Poor at Updates

Seeing as how no one reads this or comments, and the social networking sites allow us to comment and update our daily lives, I haven't sen it necessary to keep this up to date. But today. I thought it would be a New Years resolution to update you for the first week and then give up again.

Elise: A fifth grader who's business is being the teenager she wishes to be. Singing all the songs from the radio with precision. Smart as a whip and clueless as a Kelly Green. Love her with allmy might and continue to be surprised by her.

Jack: As a 3rd grader he is the size of a first grader. The body is growing but the mind sure is. He is quick and capable. Comprehends much more than I ever did. Loves football, but lacks the size.

Tommy: This boy is almost genius. We started him on piano this year and he has flourished. He is reading music very well and doesn't even look at the keys. He teaches himself songs and practices multiple times a day.

Sam: He is our cross to bear, but worth every minute. Sam challenges our patience and ability to love without condition. He draws us close to God by drawing us further from our comfort zone. He is a second year pre-schooler and is finally coming into his own.

Clare: This little princess is 3 years old today. She has become quite the character. As of today, we are diaper free. For the first time in 10 1/2 years I am not going to have to buy diapers.

Jerry and Dexter: Our newest additions. Jerry is a Lab basset mix. We call him a Lab-ass. A goofy dog with a big heart. Dexter is a Santa (mistake) kitten from the in-laws farm. The kids love him and play with him.

Maybe this year I can pass on some wisdom and someone will listen.

As for now, God's blessing to you this new year.

First Day of School

I need to get the photo down loaded but Elise and Jack, said Abeese and Dack by our lovely Sam. But today is their first day of school. Elise, going into third grade had a bit of the butterflies and said she had a nervous tummy. She was cute as can be. Allison braided her hair into little braids last night. That took an hour. Then this morning she took out the braids for the poodle look. So she went from being "Shaniqua" to "Poopsie" the poodle. Jack, on the other hand, was dress cool as can be. Wearing his skater friendly Tony Hawk apparel. Nothing out of the ordinary for him. He is in first grade now and will have a few little buddies in class with him.
Mom on the hand, is now officially on vacation. The summer is over and her full time job of referee has come to a close. She is now home with only 2 1/2 kids. One heads to pre-school three days a week. What a break!
I am sure the settling in will come and the kids will get used to school, but I am truly looking forward to those stories from the first day.
Only 179 more peanut butter and honey sandwiches to go!

Bridge Collapse

Yesterday in the Twin Cities a bridge collapsed. This is only 80 miles from where we live. Mommy and Daddy were stuck on the TV keeping up to date on all the things going on. It was hard to watch and have your kids watch with you. It was like 9/11 news coverage all over again. However, the trauma isn't so severe.
My problem is explaining the whole ordeal to my kids when we drive over a bridge. Jack, has been up too many nights worried about a fire in the house ever since a pre-school visit to a fire station where they warned about fire safety. Then we go to the Black Hills and see numerous hillsides blackened from fire in the recent weeks. Then a 600 acre fire while we were there. So sleeping that night was a little sparse with him. But eventually he fell asleep and stayed asleep. I am worried about the dreams and visions they will have after seeing this bridge fallen into the Mississippi River. As I write this and think, I stop and wonder if this feeling of mortality with the fires and bridges will help them consider their own mortality and keep them from acting like Superman (Grandma B remembers) or any other invincible hero.
Until the next trip to the hospital, I will keep my fingers crossed.

...And Now It's Time for Lunch

Lunch.
It sure can't come and go in a peaceful manner. There has always got to be some form of problem. I guess you can't expect much else when you have five adults and six kids: kids ages 8 and under. The restaurant only had one child seat and boosters, when we had two babies needing a seat. The booster went to Sam, who couldn't seat still for five seconds. I am cautiously approaching the disaster we call our son, Sam. All was well for the first fifteen or twenty minutes. The food was ordered and drinks were on the table. I was feeding Clare her bottle and the rest were hunky dory. Sam proceeded to get out of the booster when it tipped over. He hit his mouth on the chair next to him. Bleeding now, he screams at the top of his lungs. I have to had Clare over to mommy, meanwhile, the waiter is trying to help Sam up. That wasn't happening. I held him and he blew out my right ear drum screaming. Any of this ever happen to you.
Well, the food finally arrived and it was french fries and "Chepup" (ketchup) for Sam. Happy now, he ate in peace and we moved on with our lunch.

Lunch is always a...treat?!

Vikings Training Camp

It has been a relatively busy morning in the Braswell clans lives today. Grandma and Grandpa D came out with Aunt Andrea and the newest nephew. They came out to see the Vikings training camp. To start, when they walked in the door Sam couldn't get to mommy fast enough to be sure she wasn't going to leave him again. He held onto her tighter than he holds his blankie. To refresh why this was, we went camping at Mt. Rushmore and left him with Baby Clare at Grandma and Grandpa's. When mommy put his seat in their car and strapped him in, Sam screamed "No mommy! Pwease! Pwease! No mommy!" It only took a few minutes of driving when they left for him to calm down, but the damage was done. So now there is a little separation anxiety. But not for dad. Sam seems all to eager to give daddy kisses and send him off to work every morning. No sadness there, nor screaming "Pwease! No daddy!" Ahh, the life of dads.

So back to training back. It was a beautiful day watching the Vikes practice, stand around and adjust themselves. And from what I understand the benches cleared and punches were thrown. No not in on offence versus defense brawl, but in a Jack Tommy Sam brawl. They have the hardest time going anywhere with out causing a complete raucous. So mommy and daddy made the next best decision. Separate them and put a good distance in between. Tommy and Sam went home while Jack stayed with Grandpa to watch. I tell you what, the Vikes better do something this year to make that one trip to training camp worth it.

Next comes lunch, but I won't go there yet...Catastrophe number 2 for the day to come.

It's amazing. They made it through piano lessons without a scratch. I never thought it could happen. It is a hot day today and so we are doing a little Slip and Slide fun with the kids. Hopefully no one pokes an eye out.

Piano Lessons

We will see how today goes. We have begun a life long tradition of piano lessons. Bought the piano, so all five kids must learn to play the piano. First, we start with the two who read. E and J have been going together and getting lessons from a wonderful Australian. I think they like to listen to her talk more than practice piano. We will have to see how they go today and if our little Mozart's are learning to play.