We Love Trees!

We bought a house with lots of trees because we love trees. We bought a chainsaw because we love nice trees. Today Matt rented a U-Haul truck and made 3+ trips to the city trash transfer station with limbs and vines he and the missionaries (who needed a little extra service the past few weeks) cut from our yard. They also took out over grown bushes and threw those in the truck.

Lots of wood. Lots of work. I'm glad it didn't rain much today. Just a little sprinkle. Matt is hoping for rain though. There is an 11 year old camp out planned for tonight and he wants it to be canceled so he can wake up bring and early and work on the trees again. So dedicated!

Preschool

Today, just like every other Mon-Fri since September, we all got dressed, we all ate breakfast, and we all hopped in the car to drive Jill to the local Baptist church for preschool. We were a little late today because Mom worked out and had to take a shower (that's a new thing I'll talk about later. The working out part, not the showering part), Mom was slow making the ham and eggs, Mom forgot to get every ones shoes and coats on until just before we had to get out the door, and Mom took a wrong turn as we tried out a new shortcut.

Today, just like every other Tues&Thurs since September, MaryEllen also had preschool.

Today, not like every other Tues&Thurs, I taught MaryEllen's preschool. I get to do this every 5th week, and it is like the perfect storm that makes me grateful that it's not every 4th week.

So, after we dropped Jill off late, we raced back home, cleaned up breakfast and the rest of the house, got out the preschool supplies and hoped for the best. Then it happened: the children arrived and we started preschool, sort of. One of the children stood by the door crying for his mom to come back, Hannah pooped her diaper, and Grey started to cry too. We did the best we could to maintain some control. We sang our songs, we talked about the weather, we played the name game to go along with our Letter N theme. Then everyone had to go to the bathroom, or so it seemed. We are all potty trained (not including Hannah, who was still stinky, and Grey, who was still fussy.) but a few of us like help. All the children who like help needed, or wanted, to go more than once. We went potty while the others colored. Then we went potty while the others stickered. Then we went potty while the others played with toys and read books. Then I changed some diapers and fed Grey. And then I realized someone was missing. She was in the potty. She doesn't need help, but today she didn't remember where the potty was until much to late. I changed one more child.

We had snacks, we made bird nests out of paper plates. We read the groups favorite train book. Then the moms came. I forgot to ask them to come a little earlier so I could pick up Jill on time. The shoes and coats were found. Everyone hustled out the door. We put on our shoes and coats and hustled out the door to pick up Jill. We are late. Very Late! We meet the piano tuner on the way to the van. He is early, and we are still late. He has to move his car so we can get out of the drive way. I let him into the house, and I buckle my children in while he moves his car. We take the new shortcut to pick up Jill. I make the same wrong turn. We get there just as Jill's teacher is getting ready to call us. We are so happy to pick up Jill.

Today, I have never been so happy to pick up Jill. Picking up Jill meant that Preschool was over for the day and over for me for the next 4 weeks. Preschool is so much fun.

For Me

So, when I started this blog, or the other blog, or that first blog before that, many many years ago, I thought I was doing it for you. And really it is for you. I want to keep you all in the know, and send pictures and all of that awesome stuff.
Then about 3 1/2 years ago I convinced myself that I was writing for my mom, and that became problematic and seemed very unnecessary.
But as I think about my life and how things are going and the way I'm spending my time, and on what, I realize that I've always blogged for me. If I stop now then I'll have to go back to buying interesting looking journals. I've used up my supply.

Here it is. My record of me and my family. Starting now, with a shocking lack of pictures, because for some reason I also stopped taking those a few years back. Lame!!!

Fall has been beautiful. MaryEllen keeps collecting the leaves. One day it will be the brightest shade of yellow or red. The next day it will be the teeny-tiniest. Today it was THE BIGGEST LEAF IN THE WHOLE WORLD. She said that many times as she showed me the large oak leaf very, very close to my face. When I opened the back hatch of our mini van to pile in trash bags bound for the dump, the wind somehow caught her leaf and blew it from the back seat, where she was buckled in, out the back hatch and onto the drive way. I hadn't seen all of this and didn't know anything about it until I got mad at her for unbuckling and getting out of the car. I tried to herd her back in, but she was undeterred. She yelled, "My leaf," many times before I got it and let her go. She was frantic. We found it and she happily hopped back in. I would offer you a picture of THE BIGGEST LEAF IN THE WHOLE WORLD, which was indeed an impressive size, but somewhere between dropping Jill off at preschool and going to the dump the leaf was ripped to shreds in the back seat of our van. All that remained was THE LONGEST STEM OF THE LARGEST LEAF IN THE WHOLE WORLD.

A few facts about my first impressions on New England's trees:

Snow shoveling begins before there is any snow. mounds of leaves are raked from yards weekly. In our neighborhood big trucks with huge vacuum hoses come by to suck up the leaves the way a snow blow and dump truck would take away the snow.

New England rock climbers hook their equipment up to the trees because they are more of a challenge than the New England mountains.

We love trees, but our first major home purchase since our arrival here has been a chain saw.

Just In Time For Football Season

It's here! The weekend we've all been waiting for . . . and the beginning of NCAA Football.

AND

The new star player for our team:

Grey Andrew Svedin.

Coming in at:

9 lb 2 oz and 19.5 in long

He's the perfect fit for any position. The ladies are all raving about his good looks too.

and Coach is very pleased with his new recruit. 

Team Svedin On the Move

It's been about 6 months, so I guess it's about time for an update. The past 6 months have been a bit of a whirl-wind. Just before Christmas, Matt had some job interviews back East. At the end of February we knew something was coming, and by the beginning of May we had a new job, our house sold, and our bags packed for New York State. What an adventure. Here are some photos from the mast 4 weeks:

We hit Mt. Rushmore. They are much bigger than they seem in this picture.

We stopped in Nauvoo for a day.

We were milk-maids.

Jill and Matt stopped in for a tour at Carthage Jail. The rest of us took naps in the car.

We played with cousins,

and did some "Car Crafts,"

and ate at restaurants,

and slept,

and slept,

and slept (usually in hotels, and sometimes in beds).

Our Journey is almost over. Word on the street is that our furniture will be delivered to our new house late next week. So, Let the Games Begin!!!

2 Days Until Christmas

You can enjoy  The whole Christmas Story  acted out beautifully. What a wonderful Sunday activity for my family this year.

3 Days Until Christmas

This is Jill's favorite Christmas video this year.

Merry Christmas

From Jill!