A prayer for the children

Have you heard the song "The Prayer of the Children"? It is one of my favorites. The melody is pleading and almost haunting. The words bring tears to my eyes. Most of the time I can't sing it with out choking up.

As I watched my little ones go off to school today I prayed for them, as I do every day. I pray that they will be protected from harm and evil and accident. I pray for their innocent minds to be guided in right paths and shielded from that which is wrong. And each day, when they return to my care, I thank the Lord for their safety and the privilege it is to be their mother.
 
Today is an emotional day for a lot of people. My heart aches for those parents and families who lost loved ones last Friday. I wish I could do something more. But if this reaches anyone who's heart is tender with pain and sorrow, may this song and my heartfelt sympathy bring you some comfort.

Love,
Annie

Gingerbread contest

Our local library has a gingerbread house contest every year. The only rules are that the creations have to be made by a family and EVERYONE has to help. We entered it a few years back. The kids had so much fun (and they won) that every year since, they've been begging to do it again.

We made it on Friday and Saturday. I made up the dough, Brett took care of design and construction, and the kids provided the ideas and accessorized it. We all stayed up way too late working on it. The next morning some friends came over to help us work on the decoration part. They got as excited as the kids and helped make it look way better than I would have had energy for.

I'm not sure this will be and every year tradition, but it was really fun! We've made individual gram cracker houses before and the kids do enjoy it... but there is something special about making something big and wonderful TOGETHER. My friend made just the front of the house for her kids to decorate. I thought that was a fun idea. Maybe that'll be next year's project.

Christmas creations and craziness

We're busy making Christmas gifts around here. (No pictures to share 'cause it might be for you). I grew up making Christmas gifts and I still love it. I think it takes work to give a good gift and even more work to make a good one. (No Laughing from you Melanie). But I love giving a gift that is one of a kind and has a little bit of 'me' in it.

I am even more excited that my kids are getting into the spirit of homemade Christmas. They are working hard to make things for each other, their teachers, friends and grandparents. It's more work for me, but the memories we make while 'making' are so fun.

So merry Christmas to you all as you fill the next couple weeks with fun.

Lego love

My six-year-old recently discovered Lego's.  He received some for his birthday. He is in love! When I told him that my little brother had (has) a whole suit case full, his eyes got huge. All he could say was, "Wow!"

Jared, you are now incontestably his favorite uncle!

More to be grateful for

I knew that I had a lot to be thankful for... but on Thanksgiving Day I had even more gratitude in my heart than usual. While the ladies were preparing the traditional meal, the lads were out on the quads. They came back laughing and we asked them to take the littles out for a quick ride before lunch was ready. A few came back after a short while shouting, "Uncle Brett rolled the four-wheeler!"

My two littles that were on with their daddy were brought home in pain, but not too badly injured. After some ice packs and a little first aid for them, my thoughts quickly turned back to my honey who hadn't made his appearance yet. He came home a bit later with a smashed up quad and a limp arm. He looked like he was in shock. First aid for him took longer and was more painful. (Poor man). Happily they are all mending nicely (though Brett's injuries will take a bit).

For me, that day was spent, not only counting my blessings, but thanking the Lord for the lives of my husband and children. (None were wearing helmets. All could have easily been hurt very badly or worse). I know that angels were watching over my little family that day.

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and counted your many blessings!

Find my happy place

My sister is in a wonderful place. The weather is fantastic. The sun shines on beautiful beaches. There are palm trees. The ocean is warm and inviting. I am so happy for her.

I have her children for a little while. They are really great children. They are fun and well behaved. However, now that I have become the mother of seven (over night) I am gaining a whole new respect for you with large families!!!! (Ang and Shawna, you are AMAZING).

 I have never been SO tired! I have never had so much noise buzzing in my ears 12 hours a day! I have never appreciated the quiet of nap time more! And date night has never looked so good!

A little" down time"

Any one get a little crazy at times? Oh...Oh, Me, ME!!!
My Down time = chocolate, nap, crafting.. not combined and not in that order but you get the picture. I need  some!

Pull up a chair...

I have just taken a big step in my life... I just bought my first piece of furniture (from a real store). I have some great pieces of furniture in my house (but) they have all come from yard sales, scratch and dent or free. So this is BIG for me. It's a couch and love seat and they are supposed to get here in a week. "Squeal!"

 I have been so torn about this... I have kids. Quite a few. They are VERY... shall we say 'active.' I have been looking for the right couch for about a year. During this time I have been watching my little monsters darlings climb all over my old (free) couch. They have made forts out of the pillows and bounced on the seat (when they thought I wasn't looking). They have sat on the arms and laid on the back. My thoughts: Why get a new one when I still have littles... why not wait until they're... um, older??? But I have (Large and getting larger) holes in my couch. It is showing its age. (I'm not sure exactly what that is). Long story short... it TOTALLY time!

We've moved out all my living room furniture to shampoo the carpets. As we sat on the floor last night for family scriptures and prayers I glanced around the empty room and remembered how it looked when we first moved in. Empty. We didn't have more than a piano and a chair in the room for several months. I also remember being so grateful for that used couch. It was so nice to have something soft to sit on other than the carpet. We've been so blessed! And while I am SO excited to get my nice new couch, it was very evident last night, that it is just 'stuff.'

This was all very random. Conclusions:

1. I love my littles!
2. I love that the house and 'stuff' shows that we LIVE here.
3. I am grateful for the kindness and generosity of others as we started out.
4. I am grateful for any opportunity to 'pay it forward.'
5. I can't wait to have a pretty couch that I don't have to cover the holes with a blanket, coat or my hand. ha ha 
6. I hope you come visit so I can say "Pull up a chair." 

Christmas music

Do you think I'll run out of Christmas music if I start playing it now? I'll have to be sneaky because my honey says it should wait at least until after Thanksgiving. But really it is the BEST music out there and honestly, how can I cram it all into one month? I'm not trying to ignore or hurry through Thanksgiving... I'm just meshing the two and stretching out Christmas. After all... Christ is the thing we should be most thankful for!

Halloween... check!

We had such a fun Halloween!!!! I borrowed my sister's leathers and was a biker. The kids were welcome to pick anything they wanted out of the dress up boxes (so it was a low maintenance one this year). And Brett donned an afro to work. We spent the day together. I did a craft in one of the kid's classes, there was a school parade, some small town fun and then trick-or-treating for just a bit.

The kids had more fun handing out the goodies than getting them. (Does anyone else think that trick-or-treating is the weirdest tradition?! I have a few issues with it, but that's for another day). I threw together some fun lights and out door decor and we sat on the porch chatting as the kids swarmed by. But what I thought was great, was that my kids were in bed by 8:30 and then I had Halloween all put away by 10:00. (That's a first for me... it usually sits out for a couple weeks and then I only get to enjoy Thanksgiving decor for a minute). Brett was laughing at my feverish putting away and decorating... I told him I wanted to enjoy my Thanksgiving decor because as soon as he's finished desert on Thanksgiving, I'm pulling out the tree.

Keepin' my day job

I am a lousy tooth fairy! It's a miracle that my kids actually believe in her at all. I try, I really do, but my husband is usually the one to save the day. By the time I get the kids in bed, I'm usually too tired to remember that I'm supposed to look under their pillow once they fall asleep. If it weren't for Brett, we'd have a stock pile of little teeth laying around under a few pillows.

Yesterday my five-year-old lost his first tooth. SO EXCITING! He was thrilled with the prospect of placing it under his pillow and awaking to riches. When he walked into my room this morning he was close to tears. I was dumbfounded for a moment until Brett mouthed "the quarter." We'd forgotten AGAIN! So I hugged and soothed while the daddy remedied the situation. Small Fry and I decided it might be a good idea to check again because "sometimes when we wake up we don't see things clearly."

He was beyond delighted and immediately added it to his piggy bank, began counting and re-counting the contents. I am so glad I have another "job" because I would have been fired a long time ago if my chosen profession were "tooth fairy." 

On a side note, yes, you did read that correctly... the tooth fairy in this house only leaves a quarter. She hasn't participated in the whole inflation thing. The providers of the teeth seemed just fine with this shiny addition to their piles of pennies until they started comparing the generosity of other kid's tooth fairies. I can't believe that there are tooth fairies out there who give five bucks a tooth! Sheesh. I would have to get another day job!

Goofy not ghoulish

I have always enjoyed Halloween... And not because of the unbelievable amount of candy. Playing dress up was always a favorite game of mine. It still is. The kids and I have a great time with our boxes (and Boxes) of dress ups. Halloween is just about the only time we (me) can run around in a dress up in public.
I have talked to so many people who hate the devilish holiday. I agree with the whole "devilish" part... I really don't like the decor or costumes that are nasty,bloody, or demonic. But I get a kick out of the cute smiling jack o lanterns, the darling costumes, and another excuse to party!
Can't wait to see your costumes and have a fun and safe Halloween!

Botched "Mom Awards"

I've done it again! I've just lost another nomination for "worlds best mom." According to my two oldest, I have made today, "the worst day EVER!!!!"
It all started this morning around six, as I lovingly woke them in time to get some forgotten homework done. They were cheerful and grateful and got right to work. It was a half an hour later that things began to head south. That was when I informed them that I'd not be taking them to school if their room was not clean. They had about 45 minutes to do a 15 minute job, but somehow the time just flew by with little result.
Arg! I had to make the really hard decision... do I say, "Oh never mind, you can finish it after school." Or do I stick to my guns and make them late? Being a mom is not for sissies, that's for sure! So what would you do???? I made them late. This is the first time my girls have ever been late to school and they were mortified! Both burst into tears when they realized I was serious. When the work was done, they were 30 minutes late. One girl declared she hated school and just wanted to stay home today. (She was actually dragged screaming to the car... I know, I'm awesome). The other had decided to stop crying and hurry things along.
I walked them into the office. The secretary had to suppress a smile when I told her that it was their first time being late and they didn't know what to do. She tried to make them smile by joking that it was a big deal... they didn't see the humor. They both asked me to walk them to class and I thought there was going to be two little melt downs right there in the hall when I kissed them, wished them a good day and told them no. I had put on a good "stern mom face" for all of this, but inside my heart was weeping as I watched my terrified little girls try to march bravely down the empty halls toward their separate classes. I wished I could be there to stand by them as they had to knock on their doors and walk into confront 25 staring, curious faces of their peers. I wished I could comfort them, I knew the heat would rush to their faces as they explained why they were late. I knew that they would hurry to their seats and sit as low as possible in their desks.
But I also knew that it was a lesson they had to learn and one that only I could teach them. And I hope when they come home this afternoon perhaps it will have not be the ABSOLUTE worst day ever.

Great lengths for garnishes?

I really admire people who can make food taste good AND look pretty. So far, it seems like I can do either one OR the other... not both. I think its amazing that people spend hours making food look so attractive. At my house it gets gobbled up so fast, I don't think my family even notices what they put in their mouths sometimes.

Last night I made sugar cookies that looked like candy corn. (The kind with tri-colored dough) It took quite a while and they looked really cute! The kids LOVED that they looked just like the candy. (I made them especially for Ben. The candy corn is processed with peanuts and he's been such a good sport as the other kids have been eating it in front of him). So I spent a good couple hours making these cookies. It was fun and for a purpose, but I don't think I'll ever do it again. Too much time for something that just gets gobbled! And besides I think sugar cookies are gross.

Interesting Exercise

I have been so busy balancing life and priorities. Unfortunately for any of you who actually want to read something new here on a regular basis, my blog ranks about the same as scrap-booking, day spa's and pedicures. And for any of you who really know me... those are all things I mean to do but never get around to it. Hmmm... So I guess the blog does rank a little higher.

I have been trying so hard to get back into my regular (good) habits and back into my skinny (or really
ANY) jeans after having baby. Exercising has been high on the list... Until Monday, things were looking up. I  had run my girls to school and was pushing my smalls home and running behind the stroller when something went "ouch"!

A week and a doctor visit later I am wearing a walking boot and was sighing about not getting to exercise. That was until I marched up and down the stairs a few times to put things away and do laundry. This boot weighs a ton and I think these will not be a wasted two weeks if I am still panting at the top of the stairs six zillion times a day.

"Babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow..."

I am already having to pack away the tiny baby things... "sob, sob,sniff, sniff!" Isn't it crazy that when they come home for the first time, everything so big for them and you think they will never grow into them... and then, "poof!" In a blink of an eye they are too big for every thing. Today I am finally packing away the tiny baby basket that my wee ones sleep in when I bring them home. Quin has been in the crib for a month and I am JUST putting it away! Maybe I was just trying to hold on to the infant stage a little longer by just looking at it. My husband thinks I'm a little crazy about thinks like this, but I feel like crying as I am wrapping it up for storage.

In a pickle

I've started cleaning with vinegar a little more often. Things that didn't shine are now sparkly. So once my house is clean, how do I get it to smell clean? Madi said it doesn't smell clean, it smells pickled. Ha!

Back to school we go... bleh!

I have such mixed feelings about back to school. On the one hand, I get excited by a new box of crayons, sharpened pencils and bright, new tennis shoes. I have fun helping my kids find a new out fit or getting them dolled up to meet their teachers. And heaven knows I am LOVING sneaking in a nap with my littles when all the bigs are at school.

On the other hand, I really miss my bigs! And they just keep getting bigger. I worry and pray all day for them to be safe and protected from the evil in the world. (I sigh for those days when they were all little and I was their whole world. I could protect them from bad things and was apart of every exciting moment of their lives). I get emotional when I think that I have given my babies into the hands and guidance of others for so many hours of the day.

Its only the second day of school and I am totally ready to have them back! Summer was too short!

The "responsible" one

There is a "no fun" part about being the mom... it is having to be the one to say, "Ok, let do the chores." And you have to be excited about it so the small fry will want to do it too. Who wants to do chores?! I'd rather play today too.

There is an awesome part about being the mom... it is that I AM THE BOSS and I don't have to clean the house if I don't want to! The dirty dishes, unfolded clothes and toy littered bedrooms will all be there later. See ya, we're going to play!

The Big Bad... Www.. what?

Today I made a hand puppet with a glove and some felt. I drew three little pigs, a wolf, and a house on felt, cut them out and glued them on a little glove. Then I handed it to my three-year-old and started prompting him to tell me the story.

"Once upon a time there were three little...."

"Pigs!"

"And they went out in the world to build homes for themselves. Then along came the Big... bad..."

No reply

"The Big Bad..." At this point I wiggled his finger with the character I was meaning. "The big Bad...."

"KANGAROO!"

Apparently, my artistry leaves something to be desired or I really need to review some of the children's tales with my little guy.

Have you seen these pacifiers?

These pacifiers are a little freaky, but so funny! I want the clear one with the mustache!

Bubbles

I have been laughing at this all week and just had to share it:

One of my little boys was in the tub... the other little boy came in to join him. The older one in the tub said to the younger, "Don't poop in the bath tub!"
To which the younger one replied happily, "Oh, I won't. But I will toot. It will make more bubbles!"

Brutally honest

Have you ever noticed that we usually show our best side to people? That's obvious... I know. But what we don't think about is that because people only see that "good side" of us, they often think that's all there is to our lives. There are a few blogs I follow where the women seem perfect, there project immaculate, and their children angelic. But what I love about these women is that every now and then they take a picture of their homes in less that perfect order, they post a picture of their children still in their p.j.s in the afternoon, snap a shot of themselves with hair disheveled and no makeup... all that normal stuff that happens here all the time. It gives me hope.

So here is a brutally honest post from our neck of the woods: This summer was going to be nothing but fun with my kids. That was my plan... chores in the morning, fun all day, happy family. Easy enough. NOPE. It is five o'clock and they are still trying, or I am trying (and crying) to get their chores done. Things have been less that peaceful today and I am just ready to fly the coup as soon as the daddy turns the door nob. 

I want my children to grow up to be amazing, hard working, righteous men and women. I guess I am feeling the sand and grit, the exhaustion and weariness that the great sculptors must have felt as they chiseled master pieces of marble from rough blocks of rock. The end result will be well worth the immense effort... I know that. But just as those master sculptors of old must have, I am ending a day with tired muscles and sore heart and I am trying to picture what my little masterpieces will be.

Vacation's over blues

We've just come back from a fabulous vacation (pictures to come)... and I think my kids have forgotten how to do EVERYTHING! One week away from the norm and they don't know how to make their bed in less that an hour. ARG!  Just before we left I felt like we'd found a great "summer chore and helper chart thingy." (Thank Ang by the way). And it was working really well. Now that we are back, AAaaaahhhhh! It's already 11:00 and they are still up there with the "don't leave your room until its clean" ultimatum. Maybe I should just get a good book and let it take all day.

Curly Girlies

The girls wanted to have curly hair for church and since we didn't have early meetings, I figured, "Why not?" I have so much fun playing 'hair do' with them. I guess it was worth losing a little curl with each baby if I they ended up with some of it.

Schools (almost) out for the summer!

I am so excited to claim my children back from the public school system! I think that I am more excited for school to get out than they are. I have been counting down the days and getting simply giddy planning all the fun things we're going to do together. Last summer we made a "bucket list" of all the fun things we wanted to do. We did almost everything on the list and I can't wait to do it again.

Hope you all are having happy summer thoughts!

Swim suit season

Was there ever a phrase more dreaded by women everywhere? "Swim suit season"... it sounds like a cruel tongue  twister. It's this time of year that ladies the world over are assessing their figures with dismay. When ever I walk by the newly displayed summer section in stores I can't help eyeing those tiny little suits and wonder if any real human being (not surgically engineered) can fit in one of those.

This "S.S.S." holds an even better challenge for me this time... I've just had baby number five. (Things are looking a little more like "S.O.S." around here). Each of my other children have been born in the dead of winter when everyone is bundled up in lots of layers and we all look like we have marshmallowy figures. I'm not sure that a swim suit is as forgiving as that closet full of sweaters or a nice bulky coat. Sigh!

Oh well. I LOVE the pool and our whole family LOVES to swim... so sweaters or swim suit (and swearing...oops. No swearing)... I'll be going for the sun and the fun. I hope you all have pleasant thoughts when it comes to S.S.S. and as little distress as possible. (A happy thought is all those "modest swim suit" lines that have come out! Hooray for cute and stylish AND modest!)

Saturday fun

We love Saturdays! There is always family fun to be had during the weekend. Unfortunately, this ended up being part of the skating fun the kids decided to have. Ben got a nice goose egg when he took a spill on his skates. Where's Grandpa and his mean butterfly bandage skills when you need him?

I'm back!

The first month after baby is always crazy and I knew that I wouldn't be posting for a while... that's why I quickly posted baby pictures while the adrenaline from having a baby was still in my system. We are all doing amazingly well and adjusting to having five kiddos. 

Quinton is the BEST BABY EVER!!! He is so good. That pretty much sums it up. He's just plain darling and GOOD! I am late everywhere, as I have forgotten to add 'getting baby ready' into the mix. With soccer times three, choir and swim team for our kids, things are busy! As soon as I get a few more minutes to myself (ba ha ha) I'll post pictures. 

Tootles til then!

Having too much fun to blog!

Oh boy! This is too much fun!

All I want to do is sit and look at this little guy.

I think he's done posing for pictures.

Quinton Michael Bingham

We had a surprise visitor arrive yesterday! Quinton Michael Bingham was not due on the scene for another two weeks, but we are so glad he decided to drop in early. He was born around noon and was 7lbs, 5oz and 21 inches long.

It was a really long night at the hospital but I was still smiling through most of the contractions. (Most nurses don't really believe I'm in labor because this is what I look like for most of the time). What can I say... I'm excited to meet my baby! I know this is a totally goofy picture, but it makes me laugh.

Brett was so tired! I loved that he had the scruffy look going on. It really added to the 'exhausted new dad look.'

We are so excited to have this new little angel in our home!

The kids had a party in my hospital room. Cartoons on the TV, snacks from the nurses, a new baby to hold, and medical gloves blown up to make balloons... what more do you need for a party?

Dressing my littlest man to head home.

He's got dimples just like all my other kiddos.

He's a super sweet baby and is getting lots of loving!

Who loves the dentist?

I made an appointment for my three-year-old to see our "big kid" dentist instead of a pediatric dentist... hoping he would be OK. This was his first visit for himself, although he'd been to watch bigger siblings. (We really try to get our kids prepared for what they'll see at the dentist... the "magic chair" that takes you for rides, the "silly straw" that sucks your cheeks, and the "tickly tooth brush." That kind of stuff). Even still I was praying that my little guy would hold still and have a good experience. OH. MY. WORD.

My son did better than most adults! He was so ready and cheerful to follow any and all directions given by the dental hygienist. He didn't even gag on the x-ray stuff and held perfectly still. She was so amazed at how well he did. Check out how happy he is to be there! He's just chillin' and loving the sun glasses they let him wear.


He had a good chat with the dentist, asked what everything was for and just had a jolly old time flirting with the hygienist. (Because he was three, they had scheduled more time for his cleaning. He was done so quickly that while waiting for the dentist, she held him on her lap and let him play on the computer, play with toys and squirt water at the dentist). That kid had a good time!

Oh what do you do in the Spring time when snow is coming down?

It's officially Spring and we are watching huge, wet snow flakes drift down. So what do you do in the Spring time when snow is falling down? Well, I'm sewing a baby sling and a nursing cover and staying comfy and warm inside.

Have a happy Monday!

"Fly upon the wings of anticipation... and then thud."

(If you know where that quote came from we are totally kindred spirits. hee hee). I bought some boots for my girlies on-line last week. It was really fun for the three of us to shop together and they loved picking out just what they wanted. (Hooray for clearance). Ever since I hit the final click on the mouse, they have been anxiously waiting for their order to arrive. As in, asking every day and every evening if "this was the day."

I tracked the boots and told the girls they would (probably) arrive today. Waiting for any sign of the the mail man was torture for them. We were playing outside when the shining white and blue striped chariot of promised packages rolled around the corner. I felt like busting into a verse of "Oh the Wells Fargo Wagon is a-Comin' Down." My seven-year-old followed every movement of that mailman with her eyes. I'm not sure her feet were touching the ground. My crowd began to gravitate toward the neighborhood mail box and the little white truck. The mailman finished his work and waved at the little crew as he accelerated PAST my house. "Oh the horror!" I felt so bad for them, but the look on Brooke's face was so dramatically tragic that I busted up laughing. I'm not sure they will ever forgive that mailman... at least until tomorrow when he comes bearing gifts.

On the (potty training) Trail Again

I thought I was done. I thought I was ready for only newborn diapers and that was it. Sigh. Not so. My three-year-old keeps going back and forth on his commitment to underwear and it is killing me... well, at least making me say "ARG" over and over.

Yesterday, right at bed time as we were putting on pjs, brushing teeth and having him use the potty he announce that he was done with diapers. Had it not been bed time I would have done an Irish jig, but as it was, I simply said OK and hoped for dry sheets in the morning. (I ended up getting up every three hours to take him potty and didn't have to wash sheets). But lets get to the real story here.

In the morning I kept reminding him of his current wardrobe change and asking if he needed to use the facilities. He assured me that he remembered that he was indeed wearing underwear and he didn't need to "go." So I kept cleaning. In a few more minutes he asked, "Mom, are you still cleaning?" and I said I was. He continued, "Good. You go clean my room and the girls room and the upstairs too OK?" Which in his language meant, "Don't come down here Mom." Hmmmm... I'll just leave the rest to your imagination. I was really hoping to have him DONE by the time the baby came. I am rapidly running out of time!

Just a Little Vacation

We had a chance to take a little family vacation... nothing fancy but oh so fun! (Pictures are a little out of order). We took the kids out of school Friday and headed to Utah. Our list of things to do: Hogle Zoo, Hotel swimming, do nothing but hang out as a family. Most of our family trips are hurried and really not a lot of together time fun. This one was perfect!
Connor taking a Sunday nap with cousin Brad.

No visit to the Conovers is complete without a little war fare

Spa day with cousins... I loved judging the foot rubbing contest!

Crashed out on the HUGE hotel bed...

Swimming and more swimming was on the list.

All my kids are little fish!

Our brother's fam came to swim with us at the hotel. SO FUN! Thanks guys.

Connor, all suited up and ready for action

TV and popcorn and staying up late at the hotel was also part of the fun.


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Connor was more than satisfied with his accommodations.

The mullet is back! At least at the zoo.

We stayed at the giraffe house for about a half hour. We were there at feeding time. It was stinky but fun.

Connor loved the porcupine's hair do. He tried to show it his similarly spiked up hair do.

In anticipation of our zoo trip, i took the kids to the library to check out books on an animal for them to report on. They all got excited, but Madi went all out. She pulled out her written report as soon as she spotted her animal. I was so proud of her!



Ben and this monkey had the same hair do!

International Day Again

Once again it is International Day at the kid's school. (At least I hope I wrote it on the calendar correctly... that could be interesting). The kids are invited to dress up, learn words, bring things to show from different countries. Madi really gets into things like this.

Last year Brooke was the only child in her GRADE to dress up. I thought she was really brave. This year it took a little convincing. Daddy helped her with some Japanese phrases and gave her a little whistle from Japan. With that to back her up and a few words of bravery from daddy, she was ready to go to school in costume.

I thought they both looked so cute! Madi called Uncle Mike to ask about some Dutch words she could share. She took all the cute little Dutch things that Mike brought back for me when I was her age. (A dolly, clompen, and coins). Thanks Mike!!!

Clean Up!

Connor just dumped out the pencil sharpener and I used the vacuum hose to clean him up. Connor was giggling and it must have looked like fun because Ben volunteered to do the floor while I changed Connor. (Sweet!) Now my boys are playing with the vacuum. Hey, things can only get cleaner. I hope they get that area next to the fridge while they are at it.

Photographer wanabe

I love good photography and wish I was better at it. This morning the sun was streaming in my kitchen window sparkling through the glass of a canned jar of pears. The light made the the fruit inside almost a translucent glowing gold. It was just one of those really neat shots and I told my photographer husband that I wish I knew how to capture the bottle and the light while blurring the unnecessary background. He glanced back into the room and laughed, "So that no one will see all the dirty dishes?" Arg!

Thoughts about pregnancy

I realized that I don't have any pictures of me being pregnant (unless by accident) except for my very first pregnancy. So my five-year-old took this one for me. I think he did a pretty good job.


I am feeling HUGE right now and missing reaching my toes easily. I am getting excited about meeting my new little one. (I was so giddy the other day that I bought a package of new born diaper just to hold them).

Some things that make me happy:

Really stretchy tank tops that help cover everything.
Lusciously comfy yoga pants. (I may go back and buy three more pair).
Slip on shoes!!!
Big kiddos who help pick up the house.
Two wonderful daughters who give me foot and back rubs!!!!
One fantastic husband who makes dinner when I'm too tired.

We've been busy

Just horsing around... the kids were being horses for the "king."

Spa day... the make up got a little crazy!

That looks nice.

I threw a baby shower for a friend.