Vans and Violin!
So I now get to say I am 12 weeks along. This is the first time ever that a dating sonogram has worked in my favor and moved my due date UP. Thrilling. We definitely have a little peanut kicking around inside. S/He was quite active during the sonogram and it was fun to see two little legs and two little arms tumbling around with a big head and a beating heart. All the important things!
However, I got to thinking - even though our car has seats for 8, we are going to be squished! I can fit three kids in back, but if I put a carseat back there, it gets VERY squishy. If I don't, the three kids in back have to learn to fly over the middle row in order to get out. My kids are talented - but Hannah is taller than I am, so that seems a little much to ask! Not to mention we are already finding it hard to pack everything we need for our long trips. Soooo much as I hated the idea, it seemed like it might behoove us to look at upgrading to a larger van.
Ick. I hate those huge Ford/Chevy/GMC 12 or 15 passenger vans. They are giant, ugly behemoths. You can't really find 10 passenger vans, unless you go for a super expensive conversion van. The luxury huge van is often the Dodge Sprinter, but far too often those have the super high roofs on them and I hate not fitting into parking garages. Plus they are very pricey. Do I sound picky? I kept telling myself just because we make some sacrifices to have a large family, does an ugly car have to be one of them?
But I started researching anyway. I finally just googled something like "top-rated passenger vans". The number one van in one news article was the new Ford transit connect, which only carries 5. The number two van was something called the Nissan NV. Not holding out much hope (expecting it to be another minivan), I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is most definitely NOT a minivan. I'd never heard of it because last year was the first model ever. A little research and I was in love. I found some blog reviews written by people with copious amounts of kids and they all LOVED their NV. So, we're going to look into that option and I am over the moon excited. It's the first time I've ever liked the idea that big family = big van. ;-) (sigh. I just went and looked at all the awesome pictures again.)
Then there's the price. That may be a deal-breaker. We'll just have to see.
*******************
The school year is starting to wrap up and it's only just going to be May. Band concerts, final fundraisers, STAR testing - there's a lot going on this month. Hannah's high school class is throwing a Masquerade Ball as a fundraiser. Last year a group of the high schoolers went to Nicaragua and did 2 weeks of service at an orphanage down there. I don't think they are sending anyone down this year, but they are hoping to raise some funds to get to the little kids. It's been a very big project for them and they've had so many hard things come up, but they are working through all the challenges. If anyone wants tickets.... let us know. ;-)
Brynne had her violin concert last week - her teacher is heading to Italy for a month-long music workshop. I have loved listening to Brynne practice her violin every day. Hannah no longer practices piano at home (she gets up early and practices at the church before seminary), so I've missed that. But Brynne's getting to be less of a beginner and her music is pleasant to listen to. Plus, she loves to practice, so I get at least an hour every day!
Jelaire and Nathan made it out here. I think it's going to be loads of fun having them just over the hill from us for the summer. Maybe they'll have so much fun they'll decide to stay forever. :-) Kenna and Natalie are looking forward to play time with their cousins!
*******************
In other updates:
Natalie has learned to add numbers using her fingers. It's hilarious sometimes. The other day she popped her head around my bedroom door where I was reading and said, "hey mom!" I said, "what?"
She turned her back to me (odd - but I just waited). After a good 10 seconds, she turns back around and says "5+5 is 10!" Too funny. What was even more impressive to Josh and I, as we quized her at dinner, is that once she figures out one addition problem (say 3+4), if we ask her the reverse (4+3) she understands that the answer will be the same. This may not sound amazing, but it is a great understanding of the associative property of numbers for her age.
Natalie has also, finally, shown some interest in consistently using the toilet. Little turkey. We had a talk and I basically told her that she had to do it now. No more diapers. No more computer games. No more swimming. No fun till she accepted responsibility for herself. It was like night and day (and, in fact, was night and day - she stayed dry at night immediately - DEFINITELY a turkey).
Kenna is hilarious and oh-so-bossy these days. She also is struggling to be obedient because WHY should she do what Mom says when she is super smart all on her own?! Today she did her own hair for the first time. A funky little ponytail coming out of the side of her head. She got a new dress from an older girl in our ward who always wears the DARLING-EST clothes. Kenna feels like a princess in that dress. She's such a girl! I think she'll wear it every sunday of her life until it's too small. Lucky for Natty - all Kenna's old clothes just became available!
Logan is doing awesome at Webelos. He's looking forward to trying school next year. He's been ultra helpful while I have not been feeling well. He's pretty much corralled the younger girls and helped them with their chores and entertained them all day every day.
While Logan plays with the little girls, Brynne has kept the house from falling apart in addition to keeping on top of her own schoolwork. That girl is making my days so much better. She's had to carry the load alone as Hannah and Josh are gone almost all day.
Hannah is rocking her school classes, still. I'm constantly impressed that she is managing to pull A's in two math classes. We teasingly asked her if she wanted to take both trig and calculus next year, but she didn't think that was funny.
I've made all the arrangements for Josh's marathon. The kids are going to be watched by their Richardson grandparents. Josh and I are flying (which I am way excited for) on Friday morning and coming back on Monday afternoon - so we get a decent visit with the fam. At some point I'd like to bring the kids up for a visit, but with school still in session and other stuff this just wasn't a good time. Josh ran 16 miles on Saturday. He rocked it. His ipod keeps track of previous times and told him this week that he also ran his fastest 10K yet. I told him my 5K time, we doubled that, and that's about how fast he did his 10K. So he's doing good.
Since it's a gorgeous day out here, we are going to have a picnic at the beach. Best go pack a lunch!
However, I got to thinking - even though our car has seats for 8, we are going to be squished! I can fit three kids in back, but if I put a carseat back there, it gets VERY squishy. If I don't, the three kids in back have to learn to fly over the middle row in order to get out. My kids are talented - but Hannah is taller than I am, so that seems a little much to ask! Not to mention we are already finding it hard to pack everything we need for our long trips. Soooo much as I hated the idea, it seemed like it might behoove us to look at upgrading to a larger van.
Ick. I hate those huge Ford/Chevy/GMC 12 or 15 passenger vans. They are giant, ugly behemoths. You can't really find 10 passenger vans, unless you go for a super expensive conversion van. The luxury huge van is often the Dodge Sprinter, but far too often those have the super high roofs on them and I hate not fitting into parking garages. Plus they are very pricey. Do I sound picky? I kept telling myself just because we make some sacrifices to have a large family, does an ugly car have to be one of them?
But I started researching anyway. I finally just googled something like "top-rated passenger vans". The number one van in one news article was the new Ford transit connect, which only carries 5. The number two van was something called the Nissan NV. Not holding out much hope (expecting it to be another minivan), I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is most definitely NOT a minivan. I'd never heard of it because last year was the first model ever. A little research and I was in love. I found some blog reviews written by people with copious amounts of kids and they all LOVED their NV. So, we're going to look into that option and I am over the moon excited. It's the first time I've ever liked the idea that big family = big van. ;-) (sigh. I just went and looked at all the awesome pictures again.)
Then there's the price. That may be a deal-breaker. We'll just have to see.
*******************
The school year is starting to wrap up and it's only just going to be May. Band concerts, final fundraisers, STAR testing - there's a lot going on this month. Hannah's high school class is throwing a Masquerade Ball as a fundraiser. Last year a group of the high schoolers went to Nicaragua and did 2 weeks of service at an orphanage down there. I don't think they are sending anyone down this year, but they are hoping to raise some funds to get to the little kids. It's been a very big project for them and they've had so many hard things come up, but they are working through all the challenges. If anyone wants tickets.... let us know. ;-)
Brynne had her violin concert last week - her teacher is heading to Italy for a month-long music workshop. I have loved listening to Brynne practice her violin every day. Hannah no longer practices piano at home (she gets up early and practices at the church before seminary), so I've missed that. But Brynne's getting to be less of a beginner and her music is pleasant to listen to. Plus, she loves to practice, so I get at least an hour every day!
Jelaire and Nathan made it out here. I think it's going to be loads of fun having them just over the hill from us for the summer. Maybe they'll have so much fun they'll decide to stay forever. :-) Kenna and Natalie are looking forward to play time with their cousins!
*******************
In other updates:
Natalie has learned to add numbers using her fingers. It's hilarious sometimes. The other day she popped her head around my bedroom door where I was reading and said, "hey mom!" I said, "what?"
She turned her back to me (odd - but I just waited). After a good 10 seconds, she turns back around and says "5+5 is 10!" Too funny. What was even more impressive to Josh and I, as we quized her at dinner, is that once she figures out one addition problem (say 3+4), if we ask her the reverse (4+3) she understands that the answer will be the same. This may not sound amazing, but it is a great understanding of the associative property of numbers for her age.
Natalie has also, finally, shown some interest in consistently using the toilet. Little turkey. We had a talk and I basically told her that she had to do it now. No more diapers. No more computer games. No more swimming. No fun till she accepted responsibility for herself. It was like night and day (and, in fact, was night and day - she stayed dry at night immediately - DEFINITELY a turkey).
Kenna is hilarious and oh-so-bossy these days. She also is struggling to be obedient because WHY should she do what Mom says when she is super smart all on her own?! Today she did her own hair for the first time. A funky little ponytail coming out of the side of her head. She got a new dress from an older girl in our ward who always wears the DARLING-EST clothes. Kenna feels like a princess in that dress. She's such a girl! I think she'll wear it every sunday of her life until it's too small. Lucky for Natty - all Kenna's old clothes just became available!
Logan is doing awesome at Webelos. He's looking forward to trying school next year. He's been ultra helpful while I have not been feeling well. He's pretty much corralled the younger girls and helped them with their chores and entertained them all day every day.
While Logan plays with the little girls, Brynne has kept the house from falling apart in addition to keeping on top of her own schoolwork. That girl is making my days so much better. She's had to carry the load alone as Hannah and Josh are gone almost all day.
Hannah is rocking her school classes, still. I'm constantly impressed that she is managing to pull A's in two math classes. We teasingly asked her if she wanted to take both trig and calculus next year, but she didn't think that was funny.
I've made all the arrangements for Josh's marathon. The kids are going to be watched by their Richardson grandparents. Josh and I are flying (which I am way excited for) on Friday morning and coming back on Monday afternoon - so we get a decent visit with the fam. At some point I'd like to bring the kids up for a visit, but with school still in session and other stuff this just wasn't a good time. Josh ran 16 miles on Saturday. He rocked it. His ipod keeps track of previous times and told him this week that he also ran his fastest 10K yet. I told him my 5K time, we doubled that, and that's about how fast he did his 10K. So he's doing good.
Since it's a gorgeous day out here, we are going to have a picnic at the beach. Best go pack a lunch!
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