey.