http://havigs.wordpress.com

While this has been a wonderful "starter home", it is time for me to spread my wings and enter a new realm of blogosphere.  I love the "gadgets" that the "new fangled homes" have and since I am not specifically homeschool oriented in my blogging, I think it might be time to move along.   I'm keeping Blogelle because I really want to expand that but my memories blog and my family blog are moving to wordpress.com

December, 1989- 20 month's old

October 6, 2007

Sisters... sisters... there were never such...

I love this picture.  Challice made a prairie outfit complete with bonnet.  Andra looked like Hollie Hobbie in one of the pics but it is this one that captured my attention...

Ok, ok, since I mentioned Hollie Hobbie...

All she needs is a stack of books and a leather belt.  Oh, apple for the teacher of course!

Braelyn bought the Canon Rebel XTi in late July.   We just got her first good lens- the Canon EF 50mm 1.8 lens.  These are the first shots out of the camera.  I think they're excellent!  I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.  Soon she'll have her own website.... 

Braelyn Rae Photography

http://www.lornasroses.com/blog/lornaclip.MOV

For grandmas, aunts, uncles, friends, and Lornas fan club,   We decided to film a little clip of her tonight.  I'll add another one or two tomorrow.

Three years ago, I woke up around 2:30 a.m. and realized that I was probably in labor.   I puttered around the house trying to let Kevin get all the sleep possible.  After all, he had a headache and was tired.  I posted on my favorite boards and kept them updated with the latest contractions and my absolute frustration and irritation that I couldn't find the bean bag chairs and the blue towels.  I specifically wanted those blue towels.  (Nice and dark, no stains showing on them suckers!)  My grey towels were brand new and light.  Not exactly birthing towels.

I finally gave up and woke up Challice.  She didn't have a clue but was excited to know things were happening.  She took over the updates for me.  It was now around 5:30.  I gave up and woke up Kevin.  I then learned that the beanbags were thrown away and apparently every blue towel in this family was dirty.  We gathered all the stuff together, I built a huge leaning post on my bed, and geared up for the birth.

6:00 a.m.  I realized the kids would need to get out of here.  They can't go to the bathroom without walking past my door.  I need the bathroom a lot during labor.  Nope, get the kids out of here NOW.  We called Robin Blair and she came and took the kids home.  After she left, Kevin asked who was coming to help.

Help?  I was supposed to get you help wasn't I?  oops!  (I had a bad bad bad time remembering basic things like bill paying and food consumption that pregnancy.)  I sent Challice down to get our neighbor Lynn who had volunteered to help in any way she could.  Challice raced down the street in her PJs.  (She's seen too many movies where if you don't RUN you'll be too late.  If labors were only that simple.

It was now 6:30 a.m.  You don't want to know how many trips to the bathroom I'd had by now.  Let's just say that I remembered why I LOVE indoor plumbing.  Robin Blair returned and was here by 6:45.  At 6:49 I demanded food.  At  6:50 Lorna was born.  Bless her darling little heart, she was the ugliest little thing in those first few minutes.  Thankfully, she didn't look like an alien from Doctor Who for very long and we have many adorable pictures of her since.

Since birth, her timing has been impeccable. If we said something funny, she smiled.  If we said we were out of ice cream, she frowned. She wailed at just the right times in Pastor Neipp's sermons and giggled often enough to keep him smiling.  She just has that talent.

Several of our children seemed to develop their personalities around ages two to four.  It took Lorna about two to four days.

Happy Birthday Rosy Lorna... you delight us in so many ways!

Big sister Braelyn took these pictures but insists that we try it again next week.  She wasn't pleased.  Snort. 

After the photo shoot, they came home and we had the very delicious and nutritious meal of chicken nuggets and chips.  (Man I HAVE TO GET WELL).  After which there was mud pie from Baskin Robbins.  She thought blowing out the candes was the funniest thing EVER. 

After this, we opened gifts.  This was hysterical.  Lorna opened her first gift, a little Kelly doll from Hannah Lloyd.  She played happily with this but Jenna was eager to give her another package.  Braelyn's.  She immediately stuck the red bow from the package on her head.  Bows go in the hair you know.  Braelyn gave her  I'll Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch.  We've worn out two of these books.  This is an absolute favorite book.

Then the fun really began.  There were stickers in the package.  She promptly slapped one on the back of her hand.  She started to open the book but saw her doll.  She reached for the doll but before she could play with it and read her book another package, from Challice, slid in front of her.  She started opening that package.  Inside was a new dress and jumper.  She wanted it on immediately so of course, she stripped.  Right there, at the table.  We've gotta work on that modesty thing just a little bit longer.

The dress was a midge *cough* big but she wore it like a ball gown.  Maybe that's what she thought it was, I don't know.  Ball gowns with pumpkins.  Happy thought indeed.  Then a bag with a Disney princess on it was plopped in front of her.  Now she had clothes to wear, puzzle (came wth dress) to play with, doll to hold, book to read, stickers to stick...... AAAAAAAKKKKKKKk what's a kid to do?!

She opened the bag of course.  Tissue paper flew out of the bag at lightning speed.  Whatever was in the bag (I never got to see!  hee hee) flew out wrapped in tissue too.  Once the bag was empty she looked at it, slightly confused, and then slipped it on her arm.  Must be a purse.  They finally retrieved the actual gift for her but by now Andra had passed off another package.  Lincoln Logs from mom and dad.

You should have seen it.  She's trying to read a book, play with a doll, slip on a bag, hold the stickers and that other thing, AND play with Lincoln Logs.  At the same time.   I must say the look of relief when she glanced at the the upper shelf in the living room was comical.  Later she looked again as if she was ready for round two   Thankfully for all of us, there was no round two.  I cannot imagine how that child coud have opened anything else at that point.  That is the advantage and disadvantage of having older siblings who have ready cash.  Birthdays and Christmas have more "stuff" attached.  But as one who loves to give myself, I have to just shut my trap and let them enjoy giving. 

It was a great day.  G'night.

This must be the hidden gift in the tissue!

Just had to share this ticklefest moment.

1.  It proves that Kevin isn't always a cycling mad scientist.

2.  It shows what happens daily around here.  Kevin is quite the tease.

Ok, you all know we're a little weird.  That won't surprise anyone.  One of our many quirks is the general disdain for band-aids.  I learned it at home.  Wounds need to "breathe" to heal and all that jazz.  Later, when I became a mom, I just never bought them.  My children, the improvisers that they are, would get a cut or scrape and just go to the bathroom, wad up some toilet paper, and slap it on the wound until it quit bleeding.   Don't ask who got the idea in the first place or why but hey, it works.  So, with that in mind...

Picture the scene:

Lorna skips merrily through the hallway.  Lorna falls flat on her face/shoulder.  Lorna wails.  Lorna stands up again and screams.....

wait for it....

You know what is coming....

TOILET PAPER!!!!

Yes... only in the Havig house would injury to a shoulder produce a cry for TOILET PAPER.

Proof you ask?  Ok.... how's that little baby... it was even funnier in the hallway with the swamp cooler making the TP flutter like leaves in the breeze.

I love the first one.... WOE IS ME....

SNORT.

They say a picture is worth 1000 words.  Well, I'd love to just let the pictures do the talking but I can't.

First, this bathroom was absolutely disgusting.  The paint was peeling, the walls had small holes from where old things hung, and of course, not to be outdone, the door knob made a huge hole in the wall when we removed the bottom molding 3 years ago.  (forgot to put it back.  BAD MOVE)

The shower also is getting new caulking and a DEEP SCRUB.  Just in case you were curious.

Here is my eldest son, not quite 13 yet, patching holes and painting the bathroom.  I have included a picture of my mad scientist looking husband as he taped up the wires and measured for a new fixture.

Today they will finish the south wall and the west wall for sure.  The east wall (the one with the window) is almost completely done now... I need new pics)  The North wall still has some patching and stuff to do.)  Then they'll go get my beadboard!

Look at this sweet little girl.  Isn't she the picture of innocence and charm?

One would never guess that this grin is due to finishing her math book and that she will RACE to the trash can and deposit said book into the abyss of refuse created by our family .  It's a tradition.  What can I say?  Every family has one, this is one of ours.

Kids LOVE finishing school work around here.  Snort.

Wow... my little Davey Crockett!  I brought home new clearance cammo shorts and t-shirts and this is what we saw a bit later.  What you can't see is the result of the great tree attack.

Yes, you read that right.  You see, it all started with a dead tree.  That's right.  Tree.  Nineteen years ago when we moved into this house, the fruitless mulberry tree in the back yard had those weird bores in it.  It was dying.  We couldn't save it so we didn't try.  The kids loved climbing it but about eight years ago it finally gave up all hope of ever turning a new leaf again.  Apparently it's been rotting all that time.  I figured it was. 

However, I had no idea how far advanced the decay was until Saturday when Kevin came in and said that he'd leaned against it and heard it crack.  He decided to push it over before some child tried to climb it and got hurt in the process.  Smart guy, my husband.  Well, sure enough, he went out there, sawed off a limb or two (so they didn't pull down power lines with the tree) and then pushed the tree right over!  The children were all amazed at their daddy's brute strength.

Lorna raved about it for some time.  She kept insisting that I come see the "all down tree".  I wonder if she meant "Fall down tree"?  Sometime that afternoon, Nolan and Ethan got it in their heads to knock the twigs and such off of the tre limbs and break it up for firewood.  Being city boys, they had no axe.  Being clever kids, they found something to do the job anyway.  Baseball bats.  Wielded properly, they destroyed twigs and crunched limbs beautifully. 

Unfortunately, some pieces of wood were a bit too hale and hearty to succomb to the pressure of a blow from a baseball bat.  Ethan found that out the hard way.  He whacked.  The tree held firm and bounced that back right at him... and into his eye.  He had quite a huge goose egg.  I've learned since Jenna's accident that goose eggs are actually good things.  Apparently with a goose egg there is a smaller chance of concussion (or so the ER docs told a friend of mine with one that lasted over a month!).

So, a few days later, we finally got pictures of the infamous eye and what is left of the goose egg.  Isnt it funny how that bump and his eyebrow makes it look like he got stitches?  He didn't.  Just a well "shadowed" eye.  I told him that generally we leave the eye shadow to the girls.  He was not amused.  I also told him that washing around his eye might hurt but I promised that washing chili from his chin wouldn't cause a smidgeon of pain.  He is now chili chin free but unfortunately you don't get to see the picture of his non-chili-chin-chin.

One bruised but not beaten Ethan-  (You should see the TREE!)

Proud mama moment.  Back to your regularly scheduled blog reading.

Jenna just came rushing into the house carrying Lorna.  (Who was more than a little upset)

"Mommy!  Lorna tried to climb the fence but her dress got stuck!  She was just hanging there!"

What I would have given for a picture of that. 

How about this picture as a consolation prize?

Nolan has been creating weapons.  He and his friends turned the girl's playhouse into a medieval armory!  With rolls of duct tape, electrical tape, card board boxes, and other household junk... er treasures, they've created a weaponry shop worthy of the most dedicated warrior.

I'm considering buying him a few million paper clips to create "Chain mail".  What do you think?  Is he ready?

Well with a cuppa on her belly and a milano in hand, laptop on her... well... LAP... I'd say Challice is settled in for a long summer's surf!

Ya think she's comfy?   Wait, isn't that MY chair?  Isn't that MY laptop.  Darcy!!!  Come back... come back to me...

Or at least she will SOON!   Praise the LORD!  (I love drivin' kids!)

She finished the class last Thursday getting a PERFECT score on her final exam I might add.  Spent Friday-Sunday in Modesto having a blast, getting no sleep, and certainly not cramming for her written exam. 

She got up this morning and decided not to look over her tests.  She was a bit like Esther.

"And I will go to the DMV without preparation which is not according to common sense and if I fail; I fail."

Well, with all of that she passed just fine.  Missed three that she shouldn't have.  The first she circled the wrong one accidentally, she has no clue how that happened.  The second one she misread the question as she did the third.

Not too shabby.  Going to make the appointment tomorrow so she gets her first hour behind the wheel.  After that, I'll never go to the store alone again.   Fortunately she's not Lorna and she won't want to drive me to the bathroom too.

She looks innocent doesn't she.  Does she look like a child who would send her parents into fits of giggles over something so innocent as Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, or Piglet?

I tend to avoid buying character clothing but sometimes there will be something small on a clothes that isn't too obnoxious.

Morgann went to Disneyland with the Blair girls.

As you can see, they make them work to get in...

And once in...

They had FUN!

And if you want to see the rest...

http://picasaweb.google.com/radius226/Disneyland?authkey=b8hmDs2nlJE

It's eight o'clock.  Eight of us brave the crowds and enter Walmart.  There is no hat but the storting begins.  We all receive red bands.  Gryffindor.  We smile.  The kids fill out raffle tickets while I head to the bench in the fabric department.  I have a dress to smock.  Too bad I don't have Molly Weasley's embroidery needles.  Maybe they work like her knitting needles.

The store announces a trivia game in the electronics department.   Jenna wants to go.  Looking at patterns isn't nearly as exciting.  I remember why we're here (and it's not to get this piece smocked!) and we mosey on over to the electronics department.  Just in case you ever need to know... there are 13 quidditch teams in the league, Harry's birthday is July 31, Lupin's middle initial is J, Hagrid's mother is Fridwolfa , and Dumbledore's favorite jam is raspberry.  Just thought you might want to know.

Another quiz was starting playing the Sceene It game up near the customer service counter.  I now had bands for all houses.  While Jenna played the game (and knew most of theanswers by the way) I went to sit with a friend over in front of the ladies department.  Smocking slowed to almost a stand still but hey, it's more fun to talk with a friend anyway.  We discussed curriculum, the books and discovered that both of us were orginally in the anti-Potter camp.  I confessed how my pride was bruised when I had to face the fact that I was wrong about the books and what they were about. 

Meanwhile, Morgann and Amy Blair went to Jack in the Box and got me one of their decadent chocolate cakes.  They also bought fun marguerita glasses and orange juice as well as a sparkly light up wand.  Fitting wouldn't you say?  We went out into the foyer at Walmart, they sang an embarrassingly loud rendition of "Happy Birhday" (which I managed to speed up from the dirge-like tune) and I ate my cake and drank my juice.  It was a hoot.

Sometime after this, during a particularly empathetic moment, we all began writing on the backs of our left hands, "I must not tell lies."  Now that I'm done reading the book, it actually means something to me other than the bit of fun that it was when we did it.  Jenna managed to miss getting hers done so I just did hers a bit ago.  In red ink.  She's feeling particularly special at the moment.  Snort.

The hour ticked closer.  At a quarter till midnight we were shooed out of the store in order for them to set up the books.  Our group was second behind two other Gryffindor ladies.  11:50.  We're getting excited.  11:58.  Excitement builds to a point where we are ready to start counting down.  11:59:50.  We start counting down.  10, 9.... 4, 3, 2, 1...

Nothing.  The seconds tick by.  The minutes tick by.  We're confused.  At almost 12:05 our door opens.  "Ten at a time."  I feel awful.  I don't want to limit those who want in for books by all of us coming in but on the other hand, they've been waiting to see the piles!  The employee, a little disppointed by our decorous behavior suggested that we run.  hee hee.  Morgann was thrilled to be the first one to pick up a book from the tables at our Walmart.  We bought two.  We'll be giving one to the library when we're done.

I confess, I felt a little like I imagine Christians behind the Iron Curtain must have when Bibles were smuggled across.  How we take our Bibles for granted.  I'll be holding mine a little more dear this week.  As anticipated as this book is, and as much fun as it was to hold a party for its debut, it's just another book.  It's a good one, I grant you, but we take our books for such granted in this country.  I'm feeling so very awed at the mental image of people in places like East Germany or Russia during the height of Communist rule hearing that there are Bibles coming to xyz store and they can buy them.  There will be a party for 4 hours before the Bibles are released for sale. 

People come dressed as their Bible heroes.  They do quizzes and count down the minutes.  People can't wait to see the stacks of Bibles and be the first to have one in their hands.  We live in a country where this idea is so foreign to us.  Many Christians have half a dozen Bibles in their homes.  Our family has well over a dozen by the simple fact that there are 10 of us even if each only owns one Bible.  I can see the people rushing home.  It's after midnight but they dont' care.  They want to read this book that has been talked about, anticipated, and they've read snippets of for years.  They stay up until their eyes won't stay open another minute.  They collapse exhausted but content. 

It was a little like that.  We were home, comfortable, and reading the book by 12:25.  I read the final words, went to bed, and slept like a baby at 6:25 am.  I'm now up and mulling the storyline in my head.  It was so good.  Such a satisfactory ending.  It wasn't an EASY ending and I must confess I'm feeling a sense of loss over a few characters but the loss is worth it. 

People have questioned whether J.K. Rowling is a Christian or not.  Sure, she belongs to the church of Scotland but does that mean anything in terms of salvation.  I don't know.  I refuse to make it my business to determine the eternal state of anyone.  I encourage everyone to sit before the Lord, His Word in their hands, and see if they are sitting redeemed and if not, appeal to the Lord for salvation before it is too late.  However, the end of this book shows that there is no doubt as to Rowling's opinion of the Gospel.  Her final chapters read as almost allegorical.  It is so clearly influenced by the final chapers of the Gospels that plagairism kept coming to mind but it's the wrong word.  That word implies that Rowling did something wrong and she didn't.  Her final chapters remind me of Aslan in Narnia.  Clearly influenced by scripture, definite recreation of it, but you can't say it isn't their own work.

I'll be reading it again.  No, it's not on par with scripture.  I won't memorize it and 'hide it in my heart' but I am thankful that a series of stories that I've loved so much does prompt me to want to read my Bible in a new way.  I wonder... if Harry is a fictional 'type' of Jesus, is it a coincidence that his last name is 'potter'?

I just can't stop thinking of Paul's words in Philippians 1:15- 20 where he essentially says, "I don't care why or how someone preaches the Gospel, JUST DO IT.