Merry Christmas 20111

Christian 14- taller than his mother, busy playing water polo, enjoying high school, hanging out with friends....(especially girls) spends leisure time watching sportscenter and hiding from his mother who nags him to make sure he has completed all his homework and studied for all his test.....

Jacob (11) jumps from one sport to the next. After soccer season ended he tried out for middle school basketball team and made it...Got glasses this year to help him when he reads and does school work. Straights A's ....yep I just did that....but if I don't brag who is gonna do that for him???? he works hard and I don't even have to ask him or check in with him, he just does it!

Carson (8) Carson continues to follow his brothers in his love of basketball and soccer. He also has a love of art and is quite the little artist. Luckily for him his mom is too worn out from the older brothers activities and thus he gets away with more than he should. He made me a grandma when he decided to adopt our neighbors hamster named Oreo. It is the love of his life. He will make a great real daddy some day. He takes really good care of his new pet. Although Carson insist on calling me grandma and it is definitely something I am not handling very well.

Ethan (3) soaking up everything around him. He is center of energy, life and fun around our house. One minutes he is making us all laugh and then the next he is in time out....

Oh and Ethan doesn't want Santa to come he thinks he looks to scary and makes to much noise with all that ho ho hoing....just some of that stuff that makes us laugh with that boy.

Mark and Brigitta Loving our four boys, busy with life, work, church, family, friends, and trying not to look, act or feel our ages. (not sure it is working, but we can dream)

Wishing Everyone much joy and happiness for 2012

October

October Included

*lots of carpooling to soccer practices. Awesome plays and hustling on the field by Jacob (gray shirt #18) and Carson (in burgandy below kicking).

*Countless hours of tough Water polo practices, games and all day tournaments for Christian. And then an undefeated JV team for their league....super positive, and great experience for our freshmen boy. Still can't get over how comfortable he is strutting around in his speedo! (Christian #21 with the white cap)

*An autum trip to Yosemite right after the temperatures dropped...brrr...on a positive side we got to see a little fresh snow on half dome....so Beautiful!

*And then way too many Halloween treats, parties, and festivities....and now I must cure my sugar hang over.

the first of many.....

First day of Preschool for my baby, no tears just a happy mommy and excited 3 year old.

This school year seems to be the first of many for us.....
-the first time sending someone to High school.
-the first time having 4 kids at 4 different schools
-the first time in a while that I get to indulge myself with three hours, three days a week to myself...oh the the things I will finally accomplish...or not.
-the first time I get to stress about having a High school kid and all that entails....They really should have self help support groups for first time High school parents.
Looking forward to an exciting year.....so like I tell Mark....Sit tight, Hold on and strap on the seat belt, it's gonna be a fun ride.

Good luck to everyone out there with first day of school stuff.....The first week is always the hardest week of transition...

sometimes...a ski trip is not a "ski trip"

sometimes:

it's a weather watch trip....

or

a building snow cave and snow fort building trip

or

digging cars out of snow

or

trips to the local rite aid for supplies and stuff

or

how many times you can check weather.com and the ski resort live cam...good thing for wireless

or

a trip where you can see how much gear and how many children you can lug around Tahoe

or

you can just decide to be zen like and just go with it and be grateful you are with good company and you can laugh, eat yummy food and sit in jacuzzi and watch the children play in the snow....And think next time we won't plan something like this without our husbands!!!!!

Happy Valentines day

All though some of them are not so little anymore I just like to imagine in my mind that they're still little, it's easier for me that way. And one of them loves me so much that apparently he couldn't bear leaving me on Valentines day and stayed home from school today sick :(

And this is my grown up Valentine and he is too busy today to celebrate Valentines today :( Oh well that is grown up life. xoxxoxo

Happy Valentines day

It"s Great to be 8!

Both grandpa's and grandma's were here, now that's a special treat for us.

Love these boys of mine, they are each so different and talented in their own ways. They get along so well with each other (except for when they don't...... and then all they can do is tease, bug, touch and wrestle each other) But other than that, they really do love to play and hang out together. I think they are all so lucky to have each other to grow up together. Even though many moons ago I use to think I wanted girls, and then I got these four boys and now I don't think I would even know what to do with a little girl, cuz I am all boy now.

Oh and he learned how to ride his scouter like a pro.....

changing my ways....

....well maybe not all of my ways, just one (although I know there are plenty of ways for me to change, improve and better myself)

The way I am talking about is....the Vegan way. I hesitate to admit this, because I was skeptical at first and was afraid to commit to such a thing. Yes it's true I am afraid of commitment, just ask Mark when he was dating me and wanted to get married....and I just couldn't commit, but then again I was just a young little thing back then and didn't know a good thing when I saw it. Anyway that's for another post.

I use to think that being a vegetarian=no fun...and that I would need to live in Berkeley, dress my children in mismatched clothing and scoot around in Birkenstocks. It turns out anyone can try the vegan way, even just a ordinary mom like me. You just need to have a Trader Joe's near by and lots of delicious flavors, spices and sauces to compliment the veggies.

My brilliant, beautiful and hilarious sister Helle has mostly lived her life this way and I just didn't get it. She would tell me the benefits and I would just nod my head and pretend to agree. Then my brilliant, beautiful and hilarious friend Celia started doing it and I thought I would give it a try. It turns out.....I really really like it. So yes Helle you are right.....should of just listened to my big sister? Maybe I am just a stubborn little sister. Guess I needed somebody else's bossy big sister (Celia) to convince me?

Here are the benefits after 3 weeks of no white flour, white sugar, dairy products or any meat or poultry: I feel great, lost the extra weight I have been trying to shed for a while, and most miraculously I haven't had a migraine, which is the best news ever!!!!! Now after writing this I will probably be stricken with a debilitating migraine, but hopefully not. It may be a coincidence or it may be helping..... along with the other stuff I am doing to try to cure my headaches. But hey if it can fix my head, then sign me up and order me some Birkenstocks...pink please.

Here is another benefit....this little guy loves when I make spinach, almond milk and banana shakes. When he hears the blender going he comes running with his little cup and says "mom I want shake" It's my fav....