Monday, June 29, 2009

Isabella's Microphone & Our American Flag

Isabella is my wonderfully creative, inventive, and imaginative child! She is the busiest bee, and is constantly at "work" on something!


For a recent Family Home Evening, she surprised us all with a beautifully prepared table for our lesson, including a podium and a microphone! Samuel was obliged to speak into it, while Owen spent much of his time trying to pull it down. I think he eventually ate part of it!


For Samuel's lesson, and in conjunction with the 4th of July, we learned about Independence Day and what that means for us today. We then took that opportunity to select a spot for our new American Flag!

What a blessing it is to live in this great nation!


Thursday, June 25, 2009

The Movie that went Awry

I attempted to take the kids to the free movies at Olympus Point. I really had every intention of getting there on time, but you know how it goes.

Since the all the seats were full, we headed to the Galleria for some fun of another sort!






They had a blast, but was I off the hook for the movie?

Of course not!


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Aunt Sophia's Visit

When Gabriel was born, my sister and her husband, Dave, were living it up in Las Vegas. When they came home, she made a beeline for our home to meet Gabriel.

Not surprisingly, he won her over!


In addition, she also brought over Owen's birthday present. It's a walking, roaring dinosaur that he's terrified of!


Don't worry! He'll get over it!


The Kitchen Table: The Epicenter of our Home


This is a common sight!

The kitchen table is like a magnet in our home. It is the place where we gather for meals, crafts, cooking projects-you name it and we do it at the kitchen table! Lucky for me, it's close to the kitchen, so while I'm bustling around I'm able to hear the happy sounds of my little ones playing, or conversely, I'm close enough to referee the squabbling! Either way, we're together, and that's what counts.


Monday, June 22, 2009

No Cavity Club: Three out of Four

Several months ago-or good grief! Was it last year?-I asked for suggestions on a local family dentist. We finally settled on Dr. Bandala, a pediatric dentist with Children's Dental Care.

We made appointments for all four kids-even Owen!-and finally the day came!

Iris chillin' in the chair watching "Bolt" which was playing on a flat screen on the ceiling.

Bella decked out in ear phones so she could hear the movie during the exam.

Dig the blue pillow under her legs! Talk about comfy! Unfortunately, such comforts did not impress Owen, who howled when it was his turn!

Ava's pearly whites!


When all was said and done, we had three children inducted into the "No Cavity Club": Ava, Iris, & Owen!

Isabella, is unfortunately like her mother (I can't tell you how many fillings and crowns I have), and had six-or was it seven!- cavities! I guess if you're not going to be in the club you might as well go out with a bang!

We've made Isabella's follow-up appointments and soon the "No Cavity Club" should have one more new member!


Recycled Crayons!

This past school year I needed black Chunk-o Crayons for the Art Docent Program. Chunk-o's are extra chunky crayons that work really well when your making a "rubbing" of a leaf under a sheet of paper. I found out quickly that these crayons are pricey, and with a tight program budget, there was no way I could afford to purchase them this year. We made do using plain crayons and the art projects turned out great, but as for ordering those pricey crayons, I thought there has to be a better way...


Sure enough, after a little internet research, I found that you could easily recycle crayons into a variety of shapes.

Check out how below.

STEP ONE
First, sort your crayons by color and remove all the paper.

As you can see, we had a TON of crayons.

STEP TWO
Place like-color crayons in a clean tin can with it's label removed. Set a saucepan filled with 1-2 inches of water over low-medium heat. When the water is simmering, place the tin can in inside.

Note: The water in the pan will evaporate quickly. Be sure to continually add water so it always remains 1-2 inches deep.

The crayons will begin to melt almost immediately. Use a plastic spoon to stir the mixture and ensure that all the crayons have melted.

Note: Occasionally you'll come across a really stubborn crayon that just won't melt. Just scoop it up with your spoon and toss it so you can proceed.

STEP THREE
Once melted, carefully remove the can from the pan. Beware: The can will be very hot. Let the can sit for 30-60 seconds or so, and then use the spoon to carefully fill your molds. I purchased these flexible molds at IKEA. They were super cheap, and because they're made out of silicone, you can easily pop the crayons out when they harden.

STEP FOUR
Dry time, or the time it takes for the crayons to harden, is approximately 10-15 minutes at room temperature. If you want to speed up the process, try placing the filled molds in the refrigerator, or even the freezer, for 3-5 minutes.

Once hard, just pop the new crayons out and give the molds a quick wipe (I used a moist paper towel with a spray of Chlorox).

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. We ended up with dozens of colorful fish, and then we got a little fancier and made layered crayons too (see the flowers above).

LAYERED CRAYONS
To layer crayons, just select your mold and spoon a small amount of melted crayon into each mold. Allow to harden before laying another color, and then another. Keep in mind that thin layers are best, as the molds are small and fill up fast.

THE POSSIBILITIES...
are endless!

Try these color combos:
  • Rainbow crayons
  • Sky or Ocean Crayons (Various shades of blue)
  • Princess Crayons (think pink, white, purple, & red)

TIPS
After I began melting my crayons, I realized I would need a lot of tin cans for the project (Note: Don't bother trying to clean a can once you've melted crayon in it. The crayon will NOT come out!) . Then I realized that an easier solution would be to melt all the crayons in the same can, just being careful to melt them in a specific color sequence. For example, I started melting the yellow crayons first. Then, using the same can with yellow remnants inside, I melted the orange crayons, then the red, then the purple, then blue, green, and finally brown.

Using the plastic spoon works great in filling the molds. It may seem tedious, but if you have a steady hand it makes for a clean transfer. Once you've emptied about 60% of the melted crayon from the can, you can begin pouring the contents directly from the can into the mold. Be forewarned though, the molds are small and they fill up quickly.

WARNING!
Remember, after using the molds to make crayons, do not use them to prepare ice cubes!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day!


This is so late, but I wanted to pause and express my gratitude for my wonderful husband. He is a good man who loves his family with all his heart. I am grateful for his example and appreciate what a wonderful father he is to our five beautiful children.

Since we had only been home a few days from the hospital, we celebrated quietly at home. The kids surprised Samuel with some of his favorite things including Cheese Whiz (I normally do not allow that product in our house!) and Plums!

With the girl's help, we prepared a family-style lunch-no cooking necessary (oops-except for the fruit tart)!

The kids and I attempted to dye some carnations blue...

...it didn't work but we had fun anyway!

Finally Gabriel joined the party!

Samuel was surprised with his gift...


...a pressure washer!

And of course the next day he was out in force trying it out!

Happy Father's Day!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Meeting the Family

Coming home from the hospital is always a surreal experience. It's a little like when you come home after a vacation. Everything looks the same...but a little different too. Things are even weirder when you've spent several days away from your children. Add bringing home a new baby, and then you've got the perfect mix for a chaotic homecoming!

Luckily, Gabriel is no stranger to the constant buzz of laughter, tears, and yes, fighting, that is a regular part of the soundtrack of our home. He had nine months and five days to acclimate himself to his new family!

Finally we're settled enough to take a nice family photo!

And another with mom.

Ava & Gabriel

Iris & Gabriel

Isabella & Gabriel

Owen & Gabriel

The boys!


And finally, some alone time with dad.



Going Home...and the BIG needle!

As we were preparing to leave the hospital for home, the nurse stated that we were almost ready to go unless we were interested in getting the Whooping Cough Vaccine before we left. She said we could always get it later, but if we wanted, they could do it right then. I am all for vaccinations, and I thought that this was something we could certainly take care of before going home.

The nurse left to prepare the shot, and I placed Gabriel on the bed and loosened some of his clothing.

Some time later a new nurse came in and explained that they had just had their shift change. She said she understood that we were all ready to go. We explained that we were waiting on the Whooping Cough shot, and in a surprised voice she stated that she was unaware we consented to this, but that she would be right back with it.

A few minutes later she came in with a shot saying this was the BIG needle, and then asked me to lay on my side so she could inject it into my thigh!

I said, "You want me to what?"

"Isn't this a child vaccine?"

Nope!
The nurse explained that the shot was a new optional vaccine to protect adults from Whooping Cough-hence, the BIG needle! Unlike child vaccines, which are highly recommended, this was something new for adults, and she suggested we research the topic at home and make a decision at a later date.

Samuel was dying from laughter that I was so willing to stick my son, but when the tables were turned, I was unwilling to offer myself up as a human pin cushion!

Sorry Gabriel!

After that adventure, Samuel was given the green light to buckle up our son for the ride home.


He was a little crabby about that.

But in the end, he settled down-sans any pokes for mother and son!



Thursday, June 18, 2009

Grandparents + Grandchildren = LOVE

There is something special about grandparents and their grandchildren.

What a blessing to see apart of you in your children's children, or in my Grandma Lopez' case, her children's children's children!

Great-grandma Lopez (my mom's mom)

Grandma Rose (my mom)

Grandma Clista (Samuel's mom)

Grandpa Gary (Sam's dad)


At long last...my Gabriel!

My son! My son! My son!

Where are you?

These are the words Samuel and I would utter every night and every morning as we waited anxiously-and yes, a little impatiently-for our son!


As the days crept nearer to my due date, June 12th, I realized with dismay that he would NOT come early like his siblings. And when the date came...and went...I was convinced this little guy, our last baby, was giving me a little extra time to enjoy being pregnant.

And enjoy I did.
I truly love being pregnant. It is something I have always enjoyed, and I will miss this season of my life.


But with those extra days, I was determined to keep busy, and find delight in simple things.

Hence:

The belly shot!


The crazy morning hair...


Fun crafts with the kiddies...

Do you like our homemade crayons?
(I'll blog about this later.)

And even tried out a few recipes too!

But on June 17th, the long awaited contractions began. And at 11:40 PM that night, Samuel and I arrived at the hospital to find that I was dilated 9 cm!

What joy!
We were having a baby!

But guess what?
Too late for an epidural!
OUCH!

But "beggars can't be choosers" and "the show must go on"!

I was ready as ever with my cozy socks!

And I had my honey! He is such a comfort to me.

And on June 18th, 1:23 AM, after 8 minutes of pushing...

Gabriel Dodge Lopez Ramos Elmer
7.5 lbs and 20.5 in. long

...made his way into the world...FINALLY!

He is, quite simply, beautiful.

The journey must be exhausting.

Father and son.

How wonderful to be warm and cozy again.

Amazing!

He is absolutely delightful in every way.

I am one happy momma!


Samuel and I are so grateful for this child of God!
What a blessing!

Welcome home Gabriel!
We love you so much!