My Husband the Handyman

Okay, so when I married Aaron, I knew he was a wonderful guy.  But,  the longer we are married, the more he surprises me.  Fortunately, most of those surprises are good.   The longer I am married to Aaron, the more I learn about him, and that's fun!   And, the more I learn about him, the more I grow to love him.
Anyway,  this winter he has gotten busy on a bunch of projects around our home.   I have been so amazed and impressed with his handyman skills.  Even more impressive to me is the fact that he wasn't born with them, and they don't even come naturally for him.   He has really gotten out of his comfort zone even since we were married and made it a goal to learn how to do things on his own.   I am just so proud of him!   Okay, enough babbling and I'll show you the pictures....

Two summers ago, Aaron built this two-car garage in our backyard.  This is his workshop/ truck and toy shelter.  He did an incredible job, I think.  Since the weather has been cold and there is less to do outdoors (especially without snow) he had been busy sheet rocking and organizing his garage.   Now, that's some man cave!  

 I also never knew when I married Aaron that he cared so much about things being organized.  Wow- I thought I was an organization freak, but I guess I'm not.

I wish I had the before pictures but forgot to take one.  Since we will be moving some bedrooms around within the next few months due to our new addition,  Aaron went ahead and built some organizing shelves in two of the downstairs bedroom closets.  He just came up with it all on his own.   I helped a little- speckling, caulking, and masking, and he did the rest.  

Then Aaron got out in our garage and built a large shelf in the back corner for other big things in our garage to make some room.  

And, last but not least,  we were so sick of the clutter of bikes all over in the way so he made a bike rack out of wood for the side of our garage.  I was really happy about this.  Now we just hope that the kids will use it  :)

I realized the other day that not many things make me happier than a good honey-do list done.  The other day Aaron dropped everything and did all my honey-do's.   I was one happy honey.  So, I can't help but brag a little.  I never knew I married such a handyman but boy is he ever!  

Sausage Calzones

This has become a family favorite at our house.   (Adapted from the "Taste of Home" Cookbook)
I love any recipe that includes spinach and kids still like it!

Dough:   1 package active dry yeast
               1/2 C warm water
               3/4 C warm milk
               2 T plus 2 tsp olive oil
               1/2 tsp salt
               1 tsp sugar
               3 to 3 1/4 C flour

Filling:  1 package (10 oz) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
              3/4 to 1 lb ground italian sausage
             1/2 onion, chopped
             1 C cottage cheese
             1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
             1/2 C shredded parmesan cheese
             1 T minced fresh parsley (or dried)
             1/4 tsp pepper

In large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add the milk and 2 T oil, salt, sugar, and 2 C flour.  Beat until smooth, then add remaining flour to form a soft dough.  Turn and knead on a floured surface 6-8 min until smooth and elastic.   Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.
Meanwhile, cook the sausage with the onion until no longer pink, drain.   Add the spinach, cheeses, parsley, and pepper.  Mix well.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Punch down dough and divide into 6 pieces.  On a floured surface, roll each piece into a 8-in circle.  Top  half of each with 2/3 C filling, then fold the other half over.  Fold edges over and pinch to seal.  Place on greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal.  Brush tops lightly with remaining oil and sprinkle with garlic salt.   Bake for 20-25 min. or until golden brown.

Making our own fun

The other day Erika and Kyle were busy playing together in Kyle's room and finally came out to announce, "Mom and Dad, we have a surprise for you!"   This sign was posted on the door:

(Notice the words "parents free" are crossed out in red.)  We thought it was very creative so Aaron and I each went and found a few quarters for the kids to put in their banks.  Who wants a free "plain-old-regular" massage when you can get a "super duper massage" for 50 cents?   So Aaron and I laid out on the bed while the kids gave us our "Super Duper massage".  It was relaxing, and in another way pretty comical.   I had Kyle as my masseuse and he pretty much just did whatever Erika did.  Aaron and I got a good laugh out of it anyway.  

The weather has been so uncharacteristically warm this year and the kids were outside playing in the backyard like it was spring.  Jared found himself a nice little nook to hide away in.   I thought it was adorable!  

Christmas 2011

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday this year.  To head off the season,  I was in charge of the program for the ward party on December 9th.  I put together a musical program with characters dressed up from the nativity who sang musical numbers, including two songs from the Forgotten Carols.  We also had a nativity scene and a narrator dressed as a Roman Centurion who spoke in-between the musical numbers. It was a lot of work for me to put it together but rewarding, too.    I learned a lot from the experience.  I was also glad to have it over.  (I wish I had a few pictures to show from the program).   After the program, we had dinner and then a surprise visitor came to the church.   The kids lined up to sit on his lap and get a candy cane.  

As you can see, not everyone was thrilled
to sit on Santa Claus's lap.

A few days later, when I was tucking Heidi in bed, I asked her, "So, what do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?"  She said, "A candy cane."   "Oh, really?  Anything else?"  and all she would say was "a candy cane".   I thought,  "Wow!  I guess I shouldn't push that one!   Give it a few years and she'll have a list a mile long."  How fun that they are thrilled with the simple pleasures of life!  

We enjoyed a nice Christmas at home with our family.  We have had fun the last few years establishing our own traditions.  We took a trip down to Salt Lake on Dec 22nd to visit extended family.   We went to my grandma Schulz's Christmas party and then also visited my Oma and Opa Michel.  It was great to see all of them.  We also stopped in to visit Aaron's grandpa Christensen.  His wife just passed away in September and she is greatly missed.    We met up with Aaron's brothers and parents at Temple Square where we enjoyed the Christmas lights.  

On Christmas Eve we had a nice dinner and a program with our kids and with Aaron's parents and brother Ryan.  Erika and Kyle played songs on the piano, we sang some Christmas songs and then acted out the nativity while Aaron did the narration.  

Jared loves to climb into things and if he's lucky,
his siblings will push him around.

Jared was figuring out the whole "opening presents" thing
and just happy with a few small gifts.

Heidi was loving opening presents.  
They all got new pajamas for Christmas.  

Erika and Kyle were the most excited about the Wii and couldn't wait to play it.  

Erika, Kyle, and Heidi each also got a scooter from Santa Claus (the rest was from mom and dad and grandma and grandpa).

After church we took some pictures in front of the Christmas tree while everyone was still dressed up.

We had a nice turkey dinner and then just enjoyed playing with our new toys and spending time together.  It was such a great break!   We enjoyed relaxing and being with family.   One thing that was different this year was the lack of snow outside, but we found other things to do to have fun.  

Potty-training is not for the faint-of-heart!

As it is Thanksgiving weekend, I just have ONE VERY BIG THING to be thankful for.  There are so many others, but this one hits pretty high on the charts for me this month.  YES, the big day has finally arrived- Heidi is now officially potty trained.   This is my ultimate cause for Thanksgiving.  I was starting to wonder if it was EVER going to happen.   It has almost felt surreal, like it just can't be true.  I have dreamed of this day for a VERY LONG time, too long in my opinion.   

We started potty training at age 3, which was the age that it "clicked" for my other two.  I would have liked to do it sooner, but they just weren't ready.  With Erika being my first, I wasted a whole year from age 2-3 doing potty training and then when she turned 3, it just clicked.  Then, with Kyle it only took like 2 days just after his 3rd birthday and he had it down.  One thing that has been harder with Heidi is that she has been behind in pretty much everything else, including walking (25 mo) and talking.  We had her in the up-to-3 program and she was receiving help with a speech therapist and going to developmental preschool.  So, I was not expecting her to do as well as the other kids had at this.  But, I had no idea it would take this long.    

We took a few breaks after starting just because she simply didn't care at all.  She would walk around in poopy pants for hours if I didn't catch it and it really didn't bother her.   I tried every method I could think of.  I hate to admit this, but by the end I really wanted to burn the book "Potty training in less than a day"  (Even though it worked with Kyle).  It just bothered me that they claimed their methods worked so well with handicapped children.   I honestly tried EVERYTHING.   I was looking things up on the internet, reading books...   Finally we just stuck to the timer method.   I took her to the potty every 2 hours and she did okay with #1 but was terribly afraid of #2.  And, I went back to pull-ups mostly for my own sanity because getting her pants all wet didn't bother Heidi at all.  

Well, last month we started a potty chart with stickers and prizes- and she finally got it!!   (Before this I don't think she could really understand the chart thing).  If she went #2 in the potty she would get to pick a prize from the prize box that we have for the other kids when they earn rewards for being good.  I could not believe how excited she was about it!!  She went #2 in the potty that day and almost every day after that.  Well, a few weeks and only a couple of accidents later, I think we have arrived.  

I don't know if you really wanted to know all of those details, but oh well.  This has been my life for the last year-and-a-half.  All I can say is, potty training is not for the faint-of-heart.   For those of you who had it easy, lucky you- I have been there before.  But, to anyone who has had a hard time,  I comlpletely empathize!  I have told Aaron- I would pay up to $1,000 to send my child to a potty-training camp where they go for a few days and come home  completely potty trained.  That may sound bizarre, but I think it would be totally worth it!   Motherhood is a great training ground, with so much to learn and discover.  I've always said that among all the tasks of a mother, potty training has to be my least favorite, with baby food falling in as second place.  There are those things that you just trudge through and then you are glad when they are over, and then the rest you ENJOY.  Even the hard parts can end up being successes to celebrate.  

Kyle's 6th Birthday

What a handsome boy, if I do say so myself!  

We celebrated Kyle's 6th birthday on Nov 10th.  It was a fun day for him.   He wanted a "Batman cake" so I spent over 3 hours that day getting his cake decorated.   I think the part that took the longest was kneading the black food coloring into the fondant- it had to be black, not dark purple.  Thank goodness for the internet, too, which provides so many helpful ideas.  This was the finished product:  

The funny thing is Kyle knows he likes Batman but he has never even seen a Batman cartoon or movie before so on his birthday I let him watch one that we found at the library.  Of course, he loved it.   

Kyle had a pretty simple birthday this year.  We don't do a birthday party every year, and he had his 5-year old party last year.  (His next one will be at age 8.)  So, we woke up in the morning and daddy made french toast for his birthday breakfast at his request.   Then, he opened all his presents. 

Kyle found a salamander in the window well back in September and it was a very exciting thing for him.   We had kids coming over from all over the neighborhood to see him.  I let him keep it in a tupperware container with sandbox sand in it.  He was responsible for taking care of him.  He feeds him bugs- flies, crickest, worms, etc.  Well, we told him if he kept it alive until his birthday, we'd buy a real aquarium for his pet.  And he did, so that was one of his gifts.  Kyle and I got it all set up and his salamander was very happy in his new home.  

Kyle showing off his hunting playset from Opa 

Kyle got a Lego building set from grandma and he just couldn't wait build it.     The next day, He and Erika put the space shuttle together.   I was amazed with how well they did on it!   I helped them get started, but then the two of them followed the instructions and figured the rest of it out on their own!   This was Kyle's first Lego building set.

We are so thankful to have Kyle in our family.   He is a great son and brother.  I have grown to love his fun personality and excitement for life.  He is adventurous and motivated.  I have watched him grow a lot this year in his ability to be on task and in his interactions with others.   He has become a lot more sensitive and helpful.  I love him so much- what a sweet boy!  

That night after dinner (spaghetti- Kyle's request) we all went swimming as a family to Crystal Hot Springs, which is about 10 min. from our house.  We had a nice time swimming there- the water is so warm so Jared even enjoyed it.   It was a great day.  

Jared enjoyed the batman cake, too!  

Halloween 2011

We had a fun Halloween this year.  The kids were really excited about their costumes and dressing up.   I put a lot of work into making Erika into a ROBOT.   It was funny because she wore this costume to the ward party on Oct 28th and could not reach her mouth with her hand, so we had to help her eat.  

Kyle had fun being a mummy on Halloween.  Doesn't he look creepy?  He likes the spooky ones.  

This was his first year at the Elementary school so he got to be in the Halloween parade, which he was so excited about.  

I put together a "Halloween Costume Exchange" this year through the Relief Society, which went pretty well.  Anyone who had extra costumes from previous years could bring them and then choose from what was there.  I figured this could be a blessing for anyone who would have otherwise had to go out and buy a costume that only gets worn once.  I have a huge tub of costumes stored away as I'm sure most people do.   This was nice for me, too, so that some of the younger kids didn't have to be the same thing their siblings were in the past.  

A "care bear",  perfect for my little Heidi.  
 She got to wear her costume to school for a
Halloween party and was so excited!

Jared was a little mouse.   He knows he is cute.  

 The kids had a lot of fun trick-or-treating this year and even more fun eating the candy afterward!

                                          

                                               All four of them anxiously waiting to go trick-or-treating.