O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree

With happy hearts and jolly laughs,
we pull out all our arts and crafts.

We hang some lights and ornaments,
candy canes and peppermints.

On our tree we love them all,
some home-made or not at all.

Either way they are so special,
because they make our tree so special!

Job well done sister!

Sisterly love (only at the holidays!)

Oh, what a cute little angel!

Even Barbie helped out this year!

New this year: Caroling around the piano!

A day in the life of Avery

As I often say, things are always entertaining with Avery around.

Here is our conversation from this morning.

Mom: getting dressed and ready after showering for the day.

Avery: "I want to take a bath mom."

M: "Not today Aves. You took one last night and it's almost time to go."

A: "But I want a bath. I need a bath."

M: "Well, sorry, not today. Maybe tonight."

A: "I don't understand! You aren't making sense. I want a bath!"

Getting a bit more agitated at this point. Voice rising. Hands on hips.

M: "Avery, we don't have time for a bath right now. We are getting ready to leave."

A: Very angry now. Hands on hips, staring straight into my eyes, "You are making me so mad. You're not making sense. I want a bath."

Storms out of my bathroom.

2 minutes later: Avery walk back into my bathroom with only a diaper and undershirt on.

"I'm ready for my bath, mom." She says sweetly.

M: "I'm sorry Avery, but you're not taking a bath. Let's go get dressed."

A: Growls loudly at me and stomps into my closet. Picks up my stool and announces, "you are not being a good listener. I'm taking your stool until you can be a good girl!"

Takes my stool out of my bathroom, slams by bathroom door shut.

At this point, it's all I can do not to totally bust out laughing. I finish getting ready.

2 minutes later, door opens slightly, Avery leans in and says, "are you ready to listen to me? I want to take a bath."

M: "Well, I understand that Avery, but we are now leaving to run our errands."

A: Very loudly, "You are not being a good listener!" Slams door.

1 minute later a piece of paper with scribbles (I can only imagine what they said!) slides under my door. I pick it up and open the door.

A: "Are you ready for my bath now mom?" All sweetly.

M: No longer unable to laugh, I pick her up, swing her around, tickle her tummy and tell her I love her and would she like some M&M's (it works every time!)

She gets dressed and we move on, enjoying the rest of our day together.

God bless this amazing child!

Here is a picture of her, on the stool she took from me, during our "discussion".

Tis the season....

Tis the season for family fun and school musicals!

As I was getting the kids ready for Claire's 3rd grade Fine Arts Night, I couldn't help but think back to last year. Her 2nd grade Fine Arts Night had to be rescheduled 2 times due to snow! We have very cold temps and a few flurries today, but nothing yet compared to last year. Many thanks for that!!

Shuler's 3rd graders did a wonderful job! Fun songs, good behavior and not too long! : )

Claire looked so beautiful and grown up. She even let me put a clip in her hair, which was

the most "dressed up" she's been in a long time. She has such a wonderful and unique personality and she always knows what she wants. I love that about her, most of the time!

Shuler's 3rd grade class ~

Ella: so proud of her big sis!

Last week we celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving with my brother David and my brother Dean and his family. Baby Sophie is such a cutie and a perfect addition to our family! My girls, especially Avery, fawned over Sophie all weekend. They just couldn't get enough of her! Thank goodness for nieces to get those "baby fixes"!

Pretty good lookin' family ~

Poor Ella woke up with the stomach flu on Thanksgiving morning.

She had to lay low for most of the day, but as only a 6 year old can do,

she was up and at it again very soon!

And last, but not least, Happy Birthday to my Mom and sister Laura!~

They both celebrated birthdays on "Black Friday". Laura celebrated

her birthday in sunny California, where she now lives. Poor mom had

to make due with the rest of us here in cold Iowa! At least she got some

good desserts out of the deal~ : )

Happy 9th Birthday baby Claire!

When Dave and I had Claire we were the first of our "couple friends" to have a baby. Everyone was fascinated with this little addition to our group and she quickly became known as "baby Claire".

"Baby Claire" was very popular, being the only one under 20 amongst our friends. Her 1st birthday party boasted a private Kindermusik instructor and 70 of her closest friends, 8 of which were under 20!

Since then, other babies have come, families have grown, and Claire has dropped the "baby" from her name. Well, most people have dropped it. : )

Here I sit, 9 years later, reflecting on this amazing girl. There have been times over the last 9 years that I have been frustrated, worried, scared, sure that I was doing something wrong, and that my daughter would grow up crazy or something! Turns out, all I needed to do was love her, surround her with amazing people, and admit when I was wrong and try better the next time. God was taking care of her all along. There is no doubt in my mind. There is no way not to believe God is in the details in this girl because she is amazing!

Happy Birthday my sweet, sweet baby Claire ~

Claire celebrated with her friends at her "hollywood theater party"

In the stage area doing makeup and nails

Dave helped with the makeup too!

Our players are beautiful and ready to act!

Action!

Family fun is the best fun!

Sisterly love~

Daddy's girl

My baby!

Family celebration~

What a day at the Rousehouse!

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

It's a sad day at the Rousehouse today.
1. Avery slept through the night without her paci. Yes, that is sad. Why? Because she is my baby. Because I like pacis. Because she is my baby!

2. Claire has her 9th birthday sleepover today. 9! That's the last single digit birthday. 9! That's way too close to 10 and 16 and 18.....

It's a happy day at the Rousehouse today.
1. Avery is awesome! She is so smart, and funny, and clever, and defiant. She is so brave and strong and inquisitive. I have thoroughly enjoyed these last 3 years with Aves and I can't wait to see where the next 3 take her!

2. Claire is incredible! She is so smart, and confident, and caring, and funny, and talented. She has found her place. She is faithful. She is my pride and joy. I am so proud of the girl she is, the friends she has and the goals she works toward.

Parenting is hard. Time goes too fast, change is scary, and I don't know what I'm doing most of the time. But I do know this; my kids are loved. They are loved by many. They have a strong foundation in faith and they are surrounded by people that believe in them and pray for them and listen to them and watch out for them.

I don't want them to grow up. But, God has a plan for them. My job is to enjoy every moment I can while they grow, teach them and advocate for them the best I can, and then let them go be who they are meant to be....

God bless my growing babies!

It's Halloween!

It's Halloween and that means Family, Friends and Fun!
I love this time of year! I love the traditions that our family has created
and continues to create with those we love!

This year was no different. We celebrated at the girls' school with their Fall Harvest parties.
We celebrated at home with Trick or Treating with the neighborhood.
We celebrated with our friends with some of our favorite traditions, like our annual trip to Living History Farms Family Halloween.

We did what we always try to do, bring God's example of Love into everything we do. We started our Halloween Day at church, worshipping and serving and we ended it celebrating with friends. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Enjoy ~

The Rouse Girls were peace loving disco girls this year! I even got in on the fun!

We are blessed to have a great neighborhood of friends and we hit the streets together!

Avery led the way this year, no surprise there!

Next, our trip to LHF with the Liskeys. Wendy is serving in Haiti right now, so she was with us in spirit. We have fun, despite missing her! But we did enjoy have GiGi with us instead.

I was lucky enough to get to celebrate with Ella at her class party this year. What fun!

All in all, Halloween 2010 was another great success!

Happy Halloween from the Rousehouse!

Claire big day, Avery's big secret!

It's been a busy weekend for us. Not only did we celebrate another fun Halloween, Claire performed in her very first piano concert!

Claire has been taking piano for 7 weeks, and already is an accomplished pianist... okay, well maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but she really is quite good!

Her teacher suggested they perform a duet together for this weekend's pop concert. I thought for sure Claire would decline, since that is most certainly what I would have done at 8 years old with 7 weeks of piano under my belt. But instead, Claire thought it would be fun! What a girl!

We arrived at the concert and Claire leaned over to me and said, "there are a lot of people here, and teenagers too!" I could see the nerves starting to set in. The teenagers played first, a four-person piece on 2 pianos that was outstanding! Then 2 younger kids played, did well, then Claire.

I could not have been more proud. I knew she was nervous, but no one else did. She stood right up, walked to the piano, and played perfectly! She was forte when appropriate and pianissimo at the right time and finished in perfect timing with her teacher! (The best part, she wasn't actually perfect. The piece called for them to repeat it at the end. I saw her hands go up like she was done, but then she smiled and put her hands back down and got right back into the rhythm. She didn't quit or get flustered or any of the things I imagined happening in my head!) When she was done, she stood up, took her bow and sat back down. After she caught her breath, she leaned over to me and said, "that was really fun mom!"

Oh, you just can't pay for these moments! They only come from the gift of motherhood. Thank you God for these amazing children of mine, of yours, that you let me play with. I am so blessed!

Claire, after the big performance!

Now, for the other child......

After the concert, which Avery sat through playing on the itouch, I couldn't find her at home. It was very quiet, which is never a good thing. I looked upstairs, downstairs, all around, until I finally opened the coat closet. There is Avery, paci in mouth, itouch in hand, watching Max and Ruby.

I don't know what's worse. The fact that she hid in the closet to play with the itouch or that she knows how to use the itouch all by herself!!