Are You Kidding Me?...

47 degrees for a high... on the last day of September?

Are you kidding Me?

We shouldn't see these temperatures for another 2 months!

Happy Birthday...

Shelly and Shannon...

Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday Dear Shelly and Shannon...
Happy Birthday to you!

...and many more!

I was going to post some cute baby photos I have of the two of you, but the computer is not cooperating... so I will save them for another day.

A Soft Place...

So...

Daughter # 3 started drivers ed on Monday...

It kills me when this happens...

It reminds me that they are growing up and moving on...

...moving away from me.

I know that some parents do the dance of joy when their kids get old enough to move on... and I do find joy in watching them grow and become wonderful adults... but I also miss them. 

I miss watching them learn and I miss having them near me all of the time.

With that important document, comes a job and less time with the family...

Even though I have no real worries for this daughter, I still know that the world can be a cruel place.

So... I guess I will prepare to be that soft spot for her to land when things don't go quite the way she planned... when people don't behave the way they should... and when someone breaks her heart.

Afterall, that is one of the jobs of a mother...

...to be a soft place to land.

Great Hands...

If this is the future...

We are in GREAT hands!

Dear Mr. Weatherman...

It is still September...

It is not December...

Why do you insist on forecasting winter weather for the next few days?

Roller Coaster...

Man, the last couple of days have been a roller coaster of emotions!

Yesterday, I felt like crawling in a hole and hiding out for a few years...

Today, I feel like I am on top of the world.

NO... I am not bi-polar... Just a girl!

A New Day...

Okay, I feel better today...

Ignore yesterdays post...

We all have those days, right?

Today is A New Day!

Big Baby...

Do you ever have one of those days when it suddenly feels like life sucks?  You know... you are really feeling sorry for yourself and start to convince yourself that nothing has gone right for you in years...

Today... this evening really... has felt like that for me.  I don't know why... or maybe I do and I don't feel like I need to share... but I just might need a good cry and some alone time.

I feel the way my kids probably feel when I send them to their room to change their attitude...  I guess I need to change mine. 

For the moment, however, I am struggling.  I am fighting.  I am not happy with anything.  I feel lost and alone and hurt and... like a big baby.

Thank God,  that tomorrow is a new day!

What More Can I Ask For...

Nothing can get me out of a bad mood better than the smile of this little boy!

He is just so full of joy!

I love to watch him play, wrestle, fight, jump, run...

He is always on the go!

He is always full of fire.

He never forgets to tell his mommy that she is pretty and he loves her....

What more can I ask for?

Just Because...

Fun!

Energetic!

Loving!

Pure Pleasure!

A Daily Activity...

This boy LOVES baseball!

He can't live without his daily dose of it. As soon as his daddy gets home he "encourages" him to come out in the backyard and play a game.

Daddy is usually very happy to do this. However, sometimes he isn't quick enough for the boy... who mean... NOW!

You Know it is Interesting when,..

She brings the book to the dinner table to share what she learned... and we didn't even ask.

I have a headache bone crushing, painful, pulsating pain in my head!

I think I need to go to bed...

or an allergist.

Dinner Time...

Dinner time at our house is fun.

Besides the typical, "What did you do today?", questions... We talk about what the kids are learning in school.

We use this time to have them read a paper they wrote or tell us about reconstruction or how a bill becomes a law.

Their favorite thing to do, it practice multiplication. We call out a problem and they race to be the first with the correct answer.

Occasionally, the winner of the night gets a special treat. Last week, Sydnee won a hot fudge sunday from McDonalds. We don't always do a prize, but they never know when one is coming.


On this night, we delighted in one of our favorite quick meals... french bread pizza. Homemade, ofcourse...

I just love that we always sit down at the table and eat together. What better way to reconnect each day?

Season Changing...

It is Autumn!!!

Or Fall...  for those of you, like me, who would rather...

I am really excited!

This year, summer just didn't do it for my family.  Normally, we spend huge amounts of time sitting by the lake swimming and relaxing...

Not this year...

With 3 pretty major surgical adventures, one really broken leg... it just didn't happen.

We barely made it out there!

So, I am enjoying the cooler temps.  You know, I love this time of year.  Really great weather, but no snow!

I start to feel the desire to cook again, because it isn't so stinking hot.  I love the smells and the colors.  The mountains around here are starting to show the first colorful signs of change!  Beautiful!

I even sleep better!  The nights cool off and the comfort and warmth of the blankets are a pleasure...

In case you missed it... I love this time of year!

Look Who Comes To Visit Us Sometimes...

Do you think she just comes to use the internet?

I hope not!... although, she does spend a lot of time sitting at her computer when she comes over...

Yet...

I enjoy her company...

If You Know What I Mean...

There is always that one kid who struggles to let go of the summer and settle into the school year. This year, that prize goes to wonderful Aubrey!

She has been a little slow to get down to business, but she is starting to realize that school has begun and mom doesn't mess around! If you know what I mean...

Thought For Today...

"Now is our chance to choose the right side.

God is holding back to give us that chance.

It won't last forever.

We must take it or leave it."

~C.S. Lewis

Look What We've Been Doing...

Yep, child #8 is potty training!

I really don't enjoy this process... sigh.

I do enjoy watching a child gain new understanding, though.

Ari is doing really well! If not for all of the interruptions of her surgery, she would have this process complete.

So... now that we are beyond all of that nonsense... Let's get down to business!

Sydnee...

Sydnee is in 6th grade this year. Around these parts, that is considered middle school.

She is learning pre-algebra... which she is catching on to like an old pro!

She does a few of her classes on-line.

She is always up for any new project. I love her enthusiasm.

Sydnee is the best... and I mean the best... at asking those really thought provoking questions...

You know, the ones that make mom and dad really have to think about a good, deep answer.

Another Pre-School Day...

Last week the little ones were learning about eyes.

We did a lot of projects, but the kids really enjoyed "pin the eye on the face".

Miranda put a blindfold on each of them and they taped their eye to the paper face.

Everyone wanted to take extra turns. I was so surprised that their guesses were really close to where the real eye should have been.


Along with learning about our eyes we learned about how Jesus healed the blind man. I love that even my youngest children can tell you that Jesus heals.

These kids are so smart. They can all tell you the pledge of allegiance and sing My Country Tis of Thee...

I can almost see their brains gathering up knowledge.

Pray, Hurt, Love...

When one of your kids rebels...

Life stands still.

You pray and pray...

and then pray some more.

You hurt for them.

You want to show them that you have also gone through times when you thought you had it all together... only to find out that if you had listened to those who have gone before you, have more wisdom... you could have saved yourself a lot of heartache.

Most of all... you just love them...

No Matter What!

Nothing can change that...

And so... I pray and hurt and love... and pray some more.

Homeschool...

Miranda is learning so much this year. She is cruising through her classes because she can't wait to move on the next level.

In science, she had to make a balance. So... like any good homeschooler... she went out to the garage with her dad and broke out the table saw. They had a blast sharing this experiment together. Miranda is now an educated young lady on the table saw and has a better sense of of mass and all that goes a long with that.

Surgery...

Ari's surgery was this morning. She is home and feeling pretty good. She has a eye patch to keep the area untouched. Tomorrow the patch can come off.


P.S. Now that I don't feel like I am losing my mind from all of the chaos...

When Ari woke up in the recovery room... she immediately starting calling for "mommy"! When mommy didn't come to her, she called for daddy. When the nurse came for us a few minutes later, she was red faced and crying because she wanted the comfort of familiar faces. YOu know, those people that she knows love her. The ones whose arms she gladly calmed down in and immediatley fell asleep... Oh, I love being a mommy!

At Our Home This Morning...

** Little Man... " I don't want to wear pants. Let's roll them up, so I can run. They will be long shorts! Yeah, that's a good idea."

** Mom's voice still sounds like a teenage boy going through puberty.

** Lily having to do the talking for mom... which she loves!... but no one else thinks much of.

** The three little ones playing their newest favorite game... Hide and Seek... Ari being "it" and staring at a corner for at least 20 seconds and then, having checked the corner thoroughly, saying, "Nope, no one there." ... and moving on to look somewhere else.

** Coughing, choking, sneezing and everyone running for the tissue boxes... strategically placed around the house.

** Ari asking twice, so far, to go potty! Loving that!

** Texting my husband with a scripture that means something for us right now... and knowing that he will appreciate it.

Incredibly Strange...

Does anyone else think it is incredibly strange that the darling in the photo above will be 20 years old in one month?!!!

I am completely freaked out by this...

I think she should be around 11... maybe 12, but no more. She should be moping around the house, thinking life has given up on her... she should be writing in her journal about all of that middle school drama...

She should NOT be leaving her teen years behind!

Pre-op...

We go for the pre-op appointment for Ari's eye tomorrow.

Poor girl...

She has been through it this summer!

By next Thursday... all should be well, though.

I will be glad to see her eye looking normal again. She constantly looks like someone has poked her really bad in the eye!

Pray that all goes well... for some reason, I feel like they are going to give us trouble with the paperwork...

Time...

Searching for more time....

Can't seem to find it anywhere...

So

Much

To

Do

and

Not

Enough

time................................................................

Labor Day...

My husband spent this day painting my living room. I didn't help at all except to move a couple of things and vacuum. What a guy! He will finish up the hallway tomorrow... then... who knows!

I was getting ready to tell you that I had lost the family camera... not the professional one, but the regular one... but, we just found it. So, I will get to take and post some photos this week.

Yesterday, Mark and I went out with a wonderful couple and their 3 kids to take pictures. We had a blast and now, I am in the editing process. Fun, but stressful at the same time.

A couple of our friends from church had baby number 2 last week... so, we will be doing some newborn pics and family pics with them soon. I am so excited to hold that little munchkin!

Okay, now... I am off to fold some more laundry, since today has been all about the laundry for me. I have currently loaded, washed, dried and folded about 8 loads and still have at least 2 to go. Now, I am a laundry freak. I don't let it pile up for long. However, in a family our size... it doesn't take long to accumulate that much laundry. In fact, it takes... maybe, 2 or 3 days. That's it! So, as you can guess, laundry is a never ending project in this house.

Let Me Just Say...

Awwwwwww.... so sweet!

My hubby went out and washed my van this morning before it was time to head to church!

I just love that man!

Through the Jungle...

We spent a week learning about the jungle.

One day, we decided to make an obstacle course in the house for the kids to travel through the jungle. They went through a waterfall and through vines... the kids laughed and wanted to do it over and over again.

Miranda is my co-conspirator in this pre-school project. She is such a great help. She put the jungle course together and went through it a few times herself!

The only thing limiting us is our imagination. We are having a blast and learning at the same time... the best combination!

Pre-school at Our House...

So, by now, you probably know that we homeschool. We believe wholeheartedly in homeschooling. That is not to say that my older kids never went to a public school... in fact, my oldest was never homeschooled. However, even she will tell you that she can see the benefit of it. I am amazed that my kid was among the very top students in her graduating class and yet, she really struggles with some areas. I never had a teacher tell me that she had any struggles or needed to work on anything. Everytime we met with a teacher it was to inform us of what a great kid she was... and still is.

My second daughter had a mix of homeschool and public school. She will tell you that she wishes she had been homeschooled all the way through! Yeah, so do I!!

I won't go into all of the details of why we homeschool and how we feel about the public school system. It would take too much time and start too many arguments. Let's just say, that I firmly believe that what we are doing the best thing for our family.

This year, we have 3 pre-schoolers. Their ages are 4,3 and 2.

They are amazing! They love learning and have made leaps and bounds. I constantly get comments from people who are so surprised that they are as young as they are because they are really smart.

One of their favorite activities this year has been to frost squares. We were learning all about squares and decided that square graham crackers would be a great treat... if they had some frosting on them. So, the kids had a blast ( a messy one) while frosting their snack.

Yummy!!!!!

We have also made zebra cakes, decorated with black and white stripes...

They love everything we do in school, but they really love their special snacks!

What kid doesn't, right?

Our 1st Field Trip of the Year...

Last week, we gathered up all of our little chicks (and the one rooster) and headed to the aquarium!

The kids had a blast! The only part they didn't love was having to write a one page report on what they learned while at the aquarium.

I think one of the biggest hits was the shark tank! I didn't enjoy the stingrays, although some of the kids liked it... as you can see, I didn't get one picture of the stingrays!

I love to see their curious little heads watching the sharks...

They asked a lot of questions and gathered a lot of information.

Miranda loved the jellyfish. She thought they were amazing. I just love to see the glow they put off. We spent the entire day down in Salt Lake. The aquarium, the park, the mall...

It amazes me that kids think the mall is different if you drive 45 minutes to get there!

Everyone practiced their boat driving skills while learning about our local waters.

Oh, and the girls are VERY into Little House on the Prairie right now... This was Sydnee's version of Laura's hairdo. Cute!

Now, it is time to plan the next field trip!

Who knows where we might end up...

Bee Magnet...

Our son... the one and only... has been stung by a bee three times this summer.

Infact, he has been stung 3 times in the last two weeks!

I think he is a bee magnet or something...

Now, he has started telling me that he doesn't want to go outside because a bee will sting him.

Hmmm....

I mean, what do I tell him?

With his track record... he very well may be stung again, right?

I Will Rise...

For You, Mom...

A Private Griever Shares...

Today marks the second anniversary of my mother's death...

Two years have passed without hearing her voice...

I still reach for the phone every single time something important happens.

I still have that moment of shock when I realize she isn't at the other end of the phone and never will be again.

I still think about her every single day.

I have realized so many things in the last two years...

She was my best female friend.

She was my supporter, no matter what.

She was a prayer warrior and I always knew I was covered by her prayers.

She was a rock I could lean on.

She was the one true constant that I had during my whole life.

She was amazing...

She was gone way to soon...

This is a sad day,

but I have that eternal hope that someday I will see her face to face again.

I am sure I will shed tears today that can only be truly understood by others who have endured this same loss...

but in the end, I know now... and always knew that she loved me, my brother and my family.

The one thing that I can't seem to get away from is how very much I miss her.

Each and every moment that goes by is filled will missing her. I will admit to being jealous of those who still have their mother in their lives...

I long for that...

I am a private griever.

I don't share it much with others... but for this one day...

I will share with all of you that my life has not been the same and probably never will be since she left this earth. That is not to say that I wallow in grief... I don't... She taught me well.

But...

Life just isn't the same without you, Mom...........................