worried?...

So...

I have a lot of kids.

But...

I have 7 girls and only 1 boy.

As you can probably guess,

I know nothing about raising a boy!

Everything is new and.... weird!

He is so strange compared to the girls.

I love it, don't get me wrong.

I enjoy each new... and strange... thing that he comes up with.

But...

Today, he told me he wanted to wear a dress and twirl like a princess.




I said, "Boys don't wear dresses."

He then stomped his feet and yelled,

"I don't want to be a boy! I will be a girl!"

Of course this was all said while jumping up and down,

wrestling with the dog, jumping off of the couches

and...

pretending to be spiderman.

Hmmmm...

I wonder if I should be worried.

Black Friday...

Yes!

We were some of the crazies who poured over the ads on Thanksgiving Day!

We got up bright and early...

took a shower...

(unlike most! EWWWW!)

and faced the crowds to get a good deal!

Now, to be completely honest with you, we would have gone out even if we weren't shopping.

Why?

Well, we are the crazy people that just need to see all of the wierdos and lunitics in the world so we know who to watch out for the rest of the year...

I don't know.

We love to people watch!

...And...

You never know when you will find a great deal!

Giving Thanks...

It is so important to us that our children learn to be thankful for all that they have.

I tell them...frequently... that there is always someone who is worse off than you.

On Thanksgiving, the kids make cards that say,

"I am thankful for you because..."

On the inside of these cards each family member writes why they are thankful for that person.

A sample from this years cards would be...

"Mother, Mother Dearest...(I don't know if this refers to the movie or not LOL) I love you so much. I am the person I am today because of you. I love that I can come to you for whatever I need, whether it be a word on the tip of my tongue or a person to complain and vent to. Thank you for all of the food you allow me to eat too! need a nice home cooked meal as much as possible... you don't know what you're missing until it's gone! Thanks for all of the support you give me in everything I do! Love, Cadi"

OR...

"Chey, I love you so much and love to see you do good things. When I need you, you are there and I am so happy about that. Thank you for being such a great sister. Just remember I love you! Miranda"

I love this... I cry every year!

Besides the food and the memories we are sharing, we are really getting to hear our heartfelt gratitude for each other. I save these cards every year.

Some day, when I am no longer here, my children will pull these out and remember how much love we all shared. They will be able to treasure these forever... Just like I treasure them.

So... How was our Thanksgiving?

The food was great!

The games were Great!

The company was great!

The Love was even Better!!!!!

more pictures...

I will try to actually pick up the camera tomorrow and post some pictures.

I don't know what my problem with pictures has been lately.

I guess life has just gotten in the way...

Get out of the way, life!

I need to take more pictures!

The Sounds of Home and Family...

On this first day of vacation, we slept in... until 8 o'clock!!!!

That was heaven, I tell you...

Now the kids are all gathered on one couch. Five of them, at least...

They are all talking about the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cirus, Carrie Underwood...

I keep hearing comments like, "He is so cute!"

My poor little man keeps trying to get someone to play "fight" with him.

Sorry little man... may have to wait for dad to come home!

Oh no, now the, "Mom, he's pushing me." has started.

I tell you... I could sit here all day in my green robe without a shower and let my little people entertain me.

But...

I can't remember the last time I did something like that.

It is time to get up, take a shower, do my hair, start the laundry, clean up the house...

And...

since it is the day before Thanksgiving I need to make my chocolate mousse pies and make sure the turkey is ready to go.

In the midst of my day, there will be about 500 diaper changes ( no really only about 5 or 6).

There will be fights and tears... a lot of whining and desperate calls to "Mom!!"

I love it!

The sounds of HOME & FAMILY.

Waiting...

Why is waiting so hard?

Whether I am waiting for the kids or waiting for the husband or...

waiting..........

I just don't like it!

holiday season...

I am so excited for all of the goodies that come with Thanksgiving. We will have...

turkey
mashed potatoes
cranberry
corn
greenbeans
olives
pickles
candied yams
stuffing
devilled eggs
two or three things that we end up throwing on the table last minute

But...

what we really love are the desserts!

chocolate mousse pie
apple pie
pumpkin pie

and...

Thanksgiving is the unofficial start of our holiday baking!

Soon we will be drowning in...

fudge
white chocolate cherry chunkies
breads
cookies
loaves
candies

Isn't the holiday season a blast?!

Where have you been?????

Sick, sick......... SICK!!!

Oh my goodness this was not a fun week. Somehow I managed. No, not somehow... I couldn't have gotten through without the help of my husband and kids who helped out big time.

Thanks Everyone.

Then, the hard drive went kerplunk on the computer so... yeah you can see that this was a pain the backside kind of week.

I am feeling...better and the the computer is running again... Yippee!!!

While I lay in bed hacking, coughing and in general...

falling apart...

Mark took the little ones to the train station and they had a great time!

The kids came home so happy and excited.

They told me that they drove the "choo choo twains".

At least someone was having fun this week.

Never Imagined...

Well, looky here...

Someone came over and joined us for the evening on Sunday.

...and while hanging out with her big old family......she never imagined she would be spending the next week feeling just like her mama...

Stuffy, cough, hack, gargle, blow your nose SICK!

Reputation...

When we got this honery animal several years ago, it came with a promise...

I would not have to bathe him.

My adoring husband promised to do this job.

I agreed to brush him... but, not bathe him.

This leads to him not getting a bath very often.

When he isn't clean...

I can't stand to be near him.

Sorry, but he smells and feels gross.

However, when he is clean and brushed...

I love him!!!

When he is clean, I can't get enough of him!

I want to pet him and he keeps my feet warm.

Just don't tell anyone...

I have a reputation to uphold!

Make a Muscle...

I wanted to show you this simply because...

well, I find the way Cadi makes a muscle hilarious!

We call it the swan!

She has done it since she was little.

She says she can't make a muscle unless she does it with the swan head.

I laugh every time I see it.

Thanks, Cadi.

...and yes you're muscle is getting really tight!

My Main Man...

Guess what my sweet husband did for me today...

Can you guess?

No?

He started putting up the Christmas lights today!

Yes, I know it isn't even Thanksgiving yet.

I also know that around here, we can continue to have nice days in the 50's or...

we could have 10 feet of snow on the ground in the morning!

Yuck!

Trust me the last thing I want is the snow!!!!

Preparation is all I am talking about.

I don't want my main man up on the roof once it gets cold and icy up there.

He spent the first hour checking lights.

After the snow covered everything for several months last year...

I mean you couldn't see any lights including our one foot candy canes...

Several of the lights were broken and needed to be replaced.

Then it was up on the roof and YIKES!

That looks so scary to me!

The point is, you have to take advantage of the nice weather while it lasts.

Mark recruited Miranda and Aubrey to help.

Miranda is great at getting up on the roof...

which I will not do.

Aubrey was a great errand girl.

She ran up and down the stairs for different items over and over again.

Of course Miranda was very careful, but loved to scare her mother...

Shame on you, Miranda!

It got dark before they could get it completely finished.

I am told, however that to finish the job will only take about another hour.

Yeah!!

I love having this one thing finished already.

Now, if only I could get my shopping finished!

Little Feet...

Am I the only one in love with little people feet???

On a Cold Day...

There is nothing like potato soup and bread bowls.

Can you guess...

Can you guess who these boots belong to??????

Aren't these totally Sydnee?

Okay...

Come a little closer....

A little more...

If these were in my size, I would totally wear them!

...what we need...

Do you ever look at your child in wonder and amazement?

I sure do.

Sometimes it is the amazement that their brains would convince them that their behavior is appropriate.

Other times, it is with the amazement that they are so unique and they fill the perfect spot in our home and family.

God knows what He is doing, doesn't he?

He knows just what we need and exactly when we needed it.

I needed this little girl.

I needed to experience every single moment with her.

Yes, even the ones where I am convinced that I totally do not understand her super girly ways.

All I know, is I can't imagine going through a single day without her in my life...

Brute Strength...

Miranda... You don't know your own strength!
Actually, she was cutting a piece of banana bread when the knife completely broke.

We thought it was hilarious...

By the way, this picture totally freaks me out!

I hope to never see you coming at me with a knife and that smile on your face!

No longer the Queen...

Cheyenne finished her role as the queen in "Cinderella and the Glass Slipper".

She did a marvelous job.

The practices were strenuous and exhausting for all of us.

We enjoyed watching her perform, but we are equally glad to see this time come to an end.

For me, it was really about watching this young lady start and finish something.

She has done this and she did it with style!

Great job, Cheyenne!

We are proud of you!!

With a Cherry on Top...

This is what they are forecasting...

Ugggg!

I know, I know... beautiful, Christmas-like, yada yada....

Last year cured me of ever needing to see snow again.

I mean, come on people...

I grew up in Alaska.

I have seen my share of snow!

I love the first snow fall and after that, I am done.

Now, maybe I am just grumpy today (I really am not feeling very well.)

But...

I could do without any snow this winter!

Please, please, pretty please with a cherry on top.

Ummm, do think that will work????

Naw, me neither...

(My hubby took this photo last year. At the time of this snow fall I thought, "Wow, we are having a pretty good amount of snow this year." Yeah, by the time it was over this looked like a light dusting... Okay I think I am done whining now... wait.... yeah, Now I am done.)

Butt Shot?!...

From the pictures, you can't really tell how rickety and rusty and steep and... well... Scary climbing down this thing was!

We wanted pictures of one of the kids.

You know, cool urban looking photos...

Sometimes you have to suffer a little to get the good shot!

Since I love my husband and trust him completely to keep me safe, I followed him down into this strange place.

He was right!

We did get some totally cool pictures.

The climb back up was not nearly as bad.

But, I ask you...

Did you have to take the butt shot?!

on the wall...

I remember in 2nd grade when Miranda used to come home from school and tell me she had to "stand on the wall" at school that day.

Basically, that meant she had done something wrong at recess and to punish her they would make her stand against the wall until the end of recess.

Awwwwwww... I know!

Today, while hubby and I were out photographing her I said, "Miranda, go stand on the wall." We both looked at each other and smiled.

You see, we both know that the days of her childhood are moving by all too fast!

Soon, she will be striking out on her own. She will face the world with her wonderful "can do" attitude... and she will be just fine.

I miss those 2nd grade days... but I am so proud to know this amazing young woman that she is becoming.

We did our Part...

Bad picture...why do you tease me?

I know...

The picture is awful.

This is one of the pics I keep finding on the computer...

You know the ones the kids take when mom and dad aren't around...

It got me to thinking that even when you think you are looking at a bad photo,

You are really looking at a moment in time.

Soon, it will be hard to remember how funny we all thought it was that Miranda loves taking pictures of herself.

Day to day life has a way of blurring out some of those moments...

Through the pictures, we will have evidence that these moments really did happen,

we were there,

and life is good.

Thank Goodness...

Thank Goodness it is over!!

Whether we are happy about the outcome or not,

We will come together as a country...

as Americans

Who are grateful for this land and its freedoms!

Shelly and Clayton...

Shelly... I want to hold him too!

Wow!

This boy is growing fast!!

Fallen Leaves...

A boy is about discovery.Our little man discovered that leaves can be a lot of fun!
You can sit in them, hide in them or...

Toss them in the air.
There are so many things for a boy to discover.