Baketball, cleaning and potty training

My little helpers thought the cabinet under the sink needed cleaning out. They emptied the entire thing and then put it all back in; in no particular order course. All of the most used things - dishwasher soap, trash bags, Lysol spray - got put in the very back... I have yet to have time to reorganize it. They were very proud of their efforts. It was the first thing they showed David when he got home from work that day. 

I bought the girls new dresses, that hopefully I can save until Easter. I had them each try them on to make sure they fit. Charlotte insisted on a picture, so this was the result of a lucky capture on my iPhone.  I love how elegant she looks!

 We've also been working on this.... it went really well the first few days, then I was not feeling so well for a couple of days and it has gone down hill since then.

Carmen started basketball right after Thanksgiving. She had her first game this last weekend. I think she was pretty nervous, but had a great time. The girls really didn't understand all the rules of the game yet, but they did really well. They don't keep score, but if they did, her team definitely won!  And it was so fun to watch! I anticipate them getting much more coordinated and confident throughout the rest of the season.

The Prayer of a Child

This was an experience I had with Carmen that I wanted to make sure was recorded in some way. One day after Carmen had gotten home from school I started to not feel so well. I was having really bad cramping and chest pains and started to feel as if I couldn't breath. I felt very panicky and nothing seemed to ease the pain.  I felt uncomfortable whether I was lying down or standing up. Being 5 months pregnant I was overcome with fearful thoughts. I got very hot and thought for sure I needed some sort of help - from a neighbor or from paramedics.

I could tell Carmen was very concerned and I was scared as well. She stayed right by my side and even got a cold wash rag to put on my neck. I felt a total lose of control at that time and I knew that if something happened to me, I had taught Carmen what to do in an emergency. I was crying pretty badly and was balled up on the floor in total and complete pain. I looked Carmen in the face and told her that I didn't know what else to do and asked her to please help me!

And in her innocent yet concerned little six year old voice she responded, "We could say a prayer". She folded her little arms and offered to the Lord the sweetest prayer pleading that he would make her mom feel better. And as she prayed I felt my muscles relax and the pain vanish as if it had never been an issue. And as she ended her prayer I looked at her and realized I had just witnessed a miracle as a result of the prayer of a child. I held her and told her it was her faith that had made me better. I hugged and kissed her and thanked her for her help.


**This happened over two months ago, and I would love to say the pain has never come back. But it has reoccurred several times since and I've determined they are panic attacks. They feel very much like what I would imagine a heart attack feeling like. There is such a pain in my chest and a feeling like I will stop breathing at any second. My entire body will shake and I feel a complete lose of control. The only way to come "out of it" is to have someone stay by me and be my calming influence. All the other times this has happened David has been there to help me. But I am forever grateful that the first time it happened, Carmen was the one there to help me. It was a small testimony builder for us both. I often struggle with the feeling that I'm not teaching my children all they need to know. And maybe I not, but I do know that she has learned that in times of need when you don't know what else to do, Heavenly Father will answer your prayers.

The rest of Christmas Break

Two weeks really is a long time to be out of school. But we tried to make the most of it. The week after Christmas was spent rearranging rooms and making room for a new baby. But we also played a lot and just enjoyed being together.

 Tea Parties

 Reading Books

 Sisterly Love

 Painting and moving a lot of furniture

 Play doh

 Carmen getting her own room and the loft bed I had when I was her age. My dad and David spent several hours reassembling the bed. That thing isn't going anywhere anytime soon. David even said if we ever move, the bed comes with the house!

The "new" bed all put together and ready to use

 

Lot of time spent in pajamas

And just before break, Aliza was Star of the Week at school. I wanted to make sure I included this picture.

Christmas Day

 Christmas fell on Sunday this year, so we woke up and got ready for church and opened stockings. Then we enjoyed a nice meeting at church that really helped us remember the real reason for the day. But as soon as we got home the girls were ready to tear open those presents! I didn't take any pictures of the process but here are a few of the results.

 Charlotte finally got a choo choo train! I was having a panic attack in the boy aisle at Toys R Us because all the toys seemed so foreign to me. But she loves her train, and she also got a new bike.

 The BIG present this year was the Barbie house. Aliza really wanted the Barbie dream house, but when I saw it, it looked small and junky. So I researched and found this way cool Barbie house that is huge enough for all the girls to play with at one time. David and I sure had a fun time putting that one together! The best part was when we were about 95% done with it and Carmen came down the stairs! I've never run so fast in my life, but I was able to stop her from seeing it. And then when we were about 99.9% done with it, we were missing a screw... who needs a roof anyways? 

Other exciting presents were a telescope for Carmen, an Ipad 2 for David, and new silverware for me.

 

Great Grandma Teerlink crocheted these beautiful cloaks for the girls to wear. They looked really nice with their Christmas dresses. 

Later that day we had my family over for dinner and Oma and Poppy brought more presents for everyone! 

 

These are the teacher gifts I made this year. I made 2x4 Christmas trees, homemade gift tags and cards. And we also did some fun candy for the aides and bus driver.