The Day After....

We had a wonderful Christmas. Jimmy carries out most of our traditions, so all I have to do is buy the kids their presents. It was surprisingly easy this year - each child gets two presents, and I bought them all on the Internet. I try to avoid malls and useless "stuff" out there being pandered to my kids, so I was in heaven being able to do it all from home.

Jimmy read a book called Jotham's Journey every evening to the kids during Advent, and they all loved it. He also continued the yearly tradition of making Christmas tree ornaments with them (while I napped :), despite my telling him that we'll soon run out of room on the tree at this rate. I made homemade egg nog a few times, homemade cocoa, and let them watch a few of the old clay animation Christmas shows. Then, on Christmas Eve, we all watched The Nativity Story.

Christmas morning they got to open their stockings (which contained a box of cereal, a chocolate bar, two mini M&M packages, a little mint, and one small toy) and then I let them have cereal for breakfast (gluten-free of course!). Let me just say that their love for cereal outweighs anything short of a Lego product. Wow.

Giving Back

We struggle with the hyper-consumerism of Christmas and the problem that kids tend to see it as the "gimme" season. So, we try our best to think of ways to thwart it. World Vision puts out a great catalogue every year with things to buy for families in Africa. This year, we went over the options with the kids. They pooled their money together and picked out a goat and two chickens.

After they opened presents Christmas morning, we rushed out the door and drove to Denver. Another family we know has been visiting a..... shall I say very cheap motel in East Denver every year and they let us join in. We knocked on all the doors and invited everyone to a Christmas meal in the parking lot. We served up turkey, stuffing, gravy, bread, and sweets. We also got to hand out lots of presents to the kids there. I don't think any of the families at that motel were planning on celebrating Christmas, sadly.

It was such a blessing to be able to do this and the kids loved it. It is enlightening for them to be able to see families who are living on the edge of poverty. Finding these serving opportunities is important in teaching our children about real joy, being content with what they have, etc. Joy is not the next "gift," "thing," "toy" that we want - joy is inside- and once we accept Christ as our Savior, joy is a choice.

We try our best to not spoil our children, but we definitely fail in this area a lot. About a year ago I served the kids leftovers, and they said, "We had this last night!" I realized right then and there that from that day forward they would have leftovers as much as I could possibly help it. They also have approximately two million Legos in their room right now, and they still always seem to want more! But, we're a work in progress...

I asked the children what their favorite part of Christmas was this year, and they said serving the poor people Christmas morning and getting to have cereal for breakfast. :) (I rarely buy cereal, and if I do it's only for a snack)

That was our day in a nutshell. I hope y'all had a wonderful Christmas!

Happy 4th Birthday, Riley Alexandra!

What is it?!?

It's a Baby Alive Eli!!

No, it's a Baby Alive Leia!

And a coloring book from Riley's amazing birth mama!

And a card from her that Riley loved!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl. You are such a joy to our whole family!!!

Potty Training

I've been potty training for about a month now. I've never potty trained before. I tried for a day when Owen turned two and decided it wasn't for me. So my four oldest have all potty trained themselves, all at different times (Owen at age 3; Eli at age 28 months; Scout at age 26 months; Riley at 34 months). I intend to write a book someday called "How to Not Potty Train Your Child and Be a Happy, Care-Free Mama," or I could do "How to Potty Train Your Child in Four Weeks." I'm sure that will be a big seller.

Anyway, yesterday I put away the twins' little portable plastic toilets so I wouldn't have to dump their "stuff" anymore. Now they have to go in the regular toilet. Well, this morning Scout informed me that Carson went pee-pee in her doll's toilet. This toilet is four inches across and the hole is about one and a half inches across. I don't know how she managed to sit on it, but she definitely missed.

Have YOU Been Educated?

HAVE I BEEN EDUCATED?
by Carolyn Caines

If I learn my ABCs, can read 600 words per minute, and can write with perfect penmanship, but have not been shown how to communicate with the Designer of all language .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can deliver an eloquent speech and persuade you with my stunning logic, but have not been instructed in God's wisdom.... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I read Shakespeare and John Locke and can discuss their writings with keen insight, but have not read the greatest of all books -- the Bible -- and have no knowledge of its personal importance... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I have memorized addition facts, multiplication tables, and chemical formulas, but have never been disciplined to hide God's Word in my heart .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can explain the law of gravity and Einstein's theory of relativity, but have never been instructed in the unchangeable laws of the One Who orders our universe .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can classify animals by their family, genus and species, and can write a lengthy scientific paper that wins an award, but have not been introduced to the Maker's purpose for all creation, .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can recite the Gettyburg Address and the Preamble to the Constitution, but have not been informed of the hand of God in the history of our country .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can play the piano, the violin, six other instruments, and can write music that moves men to tears, but have not been taught to listen to the Director of the universe and worship Him, ... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can run cross-country races, star in basketball and do 100 push-ups without stopping, but have never been shown how to bend my spirit to do God's will, .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can identify a Picasso, describe the style of da Vinci, and even paint a portrait that earns an A+, but have not learned that all harmony and beauty comes from a relationship with God, .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I were to graduate with a perfect 4.0 and am accepted at the best university with a full scholarship, but have not been guided into a career of God's choosing for me, .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I become a good citizen, voting at each election and fighting for what is moral and right, but have not been told of (or believe) the sinfulness of man and his hopelessness without Christ,... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

However, if one day I see the world as God sees it, and come to know Him, Whom to know is life eternal, and glorify God by fulfilling His purpose for me, THEN I HAVE BEEN EDUCATED!

Homemade Stuff

I've started making homemade soap, and I love it! This morning I took some older spearmint soap I made a few months ago and shredded it, and then I melted it in boiling distilled water to make liquid hand soap for our family. I hate all the junk they put in liquid soaps these days. Scout and I then made whipped body butter, with raw unrefined shea butter, jojobo oil, avocado oil, and orange essential oil. Our skin gets so dry up here, and it's much cheaper to buy in bulk and make it yourself. Next up on my list is a shampoo bar.

Happy 6th Birthday, Scouter!

I can't believe Scout is already six years old! It's amazing how fast the children are growing. Scout has been such a joy to our family. She is kind, sweet, and generous, and her greatest quality is how much of a nurturer she is. It warms my heart to see how well she takes care of Luke and Carson. She's a huge help to me in taking care of our family.

We made gluten-free ice cream cupcakes and a regular gluten-free cake. The kids couldn't tell the difference from regular cake.

Riley likes to take big bites!

We bought Scout a Baby Alive that poops and pees. I had one when I was little that went pee-pee. She loved it. She's been doing most of the potty-training with the twins, so she's already a pro at it. This Baby Alive (she named her Ruby) will be trained by one of the best!

Hah-hah....

I was trying to take some pictures of the kids today for our homestudy, and I was jumping around trying to get the twins to look at me and I fell. Eli found it quite amusing...

The Lukester

On Friday we found out that Luke has celiac disease. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley.

I brought him into the doctor because he just didn't look as healthy as Carson. She has little fat rolls, and he is really skinny - you can see his ribs and sternum - but yet he has a distended belly. He only weighed in at 22 pounds and he's 25 months old. I wasn't too concerned with his actual weight since Jimmy and I were thin children, but it was the way he looked.

Anyway, that explains why he's been extremely irritable for over a year now. It was so draining on me that every morning before I got out of bed I would beg God to give me the grace and patience to get through the day with him. The five other children combined are easier than he is. Poor guy - the whole time I thought he was just a big ol' grump, he was actually not feeling well.

The doctor said we should have a new boy in three weeks, when all the gluten is out of his diet. Big changes around here, where we eat a lot of homemade bread, rolls, and tortillas. Apparently if I make homemade oatmeal/millet bread, I can't even grind the oat groats and millet into flour in the grinder I have because it will have gluten residue. It's kind of like the peanut allergy - the tiniest bit whacks their system out.

It's genetic, so all of us will get tested this week. Here's a picture of Luke that I took the day after diagnosis, hopefully to chronicle how he gains weight after I change his diet!

Fun Times

Jimmy and I got to have a little weekend get-away and went to see our close friends Greg and Jill. We flew into Atlanta and then drove to Charleston, South Carolina to tour a little bit of the city, and then we drove to Columbia to see the Tigers play USC. We had a fabulous time and are hoping to make another trip with them next year!





The game was close till the end, but LSU ended up winning 24-17.

Bibs...

I just love these new bibs I got for the twins. They have long sleeves, and the center part is "fuzzy" so food sticks to it. They're called Silly Billyz. I actually have never used bibs for the other four children, but I thought I better buy some since I've super-simplified the kids' wardrobes - five shirts and five pants. Now no matter how messy they get, everything is on the bibs and there's no need to change their clothes. (okay, those who know me well know that I would never change their clothes if they got dirty anyway, but I'm trying to improve on such things... :)

Niiiiice, Luke...

Back to business....

More Visitors

My brother Kirk and his wife Jana came to visit us this past week from Iowa. We had a fantastic time with them. The kids really enjoyed wrestling around with Uncle Kirk and boxing Aunt Jana. (Jana actually probably has a couple of bruises from Eli's punching. Eli was bopping around the room saying, "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!") The minute we dropped them off at the Denver airport the kids said, "We miss Uncle Kirk and Aunt Jana!" Hopefully they'll come back and visit us soon!

We went to Breckenridge and relaxed by this creek. Owen was the only one who went in. It was coooooold!

We had a nice, quiet lunch (not really) at a Mexican restaurant. The food was really delicious (mostly since Kirk paid for it).

We took them hiking up a hill behind our home, and they offered to carry Luke and Carson for us! HALLELUJAH! It was the best hike I've had in a long time. I didn't think Luke was going to go for it - he's pretty much a mama's boy - but he decided Uncle Kirk wasn't so bad after all!

Visitors

This week my oldest brother Mark and one of his children, Oakley, came to visit us. They just left today and I was sad to see them leave! Oakley is eleven and was such a joy to have around. I've never met a child more polite! Next week my brother Kirk and his wife Jana will be visiting us for five days. We're all excited to have them stay with us as well.

How to avoid crying when chopping onions...

a.) Have your daughter chop the onions
b.) Have her wear ski goggles

Works like a charm!

Luke and Carson Turned Two!

We made a delicious ice cream pie - Oreo cookie crust with vanilla ice cream, topped with a chocolate sauce and whipping cream. It was yum-o-la.

Luke received a football and...

... a truck!

Carson received a drum and a doll.

"Gimme my dolly back!!" She loved the doll. She walked around the rest of the evening with it against her chest, caressing its head and patting its back. It was precious.

Random Post

I decided to post some "not well-known" facts about Jimmy and I just for fun.

Donna:

1. When I was in junior high I bought a duck with my friend Kristin, and when I brought it home and realized it wouldn't follow me around, Kristin and I popped back on our bikes (me on the handle bars) and rode back to the mall and left it in the women's bathroom.

2. On the Myers-Briggs personality test I scored one point short of a "perfect" introvert.

3. I always thought if I never married I'd head to Africa and work in an orphanage my whole life.

4. I read one to two books a week.

5. I'd like to get a shirt that says, "Please don't talk to me" and wear it when I'm out and about with my children. It really drains me to have to converse with all the people that approach us to find out "our story." (I know it's ugly - I'm just telling you how I feel! :)

6. I'd also like to get a t-shirt that says, "YES, they're all mine. YES, I know how children are made. NO, I'm not crazy. YES, I'm glad it's me and not you too!"

7. I was so paranoid about my skinny legs in high school that I wore sweats under my jeans to look fatter.

8. I'm very black and white about issues, to a fault. My husband has to frequently point out "the other side."

9. I didn't really know who the Beatles, Johnny Cash, nor Leonard Skinner were until I met Jimmy. (still not too sure who Leonard Skinner is)

10. My all-time favorite movie is Rocky.


Jimmy:

1. He used to steal things from neighbors' garages when he was in junior high.

2. He ran the Houston Marathon in 2004.

3. He remembers every score from every LSU game played in the last 20 years but can't remember to put dishes in the dishwasher instead of the sink. (I know he'll claim here that he's just "soaking them." :)

4. His stepmother thought he was going to be gay when he grew up because of his mannerisms when he was five.

5. His Papa made him throw MoonPie wrappers out the window on the way home from fishing excursions.

6. He wanted to name our first daughter Beulah.

7. He never buys himself clothes - I have to notice he needs new things and buy them.

8. All his closest friends think he's cheap when in actuality he's extremely generous with his moola.

9. He once tried dating three girls at one time (two of which were in the same small group Bible study). He didn't try it again.

10. His favorite movie is Cool Hand Luke (Luke is named after Paul Newman's character -Lucas Jackson)

The boys' hike

Donna mentioned that on Friday morning I left with our two oldest boys (Owen age 8 and Eli age 6) on an overnight hike/camping trip. We hiked 7 miles to camp overnight at a place called "Beartrack Lake."

Here's the trail me and the boys took as recorded by my GPS. Our trail path is shown in RED:



I marked our house location (bottom right), but we started at the "Trailhead: Rosalie/Tanglewood" marker (9300 ft) and crossed a ridge at 12,000 ft, and then proceeded on to the campsite which sat at about 11,200 ft.

Here's a 3-D view of the hiking trail, at least to the point where it disappears over the ridge. (Can you tell I'm digging this GPS thing?)



I can't believe the boys made it 14.25 miles roundtrip and without complaining (unlike Dad). Good job, guys!

College Game Day at the Clyde Household

Luke's having a bad hair day. Actually he always has a bad hair day. Maybe that's why he's grumpy all the time?!

The guys...

... are going camping tonight. They'll hike up to Mt. Rosalie, where they hiked a few weeks ago, but this time they'll stay overnight. I'm so envious of them! Jimmy's pack weighed 42 pounds - I have no idea how he'll carry it to 13,000 feet. He's a stud.

Footnote: The guys got back at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. According to Jimmy's GPS they had hiked 14.5 miles! I cannot believe the boys made it over 7 miles up the mountain. The trip went great except they didn't have enough food and water. And Jimmy lost five pounds!

My Hubby...

... is amazing. Last year our heating bills were outrageous, so Jimmy wanted to install a woodburning stove in the basement where a gas stove had been. Does he call the experts? Nooooo! He just tackles it himself! There just isn't anything my husband can't do! (well, okay, he hasn't been able to keep our dog Sweetie from running off...)

The weather has been just amazing here. In the sixties, no humidity. The kids have been enjoying the evenings outside playing and helping daddy. Here's a few pics from tonight...

Daddy put "Xs" where Owen was to hammer a nail in.

Working hard!

Eli, Scout, and Riley hammering nails into a wood stump for over an hour. Since moving out here I've thought to myself hundreds of times, "Who needs toys?!" I love watching the kids use their creativity.

Cheese!

I love to see dirt on my kids' faces! And I'm not even going to give her a bath tonight! :)

She's hammering with a screwdriver, but she doesn't care!

Ames High Get-Together

On Saturday I hosted a little reunion for classmates I graduated high school with in Ames, Iowa that now live in Colorado. Two of the classmates I actually have gone to school with since kindergarten! Six families were able to make it, and we had a great time reminiscing about old times and catching up. I just love my Iowa friends. It was such a pleasure to have them over. There's no false pretense and no trying to impress - everybody is as down to earth as can be.

Josh (the one in the hat) is just as hilarious and fun as he was in high school, and he decided that we should take "senior pictures" and pose in those wonderful poses they put you in. I never had senior pictures taken because my mom didn't have the money (I didn't really care anyway), so here was my chance! :)