{Lately}

Lately....

That is the word you use when you want to catch up on a few weeks of blogging.  This is what our family has been up to lately.

-The older kids are losing teeth like none other.  I am starting to worry if Ayden will have any teeth to chew with.  Lauryn also has her first loose tooth.  

-With all the extra work for the Tooth Fairy, you would think she would be better about remembering to come, but sadly no, she still forgets.  The kids are very patient with her...

-Ryan recently got fitted for some good running shoes and is burning up the treadmill, that is when he isn't racing around the hospital.  

-I just started my fifth week of P90x, and I am not dead yet.  Yippee!!

-Wyatt is finally happy to go to his new Sunbeam class and doesn't throw a fit when we pass by the nursery at church.  It is so hard to grow up.

-Lauryn is getting better at reading and is trying really hard to get her spelling perfect.

-Ayden won a multiplication match-up in his class and gets to compete on the whole school level next week.  He also got bumped up to Advanced band on the trumpet.  He is pretty excited about that one!!

-Meysa finally decided on what to spend her Christmas money on....an iPod shuffle.  We are now "serenaded" (I use that term loosely) on a daily basis.

-We got our taxes done the other night....oh it feels good to have that out of the way.

-I have been getting back into the swing of doing my family history.  Ryan got me a subscription to Ancestry, so I am trying to take full advantage and get my money's worth out of it!!  

-Playing the Game of Life on the iPad is pretty much the only way to do it now.  The kids love that app and want to play it all the time.  We also LOVE facetime with Grandparents and friends!!  

-On MLK day, we thought it would be fun to take the kids to the National Museum of Art, downtown.  Lauryn, especially, has been talking about doing some art work that she can hang up in a museum.  So we thought, heck we will show her some great art and she can see for herself what it takes to make it to the big leagues.  Ryan and I were all excited, and so were the kids, until we got there and then they got hungry and it got boring really fast.  Oh well, we tried.  I would love to go back sans kids and actually do an audio tour and take my own darn time perusing the artwork.  We did end up spending a few hours there and saw not even half of what there was to see.  I can't blame the kids, they did well for their age. These are only some of my favorite.

 The National Museum of Art is across the street from the sculpture garden.  There is a large fountain in the middle of the garden that in the winter they turn into an ice rink.  We had to go and check it out because this coming weekend we are going to get to come back and try it out with the youth in our ward.  We were checking out the times and also the prices.  We can't wait for Saturday!!

 Finally, we got some snow!!  A few days before we did, Ayden had watched the national news and saw that our previous place of residence had gotten a ton of snow and he was miffed.  Life just wasn't fair!!  So when they woke up to snow a few days later, he was somewhat happy.  I say only somewhat because it was only an inch of snow and it had a hard crust of ice on top.  Which made it hard to make snowmen and snow angels and you couldn't throw it at anyone or you got in trouble.  They are still waiting for the big kahunas of snowfalls out here.  Mom and Dad are just fine with the springlike weather that keeps hanging on around here.

Ayden is getting to be quite proficient in the kitchen.  This last Sunday he wanted to make a recipe he had found in the Friend (a church magazine for children 3-11).  He got all the ingredients out and I taught him about yeast and letting things rise.  He was pleased with how they turned out and apparently so were the other kids, because there wasn't any leftover.  Every now and then he even surprises us with making breakfast for everyone on Saturdays.  I am not talking cold cereal either.  He loves to make egg-in-the-holes and sausage.  I think he'll be a keeper!!

Anywho, that is what we have been up to lately.  Just your average, run-of-the-mill days!!  Everyone is happy and healthy!!

{Bigger}

There is a someone at our house that thinks they are bigger than they really are.  This someone (who shall remain nameless) thinks they are able to do pretty much anything and everything.  The fact that this someone is barely three feet tall and can't even write his name fully doesn't keep him from doing what he wants to do.  If his mother would just get out of his way he could make his own meals, watch whatever he wanted, do his own laundry, go to bed when he felt like it, heck he could probably drive himself, if he was given the chance.  This someone thinks they are big enough to be on the computer too, it isn't that hard ya know.  Especially when the big kids are out of his way and he has complete control of the thing.  Being the youngest is a hard calling.  Everyone just assumes you aren't big enough to do things.  Well this someone is out to change all that.  You just watch him!!      

{Indecisive Much}

I really wish the weather out here would make up it's mind.  One day we have 60 degree weather and the next day it is snowing and 25 degrees.  I am not complaining because I don't like the 60 and sunny days, or that I don't want snow.  I just wish that if it is going to get cold, that it would just do it and then we can get over with Winter.  If it is going to remain 60 and sunny, then by all means lets just bypass winter all together.  It is when they are back to back that my poor body doesn't know which end is up.  We go from wearing just a sweatshirt to having to bundle up.  Then there is the fights about what to wear to school each day. Fights about whether or not shorts or long pants are in order.  There is something to be said for consistency.  The kids were really excited to see snow when they got off the bus the other day.  They were ready to get all bundled up and make their first snowman of the season.  Unfortunately, for them there wasn't enough snow to do anything with.  I think they too would like to either have snow and lots of it, or just to stay nice and sunny.  I have a feeling though pretty soon here we are going to get our wish and it is going to turn cold and stay that way.  I guess I better be careful of what I ask for huh?!!  

{Back to Normal}

After a really nice winter break, we got things back to normal this morning.  Ryan headed back to work, I had to get up before 8am and the kids were headed back to school.  All of the kids except this little man.  I don't think he was sad about it though.  He is perfectly content to be the one in charge of the TV and to get to stay in his jammies all day if he so chooses.  It is pretty quiet now around the house and I haven't had to raise my voice once.  It is going to be a great day.  Not that I don't love having my kids home for a break, I do.  It seems though as the vacation comes to an end, the kids know they only have a day or two left to drive Mama nuts.  It seems like it is always the last day of break that I want to pull my hair out.  Yesterday was that day for me.  It probably didn't help that they kids were still trying to play catch up from staying up till midnight on Saturday night.  So pretty much everyone was sleep deprived and in a foul mood yesterday.  This morning couldn't come soon enough.  I tried getting up early to work out, which didn't happen.  The getting up early part of course.  I did get my workout in just three hours later than I had planned.  For some reason my body doesn't function before 7am.  Apparently my body quickly forgot how it can operate with limited sleep after all my babies finally sleep through the night.  A newborn would probably kill me right now.  So it is 10am, and Wyatt is still in jammies, watching Dora while I am still in my workout clothes needing a shower.  It is going to be a good day I tell ya.  Happy back-to-school-after-winter-break-day to you!!!    

{Happy End of the Year to You}

Time just keeps flying by for the Heitmann Family and it seems to go by faster each year.  This year was filled with many milestones and achievements.  We are happy to be a family and to share each of these accomplishments with each other.  We made the cross country move in June.  We have loved being on the East Coast and in the Nation’s Capital.  There is so much to see and do out here, we’re not sure 3 years will be even close to enough time.  Anyways, without further ado, here is a quick year in review. 

Wyatt (3) –“ Wy-man” is enjoying being the “only child” at home.  He is really a mommy’s boy.  No one can help like mama can!  He may be 3 by the calendar but acts and lives like a 5 or 6 year old.  There isn’t anything he isn’t  big enough to do.  His favorite mode of transportation is the “metro train”.  He would ride it just to ride it.  He is excited to be a big kid and go to sunbeams this next year at Church.   He also can’t wait to start pre-school  in 8 months. 

Lauryn (5) – I think she has found her calling in life.  She will be a designer or artist or some kind.  She loves to draw and dress up dolls and herself.  She recently informed us she wants to make paintings that hang in a museum.  We need to take her to the Smithsonian Art Museum for her inspiration.  She loves being able to ride the bus with Meysa to school.  She has had no problem adjusting to all day school and kindergarten. 

Meysa (8) – Meysa would still love to live on a horse ranch and do nothing but care for and ride horse every minute of every hour of every day.  She is starting to take an interest in cooking and sewing.  She will make a good wife and mother some day.  She made the decision and was baptized this year.  She loved the experience and is really such a good kid.  She is surpassing all her teachers expectations this year in school (2^nd grade). 

Ayden (10) – Legos and sports have dominated everything he does and talks about.  We are lucky that there are 2 boys very close by that also love sports and Legos.  If he doesn’t end up playing football he needs to be a coach.  He is always drawing up plays and analyzing the games on TV.  Ayden did branch out some and is learning to play the trumpet at school and is teaching himself (by ear) to play the piano.  He is enjoying the last year of being the big kid at school (5^th grade) before moving up to middle school. 

Ryan (30 something) – Finally finished residency but isn’t done being a “trainee” by starting his fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the National Institutes of Health and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.  His “vacation” away from church callings ended a few months ago with a calling as the young men’s president.  It will be challenging but rewarding to be able to work with the young men in the ward. 

Aimee (slightly older 30 something) – Continues to roll with the punches, challenges and moves.  With ¾ of the kids in school she is able to spend more time with Wyatt and on her personal aspirations.  She has taken a keen interest in family history and with her side of the family being extensively done by others in her family has focused on finding out about the family that she married into.  Her passion for photography continues to blossom and come to fruition.  There is definitely a hidden talent there.  Enjoys her calling as a Sunday school teacher for the 12-14 year olds.


We wish everyone a very Happy New Year!!


Love, 
The Heitmann Family

{Christmas Day}

 Since Christmas Day landed on a Sunday this year we got the opportunity to attend church on Christmas.  We have 9am church so we let the kids check out what Santa had brought them and they got to open one gift, from Papa Don.  New Sunday clothes were what was inside and the kids were excited to get to wear them to church.  They were less enthusiastic about taking pictures for mom though.  Particularly Wyatt.  He didn't see a need and really didn't want to participate until I let him wear his winter hat, then he was happy.  But by that time I had lost Lauryn....a Mom just can't win!!  After church, which was shortened to just one hour, we came home and jumped back into our jammies and the opening of presents commenced.  We let the kids open all their gifts and then Ryan and I opened our gifts.  It worked well that way.  I could get pictures and oh and ahh over their gifts and then have the peace to do the same to my own.  The rest of the day was spent enjoying new gifts, calling and talking to family far away and vegging out.  I made homemade pizza for dinner and the kids enjoyed another sugar cookie or two :)!!  It was the perfect day, simple, quiet and filled with love and laughter.  We couldn't have asked for more!!  Merry Christmas (I know kinda late)!

{Christmas Eve}

 I realize that it is way past due for a post about Christmas but really this is the first time I have had a moment to sit down with nothing or no one pressing for my time.  So here is my Christmas Eve post a good week late.  We had a nice, quiet Christmas Eve this year.  We stayed home with our little family and chillaxed all day.  We tidied up the house so that our house wasn't a complete bomb when Christmas morning came.  We watched some football, I got my groove on in the kitchen with a nice ham dinner.  Before we knew it, it was time to do some traditional Christmas Eve stuff.  Each and every year we decorate homemade sugar cookies for Santa.  This year was no different, except that I only made a half batch (Santa doesn't need 25 cookies to eat)!!  The kids each got to decorate 4 or so and then they got to pick one to eat and one to put out for Santa.  Cookies are one of the kids' favorite things to do!!

The other tradition we do is new pj's Christmas eve night.  This year the boys got robes to go with their pj's and so of course a photo shoot was in order.  This is only one of many pictures that was taken and by far it is the best one.  I have some really "photogenic" kids!!  After our photo shoot we got out our scriptures and read the Christmas Story from the New Testament.  By that time it was ready for bed and the kids went to bed pretty well considering.  We had to threaten Wyatt a few times with Santa not coming if he got off his bed, but finally exhaustion took over and he gave up.  We also had to be ready for 9 o'clock church the next morning so we really tried to get to bed early.  So there you have it a nice, quiet Christmas Eve.