The Routine

Every morning, I take Ben up to the bathroom with me, get out some toys for him, turn on and off the tub faucet and distract him a little bit and then hop in the shower. A few minutes later, he realizes I have left his field of sight and comes wailing to the shower door, banging and banging his fist on it until I get out. This is alternated with going into the closet and tantruming ont he floor their and going into my bedroom and throwing a tantrum on the floor there. Well, Friday we began the routine, and the wailing started at the shower door and then there was silence. And so of course I peeked out of the shower and this is what I found.

I love long showers!

Christmas Outfits

I always get the kids matching sunday clothes for Christmas and Easter. Dave thinks it's gay...too many scars from having to match his twin brother all the time (not that they don't love each other, just he got tired of being matchy all the time). But I can still get him to give in for holidays. I never took a picture because our Christmas church service was cancelled. And the next Sunday I forgot to get the camera out.

These picture didn't turn out quite like I'd hoped. I have to say that I really hate 11:00 church I would much rather have 1 or 9. 11 is just right in the middle of everything. Lunch, naps, basically the whole day!

Belated Ten

I just couldn't get it together last night to do a 10 on Tuesday so here is a belated 10....things I really want to do and need to MAKE TIME for even though there is...piles of laundry, ironing, busy errands, pack meetings & 1 billion other things that are demanding attention. This year I'd like to focus on the little things that make life important rather than the little things that take away our focus from what is important.

1. Read stories to my babies-all 4 of them. Every night!

2. Spend 20 minutes reading & pondering the scriptures with few distractions. I can't guarantee no distractions because I am not a wake up early before the kids kind of person so this is the best I can do.

3. Get out & enjoy nature with the family more. Strangely in this beautiful place we live in, we really haven't made time to go for walks or go hiking.

4. Cuddle up with a good book, just for me. Okay, this I have been doing, but I want to keep dong it! Good reads lately: The green rider series-although I forgot until after I got into it that this lady only updates her series every five years so now I am irritated because I have to wait 5 more years for closure!!

6. Exercise every day...I just got way off track over the holidays.

7. Enjoy one on one time with the kids, more frequently. Really listen to what they are saying.

8. Date night EVERY WEEK! Sometimes we count things as dates that aren't really dates, so we need to be better about planning & executing good dates.

9. Try not to yell so much, sometimes it feels like I have to yell just to be heard over the noise of the family, and I hate it. So I really want to not yell so much.

10. Do my visiting teaching. I am not one with a testimony of visiting teaching. I have only been assigned visiting teachers that actually came twice in the last 15 years since I came into relief society. And with my history of moves that means I was have probably been visit taught a total of 15 times. So it is difficult for me to feel like I want to go out when I have never developed a testimony of their importance. But I know in my head I need to so I am determined to be better this year.

ps. bella has mastered her bike without being too scared & ben is walking-pictures to follow

Late Christmas Party

Due to the ARCTIC BLAST of 2008 our Keller Christmas get-together had to be postponed. We ended up going to Seattle for a quick weekend on the 3 of January. Lots of visiting, food & fun. It is the first time all Dave's family had been together since 2006 when we came from Germany for a visit. My favorite part was getting the best massage from Sarah who is a Massage Therapist. I just wish she lived in Vancouver...I would be her best client ever! The kids love playing with their cousins, David & Jackson are cout from the same cloth and Isabella loves her little girlie friends Melissa & Tristyn. All the kids love the doggies, even little ben. Thanks for hosting Grandma & Grandpa!

Miriam, Melissa, Sarah, Savannah, Isabella

Uncle Terry, Cade, Great Grandpa Kurt, Great Grandma Marge

Tristyn, Ashley, Holly, Cade

Jackson & David

Grandpa, Isaac, Aiden, Grandma

Girlie Girls

Skylor, Maia, Ashley, Tristyn, Bella, Savannah

Ben playing with his new farm toy

The bigs watching movies

The new crop of little ones

Maia & Isaac

& Benjamin

Keller men are NEVER serious!

Dave, Aaron, Matt

Dave & Aaron are twins BTW

The baby's first birthday party!

We had a really fun party for our littlest little on January 2. Dave came home from work and we had a family dinner. Our tradition is to let the kids pick what they want, well since ben can't pick we picked a combo of his favorite (noodles) and our favorite, pesto with yummy fresh bakery bread. It was delicious. The kids helped me decorate, well the girls anyway and then we partied away. Grandma & Grandpa came and my sister brought her kids since she was single that night-her husband is studying away for a big test in February. Beware lots of pictures:

Ben hates hats...any hat unless it ties on comes off almost immediately!

As you can see the christmas tree pickup wasn't until the next morning

He loved the boxes and the girls were anxious to open them for him

a glimpse of the torture/love that goes on between ben & bellaUsually I make a cake but we were packing to go to Seattle so I didn't really

have the time. The store bought one turned out cute though.
Happy Birthday to you!! Doodileedoo!

Just a bit of frosting...can you tell who really blew out the candle??
Sweets for the sweet...we love our ben!

Rockin!

The school of rock is serious business...and WAY FUN!

Dad

David & Doug, David's even got the facial expressions down!!

Rebecca & Hyrum, the little ones love to join in!

And yet another jam session with mom, dad, the kids & Scott who is not pictured. Some of the songs are not suitable for children...but are REALLY FUNNY

Now we're rockin a new venue (club Kellers in Seattle) with Miriam & baby Isaac

like I said, the littles like to join in

Dave & Skylor form the other 2/3 of the band

The following series is too awesome not to post. David is so into the music he is absolutely oblivious to the camera, didn't even know I was in the room...we love to watch him. He is a born drama "queen"

I think he was singing some classic beastie boys! Rock on dudes!

Ten Back to the Routines on Tuesday

Lulu who is 3 months older pushing ben around,

she'll probably always push you around buddy, just get used to it!

And going back the other way

1. Doctors appointment yesterday. When you have 4 kids, one of whom is less than or a year old, it seems like you are going to the doctors all-the-time. Last time I tried to combine all 4 into one visit. Supposedly a quick flu shot visit, but because they were new patients it took FOREVER. But I realized since our last visit with the kids was rushed, I probably need to take David & Savannah back in again because I have some questions for the doctor. Couple that with eye doctor visits for Savannah's glasses, dental appts, and everything it feels like I am ALWAYS going to the doctors. This time I just went with Benj...4 shots, healthy boy. NOT HUGE like "some people" think but actually average sized, 45% for weight, 75% for height. Smart, sweet, cute.

2. Dave's "Day Off" today consisted of working at another dentists office who does not have a license to sedate patients and wants to hone his clinical surgery skills. Dave is awesome at both those things so they are having fun doing surgeries together. He also gets a little extra cash which is always nice. Savings & food storage are our two priorities this year.

3. My new piano comes tomorrow......I am so excited I can't sleep!

4. The kids have another 1/2 day tomorrow. WHAT! Didn't they JUST come off of a 2+ week vacation with snow days and don't they have MONDAY OFF??? I am not ready for a 1/2 day yet.

5. Isabella got to bring Corduroy home from Pre-school. Along with 5 books. We are having fun reading about this soft bear while cuddling together on the couch. Savannah also likes to read to bella.

6. Benners is walking! And I love watching his cute roly poly legs toddle around. He gets such a grin on his face when he realizes someone is watching him too.

7. Back to the running routine, my body says ouch!

8. I received inspiration during one of the talks last Sacrament meeting. I knew what the speaker said was directed at me, and my first thought was "WELL CRAP!" But I'm going to try to be better about this little "issue" I have. Enough said!

9. I am going back to cooking from the body for life book. I am ready to loose the baby weight & then some. Ben is done nursing so it's time.

10. I am trying to get some inspiration on how to do Ben's room. I don't want it too babyish because I dont' want to have to re-do it soon. But I am thinking about blue & tan paint kind of in a vertical stripe pattern. I can see it in my head, just a little scared about the actual putting it together.

With my Sweetheart

13 years of marriage to someone who always calls me sweetheart...

who thinks of what I would love and then does it... as a surprise of course

who always makes me laugh....
(note the nose picking...he hates having his picture taken so this is his way of protesting...)

example, defender, provider, protector

Takes me to see the world

and holds my hand when I'm nervous on the metro...and other places too

Loving father, helping me to achieve the most important dream I had for myself Motherhood

My dearest friend, my love. David & Rachel January 5, 1996