We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Our traditional Trigg Family Christmas video didn't get onto my to do list so here's our family holiday photo with our new dog, Scooter. We hope that this Christmas brings you true hope and much love.

Love,

Ted, Ruth, Lucas and Nora

He did it!

So you can actually see his permanent teeth coming in behind his loose teeth but he's been dreading actually pulling them out. I helped a little by pulling it all the way forward and it started to bleed and then it just came out. He freaked out and now doesn't like to talk about it. He keeps saying to me "Stop talking about it" because the one right next to it is just as loose. But at least he lost his first tooth, might not have like it but I think deep down he thinks it's prety cool.

A few things in this crazy household...

Lucas playing Pretty Pretty Princess with Nora (he actually loves the game)
Meet our Christmas tree named Tom (no we haven't named our tree before)


This is our 1980's TV that got replace today by a 1990's TV that has more input plugs (Nora named the new TV KiKi)

This is the great job Ted did on the lights (most of them are from our neighbor)

This is what I came home to today...

Lucas on the roof!

Superheroes to the rescue

We had another great Halloween with the Fabs down in Vancouver. Thank you Fabs!

Nora's First Year as a Superhero

Lucas' 3rd year as a superhero.

I love my super man in the first picture too even though he looks a little camera shocked.

Our Weekend....

Lucas' soccer game
And the newest member of our family....Scooter!

Fall

Lucas throwing in at his first soccer game in the rain. He's got a great coach, there to the left of the picture, Kory. So thankful for him and his great coaching and love for our kids. Nora at the Pumpkin Farm loving the animals. She is our animal lover. She could have just sat there all day petting animals. I'm thankful that my kids are so different that we get a taste of who they are through pictures.
Thankful for a sunny day yesterday (the weatherman said it was suppose to rain). We had a great day at a friends on Whidbey Island. Then met dad at the pumpkin farm. We've been coming here for at least 4 years. The kids don't want to even try a different one.

A cool shot of Lucas going down these slides made of huge piping. What fun to be parents. I'm thankful for the gift.

Today we watched Stuart Little and at the end Lucas just started crying and crying. He said he just loved us so much. He will look at me at different times on different days and just say,
"I'm going to start crying again because I love you so much." Our tenderhearted boy, just like his dad. Although Ted doesn't do that (maybe he should - ha ha). I'm thankful for my boys that love so much and so well.

Catching up....

We finally got our computer. Catching up on pictures and events.

Soccer started for Lucas. He scored a goal today in his first game.

Nora started ballet

Lucas turned six

Got to have a cute picture of the kids in the blog.

First overnighter in the tent in the living room. Fell alseep late and got up early. Naturally, for a first overnighter. And they got to watch Superman (the one with Christopher Reeves - he was my heart-throb in junior high).

A busy fall for us. New schools for Ted, Lucas and Nora. Trying to schedule life for me, I don't know how moms do it that have more kids.

Got to fly to make dinner!

What's up with this blog?

Well, our computer went crazy with some kind of virus so my co-worker's husband who works with computers (paid under the table-should tell you what's coming next) and he gave us a used computer that he reprogramed. But we shouldn't do updates or tell anyone where we got it. There are definite signs that this is a "different" computer. I can't upload pictures to our blog and the search boxes on a lot of the websites are tiny (very tiny- where I can't even read what I'm typing in).
So we are saving up for a "legit" computer. We are hoping to get it soon. We've got to wait until we know what's Ted's new salary is, yes we still don't know what he will be paid.

Lucas' first day of Kindergarten went well. He loves recess and doesn't like sitting down so much. He's attached himself to some rough boys that I'm hoping he has a good influence on and/or he finds some other friends to add to the current list of friends. He loves his teacher.

Ted's first day of school was today. He was super tired tonight, more so than Lucas on his first day of school. He said that it went well but doesn't know what to do with all the whispering and chatting going on. But he enjoyed and I think he will make a FABULOUS teacher.

Well, sorry there's no pictures. We have taken some great ones lately. Hopefully soon!

It's the little things...

I watched my bid for days. No one else had found this beauty. I don't do ebay a lot but sometime I find some winners. The minutes passed and I WON!

Lucas is totally into super heroes. And I found this on ebay and I paid $25 including shipping. He will get 17 action figures plus a super hero training center. Oh my, he's going to go NUTS.

Now I have to hold my excitement in for a month since his birthday is a month away from today. I can't believe I'll have a 6 year old!

Church Dress

The kids and I are in lingerie section to get a "nightie" for a girlfriend's personal shower. Lucas and Nora, of course, are running around looking at all the pretty "dresses".

Lucas - Mom, I found a pretty dress for you.

Me - Oh.

Lucas - Mom, this would be beautiful on you.

Ladie next to us - giggling

Lucas - Mom, this would be great for church.

Ladie next to us - more giggling

Lucas - Mom, God would love this on you.

Hat Show....It was Nora's idea

Lord, bless this house....

So we were going to put the house on the market so we got some work down on it. Nothing major(except a new roof). We painted almost everything, I installed a new light fixture (very proud of that), new tile around the fireplace, new wall paper in the kitchen plus fixing the broken seal on the glass door in there too. Some other small things. We decided not to sell it since our real estate agent kept coming back with lower and lower numbers.

So then we decided to rent it out. We would move into mom's. I was just looking through craigslist to see how much houses are being rented for and I found someone looking for a house in MLT. Well, in the end the deal fell through. So we decided we are just going to stay put until God literally moves us (or doesn't).

But it's nice to have a few things done on the house to make it more "homey". I do love our little house. We love the location and our neighbors. We might out grow it but it's great for now. The yard is big but more running space right? Maybe we will raise some chickens!

Direction....where are you?

Weekend at the Wahlmans

Our friends every year encourage us to join them at their cabin in Black Diamond on Lake Sawyer. They treat us to great accomodations, fabulous food, good conversation and tubing, of course. Nora DOES NOT like the boat and so she doesn't go out on the water. We got her to actually dip into the hot tub this time. Lucas gets more and more brave every year. Maybe next year he will try skiing!

Confessions

We've been yelling at our kids too much. Partly because they don't obey when we expect them too but mostly because we are stressed about our life situation. Last night and this morning we listened to a mom yell and spank her kids. They are our back neighbors. I don't think she is abusing them physically but she yells, they cry, she shouts for them to stop crying, they cry some more. It breaks my heart and Ted says "that is what we sound like".

So I wake up this morning to Nora crawling into bed with me (remember she's the one that drives me crazy with her whining) and we snuggle. What a great way to wake up.

This reminds me that our children are a gift from God. A wonderful gift, one that doesn't need to be yelled at. So we start a new day and try not to let our stress be expressed through yelling at those that need our love and soft voice.

They are great kids. And our time with them will go so fast and I need to grab unto the times they want to be with us. Because soon they won't want to be.

God blesses us over and over again. We decided to rent the house out instead of selling. I found a man with 2 kids that needs a house and he loves ours. We do have to do the credit check and such but hey, what a great house for him to get, with cowboy wallpaper and all. We are healthy. We are paying our bills. We are together!

Happy 5th of July!

Today, Ted and I celebrate our 7th anniversary. I'm so blessed with a fabulous husband and a awesome dad to our kids. Yesterday we went to the Edmonds 4th of July Parade. Lucas loved it, Nora not so much. But they did love the red water fountain.
The kids got dropped off at their godparents house and Ted and I enjoyed a dinner alone and then went to watch the fireworks in Edmonds. First time in years.
Now just waiting for the weather to change in Seattle!

Cannon Beach

You won't believe from these pictures, but I was really there! We had a great time with our friends the Fabs at Cannon Beach. The kids were in Heaven being with their best buds Rayna and Lucas. The weather was great. We had fun digging in the sand and looking at starfish. We also got to watch Wizard of Oz when it drizzled outside. S'mores over the gas stove. So many good memories and fun times. Thanks Fabs!

A day of Firsts for Lucas

Lucas learned to ride his bike without training wheel today. He was super scared but enticed with a chance to watch a little bit of a movie he said he would try. He's been ready for a few months but we said we would wait til summer since he was so hesitant. It took one try and he was hooked. And then he rode his bike for an hour. He still needs to work on getting on and stopping himself but he loves it. His little buddy next door saw him and got sooo jealous that he came out and gave it a try. He didn't succeed but that's ok, he's basically a master pianist at the age of 5. I told Lucas everyone has something that they are good at.
He also tried and succeeded in crossing the monkey bars at church today. He took a spill the first time which gave him a bloody palm but once he got his band aid, he did it again and no spills that time.

No ladies and gentlemen, it's not Dean Martin with glasses

Ted's last concert with Mountlake Terrace High School Band was tonight. He conducted half the pieces played. He did such a good job but did look like Dan Martin with that bow tie. The kids whooped and cheered for him, which I think means they like him, right? So our adventure with student teaching comes to end tomorrow.

And honestly, I'm crabby. Being in the midst of waiting for direction and provision, isn't really fun for me. Job leads are scarce, some opportunities are cut or someone else gets hired. It's just plain sucks.

We are moving in with my mom at the end of this month to put the house up for sale. But who knows if the house will sell. Frustration.

But then a friend emails and her husband has lymphoma. They have 2 young kids and I have my health. I have a place to move to when our house sells. I have a great husband and fabulous kids and not matter what, we'll be together (unless Ted needs to teach in China, a joke people - I hope). We have food on the table (more than most of the world). We have good friends and a couple of good churches that we are involved in. We have it good.

The Lord will provide in his timing not mine. I have to remember that. He's always taken care of me. I need to remember the bounty of God's grace and extend some to my unemployed husband who doesn't necessarily go after jobs like I do.

Our weekend

We had a fun weekend. The kids started their next round of swim lessons. Lucas was super nervous and worked himself into a fit and held back some. But by the end he was all smiles and proud of himself. Nora blossomed and did well on her own in her own class.

Later that day we got to have Coco stay with us for the evening and boy, did the kids love that. Today (Sunday) Ted sang with an ensemble at church since he had left his job there. He like singing with the group but not getting up early and biking there in the rain. It's soooo nice to go to church together. LOVE IT!

Tonight, we had some other friends with their girls over. I love have Matthew and Erica over. They have a strong willed 4 year girl and I feel vindicated when chatting with Erica because I don't feel like I'm the only mom out there with a strong willed child. I feel like I'm not the bad guy (mom), that I'm not just imagining her fits and daily struggles liking my daughter. In the end I feel encouraged.

We had a good weekend and now onto another week of craziness with Ted and his internship. We are half way through. Most of his classmates will be done way before him but his mentor teacher is having him work through the end of the school year. Can't wait for June 21st!

The worry has set in...

It's the end of April. I know- a long time since my last blog. It seems so much busier now that Ted is working a full work week instead of his patchwork work schedule at the church. I feel like I'm taking care of much more of the household stuff just because he needs to focus much more on this internship. Not a poor reflection on Ted because this high school band stuff is time consuming. And I feel like I'm supporting him more by doing that stuff.

My worry level is increasing as April ends and May nears with news of layoffs and cuts in education, usually in the Arts. I think about what can be cut out of our budget so that we can save and I admit my spending has been silly at times in the last couple of months and I need to really get serious about this budget stuff.

We've decided not to put the house on the market. We just feel that God told us to wait or hold off. I feel better when both of feel that way instead of just me. So God must be up to something, right? I don't know if it's a job though. It might be a time of want and uncertainty instead of a job and stability.

So we will see what the Lord has in the game plan. Ted is definitely trying his hardest. He has a lot of afterschool on the weekend events that he has to do beside all the teaching during the day stuff. I know he will make a great teacher!

Happy 3rd Birthday Nora!

Today starts off our birthday week here at the Triggs. Nora is today, I'm tomorrow and then Ted's is on Friday. Always fun this week. Today Nora had her first really party. Just some little girlfriends and their mommies. It was nice and small. Loved it!
Nora loves this party dress!

I can definitely say I fall in love with Nora more and more over the years. We had a rough start and it's been hard for me not having an adoring relationship like I had with Lucas but Nora and I are definitely developing a deeper relationship. She is quite the mommy's girl so that might be some of it too. We will definitely bump heads in the future. But I'm really enjoying her giggles and funny sayings like "Nut know" for "I don't know". And "Where you are" for Where are you".

Nora's new birthday bike!

Ted and I are noticing that our kids are somewhat innocent compared to other kids their age, which we like. They will have the rest of their lives to grow up and it's nice to just be a kid for a while (for as long as you can I say).

Nora loves to be with her friends. Both of our kids do. We have been blessed with good friends that have good kids.



Thanks to all our friends that shower our kids with love!