3.28.2009

Spring Flooding

The weather here this year has been anything but normal. Snow, and now tons of rain. This weekend we had flooding in our back yard. At the back of our property we have a small creek. Small being in the six years we have lived here it has normally only been about1-2 feet deep. It is about 20ft wide and then the bank goes down about12ft. The day before the snow storm a while back the creek got really high, but not out of it's banks. It was amazing to see it that full. This morning Aaron left for work, he was on OB call at the hospital, and I could hear it raining outside. The kids were kind to let Scott and I sleep in a bit, and when I finally got up about 10am, I went to look out back and I was in shock. I expected a puddle in the backyard, there is one spot that doesn't drain well, but not this.


Our whole back yard area that we redid last summer was full of water. The creek that was normally about 20ft wide, was now almost 200ft wide. The water was rushing by, not just puddling up. I grabbed the video camera to tape a bit then called Aaron at work. The fence was starting to lean and water was coming through under the fence from the neighbors yard. I agreed to call Aaron back if the fence broke. I pulled the video camera back out right as the six foot privacy fence started to break. I was so upset, and so suprised and how powerful that water was. Our fence builder did an excellent job building our fence, and each post was down 3-4feet with a whole bag of cement on each post. It was rock solid. It's almost unbelievable how strong water can be.


It's hard to see all your hard work be covered in water in a few minutes. Very humbling that's for sure. Water started pouring in along with mud and muck and tons of boards and other random stuff floating over from the next three nieghbors houses. I was standing on the fence under the carport when I see our neighbor two houses down and his son and friends wade over to our fence, hang their coats on the post and start putting long boards up to support our fence and keep it from collapsing. It was amazing to me to see true service and love of friends in action. They saved the rest of our fence from falling and more important restored my faith in the helpful hands of friends and neighbors. I am truly grateful for them.


In the end, it's just a fence. We are very grateful the water didn't rise any further and damage our home or cause us to have to leave. I thought of those dear families whose lives were devastated after Katrini and took years to rebuild. My heart definitely feels for them now. Brianna wanted to write about this on her blog and I love what she wrote.
"Anyways, my mom called him and talked to him but he couldn't do anything. When she went back outside the fence was broken and the water started to pour in. It was horrible. Then she came in and told all of us to go to our rooms and to start praying to Heavenly Father and ask him to please have the rain stop. We did and when we came out there was a miracle waiting for us. Our neighbors came over and started to put the fence up and put long pieces of wood under it. the water was so deep that it went up to a grown man's waist.I was so happy to see my mom happy. I was really scared."
Among many other things learned through this, I have seen my children see the power of prayer. Within 20minutes of them praying all of a sudden the water started to do down and almost disappear. It was amazing. I am grateful my faith is strengthen in these times, and that my children recognize that miracles still do happen.

3.25.2009

Mohawk Man


So in attempt to be really trendy and keep up with the 80's styles that are so in, we are now styling the littlest Starbuck's hair in the mohawk style cut. Yeah right! Like, totally gag me with a spoon! Okay, enough of the 80's stuff.

Now for the real story of this so cute hairdo my little guy is sporting these days. Scott's hair has two cowlicks (spelling of that word I have no idea of at this late of night so I am going with the grammatical way for now) and his hair really doesn't want to be brushed either direction, but normally does fashion one side over the other. The other morning after his bath I tried brushing it the other way and it was looking so cute-little curl in the front the rest laying down nicely. I put him in his bouncy seat, go to finish getting ready for the day, and come back five minutes later to his hair looking like this.




Erika and Abby were playing in the other room, so my best guess is that the two cowlicks had at it and the other one won. So, for a few days we will just be doing the Billy Idol look and calling it good!

3.21.2009

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

We officially have a roller on our hands. Scott rolled from his back to his tummy today, amidst shouts and cheers from five siblings and two proud parents. For about three weeks he has been so close, trying to roll at every chance he could get. Maybe it was his doctor's appointment yesterday when the doctor was praising his development that gave him the extra confidence to finally do it. Here are some highlights of the big event:


Almost there.. (lots of grunting)


Straighten out the arm.. (perfecting the technique)

I think I just rolled over. (Look of astonishment)

Mom, did you see that? Did I just roll over?
(seeking for confirmation)



I did just roll over! (clearly confident)


The crowd goes wild (They love me, what can I say)

Yeah, I 'm a roller (a little smug, but oh so cute!)


Once he got the hang of it, he learned pretty quick how to roll multiple times. Now, he will roll a couple of times until he gets stuck against something and then he'll scream for help to get unstuck. Sometimes he'll roll on his tummy and then just cry, he hasn't quite figured out how to roll back onto his back and just stay there. Once he is on his tummy he gets so excited and kicks his little legs so fast he almost scoots himself forward. He may be crawling before we know it.

3.12.2009

Daily Schedule

There are days when I feel like I am running in a hundred different directions. We are constantly rushing from one activity to the next only to drop at the end of the day and wonder what I actually accomplished that day. In all our prayers the little girls say, "...and Daddy went to work and Mommy stayed home with Erika, Abby, and Scotty and had fun". So, evidentally I stay home and have fun every day. I thought it would be good to write down our usually schedule so one day they can look back on it and see all that went on each day-even the not-so-fun stuff.

12:00am-feed Scott and get him to sleep in his crib
4:00am-feed Scott in our bed and let him sleep with us until morning
6:45am-have family scripture study and family prayer
7:00am-feed Scott while kids get ready for school. Aaron leaves for work
7:30-8:30am-help kids with breakfast, make lunches, sign any last minute papers for school, put in a load of laundry
8:30am-take Brianna, Austin, and Brooke to school
9:00am-eat breakfast while I read my scriptures, clean up dishes from breakfast
9:30am-feed Scott
10:00am-fold load of laundry from the night before while girls play kitchen or watch a show, run errands
10:30am-give Scott a bath if not still running errands
10:45am-feed girls a snack if they haven't already helped themselves to the pantry
11:00am-try to keep girls from picking up Scott and generally bothering him so he can take a short nap. This usually involves sending them outside to play or playing a game together
11:30am-feed Scott while checking emails, blogs, and making phone calls
12:00pm-make lunch for the girls-usually pasta or chicken nuggets or random things on their lunch tray plates. They like something in each little compartment-squares of cheese, strawberries, fruit snacks, sandwhich or hotdog, bananas, and chips or goldfish crackers are a few of their favorites. They like to eat at their little table by their new play kitchen. Aaron calls during his lunch break.
1:00pm-change laundry over to dryer
1:30pm
-feed Scott and my favorite time NAPTIME!! Read girls a book before naptime and give girls their milk to drink at naps
3:00pm-pick up Brianna, Austin, and Brooke from school
3:30pm-have after school snack, do homework, and look at school papers while feeding Scott. Brianna has chess club every other Friday until 4:30pm
4:00pm-Austin, Brooke, and Erika almost always go outside to play. Brianna either finishes up homework, reads, or plays wii for a little bit
4:30pm-requests start for what we are having for dinner, Aaron calls saying he is on his way home
5:00pm-make dinner, Scott is usually cranky during this time. Brianna or Austin help to watch him.Erika and Abby set the table and Brooke unstacks the dishwasher
5:30pm-dinner, feed Scott, Brianna and Austin clear the table
6:00pm- Mondays Family Home Evening then run to soccer practice, Tuesdays stake meetings for Aaron, soccer practice or game for Austin and Brianna, Wednesday Cub Scouts and Activity Days, Thursdays soccer game or practice for Austin and Brianna, cooking class for Monae once a month, Fridays Austin soccer practice and movie night.
7:30pm-baths and get ready for bedtime
8:00pm-family prayer and feed Scott
8:30pm-Abby, Erika, and Brooke story and bedtime
9:30pm-Brianna and Austin bedtime
10:00pm-Scott's grumpy time, Aaron usually walks with him in the carrier
10:30pm-Aaron goes to bed
10:30pm-feed Scott, hold him until he falls asleep, and enjoy some quiet time
12:00pm-go to bed if Scott hasn't woke up to eat or needs to be rocked again


I edited it and the change laundry font/lettering is all bold and bigger now, I have no idea why, it really isn't that important. Weird bloggerism I guess.

New posts in February

Grandma's and Grandpa's-the kids wanted to make sure you saw their train ride from February. I just got around to posting it-check under the February listings for it. Also Brooke's ear pierced one. I'm a little slow catching up these days.

3.02.2009

SNOW!


It has been a crazy weekend of weather here in the south. Saturday morning we woke up to tornado warnings and a ton of rain. The creek at the back of our property was up to it's banks, about a ten foot rise. The backyard was starting to resemble a pond, and we were glad we were nice and cozy inside.

Sunday morning as we were getting ready to leave for church it started sleeting. Church was cancelled after sacrament and we went out to a parking lot covered with a blanket of snow. It was so beautiful! Upon arriving home the kids quickly changed and went out to play in the snow for a little while. They were having a hard time comprehending how cold it actually was. Shoes? Socks? Gloves? What are those? Just last week we were wearing shorts!



The snow was wet and perfect for snowball fights and snowman making.


Abby lasted the shortest time, and much enjoyed watching from the comfort of the warm house. Erika experienced the taste of real snow-not just the snow-cone type we are used to around here. She loved being outside, but was having a hard time keeping her gloves on. She would come inside crying with red, cold, hands. Frostbite around here? We ended out the night around a nice warm fire drinking hot chocolate.

The best part about the snow was that the kids (and me) got to have a snow day today and take a break from school. Sleeping in, playing in the snow, having the whole neighborhood of kids over to play, and getting some blog updating done were just a few of the highlights for the day. Brooke went out to romp in the snow this morning and after a little while came in so cold. She said, "It is freezing out there. Remind me not to go out there again!"

Luckily we had a sled in the attic we had held onto, so they tried sledding down the front hill a little. They put snowballs in the freezer for show-and-tell on Friday, and have watched the snow slowly melt away. Brooke asked, "Does it snow every March 1 ?"


I was getting ready for sping to be here as I watched my daffofils come up a few weeks ago. Now, they are covered in 4 inches of snow! Hopefully my tulips will continue to come up.


Happy Snow Day!