CLENDENEN & COMPANY

Zella

2012-02-08T22:32:00.001-06:00

Madeline

2012-02-08T22:05:00.000-06:00

Pictures

2012-02-08T21:59:00.001-06:00

I realized something since last updating the blog. Apparently having four kids (one being a baby who doesn't sleep through the night) hinders my ability to post pictures of my adorable kids and tell adorable (pointless) stories.

It also hinders my ability to string together a normal, coherent sentence but I won't let it stop my tonight. I can no longer allow the Internet to be deprived of these amazing pictures of the kids. Think I'm exaggerating? You may change your mind after you see these pics. ;)

I can hardly stand the cuteness!

More later,
Lori

Million Dollar Smile

2012-01-11T00:28:00.001-06:00

Mom, I need to talk to you about something.

I'm a little confused and I need some answers.

Why is this hairy thing with the cold wet nose

always sniffing me?

And why are you making all those funny faces and noises at me?

Are you trying to get me to show my dimples?

Okay. I will.

I know how much you love my smile.

Annual Deer Hunting Trip

2012-01-11T00:10:00.000-06:00

Every year in early December we head to my sister Lisa's house. Travis hunts and the kids and I hang out with Aunt Lisa and all the cousins. It is such a fun time and something we look forward to each year. Travis really enjoys hunting and loves being out in nature. I love hanging out with my sister and nieces and nephews. It's a win-win situation.

My brother-in-law Chris and nephew Christian with his buck.

Travis and Christian

Papa and his girls.

Aunt Lisa snuggling Thomas

This year Travis got an 8 point buck on the first morning out hunting. He was very excited! He is having it mounted so if you would like to come meet Bambi, you can. (The deer was supposed to go in his studio but now we aren't sure if it can be out there. So we are negotiating where it will hang in our house. I"m trying to compromise, people! Wish me luck!)

He also got a big doe when he went hunting with his mom's neighbor back in Milo. (I don't have any pictures of that one yet.)

The girls love venison and can't wait for deer steaks. They can have my portion.

And Papa can't wait to take his girls and Thomas hunting one day.

Family Traditions

2012-01-10T23:48:00.000-06:00

A few years ago I learned that decorating the Christmas tree as a family is WAY more fun if I set up the tree and put lights and bead garland on by myself. I usually do this part a day or at least a night in advance. This way our tree decorating traditions don't include mommy swearing and being in a bad mood. (Papa used to do this job but was forced to resign.)

We turn on Christmas music and I dig out my blinking light bulb necklace. (Because that's normal, right? Wearing blinking jewelry?)

Papa is in charge of the ornaments and doles them out to very excited girls. We all wear Santa hats and clap when Papa puts the star on top. We got the star light on our honeymoon and the girls never tire of hearing the story of how we found it.

Once we are finished, we admire our work and then break out the hot chocolate and candy canes.

Next year our littlest helper will be 14 months old, and surely considerably busier than snuggling with me this year. I can't wait for him to join in.

In order to ensure minimal swearing while decorating next year, I donated our Christmas tree when I took it down this year. That way I will be forced to get a pre-lit tree. Smart thinking I hope!

Although the tree is down and the decorations packed away, the memories we made are here to stay.

(Wow. I am really amping up the cheesiness for 2012.)

This year we started a new tradition, a gingerbread house. Grandma Marker (Trav's mom) gave us the pan last year and we put it to good use.

More later,
Lori

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2011-12-25T03:06:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas from the Clendenen family!

Tom

2011-12-05T23:09:00.000-06:00

Four Things That Have Been Keeping Me Up At Night

2011-12-05T04:01:00.001-06:00

1. Thomas Howard Clendenen. He is a very good baby but has been fussy the last couple weeks. He is only two months old after all.

2. Miss Zella. She wakes up at the crack of dawn every day. It seems to work out that Thomas will wake up to eat at 3:30 a.m. When I finally fall back asleep after feeding and burping him Zella wakes up for the day. At least she is in a great mood!

3. Violet fell into a swimming pool at a hotel we were staying at. I had to jump in with all my clothes on (and shoes) to get her. Seeing the fear in her eyes and face while she was under the water struggling has kept me up many nights since. We are very thankful she is okay.

4. Some crazy road rage guy threatened to kill me at a stop light in Mason City. (He motioned for me to go ahead of him but when I did he freaked out for some reason.) He was screaming and yelling every nasty and derogatory thing you can say to women at me. Violet and Thomas were in the van with me and I was scared and angry. He started to get out of his truck at the stoplight to "teach me a lesson" but I threatened to call the cops. Thankfully the light turned green. I keep looking over my shoulder even though I know I probably won't ever see him again. Jerk.

I much prefer reasons one and two for keeping me up at night. :)

Time

2011-12-04T23:02:00.000-06:00

Time is sand through my fingers, trickling down before I can stop it. Part of me would love to stop time and savor the ages and stages of my kids. Yet I am excited to see them grow and find their own paths in life.

I woke up one day and suddenly:

*Madeline can read. (REALLY read as she would say.) I feel proud and excited that she loves books as much as Travis and I do. I hope she always does.

*Zella is almost five. (FIVE!!!) Her excitement for everything around her is contagious. She is hands down the most fun kid to give a gift to.

*Violet is walking the line of being a little girl/big girl. Sometimes she'd like to be both. She is talking so well and is quite a dancer.

*Thomas is almost three months old (this may be the most unbelievable). He is smiling, cooing and he rolled over two weeks ago. Seriously. HE ROLLED OVER.

*Somehow having a fourth child has made Travis and I more mellow and relaxed (mostly). I'm not sure how this is possible but it is. We have slowed down and enjoyed this stage of our life more than we have before.

I told my sister Karen that I "came up for air" and ten weeks had gone by. I am getting the hang of four kids six and under slowly but surely. I'm figuring out what works and what doesn't. (The hard way, of course). I am going to keep figuring it out because I don't just want to get through motherhood or be okay at it. I want to be a great mom who makes meaningful memories with my kids. Travis and I have so many dreams for our family and every day we wake up we get a chance to make it happen.

Yet another online pep talk. And once again I am a mushball who over shares.

But I am who I am so once again I will hit "publish post" instead of save.

Yours sincerely,
Lori

Something to Think About

2011-11-14T18:21:00.000-06:00

Dear Thomas

2011-11-13T00:17:00.000-06:00

Dear Thomas,

It's hard to believe you are already eight weeks old. We already can barely remember life before you arrived. You are a sweet, happy little baby boy who loves to snuggle.

I feel the weight of you in my arms and sigh. I'm so thankful to have you in my arms, in our family. Your eyes search and meet mine. Your coos are little arrows to my heart, piercing.

I listen to you "talk" to me and realize that this moment is so fleeting. It won't be long before you tower over me, cringing when I want a hug. I'll just be "Oh, MOM!" Probably constantly embarrassing you in front of your friends.

But for now you are my sweet little guy and I am your mama. We think the other hung the moon.

With you here our family now feels complete.

Forever and always,
Love Mama

Violet

2011-10-25T08:43:00.000-05:00

Miss Violet with her crazy hair (just like her mama).

Thomas Howard

2011-10-24T14:18:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I Wonder

2011-10-24T14:14:00.000-05:00

How did I get here? How did I get to this place in my life? Suddenly I am a mother...clueless but loving. So afraid of messing up and making mistakes. My eyes blink and suddenly I am a mother to four. Still clueless in some ways, but knowing when it comes to how to love my babies.

How did I get to be this age? Who made me in charge? Of four children??? Aren't I still learning? Do I have enough knowledge? Insight? Experience?

Do I have enough patience?

How can it be that I love it so much? Changing diapers, kissing boo-boos. Snuggling on the couch reading the same book over and over again. Make a meal, clean up a meal. Wash laundry, put it away, wash it again. Rinse and repeat. Over and over.

Yet there are so many moments of these groundhog days that put a lump in my throat. An unexpected "I love you", a thoughtful gesture, a beautiful drawing of our family. Watching my husband teach the kids how to paint, throw a ball, plant a seed.

I know without a doubt that God meant for me to be a mother to these children. And even though I make a lot of mistakes I hope they will always feel safe and loved.

I don't know what the future will bring. I don't know what challenges we will face or how we will choose to handle them. But I do know that I love this family with all that I am and all that I have.

Edited to add:
I actually didn't mean to post this. I often write blog posts just to get the thoughts out of my head. I used to be a writer, back before I had four kids in six and a half years. And I am so far removed from it now that I don't often share anything I write with others. My grammar stinks and I'm not that good at it anymore. But I accidentally posted this so here it is. Flaws and all.

It's A Boy!

2011-10-05T14:19:00.000-05:00

Thomas Howard Clendenen arrived September 16th, 2011 at 8:10 p.m. He was 9 lbs. 9.4 oz. and 22 inches long. He has a head full of dark hair, dimples and looks just like Travis. He was named after Trav's dad who passed away many years ago.

Sweet Boy

FOUR kids six and under!

Mama and sweet Thomas

Father and son

Big sister Violet is so proud!

On the way home

Thomas is a very good baby and things have been going well. Unfortunately Mama has a sinus infection and bad cold (which Thomas now has too) so the last couple days have been long. The girls are very sweet with the baby and argue over who gets to hold him.

I will post more pictures soon of our sweet baby.

Proof of the Preggo Belly

2011-08-15T16:35:00.000-05:00

Okay, folks. I have been asked to provide PROOF of my growing belly.

36 weeks

See? I was not exaggerating. :) Four weeks left!

Lori

Another Public Service Announcement

2011-08-13T23:05:00.000-05:00

Dear Public,

I know it is probably shocking to see a very, very pregnant woman out and about. I mean, pregnancy is such a rare, rare, thing that I can understand why it would catch you off guard to actually see a preggo for yourself. So I can understand why you POINT and STARE and make insanely dumb comments*. This behavior can be attributed by your shock, I'm sure.

I'm sure you are just trying to be helpful when you utter one of the following comments:

You are HUGE! Are you sure there is only one in there?
How are you going to make it to the end of your pregnancy? You are going to become more miserable every day.
Gee, don't you already have three kids? Do you know what causes that?
Wow, you just keep shooting them out, don't you!
How do you walk around so swollen?
You look like you're due any minute, not in six weeks!
Your belly button is so gross!

I try to nod and smile politely since it may be years until you see a pregnant woman again. I don't want to give preggos a bad reputation!

Public, I think you should know all preggos aren't as polite as I am. So you may want to think twice before opening your mouth.

Yours sincerely,
Lori

*Actual comments that have been said to me while out in public

Mama Drama

2011-08-11T23:03:00.000-05:00

It has been so long since I posted that I forgot my blog password. (Although these days my pregnancy brain is very forgetful, so maybe it is not surprising?)

I am just so....pregnant. (36 weeks!) With lots of contractions. Which leads to lots of water drinking and laying on my left side and waiting for the contractions to go away. (It's a little too early baby to make an appearance!) My motivation to get things done has skyrocketed. Unfortunately my body has not got the memo. So I am left in limbo.

At least for today. Tomorrow I will probably feel totally different. (Thanks, hormones, for this lovely roller coaster ride.)

My thoughts are cloudy and my body is STRETCHED and my heart is full and my feet are swollen, but my mind is too. I can hardly sleep...too many to do list thoughts, and what if thoughts, and plan b thoughts. And I AM HAVING A FOURTH CHILD thoughts.
A FOURTH CHILD. (Who I am ecstatic to meet. But also? A little scared!) Tell me again why I thought I could handle four children?

The truth is I'm hoping I can. And I DO think I can. I just knew when I was preggo with Violet that we weren't done yet. I told Travis it will probably take me three months to be ok at having four kids and hopefully in six months I will be good at it. (Good being a relative term, of course.)

Travis is a pro with our girls and I am more than anxious to see him navigate a little boy. I don't know much about baby boys!

The bottom line is I have been pretty miserable the last few weeks. But in the end I will get to have our baby, and it will be worth every moment of discomfort.

I think I am giving myself an online pep talk. That is totally normal, right?

BFFS

2011-06-21T12:46:00.000-05:00

My two best friends live in Des Moines. We don't get to see each other as often as we'd like to, but it did work out to get together for the day last week. I was headed to Trav's hometown with the girls for a visit to Grandma's house. And luckily we got to see both Jen, Heidi and ALL the kids! We had a blast. It never matters how much time we are apart, we pick up right where we left off. I am so thankful for these two!

Jen, Heidi and Me
(28 weeks preggo and SWOLLEN!)

All the kids...Jen has three girls, Heidi two boys and my three girls

Blowing bubbles with "Aunt" Heidi

Heidi and her youngest, Alex

Miss Violet goofing around

Jen had to leave a little early for a softball game (bummer!) but the girls and I stayed for supper at Heidi's house. It was so nice to hang out and see our kids play together. Can't wait until next time!

More later,
Lori

ABC's of Me Meme

2011-06-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

One of my friends tagged me for this meme:

A. Age: 35 (! How did that happen?)

B. Bed Size: Queen. Which is too small for my 6'4" husband so he sleeps sideways in it.
C. Chore I dislike: Cleaning the shower and sweeping/mopping the floor.
D. Dog: Josie, our 1/2 basset hound, 1/2 Australian Shepard adorable and short/fat four-legged member of our family. We got her when we were truck drivers and I didn't even like dogs before I met her.
E. Essential Start of The Day: Not to be dorky, but a hug from my hubby and singing the song "It's a Good Day" by Peggy Lee
F. Favorite color: blue
G.Gold or silver: Silver!

H. Height: 5’6″
I. Instruments you play(ed): piano , percussion and violin. Although really just piano if you want it to sound good. :)

J. Job Title: Director of Operations(home). Aka stay at home mom. Former jobs: public relations coordinator at an advertising agency, public relations manager at United Way, over-the-road truck driver
K. Kids: Madeline (6), Zella (4), Violet (2) and baby boy due this Fall

L.Live: 1 1/2 story house in my hometown
M. Moms name: Kathleen
N. Nick names: Boss (my truck driving name) lol
O. Overnight hospital stays (in chronological order) exposure to hazardous chemicals (nitrous and sulfuric acid), childbirth times 3
P. Pet peeves: When people are always negative and assume the worst
Q. Quote from a movie: "He's all hopped up on Mountain Dew!" from Talladega Nights

R. Righty or Lefty: right.

S. Siblings: Brother Kurt in Indiana, Sister Karen in Britt, Twin sister Lisa in Cherokee, IA, and little sis Bonnie in Britt
T. Time you wake up: Whenever Zella wakes up (usually 6 AM). She used to wake up at 4:30 or 5 am when she was three so this is a big improvement!
U. Underwear: Um, yes please?
V.Vegetables I don’t like: Cooked cauliflower. Otherwise I love veggies, raw, steamed, broiled or grilled!
W.What makes me run late: I hate to be late. I would say a poop blowout, puke or MY HUSBAND makes me later.
X. X-rays: I don't remember ever having an x-ray.
Y.yummy food that I make: Homemade pizza, CUPCAKES!, baked oatmeal, chicken salad, broiled tillapia, sugar cookies. Now I am hungry!
Z. Zoo animals: giraffes and seals are my fav

Songs In My Head

2011-06-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

When Violet was in the hopsital I sang her this song over and over (too bad I don't sound like Etta!) This is my fav song of all time and Violet listens to it with me all the time. She was so brave in the hospital and would always take a deep breath and try to calm down when I asked her to. What a champ!

This PSA Brought To You By....

2011-06-12T05:00:00.002-05:00

So I mentioned that Violet had a hospital stay recently. Thankfully she is 100% okay but it could have ended very differently!

We had company at our house for Madeline's ballet recital. And one of our visitors accidentally left their nicotine mints on our kitchen table while they ran upstairs after their own two year old.

Everyone else was outside playing with sidewalk chalk, and Travis was grilling lunch. I brought Violet inside to wash her hands and then I went to the bathroom. As I was washing my hands I heard her saying, "Yum, yum." Followed quickly by, "YUCKY!"

I ran into the dining room and saw her chewing several nicotine mints, holding the container they came in. I called for help and tried to get as much out of her mouth as I could. We called poison control and they told us to take her to the hospital immediately. Thankfully we have a hospital in Britt just a couple blocks away from our house.

Unfortunately they had to put a tube down her nose to give her charcoal. (The charcoal helped absorb the nicotine to get it out of her system) At this point she was pale, clammy, listless and had a very high heart rate and blood pressure. Then her eyes started rolling and I got nervous. We had to be transferred by ambulance to the hospital in Mason City. About halfway through the ambulance ride she was more alert and seemed better.

We were in the hospital for 24 hours for observation. The concern was that she would have a seizure. The doctors had her hooked up to heart monitors with all kinds of tubes/wires! Thankfully her heart rate and blood pressure finally came down around 3 a.m. (she consumed the mints at noon). When we were checking out the next day they told us they had been preparing to transfer her to a larger hospital in Rochester to a NICU before her heart rate came down. Very scary.

I am leaving a lot out, but my point in posting this is that YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO CAREFUL. I personally picked up the container of nicotine mints five or six times and asked our visitor where I could put them to keep them away from the kids. The doctor let me know that although it was an accident, I still should have thrown the mints away or locked them up myself if I noticed they were being left out. AND HE WAS RIGHT. I should have done that. We all need to remember to be vigilant and careful. Violet is okay but it could have turned out differently.

So PLEASE take a look around your home or when you visit others and look for hazards big and small. Violet had to go through a lot due to a preventable accident. (And her mama and papa did too!!!)

Thank you to Hancock County Memorial Hospital (the staff was great with Violet!), the amazing volunteer EMTS on the ambulance service (especially Karen who got Violet to smile) and the nurses and doctors at Mercy. They made a scary situation easier.

Now go and make sure your medications are put up! I mean it!

Something To Think About

2011-06-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

I saw this somewhere and can't stop thinking about it.

Catch Up

2011-06-08T23:39:00.000-05:00

Time keeps moving whether or not I want it to. Whether or not I take photos, consciously make memories or blog. And I suppose that is alright, although I so enjoy checking out old photos or taking a peek at past blog posts to remember what we were doing a year ago.

So what having we been doing since APRIL when I last blogged?

Lots.

Two recitals (Zella's tumbling and Madeline's dance), last day of school, my brother's 40th birthday party/visit, Travis traveling on four separate work trips (two for a week long) in six weeks, move to a twin bed and new paint job for Violet's room, trip to the pediatric opthamologist in Des Moines (good news for Zella and Madeline), fixing up Mommy's room (keep out!), massive decluttering (early nesting?), a mini camping vacation, a SCARY ambulance ride and hospital stay for Violet, a growing baby boy (hooray!), and lots of hugs, kisses, fights and arguing. And lots of fishing for Papa and his girls.

Did I miss anything?

Probably.

Although I may not get caught up on blogging about ALL of the above, I will post soon about Violet's hospital stay. She is alright luckily, but I definitely want to share a public service announcement (as Trav would say) about what happened. I am still a little traumatized and so is she, honestly.

The baby is doing great and is very active. If this is a preview I will be a very busy mama this Fall!

So a busy month and a half condensed into a few small paragraphs.

More later,
Lori

Songs In My Head

2011-04-29T06:03:00.000-05:00

Mr. Charles can get stuck in my head anytime.

I Wasn't Entirely Truthful

2011-04-28T05:03:00.001-05:00

You see, I mentioned that we had our 20 week ultrasound, and that we were having a healthy baby.

And we are.

But we also found out that we are having a healthy baby

BOY!

Can you believe it? We were in total shock. I know it should have occurred to us we could have a boy but we were both convinced we were having a girl. We are very excited and the girls are thrilled.

Even the sports equipment we own is pink so we have a lot to prepare for.

September will be here before I know it!

More later,
Lori

Lori Crabbypants

2011-04-27T13:55:00.000-05:00

I have been quite on the blog, but life has been anything but quite.

The past month has been very busy and full of lots of ups and downs. Truthfully, it has been mostly downs.

We have been sick. Still. Again. The flu (AGAIN), strep throat...this winter has not been fun. I am SO OVER my family being sick. Seriously. If I could beat up being sick I would. I MEAN IT!!!

Trav's grandpa passed away. (It was his time but still very sad.) Grandpa Howard was a great person and we all loved him a lot! We already miss him but are comforted to think he is in heaven, reunited with his son (Trav's dad) Tom, and baby Ross, (Trav's brother).

Travis found out he is losing his hearing. (Which he told me I could share but I don't really feel like talking about it, okay?)

I feel like Debbie Downer, which is why I haven't been blogging. I dislike being negative. I like to see the glass as half full.

But the down moments were reality this past month. And we must take the bad with the good, right?

With that being said, I feel like we are on an upswing. Some WONDERFUL things happened!

Miss Madeline turned six. SIX!!!! What a joy to celebrate her birthday with her and get to experience her excitement. I will share photos soon!

And we had our ultrasound and found out we are having a healthy baby. Such a blessing and relief!

So....Lori crabbypants has left the building.

I got to go to my bible study group this morning for the first time in three weeks. All seems right with the world again. :)

I hope you have had a great month!

More later,
Lori

Songs In My Head

2011-03-25T13:51:00.000-05:00

This is Violet's very favorite song to dance to. I tried to record a video of her dancing to it but she would stop dancing, shake her hand at me and yell, "NO PICTURES MAMA!"

So you are stuck with this video. Warning: it is a really dumb video. Like, really dumb. But the song? Vi's fav.

Guess What I've Been Doing? Part 2

2011-03-22T23:11:00.000-05:00

I have barely posted this month. Since my last post we had another round of illness but are FINALLY feeling healthy.

Unfortunately my computer has been on the fritz but I seem to have used my limited ~~knowledge~~ luck to have fixed it.

Hopefully.

I am trying to get back into the swing of things after being in sickville for so many weeks. I have a BIG to-do list before the baby arrives in early September.

Does that sound crazy? To already have a to-do list?

Maybe.

BUT.

Listen, people. It is not going to be pretty around here in August. I am going to be hugely pregnant.

Huge.

Did you know my last baby weighed over 9 pounds? I looked/felt like I was carrying a 15 pound baby.

Have I ever mentioned that I am generally crabby in August? Sad, but true. I do not handle heat/humidity well. (And that is when I am not preggo.)

So. The point of this long ramble is that my morning sickness has finally cut down to about half of my day instead of the whole day. I really need to get some things done now because I can't count on hard-core nesting in August. I plan on spending August in a swimming pool/sitting in front of a fan in my air-conditioned house.

Before the "great" illness marathon this month I decluttered my entire kitchen. I only have the rest of my house to go.

I made of goal of being done by Easter (except for the unfinished basement) and I hope I can make it.

The hardest part of decluttering for me is going through toys. The girls have SO MANY toys. And they play with them on a very regular basis. But it just seems like too much. Do they really need 40 Barbies? (That is kind of embarrassing to admit. And that is AFTER I donated some Barbies they don't play with as often. Madeline and Zella each got like 7 or 8 Barbies last Christmas from various family members.)

So I ask you, how many are too many? How do you declutter your kids' toys? What are your limits?

I really want to get this under control before baby #4 arrives and my house is inundated with a baby swing, bouncy seat, play mat, and infant toys.

Any suggestions?

(End of rant/ramble)

Guess What I've Been Doing?

2011-03-10T20:35:00.000-06:00

Going crazy, that's what.

The girls have been sick sick sick for two weeks.

Straight.

(Well, except for last Friday. They all felt ok that day. Otherwise? SICK.)

We're talking throwing up every 20 minutes for 12 hours (Zella), temps of 105/tonsillitis/ear infection/influenza A (Violet), RSV for Madeline etc. etc. etc.

All while I hurt my back and could barely move. My wonderful husband saved the day by taking two days off work to help. He was Mr. Mom and didn't complain once. Really.

Am I lucky or what?

We are finally on the mend. Only Zella is still sick (influenza A last week, RSV this week). She is starting to feel better though so the end may be in sight.

I have been ~~crabby~~ ~~cranky~~ impatiently waiting for my 24/7 morning sickness to lessen.

So to wrap up, we are all crabby and hope to be healthy one day.

All kidding aside, I still have a lot to be thankful for. I get to have another baby, we have great health insurance, and Trav's job is flexible enough to allow him to help out when needed.

There are always blessings if you look for them.

I just had to look a little harder the last two weeks. :)

Overheard at Our House

2011-02-25T05:07:00.000-06:00

On my birthday Zella and Madeline were helping me make a cake. I decided to use a bundt pan so it would look pretty. Zella looked at Madeline and said, "Why are we using a BUTT PANT to make mama's cake??? That sounds gross!"

*****************************************

Violet was coloring with markers with Travis. She kept holding up markers and trying to name their color. She picked up the brown marker and said, "POOP" instead of brown. I have never laughed so hard in my life.

****************************************

Zella really misses my Grandpa Lester who passed away. Every night she prays for Grandpa "LesTURD" in heaven.

***************************************

Violet adores kittens. We were at Petco looking at cats and she kept yelling Titty! Titty! at the top of her lungs. We got a few strange looks. She also says "toot" instead of cute.

FAQ About Having Another Baby

2011-02-24T05:01:00.001-06:00

So. We have been sharing our good news that we are adding to our family. We have received a lot of congratulations, and also a lot of questions/comments.

I thought I'd clear a few things up.

Wow! Don't you know how that (i.e. getting pregnant) happens?
Um, yes. If you don't, go ask your mother. I don't want to have to explain it to you!

You must be trying for that boy!
Sorry to disappoint, but no. We just wanted to add to our family. I think Travis and I both assume it is another girl, so if we have a boy we will be SHOCKED. Seriously. I would probably faint. (I am very dramatic!)

Good for you. You are a lot braver than I am.
This actually means they think we are crazy for having four children. And it is a little crazy so I take no offense.

How are you ever going to leave the house with all these kids by yourself?
Honestly? I'm not sure. I will just do it. The three we have are only getting older and more independent so that will help.

Good think you bought the mommy mini-van!
EXACTLY. I know you are probably being sarcastic, but I am NOT. Whoever makes fun of mini-vans obviously does not have young kids close in age. The van doors OPEN THEMSELVES. I have remote start and a DVD player. I don't care who makes fun of what I drive, I love my van!!!!!

You are going to have to move to a bigger house!
Listen, people. ~~Travis~~ We are not finished remodeling this house in the first place. Trav just finished his studio a couple months ago and we are not leaving this house yet. Yes, I know we only have a half-story upstairs. Yes, I am aware our bedrooms are small. I shared a room until I was 16 and I don't think it's a big deal the girls share a room. Violet and the baby will each have their own room. We will survive.

You don't waste any time, do you.
This comment alludes to how close in age our children are. Madeline and Zella are 19 months apart, Zella and Violet and 26 months apart, and Violet and the baby will be 2 1/2 years apart. So you see, this is the furthest we've ever spaced it. All I can say is, that is what happens when you wait 6 years into your marriage to have kids and you are 35. (And you want to have a big family.)

You are going to have your hands full!
Why yes I am. In a good way. I love being a mom and feel very lucky we get to add to our family.

So now you know.

Thanks for all the well wishes. We are excited to meet our little one in September!

Well, I Did It.

2011-02-22T13:53:00.000-06:00

I turned 35. How did that happen????? The last ten years seems to have flown by. Although, life has seemed to be on fast forward since I became a mother almost six years ago. You always hear how they grow up in a blink of an eye, but it is TRUE.

I have to say....I think

image from one of my fav blogs, Whatever

I have a pretty sweet set-up in life. I have a great hubby who I still think is cute and funny. (Plus I've learned over our 11 year marriage that he is handy and VERY hard-working. Total plus.)

I've got three hilarious, adorable daughters who make me laugh every single day. (They also make me crazy sometimes but that is part of it, right?)

In about six months I get to have ANOTHER baby to complete our family. (Did you hear that, Trav???? We are not having a 5th kid, okay????)

I get to stay at home with the kids (which I love).
I get to live in the same town as my parents and two of my sisters. (Am still holding out hope my twin sis and my brother could end up here someday too.)

I am part of a great bible study that is changing me in some amazing ways.

I am lucky to have some really great girlfriends who understand me, support me and love me for who I am.

So I ask you, how could 35 NOT be a great year?

**********************************************

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Travis and the girls took me to a movie, shopping and out to eat. The girls gave me jewelry from a local store that they each picked out themselves. And I can honestly say I would have picked each piece out if I were choosing. Bonus! They were so excited and so sweet. I am a lucky gal.

A Case of Duh-Lori Strikes Again

2011-02-17T14:47:00.000-06:00

So I decide to make homemade brownies cut into hearts for Valentine's Day. Only I was a little pressed for time and the girls were all cranky/needy/whining so I was a little distracted.

I made the first batch with no problems and stuck them in the oven. Realizing I needed another batch I got to work mixing the ingredients. It came time to put the eggs in. The carton had six eggs and I had already used two for the first batch. I pick up an egg and crack it on the side of the bowl. Only nothing happens. The egg is cracked but nothing is coming out.

I was so confused.

So I tried again and most of the shell slipped off.

Revealing a hard-boiled egg.

A hard-boiled egg?

Apparently Travis had hard-boiled four eggs and didn't mark them or tell me so I thought they were raw. I tried to substitute half and half for the eggs (which Google advised me to do) but the brownies were ruined.

Duh Lori!

Miss Violet Turns Two

2011-02-15T23:17:00.000-06:00

Goofball!

Two years ago my sweet Violet was born on Valentine's Day (best.valentine.ever.). Wow, that was quick. Two years of our funny, kind, stubborn ~~baby~~ girl.

Violet has brought a lot of joy and laughter into our family. She is a sweet, kind, hilarious, thoughtful and caring little girl. Unless you make her mad and then she is stubborn and very vocal about it! She is into everything, which means that I can't leave her alone for a moment. She is very clever about getting into things she knows she is not supposed to. She is sneaky and smart...a dangerous combination.

Madeline and Zella adore Violet and the feeling is mutual. Zella and Vi have become buddies the last couple months and they play well together (finally!). Violet is always asking for "Lella" and Zella loves it. Madeline and Violet are always snuggling and reading books. It is so fun to watch them together and see their relationships grow.

Violet loves to dance, sing, look at books and cuddle. She is especially fond of babies, markers and stampers. She is a great sleeper thank goodness. She sleeps about 12 hours a night and naps for an hour or two each day. I totally lucked out. Eating, on the other hand, has been a challenge. She used to be a great eater, but lost interest about 8 months ago. I guess she would rather be playing.

We are SO THANKFUL she is part of our family. We couldn't imagine life without our little "cupcake".

Violet was very excited for her birthday. She kept saying "I'm two!", and "CUPCAKE!" on the day of her party. It is so fun experiencing life with her.

Pics of her big day:

Papa and Violet

Cheese!

So serious! Blowing out candles.

Cupcake!

Loving her ice cream.

Opening presents.

Loving her new doll.

Locks of Love

2011-01-28T07:07:00.000-06:00

A couple months ago Madeline heard about Locks of Love, an organization that uses donated hair to make wigs for children who have no hair. It really bothered her that some kids lost their hair. So she decided to donate ten inches of her hair to the organization. We are SO proud of her for thinking of others! Plus she has a super cute new hairdo that she loves. It's a win-win.

Check out the cuteness...

Madeline before. She used to want her hair
as long as Rapunzel.

The big moment!

Madeline after, looking older.

After Zella saw her sister's cute new hairdo, she decided she wanted hers cut short too. It turned out adorable!

Kristy cutting five inches off of Zella's hair.

Short and sassy, just like Zella.

Sisters!

Violet after her haircut (just a trim).

We are so proud of our girls!

Let it Snow

2011-01-24T06:32:00.001-06:00

Sisters

Violet would not let me put her down on the snow hills.

Exploring with Josie.

Madeline and Zella.

Playing in the backyard.

Swinging just wasn't the same...

Enjoying hot chocolate.

Yum!

Tired but happy.

The End of 2010

2011-01-22T09:32:00.000-06:00

We ended our busy December with a trip to see Grandma Marker (Trav's mom) and sisters. We had a great time celebrating Christmas, New Year's Eve and birthdays (Zella, Lauren and Katelyn all have a birthday in December). It was very relaxing and it was nice just to be able to hang out with everyone. The girls were super excited to see their cousins!

Violet and cousin Lauren cheesing it up in the bathtub.

Madeline with kitty "Baby".

Grandma Marker handing out party supplies on New Year's Eve.

Zella and Katelyn.

Happy New Year!

Zella

Violet and Uncle Bubba

Aunt Carrie, Lauren and Katelyn

Grammy watching the girls open presents.

Present time!

Aunt Kate and Zella

Zella Turns Four

2011-01-18T23:59:00.000-06:00

Just three days after Christmas something shocking happened. Miss Zella Lynne turned FOUR years old. I'm not sure how that is possible!

Zella has been a joy since the moment she was born. She always has a smile on her face, is dancing, singing or humming at all times and brings a smile to everyone's face.

Zella finds happiness in the little things of life. Her excitement for the little and big things she encounters is one of the things I love most about her. Her excitement is contagious!

Wherever she goes people are drawn to her. After you meet her you can't forget her....her big personality, her unusual name and her adorable glasses are a winning combination.

She LOVES books. She spends hours each day looking at books and making up stories to go with the illustrations. We spend a lot of time snuggling and reading books together. She also loves playing Barbies, Smurfs, restaurant and dress up.

Zella makes a craft at least once a day. She loves to color, draw and make necklaces. My little firecracker also loves to dance and sing. She is always ready to join in a dance party!

She is my early riser and always has been. It is nice to have that special time with her before her sisters wake up.

Zella started preschool this year, every Monday and Wednesday morning. She is a very eager learner and absolutely adores school. She talks a mile a minute when she gets home about all the fun things she gets to do. Zel is so proud to be going to school like her big sister Madeline.

She also started tumbling this year and loves it. I can't wait to see her tumbling recital in the spring. She is already asking me if it is recital time yet because she can't wait to be a on a stage.

I can't believe my little comedian is already four. We are so thankful to have Zella in our family!!!

We celebrated her birthday twice. Once in Britt with family who could come, and once in Milo. She couldn't believe she got to have two parties. Very exciting apparently.

Her party in Britt was a Smurf party. She is so into the Smurfs right now and spends a lot of time playing with her Smurf house and figurines she got for her birthday.

She picked her fav restaurant for lunch: The Red Rooster

Aunt Karen brought a balloon to the restaurant. It was a big hit!

Aunt KK, Cousins Lily and Grace at the birthday lunch. Granny came too.

Excited about her Smurf mushroom house cake.

"Oh yeah, baby!"

Opening presents.

Sweet cousin Lily modeling a party hat.

Eating a tortilla chip in her NEW WAGON.
She told me in was a dream come true. (The wagon, not the trip.)

The Smurf cake. If you can't tell, it is supposed to be a Smurf
mushroom house. She thought it was a Smurf house so I count it as a success.

Just in case the house didn't turn out I had a backup.
The Smurfs are rings the kids got to take home.

Happy Birthday Zella!

Christmas Day 2010

2011-01-07T14:30:00.000-06:00

It is so fun now that the girls are a little older. They get the joy and excitement from Christmas. And thankfully they understand the reason behind it all...Madeline often reminded me that we're really celebrating the birth of baby Jesus.

They were very excited Christmas morning.

Zella couldn't believe Santa got her letter!
He really did bring her an Ariel vanity.

Madeline said this carriage was a "dream come true". Dramatic much?

Violet was excited about her new dollhouse, but she was REALLY
excited that package of animal crackers she got in her stocking.

Happy Zella

Madeline taking a picture of Violet with her new camera from Santa.
She loves her camera!

Madeline modeling the "REAL" red lipstick she asked Santa for.

Miss Violet

My sister Karen and her family joined us for a Christmas lunch. We had a great, relaxing day. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas too!

Up next...Zella's 4th birthday.

Yours sincerely,
Lori

Christmas Eve 2010

2011-01-05T05:03:00.000-06:00

Sorry to bore you with the Christmas 2010 recap, but first and foremost this blog is my scrapbook/journal/place where I actually record what happens in our life.

Unless you are related to me. Then I'm sure you're not bored, but happy I posted some cute pics of my girls.

Well then.

On to the happy...

We had a very relaxing Christmas Eve. We made the decision a few years ago to try and not travel on Christmas Eve or Christmas day so we could start creating our own family traditions. It is nice to not have to hurry and rush everywhere.

My parents had all of their kids who live in Britt (3) and our families to their house on Christmas Eve day for lunch. They were very adorable and decorated their heated garage with Christmas lights, as small tree and a nativity scene for our little party. The kids thought it was so fun. We just spent some time together and had a good meal as usual.

Snuggling with Uncle "MN" on the couch

I was busy chasing Violet so I didn't get photos of anything else.

My parents headed to my twin sister Lisa's house and we headed home to open some presents. Violet goes to bed so early that it would be hard to open some after church.

But first I attempted to take photos in front of the tree. No one would cooperate for a group shot so I have up.

Madeline was a willing model...

Do you like my dress?

But no one was more excited than Zella (of course)...

Happy Zella

Then came Violet. She has a mind of her own (that's French for STUBBORN) and didn't want to have her picture taken. She wanted to open presents (and heaven help whoever stood in her way!)

Evidence:

I am NOT putting this box down!

Cute and stubborn

And then we moved onto presents...

MELMO!

Almost every gift the girls gave me made me cry. I am turning into my mother after all!

And then Travis got a hug that was better than any present:

After the hugs we headed to Aunt Karen's for appetizers and a mini Christmas party of our own.

Having fun with cousin Grace

Cousin Lily

Then off to church. We got ready for Santa, read "The Night Before Christmas" and headed to bed. It was fun to see how excited the girls were.

Right before Madeline fell asleep she asked, "Do you think I am on the NICE list? I'm pretty nice."

To be continued...

Gabrielson Family Christmas

2011-01-04T08:29:00.000-06:00

We had a great time at my family's Christmas celebration in early December. We have it at a hotel in Mason City since there are so many of us. It was the weekend of a big snowstorm here (a blizzard, really), and we all decided to go to the hotel the night before so we could get snowed in there instead of having to cancel our Christmas.

Unfortunately, my twin sister Lisa and her family couldn't make it because of the weather. We were all SO SAD they couldn't be there. I really missed Lisa, Chris and my seven nieces and nephews. It really wasn't the same without them.

My brother Kurt and his family were able to make it from Indiana and I'm very thankful for that!

We all had fun at the pool and playing games. It was nice to spend time together and eat good food. (My parents should hire themselves out for hotel cooking....we had a full turkey meal....like Thanksgiving)

Obligatory photos of our fun:

Grandpa and Violet

Swimming with Uncle Kurt

Travis making balloon animals for his nieces

Lily and Violet hanging out

Violet and Claire taking a break from dancing

Granny and Lily

Opening Christmas stockings

Violet has a chat with her new baby

Unfortunately a certain someone starting her terrible twos early (coughViolet cough) deleted a bunch of photos from my computer. (While she was on my lap. The girl is quicker than me I guess.) So I can't share all the photos I took.

The deleted photos can't be erased from my memory, and I will always remember what a great time we had together.

Yours sincerely,
Lori

Christmas Cookie Fun

2011-01-02T21:38:00.000-06:00

Zella working her sprinkle magic. (With her signature grin of course!)

Madeline takes cookie decorating very seriously. She likes to use multiple kinds of sprinkles for each cookie.

Vi's favorite part was playing with the sprinkle bottles/lids.

Showing off a small portion of their creations.

MIA

2011-01-02T21:23:00.000-06:00

I have been missing in action due to technical difficulties.

That's French for my computer broke, and then my Internet connection wouldn't work.

But let's not dwell on the past.

We had a great Christmas! Then three days later Zella turned four (!). We got back today from celebrating Christmas and birthdays with Trav's family.

So needless to say we are exhausted.

But happy.

A little preview of the happy...

Papa and his girls on Christmas Eve.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season!

Yours sincerely,
Lori

Five Things

2010-12-15T00:36:00.001-06:00

Five things I love about decorating the Christmas tree:

Zella exclaiming !!!! how each ornament is VERY SPECIAL to her. She declares a special memory for each ornament even if it isn't hers and she wasn't born when we got it.
Madeline recalling how COOL preschool was as she places the ornaments she made on the tree. It was so COOL she made a reindeer out of toilet paper tubes. And so COOL she made an ornament out of beads and a jello cup. Now that she is older and likes to HANG OUT it is so COOL to see what she used to do when she was little. (Sometimes she is 5 going on 13)
Watching Violet hang four ornaments from a single bubble light instead of a tree branch. It was her first time hanging ornaments and she thought it was very COOL and SPECIAL.
Travis wearing a Santa hat doing his job....handing the ornaments out to each girl and telling them about when we got them. We always collect an ornament when we travel.
Giving each girl Christmas pajamas at the end of our tree decorating party. They were almost as excited as I was.

Zella and Vi

Zella and Madeline reaching high

Papa is the official ornament hander-outer

Mama and Violet

Five ornaments on one branch. A new record!

Merry Christmas!

Recovering

2010-12-14T00:36:00.000-06:00

We have (mostly) recovered from the great coughing/sick fest of November/December. Hopefully.

Violet is now teething in full force again which is a bummer. She is still not feeling the greatest.

Last week Vi started yelling at me, "I GOTTA GO! I GOTTA GO!" and it turns out she was talking about going pee on the potty. I was surprised because my other two girls weren't interested in the potty at her age. She has continually gone potty about 4-8 times a day, even when she was sick. Hopefully this will last and I will experience no kids in diapers for the first time in almost SIX years.

(Must be time for another!)

Or maybe the potty is just a phase. Either way, it's fun to see how excited she gets when she goes.

Yours sincerely,
Lori

(Just when you thought I forgot about "yours sincerely", I throw it back in the mix. I'm ~~annoying~~ crazy like that.)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-08T00:03:00.000-06:00

Two out of three weren't camera shy...

Songs In My Head

2010-12-07T22:30:00.000-06:00

I must be singing this out loud more than I realize because Madeline was singing it today (with her version of the words, of course).

Miss Violet

2010-12-05T00:03:00.004-06:00

I know I keep mentioning the coughing. But. Oh. my. word. The coughing has been ridiculous.

I keep having coughing fits and Miss Violet will drop whatever she is doing to run over to me and say,

"You okay, Mama? You okay?"

She is an absolute sweetheart when she does this over and over each day.

She puts her hand on my back or face and gets such a serious look in her eye.

"You okay?"

And although this is a true picture of a little angel, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the flip side. I mentioned that she "drops whatever she is doing" to come and check on me.

However.

The "whatever she is doing" is generally naughty. Climbing on the dining room table and piano, pulling hair, stealing toys, throwing her baby and baby bottle at our heads, etc.

She is a wild one and I am exhausted.

But.

Then she comes over to me with such concern and care.

"You okay, Mama?"

Yes, Violet I am.

Violet and Mama. Feb. 2010

It's Been A Long Couple Days

2010-12-04T21:56:00.000-06:00

Oh my. Friday morning was spent taking all three girls to the pediatrician (30 miles away). Then the pharmacy.

Friday afternoon was spent holding crying girls and then taking myself to the doctor (3 blocks away luckily). Then the pharmacy. Again.

We all have sinus infections and I also have an upper respiratory infection. Ugh.

Today was the longest.day.ever. We were all crabby and not feeling well. Violet was sooooo naughty. Hair pulling, hitting, taking things away from her sisters. Zella couldn't stop herself from sticking her hands and feet in everyone's faces. Madeline was feeling the worst and was very emotional. (And by emotional I mean flying off the handle and crying for no discernable reason).

I spent the day just trying to deal. One of the hardest parts for me about being a stay-at-home mom is not having a sick day/day care. It is hard to take care of three littles all day and all night when you feel terrible.

Travis is deer hunting at my sister Lisa's house. We were all supposed to go but with fevers and the COUGHING (ugh) we just couldn't. Travis offered to stay home of course but I know how much he looks forward to this weekend all year.

I honestly didn't think bedtime was going to come!

So while I feel grumpy I know I still have a lot to be thankful for. Sure, I paid $60 in co-pays and $60 in medicine on Friday, I am THANKFUL for health insurance. Free health insurance, actually (THANK YOU Vestas!).

I am hoping we all wake up tomorrow feeling much better. I have been coughing for ten days and am ready to be done with it.

I hope you are having a great weekend!

The Cold/Cough is Winning

2010-12-01T14:08:00.000-06:00

We are sick. (Everyone but Travis). Coughing. Congestion. Runny noses. It is getting ridiculous. I am SO OVER this cough.

I have so much on the blog to catch up on. Thanksgiving! Black Friday! Old pics from our two camping adventures (spring and fall).

It's my own fault I am sick. I stayed up all night on Black Friday. I think the lack of sleep really did a number on my immune system. (But it was totally worth it. Best.Black.Friday.EVER.)

I hope we are over this soon.

Something to Think About

2010-11-28T15:12:00.000-06:00

We sang the hymn "Just As I Am" in church recently and one verse really stuck with me:

Just as I am though tossed about
          with many a conflict, many a doubt.

          Fightings and fears

           within without

           O Lamb of God I come.

                I come.

Thankfulness

2010-11-25T05:00:00.004-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! It's hard not to be thankful this time of year.

I have been counting my blessings all year. I haven't written about this on my blog, because I want to be respectful of privacy, but I feel the need to share. An immediate family member had a health scare in the spring that required a week of testing at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. It was a very scary and stressful time. Have you ever heard the saying, "It's all okay in the end. If it's not okay...it's not the end."? That totally applied. Everything is alright now, but it took months for things to go back to normal.

I am sorry to be so vague, but it is not my story to tell.

All year I have imagined the "what ifs". What if it can't be fixed? What if it's cancer? What if it is debilitating? What if I lose a loved one? What if everything is not okay?

And now that we are through this trial, I can't help but wonder...

What if I forget all that I learned? What if I forget to be thankful for my blessings every day? What if I neglect to tell my loved ones how much they mean to me?

I don't want that to happen.

I am so blessed. I have an amazing husband. Our marriage is eleven years old and in it for the long haul. He loves, supports and challenges me. (And he can drive me crazy too but the feeling is mutual.) We make a really great team. We don't always agree but we do always love one another no matter what. He accepts me for who I am and I am so thankful for that!!!!! He is a great father and provider.

I have three incredible kids. I'm not sure why God picked me to be there mama, but I really lucked out. They are all so funny, caring and VERY imaginative. We laugh every day. We cry most days too but I'll take the crying if I get to experience seeing their personalities develop. I'm not sure I know three funnier girls.

I feel very blessed to be a stay-at-home mom. Travis has made that dream come true for me and has never complained about it. (Even when we were on a VERY tight budget.) We waited a long time to have kids and I don't want to miss a thing. Of course I would like my "job" better if it didn't involve so much housework but who am I to complain? Three tornadoes follow me around as I try to clean each day but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We are very thankful for our families. They were with us supporting us through the health scare. They all helped out in lots of BIG and small ways. Mom, Dad, Stacey, Carrie, Kate, Karen, Lisa, Bonnie, Kurt, (plus spouses, nieces and nephews) we are so thankful to have you all in our life! We really appreciate all the support you gave us.

I am very thankful for my friends. They have been with me through ups and downs. They have supported me, uplifted me and loved me in my darkest times. I am so lucky.

I have watched helplessly the past few months while people very important to me have lost loved ones. It is hard to know what to say or do. Nothing I say or do can take away the pain. But what if we let their struggles change our life? What if we start TELLING and SHOWING people how much they mean to us? It would be a great way to honor those who passed.

So in honor of Brad and Irv I am writing this post today to let the people I care about know how much I love them.

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have a lot to be thankful for!

Lori

Fun/Not Fun

2010-11-23T13:59:00.000-06:00

Fun:
Eating supper with my parents and sisters who live here three nights in a row last week.

Not Fun:
We were free three nights in a row because Travis was in Portland, Oregon working. He was gone for four days. A couple weeks ago he went to Cuba* for four days so we have been missing him.
*Isn't that random? Vestas has four wind turbines on the base at Guantanamo Bay. For some reason they are in Trav's region and he is responsible for them. You know, because IOWA and CUBA are so close together, right?

***************************************

Fun:
Realizing what a strong bond Travis (Papa) has with all three of his girls.

Not Fun:
Realization occurred because all three were very upset he was gone. Violet cried out in her sleep for him in her raspy adorable voice.

***************************************

Fun:
Violet snuggling with me for hours on end. She has been on the move so much she doesn't snuggle as often.

Not Fun:
She's so snuggly because she is getting FOUR teeth at the same time. We're talking fevers, drooling crabbiness (slight understatement), sleeplessness...

****************************************
Fun:
Christmas shopping! I am almost done. Hopefully I can finish up on Black Friday and get wrapping. Now if I could just get my tree up...
Not Fun:
Where to store/hide all these presents???? We have been trying to declutter and all these tubs of gifts is not working for me.
**********************************
Fun:
Getting a new bathroom door and trim.

Not Fun:
The door breaking trapping Travis inside our bathroom. It took me a half-hour to get him out.
Who am I kidding????? I don't consider it NOT FUN. I consider it hilarious!

Yours sincerely,

Lori
(Did you think I forgot about the "yours sincerely"? No such luck.)

First Snow

2010-11-17T00:24:00.000-06:00

The first real snow this (almost) winter was absolutely beautiful. The weather was gorgeous. Not too cold, no ice yet, just big beautiful flakes and three eager girls. They couldn't wait to get out there and play!

Photographic evidence:

Madeline catching snowflakes.

Cheese!

Even Josie was having fun.

Vi and I in the fun mirror Travis put in the backyard.

Violet was unsure at first but decided she loved the snow.

Papa and Vi.

Two goofballs.

Zella

I really love living in a place that experiences four seasons. It is going to be a great winter!

Yours sincerely,
Lori

At Least I'm "Famous"

2010-11-12T00:16:00.000-06:00

Note to self: before going to vote make sure you are showered and presentable. Besides seeing everyone you know (bonus of small town living) there may be a photographer there taking pictures for the paper.

I opened the paper to find a small, unflattering photo of myself voting. I had to laugh when Madeline said, "Oh well, Mama. At least you're FAMOUS."

Just Like Papa

2010-11-09T23:29:00.000-06:00

Tonight Madeline was changing into her pj's in the living room. She was about to pull off her tights and she announced,

"GET READY TO SEE SOME LADIES UNDERWEAR!"

I can tell you that without a doubt she gets that from Travis.

Hilarious!

Have You Seen CUTER Costumes?

2010-11-08T01:12:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween from the Clendenen Family

2010-10-31T00:01:00.003-05:00

Yes, We Really Lived in a Truck Part 2

2010-10-26T23:37:00.000-05:00

Okay then. I have had requests of a pic of me circa truck driving years. I found one that showed our bunk area. (And Josie when she was younger and leaner.)

I'll have to do some more digging for additional pics. I remember taking a lot of cheesy photos of one another. Trust me when I say you'd like to see those!

Yes, We Really Lived in a Truck

2010-10-21T22:37:00.000-05:00

Here is Travis (circa 2003) in our semi-truck talking on the phone with our dispatcher. He was looking at the Qualcomm getting the information for a load by satellite. Pretty fascinating, right? I was sitting on the bed taking this picture anxious to find out where we were off to next.

How many miles?

It's fun to look back at pics from truck. I really wish we would have taken more.

Isn't he cute?

Yours sincerely,
Lori

(I know. AGAIN with the yours sincerely. Will it ever stop?)

Water Park Extravaganza/How We Spent Our 11th Anniversary

2010-10-19T12:12:00.000-05:00

We spent our anniversary with the girls at a water park hotel in Minnesota. We had such a great time! The girls LOVED the water park. And honestly? Travis and I loved it just as much. We are both kids at heart so this vacation was definitely a no-brainer for us. Water slides? Check. Lazy river? Check. Shooting hoops in the water? Check. Fun little kid area? Check. Oh, and hot tub? Checkity check.

Violet actually learned how to say hot tub and requested it often. It was fun to watch Madeline be so independent and fearless. And Zella tried some things even though they scared her.

Eleven years!

Eating popcorn in bed. The girls loved to break some rules in the hotel room.

Miss Violet

Our room was the whirlpool suite. Their favorite part was watching TV while taking a bath.

Game room fun.

Miss Madeline

Pool break

Mama and Vi

I had to pry Violet off.

Violet snuggling with Papa.

Ready for the road.

Zella was really good at this game.

Classic Zella. (Superstar!)

If you know Zella in real life, you know this pose is standard. She is hilarious.

The last night we were there we were at the water park from 3:15 to 7 pm when they closed. We ate pizza by the pool and spent the rest of the time in the water. We just couldn't pry ourselves away.

We also got to do a little shopping at the outlet mall and Cabela's while we were there. We found deals (a hobby of mine) and Travis even suggested I go shopping by myself during nap time. He is a smart man. :)

The girls were very well behaved and it was so nice to spend some time together. I'll never forget it.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Yours sincerely,
Lori

(Am I really going to keep writing yours sincerely? I can't seem to help myself.)

Cousins

2010-10-18T23:30:00.000-05:00

One of the best parts of moving back to my hometown is being near family. Two of my sisters live here too and it is a lot of fun to watch our kids grow up together. The weather has been gorgeous lately and we have been taking advantage of it.

I will miss this park when the snow hits!

From top to bottom: Claire, Zella, Madeline, Violet, Grace and Lily

Cousins!

Grace pulled Zella all the way from her house.

Gracie

Madeline and Lily

Miss Violet

Zella and Vi

Fun/Not Fun

2010-10-14T00:33:00.000-05:00

This week has just flown by. I seriously cannot believe it is Thursday. Each day has seemed like a roller coaster. You know, some fun/not fun moments throughout.

Fun:
Travis finishing his art studio that he has been working on for almost 2 1/2 years.

Not Fun:
Moving all of his art stuff out there. Art books are HEAVY. Oh, and bookcases are too. But I was motivated so I summoned up my super strength (or whatever) to help him get the job done. My back is still hurting. And by motivated I mean "so happy this @#&$^#^ project is done and this *$&#^$& stuff has a fabulous new home that is not in MY room". Just kidding (mostly).

Fun:
Finally having my own room in our house (that used to house T's art stuff).

Not Fun:
I have a lot of work to do in there before I can move anything in and we have been so busy I haven't gotten much done.

Fun:
Taking the girls to a beautiful garden with walking path/stream on a gorgeous day after Madeline's eye appointment.
Not Fun:
Learning at the eye appointment that we may be patching Madeline's eye in the near future. (This is a recent development.)

Fun:
Trying out "bento"* style lunches for Violet.

Not Fun:
Trying to get a 19 month old to eat/drink everything I put in front of her. Violet needs to gain some weight before her 2nd birthday and I have been trying everything I can think of. Any suggestions?

Fun:
Going to the park with my sisters who live here and watching my girls play with their cousins.

Not Fun:
Um, there really isn't anything "not fun" about that. It has been unusually warm here and we have been enjoying it.

Yours sincerely,
Lori

P.S. I still laugh every time I write "yours sincerely". I don't know why I think it's funny.

*I am a beginner at bento so my lunches aren't nearly as fun and creative as this web site.

Something to Think About

2010-10-14T00:14:00.000-05:00

You Guys...

2010-10-10T02:13:00.000-05:00

I am so excited. I just spent three hours helping Travis move into his new art studio. That he built himself. From a crappy one car garage someone gave him for free. Seriously.

It has taken YEARS to get to this point (and a lot of blood sweat and um, swearing on Trav's part(oh, and money. Because these kinds of projects always go over budget.)

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First of all, did you know that Travis can make nothing into something? Or crappy into amazing? For real? I am not exaggerating.

Case in point: THIS was the garage before:

I confess that my first thought when I saw this building was,
"Um, why are we putting an old rickety garage in our back yard?

The back view.

And then I saw the inside of the building:

And I thought, "So you're going create fine art in this thing?"

Of course, I kept those comments to myself. Because this guy:

A guy who always has a master plan.

Well, that guy can do anything. And he sees potential in things others don't. I sometimes get frustrated by this quality (i.e. keeping of what I see as junk for future projects), but usually he amazes me.

Check out how LITTLE the girls are when we got this garage.
Zella is on the left still in her tiny glasses, then cousin Grace and Madeline.
With Granny, of course.

It has taken a long time, but it was worth the wait. It's not completely finished, but here is an after (for now) of the outside of the building.

Wait until you see the inside. You will be amazed.

I am too tired to go take pictures. I'll probably wait until we get the rest moved in.

I'm so happy he will finally have this space for his own. Oh, and now I get the room that housed all this stuff in our house. So I'm happy for me too, Win, win, right?

Yours sincerely,

Lori

P.s. forgive the formatting issues. It is 2 a.m. and I am too tired to figure out why I can't fix it.

This Little Turkey...

2010-10-06T23:54:00.000-05:00

likes to eat crayons. Which is unfortunate because Madeline and Zella spend at least an hour a day coloring. It has become a daily battle to find stray crayons before Violet. Today? Violet won.

Something to Think About

2010-10-06T00:52:00.001-05:00

I came across this tonight and it was just what I needed to hear:

"Thank God not for your problems, but for the strength he is building in you through the difficult experiences of your life." -Life Application Study Bible

Dear Travis,

2010-10-02T05:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Anniversary! It is hard to believe we got married 11 years ago today. Eleven years! It feels like we have lived so much during our marriage. The "Des Moines years" the "truck driving years" and now raising a family together. I've figured out that...

We can. We have! We will.

We have taken so many leaps of faith together and I don't regret a single one.

I love you (always and forever). No. Matter. What.

Love,

Lori

P.S. Don't forget to click here and read the post from our 10th anniversary. Ever bit still holds true today.

TGIF

2010-10-01T00:28:00.000-05:00

Who could resist this grin?

Three Things....

2010-09-29T14:25:00.001-05:00

Three things I like about waiting for the bus each day after lunch:

1. Picking up every.single.toy. the girls have taken out in the morning so the toy room/living room is clean during rest time (otherwise known as LORI TIME).

2. Listening to Madeline and Zella play together and talk about how much they're going to miss each other.

3. Waiting outside on the steps once the chores are done and chatting.

Buried....

2010-09-28T23:08:00.001-05:00

in laundry. Still. We got home from a camping mini vacation on Sunday and I am STILL doing loads of blankets/sheets/sleeping bags/towels/clothes that smell like campfire.

We had a great time though. I have been so tired/busy that I haven't even uploaded the photos to my computer yet. Sooooo unlike me.

I'll share soon.

Oh, and Violet has kicked her rambunctious personality into high gear. I have literally been chasing her for the past week. (Literally. Chasing and lifting her down from things she has climbed up on.)

Oh, and Madeline gave me a half hour complain-a-thon about why she needs a cell phone of her own. SHE'S FIVE PEOPLE.

FIVE.

Lord help us.

Oh, and Zella has decided that hitting is an acceptable form of communicating her displeasure. Um, no. But on the bright side she makes up hilarious songs and sings them to me several times a day.

Oh, and we have a fun weekend planned for our 11th anniversary and so I must catch up on laundry and sleep. (And patience, per usual.) (And yes I actually say "per usual" in regular, everyday conversation. Ask my sister Karen. I probably say that to her at least twice a day.)

Ok. Enough randomness. Back to your regularly scheduled Internet browsing.

Yours sincerely,
Lori
(At Trav's work they have to write "Yours sincerely" at the end of each e-mail. I think it is hilarious and am stealing it for the blog.)

Something to Think About

2010-09-23T12:54:00.000-05:00

Backyard Fun

2010-09-22T00:40:00.000-05:00

The weather has been so nice lately. I am not a fan of the heat and humidity of August. I SO prefer cooler weather. We have been enjoying the backyard as much as we can before the snow arrives.

Favorite back yard activities include reading books in the hammock, playing with the cottage, and swinging.

Madeline was so relaxed she almost fell asleep.

Zella reading out loud. She does most everything out loud.

Violet LOVES this house.

Just a swingin'.

Snacking on an apple.

If I had to use a picture to describe Zella, I think I would use this one.

All I have to say to fall is BRING IT!

Sanity Savers/Songs in My Head

2010-09-21T00:23:00.000-05:00

I've been sick and Travis is out of town which is not a fun combination. If it wasn't for Skype and this song:

I would be crazy. This is my "go to" song lately when I need to get moving and get something done. Or if everyone is crabby and needs a dance party break.

What? You don't take dance party breaks in the kitchen to "dance it out"?

You should.

Homecoming Parade

2010-09-20T10:39:00.000-05:00

Madeline walked in the Homecoming parade for the first time on Friday. She was so excited to cheer for HER team. She walked around yelling "Go West Hancock Eagles!" all morning on Friday before school. It was a cute little parade and pep rally and fun to Miss Madeline. The cutest part was when Zella and Madeline reached out and touched hands when they saw each other.

We took the girls to the game which was fun. Only Madeline and Travis stayed for the whole thing. I had tired but happy girls that night!

Has it started yet?

Zella and Violet trying to patiently wait for the parade to start.

Meeting the Eagle.

Zella Goes to Preschool

2010-09-16T05:31:00.000-05:00

I wrote this the day Zella started preschool but forgot to post it. So here it is now...

Zella is starting 3-year preschool today. She can barely contain her excitement! She changed her outfit four times even though we had picked something out the night before. She told me she wanted to wear her sparkle skirt because she thought it was one of those "I'm gonna shine" days.

My sister Karen watched Maddie and Vi so I could take just Zella. She loved her locker and was super excited to see her teachers. There was only a brief moment where she wanted me to stay and play with her but it passed quickly.

She rode the bus home and thought it was (and I quote) "magical". Travis and I were so proud of her!

She LOVES the music and dress-up clothes stations, snack time and recess. She was thrilled to be a big girl and go to school like Madeline.

I missed her, of course, but am so excited for her. I had a big lump in my throat when I left. I'm not used to her being gone but I know it is good for her.

When Zella got home she said she had two words to describe preschool, "LOVE IT!" She is so funny and unique and I hope she never ever loses that about herself.

We're proud of you, Zell-bell.

Zella on her first day of preschool.

Showing off her kitty backpack from Aunt B.

Clendenen girls.

Too excited to smile for the camera.

Doing a puzzle.

Getting off the bus.

LOVE IT!

Madeline's Glasses

2010-09-15T13:22:00.000-05:00

Miss Madeline got glasses yesterday. She started going to K-prep every afternoon a couple weeks ago and has had a headache every day since. We weren't suprised when she needed them. Check her out in her new specs:

Loving her new glasses.

Side view.

Violet peeking around the corner...

Pretty, pretty.

She is excited about her "grown up" glasses case, cleaning cloth and lens cleaner spray. She seriously would not stop cleaning her glasses. I remember being excited about that too as a kid.

So Violet is now the only Clendenen girl in our family who doesn't wear glasses. Any bets on when she will start?

Fun/Not Fun

2010-09-13T15:45:00.000-05:00

Fun:
Everyone taking a turn in the hammock reading books.

Not Fun:
Screaming matches that involve "pushing my sister out of the hammock because it's my turn right now and I don't want to wait fights".
****************************

Fun:
Exchanging Summer clothes for Fall/Winter clothes. Everyone is excited ~~hand-me-downs from Aunt Lisa~~ new clothes to wear.

Not Fun:
Trudging up and down the stairs with tubs and tubs of clothes, tripping and re-injuring my foot.

*******************
Fun:
Picking out new glasses for Madeline*. She was an eye glass frame fashionista.

Not Fun:
Zella feeling sad she won't be the only girl wearing glasses. She showed me her sadness by having a full fledged tantrum/freak out in the eye Dr. office.

*We found out last week that Madeline needs glasses. More on that soon!

******************

Fun:
Going as a family to the city wide garage sales and finding deals.

Not Fun:
Pushing our luck by going out to eat and to a clothing store afterwards. It is amazing how loud/naughty three tired girls can be!

**********************

Fun:
Zella going to preschool. She loves it and has an amazing time!

Not Fun:
Zella is exhausted when she gets home. She has a hard time controlling her impulses and emotions for the rest of the day. (Read: she makes "naughty choices" and cries and screams a lot) It's hard to be 3 sometimes!

*******************

Fun:
Keeping a blog so I can remember both the big and everyday moments. I love looking at past posts and watching my girls grow up in pictures.

Not Fun:
Realizing I somehow missed posts for each of the kid's last birthdays. I am still going to post pics from them soon because I want to have them in one place.

Don't You Wish...

2010-09-12T23:40:00.000-05:00

Don't you wish you had one of these?

And maybe one of these????

And don't forget this one!!!

I'm sure you do. But I can honestly say I feel sad for you.

Because they're ALL MINE (And Trav's of course).

(wink, wink)

Pop Quiz:

2010-09-08T05:45:00.001-05:00

What little monkey has been making calls on my cell phone?

I just called to chat...

It is getting increasingly difficult to pry the phone out of her death grip. A glimpse into her preteen years? I just hope she doesn't use up all my minutes.

Kite Flying

2010-09-07T13:56:00.045-05:00

On Saturday morning it was pretty windy so we decided to go across the street to the Hobo Jungle and fly kites. (Um, I know it's weird, but there is a boxcar/park/shelter area across the street from our house. It's called the Hobo Jungle.)

Anyway, Travis got the kites up right away and then they both proceeded to break on their inaugural flight before I could snap photos. The girls were so sad. So Travis gets out this "stunt kite" he has. (I know what you're thinking....why does Travis have a stunt kite? Answer? I have no idea. He hasn't flown a kite since he was a kid. And although he knows how to fly kites, he isn't exactly stunt kite material, if you know what I mean. (And I'm not either for the record.)

ANYWAY, back to the story.

So after many, many attempts he couldn't get the stunt kite into the air. Perhaps not windy enough? Who knows. The girls were so sad.

So I went and got plastic grocery sacks and Travis tied some string to them. And that is the story of how we turned tears into laughter. (And exhaustion because they ran and ran and ran with those "kites!")

As usual, some photographic evidence:

The view of the boxcar from our house.

Vi "helping" Papa get the kite ready.

Zella flying her homemade bag kite.

Z running for lift off.

Madeline taking Josie and her "kite" for a spin around the jungle.

Taking a break with Papa in the grass.

Gazing at the box car.

Sister forever!

A scene that makes my heart melt every time I see it!

The End.

Something to Think About

2010-09-03T05:04:00.002-05:00

DO LESS

*DO LESS THINKING,
    and pay more attention to your heart.

*DO LESS ACQUIRING,
   and pay more attention to what you already have.

*DO LESS COMPLAINING,
   and pay more attention to giving.

*DO LESS CONTROLLING,
   and pay more attention to letting go.

*DO LESS CRITICIZING,
   and pay more attention to complimenting.

*DO LESS ARGUING,
   and pay more attention to forgiveness.

*DO LESS RUNNING AROUND,
   and pay more attention to stillness.

*DO LESS TALKING,
   and pay more attention to silence.

--Lee L. Jampolsky, "Smile for no Good Reason"

Songs in My Head

2010-09-02T05:12:00.000-05:00

I loved The Bangles when I was a kid. Had their poster in my room so that makes it official, right? When Travis got me a piano I dug out all of my old sheet music. I played this song for the girls and now it's one of their favorites.

Happy Birthday

2010-08-31T13:49:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Mom!

We love you!

Best Friends (And Goofballs)

2010-08-30T05:03:00.003-05:00

There is never a dull moment with these two around...

Miss Zella

2010-08-29T23:55:00.002-05:00

My baby is starting preschool tomorrow. Okay, okay. She is not a baby anymore. She's 3 1/2. I know she will love it but I will still miss her terribly. I took her on a special date a couple weeks ago to get her school supplies. I can't believe how fast she is growing up!

A Day at the Beach

2010-08-28T05:03:00.001-05:00

Grandma Marker (Trav's mom) and our niece Katelyn surprised us with a visit two weeks ago. We had so much fun. We spent the day at Clear Lake and had so much fun at the beach and splash pad. Except Violet. Turns out she hates sand all of a sudden. At least she enjoyed the splash pad and picnic!

Just a Phase

2010-08-27T06:04:00.004-05:00

Violet has been a mess the last couple weeks. It's all teething's fault, but I was honestly starting to wonder. Is her personality changing? What happened to my smiling, laughing baby?

I am happy to report Vi is back to normal. Thank goodness!

Some photographic evidence:

<><><><>

<><><><>

Learning new tricks

Cheese!

Blowing kisses

Laughing with Uncle Chris (aka Dr. baby whisperer)

Ask Lori Answers Part 2

2010-08-26T05:01:00.002-05:00

What is your least favorite part of parenting? And your fav part?

My least favorite part of parenting is discipline. It is hard to always be consistent. And who wants to referee he said/she said fights all day?

It is hard to choose one fav thing about being a mom. I love watching their personalities grow and develop. It is fascinating. I could never hear "I love you Mama" too much. Oh, and if snuggling were a sport the girls and I would be gold medalists.

What kind of job did you have before you were a sahm?

I used to work in public relations. First for an advertising agency in Des Moines, and then as the PR manager at United Way of Central Iowa. It was fun because at a non-profit I got to do a little of everything.

Do you ever miss having a job outside the home?
Ultimately, no. I miss some things...writing and designing, planning events. I miss having uninterrupted conversations with adults and being "in the know". Oh, and the paycheck. There have been soooo many times that would have come in handy!

Yet I have always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. And luckily Travis has always wanted that for our family too. We have had to make a lot of sacrifices but it has all been worth it. I am very thankful and lucky to be at home with the girls.

Songs in My Head

2010-08-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

Peggy Lee is one of my favorite female singers of all time.

Back to School

2010-08-24T23:59:00.000-05:00

Miss Madeline had her first day of Kindergarten-Prep today. She was a little nervous but ended up having a great time. She will be going every afternoon and can't believe she gets to go to school every day. There are 12 kids in her class.

Zella and I made her chocolate chip cookies for an after school snack. All in all a good day.

Add caption

I have the same picture of Zella and Madeline hugging last year. They always miss each other when they're apart.

Some links from last year (hard to believe how little they look!):
4 Year Preschool

We're proud of you Maddie B!

A Note to the Public

2010-08-23T19:00:00.008-05:00

Dear Public,

My apologies to the witnesses of my child(ren)'s recent temper tantrum(s). Honestly, they are normally well-behaved. But lately? Whew. Serious drama.

Please note that I do not give into temper tantrums. So while it may appear that I do not care that my kid is screaming/yelling/hitting/kicking/crying etc. etc. trust me when I say that I do. Inside I am dying a little. (and feeling mortified/horrified/petrified).

I have learned the hard way that if you give into a temper tantrum there will be more. Lots more. So I take a hard stand against them.

So if you are out and about and you see me ignoring a temper tantrum, just know that there is a method to my madness. Oh, and say a little prayer for my patience. Because it is probably on empty.

Yours sincerely,
Lori

Happy 40th Anniversary!

2010-08-22T22:17:00.000-05:00

My parents are celebrating their 40th (!) wedding anniversary today. We celebrated with them last weekend when my family was home for Hobo Days. Unfortunately my brother Kurt and his family were only here for a couple hours. Christa's Grandpa died and they headed back to Indiana right away. We were so sad they had to say goodbye to Grandpa Irv, and that they had to leave.

The rest of us went to church together and had a party for my parents afterwards. Just us. There was a lot of good food and a lot of laughter (as usual).

Some pics:

40 years!

Solien Family (Older sister Karen)

VandeLune Family (Twin sis Lisa)

Hiscocks Family (little sister Bonnie)

The Clendenen Family (goofballs)

Jack & Patti
(Jack is like a brother to me, he lived with our family when I was younger)

We had fun but missed my brother, Christa and the kids. When we are together again we are getting a professional family photo taken of all of us Can't wait!

You don't often see marriages last this long these days. Congratulations to my parents for riding out the highs and the lows to get to the big 40 years! They have been an amazing example to me and my siblings. I love you both.

Clendenen Family Reunion

2010-08-20T05:28:00.001-05:00

In July we attended a big birthday party/reunion for Trav's Grandpa Howard. He lives in a nursing home in Ankeny now and the reunion was held at a great park there. It was great to see everyone and meet second cousins too. We all had a lot of fun. Some pics of the day:

Question:

2010-08-18T19:30:00.000-05:00

Question: Why does Madeline think I'm the "Best Mom Ever"?

Answer: Because I let her take a shower in her dress.

I Don't Remember...

2010-08-17T21:15:00.000-05:00

the last time I was this busy. We have been going non-stop for a couple weeks. Mostly fun activities but some stress.

For instance, my baby has been teething. Except...instead of calling it teething I would rather call it constantscreaming/crying/tantrumthrowing/drooling/yelling/tickedoff/throwingthings/fever/rash/diarrhea/ hell. I feel bad for her. (And my patience. I feel bad for that too.) Poor kid gets wrecked over each tooth. And right now she's getting two molars and two teeth at the same time. I hope she feels better tomorrow.

Fun stuff: county fair, surprise visit from Grandma Marker (Trav's mom) and niece Katelyn for a few days, Hobo Days/ 200 person family reunion/family party for my parent's 40th wedding anniversary.

Hopefully I can get caught up on the blog once school starts next week.

More later,

Lori

Ask Lori Answers, Part 1

2010-08-09T05:00:00.001-05:00

I think I'll start with the e-mail questions so I don't forget those:

Are you done having kids?
We have always talked about having at least four. I don't think we're done but you never know. I'd love to have another baby, but am unsure of the timing. I like having kids close together, but I may need a little more time. Wow. That was pretty personal to share with the Internet, right?

Are you going to try for a boy?
Um, no. I don't like when people ask this question. If we have another, it's because we want another baby to add to our family. Boy or girl.

Where did you find the name Zella?
Travis had a great great Aunt named Zella. I was really unsure for most of the pregnancy about the name because it is unusual. But it totally suits her! Her unusual name, coupled with the fact she has worn glasses since 7 months old and her big personality makes Zella unforgettable!

What was your college major?
I majored in Mass Communication and Radio/TV.

What did you like/dislike about truck driving?
Well, the best part was making money and paying down student loan debt, to be honest. I never would have chosen to be a trucker otherwise. And ultimately I am still benefiting from being a trucker today. I do get to stay home with our kids. I never could have done that working at a non-profit in a city.

I loved seeing the country. I still feel very patriotic after getting to see 48 states. America really is beautiful. I loved the times we got to get out of the truck and explore.

I disliked a lot of things because it was hard. Really hard. I know lots of people who were born to drive truck and love it. Most of it didn't come very naturally to me and I hard to work hard at it. I literally got lost every day the first six months. I am not exaggerating. I got harassed a lot because I was a "little girl" who should let my "boyfriend/husband/dad" drive, back, fuel or bring in the paperwork. I got really tired of hearing on a daily basis why I shouldn't/couldn't drive a truck. I developed quite an attitude about it. (And found myself telling others what I thought about their assumptions. I had never really been like that before.) I really hated cranking down the landing gear on old rusty trailers. That alone could ruin my mood and make me swear.

There were things I started to enjoy after some time. Like backing into a hard dock while people watched and yelled at me that I couldn't do it. (Because lots of times I could and it felt good to prove them wrong.) Or unloading a trailer (which we didn't have to do too often) because it made me feel strong. I really liked trip planning and becoming friends with the people who worked at the yards.

Overall I would say that I loved truck driving because it taught Travis and I a lot about ourselves and our relationship. We have lots of good memories and lots of horrible stories, but no matter what we always had each other.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Both and it gets me into trouble. I can stay up super late every night. But as I trucker I became a morning person too because of the schedule I drove. So now I have the problem of staying up way too late and getting up too early sometimes. Makes me tired but it's my own fault.

Something to Think About

2010-08-07T18:52:00.001-05:00