It's tough work drinking from a cup.  It took Momma and Daddy about 30 mins the first night before I got a sip.  I've been working at it all week.  I can't really hold it up without help it's too heavy.  I don't like it in my mouth and regularly pull it out to look at it.  I've been laying in the floor drinking it some like my bottle, but I've not yet managed more than about half a bottle's worth.  I really didn't like juice at all, but I'm doing a little better drinking formula through the cup.

Britt and Daddy went to the doctors office.  Momma and Ruth and Rebecca stayed at home.  So it was just girls.  Me watched Sleeping Beauty with Rebecca.  Us do jobs.  We clean up in the kitchen.  That mean pick up all things off the floor and wash cups.  We do the jobs in the living room, like pick up toys and hold Rebecca so that she don't get off the couch.  It was very fun to be just us girls.

My favorite parts about my birthday were eating my cake and my presents.    I liked blowing out my birthday candles. I didn't make a wish.  My favorite present today is a different kind of Tonka truck.  It was a good birthday cause I chased and sword fighted with Daddy.

So I've been mulling over my New Year's Resolutions for this year.  I'm fairly late at this, most everyone else has already given up their resolutions right?  But I figured it's still January, so why not.

• My biggest resolution for this year is to pay down debt.  This year we paid off $25,865 - unfortunately that includes alot of relocation expenses we had to eat, repairs on the house, and all the appliances for this house.  Some of it went to student loans, and the rest to paying off debt we racked up during the Dark Days of Unemployment.  Still it's amazing since we only had work 8 months of the year.  It's painful to think how much debt we have, but I'm focusing on the positive, that Gary has a wonderful job, and we are finally making real progress.  My goal is to pay off all of our remaining debt except for the student loans, and two personal loans from a family member and Church member.  All in all if all goes well, and we can stick to the budget we will pay off around $12,367.  We had hoped to pay more, and still might, but heating oil is costing WAY more than we guessed when I drew up our initial budget for the year.  Plus we are planning a few trips back home.  Gary and I like alot of the Dave Ramsey stuff, but we think some things are worth the trade off of paying down debt more slowly - for example, as many trips home to see family as possible, and making all the Church meetings we can. 

• My next biggest goal is a personal goal.  It's to do more parenting with less yelling.  I'm ashamed to admit how much of the day I spend yelling at the kids, up the stairs, down the stairs, I'm repeating myself for the seven-hundredth time today, get this, do that.  I've been feeling really convicted about it lately, and giving alot of thought to how to get compliance alot faster.  I've also been thinking about how to keep my temper in check when I don't get compliance.  This is an area that I really need to work on, because I would like to have a semi-peaceful house. (I mean as peaceful as you can expect with a boy sword fighting down the stairs, Ruth impersonating a banshee, Rebecca who will soon be in the midst of it and the dog racing around like she's training for the Iditarod.)  Not to mention, I really don't want to be modeling this behavior to the kids.  I'm not completely sure how to accomplish this, though I think some of it boils down to getting up, and not yelling - I admit I can be a bit lazy.  And, I doubt this will be completely knocked out by the end of the year, but I hope to really work on this area. 

• One of my resolutions last year was to network with some homeschoolers, to make a conference, and to see if it might be the right fit for us.  I was able to go to some local events, found a co-op that we are trying out this semester, and attend a curriculum fair.  However, we missed out on a big homeschool convention.  The one here in PA was the weekend we moved, and the one back in IN was later in the summer.  We have it down on our calender to go to the one in Harrisburg this year.  I'm excited to learn more, check out some more stuff.  And we plan to continue to give this a go.  I got some GREAT advice from Sister Andy back home, she said take it one year at a time.  If at any point it's no longer working, try something new, and if at some point we decide it not the right fit any more, we can always look at other options.  And I really like the idea of not locking myself into anything, and just seeing how it goes.  My dad is fond of saying that what works with one kid might not work with the next one, and what works one day for one kid might not work the next.  I think I can take the same approach to homeschooling.

• Last year I wanted to read the entire Bible through chronologically, I fell off the ball in November, and didn't quite finish up, but I really enjoyed it.  It really made the Old Testament make more sense to me.  This year though, I'm reading through it on the same schedule that everyone else at Old Carroll is on, after all there is strength in numbers - in that we can encourage one another and bounce questions around.  I'm going to finish it this year.  So far, I'm on track.  It has helped so far, to incorporate it as part of the kids school.  I read it aloud to them while they draw or play with playdo, and then we talk about it.  I've found it's WAY easier than finding time alone to study.  Because either it happens first thing in the morning and I'm falling asleep while reading, I try to sneak off during nap time and a movie, OR I wait till bedtime and Gary is fussing at me to turn off the light already.

• Finally, I want to get back to working on some craft projects.  Last year the thing I really wanted to do for me, was a dog class with Kita.  Which we did and we both enjoyed.  I'm not sure what I will work on this year yet.  But I have two baby blankets started.  Jonathan is 3.5 by now, and Evelyn is almost one.  The last entry I have in our scrapbook is that we are expecting a girl (and that would be Ruth) so they are nearly 4 years behind.  I haven't painted or done any sewing in who knows when.  And I would like to do a better job about keeping up the blogspot, aside from the kids' blog entries and letters.  I'm sure that I have come up with more than enough to keep me busy, but perhaps putting it all in print will make me more accountable.

Rebecca,

Little doll you were 11 month's old yesterday.  I decided to wait a day on your post, so as not to "steal" your brother's thunder.  So much to record since I was unable to write your letter last month, there was just way to much activity so close to Christmas.  Even though I couldn't stop to write, you didn't stop growing.  I think I will pack up the 6-9 month clothes soon and pull out the 9-12 month clothes.  Several things seem to be a little tight in length, and a few of your outfits are now showing off your growing little-biggy belly.  You are wearing size three diapers, and I imagine you will be for some time.  You still only have 6 teeth, but have been rubbing across your bottom teeth and gums alot lately, and starting to grind your teeth again, so perhaps some new ones are about to come through.

The biggest change has been that you have very good balance and will stand up in the middle of the room, or let go of furniture and stand for long periods of time now.  You have excellent balance until you get very excited about something and down you topple.  You took your first step and fall the day after Christmas, but on the 8th you actually took intentional steps.  This is a new trick that you are practicing often and everywhere - the house, Church, co-op.  I have learned not to call to you to encourage you, because in your hurry, down you plop and off you crawl.  You are working at walking for the sake of walking, not because you are actually trying to get somewhere, as crawling is still so much faster.  The most steps I have seen you manage is 8 so far.

Since your last letter, we've celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.  You loved seeing all of our family.  You adore being held by everyone, and playing with anyone who will take you, or who will allow you to play with shiny jewelry.  You are a little more attached to me, and typically want me to hold you after a while, or when you get tired, but the separation anxiety has passed.  You did pretty well traveling - sleeping for long periods in the car, and babbling with Britt the rest of the time.  Your favorite toys are two presents from Christmas - the little puppy Aunt Ree gave you (that much to your dismay got left in Florida) and your new owl taggie.

The lack of routine didn't bother you so much as the others, but it has left us a little out of sorts since we've been back home.  It's hard to plan going out when I'm not sure what kind of day you'll be having.  Some mornings you revert back to the old routine where you take your morning bottle between 8 and 9 and then go back to sleep until 11 when you get up, eat lunch, have another bottle, play until 3:30 or 4, go down for a nap with a bottle, get up around 7, eat supper have another bottle, and then play till around 10 before heading to bed.  Other mornings you stick to the loose semi-routine that has developed in the last month or so of traveling and chaos where you take your morning bottle between 8 and 9, get up and play till 11, eat lunch take another bottle, go back to bed until 3:30 or 4, get up and take a bottle, play till supper between 6 and 7, then go to bed with a final bottle.

You love to eat.  I mean really love.  Your favorites are still fruits and veggies.  It's so nice to have a child that likes that stuff.  The other two, got real picky about them when we went from purees to real food.  You especially liked olives and blueberries, though they both result in the WORST diapers.  One day last week, after eating a little sausage and stewed squash and zucchini for supper.  Then, you ate all the left over rice, sausage, squash and zucchini, then you finished what Britt and Ruth didn't eat.  Then you ate an entire roll.  When we were out of food, you came in the living room and saw Daddy finishing up his food, and started demanding more all over again.  I'm going to have to start you on a third meal soon.  I'm hoping to go ahead and start you on a sippy cup soon.  I have been putting it off, since you can't really hold up your bottles, but I want you off of a bottle by 1.  Plus, I think I might start you on a little juice this month, and I definitely don't want that in a bottle.

You are doing a little better during Church about sitting and not fighting me on the bench.  I often hand you off to your Daddy during preaching, you seem to be stiller with him for the most part.  Plus that lets me make a few sermon notes, so that I have them for loading the sermons to the website later.  You still don't like to sit for long periods of time.  But, I have noticed that on days that I hold you, while reading the kids their school books for the day, you are getting better about sitting still in my lap.  (Even though you are attempting to turn pages faster than they can be read.)  You still need very little discipline on a daily basis, Daddy and I disagree on whether you get into less trouble or whether our standards have dropped.  Most of the time a stern look, shaking my head, and telling you "No-no" is enough to make you stop... at least until I walk away.

You continue in your adoration for your brother and sister, and your curiosity for the dog.  You have discovered the dog water dish, and I really have to watch you in the kitchen to keep you out of it.  Kita has finally learned when you are loose in the floor, that she is to lay down.  We now allow her to be off the lead with you in the room.  She's progressed alot in her training.  She's very patient with you, letting you crawl up, and lay across her like a pillow.  We are currently trying to get her to not lick all over you.  It might be a lost cause, but you don't seem to mind.  You are definitely buzzing your lips, in an attempt to say Britt now.  He LOVES it.  You have added one other word to your repertoire - pop.  We were eating popcorn one night, when Britt kept trying to tell you what it was called, you popped your lips back "pop" and now use that word from time to time for all food.

I am excited to start thinking about your birthday.  Though, I am a little sad that we can't have a big party with your family and our friends, like with the other two.  It was so much fun to celebrate and thank the people that helped us survive the first year of baby.  We love to watch you grow and learn.  We love to watch your excitement for the simple things.  We love you so much little bit, and thank God for you.

Love,
Momma

Britty Boy,

I have gone back and reread the last 4 letters I have written you as well, as spent a rediculous amount of time looking at the pictures from just after you were born.  You were so tiny, so dependent on us, and we couldn't help but be filled with wonder of this everyday miracle - the birth of a child - that had come to us.  I will confess that I might have been slightly teary eyed when thinking of how much you have changed, and how fast the time has passed.

You have really blossomed this year in so many ways.  Really starting within a few weeks maybe a month of turning 4 we started to see so many changes in you.  You were all of a sudden completely potty trained during the day, not even needing reminders.  By March you had turned into a chatterbox, and you've not stopped talking to anyone and everyone since.  You really matured by April, and quit needing a bagillion reminders about EVERYTHING and started seeing things that needed doing and actually pitching in.  End of July or so you had your first dentist appointment.  In August when Ruth was potty trained, you up and decided that you didn't need night time pull ups any more and just went cold turkey.  We began homeschooling in September and you have been so very excited with it.  It has been a transformative year for you, and I would have never been able to guess how much you would have grown this year.

You have so many questions, and are eager to learn about everything.  The first topic you picked for school was dinosaurs, and we spent 3 whole months learning about around 20 different dinosaurs.  I learned more than I ever thought possible.  Anytime you asked a question about something different, that I couldn't answer, you would say well maybe we will learn about that next in school.  We are currently learning about stars, a passion Grumps shared with me that I'm excited to share with you.  You talk all day long, but especially when we are in the car.  You chatter about everything that comes into your mind, I no longer have to wonder what is going on in there, because there is nothing you keep to yourself.  I have shared a humorous story with several others, that has happened quiet often now.  You will be talking away 90 to nothing, asking questions, posing answers, not really expecting answers or giving anyone a chance to reply, talking about whatever comes to mind, when all of a sudden I will realize that the car has grown quiet and that you stopped in mid sentence.  I can check the rearview mirror only to discover that you have passed out mid sentence.  You only sleep these days in the car seat.

Of course you acquired a new sister this year.  You are as tender and caring toward Rebecca as you always were toward Ruth.  You go out of your way to get her toys or her taggie.  You are good about sharing with her.  Letting her play with your dinosaurs, and rushing in to pick up any toys that might be too small for her before she can devour them.  You often ask to help feed her, and are great at entertaining her.  She loves to hear you sing, even better than hearing your Daddy sing.  She smiles for you more quickly than anyone else, and she began attempting to say your name by buzzing her lips very early.  Her fourth word I guess after ma-ma, da-da, and bye-bye.  You certainly seem to enjoy the role of big brother.

The bond you have with Ruth continues to amaze me and your Daddy.  I didn't have such a close relationship with any of my brothers, but we weren't as close in age.  Daddy says that isn't it either, as he and Aunt Manna weren't as close as you two.  It's something special you share.  The two of you are in seprable, and last week, you weren't thrilled to discover that she was in a different class at coop.  You both play the same games, and have wonderful imaginations.  She really admires you and wants to do whatever you are doing.  You are very protective, and I often hear you promising to sneak her desert when I have told her that she can't have any.

Until the last month or two you have always insisted that she (or occasionally one of your toys) is your best friend.  Now you often tell me that Christopher is your best friend, and you have loved finally having a boy your own age to play with.  The two of you can get wild, the way that only boys can when they get together, but it cheers my heart to watch you.  You have also found a really good friend at the library, Steve, who is about your age.  Over a month or so, I watched you learn to share and take turns, and get pretty good at it with minimal intervention from me (or Steve's mom).  Like I've said, you have grown so much this year.

Perhaps what is most amazing to me is to see how real God, Church, and spiritual things have become to you.  I don't feel like I have spent that much time reading to you, or working with you on these things, and perhaps I would never feel like I have spent enough time on these things.  You have learned a number of bible verses in the last two years, and some rather lengthy ones this year.  More and more I can remind you that God would not be happy with your attitude or ask you to repeat a Bible verse back to me, and you straighten up your behavior.  Fixing the actual attitude is something you still need to work on (but don't we all).  You often talk about God, about Church, asking questions about heaven or different Bible stories we've read or related to you.  You listen when I read to Daddy on the way to Church and ask questions from time to time.  You remember an astonishing amount of the lessons I try to impart, or that I point out in the sermons that we hear.  Most endearing is listening to you pray.  You have been praying for a baby brother who will sleep with you for months.  Not only at night now, but at lunchtime, too. Since explaining to you that we can't choose what the next baby will be only God does, I've overheard you talking to God when you are in your room alone, telling him that you want the next one to be a boy, and saying, "I know you can arrange that."  You have taken the basic prayer that I grew up with and taught to you, and you have added so many.  You pray for your best friend Christopher sometimes two or three times in one prayer.  You pray for others we talk about being sick, something that I didn't really prompt.  To see your concern and empathy for others, sometimes moves me to tears.  You told Ms. Shannon last week at co-op that you were praying for baby Jacob in her belly who is sick.  I can see that the Lord has already worked in your heart, and hope that you will one day desire to unite with the Church, and that these things will always be dear to you.

I am sure that this year will hold many new first as well.  You have asked to play baseball, and we plan to find a team this spring.  You have been working with Kita, but you are asking to do a class at "dog school" on your own with her this year.  Perhaps this summer.  You also want to learn to play guitar, fiddle, and banjo.  Your Daddy has brought his first guitar back from Florida, and you are beginning to experiment with it, before we commit to getting you an instrument of your own.  You have asked to learn your favorite song first, "The Smile on My Face"  (Allison Krauss's "When You Say Nothing at All").

There aren't enough words to tell you just how dear you are to us, little man.  We love you and pray all of God's blessings upon you.

Love,
Momma

Ruth: "Me read a book about snowmans. Then me eat some cake cause everyone get hungry.  Then me do so more (unintelligible)."

I thought it was a little scary, because everyone was so loud.  First, I played animals like African elephants in the Ark.  Then we went to a big room to have a little school. I covered up my ears because it was so loud, but they talked about Abraham.  Then I played in the park. I made a new friend Isaac there.  Then Momma made me go to my class - Kindergarten.  I didn't want to go in there, it was scary. Everyone is loud together.  They read me a book, about gloves (Jan Brett's Mittens).  I made a pretty mitten. Then Momma cut it out, and we taped them together with a string.  Then I threw it away, but they wanted them so I got it out of the garbage and put it in Momma's purse.  I sat in the floored a matching game with all the animals in the books we read. Then I got a snack of camouflage cookies. I liked it after all. Momma told me to tell Ms. Mindy and Ms. Laura thank you. I did and I gave Ms. Laura a hug, but I told Ms. Mindy she could have a hug later. I think I might go again, it was ok after all, and a little fun.

Momma saw me take two steps unassisted before we left for Florida (well, it was really one step, and then a step-fall-catch your self on the walk behind toy).  On Monday Momma and Daddy watched me like a hawk because I kept letting go of the furniture to stand turned away, like I might walk.  All last night Daddy held the camera and his patience was eventually rewarded.  Here on film are my first real steps!

The kids especially enjoyed having Christmas Elves this year.  I have more pictures in a public album on facebook, but here are some of the highlights of the year, along with a video of the kids finding the elves the morning they were on the zipline, and some pictures of the kids telling them good bye.  I really enjoyed watching Ruth with this.  We've not done Santa in the past, but this seemed too fun to pass up.  Our elves were teaching "teamwork, not fighting, and encouraging good manners."  Britt a few times asked if they were real, and I would just ask him if they look real, and he would say "yeah, but are you sure?"  I just answered "Well they look like they are watching us, and they move every night."  He is a little skeptical, but I did catch him talking to his elf several times, and he hugged him bye.  (If you are wondering how we dressed them up and made them so they could be posed, you can look back here.)

Well, it's been a long vacation.  We had a really great time with the family in Alabama for Thanksgiving.  It was the first time we had been there since Rebecca was 1 month old.  We were also able to travel up to Tennessee to see family.  It was sad that Gary wasn't able to come and be with us that.  I suppose it's extra special to us, since Gary and I first met in person the weekend after Thanksgiving.  We came home and had a really wonderful time getting ready for Christmas.  The kids had Elves come for the first time this year, and we really enjoyed that.  Right after Christmas we left for Florida to spend time with Gary's family and Little Union.  It was really wonderful to go back and visit since we haven't been down since July.  Perhaps that is the biggest downside to living in PA, we are so very far from our families.  If we are able to go to Alabama twice a year, and Florida twice a year, and have our parents each come up once a year, we will be able to see family about 6 times a year, every other month if we space it right.  We understand how precious our time together is, are grateful for it, and will try our best to make the most of it.
We made it back home Sunday night late.  Everyone is a bit under the weather.  Ruth is still sulking that she couldn't stay "wiff Mister fo-eva", Britt unhappy that I won't let him outside with a wind chill of -13, and Rebecca can't decide if she wants to be held, or down to play.  The kids might have colds.  Ruth slept 90% of yesterday, and none of them are quite up to par.  We spent the afternoon putting away everything and looking for homes for new toys.  At least I had almost no cleaning to do, since I got pretty much everything done before I left.  Last night we watched the National Championship game to cheer on my Auburn Tigers.  The fourth quarter was painful!  But I am thankful for the amazing and unexpected season.
I am hoping to get caught up on our blogging, as well as get back into routine around here.  The holidays are fun, but they are kinda chaotic.  We are going to get back into schooling, after our long break.  We did very little school last month.  Perhaps I might even catch the blogspot up.  Today, since it's Tuesday, I'll leave you with a little video of Britt.  He was so excited to get a shaving kit for Christmas, and I promised him after his bath that Daddy could show him how to use it.