Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

What Ever Will I Do...

2012-01-27T18:00:00.003-06:00

...for entertainment when these guys grow up?

One of These Things Just Doesn't Belong

2012-01-19T14:46:00.002-06:00

Snow, Sled, Popsicle????

Sidewalk Chalk and Skateboards

2012-01-07T15:15:00.002-06:00

Thursday was amazing. The boys played outside until past dark. When I told Lewis we'll still probably get some snow to play in before the winter is over he said, "No we won't. It's not Christmas anymore."

A Boy and His Bow

2012-01-07T13:29:00.001-06:00

Nothing quite like a 66 degree January day to go shoot some arrows in the expanse of open park space behind the house.

Advent

2012-01-04T14:02:00.004-06:00

We read Bartholomew's Passage with the boys this year for Advent. It is the second book in a family Advent series by Arnold Ytreeide. I highly recommend it, especially for parents with boys. There's a lot of action, and Carter and Owen looked forward to the reading each night (and playing with fire...I mean lighting the candles.) It is an awesome way to get the kids (and ourselves) thinking about the real meaning of Christmas for a bit each day in the month leading up to December 25.

A Night Under the Tree

2012-01-03T14:58:00.002-06:00

It has become tradition for Corey and the boys to sleep under the tree sometime during the month of December. This year it was December 23. I had planned to let Lewis join them this year, but he was very tired and went to sleep early in his own bed. The boys love laughing and talking and staying up late under the lights of the tree.

Christmas in Britt

2012-01-02T17:01:00.005-06:00

Presents! The boys enjoyed opening gifts, hanging out with almost three-year-old Luke, playing the Wii and playing with the hexbug track that Grandpa made. We even got a little snow while in Britt, but not enough to play in. I did not feel well when we were there (Keith's wife, Tomi, was sick too), so I did a whole lot of nothing.

Having fun with cousin Luke. Lewis is having a hard time with the name switch from "Baby Lucas" to "Luke," but Lucas does not appreciate being called a baby.

Christmas in Fremont

2012-01-02T16:51:00.002-06:00

We spent several days in Fremont this year, but I took very few pictures. The cousins had a ball together as they always do. And they are all growing up so much. I remember thinking how big the older kids were when they started going to school. Now the youngest one of the bunch will be five in a few months. Crazy how time moves so quickly.

Grandma reading to Lewis.

All tangled up.
Highlights of the trip:
1. the Wii (this has been popular for a few years now.)
2. Ice-skating. Owen and Ian went two days in a row.
3. Games. We played Headbanz for about 3 hours one evening.
4. Food. Lots and lots of sweets.
5. Legos. Hexbugs, Bey Blades...

Giant Jenga

2011-12-19T15:30:00.003-06:00

You can't say the Nelson family doesn't know how to have fun. Check out this great party game!

Who Needs A Radio?

2011-12-13T13:18:00.002-06:00

I get my very own concert every day at naptime and bedtime and sometimes in the middle of the night. Lewis has sung himself to sleep since before he could form words. Most of the time he makes up songs about his day, but recently he's been singing Christmas songs. I love this kid!

2nd Place

2011-12-08T18:20:00.001-06:00

That's the love of my life there in the red white and blue sweater. Sorry ladies - he's taken. :)

Our New Home

2011-12-03T11:41:00.002-06:00

With the help of many many people, we moved on November 19. Here's a glimpse of our new space. We are loving it. This is the view from the front door.

The kitchen is wonderful. I love the space, the countertops and the hardwood floor that Corey spent a lot of evenings installing and finishing. I'm still not a fan of stainless steel, but I didn't have a choice in the matter.

An Evening Soak

2011-11-29T09:12:00.001-06:00

This has been the highlight of almost every evening since moving into the house. The boys are loving it; especially when dad hangs out in there with them.

Lest You Think I Was Joking...

2011-11-18T08:36:00.002-06:00

Yes, we really do have a urinal in our new house. I apologize in advance to all of you ladies who will use this bathroom at our house in the future and get a funny feeling like you are using the men's room.

House Update - Hardwood Floor

2011-11-13T20:30:00.002-06:00

This is the lovely floor in our kitchen/dining/entry area. It's beautiful. I miss Corey like crazy right now, but he does good work! Can't wait til the house is a place we can relax, instead of just being the location of Corey's second full-time job!

2011 Thanksgiving Tree

2011-11-12T08:55:00.003-06:00

Last year we made a Thanksgiving tree to remind us of things we are thankful for. It was a great little project for the boys and me, so we did it again this year. Here's the list the boys came up with in no particular order -

Football

Jesus

My brothers

My preschool

The house

Both grandmas and grandpas

Music

Mom and dad

Cousins

Friends

Neighborhood

The secret spot on the deck (Corey has a surprise for the deck at the new house and the boys are dying to know what it is.)

New 26 Letters a Million Stories Post

2011-11-07T10:11:00.003-06:00

I just published a new post on my writing blog. Head on over to www.26lettersamillionstories.wordpress.com and take a look. If you are interested, click the follow button. I'd love to have you follow me on the writing journey.

House Update - Getting So Close!

2011-11-06T16:33:00.003-06:00

My husband builds a sweet house. I love it. It's been fun to watch it go from Corey's brain to a piece of paper to a completed home. He's pretty awesome. When I asked Lewis if he liked it, he said "yeah, but it has a flat spot on the top where it should be poinky like a mohawk."

Scott, Leo and Ian Dickens helped Corey lay sod in the backyard. After doing the front by himself, I think he was very grateful for the help.

The stone on the fireplace is beautiful!

Woodwork is finished and painting is done.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the woodwork and the paint is perfect too!

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T20:18:00.003-05:00

Dwayne Wade, Lebron James and Superman - It sure is handy having a seamstress mom.

Corey said this is what our children would look like if they had my hair.

Our three plus one - Josiah the ninja.

I had to take a picture of the boys trick-or-treating at our old house. That was a little weird.

Budding Song Writer

2011-10-31T15:24:00.003-05:00

There is a budding writer in our family, though his writing style is not quite like mine. The following was written by Carter. Go ahead and sing it to the tune of London Bridge.

Verse 1 - Farting gas is flowing down, flowing down, flowing down. Farting gas is flowing down. My fair lady.

Verse 2 - All the kids go toot, toot, toot. Toot toot toot. Toot toot toot. All the kids go toot, toot, toot. My fair lady.

Verse 3 - Now the air's filled with a stench. With a stench. With a stench. Now the air's filled with a stench. My fair lady.

Verse 4 - Now the kids will surely die. Surely die. Surely die. Now the kids will surely die. And that's the end.

I think he may have gotten his inspiration from Ren and Stimpy ;)

Sunday = Church and Football

2011-10-31T08:12:00.004-05:00

When I finally made Carter go to bed partway through the Eagles vs. Cowboys game last night, he said, "but I've only watched 2 1/2 football games today." Obsessed a little? I think so.

House Update - Front View

2011-10-31T08:08:00.001-05:00

The trim carpenter told me I had found a good designer for our home. I agree with him 100%.

The Transformation

2011-10-29T14:03:00.003-05:00

BEFORE

It had been well over 2 1/2 years since Owen had his hair cut, aside from an occassional trim. And I think his long hair was beautiful (except in the morning before it was brushed. That was a little scary sometimes.)

Though Corey does the boy haircuts at our house, I decided to leave this major cut to a professional. I was a little sad watching all of that hair drop to the floor. It's kind of like the end of an era. This cut was 100% up to him, and he loves it. I think he looks pretty handsome with short hair too.
AFTER

We spiked his new do into a mohawk for school the next day. It may be short, but it's still unique. And Owen is all about being just a little different.

House Update - Boys being silly

2011-10-25T19:40:00.002-05:00

Carter is standing in the living room area with the kitchen cabinets in the background. I love them. They are almost like the ones I had in the old house.

Owen hanging out in what we have dubbed the Grandma and Grandpa bedroom. Mom and Dad, Steve and Vickie, and anyone else who visits will sleep in this room.

The siding is complete on three sides of the house. I'm very happy with how it looks.

The boys playing under the stairs.

My Football Boys

2011-10-25T14:05:00.000-05:00

Grandparent's Day

2011-10-25T13:57:00.003-05:00

Carter was excited to have Grandma and Grandpa Nelson attend Grandparent's Day at his school. They got to do fun things like eat cookies and play games.

An Uncommon Sight

2011-10-20T15:56:00.002-05:00

Sometimes it is actually relatively peaceful in our home. We even managed a 300 piece puzzle together. Lewis bowed out after putting many pieces of his own liking together (I waited until he left the room to undo his hard work.) Owen was gung-ho for about 10 minutes, and then decided puzzles are too frustrating. Carter was in it for the long haul and was still working on it with me when bedtime rolled around.

House Update - Drywall

2011-10-16T18:17:00.003-05:00

If you are getting tired of house updates, you might want to stop visiting this blog for a while. I've got relatives who want to see pictures, so I try to keep them posted. The above photo will probably be our favorite room in the house - the theatre room.

The above photo is from the fireplace looking into the kitchen area. The door is to the mudroom and on the left side of the picture are the stairs.

This is standing at the north wall, looking toward the front door.

This photo is taken from the southeast corner of the basement. The fan is in the bathroom doorway, and the other two doors are to bedrooms.

House Update - Deck

2011-10-15T16:48:00.002-05:00

Corey's been working on the deck ceiling this week. Pretty sweet, huh? Last time we built a house, Owen was the superhero. Now it's Lewis, though he is not nearly as obsessed with costumes as Owen was.

House Update - Ready for Drywall and Siding

2011-10-10T13:07:00.003-05:00

This is the view from the back of the house. The deck is one of Corey's projects this week. The house is getting to the point where I will not be seeing him much. For the next five or six weeks he will have a fulltime daytime job and a fulltime evening job.

Here's the view of the great room from the southeast corner of the kitchen. I am so excited to have a woodburning fireplace. The fireplace is one of my favorite things about the house I grew up in. You can see my mom through the wall. She is standing in the masterbath.

This is the view from the dining area toward the front door. The area on the left side of the photo with the drywall leaning on it will be the mudroom/laundry room and will have a door leading to the garage.

Jets Football

2011-10-10T12:53:00.003-05:00

Owen is number 21. He's the one with the long blonde hair hanging out of his helmet.

Carter is number 37 in the huddle. It has been so much fun watching them play this year. I have loved every minute of it. And they were so excited to finally get a win yesterday. Tackle football has been a great experience for them! They are going to be sad when it is over.

My handsome towhead!

What's Wrong with this Photo?

2011-10-08T17:41:00.007-05:00

I shouldn't even post this photo, but it is so funny. Just look at that all-American boy smile behind that 12-pack. Between the empty beer cans, the "smokers" (aka cigarette butts) and this empty beer box, my child has had much exposure to things he has never had his hands on before. This lovely box now sits outside our apartment door with a variety of treasures in it, including a piece of a shingle, a couple straws, a plastic cup, some sticks and some rocks. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Apartment living is an adventure.

The Orchard

2011-10-05T11:03:00.002-05:00

Lewis had a ball at the Center Grove Apple Orchard with his preschool class. His favorite parts were the corn pool and the jumping pillow.

The Urinal

2011-09-30T14:03:00.004-05:00

Pretty sure I'll be the only gal in town with one of these in the bathroom. I guess my husband heard me complain one too many times about cleaning up around the boys' toilet.

Maid Service

2011-09-23T20:11:00.003-05:00

He doesn't always make messes. Tonight he cleaned my kitchen sink in his Kung Fu Panda skivvies.

House Update and Another Look Back in Time

2011-09-22T19:39:00.003-05:00

It's starting to look like a house!! Hard to imagine what it's going to be like to live in there, but we are all excited about it. I'm SUPER-excited for a mudroom, which by the way, will be larger than my current kitchen. :) A blast from the past - Zorro, Spiderman and our friends' daughter Casey hanging out in the sand in front of our Northwood Circle house. And there's a good-looking guy working in the background.

House Update - Framing

2011-09-17T21:19:00.005-05:00

The Trusses
View from Northeast corner of dining room. The big hole in the wall is the front door. The hole in the floor will be stairs.

View from kitchen looking into the living room. The space between the two windows will have a real wood-burning fireplace.

Northwest corner. The boys are climbing into the masterbath.

Garage. Two cars wide and on the east side, two cars deep.

God's Abundant Love

2011-09-16T12:05:00.012-05:00

Meet Marti. She is my bestest girlfriend. (Sometimes I call her Marthalomew behind her back, but don't tell her.) There was a time in my life when I needed a friend. You know that time after college when the people you are used to spending time with are suddenly gone - grown up, married, moved away... I prayed regularly for a friend, hoping for someone I could hang out with now and then. And God gave me Marti.

I was 36 weeks pregnant with Carter when we met. Our first "date" was a trip to Corey's boss's lake near Corydon, IA. We spent a couple hours squished into the backseat of a truck, and then spent the day hanging out on the beach. She was my answer to prayer. But the thing I didn't realize until years later was that God had big plans for us, and he knew we needed each other. I believe the subjects of following photo are the primary reason God squished us in the back of that red truck.

Six boys. Yep. He knew we would each need a girlfriend. Carter was born a few weeks after we met, followed by Caleb 9 months later, followed by Owen 9 months later, followed by Aiden 18 months later, followed by Ethan 22 months later, followed by Lewis 9 months later. God knew we would be up to our ears in dirt, bugs, Superheros, footballs, baseballs, basketballs, dumptrucks, light sabers, supersoakers and frogs. And He knew no woman was meant to go through that alone. We have kept each other's sanity in tact more than once. We have laughed a million times. And we have cried on occassion. But mostly, we have just walked our life paths together, being the best mommys we can be and trying to direct our children toward the Light. (John 8:12).

If giving us all boys wasn't enough, God gave so many more points to connect on. Both of our husbands work in the construction industry. Both of our husbands are worship leaders within our churches. We both have a love for writing. We are very similar in the discipline of our children. We don't mind hanging out in each other's messy houses. We both let our kids stuff their faces with Mcnuggets and greasy french fries. Some days we don't wash our hair (or even shower, but shhh...don't tell anybody.) We let our kids play with "weapons." We generally just "get" each other. And I think that is a pretty incredible gift.

I asked God for a friend. He gave me so much more.

(The photos above were taken at Ledges earlier this week, where we watched our boys slide down dirt hills, climb up steep paths, catch frogs, wade through a creek, build a dam and dig holes in the sand with someone's old shoes that were floating down the stream. They all received minor injuries and went home very wet and very dirty. In the life of a boy, it was the perfect day.)

Rediscovering Reading

2011-09-11T21:18:00.003-05:00

One of the benefits of living in an apartment is the extra time I have to read. Less space and no yard mean less upkeep. Plus, when I lived on a cul-de-sac and knew all my neighbors, I was able to give Lewis a little more freedom outside. Nowadays, if you stop by the apartment, chances are you will find me sitting in my red chair outside while I supervise Lewis playing by the dumpster. :) Yeah, my kid plays by the trash now. Do you have a problem with that? ;)

So here's a list of the books I've read since we moved here.

1. The Birth Order Book - Dr. Kevin Leman. That book has me trying to figure out people's birth orders by their actions. I learned a lot from that book.

2. Hometown Legends - Jerry B. Jenkins. This is a heartwarming small town football novel. Good stuff.

3. Soul Surfer - Bethany Hamilton. I bought this book because two of my children started fighting at Borders bookstore and crumpled the cover (I made them work off the purchase when they got home.) It was a good read. Now we're reading it with the boys at night, and will watch the movie with them when we are done. One of the fun things about it is that Corey and I have been to many of the places she describes in the book. My claim to fame is that we saw Bethany in the Princeville shopping area when we were on Kauai.

4. Wild at Heart - John Eldridge. My second go around with this book. This is the book that helped me figure out my husband. I think all wives should read it at least once.

5. I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 - Lauren Tarshis. This is a chapter book that Carter brought home from school. It was really well-written. We're going to get some more books from the series.

6. One Perfect Day - Lauraine Snelling. A novel about the joy and grief that comes with organ transplants. I liked it so much that I picked up another one of her books to read.

7. On Becoming Preteen Wise - Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam. Corey and I are going through this one together. Our kids are getting older. Parenting is changing a bit.

8. Saturday Morning - Lauraine Snelling. Getting ready to start this one.

So there you go. I've read more books in the past 7 weeks than I read all of last year. And I am remembering how much I love to read.

Basement Framing

2011-09-11T13:04:00.002-05:00

Yay! The framing has started. This is what the house looks like from the back right now. The concrete on the left is where the garage will be. Right side is a bedroom. Carter is standing in front of the opening for the window in the "big" room.

The boys and a friend playing in the dirt in the backyard.

Looking into the basement from a bedroom window opening on the west side.

Drawn to Mud

2011-09-08T19:50:00.001-05:00

Proof that you don't have to live in a house with a yard to find mud.

Apartment Life

2011-09-05T14:59:00.003-05:00

For those of you who are curious about where we are living, these two photos will give you a glimpse. Above is our living room/dining room. Below is our kitchen.

I have been trying hard to concentrate on the good things about being in an apartment, and there are good things, but today I'm kind of being a baby and I'm really missing my house, so I'm going to release all my pent-up apartment frustrations.

1. There are a zillion flies here. I don't like flies.

2. I'm tired of my neighbor's dog, who actually seems to behave pretty well, but randomly decides to bark at 5 in the morning sometimes.

3. I'm tired of my neighbor's alarm clock going off in the middle of the night when she is not home. Nothing like listening to the droning beep beep beep of an alarm clock for a couple hours to start your day off right.

4. I don't like to sit anywhere on our floor. The carpet is, let's just say, well used.

5. My closet still smells like a stranger's b.o. Gross Gross Gross.

6. There is a guy upstairs who kind of creeps me out.

7. There is an older kid who keeps bossing my boys around.

8. Lewis keeps finding what he likes to call "smokers" (cigarette butts) on the ground outside.

When I look at the whole picture, apartment life is not bad. And most of the people in this building seem to be very nice. And most of the time I don't feel cramped. And I really do enjoy getting the vaccuuming done in 5 minutes. But, like I said, today I'm being a whiner. This apartment is far from perfect, and so am I.

Writing

2011-09-03T12:24:00.002-05:00

Some of you know I went to a writer's conference in Chicago this summer with my friend, Tori. (You should check out her blog, www.clotheslineconvos.blogspot.com.) My goal in going to the conference was to learn, to make connections and to figure out the next step in the process of publishing a book of devotions for boys that I have been working on. It was well worth the whirlwind trip to the big city - and when I say whirlwind - I mean it. We left at 3:30 a.m. and returned home at around 11 p.m. the same day. Crazy, I know. I felt as if I was in a bit of a fog for much of the day.

I did make some connections with people in the publishing world, and I brought home a game-plan for my book, but the most exciting thing that has come from the conference is that when I returned home I began submitting my writing various places and my first devotion was published on at www.devokids.com/category/devotions this morning. CBH Ministries also purchased first publishing rights to two devotions that will be published in the Keys for Kids devotional, and I most recently found out that a short article I wrote will be published in Focus on the Family's Thriving Family in December.

I am so thankful that God is allowing me opportunities to write with a purpose and make a little money doing it. And I'm excited to see what the future holds!

Basement

2011-09-01T18:17:00.002-05:00

It's not a house yet, but it is a basement. Below the skidloader is the corner of the basement that will be the theatre room. Carter is standing in either a bedroom or bathroom, and the majority of the rest of the basement will be a storage room and family room.
Here are the boys playing in the dirt in the garage. Where they are standing has now been all filled in and the garage slab will probably be poured this weekend. If all goes well, framing should start next week.

Hard at Work

2011-08-28T14:57:00.002-05:00

We should end up with a solidly built home with these two handsome professionals in charge!

Carter's Birthday Party

2011-08-28T14:47:00.002-05:00

Carter had a football and basketball cake for his 10th bday. We took a few of his friends to the pool at Corey's office. It is so wonderful to be able to use that pool and have his party in the clubhouse. The boys were a bit crazy, but they had a lot of fun.

Some Things About My 10-year-old

2011-08-20T16:31:00.006-05:00

1. He loves football and basketball.

2. He loves the Minnesota Vikings.

3. He is a fast reader, and if he has a good book, he will read and read. (BTW I'm always taking good "boy" book suggestions)

4. He likes math, but his favorite subjects in school are pe and recess.

5. He is an ace button pusher. He knows exactly what to do to set his brothers off.

6. He is reserved, but once he gets to know you he can be very goofy (just like his dad).

7. His feet are the same size as mine.

8. He went from picking at his food at meals to eating more than I do.

9. He was blessed with not one, but a whole mouthful of "sweet tooths." I foresee putting a fair amount of money into the dentist's pocket in the future.

10. He loves video games and watching movies.

11. He loves roller-coasters and waterslides.

12. He loves staying up and talking to Owen in their bedroom at night.

13. His favorite meal is veinerschnitzel.

14. He has not once complained about living in an apartment.

15. He has terrible handwriting because he writes too fast, but he has a creative mind for story-telling/humor.

16. He is LOVED, and he is a BLESSING!

Moving Box Sled

2011-08-20T16:27:00.002-05:00

One of the upsides of moving - big boxes for sliding down the stairs. This was taken the day we moved.

Then and Now - The Hole

2011-08-18T12:21:00.004-05:00

I can honestly say I have never been so happy to see a big pile of dirt. Our foundation was dug yesterday, so I guess that means I'm really not going to live in this apartment forever :)
This is our second go 'round of building a house, so I thought it'd be fun to dig up some pictures of the boys the last time we had a hole in the ground and a big pile of dirt. It was the summer of 06. Our boys have grown a bit since then, but they are still very interested in dirt. I don't think that ever goes away. Enjoy the following pictures from my walk down memory lane.

Hobo Days

2011-08-17T20:58:00.006-05:00

Hobo Parade in Britt - Grandma with the four grandsons.

My cute little guy!

Cotton Candy on a stick. YUM!!!!

My dad rescuing a boomerang out of a tree.

Student Driver

Fun at the Waterpark

2011-08-12T12:58:00.003-05:00

When we had to cancel our Colorado vacation due to the timing of the sale of our house, we decided to go to one of our favorite family fun spots for a few days. This was our 7th trip to Wisconsin Dells, and our 4th trip to Chula Vista Resort. We usually go in the off-season, so it was fun to go in the summer and do some of the outdoor stuff. We spent 7 hours one day at the waterpark! This year we also did a Wisconson Ducks Tour which was really fun, and we spent some time at the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory.

Lewis was not afraid to ride the slides. Here he is trying one on his tummy (which I'm pretty sure is against the rules).

Carter and Owen did this rope thing over and over and over.

The outdoor wavepool is pretty small compared to the pool they are used to at the Wilderness Resort, but the setting was awesome with the Wisconsin River right behind it.

Fun at the Tommy Bartlett Exporatory

2011-08-12T12:55:00.001-05:00

Corey and Owen Watersliding

2011-08-11T19:00:00.003-05:00

Kazzoinks!

2011-08-11T11:10:00.002-05:00

Check out this patent-pending product designed by my brother. For more info on Kazzoinks Letter Chairs and to help kick start the company (and receive great discounts) go to www.kickstarter.com and search for Kazzoinks.

Adventureland 2011

2011-08-06T20:20:00.007-05:00

We love Adventureland. It has become an annual summer outing with my parents and Keith, Tomi and Lucas.

If you squint really hard, you can see Carter, me, my brother and Owen on The Outlaw. We're just behind the people in front.

Riding the train with Lucas

Our photo with Grandpa and Grandma didn't go so well this year.

The Space Shot is everybody's favorite ride. It took Owen until 7 p.m. to finally decide to ride it, but when he finally did it, he loved it!

Lewis on the Frog Hopper

Where I'm From

2011-08-06T10:55:00.006-05:00

I joined an online writer's group this summer to learn and to help me stay motivated to write. Selling our house kind of squashed my desire and ability to write for a while, but I am slowly getting back into a groove. They recently had us read the poem Where I'm From by George Ella Lyons and use it as inspiration to write something of our own. You can read Lyons poem here http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html. The following is what I came up with.

Where I'm From

Kim Harms

I am from a woodburning stove and a sprawling yard on the outskirts of town where one flashing red light hangs over middle mainstreet and corn fields grow as far as the eye can see.

I am from hardworking calloused hands, a father who wanted a good life for his kids. I am from soft gentle hands, a seamstress mother who with quiet strength passed her faith to her children.

I am from Saturday tea with Grandma and potroast after Sunday worship. I am from rasberry bushes, rhubarb crisp, sweet corn and green beans. From cousins aplenty, hand sewn dresses, slumber parties and Friday night football games. I am from hot summer days and cold winter nights. A place where dreams were born and grown but sent elsewhere to be realized.

Our Welcome Mat Has Moved

2011-08-03T15:35:00.009-05:00

We have been living in a little apartment for almost two weeks now. I have been trying to focus on all the benefits of being here instead of the luxuries I am living without. Our family has been truly blessed beyond our imaginations. We just spent 5 years in an incredible house on an incredible street with incredible neighbors. Going from much to "not so much" in terms of housing, even though it is temporary, has been an adjustment for all of us.

There are things about apartment life that we will surely laugh about in the future. Like the strange B.O. in our closet (It is not my B.O. or Corey's B.O. It is a previous tenant's stink, and it is a tad disturbing.) Or the slightly creepy guy who kind of hit on me in the laundry room the other night (Gonna stick to my early morning laundry routine from now on.) Or the noises we hear from neighboring apartments that we don't necessarily want to hear...

There are also a lot of things to be thankful for. The following is an incomplete list.

1. We live right next to the laundry room, so I don't have to walk too far to wash my clothes.

2. We live on the first floor, so we didn't have to move all of our stuff up a flight of stairs.

3. I can almost unload my dishwasher with my feet planted in one spot.

4. I can vaccuum all of the carpet in the apartment without unplugging the vaccuum and changing outlets.

5. There are a lot of little kids around. Lewis is in friend heaven.

6. No pulling weeds.

7. No lawn mowing.

8. The boys have awesome lofts in their room.

9. We have two bathrooms.

10. I am getting to know people I otherwise probably would not have met.

11. We have a big grassy area behind the building for the boys to play in.

Apartment living has been good for all of us, and it has made me appreciate a lot of things that I have taken for granted. I am really looking forward to moving into our new house in a few months, but I have a feeling I will look back on this time in our lives with some fond memories.

The Last Supper

2011-07-27T14:52:00.003-05:00

We ate a lot of suppers together in the 5 years we lived in our second house. This was our "last supper." A thrown together meal of what we had left in our dwindling food supply... mac-n-cheese, mozzarella sticks, applesauce and rasberries. For the record, Lewis is sitting in the wrong spot. He always sat where Owen is sitting, and the other two took turns sitting by Corey every other day.

Good-Bye Green House

2011-07-25T09:41:00.005-05:00

We walked through our house for the last time last night. I'm not gonna lie. I cried. It just isn't easy leaving a place you love. I know it's just a house, but I watched Carter go from a preschooler to a kid with feet as big as mine there. I watched Owen change from a Superhero to a budding artist there. And I brought an adorable little baby named Lewis home from the hospital to that house. I have a million things running through my mind today...maybe it will all settle in my brain for a future blog post, but today I'm just sad...

Corey asked the boys what their favorite memories were in the house. Carter's favorite was when we brought Lewis home. Owen's was when he got a guitar for Christmas. Lewis' was when he walked in the house and there was a family there and a fireplace and new windows...that boy makes me laugh even when I'm crying.

Good-bye green house. Thanks for the memories.

Movie Night

2011-07-20T16:27:00.004-05:00

Corey turned our toy room into a movie theatre in May. Then we sold our house in June. I was thinking we would have quite a while to enjoy this awesome little room since our house wasn't even on the market anymore. But we don't, so we've been watching lots of movies in our last month in the house. Two more nights until we officially move to our new temporary home - an 800 sq. ft. apartment. Now the theatre room furniture is in storage, along with 80% of our belongings, but I think we'll have to do one more movie night before we go. We'll just have to take the pillows and blankets off of our beds if we want something comfortable to sit on.

Avoiding the Heat

2011-07-19T13:42:00.002-05:00

Lewis was on the Channel 13 weather forecast with Megan Salois at the Science Center today. Can you see him on the TV screen? We took a trip to the science center this morning since all outdoor activities besides swimming are health hazards. I think we may even skip the pool this afternoon since I am feeling a bit waterlogged and Lewis' poor sensitive skin could use a break.
Red Boys

Fun in the Sun

2011-07-19T13:30:00.002-05:00

We had a family reunion of sorts last week at my brother's house. My kids and my cousins' kids had fun in the sprinkler and little pool. (The building in the background is my brother's art studio.)
Carter and Lucas getting ready to jump in.

Blowing Bubbles

Warrior Dash

2011-07-10T20:34:00.010-05:00

Corey and I, along with our friends, Dave and Jen, drove 5+ hours to run a 5k obstacle course that left us exhausted and muddier than we have ever been in our lives. (Corey was still cleaning dirt out of his ears a week later.)

You might call it crazy. But crazy just comes with the territory when you are married to Corey Harms. I can't claim I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I pretty much had his craziness figured out before we got married. But if you had told me 12 years ago that I would be doing things like the Warrior Dash along side of him, I would have told you you were crazy.

This is one of the last obstacles (Corey is in the orange shirt). Other obstacles included running over the top of old cars, crossing over a bunch of tires, running through streams, jumping over fire and swimming through a mud pool with barbed wire hung low above so you had to immerse yourself.

This is what we looked like when we completed the race. We then stood with more than a hundred other people as a man with a fire hose sprayed water over us. It was more like a sprinkle and was very unsuccessful in getting us clean. Thankfully, Corey and Dave planned ahead and brought five gallon containers of water and garbage bags. We made garbage bags ponchos and had makeshift showers inside the bag, as another person poured the water in. It was an experience to say the least.
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I was only slightly mortified when I looked at myself in the mirror of our downtown Chicago hotel room and noticed my hair was still totally matted with mud. I'm kind of surprised they let us check in :)

Corey and Dave are now talking about a similar race called the Tough Mudder. It's a half-marathon. I think I'll pass on that one.

Fourth of July Fun

2011-07-07T20:19:00.007-05:00

Fourth of July in Fremont has become a family tradition. Swimming, fireworks, boating, playing....we love it. All of Corey's sisters and all nine grandchildren were around this year. The boys love their cousins. Too bad we are spread all over the US. The kids spent a lot of time in Grandpa and Grandma's backyard pool. The biggest kid, Corey, provided entertainment for the smaller kids.

Shaan getting some air time.

Erica and Corey's version of American Gothic

Oldest and Youngest

Lewis loved Steven!

Blowing something up!

Smoke Bomb

8 0f the 9 cousins

Downloading Mariokart on 7 DS' at one time.

The beach. Erica and Dustin have a boat, so it has become a tradition for all the kids to go tubing over the Fourth. The youngest cousins played on the beach while the older kids tubed. Unfortunately, Dustin took a temporary transfer to Kansas, so he was missing this year, but Corey took his place as "Captain" of the boat.

Blowing Stuff Up - Part 3

2011-07-04T17:35:00.004-05:00

The Superman movies may have turned out differently if Lex Luther had figured out Superman's true weakness. Kryptonite may zap his strength, but it was a $5 box of firecrackers that led to his ultimate demise.

Blowing Stuff Up - Part 2

2011-07-04T11:00:00.002-05:00

A glimpse of our Fourth of July weekend.

Blowing Stuff Up - Part 1

2011-07-03T16:13:00.002-05:00

500 firecrackers + 1 Bag full of army men = Hours of entertainment

Jesus You're My Superhero

2011-06-26T18:53:00.002-05:00

Gotta Love Lewis!

Ahhh Summer

2011-06-21T10:31:00.001-05:00

Dresses for Haiti

2011-06-13T09:31:00.002-05:00

This is a letter I recently received from Billy Nealey, the director of mission to Haiti.

Dear Kim,

I hope this finds you doing well. I want to let you know that we were able to get the box of dresses to Haiti. Thank you so much to everyone who helped provide them. We packaged them with personal items and began giving them out last month.

Please keep Haiti in your prayers. I called our folks in Haiti today. The country is experiencing a lot of flooding. I was told that homes in our area were flooded. Roads in the outlying areas are not passible. Lord, willing, I will return to Haiti soon. I will check to see how the children and families are doing.

Thank you for all your prayers and support. Please let everyone know how much we appreciate these beautiful dresses.

In Christ,
Billy Nealey Jr.

I'm considering doing another Dresses for Haiti project this year. Please leave a comment with your email address if you'd like to be put on a contact list. That way I can let you know details when I have them.

SOLVED: the case of the missing floor

2011-06-06T08:56:00.004-05:00

This morning, with the not so enthusiastic help of detectives Carter and Owen, I was able to find a floor that has been missing for quite some time. I knew it had to be there, but it was brilliantly camouflaged by some experts in the area of messonomics. It took a lot of sweat and determination, but after we made it through the layer of gum wrappers, drawings, books, bakugons and a few unidentifiable items, we found that we were able to walk from the doorway all the way to the beds without getting impaled by a thumbtack or injured by a Lego land mine. No more potentially tragic midnight trips to the bathroom...at least for now.

CASE CLOSED

Fun with HAIR

2011-06-01T10:03:00.004-05:00

"Some of the worst mistakes in my life were haircuts." -Jim Morrison

Canned Food Missiles

2011-05-28T13:03:00.002-05:00

www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/05/28/tri_county_times/columns/columnists/doc4dde83a6b8835197633324.txt

Just in case you want to know what shopping with Lewis is like.

He May Be Four...

2011-05-18T14:31:00.001-05:00

...but he's still my baby when he sleeps.

Opening Night

2011-05-15T15:57:00.004-05:00

The Grand Opening of the Harms Family Movie Theatre was a smashing success. It opened up to rave reviews by the three young movie buffs who live on the premises. The youngest laughed with glee as he watched a large rat sword fight with a spoiled English chap onscreen. The older two loved relaxing in the spacious front row with it's piles of pillows and bean bags. The older generations (Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa) enjoyed the comfort of the big comfy couch while the taking in a family movie on the big screen. If the opening night is any indicator, I would say this theatre will fast become a family hot spot!

Happy Birthday Lewis!

2011-05-08T20:25:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe this little dude is FOUR!! Wow.

We had a little party this afternoon where he scored some iron man stuff, some legos, some plastic golf clubs, a Tom and Jerry movie and a marshmallow shooter. He was a pretty happy little guy. Tonight at bedtime he told me he wants another birthday.

You can see in this photo that he changed into his favorite attire after lunch - Superman p.j.s. He wears them EVERY DAY!! When we go places, I sometimes get him to put clothes on over his Superman stuff by convincing him that he can be Clark Kent.

The boys always love it when their cousin, Lucas, comes to play. He is so darn adorable!

He's Always Building Something

2011-05-01T21:11:00.002-05:00

That's my new concrete countertop those boys are sitting on (the backsplash hasn't been made yet). Yeah, my husband is pretty amazing. A little bit on the crazy side, but amazing all the same.

The Impact of Loss

2011-04-22T13:09:00.010-05:00

I was in seventh grade when I had my first experience with death. A classmate of mine was killed by a hit-and-run driver while on his bike. I was so internally distraught after the visitation that I slept on the floor of my brother's bedroom that night.
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My second experience with death came about six months later, when my grandma died very unexpectedly. She was the best. She wore a denim jacket, and back in the day, it was pretty cool to wear a denim jacket. She let me eat bowls of cool-whip when I was at her house. And her purse smelled like band-aids. To this day, every time I open up a band-aid, I think of Grandma.

My third experience with death came six months after that when my uncle Lorry died after a long battle with a rare liver disease. I loved being with his family. I remember trips to Okoboji with them, and sledding down their hill, and spending time with them at Grandma's cabin by Lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota. I can still hear his voice saying "Well, hello there, Kimbolee." He had a certain way he said that to me every time he would come home from work and find me at their house.

I remember writing some dark poems during that time, and living in fear of who was going to be next. God graciously let many years pass before someone I knew died again. But that year had a tremendous impact on me.

Now, as we are grieving the death of our friends' son, I find myself thinking back to my first memories of death, and wondering how this first taste of death will impact my children. And hoping we can guide them through this in a way that helps them understand the goodness of God even in the midst of yucky circumstances. It doesn't seem fair for a child to have to die, but I know that what we see in part, God sees in full. And I know I can trust in Him in everything. And I know that death is not the end. And I pray that my children will grasp onto that hope, that they will trust in Jesus through any fear or uncertainty that arises, and that they will have joy knowing that eternity is way better than this world for those whose trust is in the One who sent His son to take away our sin.

Lemon Juice

2011-04-12T08:18:00.003-05:00

Dinnertime at the Harms House is always entertaining.

My Boy

2011-04-10T20:58:00.002-05:00

Everyone needs one of these at their house.

The Poop Chart

2011-04-08T18:31:00.002-05:00

Anyone who has eaten at our house in the past few months has seen this chart hanging on our dining room wall. In an effort to curb the potty-talk that always happens at dinner time, (Poop is one topic of conversation that never seems to get old around here.), we started keeping a record. The first person to bring up the subject received a checkmark by their name. You can see by looking that there was one member of our family who thought it was pretty cool to get a checkmark. And yes, I even have a couple marks. It's a hazard of living with all males. They tend to wear off on you.

The Slumber Party

2011-03-28T13:46:00.003-05:00

FAMILY SLUMBER PARTY. We did it. Not kidding. 9 KIDS. 6 ADULTS. OVERNIGHT. We have joked about this for some time now, and decided it was time to try it. It was an OVERWHELMING SUCCESS. There was very little fighting. There was MUCH LAUGHTER. It was kind of like a MINI-GETAWAY right at home.

Owen's Birthday Party

2011-03-28T13:25:00.004-05:00

Owen requested the same birthday cake this year as he did last year. Aside from frosting jerseys onto a bunch of little teddy grahams, it's a pretty easy cake so I was happy with his decision. We took the boys and a few of Owen's buddies to Chuck E. Cheese's. A Place Where a Kid Can Be a Kid, and an adult can come very close to losing his or her mind ;) The boys had a lot of fun, and Corey was such a good sport about the whole adventure after having a very long week at work.

They had fun playing games, but the prizes were seriously lacking. I realize arcades are just money-gobblers, but seriously, 60 tickets for a piece of candy I can by for 10 cents at Dollar General?

I really is hard for me to believe that Owen is 8 years old. But I feel that way every year, and I know it will just keep getting more unbelievable as he ages.

8 Things...

2011-03-21T17:00:00.004-05:00

...about Owen.

1. He likes to draw and do artistic kinds of things.

2. He has an enviable head of blonde locks.

3. He loves football and basketball.

4. He can be found in a Vikings, ISU or Nebraska shirt 99 percent of the time.

5. He doesn't like fruit.

6. He enjoys reading. (I can't believe I can write that truthfully.)

7. He likes to collect little random treasures that he finds here and there.

8. He has a tender heart and a contagious smile.

Happy 8th Birthday Owen!!

A Day at the Zoo

2011-03-18T14:50:00.002-05:00

We spent Wednesday playing at the zoo. Lewis didn't understand why the tiger would not roar back at him when he roared at it. All the boys had fun feeding the fish and the goats. And some of the monkeys were in a pretty entertaining mood. It was a fun little spring break week outing.

Imagination

2011-03-17T12:25:00.001-05:00

"Mom, this noodle (otherwise known as a travel pillow) gives me powers."

What's Wrong With This Picture?

2011-03-09T17:06:00.003-06:00

That's my three-year-old playing the DS. He can actually complete the early levels of Super Mario Bros. He asks for my help, and I can't help him, because he is better than me. The other boys didn't play video games until they were twice his age. I have promised myself I will not let him turn into an addict, but hey, the winter is long, and he doesn't have a brother to play with every day like Carter and Owen did. So, he gets a little video game time. Once spring arrives, Mario is going to go back in the nightstand drawer, and Lewis and I are going to the park.

A Good Cause

2011-03-04T08:44:00.002-06:00

This is a little plug for the Pampered Chef Party Fundraiser my friend, Deanna, is having on the 7th to raise money for children's cancer research. Her daughter, Mikayla, is a year out of treatment for Ewing Sarcoma, so they have a vested interested in furthering the research to find a cure for childhood cancers.

Below is a link to a story I wrote for the local paper this week. Take a look, and feel free to contact me if you are interested in making a purchase. All the proceeds will go to CureSearch.

www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/03/04/tri_county_times/features

You've Been Good To Us Green(ish) Couch

2011-03-02T15:37:00.006-06:00

Since this couch was our first purchase as a married couple more than a dozen years ago, I feel it fitting that it have its own dedicated blog post before being sent to the big couch heaven in the sky (or maybe the youth room at church).

Oh lovely green(ish) couch. Almost all of our wedding gift money was used for your purchase. We chose you because you were comfy and neutral and big enough for two people to cuddle up and nap on (that is of the utmost importance when you are newly married). We moved you into 165E University Village. You sat atop some lovely blue carpet which you clashed with horribly. You were then moved to 204 2nd Avenue in Slater. This is where you came to be in your current state of dilapidation. For it is to that home that we brought our first two babies. They happily spit up on you, (Carter was a perpetual puker, so you were hit over and over and over and over), had diaper blow-outs on you, spilled food and drinks on you and used you as a napkin among other things. As they grew, you became a trampoline and a hurdle to fling oneself over. Your cushions became floor mats for acrobatics, walls for forts and castles, and islands of safety when the living room floor was flooded with hot lava or alligators.

You are now a sorry looking piece of furniture. Your torn seat cushions have been mended more than once. Your even green color is now splotchy with stains. Your back cushions are sadly misshapen, and your old bones now make creaking noises from time to time. So, we have decided it is time to say good-bye. I appreciate the comfort you have provided during the viewing of many a movie and Vikings game, and I will always remember that you were a part of the beginning of the Harms family. :)

You've been good to us, Green(ish) Couch.

Hide and Sleep?

2011-02-22T08:29:00.002-06:00

He won't sleep with any p.j.s on, but he does get himself completely covered. This has become the common way I find Lewis when I check on him before I go to bed. He sings himself to sleep every night, and somehow ends up covered head to toe in his sheet with his comforter kicked down to the end of his bed. He is my crazy little guy, and sometimes I wish he would stay little forever.

Spectacles and Sports

2011-02-13T21:00:00.004-06:00

A super-cool thing happened the first day Carter wore his new glasses to school. He didn't want to wear them because he doesn't really like to be the center of attention, and being the kid with the new glasses is kind of an attention magnet. So, at the end of the day, I was anxiously waiting in the van to see how it went. When the boys hopped in, I quickly learned that something happened in school that made him completely forget about the glasses. Paul Rhoads, the ISU football coach, and a couple of the players visited to the school. I can't even remember what the boys said they talked about, but they were on cloud nine. (Owen was just disappointed that he wore his Nebraska shirt instead of an ISU shirt that day.)

You may think that was a neat coincidence, but I totally know the events of that day were a God thing. Seriously, a surprise visit from some Cyclone football players at school? The only thing that could have been better in their minds would have been if Adrian Peterson or Percy Harvin had stopped by. I am thankful to a God who cares about little things like shy third grade boys with new glasses. I'm also thankful for a third-grader who looks pretty darn handsome in spectacles.

The Mother-In-Law List

2011-02-01T19:46:00.005-06:00

Last week we learned that Corey's mom has breast cancer. I have decided that cancer is one of my least favorite words in the English language. It's often when you hear something yucky like this that you stop to think about how much a person means to you. So, I am devoting this blog post to all the things I love about my mother-in-law, Vickie. (I'm not doing this to get brownie points. I already know I'm the favorite daughter-in law. Did I mention Corey is the only son? :) )
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So here's a list of things that make my mother-in-law awesome, in no particular order.
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1. She makes the best fudge.
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2. She loves Jesus.
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3. She puts up with a house FULL of energy-filled grandsons (and one granddaughter) multiple times per year.
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4. She cans tomatoes with us (actually she does pretty much all the work, and we get to enjoy the result.)
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5. She loves her grandkids.
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6. She always puts the needs of others above her own needs.
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7. She has a great laugh.
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8. Cooking for a crowd is not her favorite thing, but she always feeds us well when we visit.
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9. She buys Frappuccino for us. :)
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10. She prays for us.
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11. She is incredible about loving us, but not meddling. Every time I hear a story about meddling or overbearing in-laws, I thank God for mine. Corey's parents are really the best in-laws I could imagine.

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12. She tells me fun stories about Corey flying from the furniture in underwear and a cape.
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13. She and Steve fill up a great big pool in their backyard just for the grandkids to use the few days that we are all together in Fremont in the summer.

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14. She likes to play games. Nerts at the Harms' house can be insane.
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15. She likes to do things. She helped me stain a LLLOTTTT of woodwork before we moved into this house, she helped me clean soot out of my old house when Corey moved the chimney during a remodeling project and soot got into the vent system, and she spent a day helping me dejunk our basement storage room...and the list could go on.

That's a start. If she were your mother-in-law, you would love her too. Please pray for her as she is getting ready to begin treatment.

It Was Bound to Happen

2011-01-30T13:46:00.002-06:00

This is what happens when your living room doubles as a basketball court. I was thinking I needed to redo my mantel decor anyway.

Current Obsession

2011-01-25T12:40:00.001-06:00

This paper is a snapshot of the current obsession at our house. Carter had to write the names of 10 famous people for something they did at school. You can see he had a one-track mind.

Proud Mama

2011-01-18T18:29:00.004-06:00

At the beginning of this year, Owen was really struggling with reading. He was well below where the "average" second-grader was supposed to be. So we decided a little motivation in the way of silly bands might help our reluctant reader. (See my previous post about sillybands and reading here - http://threeharmsboys.blogspot.com/2010/10/catalyst.html ) Those silly bands worked wonders for a while, but then we moved on to Bakugon, and most recently football cards. Each boy gets a football card for every 10 minutes they read. And they have been reading like gangbusters! Oh my goodness. Both boys read for three hours yesterday!

Today, a sheet of paper in Owen's backpack bore the result of all those hours logged earning silly bands and bakugon and football cards. All that reading at home along with some extra help at school pushed my below average reader over the benchmark for mid-year second graders! He has more than doubled the words per minute he was reading at the beginning of the year, and is reading with 99% accuracy. It has really been amazing to watch the transformation. I am so proud of my boy!

New Years In Fremont

2011-01-03T12:57:00.002-06:00

Arggh! We've got pirates among us.

Lewis and Dustin playing a little air hockey. When Lewis opened his gift from Dustin and Erica, he said, "This is just what I have wanted my whole life!"

Owen and Ian convinced Amina to tie together a bunch of balloons.

Band Hero. I have to say, I think it's more entertaining to watch than to play. There is nothing quite like listening to Corey sing Mr. Roboto.

What a Difference a Day Makes

2011-01-02T20:05:00.002-06:00

The above pictures were taken on 50 degree Thursday of a baseball game in Grandma and Grandpa Harms' backyard. The picture below was taken on 10 degree Friday of some sledding in the street in front of Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Britt Christmas Pics

2011-01-01T18:59:00.002-06:00

Great-Grandma Nelson came to enjoy the gift-opening festivities.

This may go down as "The Year of the Hair" for Owen. Can't believe he still doesn't want it cut. I'm not complaining, though. He takes care of it, and I actually kind of like those blonde locks.

The boys had a fun time playing with my brother's almost two-year-old, Lucas.

Corey and Lucas playing Band Hero.

Christmas Pics

2011-01-01T18:47:00.002-06:00

Namesake Autograph

2011-01-01T18:38:00.003-06:00

The most fun gift to give in my house this year - a Cris Carter autograph for my own Carter.

For those of you who are not Vikings fans, Cris Carter is one of the best NFL receivers ever, and is actually where we got Carter's name. So this year, I found out that he coaches his son's high school football team, sent a letter to that school and prayed that he would get the letter and be kind enough to send back an autograph. I was thrilled when I got the autograph in the mailbox. He actually signed a photo I had taken of the boys in Vikings uniforms. Now it hangs on the wall by Carter's bed.