the fantastic five

joy in the Season...

2010-12-07T08:59:00.002-05:00

I have to admit, the holidays are not always the most wonderful time of year for me. This year I am choosing joy, choosing to let the stress of finances and busy schedules steal the excitement and love of this season.

Sunday was so anticipated by our kids, putting up the tree is always fun (for them). We carefully scheduled this time, as our week was quite busy. Church on Saturday night is so nice, freeing Sunday for us. There were only a few tense and irritated words exchanges while straightening the branches and finding the right plugs for the lights. After the tree was up, the decorating was done quickly and enthusiastically by five pajama-clad kids.

And joy and a lot of laughter from a silly tradition, of each child putting the star on the tree...on daddy's shoulders.
this on makes me laugh because D's face was repeatedly shoved into the branches!

a little easier with the 40 lb and under set...

a 5'2" boy on daddy's shoulders...

not sure if his back has recovered from this yet...such a look of fierce determination!

a little bundle of joy, making a nest in the tree just like when she was a kitten.

the joy of everyone home together for a whole day...

joy...a few more

2010-12-03T13:59:00.004-05:00

my wonderful husband and father of our fantastic five...he loves our kids intentionally, cares about them as individuals, is deeply interested in their lives. He plays and has so much fun with them! Watching him enjoy them brings me joy, and reminds me to have fun and play. (ps, Gabe's muscles are ripped in this pic...haha!)

I liked his no shave look he had for a while this summer. shhh...I have a crush on my hubby!

These moments with my two little boys home each morning bring me joy. Eating lunch together and talking about little boys things. Just look at those sweet hands.

This music has brought me so much joy. There were a few years that were quiet around here, but now the music brings so much peace to my heart and home. Listening to my children learn the lyrics and sing along is something that is beyond joy.

on finding joy...

2010-12-01T13:17:00.007-05:00

I'm going to try something new-ish, and use the month of December to list 100 things that bring me joy. One of my favorite bloggers has started this, and it spoke to me enough to dust off my neglected blog and join in.
I do struggle finding joy every day, tending to be the half-empty girl. Over the past year, I have really felt God whispering to me to simplify, let things go, and to recognize the many things that He has given me. I am going to continue to seek Him, delight myself in Him, and find joy.

Psalm 5:11 "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you."

So for my first five things that bring me joy:
Sydnee, first born

What an absolute joy to see this beautiful girl on fire for God, working hard at school, doing her best to help at home and to get along with her siblings. She brings joy and love into this home.

Benjamin, first son

Funny, quiet, smart, handsome, atheletic. My heart skips a beat when he steps out of his pre-adolescent awkwardness to hug his mama and tell me he loves me.

Madyson, pickle in the middle

My heart, my sweet girl. Her shyness reminds me so much of myself. She is a listener, picks up on anything that is needed and jumps to help. Smart, funny, loving, helpful...her laugh is pure joy!

Luke, second son

His smile lights up any room, his laugh is contagious. Learning to read and write, being a leader at school. Full of energy and (sometimes) mischief. Still hugs and kisses me when nobody is looking.

Gabriel, the youngest

Happy, strong, growing up so fast! Loves his big brothers and sisters, loves wrestling his daddy, loves to help his mama.

what we've been up to...

2010-02-04T09:29:00.008-05:00

I just unloaded my camera's memory card onto the computer and thought I'd share a few...a photo essay of the past month here!

Playing:
playdoh

dressup

drawing

more dressing up

reading

fun dollar store finds

baseball in the house
(check out that form!)

Events:
losing her tooth

soccer games

one child dates

Hanging out together:
finding old friends in the garage (notice how happy Gabe is to share with Luke)

high school girls

watching tv and cuddling

Food:
guacamole for mommy

Syd's cupcake creations...frosting them on the bottom

daddy sharing his beef jerky with his new best friend

All in all, we're having a lovely winter, hibernating indoors and enjoying some lazy days. Mostly we stay in our jammies, or shower and put clean ones on, as you can see with Gabe's photos here. Comfort food, movies, snuggling, jammies...what could be better?

14 years

2010-01-20T13:38:00.002-05:00

14 years married to my best friend, how blessed am I?

5 beautiful children and a lifetime of memories already...looking forward to the rest of our lives together!

a little boy date

2010-01-18T09:56:00.003-05:00

I had a lovely little date with my two little boys on Friday morning. We shopped for groceries, stopped by the $1 spot at Target for a few goodies, and had pasta for lunch. And warm flatbread. Luke ate his without butter, because he liked how it tasted without the butter.

Gabe liked it with butter. They shared mushroom stroganoff, with tons of parmesan cheese on top. Gabe ate his entire bowl!

I had pad thai, because that's the only thing I order when we go there. Why didn't I know about this delicious food until 2 years ago, I ask you? In my opinion it is a perfect blend of flavors and textures. Sweet, spicy, crunchy, tart...

As good as our food was, though, the company was the best part!

i heart faces

2010-01-12T13:15:00.007-05:00

I just found this website and am hooked! I have a goal this year of learning more about photography and using my new camera as much as possible. i heart faces has a weekly challenge, and this week is for your "Best Face Photo", the photo having been taken between December and now. So let me jump right in with both feet!
On New Year's Eve I took the three littles to visit Grandma-at-the-farm. We brought along some magic sponge capsules, you know the ones you put in warm water and they eventually hatch into fun sponge shapes? My sweet Grandma had as much fun as my kiddos did! She is such an inspiration to me. Her face is the most beautiful face, years of joy, laughter and love, wisdom from living a full life.
Here she is watching the bowl with the littles...

Oh my Darling...

2010-01-07T10:28:00.002-05:00

The following is an email I received this morning from David, addressed to Luke:

Hi Luke,

Guess what? I love you! Guess what a student just told me? A student just told me I have a Clementine sticker on the back of my shirt.

You are a goofy goober!!!!!!!!

Love Daddy

Our sweet Luke LOVES to play jokes on his family, his sense of humor and laugh are contagious! I find those stickers on David almost daily, I guess I missed one!

Jesus invade

2009-07-08T12:27:00.004-04:00

We've been walking through some tough times as a family in the past few months. I just came across a song that spoke directly to my heart, and put to words my prayers over the past months.

Invade
by Watermark

Come, come in
Invade all You see of us
Any man, who'd walk Your road is welcomed here
And You're the only one

Chorus:
Jesus, come and walk the halls of this house
Tread this place and turn it inside out
With Your mercy...
Jesus, teach us the prayers that open these doors
Until Your light floods in and illuminates these floors
And let Your truth be on our steps and in these rooms
Jesus invade...

Reach, reach in
With the hand that heals all our suffering
Conquer all that is not of You
Bring Your spirit through
As we fill these walls with Your praise

Chorus

Bridge:
I call for angels
I call for mercy
I call for freedom
In the name of Jesus
In the name of Jesus

thursday thirteen

2009-03-12T13:29:00.004-04:00

thirteen random thoughts/things i love:

1. taco salad. it could possibly be the perfect lunch. i always say, the best part of taco night is lunch the next day!

2. my three boys: ben, luke, gabe. possibly the most wonderful little boys in the world!

3. my two girls: madyson and sydnee. beautiful, delightful, warm, wonderful.

4. my hubby: hardworking, happy, kind and gentle, wonderful father, best friend.

5. trail mix. (how's that for random?) could possibly be the perfect snack! especially the bag i picked up at sam's club the other day. perfectly salty, crunchy, chewy, chocolatey...need i go on? (see pic above)

6. facebook. serious addiction. serious fun finding old friends online!

7. spring, please oh please come soon!

8. vacation...i spent way too much time online this morning looking for a rental in michigan for this summer. with no luck, yet.

9. a new baby nephew i get to meet on sunday! can't wait...

10. reading. i need a book to read. any suggestions? leave me a comment, please!

11. david is graduating in just over a month. there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

12. hot coffee that i had this morning. the whole cup while it was still hot. amazing.

13. tomorrow is friday! yay!

Mystery Reader

2009-03-11T14:31:00.004-04:00

March is reading month, and at Maddy's school they have a "Mystery Reader" come in each day to read a book to the class. Grampy came last year to read, and I signed him up to come again this year. Today was the day and the look on Maddy's face when he walked in was so sweet! I actually shed a tear and missed the moment with my camera, but was able to snap some other cute shots...

Have you read the book "Skippyjon Jones"? It is adorable, and really funny! My dad read it to my kids a week or two ago on one of our evenings together and they all LOVED it. He read it to the first graders this morning and they enjoyed it just as much.
Thanks Grampy!

chocolate sauce...so good!

2009-03-10T16:36:00.002-04:00

1 c. butter
3 c. sugar
1/3 c. cocoa powder (i used special dark powder)
1 12oz. can EVAPORATED milk
dash salt
1 tsp. vanilla

mix together all but the vanilla in a large saucepan. bring to boil over medium heat and boil for 7 minutes, whisking constantly. remove from heat and add vanilla. blend in a blender or with handheld blender if needed (i didn't need to)

good luck keeping your spoon (and fingers!) out of this yummy sauce! makes a very large amount...but is SO.DARN.GOOD.

wordless wednesday: indoor waterpark weekend

2009-03-04T11:14:00.002-05:00

Valentine rewind...

2009-02-20T21:54:00.005-05:00

Whew...what a busy week! I thought I'd share a few picts from Valentine's Day and maybe this weekend I can get back up to speed with my blogging. I had good intentions for February, really.

Here is Maddy at her school party, looking all Valentiney and all...

Here's Mads loving on her little brother.

Ben, checking out his goods from his party. (He has a bit of a red pop mustache...so cute)

The cups I decorated for my 5 little valentines:

David's valentine: me! (and the shirt)

Wordless Wednesday: Extreme Makeover 4 year old self-haircut edition

2009-02-18T15:11:00.002-05:00

(I guess that wasn't really "wordless" was it?)

Quotes of the day...

2009-02-16T20:13:00.002-05:00

Luke: Daddy, if you want to get rid of your sickness, all you need to do is lay in front of the t.v. and drink sprite.

Ben: Dad, isn't that what you do every day?

While David was snuggling Maddy before bed tonight:

Maddy: Daddy, if I could give you a Valentine heart candy, it would say "My man rocks!", or it would say "mom-slash-dad rules!"

10 and 11 : these days are flying by!

2009-02-11T23:22:00.003-05:00

I can't believe tomorrow is Thursday. Tuesday and today went so fast, I feel I have hardly had time to think. I guess this is a good thing, it means February will soon be behind us! Tuesday was a gorgeous day, 60 degrees, like a spring preview. A little reminder of the warmth of spring and what we have to look forward to. The yard is a mucky mess, so I took the littles out to play, instructing them to stay out of the grass and mud. They were so good, and had so much fun playing and soaking up the sun and fresh air. Gabe was especially cute. He "mowed" the sidewalk with his toy lawn mower for at least 20 minutes. Another 20 was spent going down his little slide over and over. Maddy and Luke played on their scooters and with chalk. Ben played basketball with his neighbor friend and I tried to take in all the fresh smells, bird songs and sunshine that I could! Oh Spring, please come soon!

8 and 9: a new floor for...

2009-02-09T08:11:00.003-05:00

a really fun game of Ring Around the Rosies.

7: glorious fresh air

2009-02-07T16:52:00.003-05:00

fresh air that is somewhat warm!!

Look mom, we're outside!

the girl and her dog (yes, she's in her pj's)

Luke dusted off his bike (oops, we forgot his helmet)

Mud. Yuck.

6: five on friday

2009-02-06T10:00:00.003-05:00

Five things on my 'to-do' list:

5. vacuum the house (halfway done already...yay me!)

4. figure out a place for these cute lamps I got on sale at Target:

3. mountains of laundry, *sigh*, when will it end?

2. play with my little boys, of course.

1. enjoy the sunshine streaming through the windows, oh please come soon spring!

Happy Weekend!

5: this is Luke, he is funny...

2009-02-05T13:07:00.004-05:00

...and I literally got up and wrote this conversation down last night, just so I wouldn't forget it. The funniest thing about Luke, in my opinion, is that sometimes he doesn't mean to be funny. Like this, that happened in those magical, snuggly moments at bedtime last night...

L: Mom, one time Daddy sat on my face in my bed.

me: he did?

L: yes.

me: did it hurt?

L: kinda, and it was dark too.

me: (cracking up with laughter)

**just to elaborate on why Daddy would so such a thing, Luke loves to hide under the covers so we "find" him when we come to kiss him goodnight. Daddy must have misinterpreted which end was up, if you know what I mean!**

4: Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-04T17:21:00.002-05:00

3: relax

2009-02-03T12:37:00.004-05:00

How did I get so lucky today? My dear hubby got me a gift certificate for a housecleaning service to come, so I am taking some time to put my feet up, with Luke's, and relax.

2: cat naps

2009-02-02T22:13:00.002-05:00

There's nothing better than a good nap and a good snuggle.

Day one, on day two...

2009-02-02T09:51:00.003-05:00

February 1st just happened to be my baby's 18 month birthday! How can it be that he's already a year and a half old? It's just not fair how fast time goes by. This little guy keeps us hopping, laughing, and snuggling. He is so much fun, such a little love. My favorite thing Gabe does right now? The new words he is learning. "Brush" and "Guys" are my favorites, though brush is pronounced without the "R" and guys sounds much like "dies".

brain freeze...

2009-02-02T09:44:00.002-05:00

I'm back to blogging after a month off. Not that I meant to take such a long break, but every time I thought to update here I would get distracted, or simply not know what to talk about! Thus my title, brain freeze. That's how winter is now, sapping my energy and leaving me craving spring and sunshine and warm breezes. So, how about a project? How about a picture of each day this month? The mundane, the fun and exciting, the cuddly and warm, cold and snowy moments in February? OK. Let's go. And if you have your own blog, why don't you join me?

Reflecting...

2008-12-31T22:49:00.004-05:00

Tonight we are watching the clock tick away until 12. I am here listening to the sounds of America's Funniest Home Videos on TV in the other room and David and the two "Bigs" laughing and watching. I was lucky enough to be with the 3 littles as each one drifted off to sleep tonight. Their last waking moments in 2008. Ahhh...sweetness. As I listened to their soft breathing, I was thinking through the many memories of 2008, it seems it just raced by, though I know we have lived a lot of life this past year!

Birthdays, braces, soccer games, softball games, vacations, college classes, new kittens, preschool, middle school, failures, successes...yes, it was a big year. I looked back at my post from this time last year and felt good about the goals I set for myself. Mostly I can say that I worked hard at the things I wanted to improve on. Maybe the thing that I would consider the biggest success is that I have learned to really focus on the things that are important. Period. Sure, I still struggle at times, but I am glad that I am still learning and growing. My fantastic five children keep me on my toes. They challenge me and stretch me, they make me laugh and cry, they make me a better person, they make me so proud to be their mom. None of them listen when I tell them to quit growing up (*smile*), but I forgive them for that and still love every minute. Savor every minute.

I wish for each of you who read this a wonderful and peaceful 2009. May God bless you and keep you in this new year.

wanted: impossibly cute little boy

2008-12-22T18:34:00.004-05:00

likes: whoopie cushions, smarties and fruit snacks, balls, his mama, ice cream, cookies with sprinkles (actually *anything* with sprinkles)...oh yeah, he does like healthy things too

dislikes: sleeping in his own crib, diaper changes, being told "no", breakfast

wanted for: his adorable laugh, sweet and slimy kisses, dancing to "Who let the dogs out", and making life SO delicious!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-17T21:18:00.002-05:00

quotable moments from a Monday...

2008-12-01T20:40:00.003-05:00

the daddy: "Mads, do you still want to be a veterinarian when you grow up?"

the 6 year old (in all seriousness): "No, I don't want to work when I grow up."

the mommy and daddy: "What?"

the 6 year old (again, in all seriousness): "I want to be a loafer."

After putting Gabe to sleep, I was carrying him upstairs to bed. Already I could hear Ben and Luke's voices in the middle of a quiet conversation. So I stopped at the doorway and listened for a while, and this is what I hear:

B: What is your favorite gumball?

L: Blue, dark blue

B: Oh yeah, that's mine too.

B: Ok, what is your favorite time? Like bedtime, lunch time, breakfast time, day time?

L: What about school time?

B: Yeah, that too.

L: School time is my favorite time.

B: Oh. Cool.

So I walk in the room and lay G in the crib. I look over to Luke's bottom bunk and there they both are, laying side by side, like best friends. Ben tells me that Luke asked him to snuggle him, so of course, how could he say no to that?

It's definitely moments like these that do my heart good after a long day. I love those kids.

Thirteen on Thursday

2008-11-20T08:22:00.002-05:00

Thirteen random things I am thinking about this morning...

1. Groceries--I've put off going to the store long enough. It has to be done today.

2. Oatmeal--the little boys and I ate it for breakfast. Weird how seeing them eat oatmeal makes me feel like such a good mom.

3. My new camera--oh how I wish I had more time to play with it!

4. Basketball--Maddy has her after school basketball clinic today. She wasn't liking it on Tuesday, and I am praying she has fun today.

5. Laundry--always laundry.

6. Dinner--we've had two nights in a row eating out. Red Robin with my In-Laws on Tuesday and pizza last night.

7. Penelope--our new kitten is so stinking cute. Pictures will definitely be coming here soon.

8. Thanksgiving--one week from today!

9. Christmas--I am getting really excited. This weekend I am going to get each child their own 2 foot tree for their room as a nightlight. They are pumped!

10. Trees--between a new kitten and a 15 month old I think our tree may take quite a beating this year.

11. Coffee--hazelnut coffee with Italian sweet cream creamer. YUM.

12. Socks--my feet are cold.

13. Family photos--I need to schedule an appointment TODAY.

Hope you have a great Thursday!

change in plans

2008-11-11T09:54:00.003-05:00

Sometimes the best laid plans don't work out the way I would hope. Tuesday mornings are supposed to be my Bible Study mornings. At the start of the school year I started going to a group on Tuesdays and I was so looking forward to it. After going twice, I started missing. Literally every Tuesday I have had a sick child from mid September until now. Yesterday Gabe had three vaccinations at his well child check up resulting in a high fever from the time he went to bed last night until this morning when it finally broke. Another Tuesday at home. It really is ok, actually it's teaching me to be {more} flexible. I think I roll with the punches of life pretty well, but when it comes to my daily responsibilities I am not so flexible. (warning: confession) I am definitely not an organized person (that wasn't the confession, that's a fact). I do tend to base my personal satisfaction on what I can accomplish in a day. That isn't a good way to be when you have 5 children, I am learning. Many evenings you will find me frustrated with the way the house looks, counting the things I *didn't* get to during the day. I hold myself to some pretty ridiculous standards. God is working on my heart in this area, though I do have a long way to go.
This morning put all of this into focus for me. I was up for the better part of the night with a sleepy, feverish baby boy. At 7 David woke me up, so I could get the kids going for school. Everyone was moving a bit slower than usual, resulting in 2 of the 3 missing the bus. Aargh! I *so* did not want to bundle the little boys into the cold car this morning. Gabe was still so cranky and Luke had just rolled out of bed. I fought my disappointment (perhaps not all that well) and got them to school about 5 minutes late. Get home, fussy baby on my hip, can't make coffee, hungry 4 year old...we had breakfast, and then instead of doing the things around the house that needed done, this is what we did:

Luke's aim was a bit off, he hit the camera!

I did end up getting my coffee this morning, and I think it tasted better after a good game of bowling in our pj's!

Wordless Wednesday: toothless edition

2008-11-05T09:26:00.001-05:00

Tuesday

2008-11-04T08:14:00.002-05:00

I woke up at 6 am. It was actually kind of nice! I feel energized (could that be the mocha coffee that I am drinking because I was out of decaf?) and ready for the day. On the agenda:

* VOTE. I think this may be the most excited I've been about voting in a long time. This is the fourth time I have been priviledged to vote for our president, and I feel one of the most important times. Even my school aged children are excited about it! Luke told me this morning that he thinks we should vote for Spiderman. Not a bad idea, Luke!

*Groceries. Yes people, we're scraping the bottom of the barrel.

*Outback Steakhouse for dinner. YUM. Thanks to my sweet in-laws we will be having a belated birthday dinner tonight. Sounds like an excellent night!

*In between all of those things, I will wipe a certain baby boy's nose several hundred times, change his diapers, go outside and enjoy the indian summer day we're set to have and maybe eat some candy from Halloween. All in all, it's going to be a great day!

pumpkin cookies...mmmm....

2008-10-28T13:45:00.003-04:00

There is something about these cookies that just capture everything wonderful about this time of year. Pumpkin, spice, cream cheese frosting, the perfect comfort food. If I could remember where I originally got this recipe I would give credit where it is due. Try this recipe, it is unbelievably good!

1/2 c. butter, soft
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. pumpkin
2 1/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves

1 c. raisins (opt.)
1 c. walnuts (opt.)

Cream butter and sugars together. Add eggs, vanilla and pumpkin; blend well.
Mix in all dry ingredients. Stir in nuts and raisins if desired.
Drop onto cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes (until *almost* set in middle, don't overbake). Cool on cookie sheet, frost when completely cooled.

Frosting:

1/4 c. soft butter
1 8oz pack of cream cheese, soft
1 t. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar (one cup at a time)

collecting leaves

2008-10-24T09:24:00.003-04:00

Collecting leaves in the fall is completely necessary. There is something so breathtaking about the colors, sounds and smells outside in late September and all of October. One particularly beautiful afternoon I took Maddy and Luke out to find some leaves.

Luke found many tiny leaves, which he saved for his baby Gabe.

Maddy found a pretty red one.

These are the favorites of the day.

There was fungus growing in the damp grass, and I told them not to touch the fungus. Luke then started singing, "Don't touch the mungus! Don't touch the mungus!"

Did you know it is also necessary to have mints and a sword with you while collecting leaves?

Question of the Day

2008-10-23T17:53:00.002-04:00

Riding home in the car today:

Luke: "mommy, what does God eat for breakfast?"

me: "ummmmm....I'm not sure honey, let me get back to you on that."

He's four!!

2008-10-23T08:46:00.003-04:00

Birthdays are kind of a big deal around here...and for 5 months of the year we have one right after the other. 3 in June, 1 in August, 1 in September and 2 in October. Whew!

Luke's was October 5th, and we had a great time celebrating with him. For his party with the family, all he wanted was to go to Chuck E Cheese, so we had a Spiderman themed fun time there. (Remind me never to go there on a Sunday afternoon again, ok? Thanks.)

The one tradition we have with our kids on their special day, is to let them choose the menu of the day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner is totally up to them. Luke's was truly unique this year. Breakfast was Cinamelts from McDonald's. Have you ever had those? They are delicious. David went in to order them early in the morning and said he needed 9 of them. The girl working at McD's was like, "did you say nine?" For lunch we had C.E.C pizza and then for dinner...Luke wanted Blinnas. They are like a sourdough pancake that is a recipe from my dad's grandmother, passed down. We have never had them for dinner though! I think this birthday boy was in heaven!

For a cake (yes, we all had a stomach ache at the end of the day) he wanted chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate chips. (a chocolate lover like his mommy!) He also dipped his face in it.

Ah, like I said in Maddy's birthday post, I wish they would just stop growing up. But apparently I am out of luck in that area. Luke is such a wonderful boy. He is full of spunk and energy, but also full of tenderness and love. His smile and laugh bring life to any room. His hugs and kisses melt my heart. I am so excited to see what the future holds for him.

wordless wednesday

2008-10-22T13:14:00.002-04:00

She's 6!!

2008-10-21T08:55:00.003-04:00

I keep telling them to just stop growing up, but they don't listen! Maddy turned 6 back on September 30. She had such a great time celebrating with friends at the Young Chef's Academy and again with family on her actual special day. Everything pink for this little girl!

Her big gift was her very first American Girl doll, Kit.

Our third baby, second daughter.
She's funny and has a great laugh.
She's sweet and cares about others.
I often hear her say, "mommy, can I help you?"
Her two little brothers adore her.
She's smart and reads so well.
Her smile lights up the room.
I love you Mads.

< < < rewind

2008-10-20T15:04:00.005-04:00

The past 6 weeks or so have passed in a flurry of activity and busyness. We have had many noteworthy events come and go, and though I do take many pictures fully intending to share them with family and friends, I have not actually taken time to post them here on my blog! So this week will be a rewind week. I will share some of the fun things we have been up to since the start of the school year, and *hopefully* will get back into the bloggy swing of things around here! (that rhymed!)

First...a picture of a VERY sweet little boy starting preschool. Doesn't he look like a big boy?

Celebrating the little things...

2008-10-16T08:29:00.004-04:00

Today is our 16th dating anniversary! We have liked each other for more than half of our lives...and we still do! Happy anniversary, honey!

little notes

2008-09-18T08:35:00.004-04:00

Since school started and with Maddy being gone each day, all day, I have been sticking a little love note in her lunch bag when I pack it in the morning. This past week she has been writing me a couple, which I absolutely LOVE. Notice the picture of the 3 of us, and the size of daddy's ears!

Originally I did this to get her through the day, worrying that she might be a bit homesick by lunch time. Who knew these little notes could brighten my day so much?

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-03T08:13:00.001-04:00

Back to school

2008-09-02T09:28:00.003-04:00

This morning went really well! We had 3 excited kiddos off to school. It's hard to believe we have 3 in all day school this year. Where did the time go?

Syd~off to 8th grade!!

Ben~off to 4th grade!

Maddy~off to 1st grade!

Thursday Thirteen: summer in review

2008-08-28T10:04:00.013-04:00

I can't believe summer is drawing to a close, that school is starting in just 5 short days! Things have been quiet on this blog this summer. Our days have been full of a lot, and a lot of nothing. It has been so good to be relaxed in our routine and to enjoy having daddy here every day. In honor of the Thursday Thirteen, I have decided to list 13 things that have made up *most* of our summer. It would be impossible for me to go back and think of everything we have done, so here are the 13 that my little helpers and I have come up with.

1. Our trip to Florida, right at the start of summer

2. 4 birthday celebrations!

3. lots of softball games and soccer camp for two boys (sorry, no pictures of soccer)

4. learning to blow bubbles

5. catching bugs

6. ice cream

7. blueberry picking (twice)

8. waterskiing

9. first popsicle

10. peach picking (twice)

11. backyard fun

12. a fun visit to Great Grandma's farm, picking black raspberries in all of her "secret places"!

14. long walks and lots of quality time with daddy

A summer love affair...

2008-08-18T08:56:00.004-04:00

...with A1 steak sauce! Our family has seriously gone through at least 4 (large) bottles of this stuff since spring time. Luke won't eat meat without it. He eats it on ham, pork, chicken, hamburgers and steak. He even had it on a bratwurst! So what happens when one child eats things a certain way in a large family? Of course, they all eat it with everything now. Even Daddy. The weirdest thing they've had it on? Grilled chicken tacos. What happened to salsa anyway?

Luke {a.k.a. turtle boy}

2008-08-10T21:57:00.005-04:00

he was quite chilly after swimming in the lake. this picture cracks me up, it is now the screensaver on our computer!

summertime salad

2008-08-04T18:10:00.003-04:00

In my humble opinion, there is nothing more delicious than a summer-ripe tomato. My favorite way to eat that delicious tomato is in a salad that looks like this. YUM.

Party pictures

2008-08-02T13:56:00.007-04:00

Gabe had such a fun first birthday! When I unloaded my camera last night I realized I had taken 193 pictures of his big day. Sydnee said that Gabe is probably the most photographed child in our family, and I totally agree! Isn't it awesome with digital cameras that we can take as many pictures as we want and delete the ones that didn't turn out? No more paying for film and developing!
Here are a handful of pictures (okay, maybe more than a handful) from yesterday's party. We had a "bubbles, balloons and balls" theme. It was a ton of fun!

I made a collage of pictures from each month of Gabe's life. It is fun to see how he has grown and changed in a year!

We made him a birthday shirt with his handprint and name on the front...

...and the back of the shirt

One thing we did was buy some play balls and put them in a kiddie pool in the living room. He LOVES them!

birthday bath!

here he is opening presents, which he really figured out quickly! You can see the determination on his face!

riding on his rocking horse

ready for some CAKE!

let the fun begin!

hmmm...maybe not

not.liking.the.frosting.at.all.

I never thought I would have a child who turned down birthday cake!

What a fun day, and what a fun boy we have! Here's to another year of adventures with our littlest boy!

Happy 1st Birthday Gabriel!!

2008-08-01T08:26:00.003-04:00

And oh how fast this year has gone!

Gabe is such a wonderful addition to our family. He brings sweetness and softness, his older siblings absolutely love him and enjoy playing with him. Gabe is active and playful, quiet and observant, tender and loving. He knows what a doggy and kitty says, where someone's nose is, says "hiiii!", "dada", and "mum". His favorite food is fruit (any kind) and avocado. He is SO proud of himself when he crawls into the little rocking chair. He can clap his hands, wave bye bye, and his favorite way to get around has been scooting on his bottom for the past few months. He only recently learned that crawling is MUCH faster! His favorite toy is definitely a ball, any kind, just like his brothers before him.
Happy birthday, baby boy!

Wordless Wednesday: waking up from a nap edition

2008-07-16T14:39:00.002-04:00

Fun on the 4th!

2008-07-05T11:47:00.004-04:00

We had a wonderful day yesterday celebrating the 4th of July! We live right on the parade route in our little town, and it is always so much fun sitting with friends (and this year my parents came!) and enjoying the festivities. The kids always have a blast catching candy and watching the different floats that go by. After the parade and lunch we have a tradition of going out to David's parents' house to enjoy the lake and fireworks at night. Gabe and I left before fireworks this year, hopefully next year we'll be able to stay longer! Here are some pictures from yesterday:

Madyson enjoying a blue piece of candy at the parade!

Sydnee and her friend Felicia

Ben and his buddy Nathan

Mommy, Maddy and Gabe

Daddy relaxing with Gabe

Grammy and Maddy

Grampy and Lukey

Gabe and his holiday "fauxhawk" *smile*

All 5 of our fantastic firecrackers
Luke's shirt says "Dad's little firecracker" and Gabe's says "mom's little sparkler". Isn't that so cute...and true? (Look at Luke trying to grab the flag from Maddy, he's such a stinker!)

fishin' off of the dock (side note: Benjamin fell in the water while fishing)

I am a Very Superior Wife, in the 1930s!

2008-07-03T21:25:00.003-04:00

101

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Superior

Take the test!

This is a hoot, I did this test and it cracked me up at some of the questions. It is hard to believe that women were considered good wives for darning socks and dressing for breakfast! Even though I don't do either thing I guess I am still doing ok. Go ahead and take the test, it's good for a laugh!

Wordless Wednesday: jam making edition

2008-07-02T16:24:00.003-04:00

Been back a week now...

2008-07-01T22:20:00.005-04:00

from our vacation to Florida! We had a fabulous time, and it went way too fast. None of us wanted to leave and come back to reality! We all enjoyed just being together and having a lot of non-hurried time together playing in the pools and relaxing. Our past vacations have been a week long, and though they were great too, this one was 10 days and I HIGHLY recommend those extra 3 days. (next time I am hoping we can do 2 weeks!) You know how once you get to your destination for vacation, it takes a day or three to get to the point of pure enjoyment. Well by the time your really "in the groove" of vacationing to the fullest, it's time to pack and go home. We felt the 10 days were near to perfect!
We have about half a million pictures, but I thought I would pick out a few of my favorites to share here.

Maddy in front of Cinderella's castle. The look on her face when she saw it for the first time was priceless.

All 7 of us...

Syd and Gabe floating the day away!

The resort had a tie-dye each afternoon along with other activities for the kids.

Coppertone boy...love those sweet little tan lines! (we used spf 50 every day and still were tanned!)

A nice smile from Benjamin! He practically lived in the water the whole time!

Best friends, Maddy and Lukey.

This pool was fun to swim in, as it had the fountain right in the middle that the kids could climb on.

Water baby Gabe, he looked so cute in his little bucket hat!

It is good to be home now. Our dog was beside himself with excitement to see us again and the kids were happy to sleep in their own beds once more. David's home for the summer, and I feel spoiled to have him around so much. Sydnee started All Star softball this week, so we definitely hit the ground running when we got home.

That's all for now, hopefully I can keep up with my blog a little better now that we're home!

Happy 11 months Gabe!

2008-07-01T22:12:00.003-04:00

Where does the time go? I can hardly believe that one month from today we'll be celebrating the birth of our little baby boy!
(Doesn't his big boy haircut look cute?)

A birthday, losing internet, schools out and a Florida trip, OH MY!

2008-06-12T09:09:00.002-04:00

Whew! What a month! I have severely neglected my blog lately, but am hoping that this summer I will be able to get into regularly posting again.
We now have a 13 year old! Sydnee's birthday was last Sunday and I can hardly believe we have a teenager now! She received many lovely things for gifts from her grandparents and family, including a trip to see Americal Idol Live in September! She is VERY excited!
We had several thunderstorms roll through a week ago and our internet was lost for about 5 days. It is amazing how much I missed having it, and realizing how much I depend on it day to day for simple little things. Searching for a recipe, questions on symptoms of illnesses, etc. I am very thankful to have it turned back on, just in time for us to leave on our vacation tonight!
Yes, we're leaving on a jet plane... to Florida! We are leaving tonight to stay overnight in Detroit and hop on a plane at 7 am Friday morning. We'll be enjoying 10 days in Orlando and will be visiting the Magic Kingdom and possibly one other park (not yet decided which). Originally we planned on driving down and making that a part of our trip, but with gas prices such as they are, we realized that we would actually be able to fly down for less money than we could driving! Pretty unbelievable! The kids are fluttering with excitement this morning as we continue packing and organizing. Personally, I hate the preparation for a big trip like this. Packing for 7 people and keeping it to one piece of checked luggage per person is proving to be a big challenge. I will be much more excited when we pull out onto the road to the hotel tonight! There's nothing like spending 10 days with 6 of your favorite people in the world!
David's last day of work is today, the kids' last day of school was Tuesday, so summer vactation is starting and we have so much to look forward to! I feel so blessed to have my hubby home in the summers and the kids love spending extra time with him as well.
So we will be back in 10 days, probably more tired than rested, more sunkissed than we are now, and hearts full of fun, lasting memories! Sounds good to me!

Family Friday: Benjamin

2008-05-23T19:54:00.004-04:00

I started this post on Friday, that counts, right?

Benjamin is our second born, he is going to be 9 years old in June, and will be done with 3rd grade in just a few short weeks. He is 4 years and 3 weeks younger than Sydnee, and for the most part they are very close. He has such an infectious laugh and a wicked sense of humor! He is also a master of making strange faces. If I had a scanner and knew how to use it, I would scan in all of his school pictures, to prove my point. (Many family members reading this will know what I mean, taking a posed photo is not one of Ben's 'comfort zones' *smile*.)

One thing we are quickly learning about Ben is his entreprenurial spirit. All winter he played on an indoor soccer team. His Grandpa told him he'd give Ben $5 for each goal he scored. Well, Benjamin took that to heart and there were games that he scored 3 goals this season. He now has a very fat wallet! We had a yard sale last week and the kids set up a Lemonade stand. Ben was the one who stayed out there the whole time, on his rollerblades, sign in hand, waving down the cars. They actually made $24 that day selling lemonade and cookies! He is a great saver, and we are very proud of him!

Things Ben loves:

his dog (and obviously Miller returns the love)

his rollerblades. Have you ever seen someone use the trimmer while on rollerblades?

Long hair. In the summer before second grade Ben started growing his hair out, and just recently we had it cut quite short. It was a VERY sad day for him, and he was really upset with me on the way home from the hairdresser. I asked him how long he'd be mad at me and he told me "only until it grows back". (for the record, he really perked up after I took him to WalMart for a new lego set. Hey, can you blame me?) Right now it is growing fast, and I am fighting the urge to cut it again.

Soccer. He absolutely loves the game, and is very good at it. As I mentioned in my Friday post about Sydnee, it is so wonderful to see your child find a passion for something and to excel at it.

His siblings. He is an excellent big brother, and a mostly excellent little brother. Last week there was a boy picking on Luke and Ben got right in there to defend his little brother. It made David and I feel so good that he was looking out for his siblings.

Ben is smart, funny and (dare I say) VERY cute. We are lucky to have him as our son!

Family Friday: Luke

2008-05-09T08:41:00.004-04:00

I have all of these wonderful Luke facts swirling in my brain and I don't know where to begin!
Luke is our 4th child. He is 2 years and 5 days younger than Madyson, and they are just like best friends. They "get" each other, and other times they don't. *smile* Luke is very tenderhearted, so concerned with how everyone is feeling. He can also be a spitfire, and gives us a run for our money on a regular basis. I know I have mentioned that before here on this blog. Then I look at his precious face, handing me a bouquet of freshly picked dandelions and my heart melts.

Luke's favorite item of clothing has to be his frog boots. If we are going somewhere he automatically runs to put them on. Rain or shine. I think it is just adorable. Especially when he's wearing shorts with his frog boots.

Next year we will be sending him to preschool. It is absolutely amazing to me how well he is already counting to 15 and starting to learn to write his name. The other day when he picked the dandelions for me, he nicely took them back and counted each one for me.

There is definitely something magical about a 3 year old little boy. They are so full of energy and life, ready to learn and explore, yet still little enough to want to cuddle, hug and kiss, and still need his mommy and daddy.

Thursday Thirteen

2008-05-08T14:08:00.002-04:00

Thirteen reasons I love being a mommy:

1. Just hearing little voices saying "mama" or "mommy" or "ma-ma-ma" melts my heart!

2. Being the one they want to comfort them.

3. Smelling my freshly bathed angels, smoothing lotion on their soft skin.

4. Having my schoolies come home and telling me about everything that happened that day.

5. Hearing their laughter when all 5 are playing together, I'll never get tired of that.

6. Middle of the night cuddles, when one (or more) join us in our bed. Oh how I love those little arms reaching around my neck.

7. Kisses and hugs OF COURSE!

8. Knowing each child's favorite foods, and surprising them with their favorites.

9. Silly jokes that don't make much sense, and laughing at them anyway because the one telling the joke is so darn cute!

10. Watching each of them develop a passion for something and pursuing it, working their hardest.

11. Experiencing new milestones. Each one is bittersweet, knowing they are growing up too fast.

12. Seeing my children love each other, and take care of each other.

13. Knowing that these 5 wonderful people were entrusted to me, by God, to love and teach!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-05-07T09:10:00.003-04:00

Family Friday (on Tuesday): Sydnee

2008-05-06T18:15:00.003-04:00

With the craziness of this busy time of year I haven't had a chance to sit down and do my Friday post until now. I thought it would be nice to do Sydnee this time, since she is off to 7th grade camp for the WHOLE WEEK! We are missing her, it is strange only having 4 of the fantastic 5 home this week. She is definitely a big part of our family, and leaves an empty spot when she's gone.
Little League opening day was this past Saturday and Sydnee was so excited. She lives and breathes softball and has been counting down the days until the season started again. Last year she played on a travel softball team, but this year she opted out of that to participate in Middle School sports and activities. David and I are amazed at the intensity her fondness of softball has grown this year. It is a very wonderful thing to see your child realize a passion in their own life and to work hard at it. Sydnee has started to take some private catching and batting lessons and we could see the incredible improvement at her game on Saturday. Can you tell how excited she was Saturday morning?

Last week the 7th graders put on a "wax museum" as a project. Each student picked a famous/historical person and did research on them. They then made a speech and dressed as the person. Younger elementary students were able to come by and see the "museum" and learn about these famous people. Sydnee chose Shirley Temple. I think that matches Syd's personality well! Did you know that Shirley Temple's mom used to put 52 curls in her hair each day of filming, counting each one, to make sure it looked identical each day? It took me literally an hour to get Syd's done the morning of her project. I am glad I won't have to do that again any time soon!

Next week Syd will be getting her palate expander off and will be appliance free for a week before getting her braces put on. I'm sure that week will be full of gum chewing and popcorn eating while she can! She is also working on her plans for her 13th birthday coming up in just one month. Where does the time go?

We have a new nephew!

2008-04-28T10:21:00.001-04:00

Elijah Matthew
April 26, 2008
8 lbs.
Isn't he sweet?

Family Friday: Maddy

2008-04-25T10:45:00.006-04:00

I thought I'd try something new, and do a little update on each child on Fridays.

Over Spring Break, David and I decided to give each child a little one-on-one date with one of us. Being in a large family, the kids don't get a lot of individual outings with us, doing something they want to do. Maddy was the first to have her "date", and she chose to go to the "Barbara shop" to get a haircut! Her hair was really long, and really pretty, and all I have ever done is trim the ends.

We talked to the hairdresser about "Locks of Love" and she said they needed 6" for children with hair loss. Maddy was excited to hear that a little girl or boy would have the chance to have a wig made from her hair.

She loved being pampered, and getting a new look!

Maddy is such a sweet girl, always ready to help and sensitive to how others are feeling. Gabe absolutely adores her, when he hears her voice he whips his head in all directions to see where she is.
This year Mads is going to play t-ball. She is hilarious out on the field during practice, she cannot stand still! Playing first base she is dancing and twirling...what a girl!
She is also extremely smart. She is in the top reading group for her class in Kindergarten, and is one of the youngest there. This morning she was counting while getting dressed and ended up getting to 432!! The part that cracked me up was how at each '9' she would draw it out..."three hundred and twenty niiiiiinnnnneee...three hundred and thirty!"
She fills our days with a lot of love and a LOT of laughter.

Things we love about spring...

2008-04-20T15:35:00.004-04:00

sunshine and warmth

blowing bubbles

my favorite kind of bouquet, picked with love from little hands

rubber boots, in pink of course

bumps, bruises, bug bites, and bandaids. (we don't love the owies, but we do love an assortment of "cute" bandaids!)

making cookies...

2008-04-16T14:52:00.004-04:00

our cookie jar has been empty for a while now, so this afternoon I made some chocolate chocolate chip cookie dough. This is a new recipe, and if you can judge a cookie from the taste of the dough, it's going to be a good one! I offered Luke a beater after I mixed the dough, and he (very nicely) asked if he could have the spatula instead. I told him he could have the beater first, while I finished mixing the chocolate chips in with the spatula. A minute after he put his beater in the sink I hear his sweet voice say, "now can I have this?" How can you say no to that face? (notice how he is holding it like a baseball bat!!) He wasn't all that happy that I wiped the majority of the dough off first, but he licked it clean!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-04-02T08:09:00.002-04:00

(happy 8 months, baby Gabe!)

Easter fun

2008-03-24T10:26:00.008-04:00

22 hard boiled eggs! Once Gabe starts eating them I'll have to do at least 2 dozen! Maybe we should have our own chickens?

Plenty of candy was consumed, before 9am (and after)!

A little boy enjoyed his first Easter...even though the Easter Bunny didn't bring him any candy!

We went to Grammy and Grampy's house and spent the afternoon eating delicious food and spending time with family.
I sat the 5 cuties down for a group picture and this is what I got...I think it shows their personalities very well!

Gabe loved snuggling Grammy and Grampy:

Lukey snuggling his Aunt Anna (isn't her hair fabulous?)

Cousin Katie, a self portrait. *smile*

Great Grandma was there too, it was so nice spending time with her!

I got to drive Grandma home to the farm after dinner and we had the nicest time visiting in the car. When we got to her house her two little kitties were waiting at the door, very hungry. Grandma is so funny, she makes macaroni and cheese and keeps it in the refrigerator for them. She opens a can of cat food, puts some m&c in the bowl with it, and warms it in the microwave. Talk about spoiled kitties!!! She is so cute. After the kitties were fed, we danced to some big band music, although I did not inherit the ability to dance. Especially with my crippled foot. Grandma can still cut a mean rug at almost 83 years old!
On my way home I passed a field that had AT LEAST 50 deer grazing and romping...I have never seen anything like it in my life. I took some pictures (stopped the car first, of course), but they didn't turn out very good.
It was a really good day, a holiday full of fun with family.
Most of all, celebrating the true meaning of Easter. I am so grateful for the life that we have because of what Jesus has done for us!

Is this spring?

2008-03-24T10:17:00.004-04:00

Merry Christmas...I mean Happy Easter!! I promised my inlaws that I would show them what they're missing down in sunny Florida! On Good Friday we literally got about a foot of snow, much to the childrens' delight! Here are some pictures of them happily enjoying the beautiful white snow, perhaps for the last time this year!

Our streets were plowed early Saturday morning, and it is a good thing we have 4WD on our Suburban. David spent a lot of time shoveling Saturday morning, and I hobbled out with my broken toe to take a few pictures. Hard to believe it is almost April!

Thankful Thursday

2008-03-13T08:29:00.002-04:00

Ahh, Thursday. I really love Thursday. This week really flew for us, at least for me. One week closer to spring and warmer weather, days spent outside, walks and sunshine. This dreary pre-spring weather is hard for me, the pretty white snow is gone and everything is still in it's winter "sleep", brown and muddy. The time change last weekend has made a huge difference, though. The days are longer, the sun seems warmer coming through the windows in the afternoon. I actually heard some birds singing the other day, and that really lifted my spirits! I know spring is coming, and I can't wait.
Sickness has been like a plague here the past 2 months. One thing after another, without much break in between. Lots of wakeful nights, lots of bleach, lots of cuddles and snuggling a feverish little boy this week. Sometimes it is hard to find things I'm thankful for in the midst of a time like this, but this morning I was reminded of many things I am so incredibly thankful for.

**Warm little bodies, sandwiched in between daddy and mommy all night.(not always so comfortable, but comfortING)

**The half hour spent with my youngest this morning before the other littles woke. Special quiet time is few and far between.

**The hugs and kisses I receive from sleepy heads tumbling down the stairs.

**My hardworking hubby, who so sweetly started the dishwasher at 3:30 this morning.

Happy Thursday!

sshhh...

2008-03-04T09:29:00.003-05:00

dare I say it, out loud? We have a potty trained boy!! Thank God, it finally clicked with Luke and we are in big boy pants all day now! That was seriously the longest 5 months, so many setbacks and frustrations, bribes and treats. I honestly at times thought I'd be changing his diapers in high school! (I'm only partly kidding) He is the fourth child, and I might say that one could get a bit confident (read: cocky) after successfully potty training three children. Shouldn't be a problem, right? Luke has blown a good majority of our parenting theories out of the water. He is a very strong-willed child. It is so funny because when he was born until he was about 2, he clung to me like his life depended on it. He was quiet and loving, tender and seemed to be very easily directed. Wellll...things change and from age 2 until now he has really challenged us. On the other hand, though, he is still just the most loving, adorable, sweet, tenderhearted little boy. With potty training, it has been a battle at times, one that I had to continually surrender to. I was NOT in control, something that is not easy for me to admit. :)
My wonderful friend, Sarah, had been dealing with potty training her son who is 3 also. After Christmas she told me he was potty trained. Of course, I was very jealous and asked her exactly how in the world she did it. Popsicles. Popsicles? Yes. Every time he went in the potty he got one. Why didn't I think of that? We had tried, m&ms, chocolates, fruit roll ups, and the list goes on. None of those things really meant much to Luke. But the minute I explained to him that he'd get a popsicle each time he pottied on the toilet, it clicked. It's been about 4 weeks now, and we've had only a few accidents. And he doesn't even ask for the popsicles anymore!
David had promised him that as soon as he was potty trained, he could join "soccer school". There is a 6 week program at the local indoor soccer place called "mommy (or daddy) and me". He went for the first time this past Saturday morning, and had the time of his life! He was SO cute out on the field. At the end they did a mini scrimmage and he made 4 goals! The penny he was wearing went all the way to his ankles, which made him look even smaller, but the look of pride and joy on his face was absolutely priceless. His siblings and parents cheering for him, he was in all his glory!

Happy 7 months Gabe!

2008-03-01T17:15:00.002-05:00

And what a wonderful and extremely fast 7 months they have been!

Saturday afternoon fun

2008-03-01T17:00:00.003-05:00

Homemade playdoh...as I was cooking it the smell reminded me so much of the time I would spend at my grandparents' farm as a little girl. Grandma always had some playdoh made and in the refrigerator for us to play with. Today we doubled the batch and did 3 colors: Ben's is blue, Luke's is green and Maddy's is...surprise! Pink!

It is so easy to make, takes about 5 minutes, start to finish.
1 cup flour
1 cup water
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 cup salt
1 tsp. oil
food coloring

Mix all dry ingredients in saucepan, add water and oil. Mix well and cook over medium heat, making sure to continuously scrape the bottom of the pan. Once it is thickened completely, turn onto the counter to knead in food coloring. (or you can add with the liquid ingredients before cooking.)
Store in a ziploc plastic bag.

mommy time

2008-02-27T13:20:00.003-05:00

this little boy loves his one-on-one time!

A weekend project

2008-02-15T08:52:00.002-05:00

Something to keep the kiddies cozy warm in this freezing winter weather we're having!
Can you guess whose fabric is whose?

Be My Valentine

2008-02-15T08:42:00.004-05:00

We had a pretty fun day yesterday, aside from two sickies missing school and class parties. For lunch we had heart shaped sandwiches and strawberries:

I got all 5 to pose for a cute picture...the only thing you can't see is David and I yelling, "SMILE!!"

Next year we decided that we will be getting a babysitter so we can have a nice quiet evening together. As nice as it is to celebrate holidays with the kids, it would be lovely to have a date...
Here's Gabe on his first Valentine's Day, such a happy little guy!

Monday meanderings....

2008-02-11T14:37:00.000-05:00

I have spent this past week playing catch up around the house and in life, I suppose. A week and a half ago I came down with Labrynthitis and was down for the count for 5 days. That is something I was always fearful of, of getting so sick that I couldn't function and care for my family. Well, thanks to my wonderful husband and some help from my mom, 5 great kids and a couple of very sweet friends, I am thankful that things went as smoothly as they did. David really did everything while I was sick, except cook. (hee hee). My friend Barbara brought 2 delicious meals she made for us and one frozen from her neighbor, and another friend, Wendy, brought dinner another night, which was amazing. The one day David didn't take off of work, my mom came over and cared for me and the littles all day. I know that was exhausting for her, she was a trooper!! After all of that I have a new appreciation for my health and my family. I missed the day to day so much. All I could do was listen to them play and interact and receive a few well-placed kisses throughout each day. I am a blessed woman to have such a fantastic family...and now that I am back to feeling like myself again, I am enjoying each moment. Even the mountain of laundry that grows exponentially while I sleep, and the dishes that do the same.

Luke is doing pretty well potty training...still not totally there, but doing better than we were a month ago. He is full of spunk and just a really fun boy to be around. Here he is giving Gabe a busride in the living room.

Madyson is still fighting a lingering sinus infection, and had strep throat while I was sick. This year has been tough for her as far as being sick a lot. In school she is doing excellent and is reading so well. We are really proud of her. Here she is reading to Luke before bed one night.

And being silly during lunch the other day.

Benjamin is playing indoor soccer and scored 3 goals at his game Saturday! He loves soccer and we are so glad he has found something he really loves to do. He recently went with a handful of his classmates and his teacher to lunch at McDonald's to celebrate 100% on all of the spelling tests the first semester! He loves playing with his little siblings, and holding his baby brother.

Baby Gabe is 6 months old already! He isn't sitting up yet, but does have 2 teeth and is close to rolling back to front. He is just a happy little guy, we all adore being around him. I just gave him his 3rd haircut! He is "eating solids" now, and I say that with a firm tongue in cheek. He just is not enjoying it. His 6 month birthday was while I was sick last week, so Sydnee was very thoughtful, knowing I would've taken millions of pictures of him that day, and took a bunch of him while he was in his Jumperoo. This is my favorite one that she took:

and sitting in his high chair being very silly:

Sydnee also did very well on her report card this semester, all As and one B. She is in the school musical this March, and is looking forward to that. She was a HUGE help while I was sick, really pitched in with the other kids and helping me when I needed something. Last Saturday night there was a dance for the middle school and she and her friend Megan went together. Here they are before leaving:

So that's all from around here, for now!

4 Gs

2008-01-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

Maddy is working on the letter G at school this week. This is something she did at home this morning, she brought an identical one home from school yesterday. It is so neat to see her learning and spelling things phonetically. The "grl" is actually a cat girl, according to her. And she used a new technique coloring the hair...holding about 4 markers in one hand and coloring with them all at the same time.

funny guy

2008-01-28T13:47:00.000-05:00

Those of you who are mothers, or even fathers, you can probably relate. Doesn't it seem like you get hurt a lot, physically, being a parent? Like having your foot stepped on, hair pulled, nose/chin bumped by little heads, face smacked by 5 month old babies...
I was remarking about this to David last night while we were getting the littles ready for bed. This was the conversation:

me: "I get hurt a lot. I feel like being a parent I get hurt more than..."

David: "A rodeo clown?"

(much laughing)

Every day I am blessed with learning something new about my dear husband. Yesterday I learned he is a comedian!

my anniversary gift...

2008-01-28T12:25:00.001-05:00

came in the mail today. It is so pretty I cried, even though I picked it out.

terms of endearment, pt.2

2008-01-25T08:54:00.000-05:00

Maddy and Luke are on the couch talking like robots with a couple of toys. Maddy, as usual, is giving Luke directions on how to play and what to say. She says, "Luke, I'll call you 'my love', and you call me 'my sweetness'." Then in robot voices they start calling each other their respective pet names. These two kids crack me up!

Pie and Pirates

2008-01-24T13:27:00.000-05:00

We have a little tradition starting in our house on Wednesday nights. David has class an hour away on Wednesdays, and my dad has been so kind to come over each Wednesday night to help with the kids and have dinner with us. While he's here, he has been telling the kids stories about Jimmy and Timmy and the One-eyed Croc (I think I have mentioned that before). To say he loves pie would be an understatement. Lately when he's over for dinner on Wednesday he and Ben will make a run to McDonalds for a pie for everyone to eat for dessert, if I haven't already made something. Well the past few weeks the stories have been about pirates (complete with irish accents, he he, just kidding dad). So last night I decided to make a homemade blueberry pie instead of McD's, and we called it pie and pirate night. Aaargh...

Happy 12 years to us!

2008-01-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

A day late. Yesterday was our 12th wedding anniversary and we celebrated with a delicious dinner out, alone, last night. (thanks mom and dad!) We went to Carrabas and had a meal that was over the top, so yummy and relaxing as well. It's amazing how different it is eating without kids around! We had uninterrupted conversation and laughed over the memories we have from the past 12 years.
I haven't always been the best wife, and he hasn't always been the best husband, but we are best for each other and I couldn't imagine life any other way. We have fun, we have a house full of love, and for that I am truly grateful.
So...12 quick years, 5 kids, 2 cats, 1 dog, 1 house, (many beat up cars), a few gray hairs, a few wrinkles, a few tears, and millions of happy memories later, here we are.
I am a lucky girl!

wordless wednesday

2008-01-16T08:10:00.000-05:00

meal planning monday...

2008-01-14T15:50:00.000-05:00

this blog isn't going to turn into a recipe blog, by any means. I just thought it would be nice to write out our dinner menu for the week to come. Today was grocery shopping day and I planned for a good amount of meals. I don't cook every single night of the week. Some nights we'll eat leftovers and usually once a week we'll get pizza or takeout of some sort. Yesterday I asked each child for suggestions for dinners and this is what we came up with.

*Kraut Kugas (a family recipe, german, from my Grandma) Ben requested this one saying "you know those cucaracha things?"

*spaghetti (actually all the kids wanted this one, and it's one of my favorites too) I make my marinara sauce in the crockpot.

*noodles and gravy (Maddy) she requests this every time, it's her favorite. So I have had to come up with 3 different recipes to interchange for "noodles and gravy". This time it's chicken and gravy.

*apricot chicken with rice

*stew in the crockpot...a new recipe that uses sundried tomatoes. I was intrigued!

*teriyaki chicken/hawaiian chicken
marinated and served with pineapple

*curry chicken salad
I had some plain yogurt to use up and thought this would be yummy on the weekend

*Cheeseburger buns
something I found in an old Taste of Home magazine. We'll see how it turns out.

*spinach salad with cranberry dressing...the delicious recipe from Terri! :)

So that's about 8 meals, plus I always have a few "stand-bys" that I keep ingredients for. My goal for having meals on the table at a decent time each night went pretty well last week, and so begins another week with the same intentions!

Raspberry Brownie Dessert

2008-01-09T18:37:00.000-05:00

Normally I am not a fan of canned pie filling, but this is a new recipe I tried out today and it is so yummy! I got it from my Simple & Delicious magazine. Again, it is so easy and good and the kids loved it! You can't beat a recipe with 4 ingredients either!

1 package fudge brownie mix (13"x9" size)
2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 package (3.3 oz) white chocolate pudding mix
1 can (21 oz) raspberry pie filling

Prepare and bake brownies according to package directions, using a greased 13"x9" pan. Cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine 1 c. cream with pudding mix; stir for 2 minutes or until very thick.
In a small mixing bowl, beat remaining cream until stiff peaks form; fold into pudding. Carefull spread over brownies; top with pie filling. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Igloos, or egg-glues?

2008-01-09T12:05:00.000-05:00

Luke is so funny and so three years old. Today while they were eating lunch, the discussion was about the last story Grampy told them. (my dad has a series of stories he has made up that my kids absolutely LOVE) It was about Jimmy and Timmy going up north to visit an uncle, getting stranded in the snow and they had to build an igloo. I asked them if they would know how to build an igloo, and they both replied yes. Luke said you use eggs and glue to make your "egglue". Needless to say Maddy and I had a good laugh over this one!

Christmas pajamas

2008-01-09T08:40:00.000-05:00

One tradition we have each year is to give the kids one gift on Christmas Eve, and usually it is pajamas. This year I found the cutest pjs for the 4 youngest at Children's Place. Unfortunately my 5'6" daughter can't wear kids sizes anymore so we had to make due with what we could find. This picture turned out the best of the 10 or so that I took, I can never seem to get all 5 of them looking at the same time!

gingerbread houses

2008-01-08T08:36:00.000-05:00

More pictures of some holiday fun we had. One family from the school David teaches at owns a pizza place here in town. Each year they make personal gingerbread houses for each student in all 3 of their childrens' classrooms. Can you believe that? (60+ houses!!) They are beautiful too, and come complete with homemade royal icing and candy to decorate, cute little gingerbread people and the foil covered cardboard as a base. Well, David doesn't have one of their children this year, but the very generous mother asked him if we would like one for each of our kids. He gladly accepted and she provided us with 4 houses, the bases, a huge bag of candy and royal icing. (Gabe didn't make one this year). The kids had a ball making these, I actually wished I could've made one! It was a fun afternoon!

More pictures of some holiday fun we had. One family from the school David teaches at owns a pizza place here in town. Each year they make personal gingerbread houses for each student in all 3 of their childrens' classrooms. Can you believe that? (60+ houses!!) They are beautiful too, and come complete with homemade royal icing and candy to decorate, cute little gingerbread people and the foil covered cardboard as a base. Well, David doesn't have one of their children this year, but the very generous mother asked him if we would like one for each of our kids. He gladly accepted and she provided us with 4 houses, the bases, a huge bag of candy and royal icing. (Gabe didn't make one this year). The kids had a ball making these, I actually wished I could've made one! It was a fun afternoon!

White Chicken Chili, in the crockpot

2008-01-07T22:40:00.000-05:00

This is so easy and SO good.

White Chicken Chili

*note: I don't add the corn or cilantro to this dish (although I am sure it would be good that way). I did add 2 more cups of chicken broth and a bit more cumin and oregano when I added the beans to make this more of a soup. I also turned the heat up to high on the slow cooker after adding the beans to speed up the heating process after shredding the chicken. A few of us enjoyed a dollop of sour cream on top of the chili. Yum!

6 skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper sauce
2 cans (15 to 16 oz each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can white shoepeg corn, drained
3 T. lime juice
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Remove excess fat from chicken. Mix onion, garlic, broth, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper sauce in crock pot. Add chicken.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender.
Remove chicken from slow cooker. Use 2 forks to remove bones and shred chicken into pieces. Discard bones; return chicken to slow cooker. Stir in beans, corn, lime juice and cilantro. Cover and cook on low heat setting 15 to 20 minutes or until beans and corn are hot.
8 servings.

snow fun

2008-01-05T13:42:00.000-05:00

these were pictures I made a collage from for our Christmas card this year. There is a really cool old barn across the street from us that we took these pictures in front of.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

2008-01-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

Whew, I guess it's been a while since I have posted anything here. And
I have thought of it, just haven't really had the time to sit down and
put my thoughts into words with all of the busy holiday activities,
etc. We had a nice holiday, just a bit different than usual. This year
we spent Christmas Eve with my parents and my sister, then actually had
(our first) Christmas Day at home, without company or traveling
anywhere! It was nice, and I think the kids really enjoyed staying in
their pjs all day and playing with their new toys. The day after Christmas we left here at lunchtime and travelled up north to Boyne, a ski resort in northern Michigan. David's whole family was there for 4 days to ski and use the indoor waterpark and just spend a little vacation together. It was a fun, busy time, full of new memories. I must say though, that taking 5 children ANYWHERE for ANY amount of time is literally like moving. For a 4 day trip we had our Suburban packed full inside, and the canvas luggage carrier full on top of the truck as well. The poor kids were like little sardines in there and when we stopped for bathroom or baby feeding breaks, they had to navigate their way out of their seats ever so carefully not to step on anything packed around their feet. Ah, well. We like to say that we don't do things small in our family, from the amount of kids we have to the amount of food I make at meals to packing for trips. :) Good times.
David has been off work for the two weeks which has been really nice. It is always good to have him home. They all (3 kids and David) will be back to school Monday. Our mornings of sleeping until 8 will be over and back to getting up at 6:30 or so.
Personally, I am mentally preparing myself to make some changes for the new year. With the baby being more awake and therefore needing me a bit more, I am finding I feel busier now than when Gabe was a newborn. Last month I found myself feeling stretched very thin and often frustrated at the end of the day. My goal for this new year is to work on the structure of my day. Having meal plans for two weeks at a time, getting the housework done in a reasonable amount of time (or actually letting things go more often) instead of spending all day on it. I guess I just feel the need to make these small changes with the hopes of feeling a bit more relaxed at the end of the day, and to be able to spend more quality time with the kids as well. After 12+ years of being a mother/wife, I still have these times of getting back to the basics. Usually it happens after we have a new baby. Anyway, there's my goal and I am looking forward to starting the new year on a new foot and with a new outlook. *smile*
So this year, 2008, we have a few milestones we will celebrate! Our 12th anniversary is coming up on the 20th of this month. We will take 5 children to Walt Disney World in April (Lord, help us). Our oldest child will turn 13!! Our second born will be 9, #3 will be 6, #4 will be 4, and #5 will be 1!! Lots to look forward to, but at the same time it is bittersweet to see them grow up so fast. I frequently tell them to just "stop growing up", but they don't listen.
Now that I have written a novel to try to catch everyone up on our very exciting life...I will start a new post with some cute pictures of fun things we did over the Christmas season.
Many blessings to all of you in this new year.

A little Christmas Elf

2007-12-24T09:34:00.000-05:00

was up until 2 am doing a pile of dishes last night. Thanks little elf!

Don't wrap him!!

2007-12-23T22:49:00.000-05:00

Our kids drew names this year, so they could buy a gift for one of their siblings. Sydnee has Gabe to buy for and today it was her turn to go into mom and dad's room to wrap his gift. David says, "Syd, go ahead and wrap Gabe's". Luke overheard and frantically ran into the kitchen saying, "no! Don't do that! I like him too much, don't wrap him!" He was so worried Sydnee was going to wrap his baby brother! We had a really good laugh about that. I asked Luke if he thought Gabe would like being wrapped and he assured me that he wouldn't at all because "he's very little still".

2007-12-23T19:58:00.000-05:00

DIY

2007-12-17T10:43:00.000-05:00

I just had to share a picture of my newly painted secretary desk. It was a natural wood color when we got it 6 years ago, but since then we've gotten new furniture and my mom gave me the idea to paint it black. It turned out so nice! So now my creativity quota has been met for the year! hee hee.

sweet tooth?

2007-12-13T20:21:00.000-05:00

the kids had fun making gingerbread people tonight. Aren't they cute?

terms of endearment

2007-12-11T18:35:00.000-05:00

Today when Maddy and Ben got off the bus and came inside, Luke ran to the porch and greeted Maddy with, "Hi sweet cheeks, how was your day?"
Too funny!

he rolls!

2007-12-06T09:17:00.000-05:00

Gabe reached a new milestone on Monday, he rolled from front to back! This is quite an accomplishment when you weigh 17.5 pounds. Here's the pictures I took, I was so glad I had the camera out!!