Eye Glasses for my girls.

Grateful for the time at Grandma and Grandpa Rosenquists

I am extremely grateful for the time we were welcomed into Grandma Betty and Grandpa Max's home in New Lenox. In many ways it seemed a bit da-ja-vou. I have a baby boy sleeping in the elevator. Same swim time on the deck outside.. the same highchair to clean all the pb and jelly on...and the same kitchen cabinets perfectly puzzle pieced together with both of our groceries. You see when Xander was Cooper's age we lived in the same little apartment while we made our "Appaloosa House".
I am very, very aware that we could be in a tiny, loud apartment in an undesirable part of town or that we could be in a trailer park somewhere. I truly am grateful for my hospitable in-laws. They have been loving, accommodating and I will always be grateful for the time we could spend there as a family. :)

Mother's Day 2011 "Building a home to put my chair."

Well if you have kept up with the blog you will see its a tradition to have Dan take a photo of the kids and I every mothers day in my blue chair. It was my first post and its only fitting we carry on with the theme. We are building our home right now. There is no chair. There is no house to put the chair. In some ways I feel like God has stripped us of almost all the "stuff" we once owned. Not that God is punishing us but  maybe He is showing us realize what really matters in life- to make us pull together as a family. Someways maybe by losing what we had will make us better more grateful and more family centered. I can't wait to move. I really wanted to move this weekend, or by Aliza's Birthday or Xander's Birthday- (Once I was hopeful about moving during Christmas break! Seems maybe God is teaching me patience as well.) but as you can see we still have a ways to go. I'm praying we learn whatever God is showing us and to fully trust Him in all things.

Aliza Jane is THREE! -March 16, 2011

A butterfly cake, a butterfly net, a butterfly bug box to keep a butterflies alive in (from her Auntie & Uncle  in MN), a Butterfly watch and a musical jewelry box with a ballerina that is decorated with Butterflies on the outside (from her Grandma and Grandpa in Mn, even her dress accidentally had butterflies on it that day! We love you Aliza!

Weekends Down at the Farm

The kids, dog and I go down to the farm ever other week or so sometimes we stay the night and part of the next day and sometimes we pack up and come home with out him. Other times we just all go down together as a family on Sun to celebrate a birthday or such. The cousins are  always happy to see us and I am happy to spend a day with (more or less) my husband.

Winter Blizzard 2-6-11

Sleeping Arrangements

This is what the kids do when I need to take a phone call and they need to keep Cooper quiet.. at the time anything to get through my business call of taking an order or dealing with business issues.. but then I go in there to my boy who is covered in "apple stickiness" and little bits and pieces everywhere of apple and usually find myself wondering why I let my kids get by with so much... my life would be easier if I didnt' let anyone help me cook , and never gave my baby a messy snack, and always made him buckle in his highchair  and not stand, and everyone slpet in their own bed and not mine!:) but some how I don't think that when I get to be old and look back I will regret any of those little things.

     Well we have had quite a few creative sleeping arrangements here. Suzy has slept with just about everyone even Aliza in the crib a few times. Suzy always puts herself to nap with Aliza and the photo of them on my bed was not posed and Yes- Suzy and Aliza were both actually sleeping.
     Cooper is now moved from the crib in our room to the Pack and Play in the elevator -where he sleeps much better.
     Dan is now Gone most of the week and sometimes is only home for Sat and Sun night. So the girls take turns sleeping with me... or sometimes I look and find that they have decided to camp on my floor and I have a child occupying both walkways on either side of my bed and one in bed with me. I have never had the heart to boot them out and I suppose there is a place inside me that is warmed to the core to know that they want to sleep there in close poximity just to be close to Mom.
     Now Suzy almost always sleeps at the bottom of the girls lower bunk. The Girls now sleep together when Dan is home. Even though Aliza and Josie bicker about "taking up too much room" and "stop touching my babydoll" they seem to... well what do you think? (see bottom picture)...  I think it looks like they seem  work it out in the end. :)

New Lambs (Born Jan- April)

It was lots of fun to anticipate and see each new lamb come. Dan let me name the first one "Opal". Our friendliest and oldest Ewe- Amber had her one morning and Liz and Danyelle found it in the early morning. We were coming to the farm later that day and finally got there hoping everything would be fine but the lamb had about "given up". She was beyond cold; still wet and wouldn't even try to get up. We knew we couldn't do much with all the kids there so we ran the them to Ginger's to play. I warmed a blanket and a towel in the clothes dryer,  stuffed it into my coat and headed to warm "my" Baby as fast as I could. Amber was a good mom and only got worried a few times. After I rubbed her vigorously, wrapped up in the warm blanket, stuffed her in my jacket and sat down with the ewe. That is where we stayed as Dan wind proofed the hoop hut and tended to extra hay and such. After 45 min she stopped shivering in my jacket and Dan was successful in teaching her to latch on. 

Then came Sahara from Apache. Then Lamb Chop #1 and Lamb Chop #2 then Salt and Pepper who were both boys but our only twins so far. update we had twin ewe lambs today 4-6-11. they are the charcoal gray ones with the back faces and legs!
11 lambs total as of today!

New Year Milking Cows at the Farm.

It is the first year that we have taken care of Uncle Greg's cows, chickens, bunnies, cats, and dog. Suzie and Lady got along fine and I was so proud of our pup -she never destroyed anything or had any accidents or mishaps. We opened our own presents down there and had a really nice family time. (all except the plumbing problems and all the sinkwater I had to bail and carry to the toilet to empty.) (the dishwasher didn't work either.. and Dan spent several nights taking apart the pipes in the basement, snaking, and pouring hot water and industrial draino down them. ) :( 
We enjoyed being the "other Rosenquists" for a week... although I am not sure I am ready to trade lives yet. I dealt with a lot of Poo- Chicken poo on eggs, cow poo on milking equipment and clothes, and Milk jugs and washing the equipment 2 times a day.
Josie washed 40 Dozen eggs one day and was in tears repeatedly but she earned some good hard cash from her Uncle Greg. :)

Praise God For Aunt Tammy's Good News!

Jan 2011, Aunt Tammy made an appointment down here in Zion Il. She wanted to talk to Drs about her heart declining and get checked out to see how the cancer was that she had spent a whole LONG year fighting. The Drs have all Good news for her and we Praise GOD! Her heart should start to regenerate and she was pronounced "cancer free"! We were so excited to hear the news we drove the 1hr 20 min to see her and stay with her for the night! She had a lovely hotel and a pool! TAMMY we are so proud of how you have handled this whole thing.. you have never felt sorry for yourself or slowed down- even though the Chemo, Surgeries, and radiation treatments were so hard on you. Way to go Tam! We LOVE YOU!

Christmas MN- Family FUN!

We stayed at Uncle Cody and Aunt Jens this year and their house is almost finished! This is not as exciting of news as the fact that they are looking to expand their family and adopt a family. maybe Next year we will have a cousin to visit! We are praying for you as you journey this emotional road!

OUR new Home!

So for a while I have struggled what to call this place that everyone is asking about. "Dan is building us a "_________ " in the back of our pole barn that we will use for a work shop."

What Do I call it... An Apartment? (too urban) A cabin? (is sort of how I would love it to feel inside... but not right because there are no logs involved) A house? (Not really- its too unconventional for a house) A Flat? (isn't that European and suggest a building with other flats in? )

(the slider and  corner window is the living room and the next door to the left is the main entrance, then the window to the left is the boys room, the next window over is the girls room, and the next window is Dan's work office/ furnace room [the next open door you see is the workshop and not part of the living area])

Then it came to me... the perfect word I was looking for was "home"... "Dan is building us a home in the back of our pole building!"  That is everything that I want this place to be! Mr Serge and Mr Victor helped many days in a two weeks time and it came together fast! we are so excited! will post pictures of the walls soon.

Dan emailed me the pics from his i phone before Uncle Greg went to MN before Christmas and when  I saw the last two pictures... I cried!  Its one of the best sights I have ever seen! Greg has helped Dan much in the last weeks get metal up! (he is in the pic you see.)

SUZY... Too good to be true!

I checked again for Wheaten Terriers on line but they cost so much... there was one with no price- so for giggles I sent a message... well she said there were many people interested but the price was right! Long story short : she said there was a person coming tomorrow to look at her but she liked the sound of our family and our story of Nana and our farm we were starting!
I talked to Dan telling him i asked for very little in our marriage so far but felt really strongly for some reason about THIS dog... He relinquished and told me to called her... she said she would meet us at 11am tomorrow in Jackson Michigan in a parking lot... anyway Dan went with us and to Michigan  we went as lake effect snow fell and made driving ickie.
We email each other updates often still . Suzy couldn't be a better one yr old dog! We changed her name because we had an aunt with the same name as her. Other than being a bit independent when you call her she is perfect! She rides well. And most importantly she is great and tolerant of the tots in our house! She takes naps with aliza daily.. sleeps in Josie and Aliza's bottom bunk or where ever I tell her to and she stays on the bed all night! She has adjusted very fast and since we have no kennel for her she goes EVERYWHERE with us (and I am sure that makes a better dog especially when socialized so young) We thank God for sending her into our life and hope to have pups with her this year!