Blessings from the B's

Hello Again!

2010-07-15T22:24:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know...you thought I had forsaken the family blog. Well, I did for a while but not because I don't just love updating you all on what is going on with the B's...no, it's because I started a photography business! So if you want to see what I have been up to you can visit www.sammiedawnphotography.com.

Ok so this is a totally lame, short post but I just felt like I needed to give an explanation as to what I have been doing that was so important that I didn't post anything on this blog for 2 months.

Now I am going to bed...and I promise to update this blog again tomorrow. After all, we have lots going on with a new baby arriving ANYTIME now...

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Boy or Girl?

2010-03-10T19:18:00.000-08:00

Well...we aren't finding out with this one? Can you believe that? Sammie "the planner" has decided its ok to have some surprises in life and we think this surprise will be extra-special. But that doesn't mean we can't take some extremely scientifically sound quizzes to see what they predict as far as our baby's gender. So here are my answers to the Gender Quiz questions:

It's a boy if:

* You didn't experience morning sickness in early pregnancy - well, if you know me, my kids or the poor people who witnessed me puking in Wal-Mart yesterday you know that I have had (and continue to have) morning sickness...
* Your baby's heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute - the last two times I have heard the baby's heartbeat, it was in the 150's
* You are carrying the extra weight out in front - yes, I have lost weight in other places but my belly continues to grow
* Your belly looks like a basketball - I think this sounds pretty accurate
* Your areola have darkened considerably - hmmm...this seems like TMI for a blog post
* You are carrying low - I have no idea...
* You are craving salty or sour foods - no, not really...except for Doritos...
* You are craving protein - meats and cheese - nope
* Your feet are colder than they were before pregnancy - my feet are always cold
* The hair on your legs has grown faster during pregnancy - if I had time to shave, this would help
* Your hands are very dry - yes
* Your pillow faces north when you sleep - my pillow faces west
* Dad-to-be is gaining weight too - nope (darn high metabolism)
* Pregnancy has you looking better than ever (ugh, no...again I've been puking)
* Your urine is a bright yellow in color - yes, I don't drink enough fluids according to Dr. Daddy
* Your nose is spreading - well if I knew what this was I would be alarmed if it was happening
* If you hang your wedding ring over your belly, it moves in circles...yep
* You are having headaches - yes but this could be related to my three kiddos running around (often while yelling loudly)
* You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived the number is even - yep, even

It's a girl if:

* You had morning sickness early in pregnancy - don't I wish it was just early pregnancy...
* Your baby's heart rate is at least 140 beats per minute - yes, has been in the 150's
* You are carrying the weight in your hips and rear - no...pretty much out front
* Your left breast is larger than your right breast - again TMI for a family-friendly blog
* Your hair gets red highlights - well my hair has always had red-highlights...what about the streaks of grey "highlights" I have been noticing? I hope this doesn't mean twins! :)
* You are carrying high - not sure on this one
* Your belly looks like a watermelon - more round I think...
* You crave sweets - no, no, no...I am much healthier than that. I only crave Oreos, sweet tea, cool whip, chocolate shakes and Scobby-Doo fruit snacks.
* You crave fruit - pineapple yes
* You crave orange juice - YES! I need my own orange tree!
* You don't look quite as good as normal during pregnancy - agreed...puking, three kids, grey hair...need I say more?
* You are moodier than usual during pregnancy - yes
* Your face breaks out more than usual - not really
* You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread - no, I like the heel and sometimes its all that is left after I make sandwiches for the kids and Josh.
* Your breasts have really blossomed - well thank you
* Your pillow faces south when you sleep - nope faces west
* Your urine is a dull yellow in color - no, bright yellow...should drink more water
* If you hang your wedding ring over your belly, it moves from side to side - yep
* If you add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived the number is odd - nope

So this quiz shows we are having a girl, but I was thinking it was a boy...hmmm...guess we will have to wait until July to find out! What do you think?

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Thankful

2010-02-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Layla Grace Marsh left her earthly home and went to heaven to rejoice with Jesus and all the heavenly hosts on March 9, 2010. What a blessing she was to so many (even those who never met her). Because of Layla and her family, I have signed up to donate our baby's cord blood and to be on the registry for bone marrow donation. Pay it Forward - Layla Grace. :)
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I usually try to post blog updates in regard to something funny or silly that has happened in our lives. And I thank God that we are, for the most part, blessed with a happy family and good health (aside from recent bouts of RSV and a broken collar bone) so that most of my posts can be light-hearted and fun to read.

But tonight I have to write about something that has had such an impact on me as a mother that I can't not call attention to it. But please know that this post is not light-hearted. It is from a story so heart-breaking that it has put my world into a spin and resulted in me crying myself to sleep for several nights.

If you follow my Facebook page you know I have been praying for a little two-year old girl - Layla Grace who is dying from Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. I do not know her. I do not know her family. But I have been so completely touched and so profoundly changed by her and her parents that I feel as if I have known them my entire life.

Now being a physician's wife, I hear stories of death and heartache often. But something about this family...something about Layla has struck me in a way nothing else has. Tonight when Josh saw me once again weeping at my computer as I read the latest blog post by Layla's daddy, he asked me why I continue to torture myself. And I explained to him that I had no choice now but to continue to follow Layla's life and to pray unceasingly for her and her amazing family. I explained to him that when I read what Layla's parents are experiencing and my heart breaks because I cannot fathom the strength it takes to watch your child die...I truly realize what blessings I have in my family. Our children are healthy. I can hear Naomi's baby snores on the monitor upstairs and it brings me so much comfort and gratefulness that I have been on my knees thanking God for what he has blessed me with. Of course I have always been thankful for the gifts I have in my children, but I feel that because of Layla and her parents, this thankfulness has become complete, raw, and life-changing. When Nicholas or Natalie begin to fight with one another I find that I deal with reprimanding them in a way I should have always done - with love and patience, not anger and exasperation. When Naomi begins perfecting her toddler tantrums, my first reaction is one of calmness and love. And tonight as I washed dishes after dinner and scrubbed stains on the laundry...I did it with gratitude because I have children who are healthy enough to eat and make a mess of themselves. I have never been more thankful than I am right now and I have never felt closer to God than I do today. And I am so sorry and ashamed that it took the incomprehensible journey of the Marsh family to bring this into full perspective for me.

As I have prayed asking God "why, why, why...does pain and suffering have to come to a sweet, innocent child"...I have heard God speak. He has revealed to me the change that has taken place in my heart and by reading the Facebook, Twitter, Blog comments from other people just like me who are praying for Layla, I know that change has also come to thousands of other people. What a remarkable legacy for such a short lifetime. And tonight as I pray for peace for Layla and peace for her family. I envision the wonderful image of Christ standing at the gates waiting to bring home a small and precious faithful servant. A servant who helped me truly appreciate what God has blessed me with and whose journey has helped me become the mother that I should have been all along. I am forever grateful Layla Grace.

www.LaylaGrace.org

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A Good Excuse

2010-01-29T11:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a over a month...

Bad, bad, Blogging Momma.

I know that my reasons for long hiatus' in the past have been what some might consider trivial matters (but can we really consider re-runs of Desperate Housewives trivial??).

However, THIS TIME I have good reason. If you've read my Facebook status updates (which you really should read because on most days its my connection with the outside world), you know that we are going to have another baby in late July! And either this baby doesn't like me, or I am getting too old or I have repeatedly been eating bad fish over the past 3 months...whatever the reason may be...I HAVE BEEN SICK!

Ugh...sick.

I was sick with Nicholas too...but back in those days I would lay down when I was sick. Even if I were busy at work...I would just take a few minutes to lay my head down on my desk and breathe. I don't have time to breathe like that anymore. The only opportunities I really get for deep breathing would be after I discover that Natalie has used crayon to write on the oak kitchen table, or after Naomi has dumped cat food into my dryer, or after Nicholas tells me he doesn't like what we are having for dinner (before I even tell him what that might be). Yes, those seem to be the moments I find myself practicing deep breathing (usually accompanied by counting in my head).

However, the further I get into this pregnancy and all it entails with three little ones running circles around me...the more I realize that at some point in my day I have to concentrate on deep breathing, quiet reading, trashy TV watching, and of course blogging. Even if it means I leave laundry for another day or dishes in the sink. Because I find on the days I make an effort to focus on "me as Sammie" and not just "me as Momma"...I usually feel better, enjoy being pregnant more AND (drumroll please...) find I have more patience to deal with the moments that cause me to count and breathe deeply with the other three. So let it be known to my blogging circle that I hereby commit to taking more time for Sammie in 2010.

*And I hear you chuckling about how that is going to work being that I will have four kids in July...*

Skeptic.

And because I have been a bad blogger, I decided to redeem myself a bit by creating a little movie montage covering the past month's activities. Enjoy!

The importance of good nutrition...

2009-12-15T18:57:00.000-08:00

I am embarrassed to even be writing this blog entry. However, I have to remind myself that part of the reason I maintain this blog is to keep a record of the crazy "days in the trenches" that come with raising three small children. And I have to admit that the past two days have been deep into those muddy trenches...with nothing but junk food to sustain life. Let me explain...

Let's start on a positive note. Josh, Nicholas and I spent the end of last week and the weekend in Cape Coral, FL (near Ft. Myers) where Josh attended a medical conference on female genitalia and disease (yes, you read that right...3 days of material...ewww). Nicholas and I had a more enjoyable time visiting with Josh's Aunt Jan and Uncle John. They were (as always) wonderful hosts and we always love our time with them. Here is a picture of Nicholas enjoying time out on their boat.

Jan and John are very healthy and eat wonderful foods on a mainly vegan diet. I felt rejuvinated when I left and committed myself to making more healthy food choices for the family. Not that we are known for eating horrible food...but my kids have gotten into some bad food habits.

To name just a few...
1. They refuse to eat yogurt with real fruit in it...no they just want colored yogurt that tastes like cotton candy. Where is the health benefit there?
2. They think bread that has any grain at all in it is "yucky". I have been buying the Iron Kids bread because they have a great marketing gimic going on that suckers parents into thinking its healthy. However, once you look at the label you see that it is still made with bleached white flour and has sugar added to it...not healthy. But who the heck has time to read the label when you are in the grocery store with three kids?
3. Anytime I manage to get something whole grain on their plate they beg for jelly or syrup to mask that horrible healthy taste.

So as you can see we have a ways to go before we can claim any real nutritional prize. But I knew I felt great after five days of eating healthy and I wanted this to continue at home. Yes, I would find an organic food store and I would buy only whole grain and I would make my own yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast and we would stop eating red meat and I would use more beans and lean proteins like salmon and turkey...YES...AND to top it off we would start running in marathons!! GREAT IDEA...this is going to be GREAT!

And then we got off the plane in Kansas City. And then I realized we still had a 3 hour drive home. And then I realized how hungry I was. And then we passed...

Ah, but we would do better tomorrow once I had time to go to the grocery store and buy my stash of healthy food. Yes...tomorrow. We would start our new, healthy lifestyle tomorrow.

And then I woke up to a 5 year old with post-vacation mood swings. And then I had to take three kids to the eye doctor for their exams (imagine that will you? God bless Keith Mallatt). And then I had to deal with a 2 year old who wanted to go back to Gaweeena to see Nannie and Grandad and Nana and Papa. And then I got a headache...and then before I knew it...it was time for dinner. We had waffles. TOMORROW...yes TOMORROW would be the start of our new life.

So now its tomorrow and my kids begged me for eggs and biscuits and gravy for dinner. I agreed but only if they ate pears with it (wouldn't Aunt Jan be proud?)
I ate a few pears too...and then as I was making dinner, opened a can of Pringles. Never a good idea. I felt too guilty to eat anything else after I had about three times the serving amount on the can resulting in a stomach ache and a guilty conscience.

I should have known this healthy lifestyle was futile when Natalie rattled off her shopping list today as we were on our way to Wal-Mart.

Natalie: "Momma, I need get some syrup, jelly and marshmallows."
Momma: "Good grief...all you want is sugar."
Natalie: "Oh you're right, we need get sugar too."

Because we are in the Christmas spirit, that reminds me of...

Maple Syrup sound bite Elf sound bites

I think we need to get Aunt Jan and Uncle John down here for a healthy diet bootcamp...

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My confession

2009-11-12T22:02:00.000-08:00

The fact that I haven't posted anything lately (namely no posts recapping our Halloween) does not accurately reflect my enthusiasm for the holiday. If you know me, you know I love the spookiness of Halloween and go all out on decorations and parties. So if I love the blessed holiday so much why haven't I posted about it you ask? Well...I have an addiction. I am standing up now and introducing myself to all of you. Hello, I am Sammie Brueggemann and I am a Desperate Housewivesaholic. Yes, I said it. I DVR three old episodes that run on Lifetime daily during the week. So when the dishes are done, laundry is folded, curtains are ironed...ahem...ok so maybe those aren't all complete when I sit down to lose myself on Wisteria Lane but I digress. When my main tasks are complete I don't want to get on my computer and write on this blog because all I can think about is what in the world is going on with Mike's drug addiction, when will Lynette's hair start to grow-back now that the chemo is over and will Gabby and Carlos' marriage last this time around? So that is why you haven't heard from me but tonight I am intentionally blogging instead of watching TV...I can do this.

What?? Oh sorry...I was just checking to make sure all three of my episodes recorded successfully. Yes, looks like they did...that will be good when I am ready to watch them, whenever that might be...who knows if I will watch them or not.

yeah, right.

Ok so on to Halloween. I wanted the kids to be the Three Blind Mice...wouldn't that have been cute with sunglasses and Mickey Mouse ears? Natalie and Naomi were on board.

Nicholas wanted to be a Ninja Turtle not a blind mouse. In no way was he going to be a blind mouse.

Ok fine, the 5 year old wins this battle. So he was a muscle-bound Ninja Turtle, Natalie was Fancy Nancy (her favorite book) and Naomi was a pink bunny (recycled from Natalie's first Halloween). Here are some pictures.

We hosted the neighborhood Halloween party (and Josh's birthday party) the night before Halloween and had a really good time. There were 12 adults and 15 kids at the party...yeah, that's a lot especially when you add punch and candy to that mix. We had to get the house all spooky so here are some fun pictures of the house decorated.

On Saturday night we went down to Galena to trick-or-treat. The kids enjoyed trick-or-treating with Nannie with us (she was dressed up as a 50's girl). They received an obscene amount of candy. Because we don't want all our teeth to rot out, we divide our candy the day after Halloween and give half to the "Candy Witch" who is a first cousin to the "Tooth Fairy" and who takes the candy and leaves some fun toy in exchange. This year Nicholas received a Super Hero toy and Natalie received a plastic heart necklace. Naomi has no idea what's going on...but she does know that she likes chocolate and she thinks she might be getting a rotten deal with her candy going to the Candy Witch.

The kids are already talking about what they will dress-up like next year. There was talk of a skeleton and a clown. But shhhh...Momma has already purchased K-State cheerleader outfits and football jersey...next year Momma wins.

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What we're up to...

2009-10-19T10:52:00.000-07:00

So I don't have anything super-exciting to post today. The kids are up to their usual antics...

Naomi is staggering all over the house intrigued that things previously up high are now at eye-level which of course means more things to get into.

Natalie continues to collect various items from around the house and store them in her crib for the winter. I have taken to calling her Miss Squirrel. She has filled her purse and now just stashes things in her crib. This morning I found a few new items including a paintbrush, athletic tape, a plastic cow, and my K-State Alumni card.

Nicholas is on his first-ever field trip today! He was SUPER excited to be heading to Greenbush for the day on a...

Because I like to dabble in new things, I decided I would try making a fresh fruit arrangement. I made this for Grandma Dorothy's birthday celebration...what do ya think? It was fun and not too labor-intensive. Josh helped me make the platform the fruit was placed on...what a nice guy.

Well...I think I will wrap this show up and get the girls ready to head downtown to look for old sheets and cheesecloth (Halloween decorations...a future post!)

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Naomi is walking!

2009-10-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

That's right our baby girl is upright and on the move! Check out her new moves in the video below.

She walks like a drunk cowboy...

The Tooth Fairy's First Appearance

2009-10-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Nicholas now has the cutest grin...with one missing tooth on the bottom! Last night he bravely agreed to let Momma pull the tooth that had been barely hanging on for the past week. If you don't count the drama that took place as he was rolling around on the floor asking how much blood there would be and how bad it would hurt...the whole ordeal only took about 3 minutes. And after the tooth was out and Nicholas had chowed down on two popsicles and called various fanclub members such as Nannie and Grandad, Nana and Papa and Grandma Linda...he was feeling pretty good about himself and his decision to have the tooth pulled. Because we told him that the Tooth Fairy brings a surprise toy in addition to the $2-$3 for the first tooth, he began to dream about all the wonderful things the Tooth Fairy would bring to reward him for his impeccable bravery. This list included a bike and a pony...

We told him that the Tooth Fairy is on a much smaller budget but he should mention the bike to Santa Clause. He settled (after some persuasion fom Momma) on hoping the Tooth Fairy would bring some kind of superhero toy (perhaps the Incredible Hulk). He was thrilled to see that the Tooth Fairy knew just what he wanted when he woke up to find $3 in quarters and an Incredible Hulk toy figurine.

He's already starting to wiggle the tooth next to his new gap and Natalie is insisting that all her teeth are loose and need to be pulled.

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What's in her purse?

2009-09-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have spent any time at all around Natalie over the past month, you understand and have witnessed her recent purse obsession. She carries her "purse" with her EVERYWHERE. And because she carries it all over the place and at all times, she adds to the contents regularly with various little tidbits she finds around the house.

When talking to Auntsies and Uncle Pat last night, they mentioned that their local newspaper will sometimes publish fun articles about what's in certain society ladies purses. I also remembered finding this video on Youtube a long time ago where this gal reveals the contents of her purse. I believe this might give me a glimpse into what I can expect Natalie to carry around when she is older. Take a look...

So here are the current contents of Natalie's purse...

pink play phone
old remote control
Barbie notepad
comb
unsharpened pencil
bouncy ball
bubble wand
VW key from her Barbie car
Wiggles cell phone
paintbrush
teething ring
wetwipe
old insurance card
another comb
another bouncy ball
Mardi Gra beads
another pink cell phone
medicine dropper
another comb
our old home phone
plastic diamond ring
another medicine dropper
hair clippy
Holy Rosary (we aren't Catholic but found this in the seat of the van, guessing it belonged to the previous owner)

I think all she's really missing are her hooker shoes...

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Raw eggs and ballet

2009-09-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

How do these two things possibly fit together you ask? Well, that's easy to explain...Natalie experienced both yesterday! We celebrated Nannie's birthday with dinner at our house and Natalie helped make the cake...and subsequently ate a lot of the raw cake batter while I was flouring the pans. :) Oh well, she is still as healthy as ever today.

And as you might have guessed, yesterday was Natalie's first day of dance class at Jody Phillips School of Dance here in Pittsburg. She looked so stinkin' cute in her ballet gear, but her attitude was anything but prima-ballerina. She threw a fit when I tried to leave the studio and I watched her pout on the floor for the first 5 minutes of class while the others twirled around her. She did eventually get up and participate and I am hoping next week is less dramatic.

Oh and Happy Birthday (yesterday) Nannie and thanks for being so great, we love you!

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We Miss You!

2009-09-09T10:57:00.000-07:00

This morning Natalie and I were talking about what we were going to do today and she said "let's see Anderson"...well, this broke my heart because I know she loves and misses her little buddy Anderson. Afterall, she practically grew up with him the first 2 and a half years of her life. I explained to Natalie that Anderson didn't live near us anymore but that we should look at pictures and remember how much fun we had when he did live by us. So today we took a trip down memory lane and saw pictures of many of our wonderful Wichita/Residency/St. Andrews friends that we miss so much. If you are reading this guys, we hope it brings you a smile to remember when too.

PS - Joy, Angie, Rachel...why don't I have more pics of our kids together? If you have some...send to me! :)

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Sweet Black Lab...anyone?

2009-09-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

Oh FUN - the new blog is up and going! I hope you like our new design! :)

And, if you haven't heard I am trying to find a home for a sweet black lab we found yesterday in east Pittsburg. Please email me sammiedawn1978@yahoo.com if you know of anyone interested in this sweet boy. He's at the Joplin Humane Society now because Olivia doesn't make friends with other dogs, but sadly they are NOT a no-kill shelter and I am desperate to find him a home. He would make a wonderful family dog!

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End of Summer Party...

2009-09-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight we took the kids to the country club for an end of summer Labor Day party. The pool was open but only crazy tweens were in there...all blue and shivering. We opted for enjoying the food, bounce house and "rockin" DJ. :) Enjoy the pictures.

PS - the blog is getting a WHOLE NEW LOOK! Watch for fun changes coming soon! :)

Give Momma your Miss America wave girls...

2009-09-05T15:28:00.000-07:00

So those of you who know me well, know my little secret about pageants. You don't know? Well, we should get to know one another better if you are ready our family blog. :)

Before I proceed, I want to make it known that I AM TOTALLY AGAINST the full glitz professional pageants where crazy mothers live vicariously through their ridiculously made-up daughters who are transformed from sweet, little five year old girls to scary-looking 25 year old mini-hoochies. Can I write "hoochie" on a family blog? Anywho... I do not like what those pageants represent and the message they send to young women so you will never see me entering my girls into anything that calls for fake teeth or eyelashes. Geesh...

So with all that clarified, the girls entered their first little "pageant" today at Pittsburg's Little Balkans Day Baby Contest (this is big-time of course and our next step will obviously be Miss America). Naomi Grace wowed the crowd with her big blue eyes and wrinkled nose grin and won 2nd place for the 6-12 month division. Natalie Dawn flashed one cute grin and then buried her face in her hands and would only peek out to see the judges. But her bashful routine must have won them over because she placed 3rd for the 24-36 month division even though I am surprised they ever saw much of her face. Naomi could care less of course, but Natalie was pumped to have a trophy to take home. She plans to sleep with it she said. Momma doesn't think so.

Of course being a former natural pageant girl (meaning no make-up for the little ones and minimal for teens) with an emphasis on public service (i.e. I want to save all homeless black dogs) and scholarship, it is only fitting that I have my daughters enjoy the fun that I once knew. I am sure in a year Natalie will laugh in my face from the tree she is climbing when I ask if she wants to do a pageant, but for now...she's my captive audience and little sister Naomi is along for the ride. Enjoy the pictures of my little beauties. :)

My dear children, may I introduce to you...

2009-09-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

one of the most highly-aclaimed and thought-provoking films of the 1990's. This film was heralded as one of the holiday season's best in 1990, being nominated for two Oscars and one Golden Globe.

Yes, that's right, tonight my kids are watching...

for the first time ever. Oh the joys of being a parent! Brings a tear to the eye to get to be the one to introduce my little brood to such classic cinematic genius.

Disclaimer so that you sleep tonight: Only a CRAZY parent would leave on a trip with one of their children still at home. Mommy and Daddy would never do that...but with that said, if you ever see us loading the van up with luggage...just be sure to jump in and get in your carseat for good measure.

Dear Schwan's delivery driver...

2009-09-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

thank you for bringing me food right to my door tonight. You see tonight I was dealing with a Kindergartner who was SUPER tired and cranky after his first four full days of school, a 2 year old WORN OUT from her second day of preschool (and who just likes being dramatic) and a baby who received THREE shots and TWO finger pricks at her 12 month appointment....yes, today of all days, I needed you.

Here are a few shots of happier times...

Nicholas meeting new friends at Kindergarten

Natalie and her cubby (all grins at this point)

Naomi pre-shots

and just for sympathy's sake...Naomi post-shots

Life is so busy...we haven't had time to blog about it!

2009-08-31T10:00:00.001-07:00

Whew - the past week has really been busy around here, which brings me to why you haven't heard from me online! I usually think about what I would like to blog about throughout the day, but don't seem to find the time to sit down and do it as often as I woudl like. So, this blog will have the highlights that I meant to chronicle daily...but haven't.

First of all - Naomi Grace turned ONE on August 24th. Hard to believe my "baby" has moved from the baby-stage into the toddler-stage. She had a great pool party with several family members celebrating with us and she almost showed off her new trick of trying to walk. She took her first two steps the night before her birthday and I honestly think she would walk across the room if she wouldn't think about what she was doing. She gets too concentrated and then falls down on her rear. I am not wishing the time away and don't want her to grow-up any faster than necessary, but I am looking forward to her being on two feet as opposed to all fours crawling...just for the sake of cleanliness. Our baby girl just lights up our world with her precious smile and we have been so blessed by having her in our lives this year.

Potty-training with Natalie has gone remarkably well. She has such a mind of her own but thankfully it appears that she has made up her mind to use the potty. She had an accident-free day yesterday (and told us when she had to go) and so far today has been accident-free and also telling me when she needs to go. She is doing GREAT and loves her big-girl underwear. She also loves chocolate candy and I think the combination of M&M's and Princess underwear has really done the trick for her. She has earned herself a princess Barbie doll for all her efforts and has been telling us what a big girl she is every 5 minutes or so.

Nichoas has some VERY BIG NEWS! He is a KINDERGARTEN student now! We had made the decision because he is a July boy to hold him back a year and start K next year. We had him enrolled in a Peer Model classroom at The Center here in Pittsburg where he was suppose to be a role model kid in a class that was mixed with normal functioning kids and kids with special-needs. We thought this would be great for him but when we realized at Orientation last week that the other kids in his class were mainly 3 year olds, we decided that wasn't the best option for him. We were afraid with such an age difference that he would regress and not feel stretched to learn more. So on Friday we checked out our Kindergarten options and decided on the public school near our house - George Nettels Elementary. This morning when Momma woke him up and asked him if he knew what today was, he popped right up and said "YES, KINDERGARTEN!" He was pumped. The picture above is of Nicholas with his teacher Mrs. Sours. When Momma and Daddy left his room at school he wasn't even looking to make sure we were still there...he was off with Andrew (our neighbor who is also in his class) meeting new friends. It was probably a harder day for Momma...realizing my oldest baby is growing faster than I thought possible. It seems like just yesterday when I held him for the first time and he fit snuggly in my arms. Now he's waving good-bye on his first day of Kindergarten...and I would be lying if I said I didn't have tears in my eyes as I finish this post. :) I know you other Momma's understand...

I will *try* to update tomorrow with all the great insights and things he tells me that he learned on his first day of school. I am sure it will be a HOOT!

Let's make a deal!

2009-08-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a lot of "deal-making" going on around the Brueggemann home right now. Let me fill you in.

Last week we started potty-training Natalie more seriously. By serious I mean that we are stripping her down naked or putting her big girl undies on and giving her as much juice and milk as possible so she pees a lot. Of course this involves the acceptance of puddles but I keep her on the hardwoods or tile for the most part and so far no accidents on the carpet! This strategy worked wonders with Nicholas and we seem to be having good luck with Natalie too...stay tuned for more on that. Of course like any self-respecting parent, we have rewards for actually putting pee and poo in the potty...which brings me to the topic of this post.

The organization freak in me has devised a "pay-out scale" for potty-training and it goes like this:

1. Natalie pees in the potty upon adult's request = 1 M&M.
2. Natalie pees in the potty after telling an adult she needs to go = 2 M&M's
3. Natalie poos in the potty (regardless of who initiated it) = 2 M&M's

Well, that has been working well over the course of the past several days however I am now realizing that Natalie has caught on to the pay-out scale and is in the market to play "deal or no deal" when it comes to using the potty.

Here's our latest example:

Momma: "Ok, Natalie let's go use the potty."
Natalie: "Hmmmm, 2 M&M's?"
Momma: "No, that's only if Natalie says she needs to go potty."
Natalie: "Oh, ok. No potty."
Momma: "Well, no chocolate."
Natalie: "Ok, Natalie go potty."
Momma: "Wonderful."
Natalie proceeds to use the potty...
Momma: "Great job, here is your M&M."
Natalie: "No, TWO M&M's..."
Momma: "No, Mommy brought it up."
Natalie: "No, Natalie did. Natalie say go potty."
Momma: "Grrrrr..."

Another example of deal-making happened last night with Nicholas. We were reading Tom Sawyer and we read about how his Auntie pulled his tooth. This subject worries Nicholas a great deal because the idea of one of his teeth coming out isn't pleasant at all. We have told him about the tooth fairy and we reiterated this last night. Our sensitive Nicholas looked scared to death so we said that the great thing about losing a tooth is that you get some money from the tooth fairy. Our conversation went like this:

Daddy: "It's great because when you lose a tooth the tooth fairy brings you money in exchange for the tooth."
Nicholas: "Did the tooth fairy bring you money?"
Daddy: "Yes, she sure did!"
Nicholas: "How much?"
Daddy: "Oh, I think about $0.50 a tooth."
Nicholas does not look pleased. He can smell a rotten deal...
Momma (seeing that he isn't thinking that sounds worth it): "Well, there's been inflation and teeth are worth more these days."
Nicholas: "How much are they worth now?"
Daddy: "Oh, I would say about $2."
Nicholas: "Or maybe $3 or $4 Daddy."

Virtual Scrapbooking!

2009-07-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

6 Things That Make Me Happy

2009-07-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

Inspired by "our Ms. Laura" as Nicholas calls her, I have decided to recount 6 things that make me happy. After spending a wonderful week on the beautiful beach with my even more beautiful family...this list couldn't be easier.

6. Chocolate Chip Cookies - I will do Jillian twice in a day if it means I can still induldge in this little treat.

5. Foot Rubs - my husband who works so very hard and is on his feet just as much as I am during the day is still so very sweet to give me foot rubs even when I don't ask. I love you Josh!

4. My Pets - I love all animals (well are snakes included in that list?) and my dogs and cat are at the top of that list. There is nothing like the love you get from your dog. Even when my kids say they would rather have Daddy read them a book and Josh thinks I am nagging him...Olivia and Andi think I am perfect.

3. Reading - BOOKS MAKE ME SO STINKING HAPPY! The only problem is that I read them too fast and then I have the book let-down...until I find another page-turner!

2. Bedtime Prayers - I love hearing Nicholas (and now Natalie) learn that they can pray to God just like they were talking to Momma or Daddy. I adore hearing the things they pray about and are thankful for...it gives me such a precious peak into their worlds! And it makes me so happy to know that every time they pray, they are developing what should be the most important personal and intimate relationship they will ever know.

1. My Family - It is one of my heart's greatest pleasures to watch my kids experience wonderful things for the very first time. I have witnessed this several times throughout the week with them seeing the ocean for the first time, building sandcastles and seeing dolphins swim. I love to hear them laugh while they play in the sand or jump in the waves with Daddy. And I have especially enjoyed watching Josh experience all these wonderful things again through the eyes of our kids. My family is such a amazing gift from God and they couldn't make me happier.

So now its your turn - what makes you happy?

Kids say the darndest things...

2009-07-19T22:29:00.000-07:00

We are in Florida and enjoying ourselves very much! We wanted to provide a few pictures and also pass along some of our most memorable quotes from the journey thus far...

Natalie when seeing the ocean for the first time:

"WOW - Slip n' Slide"

Nicholas recounting how much he loved the beach:

"It was so cool that it was all the letters in the alphabet!"

Natalie when boarding the swamp tour boat:

"Gonna get me a gator Daddy!" (this girl has no fear)

Lessons from the Tank

2009-07-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

We got Daddy a 37 gallon aquarium for his Father's Day gift and Nicholas and Natalie were PUMPED to get it set up and filled with fish. We purchased decorations similar to the fish tank in the movie "Finding Nemo" so you will notice Mt. Wanna-Hocka-Loogie is in there, very cool.

So yesterday we set out to PetSmart to find some friendly fish for our tank. Nicholas (with a true heart like his Momma) chose the feeder fish because "that way they won't get eaten"...

Natalie on the other hand wanted the Cichlids (who are often agressive and will eat the other fish in the tank)...go figure.

So Nicholas was very excited about his fish and decided to name just one on the way home from the pet store. So he chose one of the two black fish and named him "Iffy". Good, good...but might be an omen here to name a feeder fish who cost only $0.27 "Iffy".

So the kids fell asleep on the way home and Josh and I set about getting the fish into the tank. Well lo and behold when we are about to introduce them to their new, spacious environment outside of the plastic bag they have been cooped up inside, we notice "Iffy" has passed on to that big fishbowl in the sky. Oh heavens...out of all 8 fish, the one he named has to be the one to die?? Well, we agree that we will just say that the other black fish that survived is "Iffy" even though he has a bit more gold to him, surely Nicholas won't be able to tell the difference.

Wrong

Skip to this morning when Nicholas wakes up and runs to the fish tank. He stares at the tank for about 30 seconds...

Nicholas: "Where is Iffy?"

Daddy: "Right there, see?"

Nicholas: "That's not Iffy"

Daddy: "Oh, well one of the black fish didn't make it so I guess that must have been Iffy"

Mommy rushes to the scene because she can sense a meltdown.

Nicholas: "Iffy DIED??"

Mommy: "Yes, honey...we are sorry."

Nicholas: **Begins to cry**

Mommy: **Begins to cry too**

So all this crying over a $0.27 fish who didn't even make it home from the pet store. So we talked about how sometimes people and animals we love die but we can remember how happy they made us and we are certain "Iffy" is swimming around happily in his heavenly fishbowl. :)

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

2009-06-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

Nicholas is so inquisitive - he asks approximately 12.3 questions every 8 minutes or so. Josh says he thinks he was the same way and can remember bombarding his dad with questions. I think we are paying for his raising now. But of course we are happy Nicholas is a bright and curious kid who thinks things through. I hope this always serves him well (like it has Daddy).

Here are some recent questions:
(Kindly insert "Hey Daddy" or "Hey Momma" before each one)
1. Why do we need clouds? Are they just for pretty or for God to eat?
2. Why did God have to be confusing and have rain, ice and snow...aren't they all just water?
3. Do brown cows make chocolate milk? Where are the pink cows who make strawberry milk? (asked before I had a chance to answer the chocolate milk question) Does Momma make white milk or chocolate milk for Naomi?
4. (Question asked of Momma in what could only be called a condesending tone) So why don't you work like Daddy does? He always works and you just stay here. (Oh brother, if he only understood)
5. Why are babies in Momma's tummy if its God that makes us? Followed quickly by - How does God make the babies? Are there instructions to follow?

So as you can see...he has a lot on his little mind. He also has a great imagination and the things he comes up with keep things interesting. We were driving between Joplin and Pittsburg the other day and there were a lot of trees on the sides of the road.

Nicholas: "Those trees look like shapes."

Daddy: "Oh, what kind of shapes do you think they look like?"

Nicholas: "Well that one looks like a cowboy riding a dinosaur. And that one looks like a pig choking."

Right, right - we see that too. :)

Whew - Glad that is settled!

2009-06-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

I took a break from updating our family blog so that I could use all my spare time to get the house ready. But we are back at it again as we are finally "settled" into our new house in Pittsburg. It feels good to have things in their places, boxes unpacked (for the most part) and pictures up so the place feels like HOME. The kids have adjusted really well and love being so close to family in Galena.

Nicholas has already had a sleepover with Colton (Sammie's cousin Shannon's little boy) and is asking for another one. I have a feeling those two will be thick as thieves...wonder what they have in store for us? Here is a recent picture of the boys when they came downstairs after playing dress-up in the playroom.

Not long after this picture was taken, there was a scuffle in Nick's bedroom and I heard a large crash which could only be a body falling from the top bunk. The thud was quickly followed by a high-pitched scream belonging to Natalie. Long story short it appears her collar bone is broken. She will heal up soon - and probably run right back up the ladder to the top bunk!

Kids make things interesting that is for sure!

Moving Weekend!

2009-05-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

I am writing our last post from our home in Wichita and when I post again we will be in Pittsburg! The house is empty and the moving truck is PACKED. Remind me again why we have so much "stuff"...

The kids are in Galena and Nicholas thinks its fun that he got to move before we did. The picture on the left was taken right before they left.

And as I said before we tried to pack in a lot of fun activities before we left Wichita. Below are some pictures of our recent adventures - enjoy! We will pick up this blog again and post pictures of the new house as we get settled.

Nick sitting in a space capsule at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson.

Anderson "on" the moon..

Nicholas is driving the wagon at Old Cowtown!

Anderson and Natalie checking out Devore Farm at Old Cowtown. We got to see a Momma cow named Rosie who will be having a calf anyday now!

Summer Fun

2009-05-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

With T-minus 5 days and counting left for our time in Wichita...we decided to try to cram in as much FUN STUFF as possible this last week. So Monday night we headed out to the Old Town Fountain and let the kids play. We came prepared with swimsuits, but met two cute kiddos that were there playing impromptu in their clothes. It was so much fun! More cities should have these fountains. Enjoy! Next on the list? A visit to Old Cow Town...stay tuned!

Good Family Photos

2009-05-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

I have resigned to the fact (borrowing words from my husband here...some of you will know that story)...that we will not get another good family picture of the five of us until the kids are in college. What about getting the camera out makes Nicholas turn into Spiderman and makes Natalie melt into tears? And Naomi just wants to know what in the heck her crazy brother is doing. Josh looks constipated from trying to keep Natalie in his arms and if you look hard enough you can see where I am saying "just take the stupid picture" through gritted teeth. One for the scrapbook for sure.

Smart People

2009-05-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

Over the past several weekends our family has traveled far and wide to watch those we love graduate with advanced degrees. This means that I now have the least amount of education when compared to my husband, brother, sister-in-law, and cousin. Hmph. Makes me feel like there's a lot I don't know that they now know and maybe I need to go back to school. Hmmm...no, I don't want to do that, not right now anyway. I think I will take a photography class next fall semester at PSU (what a free-spirited thing to do...take a class that won't get me closer to a degree, who would have thought). My little bro commented (in an effort to make me feel better) that I have a doctorate degree in motherhood. Wouldn't I be better at this if I had a doctorate??? I feel like I am "winging it" on most days! But, with all that said, I am still very content with the honorary degree I earn daily seeing the world through the eyes of my kiddos.

Congratulations to Uncle Bubba who graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Master's of Pastoral Counseling degree.

Uncle Bubba and Aunt Vicky (who are expecting the arrival of Baby Girl Ezell ANYTIME now!)

Congratulations to Aunt Shannie who graduated from Pittsburg State University with her Master's in School Counseling.

Aunt Shannie and Sammie after graduation

Oh - and Batman stopped by the house the other day too...never a dull moment here.

Our New Home

2009-05-08T05:21:00.000-07:00

Well after a whole heck of a lot of negotiating (I mean it is a buyers market right?)...we finally have a contract on our new home in Pittsburg. We move in June 1. Whew...so glad we don't have to sleep in our van with three kids, two dogs and a one obese cat.

As I update our blog today the kids are sleeping peacefully...in our bed...how does that happen? I always said, no way would I be taken advantage of and be forced to share my bed with my kids. But somehow when Nicholas stumbles in sometime between 2am and 4am my willpower is lacking. And when Natalie starts to cry at 5am I am usually just quick to grab her out of her crib before she wakes up Naomi. However, I now realize that the days of my kids wanting to "snuggle" with me will probably be over sooner than I want or expect. So I am happy and content to have them here with me while it lasts...

We are headed off to watch Uncle Bubba (my brother) graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary this weekend! I am sure we will post pictures once we return.

Everybody Loves a Garage Sale

2009-04-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

Our lives have been on hold for the past two days as we've been living in our garage and selling off the "random stuff" cluttering our lives and home. We went in together with five other families and as a result have a garage FULL of knick-knacks (our favorite was a ceramic Great Dane that sadly sold today), clothes we wish still fit us, and of course baby stuff bittersweet to let go of...

The kids have been running around pulling things off racks just as we get them back on. Its funny how items that never caught their attention before suddenly gain high aclaim once placed on a table in a garage sale.

Spoiled Child: "Mommy, why is this out here? THIS is my favorite thing!"

Mommy: "Why have I never seen you with it?"

Spoiled Child: "I am playing with it now, see..."

Mommy: "Fine, fine...you can pull one item out of the garage sale, so go ahead."

Spoiled Child (contemplating and searching around frantically grabs a coffee mug that says "World's Greatest Grandma): "No, wait...THIS is my favorite."

Garage sales can bring out an interesting crowd and my personal favorite has been the creepy guy who was trying to promote his business as a massage therapist and convince me to "stop by sometime"...um no thank you. But we've had a lot of really nice people too...I always love meeting people looking for a good deal!

Oh, and of course we don't really mean the kids are for sale, but what a cute picture. :)

Running and "Rocky"

2009-04-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Nicholas ran in the Holy Cross Jog-a-thon to raise money for his school. He ran 25 laps around the gym and was very excited because his goal was 20 laps around! Natalie, Naomi and Mommy were his cheering section and Natalie was also his faithful "water girl". I can tell how anxious she is for when the day comes she can do things like big brother...it was all she could do not to run, run, run too. If you sponsored Nicholas in the Jog-a-thon you can make out your donation to Holy Cross Lutheran School and mail it to Nicholas Brueggemann, 4467 N. Edgemoor Court, Bel Aire, KS. We need to have all contributions by Friday, April 24. Thank you!!

In addition to watching Nicholas run, Natalie has been brushing up on her prize-fighting "skillz"...The other day I noticed that she had what was developing into a bit of a black eye under her right eye.

Mommy: How did you hurt your eye?!"

Natalie: "Bonk"

Mommy: "What kind of a bonk?

Natalie: "Don't know"

Mommy then proceeds to ask her partner in crime.

Mommy: "How did Natalie hurt her eye?"

Nicholas: "I don't know, but I bet she got a bonk"

Mommy: "Well, I wonder how it happened?"

Nicholas: "Oh, well did she tell you how it happened?"

Curious Mommy: "No, but do you know?"

Smart Nicholas: "Oh no, no, no I don't know anything either."

Hmmm...my Mommy intuition tells me that the "sibling/I-will-cover-for-you-if-you-cover-for-me" bond has begun...

The Bunny Ruins Easter

2009-04-13T14:35:00.001-07:00

So it's been said many a time that the commercialization of our Christian holidays ruins the true meaning of our celebrations. This was hammered home again in the Brueggemann family this Easter after a trip to see "The Bunny" at the mall on the eve of Easter Sunday. Let's just say Natalie hated everything about the oversized furry creature dressed in an ugly velvet suit with loud Easter egg tie.

She not only would have no business sitting on his lap (I mean what kind of a mutant bunny is that large anyway...) but she was extremely worried about Nicholas and Naomi sitting on his lap. We thought at first this was just cute and she would get over it like most kids do. Well, not only did she not forget about him, but when anyone mentions anything about Easter now she starts to glance around in a panic, cry and jump into the nearest arms of a consoling adult. The night before Easter she awoke on several occassions screaming "no, no, no, not like it" and finally ended up in our bed for the night.

Nicholas has also had his own uneasy contemplations about the Easter Bunny and has begun asking too many hard questions for a four year old. As we left the mall he said, "I think that bunny was wearing a costume...what do you think?" To which Mommy replied, "Uh, yeah...so is that what you think?" Nicholas says "yes". Mommy says "ok, yeah I agree but he's just the real Easter Bunny's helper you see...wow, look over there - the overpriced bouncy ball machine, let's get one!"

Thinking next year we might just forego any visits to the mall during the months of March and April. It should help the whole house sleep better at night, save me the ridiculous $20 I spend for 8 terrible wallet-sized pictures of kids screaming or about to scream and won't cloud the true meaning of the holiday with plastic eggs and mutant rabbits.

Let's give this a try!

2009-04-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

In an effort to be better about more regular updates and posts, I am creating a family blog. We will continue to maintain the website (http://www.babyjellybeans.com/web/do/site/home?ID=130034) for now as its where we can archive pictures and see how the kids have changed, grown over time. However, the new blog will just be random thoughts, funny things that happen during our days, whatever we might feel like writing about basically. We hope to update several times a week! First real post starts tomorrow...