Season by season

Each season has its story...
These pictures I had snapped just outside our place tell of the different things each season brings:
The neighbour's pink magnolia and our purple allium are both spring flowers, while the orange lily blooms later, closer to summer. The swinging bunny celebrates fall, and the cool icicles with or without snow add that magical touch to winter.

Works for me: the regular digital camera -- small enough to carry around, and mom-friendly to hold on with one hand and click, then scoot, with kids in tow and/or baby joined at the hip!

And now, I do have my long, longer stories than this one to tell...
Perhaps I will, retrospectively, the many I'd wanted to share and jot down here as a journal of sorts. But for how much is going on, and at this time when no one's crazy about the swine flu, I'm also trying not to go crazy over:

The kids gone wild -- it's not just selective hearing, but the boys are not listening at all. There are also different social issues to work with them, besides those basic things that make me just want to tear my hair out =(.

My nose acting up -- It's allergy season, and I wake up 500 times in the night to blow my nose, when it isn't dripping away like a leaky faucet... and to feed the baby, that too!

And another weekend's gone by, but not without us burning the midnight oil over more house stuff -- some carpeting DIY in the basement. Hopefully it improves the appeal and gets more foot traffic our way. Next is a price drop to below what we paid. I think we've done quite enough to show it well, and it has to go so we can start from scratch come the new season.

Bloom, flowers, bloom

Can't say I'm a huge fan of April showers and definitely not the storms...

but to the pretty flowers they bring,

how can you not say Aaaaaaahhh?!!!

But Aaahhh-chooo! and *sniffle* *sniffle* they also make us go =(.

On the bright side...

At our doorstep, and up on our walls also, are these delightful daffodils we grew from bulbs...




More springtime pictures I took during our stay here, and it's with such nature shots I had swopped out our more personal ones for the home staging:
And to make it more interesting and less predictable, here's an instance of how I deliberately split up too similar pictures (like these tulip ones, left) to mix with others (below), for simple decorative touches here and there...

I look for colours and textures, and use them to pull different stuff and accessories in a room together. And isn't using your own pictures and artwork, and especially the children's masterpieces, cost-friendly yet personal ways to add warmth to the home?

Simple spring touches. The duck and tulips, and pavilion, are lovely sights at the botanic garden, and the swans, the zoo. The decorated wine bottles are the only two I doodled on before life got busier and busier, and they have spring themes, too!

I hope the flowers and colours in this post will put a spring in your step... as they do to relieve some of my stress!

Back-to-back seasons

One moment we say hi to Spring, and the next, winter inches its way back...

... with a little snow, like a reminder that we are not done with one season to start on another.

Kait goes look out the window, early Sunday morning a week ago now...

and this is what we see!


And here I am, stopping to gaze, because I need to, because I'm overwhelmed by all the many things going on in this SUPER CRAZY BUSY last quarter for us.

Not just because the boys like to pick battles, besides the jedi kind, with one another, and with Vern and me; obedience is hard. There are the acts of mischief and outright defiance, and many routine things remain works in progress.

Not just because the baby girl at 7.5 months old a week ago started to cruise early. And then, today, much to the proud daddy's delight, she did the "Look, Pa, no hands" first, before the "Look, Ma", and stood there for a bit without having to hold on to furniture or anyone. I don't know when she will go from cruising to walking all by herself, but I know it gets busier and busier!

And now, we are especially ON OUR TOES because...

We will be relocating to the state of Washington in summer! Praise God, we're very thankful for this open door, and I can blog about it because it's official! Before that, the stress over the rigorous job talks and interviews, coupled with the major decisions to make, was much more than what a bowl of cheng teng, or doing the bunny hop, could calm. Or staying up to iron clothes and keep the husband company to burn the midnight oil; ironing can be a little therapeutic.

But the challenges are not over, Vern has to be finished with his studies here first, with the last and biggest hurdle of hurdles to cross (*STRESS*). And this, amidst preparations we have begun for the new chapter, the new season. We are excited but also really exhausted from how much there is to juggle on top of everything else every day. There is a lot of tension and THE. STRESS. IS. MOUNTING.

Right now, we are taking apart the house before we can put it back together to put on the market. However, for how very lived in we are, the major decluttering before the actual staging, before we can pack up and move, is even MORE monumental a task than the big move here. And Vern has been working very hard for days in a row, taking time out from his studies to go intensive on Operation 'Get Organized', for that's the only way.

Doing what I can as well with the many things in my department to sieve out, throw, donate, or box up and put away already. But there are also my motherly and housewifey duties, and we split the driving so it does not drive me crazy. And I do wear Kait in the sling or carrier to try and multitask, because her separation anxiety is bad and the playpen does not work for her or me.

There's lots more house stuff to conquer, and in addition, some repairs and other things to touch up. Most days, the real work can begin only after the children fall asleep, and we grab whatever winks' left every night. And having Kait sleep next to me remains my "antidote" for the very interrupted sleep, as was the case with Jon and Ben last time. After three babies, I'm none the wiser about crying it out and concluded I just cannot do it, even though I started reading yet another book advocating it awhile ago. The author did recognize that unrestricted nursing is OK in the family bed. Still, how not to be zonked?!

*INHALE* *EXHALE*

Meanwhile, looking forward to more spring blooms to take in at our doorstep and on the drive between home and school...

It's not uncommon to have snow this time of year. But you can tell it's spring from the grass growing back, and more plants coming up.

For a place that rarely snows, a bit more is expected this week!

I'll be in touch whenever I can. Thanks for checking in, my dear friends, and for your encouragement and prayers always. Your emotional support means a lot to me.

And not that we are "tie zuo de", please do not think so, but Vern and I just have to grit our teeth and get through this period, by God's grace. The search for where to live next is something else we're working on. I pray the timing for things will work out nicely for a smooth transition.

One season, one day a time. Every day is an opportunity to give thanks to God from whom all blessings flow. He is faithful, and in him we trust to see us through these stressful back-to-back seasons and all the changes coming up.

Say hi to Spring

Hi, hi! A pair of daffodils exchange greetings one morning, early spring.

Taking a moment to inhale, exhale... amidst more things coming up this season, besides these first blooms.

Snow Bright

Before it melted away... I paused to take in the snow, the other morning after driving Jon and Ben to school, and making the quick grocery stop when Vern could stay home and watch Kait for a bit.



I'm a mother, not a martyr, and while the baby and I are joined at the hip, it does help me in this winter weather especially, if I don't have to take her and the boys grocery shopping. There is A LOT to buy even for a week's worth, and trust me, it is easier and faster than with the brood!

But now, I really like how the snow glistens in the sun. Doesn't it paint a brighter picture than just mostly bald trees around?

The snow was good while it lasted.

And the stopping to gaze is good, always good!

Hold on tight!

Here's why Jon looks forward to snow, enough beautiful snow like this, every winter after coming here...
And Ben, too, as soon as he was big enough to do it. But he still prefers to whoosh down with someone... probably because it's double the fun, double the WHEEEEEEEEEE!!!

It's also really nice of busy fathers like Vern to make time to go sledding with their children, and doubly nice that we had the company of friends (inset: the kids altogether at a less crowded park than the famous Art Hill) that second snow day last week!

Also, because I have been counting more frustrations on a daily basis, I decided it'll do me good, extra good, to grab onto joys like this! The baby and night wakings do take the fatigue to a new level, besides the boys and their disobedience and fighting, and everyday stuff though I am sticking to the basic chores and errands, that already have my hands full.

What was lovely, too, was Kait having her first real taste of lots of snow when we went and checked out Art hill on the evening of the first snow day. For how rarely it snows here, we wanted to seize the snow while it lasted, and just in case the boys weren't going to get a second day off school!

Then, when I was juggling a heavily-bundled Kait and the (albeit handy, pocket-size) digital camera -- trying to snap pictures of Kait with her at arm's length, a kind stranger came forward and took a couple of shots of Kait and me! And she couldn't be more right when she left me with this reminder, "These are precious memories"!

Art Hill is the most popular sledding spot in St Louis because of the super long ride from the top of the hill outside the Art Museum (hence, its name), to the bottom just before the fountains at the Grand Basin start, and the view can't be beat! But because of the laborious climb back up, as a mom with young children, I vote for parks with gentler slopes!

A case in point: At Art Hill, Ben, oh Ben, in the middle of making his way back up, decided to plonk himself down on the wet wet snow and remove one boot -- exposing a bare foot to the cold, totally oblivious to the possibility that someone sledding downhill may ram right into us!

A few quick shots of the guys...


... and, away they go! And I was out of there with Kait! The sun was setting, the snow still coming down, and it was brr.. rry cold! No, the guys didn't play for long, and that was why the second snow day was the REAL BONUS!

We didn't go again after that, and the snow's melted away. But that's where blogs come in and freeze precious moments like these, yeah? =)

If you like, there are more "action" type shots from the boys' sledding fun the previous winter here, here and here.

From 0C to 0F

The top story of the miraculous crashlanding of the plane in one piece into the Hudson river, is something not to be taken for granted. So is staying safe and snug in this cold snap...

Two days ago now, Wednesday was when temperatures plunged. From around freezing point (0C) that morning when Vern went off, by a few degrees every hourly, to 0F (-18C) by middle of the night. That night, Jon and Ben put aside their differences and went to sleep huddled together on the same bed. For extra warmth!

The saving grace is, it's less windy in the day. Road conditions are normal, and many schools stay open. Kait remains my faithful companion, driving the boys to school and back. And I can't be more thankful for parking garages, so we're bolstered from the cold. Also, it's very kind of the chess teacher to drive Jon home last evening after a tournament that I was going to have him skip, sparing us another trip out after picking up Ben first -- not in this deep freeze if we can help it.

Inside our home, our radiators are turned up, and the furnace comes on whenever temperatures dip below comfortable. We are also beating the cold with such simple warm comforts as hot cocoa, that was Ben's perfect excuse to have marshmallows, and beef stew, for which Jon asked for thirds though I'd accidentally upped the heat with more black pepper than usual!

One hot meal, one day at a time, the extreme weather will let up soon. Thank YOU for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers during this time that Vern is away! I really appreciate it.

And trying to keep my cool...
The old challenge remains though: why does it feel harder to keep my cool than for us to keep warm? Seems every time I turn my back, either one of the boys is going "WAAAAA!!!" or "OWWWWW!!!" over something the other boy has done to him. It's hard not to intervene, someone's going to get very hurt! And no, children don't like to do as they are told. But yes, it happens to Vern, too; why, our kids are fair, just not mom and dad. *sigh*

Hopefully, the next two days before their daddy comes back, Jon and Ben can agree more or less on what things to do within the four walls of home, and Kait can still nap a little, amidst all the pandemonium that her crying does not drown out!

A quick update, and catching a breather here. Kait's just gone down for a nap... ssshhh...

And you didn't hear it from me...
Who's the loudest of them all?

According to Jon, as he wrote in his homework the other day...
- Daddy is... he is like a T-Rex! (And I just had to ask Jon, "You mean, like: RRROARRR?!!" ;p). *
- Followed by... Ben when he is restless.
- Then, this mom... (I'm surprised, only third in running?) Still, loud enough for Jon to compare me to a microphone!
- And Kait, though her crying is LOUD!

* Truth is, Vern isn't that loud, only when he's really driven up the wall =(. But it does feel like one has to run this place as if it's the military, to be heard! Maybe those of you in the "spare the rod, and spoil the child" camp, can send me one from back home? *takes a deep breath* *more deep breaths now*

Coming soon: Deep Freeze and Home Alone II

Temperatures will drop to OF (or -18C), maybe even lower, midweek, when Vern will be out of town for five days. That'll make it the coldest this place has seen in a decade, and the second time after kiddo #3 the husband is away.

Unless the roads are icy, I plan to still get Jon and Ben to school. And so long as I stay behind the wheel in the carpool line, with Kait in her carseat, to drop them off and pick them up like we do on regular days, we should be OK.

But we won't go if the extreme weather poses unforseen logistical issues. Prayerfully, there will not be any freezing rain or snowstorms.

I'll appreciate your prayers for our safety, and also my sanity. Thanks!

Warming up to the new year...
It's been a week since the boys resumed school after the winter hols. Each day, it still takes a lot to get our act together, but I'm secretly happy that school gets us back to a more predictable routine. Also because while there's more driving for me to do again with the baby girl, there's less of the driving this mom up the wall, from all that fighting and not playing nicely between the brothers, day in day out!

Kait will be 5 months old tomorrow. She is not sleeping through the night, unlike some babies I've read and heard can by now, or soon after. Neither Jon nor Ben slept longer stretches till much later. I'm trying not to beat myself up over this. Things are crazier with three kids, and I am (be warned!) crankier!!!

Doing what I can to encourage Kait to take one slightly longer nap in the day. She's not been getting much from the minutes here and there, and her overtiredness in the night -- eyes closed but fussing away -- can't be quality rest for her either. But when she does sleep better, she awakes happier, cooing, and rolls on her back!

Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!

We took these pictures one fine fall day last month. Was trying to seize the pretty fall colours while they lasted, and trying to catch the boys with them when they would look in my direction. Vs. of course they would rather be climbing some tree, picking up twigs, and running as far away when we wanted them to come together!

So, that makes baby Kait the most cooperative, (she can't really protest yet), though some crying was understandable. And if you look squint ;p, you'll see her waving, in that family shot (bottom right) that a stranger helped us snap eventually!

And yeah, ask Jon and Ben to make funny faces, and they'll oblige!

From our family to yours...

Merry Christmas, and may God's love, joy, and peace bless you this season and in the new year!

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us

but to your name be the glory,

because of your love
and faithfulness."

- Psalm 115:1

The card template is from our local pharmacy, Walgreens; the wordings are our own.

'Sno way mommy is crazy!

Jon called me "crazy mommy" when I let him and Ben play outside, after it snowed the other day. Never mind it was just a thin sheet covering the ground.

Boys leaving trails in the snow...


... and Jon making snow angels, and surveys the three he's made!


Ben scooping up some snow, then scoots off to get more... before it all melts away!


It hadn't snowed again since, we don't know when it'll snow next, and it rarely snows here.

Count this as part of my "living in the moment" craze!

And, anything for my sanity, right?

It bought me some time for dinner to be done cooking in the slowcooker, the baby fell asleep comfy in the carrier, and the boys were quite a bit more cooperative that evening Vern worked late.

Left: Bundling up Kait, getting ready to go outside with the boys. (Good Jon took this picture... and I cropped it to remove our messes in the background ;p).

From leaves to snow

Each day rolls so quickly into the next, the crisp autumn air has given way to the colder weather now.

And before the last leaves have fallen, the first snow has arrived!

Below: Same spot last month...
... when the leaves were falling like crazy, and Vern, with a little help from the boys, had raked them into this big heap!

And yes, this is the kind of "work" Jon's happy to be buried in!

Jon's style -- to do as little as possible in the looooooongest time, is the opposite of mine. So you can imagine the power struggles between us, whenever he drags his feet with even the simplest homework! *sigh*

But this is one of those things, like the other familiar stuff that if he and Ben can just do it without having to put up a fight first, it'll reduce everyone's stress trying to get our act together every day.

Also, because at 3+ months old, Kait is still not napping well, crying to be carried the moment I lay her down, and come bedtime, hasn't stopped me guessing if the last feed will really be the one that'll give us that much coveted one stretch of 3h sleep.

Very pooped, and I may not figure this baby sleep thing out (*waaaaaah!!!*), but do look forward to when these "dark(er)" nights and days will pass! Meanwhile, trying not to overwhelm myself by keeping to the basics more than ever now.

My latest tools of the trade aka sanity aids include:

- A baby carrier...
A lookalike of the ergo one, but at a third of the price, it's not bad. It spreads out the weight better than the sling, and still frees my hands for quick chores and errands, carrying Kait around. I call her my lil 'Roo now!

- Reward charts...
For lack of a better idea, and do share if you have alternatives, we're back to using these to encourage Jon and Ben to do those really basic things expected of them. Such as our morning, afterschool, and bedtime routines, that it shouldn't have to take having baby Kait to realise they haven't grasped =(.

and

- A slow cooker!
Such one-pot wonders do help me get one thing out of the way, with Vern needing to work late more often now. After going with Kait to drive Jon and Ben back, our seemingly straightforward afterschool homework-dinner-bath-bedtime whole works is especially challenging when the boys aren't cooperative, and the baby is wailing for my attention all at the same time.

Left: Our simple turkey breast dinner on Thanksgiving Day. It was my birthday and we'd eaten out the day before. So I made this slow-cooked version (click here for the recipe), with a bit of tweaking based on the reviewers' suggestions. Works well, and especially if you don't need to roast a whole bird in the oven.

Right, and below: Vern, Kait, and I got to join Ben and his classmates and their families, too, for a nice Thanksgiving feast in school.

Thanksgiving Day was a timely reminder for me not to let these rough post-baby moments, and the boys' testing of limits, get in the way of my counting our blessings. And every extra thing we manage each day, by God's grace, is a bonus!

Thank you, old and new friends for your support, and also for reminding me that giving thanks should not be restricted to the thanksgiving season, and that we shouldn't lose sight of the stuff that really matters!

And you know, while my children are still young, I am aware that the baby years, and that precious children's innocence, do go by as fast as the changing of the seasons. Already, celebrating Jon's birthday last month -- back up one post for my belated entry, he tells me his latest ambition is to be a teen!

P.S. Me sitting here doesn't mean I'm on top of things. Far from it! Doing as much as I can, but among other things, there's clutter and more clutter, and clothes and more clothes to iron since Kait's birth that I have not got round to, and meanwhile, ironing them on an entirely needs-basis only. Where got time, not to mention the energy?! I'm neither the Energizer bunny nor Iron Man. And no kidding when I say there's a lot more mess than for what a neatnik I am NOT, I can ordinarily take =(.

But that's the only way. And blogging sparingly, though always love to keep in touch -- because it helps KEEP ME SANE!

Good as gold

Decked out in their autumn splendour, trees like this one (above, and bottom right), are such a joy to behold!

There's something good, therapeutic in fact, for me, about these fall colours, besides that they also help break the monotony of my daily commute (read: driving the boys for school, with the baby girl who goes where I go)!

Driving on tree-lined streets, and especially where the boughs hang low, it feels like negotiating through some garden maze. And on highways flanked by colourful mounds, that don't jump out as much other times of the year, I pretend it's the countryside!

Now, I'm not an overly optimistic person. A romantic, maybe. So yes, give me leaves on trees anytime, over the more dreary sight of bare branches and dried wood!

However, if in trying to count our blessings, I've painted a rosy picture of all things, that is not my intention to present a lopsided view of life.

Like everyone, I have my share of headaches and heartaches -- with and without children in the picture. And it wasn't just not good to have mommy meltdowns, but it was also bad timing amid one boy's birthday over the weekend, and important deadlines for the husband this week, when my frustration turned into exasperation =(. The trigger? I just want to be heard!

Enough said. The colours are fading, and the leaves falling faster than I can type this. I'd better go take in as much of these "golden moments" while they last!

Follow me...
... this way (>>>)

... no, I mean...
... that way (<<<)...

... back up one post for more fall colours from the Halloween weekend, besides these "gold series" ones!

Sharing them retrospectively, better late than never, eh?!



Pictures are from two different places, taken a day apart. After the first park on a Saturday, I let the boys have some more outdoor time the next day. I was convinced that it was doing us more good than when they tried to run each other down and wear me out within the four walls of home!

This was all in the same weekend home alone with the children. With Kait, when she wasn't in the carseat, I carried her in the sling wherever we went, including to the once-a-week Chinese school for the boys, for that was the only way for me to try and juggle all three kids by myself.