Just some random pictures of the past few weeks.

Brooke on Valentine's Day

Loren's Y basketball team - even though we don't (officially) keep score, one of the other moms was couting and they won every game!! Not that it matters!! Loren really liked it and we're thinking this may be her sport!

Loren moved into Evan's room several weeks ago, and promptly declared she did not want to sleep in a baby room. So, very sadly, I painted over the awesome mural my friend Natalie (see Paige's bday deco's!) had painted on the walls which were, I suppose, "babyish" for a 9 year old. The challenge was finding a room that fit both of their personalities. Good old brown!! I think it turned out awesome! Evan had a tough time adjusting and kept asking me to change it back, but he's grown to like it, too!

Snow days!

Hello again! I am, like most of you I'm sure, totally sick of snow!! So I am posting these pictures of a great time we all had in the cold white stuff to remind myself that it is fun when you look at it through a child's eyes - even a big kid's eyes!

Loren & Dad trying to slide down the hill without sleds.

Brooke making me snow cookies.

I think he had fallen about 15 times by now, and his boots had fallen off about 10 times, but he did NOT want to call it quits!

Just plain beautiful!


I love this picture because it's so "real." There's Brooke, sucking her fingers which she's only supposed to do in bed. I'm pretty sure I'm telling her not to. Paige has obviously been crying about something, which is an almost daily occurance! And Loren is letting Evan do whatever he wants as long as he'll be close to her. A typical Sunday in the Hoelscher house.

Tonight I had a great prayer group, and walked into my house at 7:00 feeling so grateful and blessed and "filled up" I couldn't wait to see my family. As I walked toward the bathroom where Rod was already doing baths I was met by 2 crying children, and by Rod's face I knew it hadn't been a good evening. We said a quick hello, he gave me a summary of what had gone wrong since they got home, and then headed out the door to a meeting. The evening did not go smoothly for me, either. Evan did not recover from having to get out of the tub and after crying (yelling) for 30 straight mintues it took me an hour and a half to get him down. Brooke & Paige got in trouble for fighting in bed, loudly, just as Evan was almost asleep only 35 minutes into my trying. I was short with Loren several times as she tried to tell me about her day because she's the one least in need of my attention, or so I tell myself. As I sit here now it hits me - how fragile my gratitude and joy are. How little it takes for my high to disappear. Shame on me. My trials are nothing, and I should know that better than most because I have the honor of watching some amazing parents walk their paths every day. What if God got frustrated with me that easily? I ask more of him than these beautiful children ever ask of me. What an honor he has given me, to raise these 4 beautiful children while on this earth, and how selfishly I resent it sometimes. So once again I will go to bed praying for help and promising to do better tomorrow. And because they are so much closer to God than I am, my children will greet me with a hug in the morning and once again give me another chance with no strings attached. So who's teaching who? I think I'll go kiss them good night.

Quick post - crabby kids upstairs with husband!! This is from Paige's birthday, then her party. The awesome cupcake toppers were made by my friend Natalie. Thanks again, chicky!!