Odds and Ends

Last week was CRAZY!! My van decided to give me some trouble. My whole dash board (speedometer, odometer, gas gage, etc...) just doesn't work. Oh, and along with the blinkers!! Back in December it did the same thing and come to find out it was just a fuse that needed to be replaced. So, we replaced the fuse and another fuse and another fuse. It will work fine, except for the right blinkers, and then blow. Not fun. Tim left this morning until Thursday after a little tutorial on fuse changing. I did it twice today! I told him its fine, it's just a hassle.....but he goes into, "I would call saddling up your horse in the rain and having to ride it 20 miles to the nearest grocery store a hassle." Okay, Tim.....get the idea!

So, yes, that is me with my arm out the window signaling left and right turns! At least my driver's side window rolls down.....my passenger side does not!! It just sinks just enough to make a high pitch screeching sound from the wind as we drive down the road. I have to stop every once in a while and, with all my might, pull it up back into place. It may be time for a new van.....but we just have to make it one more summer!! :) I'm guessing we head out on a camping trip somewhere with the camper in tow, kayaks on the top, and bikes hanging off every direction and she is just going to give up and say, "NO MORE!" After all, this van is older than Alaina!

So, enough on my van. Here are just some random shots from this past week I thought worthy of show and tell.

First of all.....I think my kids are thinking that Isabel has it made. They often tell me that they wish that they were her! She seems to just get to do everything they don't. Like, um.....put their toes in their mouths?? Yes, Issy lies on her back and her toes are in her mouth, so they think they should be able to do it, too.

mmmmmm.....What does yours taste like An???


Maybe Sour Apple Sugar Sprinkles?? I have not really gagged over anything since the Mesquite flavored potato chips when I was pregnant with Erik, but seeing Annika eating these sprinkles by the spoonful really made me gag. Its hard for me to even write this! I'll let them put a few on their ice cream and Annika was the last one eating by herself. I could not believe what I walked in to.

Here, Papa Bob, want a bite??! And, no, I did not let her take another bite!



Here's Issy and Alaina goofing off while we were getting ready for church on Sunday!


This one is for you, Nana Bev!!


I guess you could call this a "normal" dinner at our house! Sometimes I don't know what gets into the kids!!



Alaina had Issy in the living room and was taking pictures of her! I saw these and thought they showed off her chub and rolls a little better that the ones from last week. Don't you just want to sqeeeeeze her??!!


CRAZY HAIR DAY at school. We had straws in there to make her hair stand up! She has been dreaming of this day for a year. And, she even was voted "best hair" for the girls!



I walked out of the room for a few minutes while Erik fed Issy. I came back to him wearing a bib, too! Its funny that it even matches his Thomas the Tank undies!!

I think that is enough for now. I look at these and wonder what pictures we are going to get this next week. I guess there is never a dull moment!!!

Jack

Its been a crazy week....although, nothing unusual! The weather has been summer-like, so we've played outside most of our mornings and afternoons. The neighbors are out, so there has been plenty of kids to play with. Jack just moved in two houses down. He's the same age as Erik, so it will be nice having a boy to play with! On Monday we had just sat down to eat and there was a knock at the door. It was Jack. He said his mom told him he could play with Erik for 5 minutes. I told him that we were just eating, so how about if he plays with Erik tomorrow. Well, the next day we saw him after school. He reminded me that I told him he could play with Erik tomorrow and that is today. So, Jack came over to play in the backyard. He saw Chloe sunning herself on the deck and wanted to pet her.

"Can I pet your dog?"
"Chloe doesn't know you, so you might not want to pet her right away," I said.
"What if I tell her my name? Then she will know me. Hi, Chloe, my name is Jack. Can I pet her now that she knows me?"

April 19th...

A lot happened today! First of all, a Big Happy Birthday to my Dad!! He is 55 or as Erik says, "I am just one 5 and Pupsi is two 5s!" Its funny how names evolve. When Alaina was just starting to talk it was "Buppa" then it went to Grrrrbuppa to Pups to Pupsi and now Annika calls him Chicken Pupsi or Pupsi Wupsi. I guess this means they must love him a lot. :) My mom was Nana Banana for the longest time.....my kids must have something with rhyming.

After a phone call to sing Happy Birthday, I took Isabel's 6 month diaper picture! And, what a big girl she is. :) I had no assistance with taking these, and she just sat there like she's been doing it her whole life. I think she is starting to LOVE the camera. I also noticed how much she really does look like a Nordin. I had hopes that she would be the girl that looked like me, but after seeing these I have to agree with everyone else!





Gotta love the drool on this one!


She found her feet this past week. She always has her feet in her hands now and grunts and moans the whole time. Its adorable.






This one I was experimenting a little bit with a black sheet. But....I only got one taken b/c Annika had another "pain while peeing" and " having to go 5 times in an hour" episode and her dr told me to get her there RIGHT AWAY b/c they close at 12 and it was 11:30. So, off we flew! Hopefully this time around we can find out what is going on with her. I'll know by Tuesday. As of right now, she is on an antibiotic for a possible UTI and also some irritated red bumps in her bum!

After the doctor's, we went to Costco to get some groceries. I got a phone call from a very excited Alaina who FINALLY pulled her tooth out! This little tooth (bottom right) has been hanging on for a really long time. The new tooth was even in behind it already! We are all very excited that it is gone. I guess the Tooth Fairy is visiting our house tonight!

The kids played outside all day long. It was raining this morning, but the sun came out and it was beautiful. Isabel missed the outdoor fun b/c she took a big 4 hour nap! It was dinner time and then bath time. This is Issy's first bath in the big tub all by herself! I didn't put very much water in it, but she didn't mind. She loved the fish on the mat and she kept dunking her face while trying to get her toes in her mouth!

Chocolate Chip what??!

Erik eats "cookie balls" like they are their own food group. I make a triple batch every few weeks using fresh ground whole wheat flour and organic cane juice crystals for the sugar and organic eggs....I try to keep them as healthy as possible! We then make them into balls and freeze them. Its about the only "junk" food in our house! I've made them before using barley flour or spelt flour. Last night I thought I'd try using bean flour. Hey...its healthy! So, I ground a couple of cups of Great Northern Beans and I have to admit that the flour did not smell very good! I just used a third bean and the rest regular whole wheat. They turned out the same and looked the same. I tried it....uhhh.......not the same!! Tim had taken Alaina and Erik to Tae Kwon do, so when they arrived home Erik's face just lit up with excitement. "Ohhhh, I love cookie balls!" He exclaimed. He grabbed a spoon and dug in. He didn't notice anything different. Tim grabbed a spoon and dug in. I told him to not say a word!! With a grimace he said they were so good. :)

Later after the kids went to bed the cookie dough came up for discussion. He just could not figure out what they tasted like!! When I asked him if it was bean sprouts he said, YES and I had to admit what I had done! So, I do not recommend it to you moms who are trying to sneak healthy "stuff"' into your kids' food. It is a good way to keep us adults from eating them, though! I forgot to mention that while we were mixing the dough Annika was eating cherry tomatoes and threw a tomato in! Its amazing how much red skin is on one little tomato! I kept picking it out of the cookie balls! Even today when we put the frozen balls in the bags, a few still had red skin!

Today after lunch Erik was going to have one. He got half way through it and told me he just didn't like these cookie balls. He told me they were different and said that the ones that I always make are brown and these were white. I assured him that they were the same color, but he still said they were too white. SO, we have LOTS of bean sprout & tomato chocolate chip cookie dough balls that aren't going anywhere.

Weekend Fun...

What a big weekend. I can say that I am wiped out and ready for bed! On Friday Alaina was a little concerned about a little bump that she had on her tummy. She gets them periodically and we just "pop them out" and they go away. She really does not like getting them and every time she asks me why God gives them to her. This time I answered her, "Alaina, I really don't know why God gives them to you. You just have to remember that God will NEVER give you anything that you cannot handle."

"That is good news, Mom, but I need to pray really hard that God does not give me an ingrown toenail, because I know I can't handle one!"

So, at lunch time on Saturday it was Annika's turned to be prayed for on our Nordin Family Prayer calendar...the kids are very faithful in praying for everyone on their day! Alaina said that she would pray for Annika, "Thank you God for Annika. Thank-you that she is not sick and I pray that you will not give her an ingrown toenail. We love you, God. Amen.

Today she prayed that Daddy would not get one. If you would like to get on Alaina's prayer list for no ingrown toenails, just leave a comment! She would be happy to pray for you. *grin*

On Friday night Alaina had a Sock Hop with her Daisy group. It was pretty fun and crazy. She "floated" across the gym floor doing her ballerina moves she's learned! There were about 300 little poodle skirts!! Very fun. :)




Daddy....what's up with this??!


You might need a face lift....see!


What a doll!




Today we just had to get out of the house after a few days of cold rain. It still wasn't warm, but that didn't stop us. I had to go find Issy's shoes (papa Bob got them for Annika) so her feet wouldn't get cold....I think she liked them!


I did have this exact picture, but she had her eyes opened. I just liked this one better!



These are so cool!!


Issy's first swing ride. She was giggling the whole time! She loved it. :)





I should have had this on video! It was so cute!


Erik swinging around the circle-thing!


Annika kept her helmet on the whole time to keep her head warm!






All four of them!


And, even Daddy made it. He wasn't as happy and giggly as the kids, though!






On Friday I went to the Carter's Kids outlet. Everything was $3.99, so needless-to-say, I stocked up. Erik is set for school next year and summer. And, they all got new jammies. There is just something really exciting about a new pair of pajamas. Even Issy got a pair.




Big, Medium, Small, and Extra Small.....that is even what they call themselves! They even sing it to a little jingle!!

SHOUT!!

How cool was hearing the Top 8 on American Idol sing Shout to the Lord?!! WOW!! That has always been one of my favorite songs....it was the recessional in our wedding, as well!

I've been a big fan of Jason Castro from the beginning and you can hear him singing in his church worship band on http://www.godtube.com/ . Very fun. :) I love that site now thanks to Big Matt!

And, while I'm on the subject of Godtube, here is a very precious little girl! This is my Auntie Shirley's favorite..... http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9e7c4b40cf5a13cea6ca She reminds me of my little niece, Gracie!

Kiss...

Erik came home from school yesterday with big news, "Mom, Kaylee (in his class) kissed me on the lips!"
"What??!! Why did she do that?" I asked a little worried!
"Because she loves me," he said with a grin!!

The girls just LOVE Erik! I pick him up and usually 3 girls have to give him a hug. I did explain that he has to keep his kisses for me, though!!

Colorado...

Flying into the Springs!! Alaina LOVED flying and said she wanted to live in the plane. She took this picture!

Big Matt, Jen, and Alaina....Jen is Alaina's new best friend. She LOVED her! Thanks for making her feel so special, Jen!


Great Auntie Shirley and Isabel....


Us girls!


This was really fun.....I never dreamed I'd be nose to nose with a giraffe! It was so cool!! Just had to watch out for their tongues!

Alaina is feeding a giraffe crackers!


Big Matt, Jen, and Issy.....Cute, right??!!


Issy and Big Matt. He told me that "this parenting business isn't too hard", as he's throwing Issy into the air and catching her! :)


Big Mark had a HUGE collection of hats. Auntie Shirley took them out so Alaina could have a little parade of hats! This was my favorite picture.


Here in the Garden of the Gods.....Alaina was having a little "off" day. She was too scared to stand there on her own!


While we were there Alaina learned how to play Sequence, Uno, and Skip-bo. She was queen of each game and it was hard to beat her!


It was Uncle Jaan's birthday on Thursday. When Alaina got up he went back to bed so we could sing to him, eat donuts (that she picked out), and give him presents in bed! Alaina got him this cat, she named Goldie, at the MSP airport. It was a hit. She just knew that he would LOVE it and he did!!*grin* She doesn't know the truth that his love of cats is only sarcastic!! Goldie will be around for a long time.....

Some birthday fun.


Alaina decorated these cookies and had to make it real special for her and Jen. She even put on her fancy Easter dress!




All of us!


We had such a good time! Thank you so much, Uncle Jaan, Auntie Shirley, Big Matt, and Jen! Next time we come out we'll bring all the troops!