Feel the love

The love is flowing in the van each morning. This morning it went a little like this...

Ethan: "Avery is looking at me mean!"

Avery: "well, Ethan is bugging me!"

Me: "everyone, keep your eyes and hands to yourself!"

We take turns praying on the way to school. I many times lose track whose turn it is to pray. I'm sure God is so proud when they fight like cats over whose turn it is...

Me: I think it's your turn to pray Ethan (he immediately starts)

Avery: (in the middle of Ethan's prayer) HE JUST PRAYED! I HAVEN"T PRAYED ALL WEEK!" (she has!)

Ethan: "dear Jesus help Avery to stop looking at me"

Avery: "dear Jesus, help Ethan to stop bugging me!"

me: "dear Lord, my children are bugging me!"

Thoughtful Thursday

pause my music playlist over to the side and enjoy the song and video! I especially like the part of the video when it depicts the whole world in God's hand! Puts everything into great perspective. This song has really encouraged me lately!

Not about what's in it

but what is on it! See this look of pure satisfaction? Take away the name and you will see a completely different expression...one that is sad, one that has tears, one that is very upset that dear mommy forgot the most important part....lines are no good, a heart will not suffice...it is all in the name....it is the little things in life that make a four year olds day and i'm glad i can oblige...

Favorite show

My hubby got me hooked...we dvr them and get so excited when life slows down long enough and we are both home together long enough that we can sit down and watch them! The new season just started back up...if your not already hooked, just watch one and i bet you will be...i'm waiting on the game to be over so we can watch the first epsiode that we have been waiting all weekend to be able to watch...so what is your favorite tv show, the one you just have to watch, the one you dvr???

I'm gonna go watch some Michael Weston...

And then she was nine

Nine years ago today on January 24th 2001, Johnny and i welcomed a pudgy 9lb 2oz baby girl to the world. She, like her older brother had a mop of dark hair on her head. We were thrilled to have a sister for our little guy. We named her Avery Michelle (Michelle being my middle name as well).

Avery has always been a bundle of energy and i am reliving her toddlerhood with Raegan right now (my girls are both very strong willed) they are so much alike.

She started walking when she was 8 months old, it didn't even look right...she was so bowlegged in the beginning, cracked us up! She was our chunker...she was a chubby little girl for the first year of her life and then slowly started thinning out. Now you would never know she was ever a chunk!

She has had pretty severe eczema from the time she was an infant. She has asthma and is allergic to most anything outside (might be axaggerating a little) and she has handled it all like a champ! Winter time is always the best season for her because she doesn't have to struggle with the discomforts quite as much as her eczema is allergy related...we are hoping one of these days Avery that you won't have to deal with your skin issues but know that mommy and daddy are proud of how you handle it!

Avery, we are so happy that you are a part of our family! We love the hugs, we love the silly giggles, we love seeing you happy and having fun with your friends. We are so proud of you and the young lady you are becoming. Happy #9 sweetie!!

Running away

That's it mommy, i'm running away. These naps are for the birds and i just really don't have any interest in them anymore. I've tried my best at entertaining myself in my little cage...i have been slowly working at neatly ripping the border down...i jump up and down on my dora backpack and sing happy birthday??...i pull every blanket i can reach within near proximity so that my bed is nice and comfy to do anything but sleep....i take my clothes and diaper off, cause i just want to...i take the lid off my sippy cup and dump my juice just for you mommy cause i know you like cleaning...i talk to keep myself awake...but that's just not cutting it anymore...i'm breaking out...i'm cutting loose...i'm outta here!

Mommy was a little surprised the first time she caught me, the second time i think she was a tad amused, especially when she found me all decked out to run away and all...the last three times she hasn't seemed quite so happy and i keep getting a swat on my leg...in all attempts to get out of nap time...if everything else fails...just poop your pants...that's sure to get you out for a little while anyway.

Reading material

A must have while your eating cereal...some good reading material...or in Ethan's case some good picture material...

i love this boy...i love his boots...i love this boy in his boots!

Wordless Wednesday

Goals

It's a new year. I didn't write any new year's resolutions this year, but as i drove today for several hours today i was thinking about(well actually i have been thinking about them for several days) some goals for myself personally this year.

My number one goal is to spend more time in God's Word. I am ashamed at my lack of time i have spent in it over the last several years. I want to do better, i want to have a consistent personal quiet time...this is something that i have struggled with, especially since having kids...which is the time when i probably need to focus on it more than any other time...but has been the time i have shoved it to the back burner...need to move it to the front burner.

I want to be a more patient mom, a more loving mom.I want to worry less about everything in my home being perfectly clean and in order and worry more about spending quality time with my family. I really struggle with how my house looks affecting my overall mood and causing me to be short and less patient with my kids and my husband. I know that the world will not collapse if everything is not in it's perfect place, if there is a load of laundry undone, a few specks on the carpet, a few dishes in the sink, or some toys scattered on the floor...but many times what i know and how i act do not measure up. This is a big challenge for me!

I want to be a mom that is not enduring the days with young kids at home, but embracing

them. I admit some days lately i have let the two year old tantrums, the preteen attitudes and the sibling rivalry overwhelm and discourage me. Some days all of the kids talking to me at once and needing different things all at the same time make me feel like i'm going to lose it. With God's grace and help i am going to make an effort to take one moment at a time even if that moment might be a crazy one...to take it in stride and with patience.

These are just a few of my goals, my struggles, my weaknesses. I will strive to love more, stress less, laugh more, spend more quiet time with God, manage my time better and most of all treasure these gifts more than i already do....

Our weekend

this was our crew of boys last night that stayed the night, we caught them playing at 3 am this morning...our small house was extremely loud as the cousins had a star wars war all over the house...crazy loud and chaotic but i'm sure they all had a great time....i love watching these boys grow up together...the boys were especially excited that Trevin was able to come from Hutchinson.

As i'm typing this post i have two nurses (avery and ethan) giving me shots in my legs, having an iv hooked up in my arm and i keep getting reminded "mommy say ouch", getting my temperature taken, oh and also having surgery on my arm...i'm being told it's only going to hurt a little more....but since i can't take a picture of myself being the patient...here is the patient that was taken care of before me...

Their is a monkey in the house

Actually he is the fifth monkey in the house, but he is a new favorite with my two little monkeys....Curious George, was introduced to Ethan and Raegan by Aunt Susan and they love George. They watched it s bunch when we stayed at their house for Christmas. I am dvr'ing them all since we are not up that early so when we get back from taking the kids to school they are super ready to watch the newest George ! Raegan was so into it she couldn't even take her eyes off of it for a picture!

Oh and my oldest two monkeys will watch "the baby show" with their sibling monkeys, though they may deny it!

Your paper is on the roof

these were very similar to the bags we wore on our shoulders or on our bikes

No, no i never left it on the roof...well actually i think i did one time and just gave them another one...

I can't remember what age i was when i became an official newspaper girl but i think it was around 12. When i first started we threw papers in the afternoon which i barely remember...i remember very well on the other hand once they switched it to being delivered before the crack of dawn!

My poor mother trying to wake all of us. I would sit up and as soon as she went out i would lay back down, i don't know how many times i did this but i'm surprised she was so patient with us.

We would then head out to the garage in a state of being half asleep and roll the stacks and stacks of papers...i hated the days we would see the bundles of papers covered in plastic which meant we would then have to bag all the rolled papers, ugg, those days were the worst. We were some darn fast newspaper rollers let me tell ya...after rolling all the papers we would load up in our over the shoulder bags...or the over the board on the back of the bike bags...man we must have had some real balance back then, if i tried that now i would crash for sure!

My first time out i was terrified to even walk next door in the dark...i quickly got over that but there were still fears...seeing things behind trees...hearing something move and stopping dead in my tracks...and then there were dogs...i have a very big fear of dogs...if i see one on the loose i panic...so when i met up with a pit bull(i honestly don't know if it was a pit bull but it looked similar to one and in my mind it was a killer pit bull) on the loose one morning i instantly went to tears while we had a stare down and i used my entire can of halt spray (which by the way was useless and didn't phase the dog) he just continued to have a stare down with me and bark and growl like he was going to kill me while i screamed at him to "go home"! It ended with me taking off on my bike...mean killer dog chasing me (wanting to eat me) and me throwing newspapers at it all the way home. My dad then had to take me back to pick up all those newspapers in the streets because they still had to be delivered. But i wasn'teaten by the killer pit bull!

I always had lots of time to think, lot's of time to daydream, lot's of time to pray...even if over half of my prayers were consumed with "please don't let the boogyman get me...hey don't knock it, it was d.a.r.k. outside!

I would be so tired walking some days i would barely peek out of my shut eyes while i walked, wasn't praying those times...nope just sleeping while i walked...others in the family had issues with shutting their eyes, and would close their eyes while throwing papers on their bike and see how far they could go with them shut...won't name any names (cough, julie)...i was never quite that adventurous...remember several times of having to go get either my mom or dad to help get a paper off someones roof...wiped out someones plant one time...can't remember how i resolved that one...most of the time i had impecable aim and could nail the front porch, along with the front door (i'm sure the customers loved that) i walked through snow and rain and would come home and thaw my frozen toes and fingers by the fireplace and read the "funnies" (comics).

Collecting...i hated hearing my mom say "you need to go collecting" we would go door to door collecting payment for their newspaper delivery. I hated going to peoples doors...don't know why, i just did. Christmas time and tips was the best part. We would get a ton of cards with money in them...loved it!

Our family had at least 3 routes at all times while growing up (correct me if i'm wrong guys), pretty much all of the neighborhoods surrounding ours. I threw papers till i went to college and then even did it when i came home from college on breaks. One fun memory i have is picking up the newspapers at midnight on Christmas Eve and delivering the papers in the middle of the night...my brother would usually drive and we would all do them together.

As much as i complain about how awful it was...i believe it was key in teaching me to be a hard worker in life...even though i was almost eaten alive by a pit bull!

Happy Birthday

Our oldest is turning 11 today...goodness the time flies! We frosted a whole lot of cupcakes for his large class last night to take to school today. He get's to pick where we eat tonight and i think he has decided on Applebees (he was having a hard time making his decision) . he is going to have his party on Friday night with his cousins.

He was born on 01/12/99 at 8:12 pm and weighed 8lb 12.7oz. He was born with a mop of dark hair on his head and the nurses had fun styling it up for us. He was adorable and was the easiest baby! I followed the babywise schedule and he adapted to it perfectly and was sleeping through the night by 6 weeks old! Oh don't be jealous, my next three were not nearly as easy as him! :)

He is a joy to our family and provides lots of laughter. He is always quick to give up something for someone else to make them happy....i love that about him!

Happy Birthday Trey! Daddy and Mommy are so proud of you and look forward to seeing you grow up to be a great young man!

Winter fun

We played tag, we threw snow in each other's faces, we tackled, i got taken down by my (11 in one day year old) we got cold and went inside for some hot chocolate!

Restless

making Raegan clean the big booger off that she admittedly wiped on the wall

tackle time with daddy

The natives are getting very restless...very restless! Johnny was off work yesterday so we were all home, he fixed a huge breakfast...the kids always like when he is home because they get something besides cereal, oatmeal or toaster strudels. He can make an omelet only second to my dad's! He made Ethan a giant plate sized pancake that Ethan proceeded to "mow down". We played some dominoes and then Johnny and relaxed and watched the movie "office space" and laughed our heads off.

The kids were supposed to start school yesterday but were cancelled yesterday and again today. I think they are ready to get back. I love having them home but our routine get's a little or a lot out of whack and since i am such a routine kinda gal it kinda throws me out of whack. Little ones won't nap and that REALLY throws things out of whack, and makes for some cranky, crying and naked (ok that's a whole other story, duct tape and diaper, nuff said!) kids at times.

I am itching to get out and help Avery and Trey make a kickin snowman but Johnny convinced me that yesterday was not the day to play in the snow. Hopefully we will get out their soon and get one built and you can be sure i will take a picture when we do!

Being 10

Trey will be turning 11 in less than a week but while he is still 10...


favorite food- Chinese
favorite color- green
favorite toy- Star Wars toys
when i grow up- an army soldier
favorite thing about school- recess
favorite tv show- Star Wars the Clone Wars
favorite pastime- make up games in my mind and play them
least favorite school subject- math
something important i did while i was 10- got to be an usher in church with my friend Braden
one thing i really want to do when i'm 11- get out of elementary because you can chew gum in middle school

I am 74 pounds and i am 4 feet 7 inches.

Your husband

might be a pyromaniac if...


he starts fires just to...well i don't know...just to start a fire...i think he is missing our evenings on the patio!

Being 8

Avery Michelle is going to be turning 9 this month but while she is still 8...

favorite food- pizza
favorite color- purple
favorite book- Babysitter's Club
when i grow up- i don't know...well, a policewoman
favorite thing about school- recess
favorite tv show- Icarly
favorite pastime- read
least favorite school subject- spelling
something important i did while i was 8- got baptized
one thing i really want to do when i'm 9- sit without a booster! (i liked this one:)

I am 58 pounds and i am right at 4 feet tall (probably plenty big to sit without a booster)

Happy Sunday

Happy cold, cold, freezing cold, snowy, and did i mention freezing cold...Sunday! We had a great morning at church and now i am just sitting here trying to do anything to avoid going to the grocery store though i know i need to...it's just sooo cold!! Normally i would think...i will just wait a day or two till it warms up but from watching the forecast there is no warmness in sight.

Johnny is lounging around and says he thinks he might want a snuggie, maybe he can borrow trey's Star Wars one. :)

Raegan is supposed to be taking a nap but when i just went to check on her cause she was hollering, she shushed me cause "my baby is sleeping" . My dear, MY baby needs to stop talking so she can go to sleep too!

Ethan is already sound asleep...that little guy needs to do some serious catch up on sleep...he get's very cranky without his naps which are few and far between when his older siblings are off from school.

Three more days of vacation for Trey and Avery...Avery would say"only two more nights that i get to stay up till 9 oclock"!


Enough stalling...gonna go bundle up and go to the store already!

Happy New Year

This is one of my favorite pictures...my younger brother John and Raegan. Phil and Julie were nice enough to open up there home for us to invade with all of our rambunctious kids for new year's eve! We had plenty of munchies and lots of pizza rolls! :)

Uncle Phil helped the girls make some pretzels with Malia's easy bake oven

Raegan cuddling up with Aunt Melanie

the adults and our SPARKLING GRAPE JUICE just in case there is any confusion :)

setting off the indoor fireworks!

aww happy new year my little man...this is what happens when one won't nap for mommy!

and last but not least our little party girl who brought in the new year awake and wearing her confetti!

We didn't get a guy's belly picture for 2010 but i think a new tradition of running around the house outside in the snow with bare feet was started. Some did better than others and didn't have to bandage their foot!


I hope you all had a safe and happy new years! Excited to see what a new year brings!

Second Christmas

We had Christmas with Johnny's parents and brother and family on Sunday. The kids love this little tiny addition to the family....she is pretty stinkin cute!

Uncle David and Aunt Wendy playing with Raegan

Trey and Dylan got to spend a couple of days together and were in Star Wars heaven

Avery got a bake set and so Grandma helped her whip up some mini blueberry muffins for everyone

Ethan bundled up and stayed out for a whole 5 minutes

he got his very own monkey bread making kit!!

Trey's room has been overtaken by Star Wars toys!!

no little two year old mommy can have enough babies!