The Thurber Gang

This post is for Lisa. . . all of our talk we do about our love/hate relationship with laundry. . . Today while I was in the midst, I thought about taking the picture. When the girls were home from school, I enlisted Madison to show it all off. This is typically what our basement looks like on laundry day. . . we have several piles for each of us - pants, shirts, etc. On the back of the couch are the piles for ironing and hanging up. . . as well as clean sheets. Notice the amount of towels this family goes through each week!!!! Sadly, I still have a little more folding left for tomorrow. . .

Well. . . that was certainly a record for me!! And I still have more to say - crazy. . . but, the time has come to remove the contacts from my super tired eyes and pry my husband away from ESPN. . . The rest will have to wait!!

After school, it's a race to see who can put their shoes, backpacks and lunch kits away and then getting on the trampoline. The rule is that only two can jump at the same time - so the race can be pretty intense!! Today, I let them all be on it at the same time, as long as they weren't being crazy. This is what they ended up doing!! Ooooh. . . I love my girls. . .

Well, it was a times trial, really. . . The team put on a Meet this past weekend so that all of the new swimmers who haven't been in a meet before could get some experience. It was also so that the swimmers could get a time in their events. . . That way at their next "real" meet, they would be seeded correctly (swim against comparable swimmers). Lillian - well - pretty much hated the whole thing. . . she loves to swim. . . not so much the meet thing. She has her first real one that she was very excited to be registered in (registration was *before* the practice meet!) that she's now really unsure about. Hopefully having her big sister around will make it more fun and we'll just go from there!!! Waiting for the whistle to blow. . . She *loves* the breaststroke. She did really well! Her freestyle finish. . .looking good, Lil!

Here are the girls' new rooms - we have been feeling the squeeze of small bedrooms for quite a while, and finally we had to do something about it!! Thanks to Craigslist.com, we got some *amazing* deals on these almost new beds! Ella and Vivie - showing off their new Trundle bed!!! This is how we'll keep it mostly, but if we want more space in the room, we'll just roll Ella's bed right under Vivie's. Lillian. . . Monkey. . . Need I say more? Lilly, Gabs and Viv - Loving the possibilities of this new Jungle Gym/Bed. Ella, swinging on the stars. . .

Waiting to go to skating, Lilly drinks a fruit shake while playing Viv's leapster. . . Like Nana, like Mother, like Daughter!!

What better to do when you're bored than get INTO the washing machine??? This is what I found last week after following the *cackles* that were coming from the basement. Don't worry - I have put the kibosh on ever turning the machine on. . . (they may even have nightmares after my little speech - ha . . .) Vivien fit the best, of course - and she actually climbed in first. . . What a trend setter! Ella was a little nervous when the drum started moving as she was settling herself in . . . I had to take a super quick picture before helping her out! Lillian loved being in there - and said that this would be her new reading space - until about a minute passed, and then she was ready to squeeze out!! Madison tried and tried. Feet first, head first. . . just couldn't get inside. So, she perched - maybe just a little sad about getting bigger. . . The very next day, Madison was toting Vivien around in a laundry basket. . . Maybe it's time to give the girls more laundry assign

Milo says, "A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work." Ha. He had a great time on his annual Salmon fishing trip. . .

Saying "Goodbye" to the old fridge. . . And a big "HELLO" to our new one!!! (Thanks to the trusty cooler you see on our counter, we made it through a rough month!!) The best thing is that every time I open the fridge, OUR FOOD IS STILL GOOD!!!! WOOHOO!!!! Love it. . . Thanks, Melissa for pulling some strings. . .

My two weeks of teaching Joy school just ended. It went *so* well. But, two weeks is the perfect length. I am very happy to spread the Joy around and allow another mother to teach next week!! Joy school has a 'Pep' song. On Monday, the kids were singing it so beautifully, I wanted to record it. I ran and got my little camera, and as soon as they saw it - the beauty went out the window, and in flew the sillies!! Oh well, it's still a lot of fun. You can see 6 of our 8 Joy School kids in the video. I may be singing this during the next 12 weeks of freedom. . . ha. . .

Woo Hoo!! Are you celebrating with me????? It will be coming during a four hour window tomorrow . . . sooner than later, I hope - but tomorrow at all will bring a HUGE smile on my face. . . It's going to be amazing - having milk and cheese again . . . and eggs and sour cream!! I'll get to go grocery shopping!! I can't wait!! Thanks, all - for going on the fridge-less journey with us. . .

Alright - so why was I kung foo-ing and chop suey-ing? Well, mostly just the antics of everyday life for Mrs. Thurber. . . like: *no fridge - cooler driving me **CRAZY** *kids *whining *driving *computer monitor dying *"where's daddy" *crying *friends *supper *"when is daddy going to be home?" *immigration (or lack of!!) *empty promises *too much to do *too little time *messes *lack of a maid *lack of a cook *lack of a nanny hmmm. . . at the time I may have written even more down. . . but I really am doing better. However - does any one have any tried and true tips on getting your kids out the door when it's time to leave? This is a new problem at my house and I have to say that it is a huge source of anxiety to me as I'm driving around multiple cities taking kids places - if I start late, then it becomes a domino affect and I want to give up and lay down! :-) I get things all ready - and give them warnings, but things like Harry Potter Books and Webkinz

Vent. *vent*. VENT . I'm VENTING. . . Getting it out. Screaming, kicking!!! High-YA! Take THAT! Kick, POUND, **BOOOOM!!** Kung POW chicken. . . Screaming into a pillow . . . Counting to 10. . . Kung Foo PANDA!!!! AAAAUUUUGGGHHH!!! Yikes. Ok. That feels a little better. And, Mary, if you're reading this - Yes. Already.

After a high five: Ella: Man! That was so loud, it hurt my drumsticks. Me: Your drumsticks? Ella: Yeah - you know, mom!! The drumsticks in our ears!! Me: Do you mean eardrums? Ella: (giggle) oh, yeah!

Well - Milo pulled of a HUGE surprise for my birthday! Last night, he blindfolded me, took me to a nearby parking lot where he succeeded in making my stomach sick by doing MANY donuts in order to disorient me. . . we ended up at the girls' ballet studio where a few of our good friends were waiting. We walked in, and there was Brandon (a super dancer from the studio) and a super cute girl (I WISH I could remember her name. . . Angela?) waiting to give us private Salsa lessons! It was the best gift he could have given me. I've been begging for him to dance with me, pretty much since we got married! (Hopefully this is the start of something great!) I had a blast learning the salsa, swinging my hips and pretending I was rehearsing for "Dancing with the Stars"! Milo was a trooper, as was everyone else! After the dancing, we headed to a restaurant and enjoyed the night outside - it became a joke as we heard the band singing, we all became a little arrogant, saying 'I co

Orrlan and Milo hit the back hoes as soon as we got to the park across the street from my parent's house in Calgary. . . I guess this is what it's like to be a little boy?? Just look at these brothers, discussing their plans of digging a hole to China!!

One of our last days in Calgary, we took the kids for a walk in Fish Creek Park. Diamond, Orrlan and their kids, Taylea, Jhevyn and Aveh came, and so did my mom. The park is just down the street from my parent's house in McKenzie Lake, and it's one of my favorite places! This video is the kids screaming as their uncle runs them down a steep hill! *So* much fun!

All three Thurber boys had babies in July, 2005! Anais came first (on her daddy's birthday!), then Jhevyn and finally Vivien. Being so far away, we never get to any of the cousin's birthdays, of course, and no cousins get to come to ours. . . It was such a great time being able to share these three cousins' birthdays together. And what was better, was that it was THREE turning THREE!! Sorry about the poor lighting, but thought this was a fun video anyway. . . We love and miss you guys!!

While at the Chuckwagon races and waiting for the Stampede Night Show (the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, by the way!), we got rained out for a while. It was freezing and raining like crazy. We ended up inside, and the kids were going crazy. It's a super late show and kids were very tired. To pass the time, and to bring some spirits back up, I started a game of 'Simon Says'. We actually played for quite a long time!! Here's a peek of Ella's turn at being 'Simon'.

The last night of family reunion in Banff this summer, we sat around in our parent's condo, the kids making beaded necklaces, courtesy of Auntie Tristin, and my sisters and I started to sing. Some of it was terrible, as it's been 10 years since we have sung together, but the feeling was great. This is a song we have been singing as long as I can remember. It holds a lot of memories for me, and was great to experience here. . . try not to get dizzy as you experience life from 7 year old Lillian's point of view!!

Jen tagged me with this a couple of days ago - but I thought I'd leave you all in suspense since we all just did another tag - - but now I'm ready - are you? I am: blessed. I have *so* much to be thankful for! I think: I have the best husband . . . sorry to the rest of you!! ;-) I know: That Heavenly Father has a plan for me. . . I have a purpose. . . just sometimes it's hard to see it. . . I want: a fridge. I have: the best family and friends. . . thanks everyone! I dislike: my acne. . . although, I'm trying to embrace it. . . oh, and olives. I miss: my friends and family that aren't near by. I fear: for the safety of my girls. There are too many things that can happen to children. . . I feel: deeply. I hear: Megan's tv in the background - we're on the phone, but she's doing something, so we're not talking. . . ha. I smell: the gerbera daisies Melissa gave me for my birthday. (Thanks again!) I crave: mini eggs. . . or a caramilk. . . but, neith

First day of School! Koepsell Education Center, Saint Clair Shores, MI. Vivien and I enjoying the flag ceremony as they official opened the school year. Our School Girls!! Madison - Grade 4, Lillian - Grade 2 and Gabriella - Kindergarten! Vivien's first day of Ballet! She's waited *so* long for her turn!! Miss Anne said that she took it so seriously, pulling in her belly and standing so tall. . . she's a little ballerina already! Actually, if you ask her, she calls herself a "Joy School Ballerina!" Here is Vivien with her friend, Hallie at the first day of Preschool! Here we all are (well, I'm behind the camera, of course) at the skating rink last Saturday. Lilly was disappointed at her first class last week that she had 'lost' so much after not skating for 6 months and she wanted to practice. When I mentioned taking her to open skate on Saturday, it turned into a family affair!

I woke up one morning a few weeks ago and found all of my girls doing one of my Yoga DVDs. . . It was so fun to watch them 'meditate' at the end! Since then, Madison tries to do it as often as she can. She heard Dara Torres talk about the importance of being flexible for swimming, so she's determined to get more flexible! The girls had a week this summer when they painted their faces every day! Madison and Lillian would paint the little girl's faces - with normal paint!!! The first time I was a little leery, but it came off alright, so I let them have at 'er. Here's Vivie with her Pluto face from Madison. . . And here's all of the girls - Vivien has her Tiger face, and Gabs has a purple 'Heart Kitty'. . . (notice the hearts in her paws!) Our Sister's Weekend!! Here we are, hanging at the beach on Toronto Island. Megan, Me and Amber in the back, Emily and Tristin up front. I am hoping that we make this getaway a regular event. . . **So** m

Tagged...by Natalie *and* Tia THE FIVE 10 years ago I: 1. was pregnant with Madison! 2. was living with the *Norton's* while waiting to be able to move into the first of two apartments in Dallas. (The scary one!) 3. was attending a Spanish/English ward. 4. was in LOVE with scrapbooking. I did it constantly. 5. unwillingly became a cockroach exterminator - using rolled up magazines!! 5 things on today's "to do" list: 1. Take the girls to their activities - Madison & Lillian's first day of swimming, Ella's first day of ballet. 2. Put away laundry. 3. Make a dentist appointment. 4. Make a large batch of chicken broccoli soup - enough for at least 2.5 meals. . . 5. Organize the girl's rooms. We changed them around a lot this weekend. 5 snacks I enjoy: 1. (There's very little I don't enjoy!) Chocolate. . . 2. Caramilk (the *best* Canadian chocolate bar) 3. Hot Chocolate (are you noticing a trend?) 4. Shauna's Cream Cheese Bars. 5. And, the al

Me: "Ella, will you please say the prayer?" Vivie: "No, NOOOO!!!! MEEEEEE!!! Pwease, mama?? Pwease ELLA???" Me: "Sorry, Vivs. You said it at lunch. It's Ella's turn. Vivie: "Pwease, Mama!! MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! I *NEED* to say the prayer." Ella: "That's fine. Vivie can say it, Mom." Me: (Sighing) "OK. Vivie - can you please say the prayer?" Vivie: "Um. I don't want to do that anymore." Me: (Exasperated) "Ella?" Ella, Lilly & Madison: peals of giggles. Oh boy. . .

I'm back on my diet of choice. The cookie dough diet. MMMM. . . feels good!

Since it was Labor Day, Milo was home with us! We went to a fun park - Fort Fraser, we got ice cream cones from our favorite little outdoor "Cold Cow", and we played in the yard . . . even had the sprinkler underneath the trampoline. . . Doesn't get much better than that! A good way to kiss the lazy days of summer good-bye.