Warning!! Cheesy blog Update.

As of a few years ago I was not a reader.  But then I got inspired by a wonderful sister-in-law (Thanks Mary) who has read more books than I have ever heard of,  I became a more proficient reader.  I am not a book worm but I find now that I actually have a stack of books waiting for me to read.  Can you believe that a stack of books!!!! Anyway, I am currently reading a book for a little book club I am in with two of my sister-in-laws (Hi Amy, and Tiffany) called "The Agony and the Ecstasy" it is a Biographical Novel of Michelangelo.  The reason for this post is that I had to say that it amazes me how I can start reading a book that I hardly understand anything that they are saying in it,  like all of the Italian names and places in this current book.   Then I get a hundred or so pages in it and I find that I am, for the most part, understanding it and looking up info that I just read online to understand what they are talking about.  Or in this case looking up pictures of Michelangelo's sculptures and artwork to fully absorb the feeling in the book.  

It was two years ago this new years that I challenged my self to become a better reader and now here I am reading a novel about Michelangelo, I am blown away and amazed at the power of a book.  I wish I could have figured this out a lot sooner but I am thankful for those that have inspired me and humored me (like you all) by listening to my child like view at this world of reading.   

The Day Portland Froze

This was a crazy day. We had just got about 6 inches of snow and then we got a half inch of freezing rain(ice) on top of it. The boys had a blast playing ON it.

Today we got another 6-8 inches of snow on top of the ice. Here is the proof. I know this does not compare to you guys in Spokane but for us this is huge.

This is  our bonus room window, it is not a privacy window, that is ice.

Needless to say, we are enjoying the snow while it lasts. 

Christmas Card

I am going for a paper free approch to the Christmas letter this year, so that means only my fellow bloggers and family are going to read this (sorry Danci, I will tell you what it says).  Well to start out my letter I should say what I have said in every letter for the last five or more years.  Can anyone guess?   Yes, we moved again.  We are currently residing in Oregon City OR.  I didn't send out a letter last year because we moved here just before Christmas last year 2007.  Here is a rundown of what our family has been up to in the last two years.

Phil - Was building homes in Spokane when the market dropped, so we packed up and moved to Portland to keep Fox Capital condensed in Portland.  Phil has also gotten in to a new career path of selling Mona Vie for more info on that give him a call 503-929-2721.  He wants me to write that life is great and drink it! feel it! share it!

Katie - I have been busy over a year ago I had our fourth boy Simon Walter Fox on October 29th 2007, that has consumed my life the last year.  I am currently the Den Leader for the Wolf Cub Scouts, which is a calling I really wanted since I have four boys.  Honestly I would rather have my kids heavily involved with scouts than with sports.  We moved from Spokane and that was hard for me we had been there 3 years, the longest we have lived anywhere.  I didn't get a letter out for reasons of a new baby and a move to a new state so I think you all will understand that.  I keep my self busy with my kids, and in my spare time which is almost non-existent I like to read, blog (my new obsession), I still enjoy sewing but can't find the time at the moment, read to my kids and do crafts or projects with them.

Parker - Is 7 1/2 now, we recently took him out of school to homeschool him.  He has been loving it and I can already see a huge difference in him and it has only been a few weeks.  His current obsession is Science projects, Pandas and legos.  He is a great help with the baby and still tries to make me happy in all he does.  He is looking forward to his baptism in May.  We are looking forward to that as well.  Parker is such a joy in our home and we are blessed to have him around and we love him so much.

Everett - Is 6 now and in Kindergarden, he absolutely loves it and his teacher, he is such a smart kid.  Everett still loves bats and the color black and small things, if it is small or mini it will find its way in his pockets or his room, ie: my moms mini travel scriptures, small note pads, tiny pencils, little cups anything little he likes.  He loves to have a notebook and pencil to carry around and pretend things.  Everett is so intense with everything.  He loves hugs and gives great ones and you should hear this kids prayers they are amazing, you can tell he already has a personal relationship with Heavenly Father.  Everett is my second mother to Simon. He is so precious with him always playing with him and reading him books.  Who needs a big sister when Everett is there to help with any little whine that Simon makes.  Everett is wonderful and we love him a lot.

Mason -  Is 4 and a wonderful little guy.  If I get a child that will sing it will be this kid, he loves musicals and is always singing.  In family home evening he has to do a solo before and after we sing the opening and closing songs.  Mason also loves movies, I struggle with him every day all day to get him to only watch one movie.  It usually ends up to be more with some TV shows included but I try.  Mason is such an obedient child, he is four so he does fight the rules but it doesn't take much to get him to correct his ways and do what he should.  He is very quick to say sorry and give hugs and kiss.  Mason is so fun and we love him so much.

Simon - Is a fun 14 month old.  He is such a happy baby and is so patient with his older brother who try to wrestle him.  He is a big momma's boy, but he does like dad too.  He only says "Hi, Dad" and "Bye" with a wave and a huge grin on his face.  Simon's favorite activity is taking the vent covers off and throwing socks and toys in them.  He has currently knocked the Christmas tree down twice, something my other three have never done.  Luckily there was a brother standing right by him and caught it before it landed on top of him.  Simon is so much fun and I have enjoyed him immensely.

We are so blessed in our lives and our trials and we are thankful for both.  We are thankful for this Christmas season and all the snow we have been getting.  We hope everyone is safe in this weather and can find joy in this season of their lives.  We love all of you and wish you all a Merry Christmas.

Love Philip, Katie, Parker, Everett, Mason and Simon 

For your Info

If you were wondering you can make these yourself at www.elfyourself.com and the first one titled "My Christmas Elf" all the pictures are of Phil, we have a camera on our computer that you can do funny effects on.  That one made the boys crack up.

Silly Family of Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

My Christmas Elf

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Fun New Christmas Treat

My mom told me about this fun Christmas treat that is easy for the kids to do.  My kids loved doing them and eating them.

All you need is:

Pretzels 

Heresy Kisses (stripped are the cutest)

Plain M&M's

place the pretzels on a cookie sheet, then put a heresy kiss on top bake in over at 225 for 2 to 3 min. then pull out and put a M&M on the top.  Then Cool.

They turned out quite cute and very yummy (we found peppermint stripped kisses very yummy).  The boys loved watching the kisses melt.

I hate snow days!!

Being from Utah snow days were few and far between.  They usually happened because there was like 4 feet of snow or something like that.  Poor Oregon no one can handle the snow so a few inches and a little ice and everything shuts down.  I wouldn't mind usually, I would enjoy the free schedule and make what we can of it.  Then days like today happen, if you ever think your having a bad day just reread this blog and you won't feel so bad.  So it started out like any other day that we get to sleep in.  We had a lazy morning reading scriptures, making beds, getting dressed normal morning stuff.  I grabbed a stack of books to read to the boys, I didn't feel like doing much.  After I got Simon down for a nap and got the boys heavily involved with a drawing and coloring project I decided it was time for a shower.  They usually are fine when I get in the shower so I had no reason to suppose I should hurry and check on them.  When I came out I noticed the sneaky suspicious look on one of their faces (honestly can't remember which one).  I went in to Parker and Everett's room and they quickly told me that they made a potion.  This is a usual occurrence and so I didn't feel the need to fear then I said "that is not something we do in our rooms could you please take it into the kitchen".  See, I did keep my cool at one point in this and by the way I am editing most of my reactions in this.  Then they told me that a little had spilled and they need help cleaning it up.  I lift the blanket on the top bunk, which Mason was hiding under and trying to prop up with my flashlight, something I don't let them play with I might add because they waste the battery.  Anyway, they had taken my vanilla extract, not the cheap imitation kind the large 8 dollar a bottle kind and mixed it with mouth wash and soft water crystals (little rocks that you can add colored water to and change their size and color).  It was puddling in the middle of the bed and covered a good two foot or more space.  I totally lost it and scream "what the heck is this!!"  I could tell I was rapidly losing control so I stopped and went into the hallway got to my knees and said a prayer.  (I got into the habit of this a couple of years ago and it has greatly increased the life span of my children)  Thankfully all of my kids realized that this was not a really good choice and during my prayer time (basically timeout time) they all came and gave me hugs and kisses and said they were sorry.  Replaying this made me realize that this wasn't as bad as somethings that they have done but it was still in the top five worse messes they have made.  I was able to calm down enough to tell them they need to strip the bed and change their clothes ( yes they were covered as well) and put everything in the wash with out complaint or wasting any time, amazingly they did exactly what I said.  We were able to somewhat recover from this matter minus the water incident in the bath room and the card mess in the bonus room and the beating each other up all day long.  Thankfully I have a wonderful husband that didn't question me with frozen pizza's for dinner, and that I was leaving to grocery shop for "I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG".  So now that it is 9:oo at night I am doing alright.  Wow! a little venting makes you feel better doesn't it.  I want to end with I do love my boys and I am thankful that they are creative and want to discover and explore things. Without them my life would be pointless and I wouldn't know what to do with my self.  I love being a mom and I would not trade it for anything.

Snow!! What in Portland.

I don't like snow... that means its to cold for rain.  If you can name the book that the previous sentence is from give your self bonus points.  I don't personally love to snow, though I do enjoy watching in from inside my warm house during Christmas time.  Having spent 2 or 3 WINTERS in Spokane the novelty wore off very quickly when it is may and still snowing.  Anyways I did enjoy waking up to snow this morning and it is hard to not get excited when your kids are.  We quickly pulled out our boxed up snowsuits and luckily they all still fit.  Church was canceled so the boys enjoyed a morning of playing in the snow.  Then after a short family devotional (no church) we gathered our gear and headed to Stu and Tiff house.  The boys loved sledding on a wakeboard down the hills and playing in the snow with their cousins.  I stayed warm inside and made some cute Christmas decor crafts with Mckenna and Emma.  No matter how long we stay at their house it is never long enough, but we eventually we got them away with no fight and we happy with our/their fun filled snow day to be repeated tomorrow. 

And this is what Simon did.  He didn't touch this on his head I don't think he even knew it was there. Isn't he a sweety.  

Life Changes

As if I need more changes in life here is another one.  We have officially taken Parker out of school to homeschool him.  We attempted this last year, but me being very pregnant and planning a move to Portland it didn't work out.  I kept getting an unsettling feeling with Parker being in school, we held him back a year and that seemed to help a lot but it was still a struggle for me.  I didn't feel he was getting his education in a way that was going to help him to love to learn.  Finally after a lot of prayer and talking with Phil I made the decision.  I know it is going to be hard and frustrating at times but I find myself being excited about it.  I still plan on sending my other children to school and if the need arises I will take them out as well, but for now it is only Parker.  We have had a lot of fun this week, I am trying to have him direct his learning so he will throughly enjoy it.  I am mainly focusing on reading with him, this is the area he needs to gain the most confidence in.  I am amazed at how excited he get about learning when he gets to take control and not have to go at a certain pace.  One day this week we started with reading some science books (he loves art and science over anything)  on molecules and changing states of matter.  Parker thought that was fun so we did an experiment on melting ice cubes(solids) to water (liquids) to boiling it (gas).  Parker was so excited he wanted to read about molecules then he wanted to draw pictures of it and label everything.  It was so much fun and I found my self completely enjoying it anxious to do more.  I am excited about this new change and I know that it will help my son with his love of learning.  I pray that I can keep this excitement and work through the hard times.

What do You Get When You Put Three LDS Stay at Home Mom Sisters and Put Them in VEGAS!!

TOTAL CRAZYNESS!!  

I don't love this picture but it works, little Jonas is in the hip pack on Danci

I am serious, who says you need to drink, gamble or go to a show in vegas to have fun.  A few of the highlights are probably more silly to us three than to anyone else.  First of all our elavator to our hotel had a lot of force and everytime we got in it Danci (sister in picture with me above) would fake like she was going to throw up whether there were other people in there or not  after a couple of time she wasn't faking anymore.  Then after we got back late from seeing Freemont street we were so tired our reactions were a little slow and we weren't sure what level we needed to get off the elevator to get to our hotel.  Sheila got off and looked around and me and Danci just stared at her while the elevator doors closed leaving Sheila alone.  The funny part was that Danci and I could hear Sheila banging on the doors calling our names and then when the doors opened all three of us were bent over stamping our feet on the ground in hysterical laughter in the exact same position (since childhood we have nick named this as the Bethel Indian Dance).  As I said before these things are probably more funny to us than to anyone else.  Then to top off the night of hysterical delirious laughter the next morning we realized we didn't remember where we parked.  After going to two different levels and not finding our car we send Danci on foot up the stairs to find our car while we waited with the luggage.  This alone was funny but what made it more hysterical was while we were waiting for Danci to come back a worker over heard our conversation and started to ask us some questions like "Do you remember getting on an elevator" or "Do you remember parking next to a post" or something like that.  I know she thought we were drunk the night before and that was how she was trying to help us.  I made it funny because our responses were slow like were hung over but we weren't just exhausted.  We had a wonderful time talking, who knew that you don't need the radio or tv on at all over a three day period.  We talked solid from Salt Lake to Vegas and back again.  Having been to Vegas a lot during high school we didn't feel like we needed to do a lot of things so we were content with only going to Coca Cola facorty and M&M world.  Our only regret was that we couldn't see Stomp, the only showing was at 7:00 and that was when my Mona Vie meeting was (that was the reason for the trip).  I love my sister and this trip was over due, we are already planning our second sisters weekend, who knows what town we will reek havoc on next time.  As a side note Jonas (Danci's baby) came with us and was an angle he slept good and enjoyed being toted around with Danci so she was able to enjoy herself as well.

Here are some of our attempted  crazy pictures and other photos of our trip.

Katie, Danci and Sheila outside Coca Cola world

Me and the wall of M&M's in M&M world

Danci and I in the Elevator

You figure out why this picture is funny.

Me with the street performer "Gold Man" (Parker loves gold so I got this for him)

Sheila being Sheila

 

Me with the wax Nicolas Cage

Sheila with the wax Nicolas Cage

Sheila and Danci (and Jonas) outside Paris

we stayed next door at Balley's