Ok I know, I know...all I've been posting lately is pics and slide shows. But we're home now for a while so the regular posting will begin shortly but here's the latest pics of our camping/wedding trip to Matt's sister's wedding....

So here it is, a video of camping pictures. We had a great time and more details will follow....

..

Well, we are off! We are headed out this morning for a week of camping, memories, sunburn, and mosquito bites! My family, my parents, brother, grandma, and Aunt are taking two campers and heading off into the horizon. We have big plans for the week, Jonah will finally go fishing with the pole he got for his birthday, Molli will get to see a live raccoon(like one in the woods Mom, Emma will get to roast her marshmallows, Sydney gets to sleep in the camper(all night) and Thomas will explore the new sensation of dirt at the campground. As for me, I'm looking forward to trooping to the bathrooms in the middle of the night with children, hearing "Mom, isn't there anything to do???", making sweet memories that we will talk about forever, and of course documenting every moment with pictures to share with you all when we return! See you when we get back!

WHAT WERE YOU DOING 10 YEARS AGO?
10 years ago, wow. So that would have been 1997...I was living with an elderly woman, taking care of her, making her meals, etc. I was also working at McDonald's. Highly exciting. I was preparing to head to Cornerstone in the fall.

FIVE SNACKS YOU ENJOY
Papa Murphy's dessert Cinnamon wheel
Ice cream
Chips and dip
choclate covered pretzels
Muskox morsels

FIVE SONGS YOU KNOW ALL THE LYRICS TO
"There's a Choclate Moose on the loose" Yeah, don't ask!
"Holy is the Lord" Chris Tomlin
"Be with you" Mr. Big
"I will be here" Steven Curtis Chapman
"Potter's Hand" Darlene Zschech

FIVE THINGS YOU WOULD DO IF YOU WERE A MILLIONAIRE
Pay off my parent's mortgage
Buy Noah the computer he needs to communicate
Buy a Sprinter to fit my family
Add on to our new house
Get a carpet cleaner

FIVE BAD HABITS
Rubbing my eyebrows
Not being consistant with discipline
Being lazy about cleaning my house
Not thanking people for gifts, etc.
Spending too much time online :)

FIVE THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO
Be with my family
Read
Kiss my kids good night
play cards with my parents
Eat


FIVE THINGS YOU'D NEVER WEAR AGAIN
A side Ponytail
My bangs straight up
rolled socks
a bikini
A thong

FIVE FAVORITE TOYS
My Camera
my cell phone
movie making software
Dora cash register (hey, I play with kids all day!)
The trampoline

FIVE PEOPLE TO TAG
Amy
Becky
Felecia
Holly K.
Matt k.

Here's my moving day video journal, better late than never! Make sure you read the "catch up" post below!

Thanks be, we 're back. After many tears, despreation, and begging, we have cable internet. It would have been helpful if they had told me that it was available TWO WEEKS AGO!!!!!!!!! *deep breath* but all is well that ends well...

It has been really hot here so we've been swimming a lot. The kids are already brown as can be. Sydney is almost ready to get rid of her tube and swim for real..a few more weeks and she'll become a fish like her siblings. Thomas has made his debut into the pool. We got him a floater things and he bops around in it. He thinks it's fabulous...I'll post pics soon. We are all settled into the new house and have finished most of the major projects. So this week I decided to work on some of the gardens around the house. Right outside the front door is a huge flower bed that was mostly full of Lily of the Valley. I like LOV, but I decided this bed would be beautiful full of other perineals. So I decided to pull out all the LOV. YEAH RIGHT! There were millions of them!!! It took me two hours to just get the leaves out! Then I tried to put a shovel in and turn over the soil. I couldn't even get the pointy end of the shovel into the dirt!!!! It turns out that LOV roots are like cement. Luckily, my girlfriend owns a garden Claw. Even with that, it took 4 hours, 6 blisters and 2 garden refuse bags to get all the roots out! And then, I really could get ALL of them. I have a feeling that I will be fighting with the LOV for a while. In the back I moved some rocks and hostas that my children were trampling and that looks nice. Matt made the comment that I am much more motivated to do things with the yard here than I was at the rental house. I guess it just means more that it's mine. Does that seem silly?? We've moved the trampoline from Mom's house and it's all set up. The kids are thrilled. Papa and GG gave us a great surprise of buying the kids a swingset that will be here next week. OUr yard is starting to look like a theme park, not that I'm complaining!

I'm working on a slide show of pics and video of the move and some recent pics. Stay tuned for those!!!

Hello all....bad news from the Kurtz home. WE CANNOT HAVE INTERNET!!!!!!!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! We are in some sort of dead zone where they do not cable or DSL....I cannot believe this. I feel so out of touch and find myself missing the outside world. Ugh, so we are looking into dial up whih makes me want to wretch, but I must have some sort of contact. So bear with us....grrrrrr!

I apologize for my lack of blogging....things are just crazy!

We closed on the house on Friday the 25th! When the keys hit my hand, I was speechless. I never thought we would own a home, I sure never thought it would be the house of my dreams. God is so good, so faithful, so loving, and so giving. This whole house thing was His idea.....so cool.

So, as to avoid paying another month's rent, we are moving this week. AAAAHHHHH!!! I HATE MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So now I am cleaning and hauling and packing and fixing and I might just lose my mind. But the end is in sight and we will be in our new home and that keeps me moving even when my body is ready to give out!

More pics and updates to come....

Watch this one, then watch the one below it for some big news from the Kurtzs!!!




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Change of Plans

I had it all planned out. We made the phone calls everyone was coming around 6. Matt and I spent two hours getting the house clean, brownies and coffee made, and everything set up. We were getting ready for our new small group, one that I am SOO excited about. Us and two other couples, both with kids around the same ages. We have prayed and waited for a group like this for so long. Fast forward to 5:35.

I was wrapping up some dishes so the kitchen was clean when Molli told met there was a woman at my door. Sure enough, it was a woman and her two children. They had been in church this morning so I recognized them. Come to find out, they were homeless. We spent the next half an hour trying to get her into the woman and children shelter here in town. Our friends show up with all their children and I think," ok we got her set and now we can go about our meeting." My dad then showed up and asked the three guys if they can go with the dad and help him move out of where they had been living. Now my plan was starting to unravel. I started to get frustrated. These people were messing it all up! Didn't they know that we needed to have our little comfortable meeting and learn about Jesus??!! After all was said and done (suffice to say, we never got to have our first meeting) and everyone went home and the kids are in bed, I'm sitting here. I confess that as I started typing it was to vent about poor little me and how my meeting and best laid plans got messed up by a needy family. But clearly, this was a God thing. He needed me to see that tonight we needed to BE the church, not just talk about it or learn about it. This family needed us, needed our hands, feet, vans and love. Looking back I am glad for the interruption. As I tucked the kids in tonight, I was crying. Sydney wiped my tear away and said, "Mommy, what's wrong?" I kissed her and just told her that I was so thankful to Jesus that we have a home, beds to sleep in, food to eat, clothes to wear, and family to surround us with love. How often we take those small things for granted. So I am thankful tonight for my change of plans!

This past Sunday marked a year that my grandpa died. The day was heavy, full of memories and tears. I went into his bedroom, gathered his pillow to my face and I could still smell him. I walk into their house a couple of times I week and sometimes I still think I will see him in his big chair. This man meant so much to me. We saw them so much growing up. And then they moved next door. He was a part of almost every Christmas and Thanksgiving since I was 12. All through my teenage years he was there, doing weekly room inspections, yelling at me for various things. He taught me to drive in their big white station wagon. I almost killed both of us while he was teaching me to pass. He and Grandma had dinner with our family at least once a week followed by games. He was there when Noah was born and we knew that something wasn't right. He was holding my hand when mom and dad told us that Noah had Cerebral Palsy. He drove down with me to college, exclaiming how glad he was that I was now far away. He was one of the first people to know that I was pregnant with Jonah. He took me aside on my wedding day and told me to feed Matt well and love him always. He drove our getaway car. He held each of my children when they were days old, but was quick to hand them back, claiming they were too small yet, he'd play with them when they were bigger. He wept when we left to move to Nebraska, he urged me to hurry and bring his kids back to him when we moved home. He was there for most of the kids birthday parties, always making sure no one was eating too much. He played hard with the kids, throwing them into the pool, driving them around on his cart, loving on them always.

This man was so much more than my grandfather, he was one of my closest confindants, my champion when life felt like just too much, ever the prankster, ever the hugger....just my grandpa.

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Spring has sprung in the Kurtz household. The kids broke out the bags of summer clothes even though there was ice on the car this morning! Bikes can be seen strewn all over the lawn at any given moment. We saw our first robin this morning. The temps are supposed to climb this week and all I can say is BRING IT ON!!!

I guess I might as well tell you all. It's not like I could keep it a secret much longer anyway. Sooner or later you all would discover it. Of course it was somewhat shocking at first. But now I couldn't be happier......

Happy birthday my Sydney girl!!! I can't believe you are three....you are such an energetic, creative, funny, sweet girl and I love being your mommmy!!

Alright alright...I guess I will blog. I can remember when I couldn't wait to blog, when I would post just a few sentences just so I would have something to post...what has my life come to???

Here's an update on the Kurtz clan....

Matt has a new route at work. They restructured the plant so now he officially has his own route. He's way excited about it. The hours are a little longer which I dislike but we're surviving. We just celebrated Jonah's eighth birthday...that was a rough one for me. How can my oldest be 8?!!?!?! He's doing well in school and I am allowing him to grow his hair out...god help me! Molli is well, flourishing at school and reading at a late first grade level. but not doing so hot in math, that's my girl!! She has tried to sneak one of my bras under her shirts for the last week because all of her girlfiends have bras already....anyone else let their six year old wear a bra???? I mean she barely has nipples for pity sake. Emma is loving school too....getting better everyday at her zoo phonics and over her shyness. Sydney turns 3 on Sunday and has grown up over night. Her vocabulary seems to have quadrupled. She's amazing. Thomas is our little chunker. At almost 6 months old he's weighing in at 18.7 pounds! He has such a sweet disposition, unless he's hungry of course and he only has eyes for Daddy. We've recently joined our local YMCA and I have been going every day. What a blessing that has been!!! they have free childcare so I go and check everyone in and off I go. So awesome. I've also joined Medical Weight Loss clinic and have lost 12 pounds in the last two weeks. It's such an amazing feeling!! Skinny here I come...well maybe not skinny persay, but thinner...heck yeah!

I think that's about it for now....I hate to erase my blogspot. So many things on here that I just can't bring myself to erase. I'll try and be better about posting. We'll see :)

Wow, it's been a while. I'm being wooed by Myspace.....I find myself going there more and more. In truth I've only been coming back here to check my friend's blogs...I feel like I'm having an affair...I will remain faithful to Blogspot. For now....

Not much new here....we joined the YMCA which has been revolutionary for me. People have asked me what made the difference and I really don't know. Maybe it's the availibility. But I really think it's the childcare. It comes free with the membership and I could leave all five kids there. I go in the mornings though so it's usually just Sydney and Thomas. Sydney just loves it. Thomas doesn't mind as long as there is someone to hold him constantly and give him bottles on demand :)Then I go and swim laps or use the treadmills and weights. It's so great. Never thought I would say that about exercising. But there it is. Hopefully I'll start to see some change.

Life trudges on...can't believe we're half way through January....golly where does time go?!?!?

Had my brother on my mind today and this song about did me in...what a beautiful song...




Letters From War

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Whew...well another holiday season has come and gone. Hard to believe...I spend so much time getting ready for Christmas that once it's over I feel like I blinked and missed it! We had a great Christmas. There were some rough spots as we stopped to remember Grandpa and I struggled much more than I thought I would. He's just been a part of our Christmases for as long as I can remember. There was no one to burst through the back door at 7 AM singing "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas", no one to cut the meat at meal time, and no one to complain about all the noise. But despite our tears, we had a blessed day. Here are some pics..

Us on Christmas Eve


Waiting on the stairs for the OK to come down


Jonah being Jonah


Sydney, really excited about the Diego toy she just opened!

Only 4 more days...

I must say that I am having a little bit of trouble getting into the spirit with no snow! As much as I complain about the snow it's going to be very sad to have a green/brown Christmas. Ah well!

Last night was Molli and Jonah's Christmas concert. Jonah came downstairs from getting ready and my eyes filled with tears as I looked at him. He looked so grownup!









The girls and I have strep. Perfect before Christmas but we are counting our blessings that we discovered it and are getting better. We should be in good shape by Monday. Well off to start the day!

After reading Angie's post, I feel silly posting about my day yesterday :)

Actually it was a nothing day. Did some laundry, some dishes. Thomas was fairly fussy and sleepy which is unusual for him. I noticed he felt warm so I took his temp a few times. It flirted right around 100 all day, nothing to worry about though. Around dinner time, he started feeling a little warmer. I took it again and it was 101. So we called the doc, since he's three months, anything over 100.4 they need to be seen for. So off to the ER we went. I hate going to the ER. Especially with something like this, but my mind was racing with all of the possibilities of what could be wrong with him. Well they took blood, from his tiny veins mind you....it was awful. Then they did chest x-rays where the put him in this contraption where his arms are locked over his little head and he can't move.....more awful. Four hours later we were sent home with a "some times babies get little fevers...." I'm so thankful that he's ok...when I grow up I'm going to create a super speed emergency department.

Seems like everyone has had some lists going on in their blogs lately so I'll do one too...(notice how I'm liking the dot dot dot things today)
My husband, who doesn't get frustrated when I call him 800 times about silly things
My Thomas whose smile melts my heart
My Molli who is singing her first solo this weekend, her voice makes me cry (in a good way)
My Emma who can go from laughing to crying in .098 seconds, cracks me up..she deserves an Oscar
My Jonah who has the most tender heart
My Sydney who just is herself and that is awesome
My mom and dad who are always there at the right moment
The memory of my grandpa, who was so much a part of this time of year. I miss him.
My grandma who loves us no matter what
My aunt who makes us all laugh and who loves my children
My brother Joshie who is all grown up *sniff sniff*
My Noah whose laugh seems to make any day better
My sister who always has drama to share
My friend Mindy who knows me...the real me and doesn't hesitate to call me on my stuff
My cats who continue to catch all the evil mice in my house....they're getting good gifts for Christmas.

Ok so apparantly, I am very thankful for people right now :)

Sometimes determination is not a good trait to posses. Yesterday was a great example...

We had to change some sleeping arrangements upstairs. So I proceeded to move beds, well technically I only had to move one bed. But while I was re-arranging, I thought it would be a great idea to move the girls's bunkbeds. Why on earth I thought that was a good idea I do not know. Anyway, two hours later they were moved. There were several near death experiences but I'll spare you the details. Now the upstairs is spotless.... well for the next 12 hours anyway :)

There are also drawbacks of living right behind the church. Some days it's so nice to be able to just walk to church. then you have nights like last night....

Set the scene, it's 7:45 PM and the kids and I are walking home from Wednesday night church. We have to walk through this side parking lot and cross over this chain to get home. As I'm stepping over the chain Jonah lifts it to go under. It catches my back foot and I go flying onto my face. Thomas is in the car seat which goes flying. Thank the Lord that he landed upright. I peeled my self off the pavement and limped the rest the way home. Matt came home a little after this and had to dig gravel out of my palm and knee...ouch. I survived though. Then this morning I got out of the car to take Emma into school and I shut three of my fingers in the car door. That was more painful than childbirth!!!! Plus I had to hold it all in until I got back into the car. Yikes...

Alright off to get some more ice...

Happy 6th brithday Molli!! 

Molli in her new tutu and suing her Bella Dancerella set 

Her cake made by the awesome Mindy Hubbard 

We had a great weekend. On Saturday we set up Mom and Dad's tree, which is huge as usual. The kids had a great time helping put on the ornaments and hear the same stories I used to hear as a child about each ornament. We made very sure that Sydney was kept away from the 100 year old christmas bulb :) IT was a great time of being surrounded by family. Then on Sunday, we dedicated Thomas. It was marvelous to have him surrounded by his family, my parents and siblings, my aunt and her daughter, my grandma, and Matt's sister. My dad started out by sharing why his name is Thomas, in honor of my granfather. He lost it and so we all were crying. It was rough knowing that he wasn't there. But the rest was beautiful. My dad sprinkled water on his head to symbolize the anticipation of his acceptance of Jesus and baptism. Then he put a small bit of salt on his tongue to symbolize when he would be salt and light to this world. It was so nice. I forgot to ask someone to tkae pics during the event, darn it. But here we all are afterwards...



Then Sunday was Molli's birthday as well. She had a great birthday and below are some pics of that. I can hardly beleive that she is 6.

Welcome to the 2006 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends! You know the drill. Highlight, copy, and paste (not forward) and change my answers to your answers.

Be sure to send back to me. Enjoy!! Everyone has time for a few moments of fun! Don't be a scrooge!!!

Name: Mandi
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Huh? Who the heck doesn't wrap gifts???
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White outside, colored on the tree
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No
5. When do you put your decorations up? The week after Thanksgiving
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mom's cheesecake
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: My mom and dad would hide clues throughout the house to lead us to our big present
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't ever really remember believing in Santa
9. Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve? Just one, it's usually new pajamas to wear that night
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lights and ornaments. I've gotten an ormanent every year since I was little and have carried that on with our kids
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it till half way through January
12. Can you ice skate? Yes
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Wow, that's a hard one...I always get such great gifts
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Watching people open the gifts I've gotten them
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Mom's cheesecake
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Man, we have so many! I guess making the kids wait until 7 AM to come down and then they can only have their stockings. We have to eat breakfast before beginning presents. And then we open them one at a time, from youngest to oldest.
17. What tops your tree? Angel
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Little Town of Bethelehem
20. Candy Canes? Yuck, except for the Starburst ones

Well well....what to write about?

I hope all of your Thanksgivings were wonderful. We had a rather stress filled day. It started when my dad was talking to my brother who is serving in Iraq. They were chatting via instant messenger and Tigger told him that he was being sent into Baghdad for a few weeks. If you'll remember this was the day that so many people died in that city. So that was very rough for us emotionally. Then Sydney proceeded to spray lens cleaner all over my father's new laptop computer. Major stress....thankfully, it was easily taken care of. Not to mention the fact that Grandpa wasn't there. It was odd, I expected to walk into the other room and see him watching football with my dad, or walk into the kitchen and see him poring over the turkey. Everything just seemed slightly off. I've spent nearly every Thanksgiving since I can remember with him. It certainly made the day a little tougher. That night we watched the video from his funeral. It brought many a tear and a few smiles. Man, I miss him!

On to happier things, this weekend is fun filled. My cousin Holly is flying in and we are going to get my mom and dad's big tree and put it up. Molli's birthday is this weekend as well which just gives us an excuse to eat cake :) Then on Sunday we are dedicating Thomas at church. I'm so excited about this, he'll be so surrounded by family who love him and will help him grow in the Lord. Plus my Aunt Carol is letting me use the christening gown that my Uncle Tommy wore...another Thomas Michael. That is so special to me. I'll be sure to take pictures of that great day.

Alright well Laundry beckons...till then.....

I haven't written anything in so long....guess it's time!

We're doing well in Battle Creek. Matt just finished a week of vacation where we just bummed around, did some Christmas shopping, got some projects done around the house and just generally enjoyed him being home. We're gearing up for Thanksgiving which promises to be a good time. The kids are so glad to have a few days away from school.

So other random things...

This morning as I am sitting here typing I hear yelling from upstairs. I knew Sydney was playing up there and so just kept an open ear. Soon I hear the yell get more frantic but I can't make out what she is saying. So I head upstairs to find her dangling from the bunkbeds, in clear distress. However, what she was yelling made me laugh so hard I had to catch my breath before rescuing her. "Ayudeme! Ayudeme!" For those of you non Dora/Diego watchers that means Help me in Spanish! I was laughing so hard. Thomas is getting bigger by the minute I think. He's gotten so chubby and so I've decided that I don't need to go to the gym as I can just so several reps of lifting him and be good to go. He's entered the cooing/smiling phase which I just love. We've been trying and trying to get a pic of him smiling but with our digital camera but by the time it takes the shot, he's done. But Matt finally got this one last night.....



Anyway, other than "doing life", we're god....happy Thanksgiving you all!!

This is what happens when you leave your 7 year old alone with your camera....





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Right now I am crouched in the computer chair. As I was in the kitchen, I noticed the cats chasing something. IT'S A MOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I am terrifed of mice! So now I am terrified to go in to the kitchen, Thomas is sleeping in my bedroom which I can only access through the kitchen...what am I going t do when he awakes?????? SOMEONE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darth Vader and his dragon take a break 

Princess Emma 

Dragon Sydney 

Go Molli go!! 

our spooky crew 

Well I survived.....barely :) Just kidding. Thomas finally settled down and I was able to determine that he was reacting to things I had eaten, guess I kind of went braindead about nursing there for a while! We had a great weekend with my grandma and aunt who were visiting from New York.

This week my mom and dad are on vacation so we are camping out at their house taking care of Noah. It's nice to be able to help out.The kids are so excited about being able to sleep over at Grandma's on school nights. I'm excited about sleeping in Grandma's big bed!!

Here are some pics from this weekend....and some new pics of Thomas for Kenny!!


Aunt Lisa and Noah


Noah got a hold of my camera and took over 100 pictures including about 30 of Molli

Emma playing




My little man


Our Chip

It started out well. Wednesday night Thomas slept five hours in a row. You remember those days?? First you freak out, thinking that something must be wrong with them, you check their breathing, etc. I was so thrilled. Of course I geared myself up for this to be a permanent thing. First mistake.....

Last night he did the normal 2 hour routine till 3:30....he refused to go back to sleep. Nor was he content to let me sleep. I tried for an hour to get him back to sleep....no luck. So I got up, changed him, swaddled him and put him in the swing. he konks out. Of course, now I am awake. Fast forward...now it's 10 PM and I've been up for 16 hours. Thomas is hysterically crying, nothing I try is working. Matt is in
Grand rapids and I am losing it....

Time for a real post I suppose...

Not too much going on in the Kurtz home. Matt is in Grand Rapids for the week for work so I am experiencing single parenthood. And let me just say, hats off to those of you who do this full time or have husbands who are away for long periods of time. Ugh. Even going to bed is hard.....

I had my 6 week postpartum checkup today. Can you all believe it's been 6 weeks already? Nothing like a pap smear to get your day going :) No matter how many times I have that done, it's so embarrassing. Ah well.

ok....what else. hmmmm....nothing. Wasn't that exciting??

If there's no tractor at the pumpkin patch, use grown ups!!


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Emma and Thomas 

Sleepy boy 

Wait mom, I'm not ready!