Making Dinner Better

One of the things I love about being a mom is when I see something in our family that could use some improving and I take action to try and make it better. Dinner conversation has been one of those things that has needed improvement for awhile in our home. I was getting so tired of all the nonsense noise and silly conversations and banging of cups and silverware. I knew that we could and should be getting more from our time together as a family. So...this is what I started.

I came up with a bunch of questions and stuck them in this jar and came up with a few rules. First, was that a new person gets to pick a question each night. Second, each family member gets a chance to answer the question. Third, no one can talk while someone is answering the question. Third, once the person is done answering we can ask as many follow up questions as we like.

This has been a real hit. Each night at dinner the kids race to get the jar and are so excited to pick out a question. It has made our dinners far more enjoyable and we have had a blast answering some of the questions.

Some of my favorite questions I put in the jar were things like this:

- What was the nicest thing someone did for you today?
- What is your favorite thing we do together as a family?
- Describe yourself in 3 words
- What makes someone a good friend?
- What do you wish you could see from your bedroom window?

When we finish this jar I will just make up some new questions and start over. I think this could be great for kids of all ages and I have loved and been surprised by some of my own kids answers.

So...if you find your dinner conversation lacking you may want to give something like this a shot!

Holes

I think I am crazy. I am working on very few hours of sleep and I think it is starting to play tricks on my mind. I have been noticing holes lately. Let me show you....

Yes, I know all it would take is some rearranging of my current 5 children and the holes would be gone but I can't tell you how often I have thought about those holes in the last few days.

I had hoped that during this pregnancy I would have that feeling that we were done. While I feel more done than I ever have before I am still not ready to close up shop if you know what I mean. The thought of giving away baby clothes and maternity clothes gives me a knot in my stomach. And then I started noticing all these darn holes in our family pictures.

This is what I know for sure. I know that the time to contemplate if your family is complete or not is not when you have a 5 week old baby. I am far too tired and hormonal to make a decision like that right now.

Yet how do I make sense of these feelings and thoughts. I could not bare the thought of giving away clothes, yet I also can not bare the thought of possibly having yet another child. I mean 6 kids...really?????

The Spirit has always spoken to me in small quiet promptings. Part of me can't help to see these "incomplete" pictures as a possible nudge that maybe we are not quite done yet.

I am not making any final declarations here, but I am trying to work through some emotions. So, what do you think of these holes and how do you ever REALLY know when your family is complete?

Tulip Festival

We got home last night from our family trip to the tulip festival. The only way I was even able to consider making this journey was that we had 3 other adults willing to come along and help with our 5 kids. Thank goodness for grandparents!

The weather was AMAZING. It was so nice to sit outside in the sun surrounded by such beauty. There were quite a few people there but somehow it was still very quiet and peaceful.

The flowers were absolutely beautiful and I am glad we made the trip. The kids loved swimming in the pool and had a great time sleeping with their grandparents at the hotel.

We also had our first family picture taken as a family of 7! Wow...there are a lot of us now.

Perfect baby moments

I asked a good friend of mine to come to the hospital and capture some of the new baby moments that disappear all too quickly. I just got the pictures today and they made me cry. I can't believe how much my little boy has grown in only two short weeks. These are just a few of my favorites. I am so glad to have captured such a small moment in time. Steph, you are the best!

From my perspective

As I sat on the couch this morning this is what I saw.

Charlie was dead asleep on the floor and looked like he had been shot. Samuel stood motionless in the corner staring at his sleeping father for a good 20 minutes. On the fireplace you can see the line up of medication that we have been pumping into Sam. He has been fighitng off a 103 degree fever for several days now and has not been a happy camper.

A few minutes later I walked by to find Samuel on the floor with his daddy sound asleep.

The transition to a family of five has proven to be more difficult with a sick 2 year old. Sam has wanted to give the baby loves and it has been hard to discourage him not to touch the baby, but we don't want a sick new born on our hands either.

Let's just say it is a good thing that I was behind the camera on all of these pictures because I am not looking my best after several nights of 12, 2, and 5 o'clock feedings. Luckily grandma is on her way as I type. The extra hands will be much appreciated since Charlie heads back to work tomorrow morning.

Luckily, it is all worth it when I get to see this cute little face and kiss his fat cheeks. We are just keeping our fingers crossed that Sam gets better soon and the rest of us can stay healthy.

Welcome Logan!

It's official. Logan Charles is the name of our new little boy. I thought I would share a few more pictures of some special moments that we have had over the last two days.

This was right after the baby was born. Charlie did great in helping me through yet another difficult labor. I am lucky to have such an amazing husband.

Here is Logan with all his dark hair. I have never had a baby with hair and to have it super dark has taken some time to get used to but I love it.

Here is the crew of Carn's at the hospital. The kids got to come the next morning after an outing at Bob Evans for breakfast. They were all excited to come meet him and Samuel has done amazingly well. He says "baby" about 1 million times a day and loves to give him kisses and hand me his blanket and gets me diapers and wipes when I need them. Who would think that my 22 month old would be more helpful than my 6 year old!

Here is my number one helper. She called Logan "magnificent" when she first met him.

Morgan has loved her new little brother as well and asks to hold him any chance she can.


Here are my 3 boys! I never thought I would have 3 boys but I sure do love them and love seeing this picture with them all together.

My most favorite thing in the entire world is that new baby smell. This is me with my nose nuzzled up in his little neck breathing in my sweet new little boy. I am trying hard to enjoy all of these little moments that will be gone before I know it.

And now for the part that is sure to make me cry. My best friend flew in from Utah to help with my kids. I can't express in words how full my heart was to see her holding my new little boy just hours after his birth. I am so thankful to her for loving my kids as I would while I was away and for all of her amazing love and support.

To finish it all off I had one of the most special moments of my life in room number 7 during my hospital stay. All of my best girlfriends were in one room at the same time. I was literally surrounded by women who love and support me and give me strength when I feel I have none. They all took time out of their busy days finding help for their children to come and give me hugs, bring me flowers and yes...chocolate. Mostly they came to hold my little one and laugh with me. I can't think of a time where I felt more love in one room and where I felt more grateful for such amazing women in my life. This is a picture I will cherish forever.

Things at home are ok. We are getting settled in and I am nervous for my first unassisted night of baby watch. I will try and take some more pictures and post again soon. Logan is changing each day and has already added so much to our family.

Baby Boy Carn

Family & Friends!

I have once again blog-jacked Brook's blog, but this time it isn't for fun. It's because she is recovering from having our fifth baby.

He was born today at 5:50 pm after a long day of induction and pain medication. He was 7 lbs and 0 ounces, 19 inches long and is a perfect little baby boy. He has a full head of dark hair which is a first for us and he is doing very, very well. He has been amazingly quiet since he was born and likes to open and close his eyes, stretch his legs and stick out his tongue. Brook did fabulously and she is doing very well tonight, although she is very very sore. I made it through without passing out or having to be escorted to a chair by a nurse. Thats a first for me, although I did stand on my tiptoes for the last 30 minutes and I think Brook will have bruises on her leg where I held it.

We have no name for this baby yet. We have several ideas but really we don't have names we like, only names we don't hate. So far our list is Max, Jacob, Jackson, Ross, Matthew, Benjamin, and Wade. This one is killing us so if there are any votes, let us know. If you have any other candidates besides, Canoe, Elsa, and "John Shianco", please also submit them. We need help to pick a name sometime tomorrow.

Everyone picked the times they thought he would come. Don't even bother asking who won. Who always wins? I even have the evidence to prove it!

Here he is with his Jazz Hands!!!

Last Night

Tonight is most likely my last night of being pregnant...ever! I can say that this knowledge comes with many mixed emotions. While I am not totally sure we are "done" having kids yet, I am more sure than I have ever been.

As of tomorrow I will never feel those little hiccups and pokes again. I will never have the excitement of telling my husband that we are having a baby. Our family will be complete and I will will be on to a new phase in life. I have spent the last 10 years in that constant state of change and new arrivals. While I am excited to move on I will miss so many things about the last 10 years.

I can say I am a different woman than I was 10 years ago. Hopefully more patient and loving. My children have taught me so much and I love each one of them more than I ever thought was possible.

So...to my new little babe on the eve of your birth. I am excited to meet you and smell your little head and hold you in my arms. You are so lucky to be coming to a family of such wonderful brothers and sisters. I hope I can be a good mother to you and teach you all that you will need to know. I love you already and can't wait to look into your eyes for the first time.

I will post again soon hopefully with a name of our little boy and some pictures and hopefully with the good news that I was the first person ever that I know to get an epidural at this crazy hospital!

Proof

I have proof that angels do indeed exist.

My husband has traveled for the last two weeks and the combination of a traveling husband + 4 kids + being 35 weeks pregnant has proven to be difficult. When he left again this last week I found myself in tears kneeling in my bed pleading with the Lord that he would give me the strength to make it through.

I am overcome with emotion right now at the literal angels who have helped me through the last two weeks and the answer to prayer that has been poured out upon our little family.


In the last two weeks we have been the recipients of 3 dinner invites, 2 lunch invites as well as some beautiful flowers dropped on my front step and today I came home to some AMAZING cinnamon rolls.

I can't begin to explain the joy and thankfulness that has filled my heart. Sometimes being far from family is lonely and hard but for the first time in years I feel like part of a family. I am so grateful for the amazing people that fill my life here and I am thankful that they were all close enough to the Spirit to follow quiet promptings that led them my way these last few weeks.

I also had a testimony building experience at McDonald' s of all places the other night. I had taken the kids there for dinner to meet up with a friend. Little did we know that two other families that we knew would show up as well. When it was time to go Morgan could only find one of her shoes. I searched and searched but could not find it anywhere. I was not about to go get my pregnant belly stuck in the tubes looking for it so I had just decided to give up and put the kids in the car. Abby came up to me and said, "Mom, we should say a prayer." I told her that it was ok and we just should go but she went and knelt down on the ground behind the shoe case and said her own little quiet prayer. She stood up and came over and said, "Mom, I said a prayer I know we will find it." Just then one of the wonderful husbands of one of the families that was there popped his head out of the tube with Morgan's shoe in his hand. Abby's face lit up as she knew her prayer had been answered.

It was such a special reminder to me that even in the most minor of circumstances even in McDonald's if we just show a little faith and ask for help our Heavenly Father is anxiously waiting to help. And even in your darkest moments when you find yourself in tears and are not sure how you are going to make it through, he is there as well. And even though he can't literally be here by my side he will send his angels that come in the form of everyday amazing friends to do as he would if he were here to do it himself.

So thank you to all you wonderful people who have been an answer to my pleading. Thank you to my friends who I consider family. Thank you my Heavenly Father who I know hears and answers my prayers. Thank you to my daughter who was an amazing example to me. My prayer is that I will always strive to be on the Lord's errand and follow the promptings that may seem so little but most likely are a much bigger deal to the one you end up helping.

Conversation

Tonight I had a conversation with my little ones that put a much needed smile on my face.

We began talking about the baby and I told them that he would be coming in a few weeks. I asked if they had any ideas for names and then told them they should guess when he would be born and how much he would weigh.

Morgan started by telling me we should name him John Shianko (shy-ain-co). This made me laugh out loud. Where in the world does she come up with a name such as John Shianko?

She then told me he would weigh 68 pounds! I don't know about you but a 68 pound baby with no epidural does not sound like much of a party.

The other kids made their suggestions and all were fairly on track. Ethan however wants to name the baby Moses and call him Mose.

I then started to explain to them that they may have to go to a friends house in the middle of the night depending on when the baby decides to come.

Abby made me laugh so hard when she started describing how the night would go. She said we would all be in the car in our pajamas and dad would go and pound on someones door and say, "Hurry, Hurry Brook is having concussions!". I said, "Do you mean contractions?" She paused and thought and finally said, "Oh yeah, contractions, not concussions, that would not be funny being hit in the head over and over again."

What a great way to end my night!

Scripture Study

We have tried and failed many times to have consistent scripture reading with our children. We have tried to read at dinner we have tried to read after they are ready for school we have tried to read at night. They all work for some time but none have ever really stuck. We have also struggled with reading the actual scriptures or trying to read the children's picture version. Knock on wood I think we have actually found something that is working for our family.

A little while ago my mother in law asked if we wanted an old set of illustrated Book of Mormon books they purchased when their kids were growing up. I told her yes and then they sat in our basement. There are 16 books in the series and I am so glad I finally pulled them out. We had a FHE about why it is important to read the scriptures and really involved the kids in getting their input on how long we should read for and where we should read and how we should handle bad behavior during scripture time. Making them a part of the decision making process really helped them want to join in.

Now we wake each morning to Ethan saying, "C'mon, it's time to read scriptures." Really...could there be a better way to start your day than to hear that come out of your child's mouth?

We finally made the decision to wake each morning at 7 and we read for 20 minutes and finish with a prayer. These books have been amazing for my kids. They are way more in depth than the regular picture scripture book from the church. They use much of the same scripture phrasing that helps them get used to different wording. The pictures are big and colorful and really help them stay engaged in listening to the stories. In the back of each book is the full text from the actual Book of Mormon if you ever want to read right from the actual scripture.

I'm not sure where you could find these anymore but I am so glad we have them. They seem to be the perfect mix for my kids ages right now. I have also been amazed that we have seemed to be even less rushed in the morning. I actually have had time almost each day after the kids are finished getting ready to sit down and get a few minutes in of my own scripture study each day.

So....if you have young kids and have struggled to find a pleasant and effective way to incorporate scripture study in your home I suggest maybe trying to track a set of these down. Thanks Diane for passing them on to us...they were just what we needed!

Pants on the ground

Last night Charlie and I watched American Idol and I have had the last audition in my head all day.

Here is the original and below that are some amazingly good and funny remixes of the song.

It just made me smile and laugh so I thought I would share. I will give one warning: If you listen to these they WILL be stuck in your head for the rest of the day!

Christmas and New Years Eve

My favorite time of year has come and gone. It was filled with lots of memories and great family time. The best part was having Charlie home for two weeks and just enjoying being together as a family.

We started with our annual trip to Bronner's to let the kids pick out a new ornament. Each year they get a new one and they have their own tree that they decorate. Abby now has quite a collection of birds, Morgan has Dora, butterflies, and her latest was a ballerina, and Ethan has lots of trains and this year picked a turtle. They love this tradition and so do I.

After shopping we always go to our favorite chicken dinner restaurant. We got our very own room this year and the kids thought that was great.

We also made a stop at our local Santa house. This place is magical even for adults! I love seeing the kids down peeking in every nook and cranny discovering magical Christmas wonder. Santa was great with the kids and got us all excited for the upcoming days.

Sam wanted nothing to do with Santa as you can tell from the picture below but the rest of the kids got their wishes in and had a blast.

We decorated cookies, had lots of late night sleepovers, made and received many yummy neighbor gifts, and watched lots of Christmas movies, and listed to many hours of Christmas music.

The kids left notes for Santa and their usual plate of treats for the big guy and his reindeer, and were pleased to find their note back from Santa the next morning.

This was the before.

And the after!

After the festivities were over we headed to Chicago to visit family. We spent plenty of relaxing days in p.j.'s and played with cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandma and grandpa...and the new puppy Chewy!

The best part of the trip was New Years Eve. I think we have created a new tradition. We went to a church building and played games all night. We played reverse hide and go seek and kick ball and just let the kids go wild and get all their wiggles out.

Reverse hide and go seek or sardines is where one person hides and when you find them you hide with them until the last person finds the entire group squished and trying to be quite and laughing hysterically.

It was a blast. Here are a few shots of us all squished together!

The night ended with a great game of kickball and then it was back to the house for food and games. I think this is the most fun we have ever had on new years eve.

It has been a great few weeks. I was sad to send Charlie and the kids off this morning. I am sad that the tree is down and the decorations are put away. I just love the family time and memories that this time of year bring and I am now looking forward to this summer. Now I just need something to get me through the next 5-6 months!