christmas pics

I am

the worst gift wrapper in the world.
My gifts are wrapped. They all look like someone with one prosthetic arm wrapped them. but probably someone with a prosthetic arm would take more pride and still wrap the gifts better then me. Mine look like a lazy demented person wrapped them. I think it also goes along with why I stink at quilt making. I've been working on a quilt for 2 months and the more I do it the more insane and crazy I feel. Hire that job out.
Well since no christmas cards are getting sent out this year....here is my true/false christmas letter.

Hey friends and family!
Another GREAT GREAT GREAT year has happened!
So awesome! Totally fun! lots of vacations! (actually none) Went to Europe (nope) Traveled to Asia for a month (didn't do that either). Got awesome Sushi there! Totally awesome! Okay I'll go down the family list.
Danny quit teaching and he won the lottery! I know the lottery is totally evil but still he happened to find a lottery ticket on the floor picked it up and we won millions of dollars. Sold our house in Dayton and now are soaking it up in a hot tub in our mansion. But we were still very charitable and gave a bunch of money to charity. And actually we donated a ton to homeless people. Actually homeless people are living in our house and there is one in the hot tub next to me right NOW!
(the truth: danny is still teaching and loving it, started a gifted program at UC and is just being the awesome dad and husband that he always has been)
Me...Well after giving birth to the sweetest tiny little 6 pound baby (now you know that's a lie) I started training for my iron man which I actually WON in Hawaii last summer. Pretty awesome. Next I ran the Boston Marathon and won that too. So now I'm just decorating our 180.000 square foot house with greenery and homemade recycled vintage ornaments! Love being green!!!
I'm so green that I actually have been dumpster diving and stealing peoples trash and recycling it into beautiful hand painted wallpaper It's all made out of plastic kroger bags. But it looks gorgeous and I'm being featured in 3 magazines.

(put my life on the line and had a 12 pound 1 ounce baby who since that day in April absorbs 95% of my time with the girls soaking up the other 5% But I have started doing yoga and trying to work out occasionally plus teach piano and keep up with that )

Addie is studying abroad at a private school for super talented musicians and she is playing some Beethoven Sonatas at the Schuster. She also is swimming across the panama canal and playing her violin for homeless people in her spare time.

(addie is 7, a dr. seuss reader, poem memorizer, piano player and sister wrestler)

Eva is in the circus and is juggling to Save the Earth . She is one talented 3 year old.

(eva has a super jumping on one foot talent and can write Eva and Mom and she specializes in baby brother take downs)

Harvey is actually already walking and he started a free baby tap dance show that is raising money for dead dolphins or those being threatened by those wishing to kill dolphins. He also paid ransom for some dolphins that were being held hostage. He's just a very special 8 month old!
(Harvey is kinda crawling and is the fattest yummiest baby that we all like to snuggle)

Hope your family is as awesome and amazing and wonderful as mine and if it's not well I feel so sorry for you.

Love always,
The Dotsons

the church of stop shopping

I watched a strange documentary about some people who decided shopping was evil and made "the church of stop shopping" and they go downtown New York City and cast demons out of cash registers and like de-demonize the metallic stripe down their credit cards and stuff. Anyways Mickey Mouse was supposedly the anti-christ.
I kinda can feel it. I went to the mall with the kids because they told me they would tie me up and steal my keys and drive themselves if I didn't take them there. I couldn't find one thing to buy. And it was horribly crowded and people were giving dirty looks to eachother and lots of stuff stuff and more stuff. And suddenly I was just like....I don't want one thing in this whole mall. So we walked around....checked out Santa, rode a tiny train, played with a sad puppy in the puppy store and left.
So my family might all be disappointed this year because I can't seem to find anything anyone might want or need. I'm going to become the crazy aunt who gives homemade knitted hats with santa on them and stuff....my gift giver has just given up on the retail world I guess.

here she is....

our illustrious tree courtesy of Addie and Lena and Eva. It's a little heavy on the decor down low but I think I like it that way.
harvey has been helping rearrange ornaments as well. He's trying so hard to crawl but he ends up in a down dog position. then he gets really frustrated and starts screaming. I'm like...Breathe in breathe out you're not going to let your chakras flow with all that tension. sheesh.
Eva and Addie are feeling the Christmas cheer. Where they can rearrange the nativity set every day and hold baby Jesus hostage and fight over who gets to be Mary in the christmas play. They are wrapping up old toys and Eva is whispering what they are in my ear...even the gift she is giving me. One of my own necklaces....."Mommy it's YOUR necklace! SHHHH!"
Today my car is in the shop, we are locked up in the house cleaning out closets and the girls are posting "No boys allowed" signs everywhere. With the exception of babies and daddies.

my sisters are gonna kill me

couldn't let the holidays pass by without a couple sisterly gems....love you two!

was that good steph?

Eva self portrait! no boogers :)

enough princesses for ya? I was watching a friends kids and we had a girly/princess nutcracker dancing fiesta.

happy frickin chickin day

We had not one of those sad, abused turkeys for thanksgiving.
That's just such a shame to eat a caged up obese, lard fed, fat turkey.
So we were privileged to eat a vegetarian,skinny, free running, joyous turkey. Who truly lived a beautiful happy life. Until his head was viciously chopped off.
but I think I can tell he was happy. till that moment.
Because I feel very happy today. I think he was on prozac actually. But that means he could have been a suicidal turkey and that would not be good at all.
That leads me to the thought......are animals ever suicidal?

I was just grinding my teeth so it appears. according to dr. shaw who is my farmer/dentist.
I guess I have stresssssss thats coming out in chisseling my molars into flour all night long. I just wish it didn't involve the demonic headache of death.

headache of death

Just thought I'd complain for a moment. I have had for the past couple days the HEADACHE OF DEATH.
I don't really feel sick otherwise. No fever no aches, chills or sore throat really. Just the HEADACHE OF DEATH.

It feels the worst at night and the morning. It also seems to move around my face like a strange creature crawling around my head trying to get out.

I'm thinking of some story I heard a long time ago that involved a guy who went to South America and he had some parasite sit on his head at night and burrow into his scalp and lay a bunch of eggs. Months later he too had a HEADACHE OF DEATH. He awoke to large centipede looking things emerging out of his scalp like a horror movie. I'm praying it's nothing similar to that whatsoever.

The only two things I can narrow it down too are seasonal sinus infection type thing or possibly a tooth that has turned demonic in my mouth and is shooting pains of death through my head. It's that bad.
I'll post the results later.

I know.....

I've always been kinda a keep it all too myself kinda gal. But as I've gotten older I feel like I am who I am and people can take me or leave me.
I just want to share somethings about my beliefs and why I believe them.
I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Saying that reminds me of the song that Addie sings in Primary which you really couldn't call singing...more yell/screaming.
Had a slight wakeup call because recently a close friend decided to leave our church suddenly and she took her name off the records and everything. Made me discuss alot of things with her and other friends and got me really thinking and praying.
Here is what I know.........
Jesus Christ is my savior and redeemer. He loves me entirely and has helped me through a ton in my life. When I felt all alone he was there for me and I've felt forgiven for my sins through his atonement.

I love the Book of Mormon. I made a goal recently to just read everyday until I felt like the spirit had told me what I needed to know. Everyday I learn something new or feel like a truth is impressed upon me. Sometimes it is just one verse...sometimes it is many. I have felt the spirit tell me it is a true book and not a man made book but one that is a historical account. That has given me a knowledge of things that I can't go without. Although I enjoy certain Bible stories and also get alot from and read the New Testament I feel the BOM is what helps me on a daily basis. I've always been a reader since I was a kid. I feel like the spirit teaches me through the written word.
So therefore if the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God
then Joseph Smith was truly a prophet
then The Church of Jesus christ of Latter Day Saints is true.
That's how my testimony is founded/based on and I often go back to my personal testimony. Is the book of mormon true? Has the spirit witnessed this to me? And I say without doubt Yes it has.
There are so many things I don't totally understand. There are many things that are controversial in our church history and some could be true some might not be. I've heard probably all of them.
I have the knowledge of Jesus Christ as my savior, and the blessings of the priesthood, and the awesome opportunities to serve my family and in church and the world. Although I know no man or woman is perfect I know God is perfect and he will forgive us for our shortcomings as we repent.

So that is what I know.

let it be known

for posterity and all that Harvey said his first word.

heres the story:
I've been slightly psycho about not leaving him since he was born. I guess with number 3 I just realized how fast they grow up and I just like taking him with me everywhere. It feels good to know he's not crying to nurse and I guess all those mommy hormones just keep me feeling high with my little guy. It really does feel like a drug or something. Anyways..not that I would know about drugs. well except vicodin (childbirth HELLO!) and ibuprofen and the occasional crack pipe. Just kidding. but anyways
this takes us to yesterday. I was running out the door to go to a primary presidency meeting and the girls were staying with danny and I was throwing Harvey into the car and Danny was like..."Let me keep him!" I was like...."Ummmm he might need to nurse!"
"Oh he'll be fine! He eats food! He's good! Go!"
So I left and I knew he'd be fine because he is 7 months old.
So they fed him and played with him and when we rejoined together they all announced "Harvey said his first word!!"
"No way!!!"
"Yep" all three verified he truly spoke his first word at 7 months. What a genius I know.......
The girls all were like "DA-da-da-da-da-da"

but guess what my boy said???

MA MA!!!!!!!!!!

enough love

my poor boy...

you little nut

It's November 7th.
I feel melancholy. Harvey is 7 months old and the chiropractor says his lower back is very tense. My poor boy already has tension from his short life.
Eva has been battling eczema.
Addie's best friend quit coming to church and she's very sad.
Danny's muscles just aren't what they should be. (actually I was just staring at Danny and decided to put that in just to see if was reading this blog)
I had a head lice fake out where I was sure I had head lice and I put poison all over my head, then drenched my head in olive oil, then stayed up half the night searching for lice eggs and bugs which I never actually found.

Chilly smells like she's been rolling in dead animals out in the yard and I can't bring myself to give her a bath.


The good things are: Eva doesn't seem to care she's battling eczema and she has a really cute voice that says stuff like "once upon a pime" and "Fop it!!"

Addie just got a cute haircut and she keeps wiggling all her loose teeth.

Harvey's lower back muscles are doing a great job holding up his brutish build.

I think Danny's cute just the way he is. no need for bigger muscles.

I'm lice free.

Chilly is almost 10...only 5 to 7 more years of her smelling like a dead animal.

YAY

fall is happening

my baby's gone

Harvey: weight 20 something pounds

Eva: weight 20 something pounds.

Scene of the crime: Family room. Harvey was sitting innocently at my feet as I browsed the internet. 10 minutes pass. I no longer hear the snuffling snorting of 6 month old boy. Harvey is missing. No one is here except Eva. Well Addie but she's occupied. That means that Eva somehow kidnapped Harvey. Which is physically impossible since they are about the same weight.

I start a manhunt. Well babyhunt. I locate the young man on the other side of the house. Don't know how he got there..but he looks happy. He's sitting in a blue toy bin. Eva is pushing him in it.

I return to the internet.

after

I took these the other night while we were cleaning up. It looks like a nice little house now huh? The scary has gone bye bye. I should go get some more pictures...the girls liked it once it had carpet they kept playing house in the empty bedrooms. So tonight Danny has a couple people coming to look at it...we just need to pray for some sane people without pitbulls (the girl coming tonight) and an actual job or source of income try to come live here. Although the neighbor across the street informed me he has a shotgun and if any funny business goes down he'll just start shooting. Very reassuring.

so here are the pictures

it looks great doesn't it? just kidding. These are the before pictures of our rental house...it's a real looker isn't it? Well...Danny has been "da man" and has worked his hiney off and the after pictures will come soon. Although most of what he did is stuff you can't really see because it's like rebuilding walls and st So this is our soon to be for rent house. Or we might sell it. We don't know yet. I'm going to go in and take some "after" pictures this week. So....you don't know how glad I am to not see those orange walls. Those were disgusting. And the outside only looks a little different...I think we're going to plant some bushes or something. anyways....this nasty home is why I've been single parenting for 6 weeks.

can't fail to mention

I'm the mother of a 7 year old. I'm as proud as can be. Look at this Adelaidy! I sure do love her.

happy birthday to me

happy birthday to me...happy birthday to me....happy birthday dear me. happy birthday to me. oh and danny. Plus steph and Aaron. oh yeah and Nathan. And Natalie. did I forget anyone??? And unlike most years where we are bundled up in sweaters for our birthday we were hanging out on the beach. So now I'm 30. .....oh yeah.

tired

Having an under 1 year old child makes for some awesome sleep. Actually I think having an under 100 year old child probably makes for awesome sleep. But I'm sure that first year is the orientation to bad sleep every parent has to have...so when their child is 16 and missing at 2 :00 a.m. you are primed and ready to jump out of bed and call everyone on the planet to find out where they are. So with nothing else to do but make eyes at Harv at 6:00 a.m. I decided to come on here and check on the blogging world. Which is a small world since most everyone I know that used to blog quit when facebook started up.
So I've been tired for at least 2 days....I think I'm grinding my teeth at night. I keep waking up with a weird pain in my jaw and it's on both sides so I don't think I have a toothache.
Yesterday once about 4:00 hit I was SOOOOOO tired. Danny has been gone from pretty much sun up till 11 at night. So I'm flying solo on all the chores around the house and manning the 3 youngsters. Mom has been coming over and saving me. Yesterday she bought me dog food which was a whole trip to the store I didn't want to do. Also she brought all her apple tree apples and made me an apple crisp in my kitchen while I laid on the couch with Eva and zoned out/slept. It turned out really good and got me through the evening. So now another day begins and the two girls are up and out of bed.

happy birthday dane!!!


We're heading to your chuckee cheese celebration in a few short hours.

What's up right now: Harvey's in the laundry room sleeping.
The girls are on the couch reading books.
Danny's at the rental house getting it fixed up.
I finished teaching piano and now I'm going to make my children some food.
I could possibly be the worst piano teacher in the world.
Today during piano lessons Eva decided to turn on the keyboard on full volume and not turn it off..I had to crawl under the piano and drag her out. That didn't stop her and she headed right back and started it up again....I threatened to lock her outside. That stopped her mostly. Then the phone was ringing non stop. I kept thinking...why don't I turn my phone off? All the while my little 6 year old student is waiting patiently. She finally starts playing and the cell phone rings AGAIN and I have to answer it because it's my next student and they'd been trying to call for two days and they for some reason weren't able to hear my messages. So I answer the phone and FINALLY have peace to listen to my student play. By then Harvey wakes up and starts crying and I think she was burned out and she just quit. Poor thing. I need a piano studio SOOOO BAD!!! Or I need a door with a lock on it so my children can't come in. Or I just need to send them off with someone during lessons.
that's all!

my boy

my boy is rolling over!!!

and he's scooting on his belly!
(harvey age 4 months)

No back to school for us Dotson's. Addie's doing 2nd grade at home again and I am feeling peaceful and happy about it. It was her choice truly and I'm up to the task. I have to give myself alot of pep talks about this since having 3 kids does seem like I am drowning in little people sometimes. The funny thing about 3 kids is that I cannot imagine only having three permanently. With 2 one more seemed really scary. Now that I have Harvey I feel like I will definately have one more and it doesn't scare me. Although it would seriously scare me if I was having number 4 like right now. Then I would freak out! But nope...not yet. anyways, since we are homeschooling we aren't starting school until the day after labor day...the day EVERYONE on the earth should start school. But since I can't change the world I can change my corner of the world. I've been reading The Well Trained Mind to inspire my organization with homeschooling. Naturally I would be a total unschooler but I'm fighting that urge because after reading this book I truly believe there is alot of good things that take discipline to learn and it is worth it in the end to teach my children in a way that they can maximize their potential and ability to learn. But all that will happen NEXT week because as of right now they are fighting over the cell phone and tackling eachother like crazed cats. So the vision and reality once again diverge....

day in the life

woke up
watched Eva sleep. She looked kinda dead. I put my hand over her mouth to try to feel the air coming in and out. She was alive.
Harvey woke up doing his normal leg lifts. I don't know why right when he wakes up his legs go straight in the air but that's what he does and it's pretty cute. Danny and I watched him bench press a toothbrush.
Addie woke up and made us raspberry muffins from a mix. House appraisor knocks on the door just as Eva pours half the gallon of milk on the counter.
Soak it up with a towel as I tell him to show himself around.
pick up toys.
Wait for my piano student.
Keep waiting.
Teach piano and realize she doesn't know any of the note names. whoops.
Drive to the farm (carriage hill). question my choice of ponytails...I feel like a 3rd grader.
Walk around the farm. Meet a very sweet lady and daughter working at the farm. She shows us how to make a quilt on one of those old foot action sewing machines.
Play a quilt game. Basically you take a quilt and make up a story about where each little piece came from..like "this is a piece from the dress you wore when you were a brand new baby..and when I smell it it still reminds me of you when you were born"
Chase the chickens.
Buy candy and commisserate with the candy store lady about the sorry state we're all in with how undisciplined children are and how you can't even yell at neighbor kids in your own yard or their parents will sue you.
Sit outside and realize Harvey has just blown out a weeks stash worth of poo. I had no wipes. Went into the public bathroom and realized the mess extended to under his armpits and even up to his hair. it was intense. Clean him up in the sink and dry him under the hair dryer.
Throw his clothes in the stroller and carry him naked in the sling. I luckily did have a diaper.
uhoh.
BABY

its funny it takes two days for me to post about a day in my life
CONTINUING
left the farm with cleaned baby.
drove to goodwill outlet and met mom. Saw a man that looked like crocodile dundee dude...
was given a small flashlight lovingly from a homeless looking man rooting through the bins.
FOUND SOME SWEEEEET DEAAAALS!!!
Drove home
found Danny playing frisbee golf in the park.
we all ate leftover noodles and chili.
ate my sister Steph's homemade apple pie.
boxed up ebay stuff to mail.
3 in bed.
goodnight.

went to the circus when it was like 100 degrees out. the kids had a good time and we got to sit in the very front row.
harvey was only a little amused. I kept pouring water on his head too
mom was about to die of a heatstroke or shoot someone...I don't know which one first but she still let her little graddaughters crowd her and sit on her lap. good grandma.
and so we are whiling away our summer..... loosing front teeth, watching scary clowns, swimming, and stealing vegetables from neighbors gardens. I didn't do any such thing (gardening) this year.....but I miss having big tomatoes and zucchini and squash. And corn. It's all I want to eat. Rachel I need some of yours!
Addie's lost her first front tooth and she looks extra special without. I think I'm just going to secretely knock out her adult tooth when it grows in so she eternally has a gap in her mouth. But then she'd probably just look all billy bob without a front tooth. It would quit being cute when she's 20 something.
BYE