BREEZY FIELDS

Sometimes I wonder what I have done in life to deserve this... and this- Really. I am dreading having to wake Sadie for seminary! Sadie is a cheerful little sweetheart the rest of the day. Mike and Jane are more hit and miss;-) Besides school and soccer and tutoring for Boo, this year I have been attempting to make our life a little less scheduled and have more time for fun family activities during the week and more availability for service on my part during the day. Last year was too chaotic. Having another driver has been helpful. Jane just taking herself to her own activities has been huge, not to mention dropping off Sadie for soccer or running a quick errand or two. Jane is working really hard at school and is finally learning that being patient and accepting of mom and dad's decisions allows for a greater degree of independence and fun. This is not a look we are going to see too soon. Jane was thrilled to hear that she can go on a mission at 19 and has new plans for w...

Four kids in our neighborhood/ward have birthdays in the same week. We decided to do a group bday party with a circus theme. We divided up duties and had a stress free, fun party. We hosted which meant I had to do almost nothing. Perfect. Mike on the grill. Have I mentioned how much Mike loves social gatherings? He doesn't. Carrie put together a darling fishing game. Decorations that we have used at multiple events this year (by we I mean the 4 moms in our preschool co-op). Amanda went over the "top" with the cake. The kids loved it! Claire, Sadie, Kyle, and Annie had an awesome birthday (okay, Annie did not, she got grounded from coming but that is another story). - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sadie and I had our second trip into the E.R. in little over a month. This time a fever spike while taking Tylenol. Five hours later we were on our way home with a positive strep culture, a shot of antibiotics in Sadie's booty, and our E.R. nurse's phone number. She said if we really wanted to see her again we could just call. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Mike's parents bought tickets for 8 of us to go see Pink Floyd in Portland. We figured it might be a good thing if we were there for Jane's first exposure to marijuana and concert goers (no, she did not smoke it). At least that was our rationale. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

When Jane was a little girl and we were so poor I did everything I could to make sure Jane always looked well groomed, well dressed, and clean. Her hair was always done, everything matched, she was darling at all times. Sawyer, number 4, I can actually afford to make sure the boy is dressed properly. Yet this is how we shopped at Costco the other day. You can't tell but those pants are bright purple with bright orange stripes and under that jacket is a shark tank top. We had just gone through the hand me downs box from his cousin and our friends from Germany/Monterey and these were the articles of clothing he had to wear right away, with his boots of course. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Discovery Dental (Dave and Tom's practice) sponsors The Stride every year for the Washougal School District. This year we were able to join in the school/ Stinchfield family event. Janie ran her first 5k. Good job Bear! Mike ran as well and came in strong. We have no idea what his time was but I could tell he was speedy. Sadie, Morgan, and Hayden ran a mile in the 4th grade category. Cute or what? Sawyer was so ready to go, hours before his event. Sawyer warms up for his lap around the track, he was one of the first to finish. Speedy. Ellyn and I did a lap as well. She was very excited at the beginning, laughing and clapping. By the end she was not as thrilled that I was dragging her along at a hurried pace. She finished though and was compensated with a popsicle. Meags was an angel and met me at 4:45 for 9 miles. It was my first run over 7 miles since I hurt my foot. I love that sister of mine. The run was awesome. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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Tuesday was Enrichment Night at church, the subject was gardening. I wanted to go, sort of. I always have a hard time leaving my house in the evening. As much as I sometimes want a night out I really just want to be with Mike and the kiddos and just finally relax at the end of what is usually a relentless day. Jane had stake girl's volleyball that she left at 6 ish for with her friend, I was supposed to pick up. I was feeling a little anxious because I had planned on running during preschool and preschool was cancelled due to Carrie having a sick baby. I'm getting a little nervous about the mileage I need to start running in order to get ready for a relay I'm doing in June. Although I had done a short workout in the a.m. more than going to Enrichment I just really wanted to run. It was a beautiful evening and I just wanted to be outside. Mike stayed home to watch the kids and I headed out to the trail for five miles. When I returned home Sadie was laying beside Mike on the...

This afternoon Ellyn stuck a piece of apple up her nose. My friend Jen was here with Ellyn and her tutor. I was making a milk and Honey Nut Cheerios run to Costco. Jen called to see if I had plastic tweezers anywhere. No. I called Jane and told her to start walking home from track. I rushed straight home and attempted to remove the apple from Boo's nose. I came close, couldn't do it. Left to take Sadie to piano after sending a quick text to my cousin's husband, Tony. He's a P.A. and also has a special needs daughter. He gets fun experiences like this too. Alas, Mike got home from work and got the apple out. Phew for that, that's what I always say. Tony called, in case you are wondering... you can't leave it in there. You can get a bacterial infection. He gave me some techniques my cousin has mastered. Nice to have those in my back pocket. Apple out, Ellyn happy. The End - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It's spring break. You would never be able to tell by the weather we are having. Really, this rain... We have been staying up late and, with Ellyn's help, I've been waking up early. Not exactly the restful week I had in mind. This morning was filled with errands, all the kids hate them, except Ellyn. Boo is so happy in the car. She could drive all day, every day and be completely content. Mike and I tease that when all of the kids are grown and out of the house we will become truckers. Ellyn and I will ride along (since I really am a terrible driver). We'll travel the country, Ellyn happily kicking back in her seat and taking the world in through her window. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I've lost you! Please email me- Northwestgirl@gmail.com. I switched computer "stuff" and lost my bookmark for you! I miss you both and would love to hear from you and read your blog again! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This is why I wanted us to have a trampoline again! It's 8:30 and my kids don't want to watch a movie. Ellyn has lead me to the door five times today, every time there's a sun break or at least a rain break! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

On Monday morning we got a text from our friend, Lindsey. It said something like "this is going to be our only sunny day this week. Let's get to the Cider Mill." So that was the plan for our first day of Spring Break, after everyone woke up of course. Ellie and I were awake. We snuggled together and played on the family room floor, tickles, and blanket wraps. It ended up getting warmer, but when we arrived at the mill it was blustery and chilly. Sawyer lead Ellyn and I through this wooden fence maze. When Ellyn and I came out Ellyn played on a little mini tiny tots like playground. Her legs were at the bottom of the slide when her booty was at the top but she was having fun. Jane and I did a little tether ball with our friends. I even had a picture of Jane and Carrie playing that was so cute but my highly self critical daughter deleted it off of my phone. Sadie lead the rest of the kids in some version of Hunger Games. Nothing like 7 children acting out living i...

We had such a fabulous day today. Mike and I each took turns going for a run because Jane had a morning babysitting job. Ellyn had occupational therapy and Sadie and Sawyer played pretend something or other. Sadie even turned down playing with two of her friends that came over so she could stay with her brother. Sadie had her first soccer game. The game included sun, rain, wind, and hail. It was the most bizarre weather ever. Sadie hasn't played soccer since she was five so she is learning but her coaches work well with her and she is picking it up quickly. She is so cute. I didn't take any pics of her actually playing. I get too excited. I'm embarrassed to say I am a loud, cheering, soccer mom. I made corned beef and cabbage for dinner, a family favorite, for most of us. Ellyn voted to have cereal. Mike made homemade chocolate pudding, a recipe from the Hominy Grill that we visited in Charleston. It was so amazing we bought the cookbook just for that recipe! There was...

This rain is going to be the death of me. I can feel it, the pent up scream clawing its way out. Every time I check the weather forecast it is right there, subdued only by the small faces of my children nearby. I am soooo glad Mike is home now. He is keeping me sane. How you might ask? First of all, I have my best friend home and everything is more fun and much easier (except laundry) with him around. Second, he only puts up with so much complaining and emotional drama. Is that hard to picture? No? I didn't think so. All is well at our house, aside from my sanity. As long as Mike doesn't get scooped up for a deployment he has a pretty sweet job here that he is excited about. It involves quite a bit of travel. Orlando and Germany are quite possible in the near future. I'm not bitter, oh wait! Yes I am, but I am pretty thrilled for him. He has worked so hard for so many years to get done with all of this schooling and be back to a real job. I hope it is everything it seems...

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This is completely for my own memory, could put anyone else right to sleep- Seriously, while I was mostly prepared for the storm that hit last week I don't know what we would have done without electricity. Our neighborhood was the only housing area in our entire ward to keep lights, heat, cooking ability, etc... the entire week. I truly believe this was one of my Heavenly Father's tender mercies. I know I could have kept us warm. I had planned where I would hang blankets so the gas fireplace could heat the kitchen and the living room, but I think with Ellyn and the kids and no dad last week would have been incredibly difficult. Once again we were blessed, instead of shivering and breaking out food storage we were having game nights with the Coleman's and the Lundholm's, play dates, big group breakfasts (we had 24 of us in all- waffles, pancakes, two different kinds of homemade syrup, bacon, sausage, hot chocolate, orange juice, whipping cream, berries, I think that ...

Monday night of last week I had to take my sweet little princess into the E.R. Do you see the look on her face? She never cried. She lunged head first, over my shoulder into the glass on our fireplace just seconds after we had turned it off, and came up smiling. I didn't even know she had been burned, I thought I had caught her in time. I was "guarding" the fireplace while Ellyn and I played with a whoopie cushion. Obviously it was ineffectual. I normally don't freak out in emergency situations. I freaked out on this one. I thought I hadn't wiped all of dinner off of Ellyn's face, remember no tears and a smile? I rubbed the entire blister off her nose. I could see layers and layers of skin. I was holding cold water to her face, calling Mike, crying, yelling at my kids. It was horrible. Ellyn and I drove to the E.R., on the half an hour drive I panicked, worried that I hadn't done enough to stop the burning. I called Meagan to ask if Wil's hand...