What a Beautiful Problem to Have...

13 Month Checkup and Things

2011-12-11T20:47:00.001-07:00

Once again we were about a month late for Grace's wellness check. This time, though, we went to see her new doctor. I LOVED it! Kurt will tell you that I was talking about what the doctor said for the next week! Unfortunately, Grace was a little stinker for most of the appointment and cried for most of it. Little did she know that at the end of the appointment she'd be getting 5 shots. You thought you were unhappy before...!

GRACE at 13 months:

~Head circumference: 18.5 inches......90%

~Weight: 21.7 Pounds.....51%

~Height: 32 inches....98%!!!!
Once again our little girl is off the charts in height. I hadn't noticed her going through a growth spurt recently, so I was pretty surprised when they showed me where she ranked.

~Quacks like a duck. (Love it!)

~Is afraid of the vacuum unless one of us is paying undivided attention to her while it is running.

~Has started saying "Hi" and "Dada." Melts my heart when she says them together, and she isn't even talking to me!

~Has figured out how to get on and off of our couches. She loves to roll around on the soft cushions. Give her a blanket and she's in Heaven!

~Still chooses to crawl instead of walk. She almost took a step today...and then took off crawling.

~Is learning the sign language for Lights and More.

We're getting ready to spend a week with my whole family over Christmas. We'll have 2 toddlers under one roof....Heaven help us!

And now for your viewing pleasure....

We call this one "Why NOT to give your kid caffeine...!"

Halloween 2011

2011-11-13T21:47:00.001-07:00

We had a really low-key Halloween this year. Since Grace wasn't walking yet, we decided to forgo Trick-or-Treating and just hand out candy at home. And since we went to Subway for dinner around 7, we only had like 15 visitors! Which was good, since I discovered that I have a strange phobia of Trick-or-Treaters and refused to answer the door! I decided it must have something to do with the fact that, growing up in the country, we never had T-or-T'ers and it weirded me out that so many people were coming to the door. (Let's be honest...I regularly hide from people at the door. I wonder what that says about me?)

Grace "dressed up" as a Scaredy-Cat. Too cute!

Happy Birthday!

2011-11-13T21:32:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Grace's first brithday October 29th. Both of our families were able to make it and we had a wonderful time! Thanks for making her day extra special, everyone!

Snuggles with Grandma K.

Opening presents with Mom.

Cupcakes! I was SO pleased with how they turned out!

"Hey Mikey, I think she likes it!"

One Year Old!!

2011-11-06T21:56:00.003-07:00

Grace is one year old!
I can not believe how much she has grown and changed this past year.

Kurt and I were talking about how she's not really our baby anymore;

she's looking and acting more and more like a little girl!

GRACE at 12 months:

~Is talking...sort of...! Her first word with real meaning seems to be "kitty." Everytime Mo comes into the room, Grace gets really excited and says some version of kitty. Really cute...although I am a little bummed that I haven't heard her call for Momma yet.

~Is incredibly silly! She cracks me up with all the silly things she does and the noises she makes as she plays.

~Has started rolling again...mostly during diaper changes. (See above picture!) I realize I've been really lucky to have a baby that was mostly stationary when placed on her back, but I've been having a heck of a time trying to figure out how to diaper a baby on the move! I finally resorted to pinning her down with my leg so I can have a fighting chance to get a diaper on her!

~ Isn't walking yet, but is so incredibly close! She'll stand by herself, walk holding onto our fingers, but as soon as you take even one hand away, Plop! Down she goes! We got her a little stroll-along walker for her birthday and its incredibly cute to watch her walk around the room on her own.

~Is drinking from a sippy cup. One day she just decided she was ready to do it herself. I LOVE that she can hydrate all on her own, especially since she's only nursing twice a day now.

~Loves her finger foods. While she'll still let us feed her baby food, she gets fussy if she doesn't have plenty of chances to do it herself!

~Likes to sit on my lap as she plays. It doesn't even matter if I'm playing with her, so long as she can sit in my lap!

~Dances! Anytime music starts playing, Grace starts grooving! She has a really good steady beat, too.

What a year its been! Love you, Grace.

11 Months!

2011-10-05T16:11:00.000-06:00

Grace is 11 months. Gah! I know its been said before, but I can't believe how fast my baby is growing up! Its exciting and bittersweet all at the same time.

GRACE at 11 months:

~Hasn't started talking yet. She seems to recognize that we're "Momma" and "Dada", she just needs to start calling us by name. She will also repeat things we say, like Hi and Bye, Kitty-kitty and night-night, but I haven't been able to get her to say it consistently.

~Has finally started smiling for the camera! No more camera face for this girl.

~Does not do well when her routine is messed up. She also doesn't settle back into a good sleep pattern very easily, either. So if she's up late one night, we have to work to get her back to a normal bedtime.

~Likes to walk while holding onto our fingers. Still no steps on her own, but I'm ok with that. Since she turned 11 months, she's also been standing briefly all by herself. Any day now...!

~Waves and claps! (Technically these happened after she turned 11 months. Oh well.) She responds to Hi and Bye with a wave--too cute! She also started clapping and was so excited that she woke up in the middle of the night to practice. Dear baby, 4 am is for sleeping, not clapping.

~Is starting to pick up sign language. During meal times she'll look up at me with her beautiful brown eyes and sign "more." Melts my heart!

~Is starting to snuggle. She's always been so interested in what was happening around her she would never put her head on our shoulders. Now she does it whenever she's getting ready for or getting up from a nap or bedtime. I love her sweet hugs in the morning!

~Has started to throw minor tantrums. If things don't go the way she wants, she'll either throw her self backward or forward onto the ground...where she usually gets distracted by licking the floor...

We love our sweet girl! I'm amazed how much she has changed this past year. Putting her baby book together has me looking at pictures of a much younger Grace, thinking "She was never that small, was she?" We love you, Grace Ellie!

10 Months Old

2011-09-11T17:59:00.002-06:00

10 Months Old!

Grace is looking more and more like a little girl

and less and less like my baby.

-sigh-

Where has the time gone!?

GRACE at 10 months:

~Hasn't started talking yet, but sure does like to babble and she is LOUD! She's very expressive and I can't wait until she can really say what's on her mind.

~Loves to walk around the house holding onto our fingers. Her top half tends to get too far forward, so I don't think she's that close to walking yet.

~Has stopped sleeping well. Gah. She got all turned around again and has been waking up for several hours in the middle of the night wanting to play. And going in to put her back down just makes her MAD. So we've been going through the torture of letting her cry herself back to sleep. But I'm hoping it was all caused by...

~Her new tooth! After months of teething, we finally have something to show for it! Her top left tooth finally popped through and the right one seems like it might be coming in soon, too.

Yay for new teeth!

~She has figured out how to show when she wants to be picked up or be held by someone else. I must say I feel pretty special when she chooses to come to her momma. ;0)

~Has discovered the joy that is the bottom shelf of the pantry. After an afternoon spent cleaning up spilled noodles and then spilled oats, I think I have it fairly well baby proofed, but everyday her reach gets just a little longer... Pretty soon nothing will be safe!

~We've started stage 3 foods, but our little stinker has figured out how to eat the sauce while spitting out the chunks. But she loves to eat her finger food! So far bananas and avocados have been big hits. Peaches and Sweet Potatoes are next on our list.

We find ourselves in awe of how much joy she brings to our life.

What a precious little girl we love!

9 Month Checkup

2011-08-16T22:42:00.006-06:00

Grace had her nine month wellness check last week and she's right on track! I was thankful that she wouldn't need shots this time, but she still cried big old crocodile tears as the doctor examined her. Oh well!

Speaking of her doctor... She's been seeing the same doctor since she was born. Great physician, but a very busy guy. We've been thinking about changing docs, to find someone who has fewer patients and can actually get her in when I call a month in advance. This checkup confirmed the need to find somebody new when the doc walked in and started asking me about my son, commenting that HE needed a haircut. I had to tell him that she was, in fact, a girl with long hair. He tried to smooth over his mistake and asked me several questions about how Kurt and I liked parenthood, but it was waaaay to late for that! If you can't take the time to read the big F on the top of her chart, then too bad for you. Luckily I have another doctor in mind and am very excited to have finally made the decision to switch.

So here are Grace's current stats:

~Height: 29 1/4 inches...still in the 90th percentile!

~Weight: 19.8 pounds...somewhere between the 50th and 75th percentile.

~Head: 18 inches around

The doctor did mention that when you couple her height and weight it actually puts her in the 25th percentile for weight, but since she's so tall, its perfectly normal. Basically, we have a tall, skinny baby. (Where in the world did she get those genes from...?)

9 Months Old

2011-07-30T10:39:00.006-06:00

Our sweet girl is 9 months old. Wow! She's fully mobile, full of smiles and cute noises, and so much fun. It blows my mind that she's been on the outside as long as she was inside. =0)

GRACE at 9 months:

~Has discovered how to make the "G" sound. She crawls through the house making a guttural G noise, sounding an awful lot like static.

~Still refuses to smile well for the camera. Makes it really hard for us to get a good picture!

~Laughs hardest when she's playing with Dad. Melts my heart!

~Has figured out how to pull into standing and cruise along the furniture. She'll stand with only one hand on the furniture; one of these days she'll take off walking!

~Is sleeping a bit better. She goes to bed between 8 or 9, wakes up early in the morning to nurse and then starts her day around 9.

~At last weigh-in she was 18 pounds, 11 ounces. (9mth appointment is later this month.)

~Has been been having a heck of a time teething. She was so crabby for about 2 weeks that we took her to the doc to make sure she didn't have an ear infection. The verdict was teething. However, her teeth have not come in, but she's in a much better mood so I won't complain!

~She's really eating solid food! We're on stage 2 foods, eating solid food 3 times a day and nursing before naps and bedtime. It makes me wonder if she was just hungry during her crabby period...

Funny story: Grace has recently figured out the head shake. The other day we were trying to check her mouth for any new teeth (an impossible feat). After much squirming and fussing, we gave up. We were discussing how that does not bode well for future visits to the dentist, so Kurt asked Grace if she was going to like going to the dentist. She looked right at him with an impish grin on her face and shook her head no! We busted up laughing, asked her again and got the same result! Too funny! Gotta love this girl!

8 Months and on the move!

2011-07-01T21:04:00.008-06:00

Grace is on the move and I am frantically trying to keep up.

Life just got really exciting around here!

GRACE at 8 Months:

~Says both Momma and Dada, especially when she's having fun. We're just waiting until she realizes what they mean...!

~Is still one of the smiliest babies I know.

~Has completely stopped rolling when she's on the floor...which is nice, because it means mom has a way to keep her in one spot for a while!

~Is an absolute pro at sitting, which has made for one very happy baby! She loves to see what's going on.

~Crawls! She is a baby on the move, especially when Mo is in the room. She had been army crawling and creeping for a while, but she finally mastered the true crawl June 21st.

~Can pull herself into standing, which we discovered for the first time Father's Day morning (June 19th). And her crib was lowered 5 minutes later...

~Is no longer sleeping through the night...sigh. Since returning from vacation, her sleep schedule has been ALL over the place. Bedtime is a crap shoot, as is whether or not she'll wake up during the night. Gah!

~Is finally eating solid food! YES!!! On her 8 month birthday she finally got things figured out and now she eats like no body's business. She's also an extreme fan of puffs.

~Spent her first Sunday in the nursery, which means mom actually got to go to church! Yay!

~Had to go to the doctor for the first time because of a sickness. Boo. After a low fever for several days, we took her in and found out she had viral stematomas, basically little blisters in her throat. We think she most likely picked it up from touching something during one of our plane rides.

~Weighs 18 pounds, according to the doctors office scale!

Life is so fun right now. I love this age!

Her sweet and silly personality is shining through and we're having a blast. =0)

North Carolina

2011-06-15T20:19:00.012-06:00

This June we were able to get together with my whole family for a reunion down in NorthCarolina. My sister and her family have lived over there for almost 5 years but we have never had the chance to visit them. But no longer! With both babies getting bigger by the day, we decided it was time to get our families together. Of course there was no way my mom was going to let both grand-babies get together if she couldn't be there, so we Idahoans packed up for a trip to the east coast.

We rented a beach house at Topsail Island for the week and it was heaven!
This is the view that greeted us from our back porch.

Total bummer, eh?

We had a fantastic week sight-seeing, playing in the waves, and loving on these two things.

We went to the North Carolina Aquarium and saw this ravishing creature.

We also visited the Battleship North Carolina,

and found this little monkey hanging around.

And we climbed all the way to the top of this!

I have never enjoyed a vacation more.
So thankful for all the wonderful memories!

7 months old!

2011-06-01T20:51:00.010-06:00

Seven months old! We are having SO much fun!

GRACE at 7 months:

~Is starting to babble. I've heard "da-da" sounds and even the occasional "hi"!

~Is trying to crawl! Much of nap time is spent on her hands and knees, rocking back and forth. (One of these days she's just gonna take off and it will shock me!)

~Is sleeping completely through the night. (Yipee!) I bought crib bumpers the other day, since she was getting her arms and legs stuck between then bars, and it made all the difference.

~Is sitting up on her own! Which makes for one happy baby since she can see whats going on around her.

~Manuvered from her tummy into a sitting position a few nights ago, although I haven't seen her do it again.

~Is eating solid food. She's still not wild about it, but she has decided sweet potatoes aren't that bad. We've also tried peas...not as much yummy, apparently. She's still only taking a small amount each day, but its something!

I wish there was time to write more, but we're getting ready to go on vacation.

See you when we get back!

6 Month Stats

2011-05-19T21:50:00.005-06:00

We went to the doctor this week for Grace's 6 month check-up. Our little girl is healthy and happy! Here's where she's at:

Height: 27 1/2 inches...only at quarter inch gain since last appointment, putting her in the 90th percentile.

Weight: 17.6 pounds...She weighs more that her cousin, but he's beating her in length! She's now in the 75th percentile for weight.

Head: 17 1/2 inches...I can't remember what it was last time, but now she's in the 75th percentile.

Her growth rate has slowed a bit, but she's still doing well. I'm actually a little glad she's slowed down...for a while there I was picturing a daughter taller then Kurt!

In addition to going to the doctor this week, she also sprouted BOTH bottom teeth on Monday (5/16) AND decided to try to crawl. Right now all she does is get up on her hands and knees and rock back and forth, but its a start! And now this momma is panicking...baby proofing, here I come! ;0)

6 Months Old!

2011-05-06T14:17:00.009-06:00

I am having so much fun watching Grace learn and explore. She is definitely all baby now--no more newborn here! I love watching her reach and grab and find new ways to move. SO thankful I get to spend the day with her!

GRACE at 6 months:

~Refuses to roll from her tummy to her back! I know she can (I've seen her do it with both arms swaddled!), but she would rather holler until I help her then do it herself.

~Is getting closer and closer to sitting on her own.

~Is sleeping un-swaddled! We had a week of horrible sleep where Grace would be awake for hours in the middle of the night. We took away her swaddling blanket and voila!, a baby that sleeps through the night! I think she was having too much fun playing with the fabric.

~Height and weight stats are coming...I was slow in making her appointment and they couldn't get us in until middle of May!

~Absolutely REFUSES to eat solid food! We've tried rice cereal, oatmeal, peas and blueberry puffs. She either refuses to open her mouth or gags on the bites she does let in! Sheesh!

~Makes the cutest lip smacking noise! I make it quite often to entertain her and one day she smacked right back. Too cute!

~Has started making "sniffy" faces. No idea why or where she learned it, but she'll wrinkle up her nose and sniff through it. So funny!

As I'm writing this, I'm realizing how much of her personality is starting to shine through. Generally, she's a very joyful baby, content to play on the floor. But she also has ideas about how things should be (just look at everything she's refusing to do!). She has a pretty goofy streak in her, too! Love you Smush!

Grace pulls an April Fools prank.

2011-04-11T22:19:00.005-06:00

My sweet girl pulled her first prank at less then a year old! We were in CA on April 1, to help Grandpa Krohmer celebrate his 90th birthday. Grace and I were alone in the hotel room. I had put Grace down for the night in the hotel crib that was located next to our room's entertainment center. As I flipped through the TV channels, I came upon the show Ghost Adventures. I'm a big sucker for that kind of show-it scares the snot out of me, yet I can't NOT watch! As I watched, I could feel myself getting sucked in and freaked out at the same time. All of a sudden, the top drawer of the entertainment center flew open! I about had a heart attack until I realized our wiggly little worm (who wasn't sleeping) had managed to get her feet between the crib bars, under the drawer edge and had given it a kick! If only she knew how many years she removed from my life with that trick...!

5 Months Old

2011-04-11T21:58:00.008-06:00

Time has flown by! It has been a very exciting month for Grace-she's transitioning out of the newborn stage and is really starting to interact with the world around her. So very fun!

GRACE at 5 months:

~Spends a good deal of time squealing with glee! It's so cute.

~Her biggest smiles are saved for Daddy. He's definitely wrapped around her little finger.

~Can roll from her back to her tummy at will. We're still working on getting to her back again on purpose!

~Is very close to sitting up on her own. She usually get so excited she just tips over!

~Really likes to stand on our laps so she can see what's going on.

~Is sleeping through the night again, usually on her side and for around 12 hours! =0)

~Just started rice cereal! (23 weeks) She seems pretty neutral-doesn't love it, doesn't hate it, but sure does like to wear it!

~Last time we weighed her, our scale said she was 18 pounds! Not sure I believe it though...

~Took her first plane ride at 22 weeks. She was a trooper!! Slept through most of the flights and had fun playing for the rest of the time!

Madly in love with this girl!

4 Months!

2011-03-01T11:10:00.009-07:00

Grace is 4 months old! Wow-wee!

Way too much fun is being had around this place, that's for sure!

GRACE at 4 months:

~Smiles at everyone and giggles like a pro!

~LOVES to have her cheeks tickled!

~Is starting to realize when someone other than Mom or Dad are holding her and protests with a quivery chin and one very sad face.

~Tolerates tummy time again, but still LOVES to sit up tall.

~Rolled from her back to her tummy for the first time yesterday, February 28th! No repeat performances yet, though.

~Was sleeping through the night, but has hit the "4 month wakeful period." Goody.

~IS GOING TO BED AT A NORMAL TIME!!! This is HUGE in our household! We dialed her back 4 hours (without tears!) by moving bedtime up 15 minutes everynight and having a solid bedtime routine. She is now in her crib at 10pm and is usually asleep by 10:30. YAY!

~Weight: 15.14 pounds (90th percentile)

~Head circumference: 14 inches (between 90th and 95th percentile)

~Length: 27 inches (Above the 95th percentile...she's literally off the chart!)

~She's as long as her 6 month old cousin, although she doesn't quite weigh as much.

We went in for her 4 month checkup today. Apparently Grace has a great memory, because the sight of the nurse who gave her shots last time sent her into a fit...and she pretty much stayed there the rest of the appointment. Shots this time didn't even phase her-she was already at her angriest before they stuck her. sigh. I think that whole process is just as hard on Mom as it is on baby! So sorry, Smush. We love you!

3 Months!

2011-01-31T22:07:00.008-07:00

It is incredible to me how quickly time has flown by. I was talking to Kurt the other day about how even the memories of Grace as a newborn are fuzzy now. All I can think of is how cute she is that very day!

GRACE at 3 Months:

~Smiles at everything! She has definitely mastered the heart melting smile.

~Has laughed a handful of times and oh, how we love it!

~Has very sensitive skin that rashes regularly.

We've discovered she's even allergic to Burt's Bees products!

~Doesn't sleep until 2 or 3 in the morning, but easily sleeps for 8 hours without waking.

We just wish she'd sleep at more normal times!

~Has been sleeping in her own room since week 12!

~Is happiest when she's sitting up tall. This little one wants to see whats going on

~Weighs over 14 pounds.

She is a great baby. Generally happy and very contented and quite the joy to be around!

We love you, Smush!

And now, for your viewing enjoyment...the many faces of Grace!

2 Months!

2010-12-29T11:50:00.004-07:00

Grace is 2 months old. Wow! She's growing like a weed and is just about the sweetest baby ever. (I'm biased, I know.)

Grace at 2 months:

~smiles at everything.

~likes to sit up tall and look around while holding her head high.

~has earned the nicknames Grumbly Bear and Snort-a-saurus.

~goes to bed around 2 am, but sleeps very well on her own.

~eats like a champ!

~weight: 13.1 pounds (95th percentile)

~height: 23 1/2 inches (90th percentile)

~is already into 3-6 month clothes!

~has eyes that are looking decidely more and more brown.

Our first Christmas with Grace was wonderful! Such a little joy she is!

One Month Old!

2010-11-27T21:19:00.004-07:00

Our sweet little Grace is one month old today!

I can not believe all that has happened and changed in the last month.

Love you, Grace Ellie!

GRACE at one month old...

~Smiles, but only at those who really deserve them.

~Has held her head up since the day she was born.

~Has the worst case of baby acne...sorry little one!

~Prefers to sleep in bed with Mom and Dad.

~Is getting the hang of eating. ;)

~Likes being cuddled to sleep.

~Loves to be up on your shoulder
so she can look around at her brand new world.

~Almost always sneezes during diaper changes.

~Is just starting to grow out of her newborn clothes
and fit into her 0-3 month outfits.

She is such a good baby...I think I'm in love. =0)

Grace Eliana

2010-11-18T16:43:00.003-07:00

Announcing the birth of

Grace Eliana Krohmer!

Grace: Graceful

Eliana: My Lord has answered me

Born October 27th at 12:24 pm.

8 pounds, 7 ounces

21 inches long

Welcome to the world, little one.

Mommy and Daddy love you!

Labor Day

2010-11-16T17:48:00.009-07:00

I wrote this several weeks after Grace was born. I wasn't sure if I wanted to post it at first, but after coming back to it several months later I've decided its worth sharing, even if it only serves as a reminder to me in the years to come. Enjoy!

I've been thinking I should blog about Grace's arrival, now that she's in my arms. But I'm just not sure what to say...and I'm a little worried that what I really want to say might scare those who haven't had a baby before. Then on the other hand, I wish someone had laid it out for me before I got pregnant...or rather I wish I had really listened to those who did tell me! Then maybe I wouldn't have been so surprised...

I now understand why it is called labor. It was the most exhausting thing I have ever done. And honestly I wasn't all that amazed by the miracle of child birth, at least not at first. So here's our story: We were set to be induced the evening before my due date because of my chronic high blood pressure. But the afternoon of our induction day I started bleeding, so we went in early. We spent the afternoon walking, trying to go into active labor. At 5 that night (our original induction time) they got me started on medicine and said "We'll let you sleep tonight and really get you started in the morning." Luckily, those first meds sent me into labor. By the middle of the night I was in some serious pain and opted for some fantastic narcotics since I was at 4 cm. As an added bonus, they helped me sleep and dream of circus animals in a parade. At 6 cm. I got a fantastic epidural and I felt nothing for the rest of the night! At 9 am we started pushing...and pushing... and pushing. Turns out she was face up, so the doc used the vacum to flip her over. She got stuck again towards the end, so out came the vacum again. The doc pulled while I pushed and at 12:24 our little girl was born! I was exhausted. I kissed my baby (she had to be taken to the nursery because she had inhaled meconium (baby poo) when she was born) and then I proceeded to sleep the next 2 hours. Not a bad labor all in all. I pushed for a long time (at 3 hours they usually opt for a c-section) but overall I have very little to complain about.

Fast forward 7 hours: we were in our room with Grace, whom the doctor wanted to keep for observation because several of her levels were "off." The baby blues hit me hard that night (and kept hitting for the next week.) I laid in bed that night and wept while I thought "What in the world have we done? We've changed the entire course of our life. Are we ready for this?" I honestly asked God to put her back, to make me pregnant with her again because pregnancy was familiar and parenthood was not.

I ended up going through a period of mourning for my pregnancy. I LOVED being pregnant. I had an easy pregnancy and I loved feeling her wiggle inside me. Then I went through this horribley painful experience known as labor in order to stop being something I loved. It was cruel! Needless to say those first weeks were tough. Many tears were shed. And I wasn't too sure about what I had gotten myself into. There was even a panic attack or two in there. But you know what? When they say that it gets better around 6 weeks, THEY WEREN'T LYING! I LOVE my daughter. I love having her around and listening to her little squeaks. I love getting to know her funny little faces. I'm even getting used to being sleep deprived. Motherhood really is a BEAUTIFUL problem to have. =0)

CLN

2010-10-16T11:16:00.003-06:00

My Grandma passed away last Saturday, rather suddenly. She had been getting older and dealing with all that comes with age, but there was no reason to suspect her time was near. I sadly wasn't able to go to the funeral, being only 2 weeks from my due date. I wish I could be with those that knew her best; to hear the stories and hold them close to my heart. But I'm not and that's ok--I have plenty of wonderful memories of my own.
It's kind of an odd thing, to be in mourning for someone you know you will see again. She was a dear lady--a strong Christian woman with an incredible relationship with the Lord. While those of us that are left miss her dearly, its incredible to think about her life in Heaven. I can't even imagine the crowds of people that were waiting to welcome her home, not to mention the utter joy she felt at being in the presence of God. I imagine she had a HUGE crown waiting for her at the pearly gates as she was a woman that truly understood the concept of storing up treasures in Heaven. At her funeral the pastor said something along the lines of "I would hate to get to Heaven and face Corky without having preached the Gospel message at her funeral." To which the only thing it say is AMEN! Grandma was unashamed of the gift God had given her and shared it with those Jesus brought into her life. (Lord give me the strength to do the same!)
Perhaps the most incredible part of this entire experience has been the overwhelming display of how faithful God is to his children. Over and over this past week I have had to marvel at God's perfect plan. Simple things like Grandma getting to see her younger brother the week before she passed--they were very close and while I'm sure she would have liked to see her other brother as well, it was a special blessing that Uncle Len was there. Simple things like my mother being there when Grandma passed away--she had gone just for a visit and ended up being there to usher her into the arms of Jesus. Otherwise there would have been no family there. Simple things like my sister and baby Patrick coming for the funeral and then to Idaho for a week--we didn't think there was any chance for them to make it to Idaho this year and now I get to look forward to meeting my nephew! Now we're placing the birth of baby girl in God's hands too--if she comes a week early, then her aunt will get to meet her before she leaves.
Thank you Jesus for the life of CLN. She was a huge influence in my life and her death will not change that. I rejoice that I will see her again, even though I miss her now. What an incredible, beautiful problem to have...

The Krohmer House for Battered Birds

2010-09-24T17:55:00.011-06:00

This is a cat. A very naughty cat. We call him Maybe.

Maybe is the reason we are now in caring for a mourning dove named Bird-izzle.

Not cool, cat. Not cool.

In an attempt to take care of his pathetic humans who don't know how to hunt, Maybe caught a bird and brought it to us...while it was still alive. And we weren't home. He then proceeded to chase Bird-izzle all around our kitchen and dining room, leaving a trail of feathers. A trail that we followed several hours later when we returned home. It led to a very scared Bird-izzle, trapped between the fridge and the wall, with a very proud Maybe cat standing guard. (It was his very first bird, you see.) Needless to say, we were not very proud...especially since this is southern Idaho, where mourning doves are abundant and there aren't any prolific bird rescue stations that I know of. So we were stuck with a damaged bird that appeared to have the possibility of recovering; a fact that I, in my currently overly-nurturing state, couldn't ignore.

What did we do? We rescued that poor, pathetic bird, named him Bird-izzle and have been housing him in our cat carrier (ironic, isn't it?) in the garage. And due to the fact that he isn't leafy and green, he seems to be improving! He has been freed from the carrier to walk around, which he seems to enjoy, but has not yet attempted to fly. But soon Bird-izzle will show an ability to behave like a normal bird, we shall return him to his native habit, and I can stop feeling like an idiot every time I stick my head into the garage and mutter some statement about a "bird-izzle." sigh. What a beautiful problem to have.

Perhaps next time I will tell you about this creature:

Our Mo cat...who seems to think she IS a bird.

Addendum: In the 12 hours since this post was written, Birdizzle took a turn for the worse and is now lying feet up.... I'm sorry little birdie. I really did try. Please don't think this reflects at all on my ability to parent. We'll assume baby girl will be fine since she isn't made of leaves OR feathers....

Hilarious

2010-05-02T21:29:00.002-06:00

My students have started catching on that I'm pregnant; mainly because they've heard me talking to other teachers, not because I'm showing yet. The other day one of my first graders asked me at the start of class if I was having a baby. Needless to say, the conversation that followed was hilarious!

Student: Mrs. K, are you having a baby?
Me: Yes, I am.
S: Who's the father?
M: (Slightly shocked) My Husband!!!
S: What's his name?
M: Mr. Krohmer
Other Student: I know him; he's in the navy!

I got them settled down and ready for the day's activity when I overheard "She doesn't look pregnant. She's still skinny!"

Bless their hearts! Now that's something I will hold onto during the days I don't feel so "Skinny."

Oh the joys...

2010-04-25T15:12:00.002-06:00

The other night I was sitting on the couch when I heard the sound that makes my heart jump: the I've-got-a-present-for-you meow. Yes ladies and gentlemen, our sweet little girl cat has turned into a fierce huntress. Being the weird cat she is, though, she doesn't hunt birds or mice. Oh no. She hunts worms. Fearsome prey, no? So far she has brought us 5 worms--three she left outside and two she brought inside.

In my current pregnant state, I have not been dealing well with the sight of wriggling worms and their guts strewn all over my carpet. Usually I don't have a problem with worms. I've never been afraid or grossed out by them. But right now, for the next few months and well...forever, I sure do wish I could convince her to leave the little things outside!

The State of Things

2010-04-21T20:04:00.003-06:00

I haven't updated the blog in a long.....LONG......time. A lot of very wonderful stuff has happened to us since the last time I wrote: We bought a house, Kurt got a raise, my bro-in-law came home from Afghanistan, my sister got pregnant, Kurt's bro got engaged. Lots of wonderful, wonderful things! But there in lies the problem.

Kurt and I have been trying to have a baby since September. Not a long time in the grand scheme of things, but I was starting to feel discouraged. Especially since it felt like in every blog and Facebook page I read someone was announcing they were pregnant. And I desperately wanted to be able to announce that too, that I just stopped writing altogether. But no longer....

I am thrilled beyond belief to announce that our very own little bundle of joy will be joining us in October! Wahoo! We're 13 weeks along and I feel great! Aside from some back pain and one day of naseua, its been a smooth ride. I am so incredibly excited to be starting this new adventure. God has blessed us abundantly this year and I'm so thankful!

9/11

2009-09-11T16:48:00.002-06:00

I had a crazy revelation today. As I was walking into my class of 5th graders, someone mentioned that it was 9/11. Several of the kids were confused about why 9/11 was important. I was SHOCKED!! And then I realized that these kids were 4 years old when it happened. CRAZY!! Even high school seniors were only 10 and probably don't really understand it all. It is very strange that I have experienced something that is just 'history'' to someone else. But I do remember it, and now I guess I've seen how important it is to pass what I remember on; to show them why 9/11 IS important and why they should remember, too.

Introducing...Mo!

2009-08-03T11:39:00.006-06:00

I am very slow with this post, but I figure she's so cute she deserves to be introduced to our loyal fan base anyway. (All one of you.) End of June we adopted a little sister for Maybe. Her name is Mo (because of an orange "Mo-hawk" on the top of her head) and she's wonderful! Maybe now has a friend to keep him company and she has certainly entertained us all summer. So without further ado, I give you Mo!

Our two kitties--one big and one little!

Wierdest nap position ever!

This would be Mo on top of the blanket snuggling with Maybe under the blanket!

Funeral

2009-07-14T00:14:00.003-06:00

I have to go to the funeral of one of my first grade students tomorrow. I'm really not looking forward to it, but I feel like its important for me to do, especially since her older brother is also my student. But man-oh-man its going to be hard. So if you think about it, keep her family in your prayers tomorrow and beyond. Thanks.

What a wonderful Fourth of July!

2009-07-05T18:37:00.003-06:00

We had a fantastic Fourth here at the Krohmer household. The Boise Krohmers (sans Kent) came down for a lazy day of hiking, board games and feline entertainment. (With a 1.5 month kitten in the house, its ALWAYS entertaining!) We feasted on hamburgers (thanks Kurt!) AND fresh fruit salad, baked beans, potato salad and four bean salad! Yummy, yummy, yummy!

And the fireworks--OH, the fireworks! Kurt and I discovered last year that we have the perfect viewing place from the empty lot next to our apartment. No crowds and practically in the comfort of our own home. How cool is that!?! It is definitely my favorite way to celebrate the fourth and quickly on its way to becoming a family tradition!

Hope everyone else's Fourth was just as wonderful!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-07T20:00:00.003-06:00

This weekend I get to spend some just-us-time with my mom. Yay! I love my mom. For those of you who have met her I'm sure you can see why. She's simply wonderful. =0) I'm excited to just talk with her--not have to worry about what needs to happen around the house, or what is waiting to get done, but to get to just sit and talk about whatever. So Momma, if you read this in time, know that I love you and I'm excited to see you tomorrow!

I really do think my body hates me.

2009-05-03T19:18:00.002-06:00

After waking up at 5am with fever, chills and an upset stomach, I'd say that pretty much proves it. Especially since I already had the mother of all stomach flus earlier this year. -sigh- And of course there is no way I can miss school tomorrow, so look out kids! Here comes your slightly feverish music teacher. All I can say is they had better be nice to me.

For Charlie

2009-03-23T20:52:00.002-06:00

I met Charlie my summer in Africa. We were both working with Overland Missions. I was a sheltered Idahoan whose world had been blown wide open. He was a South African, searching for his place, I think, but very content to follow where he was lead. He was a doer, a man of patient action. It's very strange, how quickly you can become attached to people.

I knew him for maybe a month and a half, but still every year I feel the ache in my heart. I don't know his last name--not that I could pronounce it if I did. I'm not even sure of the exact day he left us, but still it hurts. I almost feel selfish in a way. What right do I have to miss him, to wish he was still here? I ache for his family, knowing that if I can feel the loss, how much more do they--those that have real, life-long memories of him?

The memories I do have are precious, but so precarious at the same time. I push them away so often, not wanting to feel the pain and tears that follow, that I become worried that I'm forgetting. Then, when I least expect it, they come flooding back, bittersweet and lovely, reminding me why. And so I ache; waiting, longing for the day when I see him again.

I am thankful for that pain because it means I knew him, that I have the memories to make me feel. But I resent it in a way. It reminds me that there aren't anymore memories, that there won't ever be. And that hurts.

How can you not...

2009-03-09T21:40:00.004-06:00

absolutely love a shopping trip like this:

While shopping for shoes with Kurt, I found a pair of heels that I really liked--comfortable and all! Even on sale, though, they were just too much money for the enjoyment I would get out of wearing them.

5 Minutes later and ONE store down the mall...

I find the exact same shoes for half the sale price at the other store! YAY! (Now I can afford both the shoes and some longer pants that won't make me look like a goon in high-waters.) =0)

New Music

2008-12-04T21:50:00.005-07:00

One of my greatest joys is discovering new songs and artists that feed my inner muse. It's almost a sickness. I start out on Pandora (if you haven't discovered pandora yet, you need to. Type in an artist you like and it will play artists that have a similar style and sound. LOVE it!) Once I find an artist I like there, I go to iTunes and listen to clips from an album. If the album passes inspection, I head over to Ruckus to download it so I can listen to the entire song. Then, if I REALLY like it, I go back to iTunes and download it to my ipod. See, its a sickness.

So in an effort to give myself something to write about other than work or the cat, I've decided to start posting about the new music I've discovered that week. Take a listen and let me know what you think! (aka Leave comments please!)

This week I'm being haunted by the song Samson by Regina Spektor. It's a beautifully haunting song--the type that you're afraid to stop listening to in case the melody falls out of your head. While I was looking online for the lyrics, I found an amusing chat about "what the words mean." Some people were certain it was about Sampson and Delilah, while others were certain it was Regina writing about her desire to find a man who would trust her enough to let her cut his hair. HA! I thinks its a beautifully redone version of the Sampson and Delilah story--not biblical, but still a VERY beautiful song. Hope you like it!

(I'm working on getting a music player on our blog. I'll get there someday. =0)

Wow...we're lame.

2008-12-04T21:29:00.002-07:00

Our last blog post was in October. I really do have things going on, but so much of them revolve around work and the cat that I feel really lame always posting about them. Kind of like I'm a workaholic cat lady....which I'm not........yet. So to give you an update:

Work is going well for both of us. I'm getting my kids ready for their Christmas Concert in 2 weeks. We are overly prepared. You know its bad when after telling the class that you're working on Christmas music they say "Do we have to?" and you think "Yeah, do we have to?" But it should be one great concert, so if you're in the Twin Falls area on December 17th, come on down!

Sadly, Christmas rehearsal overload has affected my holiday spirit and there is NOTHING suggesting holiday cheer up in our apartment. No, not true. I did buy a let it snow window cling, that's up. And I did put up the nativity (complete with hippos) and our little miniature Christmas tree...which Maybe promptly took down 5 minutes later.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. We spent the holiday in Boise and it was just a fun, relaxing vacation. Kurt brought the Wii with us, so the boys spent the whole time playing video games. I watched them play and savored the fact that there were no students around! I love my kids, but by Thanksgiving break I was tired of looking at them! Christmas will be spent in Idaho Falls with the 'rents, sister and bro-in-law. I'm very much looking forward to having my two favorite women under one roof again! Yippee!!

Kurt's birthday was on the 30th. Yep, he's the big 2-3 now. He made quite the birthday haul--power drill and bits, Wii Play, Lego Batman and Castlemania. Lots of big boy toys...=0)

So all in all, we've had a very fun and full couple of weeks. Now bring on the Christmas festivites!

In, Under, and Between!

2008-10-15T18:53:00.004-06:00

Places we have found our own little "fort builder":

In old soda boxes,
Under the plastic covering of a case of Propel,
In Emily's work bag,
Under the chair cover,
In the laundry hamper,
In a paper bag,
In cardboard boxes,
Under cardboard boxes,
Between the shower curtains,
Under the covers!

Delicious Success! (An Unexpected Birthday Present)

2008-10-07T21:51:00.012-06:00

Yes, the rumors are true. We have finally mastered the art of sweet and sour chicken. The effort was long and laborious, but the fruit of our labors was sweet indeed (and sour). I suppose I should let you in on the back story to this amazing feat of cookery.

It all started on a Saturday morning. A Saturday morning much like any other EXCEPT for the fact that Emily was out of the house at a girl's brunch. It was that morning that I hatched my devious plans for her birthday celebration.

The plans were thus: Wait for the wife to come home from the brunch. Take said wife on a shopping spree as per her request. Accompany wife in selecting professional yet stylish articles of clothing, swiping credit card as necessary. Tender the lovely lady one coupon for a tasty beverage of her choice. Escort her to Canyon Crest for an evening of fine dining. Slip her a coupon for one hour of some form of service from her husband (massage, housework, etc.).

This is where the plan took an unexpected turn. Instead of the cleaning that I had anticipated, Emily requested that I make sweet and sour chicken for her on Monday. Yes, the same sweet and sour chicken that she had more than a little trouble with (see the Disgusting post for more info). Now, some of you aren't familiar with my wife's cooking. Well, without rambling for too long, I'll just say that her cooking does not come out bad. I just didn't think it was possible. So, now I was entrusted with making a dish that even Emily could not master. Goody.

Fortunately for me, Emily decided to give me some coaching as I attempted sweet and sour chicken. I proceeded to measure, mince, slice, stir, batter, and boil my way toward what would hopefully be a delicious dinner. The results were as follows:

Somehow, I managed to succeed where my wife had failed. In the end, it came down to the fact that I got the batter for the chicken to come out right. It may have been the fact that I fried a few pieces of chicken at a time, or that I had a deep fryer at my disposal, or that I'm somehow a better cook than my wife... Yeah right. But due to my success with the whole battering process as well as a track record for a few good pizza crusts, Emily now affectionately refers to me as her 'dough boy.' Oh boy.

Tested on Family Members!?

2008-09-21T19:14:00.003-06:00

The other day I was in need of a Carmex refill since my squeeze tube was almost out. I headed to the closest store to pick up a tube, thinking that everything was fine and dandy. And then I started reading the package. And I quote:

Suffering from chapped lips and occasional cold sores,
Alfred Woelbing invented Carmex lip balm in Milwaukee in the early 1930s...
The Woelbing family still runs the business today,
answering every letter and email!
Carmex is tested on family members--not on animals.

I'm all for the ASPCA and the protection animals, but now it looks like someone needs to start an ASPCFM--The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Family Members!

Really Carmex, Really?

The Adventures of Maybe cat!

2008-09-06T22:51:00.003-06:00

One hand-me-down wire chair: Zero Dollars

One old sheet from Kurt's bachelor days: Zero Dollars

Maybe's new hiding place: Priceless!

Please poke our furniture before you sit down--you never know what might be lurking inside!

Back to School

2008-09-06T22:42:00.003-06:00

I think I can finally say I am all settled in at my new job. Which is nice, because my hormonal self had quite the hard time with it the first week or so. I'm also recovering nicely from the annual beginning-of-school cold I caught last week. So with all of that behind me, the future looks bright and rosy, and I'm quite happy to be where I'm at. My students are fantastic and have been so excited to play the new instruments I bought for them. (The instruments finally arrived last Tuesday--another reason life is looking up!)

How can you not love teaching at a school where its difficult to walk down the hall because so many students want to give you a hug!?! Or where they draw you pictures just because they want to? Or where you get to carpool to work everyday with two cool girls? Or where you have a standing lunch date everyday? Goodness, Life is good!

Introducing....Maybe!

2008-08-25T20:45:00.003-06:00

Yep, this is our new little Maybe cat.

For those who like cats, continue on.
For those who don't...go home!?!

So much to say

2008-08-24T15:52:00.002-06:00

Wow, a lot has happened since I last updated! Life for the Krohmers has been busy (hence the lack of posts!) Let's see, where to start...

Our anniversary was AMAZING! I woke up to an anniversary scavenger hunt which eventually lead me to Starbucks and my waiting hubby who had taken the day off. It was romantic and fun, and I was so blessed. The next day we hopped in the car and took off for Pullman to see 2 of our friends get hitched. An absolutely radiant bride and groom and a beautiful ceremony always makes for a good time! Plus, it was great to see some familiar faces. We love the Dykes!

Once our feet were back on home soil, it was time for me to get back to work. Whew! What an intense week that was! I got blind-sided by a schedule that was VERY different from what I was expecting. After several freak outs and TONS of help from the PE teacher, I think I finally have it all figured. (For those of you who are teachers, I see each grade for 2 hours a week! Craziness!) I did teach on Thursday and Friday, and already (despite the nightmare schedule) I am falling in love with my students. Thank you Jesus for reminding us about what's really important!

But most importantly, there has been a new addition to our little family! We adopted a gray and white tabby cat from the animal shelter Saturday! He's incredibly cute, very active, but likes his snuggle time, too (which I love!) We are pretty stoked about what a good kitten he is...minus the whole scratching on the furniture thing. But that will be taken care of when we get him de-clawed! Pictures will be posted soon, I'm sure.

Happy Anniversary, Love!

2008-08-07T09:50:00.003-06:00

I can't believe that one year ago I became a Krohmer!
This past year has been better that I could ever have imagined!
Thank you for always being there--a strong shoulder when I'm weak,
a helping hand when I'm needy
and pretty much the coolest guy I know!
I love laughing with you and making you laugh.
Here's to many, Many, MANY more years of the same!
I love you!

Disgusting!

2008-08-04T09:08:00.000-06:00

"Oh Sweet and Sour Chicken! That you were mine..."

Kurt and I have recently been on a Chinese food kick. Inspired by the yummy food at Moscow's Old Peking Restaurant, I have been trying my hand at cooking Chinese food with good results. (We bought a wok and everything!) It had been very tasty, until about 2 weeks ago...

I decided to get fancy and try to make Sweet and Sour Chicken, complete with homemade red "lollipop" sauce. Note that I said TRY! Long story short: oily batter + watery chicken + frying oil=big disgusting oily mess! It was HORRIBLE! Although the batter refused to stick to the chicken, I persevered to the end, only to end up with a big gloppy mess that wasn't fit to eat. Every once in a while you would catch a taste of the sauce (which was good!) but it had mixed in the batter to create one big, disgusting mass. Gross!

So what did my wonderful husband have to say about it? "Let's throw it off the balcony. I'll toss and you can make up-chuck noises! It'll be great!" Yes, it looked that gross. I sincerely wish I had a picture so you could revel in my cooking mishap with me!

Since that fateful day, we have inherited a deep fat fryer, so hopefully next time the will much triumphant rejoicing and yummy eats! And there will be a next time. I refuse to leave such a disparaging mark on my otherwise (mostly) spotless record! I will be vindicated! Sweet and Sour Chicken will be mine!!!

Yay for a wonderful weekend!

2008-07-30T11:42:00.000-06:00

Twin Falls canyon and bridge.

This past weekend, my parents came for a visit to see us AND our new, completely put together apartment. They had helped us move in so they knew what the apartment looked like, but they hadn't seen it since we had really made it ours. It was a really fun weekend: low key, relaxing and full of lots of laughs!

While Mom and Dad were here, we took them to a nearby waterfall. There's a hiking trail at the falls that lets you walk behind the waterfall. Its beautiful and a great place to cool off on hot days. They're practically in our back yard...which is odd, 'cuz we live in a desert.

"Our" Falls.

My handsome hubby cooling off.

The mist at the bottom.

The view of the canyon from behind the falls.

I should've stayed home!

2008-07-21T18:20:00.000-06:00

I had one of those "shoulda, woulda, coulda" moments the other day. Kurt had been planning to go to The Dark Knight with a group of friends we had recently met at church. I had plans to happily sack out on the couch with a movie that I didn't want to force Kurt to see, but had been wanting to see myself. During the day, though, I decided to go to the movie, too. "Why not? I really do want to see it and maybe going will help build friendships." So against my better judgment, I hopped onto the Batman boat and took off with everyone to go to the movies.

I knew within the first 5 minutes that me going to Batman was a HUGE mistake. As soon as the Scarecrow dude appeared on screen, I suddenly remembered that the ONLY reason I had enjoyed the first Batman movie was because I had watched it with Kurt who had seen it before and could tell me when to close my eyes to avoid seeing something Emily's should just not see. But alas, there I was, stuck in the theater, surrounded with people and completely vulnerable! Let's just say I spent a lot of time contemplating the design on my t-shirt! Lesson learned: If you feel that something will be just to much for you to handle, do not, under ANY circumstance, talk yourself into going!

Now that I have had time to unwind from that unpleasant experience, I do have to say that the Dark Knight is very well done. I can understand why everyone loves it so much and I agree that Heath Ledger should win an Oscar. But if you're like me, and would rather not spend the next twelve hours trying to wipe your memory of images that I know MY Jesus didn't want me to see, then maybe you should hold off and wait to see it with someone who can close your eyes (and maybe even your ears) at just the right moments.

A very good place to start!

2008-07-16T11:06:00.000-06:00

I am officially taking my jump into the world of blogging and hoping against hope that I will have SOMETHING interesting to write at least once a month! Bear with me, as life right now (for me, anyway) is rather boring!

Kurt and I have officially moved from good ole' Moscow down to Twin Falls. After six years of being in Moscow, it feels weird to be anywhere else, but Twin Falls is definitely growing on us. (I mean, who wouldn't like having a Target less then 3 blocks away!) Kurt is working for a cheese company and come the end of August, I will be emplyed as the elementary music teacher in a nearby town. But until then, I spend most of my time oh-so-patiently waiting for Kurt to get home! If you're ever in the area, come on over for a visit!