tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:43:44 +0000I've witnessed every burp, smile, hiccup, and whimper my children have made at the expense of my career and sometimes my personal interests and social life. It's been a good trade.http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Karen)Blogger746125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-7680632181218299729Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:25:00 +00002009-11-19T21:39:20.986-07:00Fifty-eight years ago my grandparents packed up their three small children and moved from Minnesota to rural Arkansas to be missionaries with Christian Missionary Alliance Church. Their job was to travel to rural, destitute communities in the Ozarks to teach children about God's message of salvation. They worked through the small, one-room schools teaching scripture and songs, showing pictures, http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/cake-pan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-3518443787444210426Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:21:00 +00002009-11-16T12:37:32.577-07:00I'm not sure how this happened exactly, but today is Jack's third birthday. THREE, people. Where did the time go? Happy birthday to the boy who has taught me about patience, whose birth made me reprioritize everything I once thought was so important, who makes my life interesting every single day, who cracks me up with the silliest sense of humor I've ever seen on a toddler. Happy birthday, http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/birthday-boy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-2814761753416400703Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:41:00 +00002009-11-12T12:00:15.361-07:00Geez louise, people. Hoover hasn't even collected dust in the garage yet and you're already asking what I replaced him with. Have you no heart?Okay, so yeah, we replaced Hoover the day he died. I just didn't want to take away from his memorial moment by discussing my new lover in the same post.We bought a Dyson DC14 Drive (not the "Animal" model). I can't stop vacuuming. I'm not kidding. In. Lovehttp://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-vacuum.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-3270955170316019097Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:22:00 +00002009-11-10T09:59:31.957-07:00 Hoover Trade-Off1997-2009After 12 ½ loyal years of service, our Hoover vacuum has finally died its last death. A lovely gift from my grandparents for our wedding, it has served us well. It has kept the floors clean in six different homes, various rentals that were left trashed by tenants, and more vehicles than I care to admit to having owned. It viciously chased the hair and dandruff of two http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/hoover-trade-off-1997-2009-after-12.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-3902615661166546446Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:07:00 +00002009-11-05T22:06:04.381-07:00Playdough is a blessing from heaven.I haven't bought playdough in ages because it makes such a mess everywhere. I caved a week or so ago when Spicey wanted to spend her hard earned pennies on a playdough set. Anticipating territorial playdough play, I picked up an extra package for Jack. This time I got smart and set a strict rule: playdough only in the kitchen (no carpet) on the kiddie table.Oh http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/random-with-side-of-random.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-1981151094729229544Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:36:00 +00002009-11-04T09:40:43.501-07:00It's one of those times in life when it all just feels heavy. But there is Hope I have found to be true. I can rest in it.http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/be-still-my-soul.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-7775610530240157422Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:07:00 +00002009-10-28T20:14:16.798-07:00This past summer we cleaned out the garage and I found a nurse costume that my aunt and uncle in England sent me for Christmas when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I'm not sure but I'm guessing it might have been around the same time that my aunt received her nurse's certification there. Maybe she'll see this post and correct me if I'm wrong. I loved wearing it and nursing my dolls so I was really http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/10/little-nurse.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-1754086719765477553Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:21:00 +00002009-10-27T12:30:54.013-07:00So raise your hand if the baby countdown ticker in the side bar mildly grosses you out.Yeah, that's me. Wildly raising my hand while using my other hand to try to stretch my arm out higher as in "pick me pick me!"It's just sort of bizarro, the way the baby floats around and bumps into the sides all stiff and nekkid like. One minute it's upright and then you look over again and it's banging its http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/10/on-wierdness-and-lunch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-9161117359988104250Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:06:00 +00002009-10-26T18:23:44.584-07:00I had a check-up today. Everything looks fine. I did manage to gain a few more pounds which was a bit of a bummer because I've tried to be careful. One reason might be that I'm actually living on more than toast and crackers these days. The nausea is still there but it's much more mild and food is appetizing again. Just after my doctor listened to the heartbeat and was checking the height of http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/10/baby-v4.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-5846172094577317564Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:13:00 +00002009-10-20T20:56:15.894-07:00It's a never-ending saga for me, how to make the most out of a house that is eternally too small for this family with no hope of getting out of it. It's the same song, but this verse is called, "Time to Adjust the Kids' Bedrooms Again". Oh wait, we've sung this verse before haven't we? Yes. Yes, we have.So as you may recall, Cool and Jack have shared a room for the past three years with the http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-never-ending-saga-for-me-how-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-6425714439535168353Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:57:00 +00002009-10-15T20:12:06.115-07:00During the first week back in school Cool came home and told me that they had done the "funnest" thing. Each kid was given a tube of toothpaste and was told to squeeze the whole thing out. After enjoying themselves squeezing out toothpaste they were instructed to put all the toothpaste back in the tube. Knowing that his teacher is a creative, hands-on teacher I asked him what the lesson was inhttp://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/10/stupid-toothpaste.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-6758799872130190686Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:10:00 +00002009-10-09T12:49:48.253-07:00The excrutiating days of boringness are about to send me over the edge. Here is a synopsis of our day:8:45am: load kids in the car to take Cool to school.12:30: load kids in the car to take Spicey to school.1:00pm: Put Jack down for a nap3:30pm-ish: Jack wakes up and alerts me to his awakeness by laying on the floor and kicking his door with his heels. If ANYONE answers the door kicking besideshttp://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/10/boredom-birth-and-babies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-1239744814549118257Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:09:00 +00002009-10-01T14:52:45.530-07:00Goodness, it is quite sad how seldom I update my blog these days. In all honesty, there has been very little to say. No one, and I mean NO ONE, enjoys reading a blog that is nothing but whines and negativity in every post so I figured I better just shut my trap. I've been really nauseous and miserable for weeks, medication helps marginally. I'm tired. Blah blah. I actually feel carsick when I sithttp://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/10/sewing-and-stuff.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-5891454563087545707Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:24:00 +00002009-09-14T14:34:58.272-07:00So who wants to read a post about how tired I am? About how every day I claw my way through, inch by inch until the golden hour of naptime arrives? Oh my word I am so tired I just want to sleep for the next 12 days straight. After that I might need to take a nap. There is very, very little being accomplished in my home because of my excessive need for sleep. Every morning I think to myself, http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/09/so-who-wants-to-read-post-about-how.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-7218296124984330899Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:47:00 +00002009-09-09T18:49:22.287-07:00I don't know which one of us loves this more, her or me? Spicey is 5th from the left, her hair in braids. Look at that lovely straight leg and pointed toe!Squee!http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/09/dance.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-6943784982408191988Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:33:00 +00002009-09-08T20:37:26.011-07:00Armed with my little Sea Bands and a dose of Zofran, I actually feel like blogging tonight. Amazing, no? It's been a lousy week. A very lousy week indeed. So let's talk about the big news, shall we? Other than the surprise at the end of a post and little blurb a few days ago, we haven't discussed this little development at all.So.We're having another baby. I know, I can't believe it either. http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/09/settling-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-3597055935920738866Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:54:00 +00002009-09-05T14:55:46.408-07:00Popping in to say that things looked good at the doctor's office, nice whooshy little heartbeat. EDD: April 20. The sick has set in. Worse then I ever felt with the other kids. I'm not spending much time with the internets these days. Thatisall.http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/09/popping-in-to-say-that-things-looked.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-5377023245779198959Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:44:00 +00002009-08-29T09:39:26.015-07:00School started this past week. Cool is a fourth grader. FOURTH, 4th, quatro, IV, fourth grade. Didn't he just start kindergarten? Seriously? And didn't I lament the same thing last year? I think I did.As usual, he could barely give me the time of day for a before school photo. Note the half smile, half grimmace. This is one of only two photos he allowed me to take that day. Sigh. The good news ishttp://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/08/another-year-more-changes-ahead.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-5992658528439232460Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:18:00 +00002009-08-27T09:01:59.141-07:00The other night I had what I call "The High School Boyfriend Dream". In this dream I am back in the middle of my first "love" relationship, as much as a 16-year old girl can love a boy, anyway. The boy was what I thought, a total Adonis. Football star, drove a cool truck, so cool and perfect, and so sweet. We adored each other. Until he broke up with me nine months later because I wouldn't http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/08/recurring.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-127714051890943231Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:34:00 +00002009-08-24T15:44:31.115-07:00Looking forward to:Routine to the dayCooler weatherA quiet house in the afternoonDance classes starting again for the SpiceGirlEarlier bedtimesShorter eveningsSweaters and jeansSad to see go:Long, lazy morningsNo bedtime rules, conducive to late evenings out playingMy girl going to school every afternoonLong weekendsPlaytime with our friendsFlip flops**Today was a brief open house for the kids tohttp://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/08/farewell-to-summer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-6719883085907051107Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:24:00 +00002009-08-22T08:44:57.643-07:00A few years ago I stopped using any sort of fabric softener in my laundry. I made the choice after seeing my tiny three-year old daughter with scaley, painful rashes in her armpits, behind her knees, and around her legs where her undies rubbed snug against her skin. This change included liquid softeners, dryer sheets, and any detergents that advertised to have softeners in them (i.e. "Now with http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/08/ew.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-8038506606389382595Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:25:00 +00002009-08-18T14:49:47.588-07:00We packed up and headed for the hills on Thursday afternoon for an extended weekend of camping. This time we went with our friends from church, nine families in all. I love this annual trip in general, but I think this year was my most favorite year of all. The weather was cold, and we had a bit of rain on Friday morning but it wasn't anything we couldn't live with.The campground we go to for http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/08/last-mountain-run-of-summer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-3641734556845530670Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:41:00 +00002009-08-11T15:37:50.743-07:00My parents invited us over for dinner last night and requested that we leave 2/3 of our children there for a sleepover. We, of course, complied. So this morning it is just little Jacky and me rattling around the house and it completely reinforces why we have more than one child: built-in playmates. It's pretty boring and quiet without at least two small people running around here. For all their http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/08/pointless-mom-blogging-at-its-finest.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-8412598872589471832Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:30:00 +00002009-08-07T13:52:27.920-07:00I was just scanning my local newspaper's website and saw a blip about unemployment rising. Thank goodness that the government keeps on buying up all these big businesses to minimize unemployment and to thwart further economic downfall.Their most recent plan to "help" the economy is my total favorite so far. Cash for Clunkers, it's so rad. Here's how it goes, you take your old, possibly paid off http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/08/cash-for-clunkers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958385.post-1819274262012659812Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:01:00 +00002009-08-06T22:07:08.439-07:00 This is now the wallpaper on my computer monitor and at least fifty nine hundred times a day I yearn to crawl into the photo and go back to Vermont. I do believe that it's safe to say that Vermont has inched its way into my heart in a tiny little cranny next to the spot that is occupied by the Oregon coast. I'd love to take credit for the photo, but I can't. It was taken by Kelly Wilkinson, a http://thebigtradeoff.blogspot.com/2009/08/this-is-now-wallpaper-on-my-computer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Karen)6