Entertainment Committee....

Shawn has been gone 3 weeks. That is all. I could look at it as "he's been gone 3 weeks already!" but it feels like "he's only been gone 3 weeks". Some days can seem pretty long. I've been trying to think of things that will keep the kids entertained. Simple things that won't cause me more stress than its worth. Here are a few things that have been happening around here to keep us all happy.

Salt dough creations. Super easy to make the dough, and it's hours of entertainment. I do have many of these creations drying all over my counters causing serious clutter, but the entertainment value is worth it.

Cutting apples the "new" way. I got this beautiful contraption from my mom for Christmas. The kids can use this thing themselves. And what a fun way to eat apples, right?

Of course letting them take turns with the camera is as easy as it gets. Unfortunately, I end up being the subject a lot of the time. Beggars can't be choosers in this situation.

Little sisters that are learning new tricks provide numerous stretches of entertainment throughout any given day. We could all watch her for hours. And we actually do.

We dance. Until our hearts are content. Kennedy loves "maneater". It gets her heart pumping. She knows where to find the repeat button on my ipod. I think the record is 10 times before I insist we try out a new tune.

The hardest time of my day hits around 7 pm. Homework. And baths. Trying to clean 5 kids can be tricky. Ethan is easy. "Get in the shower son". Done. Presley is a breeze. She can be toted and doesn't have a say. The other 3? Different story. Jack and Landon run around naked until I use my "mom" voice to get them into the tub. Kennedy dawdles until she realizes I'm really angry and then slowly makes her way in too. She could shower but she is so slow to do so. So painfully slow. Monday I found myself getting anxious as 7 pm drew near. Then genius me. I have a jetted tub in my bathroom. Only. It's my bathroom. Nobody allowed. My sanctuary doesn't like to be invaded with little bodies. Which is what makes me such a genius. Forbidden territory makes things all that more enticing. "Hey kids? Do you want to take a bath in my tub tonight?" All 3 were naked and waiting in my bathroom before I could make it down the hall. Genius. I wonder how many nights this will be a novelty before they realize it's all just an easy way out for me?

So, Shawn. While you are slaving away under some other hospitals tutelage, this is what we are doing. Don't mistake all our fun for not missing you. We are surviving. We will all be glad when April 1st hits and we see you around here once again. Oh so glad.

The Big 5...

Jackson turned 5 on January 9th. What a day it was. He was so excited to have a few of his closest friends over to help him celebrate--along with his Uncle Charlie. They decorated their own cupcakes

Cracked open a pinata. Or rather, pulled the strings so the candy fell out. Amazing. Whomever invented this new type of pinata is a genius. 5 year olds swinging a bat at any object is not a good idea. Especially when everyone gathers as close as humanly possible as to be the first available to catch the desired contents.

Jacks favorite part was opening presents. After each one he'd say "Oh, you soooo know me and what I like!" It was too cute.

After presents all the kids just jumped in the bounce house and played until time to go home. What a great, laid back birthday party. Then, Shawn & I gave Jackson our gift. I was so excited I couldn't wait. He's wanted one of these for so long, and it is the PERFECT gift for him. What I didn't realize is how long it would take Shawn to assemble the thing. It didn't help that Landon brought the instructions in the house so they would stay warm. Lovely.

Happy Birthday little guy. We love you more today then we did when we brought you home from the hospital. You truly keep us on our toes! And you make our family interesting. We'd be pretty boring without you around.

Life Changes....

This job hunting thing. Man. It takes a lot out of you. Before we started looking both Shawn & I listed the things we were looking for in a place. Shawn's was basically salary and vacation time. He's looking to retire one day and he'd like to spend time with us before that happens. Me? I wanted to be close to stuff. Like Target. And Costco. And a mall would be nice. And I also wanted a family friendly environment where my kids would be safe. So, the hunt began. I've mentioned before that I shot down many many places that Shawn would have liked to interview. They were all offering generous salaries with great benefits. They were also in towns with like 500 people. When you are talking to a recruiter and he actually says things like "I have a hard time keeping docs here because the wives go crazy without anything to do" red flags start waving everywhere. I've also mentioned that I started looking and was excited about Washington as a prospect. We went to the Tri-Cities (Richland) in November and interviewed with the group there. We loved the area. (I already knew I did). We were offered the job, but didn't take it right away. We had a few months to mull it over. When we left the city both of us felt iffy. If that is the right word to express what we felt. Iffy. Shawn kept looking. He started looking at big cities in Washington. Like Tacoma. Puyallup. Places with stuff. For me. But he would never commit to an interview. There was just always something that prevented him from wanting to even take the time to head over there and check it out. We kept looking. Everyday this consumed us. The first thing he'd do when he got home was check new job listings. Then we'd pour over them all with a fine toothed comb. We talked. A lot. About our lists. Again. And again. And again. I moved around a lot as a kid. Every 5 years I was transplanted to a new area. And a new state. I've lived big city, and small. I started to really evaluate what it was I liked in every place I had lived. And what I didn't like. Pretty soon Richland started to get antsy. We were told they were interviewing someone on January 12th so if we wanted the job we needed to commit before then or it would be gone. I really love the tri-cities. I loved Moses Lake so much and it made Richland feel like home. I so badly wanted for us to commit and just pack up our house and fit right in to our new home in a place I already knew I loved. And I know people there already. Ones that already have lived there a while, and ones that are headed there to start fresh. And they are people I really like. But. There is that ginormous "but" that hangs in the balance. When I listened to my heart-of-hearts and truly listened, I couldn't let Shawn commit. He felt exactly the same. I was trying oh so hard to cram a square peg in a round hole. I was trying everything I could to smooth the edges so it would all fit. But it's not supposed to fit. Richland isn't right. I mourned for a few days when I realized this. But it's not where our little family is supposed to be. As I was mourning my loss I also came to the conclusion that I am truly a small town girl at heart. Sure, I want to be close to stuff. I realize that easy access is close enough in my mind. So, I relented to an interview for Shawn at a place he mentioned way back in November. I actually allowed myself to check a map and view it's actual location. I found that it's only 30 minutes from Target. And Costco. And a ginormous mall. 30 minutes is nothing. Easy to drop the kids at school and head over and be back in time for lunch. Shawn set an interview for Monday January 12th. It's only 3 hours from where we currently live, so we took the whole family. The anesthesia group put us up in a hotel with adjoining rooms (we now need 2 for fire code). Sunday night we drove around a little, but it was just too dark. While Shawn was interviewing Monday morning I took the kids around town. We visited the community center, and all the things it has to offer. We drove past the schools, and the church. I even talked with a realtor who was willing to show us 2 homes before we headed out of town. Shawn finished around noon and we went to lunch. He was really excited. Like a kid in a candy store. And I found myself giddy. Yep, giddy. That we found a place we both immediately fell in love with. The pay is what he wanted as well as the benefits. I'm close to the stuff. And only 1 hour from a major metropolis with zoos and cheesecake factories galore. Shawn was afraid if he wasn't offered the job he'd be deflated. We talked about how we probably wouldn't know for 2 weeks or so because of others time lines. After lunch we met with the realtor. While pulling into the driveway of the second house Shawn got a phone call. "Dr. Crook, this never happens this fast. I can't believe how fast this response time was, but I just talked to the hospital and they really liked you. They want me to offer you the job." Seriously. That fast. This felt oh so right. Round pegs in round holes right. It looks like Warrensburg Missouri is the place we are supposed to be. Amazing how when you are so sure you know what you want in life, you realize that what you want isn't what you thought at all. Warrensburg is about 20,000 people. Shawn will be in a group of only 4 anesthesiologists, with 3 CRNA's that he'll be overseeing. He is so excited he can't stand it. I've already talked to a few people in the community that we will go to church with and heard nothing but rave reviews. And. The infamous And. 12 weeks vacation. Paid. That is 1 week a month. I will see him more when he has this job then I did when we were dating. Crazy. And exhilarating. All at once. We are so blessed to have gone through this journey together. And to both come to the same conclusions at the same time. It always amazes me that when things are supposed to be a certain way things just fall into place. Round pegs in round holes. Just where we should be.

Uncle Charlie...

My brother Charlie came to town last Wednesday. He stayed until the wee hours of the morning Sunday. My kids hadn't seen him in a year and a half, but when he walked through the door it was as though no time had passed. My kids are like that with relatives. Virtual strangers become instant playmates. Nice. I love that they are so adaptable.

Charlie won uncle of the year by pulling Ethan and Kennedy out of school to take them on lunch dates. He took them individually so they'd get time alone with him. Poor guy ate two lunches. Ethan chose Paglia's Pizza. His favorite thin crust that we never order because he is the only one that enjoys it.

Charlie had them both make angry faces in their pictures. Charlie just doesn't like to smile. Crazy guy. He has a cute smile. I don't know what he's worried about.

The next day was Jack's birthday. Charlie took him and Landon to the Burger King play place eat an early lunch before his party. They also had a great time.

The next day Charlie got caught up in a few games of sequence.

He taught me some functions on my camera that are pretty cool. (No, it's not new. It's 3 years old.)
He also taught me some cool features on my computer. It was nice to learn some things that can actually be applied. We were all sad to see him leave when it came time for him to go. We all enjoyed his visit. Now he's off to Asia. Not just for your typical visit though. He's biking across the continent with a few friends. Yep. I said biking. Like, bicycling. Crazy. He's starting in Thailand and planning to finish in Istanbul. But that's just the adventurous side of him. He has a strong head on his shoulders. He's also really smart about everything he does. We hope you have an awesome time Charlie. We'll be following your blog to see how you are doing. Be safe. I guess we'll see you when you return. Thanks for the visit. We love you!

New Kind of Cheese...

I was making lunch for Jackson and Landon the other day. They both requested turkey sandwiches.

Me: Jack, do you want colby jack cheese on your turkey?
Jack: Yes please.
Me: Landon, do you want colby jack cheese on yours too?
Landon: No. I want colby Landon cheese please.

Funny boy. Doesn't think Jack should be the only one with a cheese named after him.

Choices....

I consider myself a pretty successful person in life---so far anyway. I think I've made some pretty good choices that got me where I am. I got a college education. Married a really great man. Have 5 adorable kids. I recognize the fact that I am who I am because of the way I was raised. My parents taught me strong values from the time I was little, and because of that I had pretty high standards set for myself. And I still do. I always try to do what I believe to be the right thing. Lately I've been encountering people from my past on facebook. And also blogger. It's weird to see people I knew in Jr. high all grown up with their own families. It's made me think about how choices really do affect the outcome of our lives. As I've grown into myself with age, I realize that I led a pretty sheltered life. I only knew what was in front of my face and took it all for granted. Thinking how lame it was that a certain boy in my history class never showed up to our group project meetings because he had to work. I wanted to fail him (we graded each other), but the group decided to give him at least a C because he did what he could in class. In retrospect I see that I had absolutely no idea what his home life was. Maybe he was working because he had to financially support himself and if he missed work he'd lose his job and it would cause an avalanche of problems as a result. I actually think this might have been the case. I remember another boy that was in most of my classes. He was a pretty smart guy. He was very closed lipped about his home life, but from the bits and pieces I got I gathered that he lived with a single mom who had severe emotional issues. I, however, treated him like he was living the life I was. I have recently discovered that he has become successful in this life, just as I have. He has a great job, a dedicated wife, and a few kids. He seems really happy. Both of our outcomes are the same. A lot of the choices we made to get to our outcomes were also the same. But, how is it that we made the same choices when our upbringings were so drastically different? I wonder if I would still be the same person I am today if I had been raised by an emotionally disturbed mother, or an abusive father. Would I have been able to make the choices I did? He did. I can only hope that I would have been able to overcome a hard upbringing. I guess I'll never know what I would have turned out like. And I'm glad I won't. I do know that I want my own children to realize how good they have it. I want them to know that life does exist outside of the 2x2 square around their own heads. A lot of people don't have it as good as they do. Most people don't have it as easy as they do. I want to teach them to be understanding of others situations, and sympathetic to them. Not to be as ignorant as I was. And maybe that just comes with being a teenager. Ignorance that is. And selfishness. And thinking everyone should be able to do what you do because every one's life is the same. I would love for my teenagers to see then what I waited until now to be able to see. Maybe that kind of thinking is me being ignorant. But I think it's worth a shot.

Cereal...

Presley started eating rice cereal tonight. I can't believe she's already old enough. Crazy. I always start with it pretty runny, but was distracted while mixing it up and it was thicker than usual for a first timer. Not a problem for this little chunky monkey. She ate it up like a pro. After a few bites I think she started to question me a little. Like, maybe this was too good to be true. Or, maybe she thought it just wasn't right. She kept eating. She ate the equivalent of about 5 tablespoons. Unheard of. She was obviously ready for this new addition to her food repertoire.

I love her little dimple when she smiles. Nothing makes her smile like a full belly and a clean diaper. And her older siblings entertainment of course.

Pin Store...

Last year sometime we took the kids bowling. Landon has talked about it ever since. He is obsessed with anything bowling. For a long time he called it the "pin store". It took us about a month to realize he really meant the bowling alley. When we told Landon we were going bowling on Saturday he was so excited he could hardly stand it. First stop? Shoes. Little bowlers get to wear their own. Jack used the metal guard rail to get his ball down the lane.

Kennedy and Ethan waited patiently for their turns while watching the balls come through the shoot. Landon started out using the guard rail but felt he was "too old" for it. This video shows how he reacted every time he bowled. Hilarious.

It took a little over an hour to play one game. We thought about playing another but decided Dairy Queen was the better option at that point. Landon, however, was very upset. He burst into the most hysterical tears I've ever seen.We had to man handle him just to get him out of his bowling shoes and into his own. He just kept running over to where his ball was, looking up at the screen and saying, "But it says it's my turn again!" We dragged him out crying with promises to return again soon. I guess we've found his passion in life.

Tough...

Today when Landon got himself dressed he came running out of his room super fast. He yelled "today I'm wearing my fighting clothes!" I inquired as to why. "So I can fight Jackson when he gets home". Sounds like a logical reason to me.

Moving Out and Dressing Up...

Presley is officially in her own crib now. I love not having her in my room. Not that she isn't connected to the monitor that now sits on my nightstand, but she is still down the hall. Now all that cute bedding is being utilized.Since Landon has been potty trained, he tends to run out of pants. When he has an accident I'm none the wiser because he takes care of it without telling me. For a few days he was seen in numerous outfits. I usually didn't notice. Except when the outfit he put on resembled this.

He figured that since he'd worn all his pants he'd just use pajama bottoms. And the new socks need to be pulled up all the way or they just aren't right. Nice.

Ringin' It In....

We rang in the new year with the Fields this year. We all decided they could put their girls to bed in our basement bedroom so we could play games until the wee hours of the morning.

True to Katherine, she represented with the food. Chocolate fondue was a hit. Kennedy and Frannie dipped more than they ate, while the rest of us just ate. I made a vegetable tray to curb my hunger, but the fondue was tempting enough that I indulged.

We put the kids to bed at 9:30 and talked the night away. Once we realized it was midnight we broke out this fabulous game:

Sequence. Now added to my list of addictions. Slow paced, or fast, whichever way you like it. Around 2:00 am the Fields decided they needed to go home. We probably would've played all night. But we would have regretted it in the morning.

After a good nights sleep, and a lazy afternoon, we all headed over to the Fields house. Katherine decided to duplicate a tradition of Ashley's----homemade manicotti. Mmmm. I'm glad it was us that got to participate in this new tradition. Then Shawn and I decided we would challenge Katherine and Bobby to a game of sequence. The night before it was girls against boys. (After playing connect 4 at home, Shawn agreed I was a worthy partner.) After about an hour the kids were wrestless. Why don't kids like their parents to have a good time? Thanks Bobby and Katherine for letting us ring in 2009 in your presence. It was great. And I'm practicing sequence. Next time Shawn's in town we'll have to challenge you again. This time we won't bring our kids.