Thankful Thursday 10/30/2008

1. Three moms + Anna volunteering to help with Christopher's party

2. A husband who is also a magician.

3. Halloween candy. I love it.

4. Cheap pumpkins.

5. Aldi's special buys.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Lately I've been feeling like such a spacey mom. It seems like I can't remember anything and I keep doing all kinds of boneheaded things. I guess I need some B vitamins or something.

Last weekend, Spencer was the recipient of his class' traveling bear. Traveling bear is a small stuffed bear that visits each kindergartner's home throughout the year. He stays overnight and brings books and a journal for the kindergartner to write about what he/she did with traveling bear. Spencer was thrilled about having TB visit our house. He came home on Friday, so Spencer was lucky enough to have him for an entire weekend and not just overnight. TB went with us shopping and to the football game and to church on Sunday. Each time we went out with TB, I made sure that Spencer was taking care of him. On Sunday, when we got home Spencer went to find TB and he wasn't in the diaper bag. We started searching all the church bags and under the seats in the car. No TB. I knew he was with us during Sacrament Meeting and then I told Spencer to put him in the diaper bag before he went to Primary. I started to panic. What if he decided to take him with him to Primary and lost him? What if Cameron grabbed him and took him to Nursery? I was going to be the mom who lost TB. I was going to be branded...labeled. I could hear people whispering and pointing..."That's the mom who lost TB. It's because she has all those kids. That's what happens when you have too many; you lose TB." We all said a prayer that TB would be found and I sent a note in with Spencer to his teacher that TB was MIA but we were looking. I decided to go over to the church Monday morning, just to see if we left him. I figured the building would be locked but to my surprise it was open. Thank you to whomever was practicing the organ that morning! I went to the lost and found first but he wasn't there. Then I went to our row. There he was, face down on the floor exactly where we were sitting. I've never been so happy to see a stuffed animal! I picked Spencer up that day and took TB to his teacher. She laughed and told me that she bought 10 identical bears just in case one ever got lost. I was relieved! Smart teacher.

Shopping has become even less fun since Lizzie's birth than it was before. The carts are not equipped properly for me. The baby bucket goes where I used to put Cameron. I've been putting Cameron in the basket. It isn't working very well. Usually he throws out anything I put in there. Or sits on it. Or stacks it and gets made if it falls downs. Today he fell out backwards. I felt totally retarded. There are a million warnings on the cart: CAUTION! DANGER! DON'T PUT YOUR KID IN HERE! Did I listen? Nope and out he falls and screams and everyone in the store was looking at me thinking, "Can she even read? The cart says don't put your kid in there." If I don't put him in the basket, then he runs away from me. (Stacie, you are not alone. Cameron is trying my patience like crazy lately. Just hang in there. It gets better...eventually. :)) I left the store vowing to never go back with the two of them. It just doesn't work. Sometimes I wish I never had to leave the house. Sometimes after having been away, I'll just sit in the car for a minute dreading having to haul all my stuff and my kids in the house.

I am such a crappy housekeeper. My husband is such a great one. I wish we could switch places sometimes. He knows how to take care of everything and never forgets anything. Our tub floor has been a yucky gray color for a really long time. He took a go at it and now it is sparkling white. He took the blinds down and washed them. He vacuums twice a day. Once before he leaves for the day. He makes the bed. He wipes out the microwave daily. What's wrong with me? Why can't I get it together to do this stuff so he doesn't have to? It's all I can do to take care of the kids, fix meals and do the laundry. I wish I was more like him in this area.

Yesterday our stupid dog got out of the yard twice. I hate her. She will not listen to me and come home so I have to call Chris and put him on speakerphone so he can yell and her and get her to come back in. I wish I could be on the other end in his office watching him yell at the dog through the phone.

Look at Me!

Some funny pictures I found:

Anna looking alot like Lucy.

Sister, I'd like to present our miracle baby. I'd like to dedicate her life to the Lord.

Nice haircut, Jenny Ballard.

Halloween circa 1985. Aren't we a riot? **clown hat looks a little like Slash hat from Guns N Roses**

My friends and I in High School.

What's Happening, Hotstuff?

We've had a busy week here at the burrow. Halloween parties, playgroups, football games and other fun events have taken place over the last few days. It's fun and fast-paced!

The ward Halloween party was last Friday. Our kids had fun getting candy and playing games. They all wore very unique costumes this year. I didn't get great photos of them, but I will get some on Halloween this Friday.

Lizzie found her thumb.

Calvin the Ninja eating a doughnut.

Christopher wore my dad's Vietnam Army uniform.

Lizzie the Cat

The Modern Stoneage Family. Anna made these costumes. Isn't she so creative??

Emily the QB.

Spencer the Pirate.

Cameron as Thomas the Candy Eating Tank Engine.

We had fun at playgroup this week. It was at Miller Park, which was a really nice park but had no parking. That was annoying. Cameron had fun playing with his friend Jacob and has been going around the house saying, "Jacob on fire engine." He had a really fun time. Lucy was there too and it is cute to see her doing her orangutan walk.

Saturday was the playoffs for the Plymouth Canton Steelers football program. Calvin's team won their game and they are the Junior Freshman Champions of the league. Way to go!! Christopher's team also won and they go on to round 2 of the playoffs this Sunday. Nice job, JV team!

Lizzie's view of the game.

Lizzie is growing like crazy. She will be three weeks old tomorrow. It is unbelievable! She is already getting big. She is almost too big for her newborn diapers and I've noticed that her newborn clothes are too short in the sleeves. I love newborns so much and the time with them little flies by way to fast for me. I don't even mind the sleep deprivation so much. I just love holding the tiny bundle of baby against my chest and petting her pretty hair. In a few months, she'll be squirming away from me. *sigh* Lizzie reminds me so much of Christopher as a baby. Even her personality is like his: always wanting to suck on something but not a fan of the binki yet, always wanting me to hold her just like he did. I really need to get one of those baby sling things that you attach to yourself. She is still sleeping with me so that I get some sleep. I did put her in the cradle one night and she slept in there for a whopping 1 hour and 47 minutes. It was heaven to have my whole half of the bed to myself for a brief moment.

Weekly Top Five 10/27/2008

Top Five Favorite Horror Movies

1. Psycho

2. The Shining

3. Silence of The Lambs

4. Misery

5. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Article About Lizzie in Lansing State Journal

Productive lives

WESTPHALIA - On Oct. 7, Elizabeth Gloria Vos was born to Jennifer and Chris Vos of Plymouth, making her the 100th - yes, 100th - great grandchild of 91-year-old Margaret Platte of Westphalia.

Platte's daughter, Mary Lou Russell of Lansing, provided the formula that yielded 100 great grandchildren:

Margaret and Norman Platte had 12 children. Those 12 teamed up to produce 65 offspring, who have, in turn, made 100 babies.

So far.

Call John Schneider at 377-1175, send a fax to 377-1298 or e-mail jschneid@lsj.com.

Thankful Thursday 10/23/08

1. Salt

2. gifts

3. The Mentalist

4. Coldstone gift cards

5. MSU

Random Thoughts by Jennifer Vos

Why can't we all take off our masks and be ourselves? I like it when people are themselves. I like being around people where I feel comfortable being myself. Why are we afraid to share who we really are with those around us? Is it because we are afraid of being rejected? It is a very scary thing to put yourself out there. I admit that sometimes when some people share too much or show their true self too much...I get nervous. There aren't very many people that I can show my true self to all the time. Chris, Anna and a few close friends are about it. I'm lucky to have a really great visiting teacher/friend. Several months ago, I took a chance and revealed to her some of the things I was struggling with and was met with a very sympathetic ear. I am thankful for her.

Sara, your comments on my blog always are so thoughtful. There was one in July that was the impetus for some very important changes in my life. I know I've never told you, but I really appreciate what you say to me via blog comments. Thank you!!

I am disaster prone. I was watching "Worst Week" this week and I was thinking that I am like the main character, Sam. I break things all the time. Magic tricks, walls, end tables...nothing is safe. I drive cars and they fall apart. On Monday, I took Anna to the doctor. I had to park in the parking garage. Our big van barely clears the ceiling and the YM borrowed the van for a trip and put a luggage rack on the top. And didn't take it off. And I forgot about it. Part of it was completely ripped off. The piece still on is all bent up. I don't even know whose it is. :( Yesterday I accidentally dressed Christopher in Calvin's pants. Didn't notice it until after school. He looked ridiculous.

My baby smells absolutely delicious.

They say you are homeschooled jungle freak who's a less hot version of me.

I know you will find this hard to believe, but I wasn't always a nice person. In the 6th grade, I called Jennifer Schoviak a "big mac" behind her back. I was supposed to be her friend. She found out from someone else and I did apologize to her eventually. In the 8th grade, I was mean to my friend, Chris Braham. I would intentionally leave her out because she wasn't as "cool" as I thought she should be. In 10th grade, I did the same thing to a girl named Erika Buri. The dumb thing was, I really liked Chris and Erika but I always wanted to be friends with someone cooler or more exciting. It was really stupid. In the 11th grade, I stopped being friends with my dearest friend of my life for a whole year because of some really dumb reasons. Finally, in the 12th grade, I saw the error of my ways and was determined to be a nice person. I have really tried since then to not leave people out, to talk to people who are different from me and to be more tolerant. However, the girls I wronged and their feelings and the way I treated them haunt me to this day.

When Anna was in high school there were certain girls (*cough* Bryn *cough*) who drove her nuts. She didn't want to be friends with them. I would always tell her my Erika Buri story and counsel her to be nice to everyone because if she was mean to other girls it would bother her forever. I think it sunk in because Anna was always a nice person. Proof of that was her election to the May Crowning Court in both 8th grade and 12th grade. This was not a popularity contest. This was your peers voting for the person who most exemplified the qualities of Mary, Mother of Jesus. Anna really exemplifies someone who cares about peoples feelings. I felt really good that I was able to steer her towards niceness through my mistakes as a youth.

I guess I am now getting my payback for my meanness as a girl because poor Emily has girls being mean to her. It's very dumb junior high behavior: just stopping being her friend for no reason, leaving her out of conversations, not talking to her...basically making her feel like crap. She comes home from church activities and school crying about how bad other girls make her feel. It breaks my heart for her and turns my mind towards Jennifer Schoviak, Erika Buri and Chris Braham's moms. They probably really hated me. I know how they felt because today when I picked up Emily from the bus and saw some of the Mean Girls, I wanted to run them over with my car. I really want them to hurt like Emily is hurting. I keep reminding Emily that she is great and to look for other friends and that these Mean Girls are no good.

I was a lucky Mean Girl. I saw the error of my ways before it was too late and even tried to rectify some of my meanness with those I hurt. I have not been mean in a really long time. I hope the girls who are treating Emily so poorly will have similar epiphanies in their lives before too long.

***Writer's Note***
Chris didn't like this post. Said I made myself sound really awful. I hope you all don't think I'm a horrible person. I just had my moments of meanness. Usually I was nice.

Weekly Top Five 10/20/2008

Top Five Favorite Star Wars Movies in Order from Love to Hate

1. Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back

2. Star Wars IV: A New Hope

3. Star Wars VI: The Return of the Jedi

4. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith

5. Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace

6. Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner

Random Lizzieness:

Lizzie's favorite restaurant is Mancy's. She loves the clown and the crablegs.

Taking a nap in her pretty church dress.

Liz lost her cord stump this morning and got a bath first thing today. She didn't cry or fuss at all. She just looked a little confused about the whole thing.

So everyone can call me a freak and a brainiac? No I ain't down for no spelling bee.

Emily with her sign.

On Wednesday, The Plymouth Literacy Council held their annual Community Spelling Bee. For the 6th year in a row, I participated on the Plymouth Rotary Club's team, the Sedulous Spellers. We didn't do very well this year. I think we were the 7th or 8th team eliminated out of about 15 or 16 teams. I'm not a great speller but for some reason the Rotarians think I am some kind of spelling genius. They ask me every year to do the bee for their team. I don't mind but I get really embarrassed up on stage having to spell.

Emily and my mother-in-law get really into cheering for our team. This year Emily brought her french horn and bugled along with the cheers. She made posters and our cheering section was really loud. As a result, she won the Spirit Award and a prize basket filled with chocolate, goodies and gift certificates to Michigan Made. Nice job, Emily!

The Sedulous Spellers: Russ Jones, Me and Art Butler

Emily getting ready to play her horn.

Lucy, do you know your horn is backwards?


Emily with her prize. Calvin getting in on the picture action.

Our kids receiving the Spirit Award from Carol Saunders.

Thankful Thursday 10/16/08

1. Homemade Strawberry Jam

2. 4 hours of sleep in a row

3. Nice lady at AT&T

4. Mrs. Visser

5. Overcoming my addiction to Word Whomp

It's Alive!!

Conversation with Spencer today:

Spencer: Did Jesus make our bodies?

Me: Yes (Didn't want to get into a whole technical discussion about conception with him)

Spencer: Did He make giants?

Me: No

Spencer: Who did then? Scientists? Is it a potion?

Me: Giants aren't real.

Spencer: What about monsters? Did He make monsters?

Me: Monsters aren't real either.

Spencer: I saw a vampire once.

Me: Really? Where?

Spencer: I can't remember but he said Jesus made him.

There was what, no one at the mutant hamster races, we only had one entry into the Madame Curie look-alike contest and he was disqualified later.

Emily had a science project that was due while I was in the hospital having Lizzie. She had to come up with a creative way to model the earth's layers. She and Anna chose to do it with food. She used a sucker, rice crispy treats, brownies and frosting. She did a great job and out of a possible 35 points, she got 37! Great job, Emily!!

Weekly Top Five 10/13/2008

Top Five Favorite Pizza Places

1. Giordano's in Chicago

2. East of Chicago in Toledo

3. Bilbo's RIP

4. Hungry Howies in Plymouth

5. California Pizza Kitchen

It's not a tumaaaa

We got some very good news today regarding Chris' dad. Recently, his doctor found a spot on his lung that looked suspicious. After many tests and sleepless nights, the tests came back negative for cancer. He will have to have the spot removed and that will involve surgery, but it is not cancer or malignant or the worst thing imaginable. We are so thankful for our blessings!!

I notice these things are back in fashion.

Last night, Lizzie wore the traditional Vos sleep sack to bed. Chris' mom saved them from Jeff and Chris and handed them down to me when Emily was born. They are nothing fancy; just a Carter's sleeping gown. But, they are so special to me. Daddy wore them and all the kids from Emily to Lizzie have worn them now. It's hard to believe that something 38 years old could hold up and still be soft but they are. Lizzie also slept in the cradle that my dad made for me when I was born. And, yes, she did sleep a little!

Two funny things:

Spencer was quite taken with Lizzie's method of eating and is convinced that I am now, in fact, a cow.

Why do men think that just because they didn't shave for three days in the hospital that they should now grow a beard? CHRIS, I DON'T LIKE THIS THING...AND HERE'S WHAT I'M DOING WITH IT!!!! If you want a kiss, it had better come off!

Thankful Thursday 10/9/2008

1. Inventor of Epidural...want to kiss him!

2. My own mattress.

3. Midwifes and great nurses.

4. Miracle blanket.

5. All my blessings.

Hey, can we get my kid the d*** spinal tap already?

So, I like to hear all the exciting birth details. If you aren't up for it, stop reading now 'cause I'm relating the birth of Lizzie highlight by highlight.

I was admitted to hospital at 8:15pm on Monday night. The midwife checked my cervix and it had NOT CHANGED SINCE MY APPOINTMENT TWO WEEKS AGO!! What a crazy cervix I have. They gave me some kind of gel on a string (Cervadyl?) to get things moving. I had the gel all night. I had to be on baby heart monitor and contraction monitor. Baby kept moving and hiding from monitor and so the nurse would come in every three minutes to reposition it. I got a great night's sleep. They wanted to take out the Cervadyl around 9AM and went to do so but it was gone. I guess it disappeared! So they were going to break my water. But there was no bag. I guess it already broke! I got hooked up to the Pitocin and they put an internal monitor on baby's head cutting out the every three minute reposition which was nice. However, contractions were much stronger at this point. I was breathing through them and doing ok. I got a shot of Morphine which did NOTHING!! I knew I had had it when the sound of Chris' voice made me want to puke and throw heavy objects at his head. I had the midwife check me and I was at an 8. At that point, I threw in the towel and got the epidural. It was the most wonderful thing I ever did. I am wondering why does it have to take so long to get it installed and going? I feels like hours! I told God I could make it through 4 more contractions at that pain level and then I was going to give up. He only made me endure 4 more before the meds kicked in. Baby was not happy with any position I would lay in and let us know it by slowing her heart rate way down. Midwife said time to push. I did 4 good pushes and on the 5th, she shot out like a rocket. I'm not kidding. I could tell I was so close and I just gave it everything I had. After she was born, they realized she had aspirated the meconium which they didn't know before because no water came out to check the color of. The peds team was slow in arriving to our room and when they finally got in, it was such a bustle of activity. She was a little white and blue and was not making any sounds. I was so worried but the midwife kept telling me she was okay. And she was. They just needed to work the meconium up out of her air passageway. Pretty soon she was in my arms, a sweet little bundle of joy. We spent a few hours snuggling and then the kids arrived. They were all very excited and very well behaved for the visit. Lizzie brought them all a Webkinz and they were excited to get that too. I don't know how she managed to fit all those in there with her but she did. We spent Wednesday holding Lizzie, ordering hospital room service and watching daytime TV. (UGH. There is nothing on!) On Wednesday night, I was released from hospital but Lizzie had to stay until Thursday morning, so they moved us to another room called "Nesting Room." This is code for really hot broom closet. Grammy came to meet her 8th grandchild on Wednesday night but had to endure the broom closet with us. On Thursday, the powers that be proclaimed us mother and father and daughter and we were sent home for better or worse never to part. We had a wonderful welcome from Anna and Lucy and Cameron and some very cute signs on the door. Anna stayed with the children for 4 days and 3 nights. She did a super job, even completed a science project with Emily. I really cannot say thank you enough to her for what she did for me.

I am so happy to be home. Happy to have Lizzie here. Feeling a little emotional, but ready to be mom to 6!

Dearest, loveliest, Elizabeth

Miss Elizabeth Gloria Vos made her arrival on October 7, 2008 at 6:16 PM. She weighed in at 7lb. 3oz. and is 20 inches long. She is perfect and beautiful and wonderful! She looks a little like Cameron and Emily and a lot like Christopher. We are having so much fun enjoying her. Enjoy the pictures!

The Whole Vos Crew!!

Little Lizzie

Dad and Lizzie

The sisters

CV and Lizzie

Calvin loves her!!

Spencer and Lizzie

The sweetest of kisses

Lu and Liz

Grandchild #8

Heading for home

Anna with Lucy and Lizzie