Robin and Landy Visit!

My wonderful friend, my college roommate, my matron of honor, my ROBIN! came to visit at the beginning of the month with her cutie patootie Landry. Last time I saw Landry she was inside her mama's belly waiting to make her debut into the world. Luckily she waited until her due date and came a month later. She is now 14 months, so needless to say, it had been too long. It was wonderful catching up with Robin, when we weren't catching up with our own kiddos (which didn't leave us much time), but it was also fun just hanging out as busy moms with her too. Oldie but goodie friends always do something very special for your soul. Love you Robbie!

If you know Robin, you know why this pic just cracks me up! Classic mom move.

Robin using her old teaching skills and showing Lily how to read. I know that's not what it looks like they are doing, but that is what they are doing!

Landry and her million dollar smile!

Addie and Landry shopping together at the Children's Museum.

The girls getting ready to watch Elmo Loves You for movie night!

Us and our girls (missing Robin's son, Teagan, or it would be us and our kids!)

Beach Video....testing testing....

123 Flap Flap

123 Flap Flap, originally uploaded by herman party of five.

Lily sings, Addie imitates. Another Flickr test.

Wave to the camera Addie song

Wave to the camera Addie song, originally uploaded by herman party of five.

I am testing flickr to see if video sharing is easier than straight to blogger because it takes so long. We'll see if you can see this.

Rose Bday Party and Hilarious Horse Racing!

Our friends Ciela (5) and Carina (3) celebrated their girly horsey birthday party at the beginning of June. We had a blast playing with the parachute and pin the tail on the donkey, but the horse races complete with take home party favor horse were the highlight. Unfortunately my battery died before the cake and presents but...Check out the FUN these girls are having! :)

Lily's School Carnival

Lily's school had a carnival for her last day. I didn't get great pictures, but the girls had a blast. This big slide was a high point for sure, even though the mom in charge was questioning me whether or not Addie should be allowed to go on. Also, Lily impressed me by bypassing the candy basket for each of the games and going for the toy prize. Yes it is dollar store crap that I will secretly have to weed out of her toy box slowly but surely. But at least it isn't rotting her teeth.

Addie on the other hand, went straight for the smarties every time and I laughed that she knows which candy she isn't allergic to.

Tamara's Last Day

Our nanny since September of last year (and our life saver through my broken foot) had her last day June 3. Here are some pics of her and the girls. She treated our family very well, and though we made the difficult decision to let her go and move in a different direction with child care, we will definitely stay in touch with her and her daughters, she is a really wonderful person. Our girls were very sad to have her leave.

Tamara and Lily

All the girls, Peyton, Lily, Addie, & Aliza

Dance Party

Addie giving Aliza a good bye hug, er, wrestle

They had a luau for their last lunch together

Lots of crafts, ideas, and fun!

One blog down 7 more drafts pending :)

God's Love

Last night I got Lily up to go to the bathroom around 11pm. We don't take her any more usually but since Lawrence wasn't home, I thought it would certainly be the night she'd pee the bed and I'd have to get up and deal with it alone, in my afraid-of-the-dark-ness, so I took her. As I walked in, I looked at her angelic sleeping face and all I could think is, MAN I LOVE HER. I kissed the softest cheek, and a rush of love along with a pang of guilt came over me at the battles of wills we'd had just before her bed time. Oh, I love her. I wish she knew how much, how I'd love to never use a harsh word or have to correct her. How I only want the best for her, and how I want to be the best me for her. I woke her to walk to the bathroom, since she is quite heavy to carry now. I rubbed her back I told her I loved her while she went and she lifted her arms for me to carry on the way back, so I did. She patted my back, asleep on my shoulder, telling me she loved me too, without talking. I wanted to crawl in her bed and hold her tight, so she'd feel the presence of my love.

Today we had a good day, still she tested, but I stayed firm, yet kind, and she responded well. I remembered to show her extra love and some obvious joy as I spend time with her. We scrapbooked during Addie's nap, and she really loved it.

While we worked together on our scrapbooks, I had a thought.

God watches me do good things and bad, each day, all day long. Just like I watch Lily. At some moments he watches me be loving and kind and generous, at others he watches me be selfish and bitter and angry. At the end of a good day or a bad one, when I am sleeping, he watches me. And you know what?

He thinks, MAN I LOVE HER.

He wishes I knew how much, and he gave me Lily so that I could get a tiny itsy bitsy glimpse of just how much, and to scratch the surface of the possibilities of unconditional love. To know that, is to be blessed.

A friend of a friend.

If you'd like to help out a family who really needs it...say a prayer or donate a little.
http://lovingtaylor.blogspot.com/

Why Blog

"You will have significant experiences. I hope that you will write them down and keep a record of them, that you will read them from time to time and refresh your memory of those meaningful and significant things. Some may be funny. Some may be significant only to you. Some of them may be sacred and quietly beautiful. Some may build one upon another until they represent a lifetime of special experiences." ~Gordon B. Hinckley

The News

So I have some exciting news to share.

We are adding another baby to our family on or around December 24. I was 12 weeks yesterday. Since I went public on Facebook today (during the most boring teleconference meeting of my life), I figured I at least owed it to my blog readers to fill you in too. And to all of my good friends who are finding out through the blog rather than from a personal message from me, please know that if I waited until I could tell everyone in person, the baby might be here at the rate I'm going (see two blogs down).

Anyway, we are very, very excited to become a family of 5. Lily especially couldn't be more thrilled and is constantly telling Addie that she is going to be a BIG sister AND a LITTLE sister. Addie has no clue but says she wants to and then says she has a baby in her tummy too. Lily would love nothing more than to sit around all day and talk about the baby. We've had 2 ultrasounds so far and heard the heartbeat both times.

If you happen to be Schrodinger related and reading this...I haven't told my boss yet, so please don't spread the word. I think only Lynnette and Julie are readers and I know I don't have to worry about you. I think I'll tell him next week.

I think I'll have to, my little baby bump is growing every day. If I worked with a bunch of critical women, there'd be loads of gossip of me either gaining a ton of weight in my belly or me being pregnant. Luckily I work with people who don't pay that type of attention to others. Yay for me and my secret. Interestingly I haven't gained much weight yet and my dr suggested I increase the calories. Yay for me. That's a first for me during pregnancy!

So that's the scoop. Feel free to comment away at how crazy we are! We already know that...more crazy to come and more to love!

Sleeping all night

A quick update to say that I slept through the night for the first night in a few nights, and it did make a huge difference, today is Friday, I'm in the office for part of the day, and I'm feeling MUCH MUCH better.

Addie didn't cry when I left this morning, instead she stood on the window sill waving and singing "bye bye mama" in her little green dress. What a cutie. I wished I had my camera outside the house with me (but I wasn't going back in to change that good bye to save my life! And besides, it's not like I'm going to get it uploaded in any decent amount of time anyway!). My mom is here until tomorrow. Katy starts on Monday.

Exhale. Breathe in too.

I know I know

Yes, my dear blog readers, I know that it has been weeks since I blogged. Yes, my dear friends, I know that I have not replied to personal emails. Everything is okay. I'm just drowning. I'm struggling to have enough time and energy for work and family and everything else has to wait in the wings. At work we are implementing new accounting software for which I am leading the project. I also had 3 vacation days scheduled between this week and last for a long scheduled friend to visit and for my mom to come and go to the coast with me and the girls. Addie isn't sleeping well. Taking days off from work, while very nice, has put me further behind and my staff both have vacation days this week and next too. The visit with Robin was fabulous, as was the coast. I'll blog about that all later. There is so much to do to get this project off the ground and every day flies by so quickly. I'm tired and I'm drained. I'm fine though, I promise.

I opened my personal email today for the first time since Monday and had 65 new messages, 584 unread messages. I have 6 voicemails on my cell phone unlistened to since the weekend. Work email is barely keeping it's head above water too.

So many thing are overwhelming me, but I'm doing okay, just a little tired. I'm asking that you cut me a little slack and just understand that while corresponding with my friends and writing blogs is something that is important to me, there just isn't any time for it right now. I mean really, none. The computer is not my friend, just a lingering stress waiting in the corner of my room for me. Do not send me an "are you mad at me?" email or text because it stresses me out and makes me want to cry at the same time. I don't have the time or energy to be mad at anyone. I'm just getting through each day.

I don't know when things will calm down or get better. I promise they will and I'll blog once more. I'll answer your email and I'll call you back on the phone.

Sorry for the venty blog, but as you can tell by my tone, I'm not feeling my cheery bloggity blog self and I just need the people who love me to stop putting extra pressure on me. I don't mean to sound all dramatic, like I have this tough life. I don't. I have a great great life, one I am so blessed with. I love my kids, husband, and job. I often can't imagine how I got a wonderful life this full. No one cares more about all this stuff than I do, but when searching for balance, the kids, Lawrence, and work come first. Right now, there just isn't anymore left.

Soon though. I promise.

Addie and friends

On Friday the kids and I got the mail. Addie carried the keys and I helped her open the box. Lily got the special key because we had a package. Great day for all!!!

Usually I rip and chuck all of the less important information, but one piece of mail caught my attention. It was from The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). click here Perhaps you have heard of them. Trace Adkins represented them on The Apprentice. Perhaps you haven’t heard of them. In either case, they are having many fundraising and awareness walks around the country.
click here

Jenny and I have always tried to “do our part” helping many different causes while donating money and enjoying a walk, run, snowshoe, and even a beer tasting. We are happy to help especially when it benefits a friend, a friend of a friend, a co-worker, or even the zoo. Lily and Addie have started to participate in these events walking, running, riding, and being carried. We even answer all of the “why questions” from Lily as she tries to understand the causes for each event.

As many of you know, Addie has food allergies. Her cousin Jayme has food allergies, too. If you’ve read this far, you probably see where I am going with this blog.
The Herman’s have found “Our Cause” and we are inviting you to participate in any way you can. There are many dates and places to support “Our Cause”.

Our walk says it is in Portland, OR. Really it is in Vancouver, WA so as you can see I am really committed because I usually don’t leave the Southwest side let alone cross into “The Couv”.

I don’t have all of the details, but the pamphlet sent to us did have a child getting their face painted so I think we can assume that there will be a “party” after the event. Pack up the Family Truckster, strap Aunt Edna to the roof and join us!

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2009
Time: Check-in begins at 9:00 a.m.; Walk begins at 10:00 a.m.
Location: Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, 750 Anderson Street, Vancouver, WA 98661
Distance: 1.5 miles

Jenny has set up a team named “Addie and Friends”. There is no sign up fee for the walk or virtual walk, but FAAN does encourage donations.

Thanks and hope to see you there,
Lawrence

Nail Clipping at the Hermans

I don't believe a lot of words are necessary here. Lawrence Hog-tying Addie in order to clip her finger nails and toes.

Background: When Lawrence and I met, he told me that if I would say "sneakers" and "soda" vs "tennis shoes" and "pop" he would give me Christmas. (He's Jewish). Pretty good trade, I say.

Then when Lily was born her was completely skeeved by her belly button, and wanted to have nothing to do with it (including cutting the cord, tho our doc did convince him to do that). He was afraid he'd "mess it up".

Anyway, so my thing was cutting the little nails. I didn't want to do it and he said no prob, as long as I never have to touch a belly button clampy thingy. Well, I have had my fair share of nail clippings, but 4.5 years later, he's still fully responsible and the girls want him to do it.







After she squirmed and screamed, she wanted "mo mo mo" after he was all done. HEHE!