My Heavens...Time is Zooming By...

First of all, my sincere apologies for being 'away' for so long.  I have been warned by many creditable sources, that time disappears faster and faster the older your children become.  I have to admit I totally thought they were full of BULL... But I have some crow to eat.  I was reading my last post (which still tears me up) and it seemed just like YESTERDAY.  Maxwell has been happily attending Kindergarten for three easy months now.  How blessed am I that he loves school.  He loves his teacher and he can't wait for Monday to roll around.  He has wonderful friends everywhere (I wish I knew all their names), loves PE, loves library, his big reading buddy, and even lunchtime.  But what he loves even more- is the first moment he walks in the door.  He has 100 things he can't wait to tell me.  The color of the day he received for behaviour, what book he read, how many different tag games they played at recess.  All vital details of his day that I cherish.  It is different for me to hear them.  I am the type of momma that likes to witness 100% of daily activities.  If they go to a birthday party...I'm a "stage one clinger" hanging around at the back of the room.  If they have a Sunday School activity... I like to volunteer to help... so I can be apart of their activities and their lives.  I try not to be over bearing or pushy or know-it-all... I just want to experience their life.  It's very different for me to 'hear' of his day now.  I have to admit I don't really like it...but I'm working on it diligently.

I have also had the blessed opportunity to hear my son read to me for the first time recently.  My son can read.  He really likes to read too.  I can't tell you how crazy wonderful it is... Once in a lifetime good.  What doors will he open and what mountains will he climb? 


Marren and Mylee have had an interesting time adjusting to Maxwell being in Kindergarten-  Marren especially.  During the first month of school... the local volunteer firemen come with their trucks, water hoses, lights/sirens, and fully uniformed to make an impression on children.  Hero's to 95% of the children attending our preschool.  One young strawberry blond (apart of the "not as excited" 5%) was extremely alarmed at their presentation of arms (so to speak).  She was literally petrified and couldn't even talk about it for several days.  I honestly believe she has always been afraid of firetrucks and firemen... I can recall that retrospectively.  However, last year...when the firemen visited there was one major difference for my little Marren... Her big brother Max was right there with her and she knew she was safe...because he wasn't alarmed.  She watched him and feed off of him and trusted him.  For several days, Maxwell not being in her school with her really set her back and it nearly ripped me in two.  I was darn near ready to try anything... I even thought about pulling her out of school for a fleeting moment.  That, of course, would have been a terrible mistake.... but it was literally me lying to her and having the teacher rip her away from my neck to get away from her once we were inside the preschool. I cried all morning just imagining her being so scared.  Completely out of character for my little army soldier!! 


After a horrible week....Our wonderfully insightful preschool teacher had a brilliant idea.  We reminded her the firemen were NOT coming back for a long long time and then gave her a timer.  As soon as the timer would go off... I was walking in the door to pick her up.  Just a little reassurance on her belt that I would be back for her....and she was cured.  Nearly a miracle- in my opinion. 


Mylee is an amazing creature.  She is 2 and 2 months old.  She calls my mom "mimi' 96% of the time.  The remainder of the time she calls her 'Sally Brinkema'.  NO JOKE.  What a ham!!!  She loves to just giggle, mirror Marren and Maxwell, play, color, cut shapes, eat...and mirror Max and Marren at any cost... One big detail to mention...Mylee loves loves loves LOVES to TALK.  The girl never ever never never ever stops talking.  She literally puts herself to sleep talking.  There are days when I can't hear or even imagine I have said 3 words.  She can out talk me 10:1. 


The cooler months have been hard on Myles.  She loves to be outside and exploring.  She could be outside all day and never stop moving (or talking) all day long.  I had both girls in the graincart with me for 2 hours one day during harvestwhich they loved.  It was nearly one of the most challenging parenting time periods I have had to date.  Both girls wanted to drive...at the same time.  Then they wanted to sit in the ONE buddy chair at the same time.  I finally put one on the floor of the tractor to my left near the door and the other on the floor to my right...NEAR all the tractor controls.  Turns out...Marren knows how to operate an ignition key perfectly.  We were changing fields...in road gear...with a truck behind me.  Marren reaches up to the ignition and turns the entire tractor OFF!!.  I had time to grab Myles (so she didn't end up like a bug on a windshield) put my foot on the clutch (cuz I hoped that would help somehow) and closed my eyes.  We came to an utterly complete stop in 1 foot.  I think we were only going 15 mph.   But holy cow, was that exciting.  The truck stopped...thankfully....and all was fine.  Marren got a pretty good crunch into the windshield and I put my heart back in my chest... Mylee loved it... and Ross was less than pleased. 


No tangible harm done.


I have 100's of other wonder things that have happened, but I have bored you long enough.  The long and short of it is... We are so blessed and have such a wonderful family and wonderful friends.  My children are surrounded by wonderful people on the school bus, at school, at church... Our little town is safe and bustling.  God is at work in our small corner of the world. 

"Kindergarten is AWESOME!!"

Max's new desk in his new room.  KB

Miss Lingbloom is his teacher!!

His sister's aren't quite sure what was about to happen

All day they looked for him... Mylee thought he took a nap

all day!!

My little man is so grown up.  He was so ready to go...

He wouldn't let me take him to school.
He wanted to ride the bus....and I let him...somehow.

I must have asked him a 100 times... "Are you sure you want to ride the bus?"  "Yes mom... that will be the best part!!"  Oh my, I was SO dreading last Thursday.  I had a couple severe breakdowns and I couldn't do anything about them.  It's like I was someone else for several days. 

Max LOVES school.  He brings home tons of great worksheets he can't wait to show both Jeremy and I.  He loves Jolly Phonics and he wants to read.  Who is this kid? 

We ended last week with a bang... I hauled our new waterslide out perhaps for the last time this summer.  It might get warm enough for another fun afternoon... but you never know.  We had a blast watching the kids!!

It looks bad...but they went down together 100x's. 
She LOVED it.
He taught her how to climb the ladder and then they go down in a pile...
giggling the entire way!!

I can't wait to show them these pictures someday.... when they are my age. 

Summertime has disappeared....

The summer has disappeared!! My Maxwell is going to kindergarten in exactly one week. Marren is headed to her 2nd precious year of preschool. Mylee is talking in sentences and just had her 1st gymnastics program last week. I'm not sure how we've made it to August already. I have dreaded this month for 6 1/2 years....

Don't get me wrong...he's excited to go to Kindergarten. He's ready to ride the bus. He's ready to try the food in the lunchroom and he can't wait to play on the big playground. I, however, am NOT ready to send him off for the day...The school bus could pick him up as early as 7:30 am and he might be on the bus until 4:30 pm. Yikes. I know I'll get used to it. I know I'll love the time to clean house and to work and play with the girls.... but I don't think I'll love the time I spend away from him. Time has always been mine to manage and mine for me to fill for him. The day he was born I was SO relieved I had 6 years to NOT worry about him in a school...not under my watchful careful eye. Now here it is...6 days away and I can't handle it.

For now... We're going to go shuck sweetcorn and go for a quiet walk on our long driveway. And pretend nothing is going to change for the time being. Yikes... I thought I be better at this...

Sorry it's been such a quiet summer from me. I've been involved in several really great projects. I do have to brag about 1 project in particular.... I was the Entertainment Chairperson for the Nebraska Cattleman's Ball... We raised nearly $1 million dollars for cancer research. I can honestly say it was one of the most amazing things I have ever done...but I will NEVER do anything like it again. The time I donated was too precious. I worked on this project for nearly a YEAR...

Now...on to the sweetcorn and the walk.

Love to you all...

Brooke

Maxwell LOVES to swim. He is actually part fish!!!

Bet you can't guess which one is Maxwell???!!!

I had one rouge crayon. She would NOT wear her tip!!

Best friends.....for a second. Fight like wet cats the next.

Do I like the sand? I do. Do you like the sand? You do!!

A Month to Remember...I hope

I am in the market to buy, steal, kidnap, blackmail...a Sleeping Fairy. I have had 3 children. I have been very strict about bedtime routines from the get-go. Since Jeremy has been working for Pioneer...since the day we were married...evenings are the only time he and I get to talk for pretty much the entire day. Phone calls are brief and often interrupted by Pioneer business (as it should). I don't mind because we normally speak in the evenings. As children were added to the equation, evening discussions were limited to a few short phrases. Important...albeit brief. Therefore, the reason I have always wanted my children to sleep in their own beds. Do I mind them joining us in the weee hours of the AM. No. Love that. I am digressing...sorry

MYLEE DOES NOT SLEEP. She hates to sleep. She doesn't apparently need to sleep. She doesn't nap. She hates to fall asleep. She hates her crib. She hates her nightlight. She hates to be alone. She hates her blanket, babies, bottles...Ocean noise maker that both Marren and Maxwell LOVED. Hates it. Screams when you turn it on.

So where does that leave me? I am often having conversations with people on the phone or in person when I ...kind of....space off I'm so tired. I forget what questions they are asking me. I change the subject really abruptly. I start to tell a story and forget why I'm telling it and why it is relevant to anything or anyone. It's very frustrating. I don't know why people talk to me. Confusing I'm sure. I made a cake for some friends of ours the other day. Our nice friend thanked me for it on Sunday. I ...all of a sudden....discovered I was talking about cooking the cake too long...and you shouldn't cook cakes too long...and I'm sorry his was probably dry....and I probably should have made them another one.... Uh oh. I've done it again. After I realized it was happening again...I just froze my mouth and turned and walked away. He probably thought I was spaazing out!!! This is his formal apology!!! I'm sorry Troy!!!

Lack of sleep isn't good for me. I used to complain when I didn't get 8 hours of sleep. Last night...I got to sleep until 11:04 pm. Mylee joined us in bed until Jeremy kicked us both out at 1:45 AM. We went to the couch and fought over a 3ft x 5 ft couch. She won. I find myself ...sometimes....asleep sitting up wherever I am posted. I wake up and move without remembering where I am going. I'm sure this isn't good I'm driving my children around.

I am very careful and have given up speeding and cellphone use while I'm in the car. Unless of course, it's Jeremy calling. I answer it...cuz it's the only time we get to talk. Ha.

Love to you all.

Brooke

December to Remember

Where is the time going? Why are we so busy? My children are only 5,3, and 1....What's it going to be like when they are teenagers....all at the same time? Ugh.

I have a entirely new love of Christmas. As a child, I LOVED Christmas...all of it. The baking, shopping, gifting, wrapping, the cold, programs, lights, the sounds, Santa, The Christmas Story...All magically memorable.

Flashforward to today...Christmas through the eyes of my children is 100x's better. Yes, they love the Santa idea....but they LOVE the Christmas Story. We read it nearly every night before bed. They ask so many great questions and really are impressed the Baby was born in a barn. Max was sure the hay was itchy. Marren thought the Baby would be entertained by the sheep (not her exact words...but you get the idea). A different night Max asked about the star and how did they know how to follow it. How far did they walk? Did they have a car...etc etc. The star story, however, was a great introduction to a faith conversation for us. The simple faith of a child is so beautiful. They just have so much faith in everything and they trust...everything. That's what makes this Christmas season with my children so magical. It's not the tree...It's their eyes that light up with the twinkle. It's not the baking of or the taste of the food...It's their chocolate covered lips and fingers and teeth. It's not the story...it's the faith in the story. I can't wait to watch them experience Christmas.

Recently, we have been really pretty sick. Mylee has never had a cold, fever, cough or sniffle before 2 weeks ago. What ever she caught was nasty. Started loose stools and no appetite. Constant fever followed closely with the nastiest, greenest snot I have ever seen. Bloody noses. Rashes. Coughing. NO sleep. Constant whining. And NO sleep. I felt terrible for her. Then Marren caught it and I was a close third. Max kind of had a runny nose... but nothing else. We survived. That's all I have to say about that.

Marren is full of funny commentary these days. I popped around the corner one afternoon and found her coloring on the walls. I asked her if she wanted a spanking or a 10 minute time out. She thought long and hard and through her tears...decided she wanted a spanking. Which surprised me. I said "ok, come here". She just stood there..thinking. She finally said" Mommy. I want two small spankings...not one big one". That broke my heart. I gave her a small swat and made her wipe the walls off. Of course, I had to paint an entire portion of the wall...but it was worth it to see her little mind work and negociate a different resolution.

Marren is SO SO SO SO independent. She dresses herself everyday...several times. She washes herself. She washes her own hands. She wants to get in the car herself. Hates when I help her with anything. I appreciate and hate that. She is so much help getting out the door in the mornings for school...but at the same time...she is growing up faster than Maxwell by two fold. I am so proud of her and I see great, magical things in store for my little bear.

Till tomorrow night...

Love to you all

Brooke

A long lost update!!!!

Dear Friends and Family!!!



I haven't fallen off the face of the earth....We are still here!!! I can't believe how busy we are. Marren started preschool on Monday...She was SO excited. We only have her going 2 days a week because she is still so young. I took her Monday morning...she just took off...found her name tag and waved 'Good-bye'...like she had been going to preschool for years. I was the only one with a tear. That's how I want it ...of course. She's always been like that though...Ready for the next step before she should be ready.

And on top of it all... Winter has arrived and we have picked 1/2 of ONE dryland field. So...it's going to be a long harvest. Spirits are marginal. It keeps raining and snowing...so the crop doesn't have a chance to DRY down. We need to pick it at 17 or 18 percent moisture...Right now, it is sitting at/around 25. The problem with that is the stalk that holds the ear up so the combine can get it is decaying and dying too quickly with the cold/wet temps and the ear isn't drying down. Therefore, in danger of ending up on the ground and NOT in the combine. The Lord has a plan for us all...and I am pushing on that plan!!! Just ready to have 2009 in the books and off the minds of the men in my life.

Maxwell is a busy preschooler. He, just recently, was convinced that his real name is actually Maxwell. Funny...I know. He was convinced that 'Max' was it and Maxwell was too much work to write and too long. Thanks to Marcia (his teacher) for helping me with that issue. Amazing how stubborn or REALLY stubborn he is. I wanted to put this 'issue' in words so later in life...I'll be able to 'remind' him of his little fits about his name. I truely believe it's because he would have to learn to write more letters...Heaven forbid!! He reminds me of his father more and more everyday.

Mylee...my little peach...HATES to sleep. Loves to eat. Loves to follow the big kids around. Just recently, their new game includes running threw the house...SCREAMING...Chasing each other. No big deal if you get caught...Just the running and screaming is the game. Slightly maddening for me...The baby holds her own trotting right along with M1 and M2. She hasn't been damaged/injured too badly yet. Mylee is also into Marren's dress up shoes now. She works and works and WORKS at getting these high heeled pink/sparkley shoes on. Stands up. Falls down. Slips. Gets them back on only to have Marren run up and swipe them. I found another pair in Marren's closet...so I have hopefully eliminated that sad picture. Adorable is how I describe M3 with those shoes on. I'll get a picture here soon. Aunt Penny...we need to buy baby Frances some dress up shoes....they start early with those darn things!!!

Jeremy is traveling ALOT lately. He promises this week is his last MIA week. The days get long and a bit crazy. The kids play in the basement all night though and even Mylee is spending more and more time down there. I hear crashes and blood curtiling screams quite often...but I haven't had any actual blood yet, so I'll continue to push my luck.

Other than that...I am reeaaaalllllyy discusted with how sick the entire world is right now. The H1N1 vaccine ...being completely controlled by the US Government is just now getting out to clinics...AFTER most of the population has already suffered from this crap. Knock on wood...we haven't gotten it yet. I pray for the dozens of my friends that currently have it. Just fed up with the system that controls and supposedly protects us. I stood in line in Wray for 1/2 hour yesterday trying to get Mylee and Max a shot...Only to find out my BABY and my son...with a paralyzed diaphragm didn't qualify for the shot. I understand the priority level...I just don't understand why more isn't ready for us all that want and need it NOW.

Miss you all and I'd love to hear from you Floridians!!!!

God's Blessings to you All.

Love Brooke