Hayden's Prayer

Jeremiah and I usually trade off saying family prayer every night. Occasionally, Hayden will agree to say prayer with my help. Last night, however, he chose to say prayer all by himself:

Hayden: Heavenly Father...(long pause)...Thank you for Daddy...(long pause)...Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and my Hayden and my Roman brother (yeah, he mixes that up)...Thank you for my pack-pack so I can go to Olivia's house...Thank you for my little house (apparently our house is little, even through his eyes)...There's my ball, and my spiderman (and he starts listing everything he sees)...

Mommy (trying to help): Please bless the missionaries...

Hayden to Mommy: Stop talking, Mommy.

Back to his prayer: Please bless the missionaries...(long pause)

Mommy to Hayden: In the name of Jesus Christ... (again, trying to help, and because I'm laughing so hard but trying to contain it through the prayer)

Hayden to Mommy: No, I want to say it... In the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!

Toledo Metroparks

We took the kids to one of Toledo's Metroparks last weekend. The Metroparks are Toledo's attempt to bring nature to the city, and they do a pretty good job. We've only been to one, but it is a beautiful place. There are nature trails, and through the dense areas there are wooden bridges that take you through the forests, and deer and other animals are running around everywhere. There are also picnic tables, bbq pits, and playgrounds for the kids. We didn't get to do much walking through the woods, though, because Hayden wanted me to hold him the whole time, meaning I was carrying around an additional 30 pounds, so we didn't make it really far before I was tired. So instead we took the kids to this little playground for a bit.




Here we are one on of the bridges. Notice I'm carrying Hayden?

Here's Hayden going down the slide any way but the traditional way. He's so brave!

Jeremiah pushed Roman in the swings until Roman saw how much fun Hayden was having.

My Songs

Check out this website:

http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/member/birthdayno1.php
The #1 Song the Day I Was Born: "Please Don't Go" by KC and the Sunshine Band

The #1 Song the Day Jeremiah Was Born: "La Freak" by Chic (No idea what that is...)

The #1 Song the Day Hayden Was Born: "Burn" by Usher...Where was I?! I don't remember that one!

The #1 Song the Day Roman Was Born: "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

Sick Mom

Can I just say it SUCKS being a sick stay-at-home mom. I don't quite get the rest and relaxation required to start to feel better, and I had good intentions of calling the doctor today for an appointment but of course the things I need are on the bottom of the to-do list. Instead I showered (with Hayden, of course) and cleaned and took care of the kids who were up way too early and were super sensitive, and cooked dinner for the sister missionaries and did the dishes afterwards (which, I was thinking while doing the dishes...are the dishes really getting clean if I am sick and coughing every minute?). So maybe tomorrow I'll get around to the doctor. I suppose being sick isn't very flattering, because I had to run to the store yesterday and Jage asks if it bothers me to go out in public without showering or wearing makeup...and I replied that I had showered that morning and had applies makeup only an hour ago. Thanks a lot, Jage. And Hayden keeps asking if I am sad because I keep sniffing, and I say no, I'm not sad, I'm sick, and he says that no, I'm sad because I hit my head. Well, at least he's partly right because it feels like I've been hit in the head with a bat. And Roman mocks my coughing, which Mom can confirm, because she was on the phone with me last night and I was coughing and she heard Roman do his fake-cough in the background and then smile at me, as if he knows how cute he is. Anyway, I offered to sleep on the couch tonight because I kept Jage up all night with my coughing, so wish me luck.

How the kids stay busy...

Here are some random pictures of the kids watching morning cartoons, playing outside in their pool (which, by the way, ended up with a irrepairable hole and was returned to the store the next day), and eating lunch at their new table.





Watching their morning cartoons. Roman dragged the booster chair from the dining room so that he could sit and watch, too. Chances are they are watching "Little Einsteins".

They had a blast with their new pool, it was on clearance at Target, but within half hour it was pretty deflated and I could not fix the hole I found, so I returned it, much to Hayden's dismay. We used a slide I bought at a second-hand store and it worked better then the slides that came with the pool, anyway.

I also bought this table and chairs at the same second-hand store. I've always wanted a little table for the kids to use for reading and art projects. Roman puts his lovey, sippy, and any toys he is hording at the time on the chair and pushes the chair around with him everywhere. Luckily we have hardwood floors, so it's easy for him to do this.

The Game of Tag

1. Who is your man? Jeremiah, but I call him Jage. Or JJ. Jeremiah when I'm mad at him.
2. How long have you been together? Almost 6 years, married a little over 5 years.
3. How long dated? 2 months before we were engaged, then another 6 months before we got married.
4. How old is your man? 28 (I know, he's old!)
5. Who eats more? Depends what it is =)
6. Who said "I love you" first? Jeremiah did.
7. Who is taller? He is, but not by much.
8. Who sings better? Neither of us sing that great, but at least I hit the right notes.
9. Who is smarter? We argue about this. We are both smart, but each of us excels in different areas.
10. Who's temper is worse? Mine, but I sure know how to push his buttons!!!
11. Who does the laundry? Me. I load, fold, and put away. I don't think he knows how to use the washer, how to presoak, or how to separate whites and darks =)
12..Who takes out the garbage? Jeremiah- he has to earn his keep somehow.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do, but sometimes I switch it up a bit and sleep on his side. It confuses him and he thinks I'm weird.
14. Who pays the bills? I do. Jeremiah just reminds me to do it.
15. Who is better with the computer? Jeremiah is.
16. Who mows the lawn? Jage, I don't even know how to start it.
17. Who cooks dinner? I do, it's therapeutic for me (except when the kids are clawing at my legs and screaming for attention). Jage would order pizza.
18. Who drives when you are together? Jage. He thinks my driving is scary.
19. Who pays when you go out? Usually Jage, but sometimes I treat him to dinner (which means I sign the bill, but really, as if we have separate checking accounts?!)
20. Who is most stubborn? Another cause for debate. Hands down Jeremiah is, but he's fight me on that one, because I'm a Hjelm, therefore I'm stubborn too.
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Usually me because I start to cry and break down. Back to 21...Jeremiah is too stubborn to.
22. Whose parents do you see the most? Now that we are in Ohio, I'd say it's going to be about even.
23. Who kissed who first? He did. On our very first date! He didn't even hold my hand, but he kissed me!
24. Who asked who out? He did, December 9, 2001, to a play on Temple Square and dinner at P.F. Changs.
25. Who proposed? He did. At Snoqualmie Falls.
26. Who is more sensitive? Definately me. I cry all the time over the dumbest things.
27. Who has more friends? We both have just the right amount of friends.
28. Who has more siblings? I have 3, Jage has 4. He wins.
29. Who wears the pants in the family? Oh goodness...um, I guess we share this responsibility equally because we talk about everything together, but Jeremiah usually makes the final decisions.

I have to tag 3 people...doesn't matter to me if you actually do it or not...so Maria, Robin, and Destiny, it's all you!!!