Welcome to Christmas Eve

I don't normally hear my dear husband scream. I did this morning.

DH headed down to the basement to get the stockings to find 2 inches of water in the basement.

sigh

Wrath of a 5 year old

This is what I hear: wailing, top of his lungs wailing. I am sure there was gnashing of teeth also. "YOU TOOK MY LEGO PIECE! YOU TOOK IT OFF MY GUY. YOU TOOK IT! YOU ARE A BERY, BERY BAD BOY."

#2 tries to talk to him rationally. It doesn't work. #4 comes downstairs to hide and sulk. I called him over, "Come here little man."

This conversation starts:
#4: Mom, #2 took my lego piece. YOU need to give him a wedgie.
Me: I am not sure a wedgie would be the right answer.
#4: Yes, it would. He took my lego piece. You go upstairs right now and give him a wedgie. Come on mom. Give HIM A WEDGIE.

Don't cross this kid. He goes right for the tender areas.

Conversation about parenting

Stated by DH: "We made the choice at the beginning that we wouldn't beat them."

Me: "We can change our minds."

OH, the weather outside is frightful

12 inches the other day, another 4 at least, the driveway is gone, totally drifted over, negative wind chill.

#4 is still praying for snow every single meal and prayer and he looks to me with those big brown eyes with eyelashes that hit his eyebrows and says, "Mom. Heavenwy Fadda. He answas my prayas." (Mom, Heavenly Father. He answers my prayers." Why, yes, he does.

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

#5's funny

Do you know what this is?

http://www.pokemon.com/

#6 says: IT'S POKEJUAN!

Explain to me

why is it when DH is out of town we get 6 inches of snow?

and it has to be removed from the driveway or else it turns into a sheet of ice and our van gets stuck.

Picture this: a woman, light blue coat, black hat, one green mitten, one red mitten, her sons boots and fogged up glasses.


UPDATED: How come when DH is out of town we get 6 inches of snow and I do the driveway with the tractor and then the clutch goes totally out on it and have to push the tractor from the end of the driveway back to the barn? I ate snow at least twice when we hit a patch of ice on the driveway and I slid and the tractor didn't. #2 had a really good laugh at me.

ibuprofen needed-and the boys did help

MWAAAHAHAHAHA

watch this

http://www.mormonmommywars.com/?p=1607

What Christmas goodies are you making?

Just curious.

It seems the older the children get the more things are requested. I put the requestor after the cookie. We are making: baklava (#1), buckeyes (#2), amaretti (moi), coconut macaroons (#4), peanut brittle (tradition), norwegian christmas wreaths (#3), peppermint bark (#5-cause it's chocwat), and molasses cookies (DH). I should ask Grammie to make the datenut bread. She makes it better than I do.

We start baking next Monday.

The New Nickname

#6 earned herself a new nickname today at church. Mugger Baby. She is 15 months old. She is wiggly and everywhere. During the second hour of church she is normally starving. I grabbed the dregs of a bag of cereal for her to eat during Sunday School. (I still refuse to feed them during Sacrament Meeting.)

DH, #6 and I are in Sunday school, she is chomping away at the cereal. A sister to the right of us is sitting with her son (she is probably middle 70s, son is 50s but she has Parkinsons and needs help because her hands shake so badly). She has a purse and a water bottle (she always has these). The sister was thirsty so she opened her bottle of water and took a drink. #6 saw her and immediately slid off DHs lap and went to beg for a drink. The sister didn't know what #6 really wanted and she let #6 carry the water bottle all around. #6 gave back the water bottle and then started rummaging through her purse. She found a bag of cheeze-its, handed it up to her and signed for food. All the while she is humming/growling to emphasize exactly what she wants. She tried to open the bag but the sister just couldn't do it and handed it to her son. He opened it with his teeth and gave the crackers his mom to eat. #6 is at her knees humming/growling at her to give her some. We had removed #6 seveal times back to our laps but she kept going for more. The sister gave #6 some of the crackers and #6 was happy for a while. During the closing prayer while everyone's heads were bowed and eyes closed she went over and stole the bag of crackers out of the purse.

#6's new nickname (given by #2) is Mugger Baby. She didn't quite mug the sister but she did steal.

The sister thought it was the cutest thing. did you see my mommy eye rolls?

I guess we have 2 MBs now.

Mugger Baby and Monkey Butt. How did this happen??

The Ns & Ms

#4 is 5, remember? he is a handful! (his words emphatically spoken while all 5 fingers are up in the air!) He loves being 5. He has been very funny lately. He has his Ns and Ms mixed up. He has aminals, emenies, and cimmanon.

Me: #4? when are you going to wear the farmer pants? (carhart overalls)
#4: When we get aminals. You know, dose chickens?

Me: Who do you love?
#4: Da bruddas. I wuv dem.
Me: What about the sistas?
#4: Maybe #6. but not Wigga-she is my emeny.

#4: Mom? Can I have cimmanon toast for a snack?

Temple Trip

I left at 6:15 this morning to go to the temple with #1 and #2. I cannot remember the last time I was up ON PURPOSE at 5 a.m. It was a good morning. There were 21 youth that attended. They were well behaved even in Burger King on the way home.

I ran into Brother King from the Dearborn Ward. He was utterly astonished how much the boys had grown.

Afternoon-DH and #1 parked cars for fundraiser for Philmont. Our scout troop has a deal with AAA. AAA owns a parking lot across from the football stadium. The scouts clean up after the tailgaters during football season but by doing this earn the privilege to park cars and keep all proceeds for basketball season.

I just don't get it

Today I found out from DH that he is heading to New Jersey for a week. You know, the week before Christmas? Mild panic attack hits me as I realize, "Oh. I don't have a gift for DH." So, DH is on the phone finalizing the travel plans I whip my hair back in a ponytail, slap on some lip gloss and wave goodbye. He mouths, "where are you going?" I say, "Christmas shopping-you are leaving and I have to go shopping." (how often do I say I have to go shopping? never.)

I head to WalMart. I had to buy curtain rods and they have the cheapo 1.67 a rod kind there. I pass through shoes to look for slippers for #1 cause I can't find a size 14 at the thrift store. (Yes-14s.) On my way out of the section I hear a WalMart associate arguing with a customer. "No. That is not my job." Add all the sass and attitude you can think of and you have the correct tone she had. I had passed this man and he was trying on boots. He was in a scooter and had to be pushing 85. He was having trouble getting a boot off and the associate would not help him. I had kept on walking and was about to leave the section but I just couldn't do it. I could not leave this man who needed help getting a boot off alone. The associate just sashayed past me with her maincured nails up in the air, rolling her eyes and bad mouthing this man.

OK, yes, he could have smelled better. Sure, he could have brought some one to help him but he didn't. I turned my cart around and asked him if he needed help. He just needed help getting a boot off. It took some pulling but no one else was around to see my butt up in the air so I just leaned over and heaved away. 5 minutes tops. I just don't get it.

One thing I love about being a mama

I love holding hands with my little ones. The big ones won't let me hold their hands anymore. I love the implicit trust and the giggles when we walk holding hands.

We have 2 Deacons

#2 was ordained as a deacon today.

Early Bird and Night Owl

Early Bird and Night Owl, that is us. I am the Early Bird, DH is the Night Owl. And while the going to bed at different times has erked me for years (years.and.years.) it does have its advantages.

This morning I wake to find #5's bedding in the kids bathroom. I am not exactly sure if it vomit or some other excrement. I am just going to toss it in the washer on sanitary and hope for the best. That Night Owl did not wake me-he let me sleep through whatever happened-is such a blessing for me. He was probably still working and awake when the crying started. He just thinks best between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. I have come to accept that is His productive time and let him be. He knows that he can handle what comes up with the kids during that time and a happy mama is a mama that had a good night's sleep and since she had enough sleep she doesn't have a headache.

Gotta love that man. He lets me sleep!

off to do the wash...

This was quite an invitation

Last night #1 was invited to go to Philmont.

Whooley Mooley. 

After the move

I don't know what it is about moving but our appliances don't like it. We have already replaced the dishwasher and hot water heater. Now my computer crashed and is away being fixed (how come that always happens over a holiday week?) and my sewing machine. sigh

We had a great Thanksgiving at our old ward building. We saw dear friends and loved every minute.

DH took Thanksgiving week off. We used the time to almost completely empty the old house. We still have about 8 boxes of #10 cans left in one closet. Everything else is empty. It is sad. We had 3 babies in that house. It has many many good memories. Many dear people came into my life when we lived there. Heavenly Father sent them to me to help me. There were people who held the babie at church, the ones who came and sat in the pew when DH was in the bishopric, the ones who made me laugh and the ones who taught me to cherish my children and dear, dear husband. I cry as I type because I miss them.

I didn't expect to see this when the children came up from the basement

Don't you just love big brothers with artistic talent?

I'll take that dare

DH-1986

Me-1986 after gymkhana whipped cream fight

There you go Stacie. :)

I think he should paint his face orange

and go as a jack-o-lantern for Halloween. but he won't do it-killjoy.

So how is your food storage?

Just wondering...

"I Am" Poems

e.e. cummings they aren't

Written by #1

I am tough but I can be gentle.
I wonder what the future is.
I hear gun shots!
I see war fair.
I want a Wii game.
I am tough but I can be gentle.

I pretend I am a soldier.
I feel sad.
I touch the cold steel of tanks.
I worry if the soldiers will come home.
I cry.
I am tough but I can be gentle.

I understand that war isn' fair.
I say "NUKE 'EM!"
I dream when there will be peace.
I try to be a soldier when I am old enough.
I hope that the Germans do not start World War III.
I am tough but I can be gentle.

#2's

I am a lego maniac who likes white bread.
I wonders about some books?
I hear blaster fire!
I see a clone trooper!
I want to play Wii.
I am a lego maniac who likes white bread.

I pretend to do nothing.
I feel mad.
I touch a blaster.
I worry about #3.
I cry war cries.
I am a lego maniac who likes white bread.

I understand math problems.
I say LEGOS!
I dream weapons.
I try to do good.
I hope for peace.
I am a lego maniac who likes white bread.

I actually think #1's has some potential with some editing-this was their first shot at poetry writing.

So who is taller?

DH is holding the phone but #1 has more hair-but he doesn't have bed head. Right shoulders-#1 looks a smidge taller than DH. DH is in denial but I think #1 is passing him up.

A Question from #5

"Mom? Is today Freesday?"

translation: "Mom? Is today threesday?"

you know, because yesterday was Twosday.

I love it when they are obsessed with counting.

School organizing would be much easier IF

the babies would leave the dots on the books.

An explanation--Sonlight is our curriculum and has been for a few years. It is a literature rich curriculum. That means many, many books. Each level has readers, read alouds, science books, history books, and even more tossed in for fun. To keep the books organized the company sends sticky paper that you can cut out dots or squares to stick onto the spine of the books. Each core (or different grade level) has a different color. It works very well WHEN the girls don't peel the stickers off the spines of the books.

The result? The start of school is delayed and I have to scan all 10 bookcases looking for the books I need. very.time.consuming.and.tiring. Today I am scotch taping all the dots on so maybe, just maybe, those little girl fingers won't peel off the dots. And I won't have to repeat this again.

A Chat with the Teenager

It went something like this:
Mom: I like children that do their work. I like children that don't complain and cause problems with their siblings.
#1: Ah, okay.
Mom: You have an assignment. I want a list of 25 things you are grateful for.
#1: Okay.

The conversation was a little more intense than that but I am preserving his privacy just a little bit.

Here is the list:
1. I am thankful for books
2. video games
3. legos
4. Scouts
5. Electricity
6. Friends
7. food
8. Water
9. Air
10. A home
11. clothes
12. wood
13. mom and dad
14. church
15. Sunday school
16. medicine
17. snow
18. family
19. science
20. the world
21. a government
22. money
23. a prophet
24. animals
25. school

Did you notice that DH and I came in at #13? and school at #25? giggle

Calling all you homeschool mommies-question

Ring Ring

Ring Ring

If you have five students to teach and not all of them are willing (but able) to follow a list of assignments to complete, what consequences do you use when they don't complete their assignments?

I am logistically attempting to figure out this school year and it is looking crazy. I have Sonlight Core 6 for #1,2, and 3 (but different readers for #3), Core K for #4 and 5. While I am doing school with the littles the olders have enough time to get their bookwork done. But will they? in the past, nope. I don't have time to mess around with their lackidaisical ways this year and they need to just get it done. What do you recommend?

Did I mention that my DH just bought 5.63 acres of allergens?

His hayfever was bothering him a few weeks ago and he finally decided to get allergy tested. He thought it was ragweed. Turns out it is grass and trees and cats and feathers and dustmites.

Good-bye to our 3 cats and my beloved down comforter.


wahhhhh

so I am making wool blanket quilts. I have been thrift store shopping and picking up wool blankets as I find them along with flannel sheets. I like wool blankets but DH doesn't like the itchy aspect. So I am sandwiching the wool blanket with flannel sheets, tying them with wool yarn. They should be soft and cozy and very warm. I have already made 4 for the boys. I get to do mine and DH's next. I just have to buy another blanket for him. (We have for a few years been sleeping each with our own blankets cause we both like to cocoon up in them and no one ends up with cold toes. We have a bedspread/quilt that goes over both blankets and it looks just fine.)

DH is considering allergy shots. Poor sniffly guy.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I know I am not the only woman that makes that sound when it comes to laundry. At the old house we had all the child clothes in the room with the washers and dryers. (Yes-plural.) Now in the new house we have A washer and A dryer in the upstairs laundry closet. Can I just say WHO are these people who design such sucky laundry and kitchen set-ups? They must be people who never cook or do laundry. (cough:men:cough)

Sooooo, because we got rid of all the dressers to be able to fit into the last house we now have no dressers in the new house. (We couldn't fit the dressers and all the beds in the bedrooms so we made a family closet in the laundry room in the basement.) Sooooooo, now I have to figure out how in the heck to sort the laundry and store it.



AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

so everything is going on hangers and I am cutting everyone down to 4-5 outfits and only one towel per person, all white. All extra towels are going into storage with the pool things.

#6 is still breast feeding

She is after all the last one. I nursed #1 and 2 until 2 1/2 or so. She is down to a morning and evening nursing.

Have I ever mentioned the funny nursing story about #1? He was such a wiggler. We finally just got to the point we would put him to bed without nursing him, wait until he was asleep an hour or so and then nurse him because he would just get down to business and not climb on top of my head while trying to snack. Anyway, one night DH brought him in all sleepy and just as DH was putting him on the bed #1 says, "MMMMMMmmmMAMA!" That kid knew he was getting some milk and was excited about it.

When I was on bedrest last year I got nightgowns. They are sorta grannyish but when I had a 10 pound baby with an extra gallon and a half of amniotic fluid in my abdominal cavity anything with a waistband just hurt to wear. It hurt. So I have a couple nightgowns that have a placket opening with 5 buttons that I normally just keep the top button buttoned. #6 tonight got on my lap grabbed both sides of the placket pulled with all her might, popped the button of my nightgown, looked in at my breasts and yelled, "YAH!"

I think it was Mark Gungor that said breastfeeding is turning an erogenous zone into public utilities. Oh, so true.

I turned 40 last week

If we hadn't of moved I would have thrown a big party. Maybe then I would have gotten a birthday cake.

The boys did very well. They made me eggs benedict for breakfast. It was delicious. Probably one of the best presents ever for a woman in my stage of life was given to me. Can you guess??

No gemstone involved. No fur. No masseur.

I received a keypad locking doorknob for my bedroom. You know one of those ones that your type in the code and it opens.

No more red nailpolish incidents at our house.

Well, what did I do on my birthday? I went on a field trip with the family and picked pears. It was a good day.

I have been in a bit of a funk lately. I am not sure why. I am NOT upset to be forty and it truly doesn't bother me because I would much rather be 40 than 20. I know I have many, many productive years ahead of me. I have finally realized that this is it. Those little kids are growing up and it will pass my by if I don't take time to twirl with the girls or jump on the trampoline with them. (but if I do that anymore I need a better bra-steel plated so I don't knock myself senseless) I found myself really wondering if what I have done has even made a difference in the world. Have I mattered? And raising kids somedays you really wonder. The continual selflessness and sleep deprivation and whining that surrounds me gets to me somedays. I really do wish sometimes that someone would just bake the cake I want and make sure that the dinner includes avocado and bleu cheese. I wonder if it will be worth it or will I be lost in the constant giving?

Harvest Season and the M.O.M.

hear the tired sigh, tired but satisfied sigh

I don't know what happened this year but all the trees around us are producing pears, crab apples, apples, hickory nuts, walnuts and whatever else I haven't seen yet. I was driving down our little dirt road and noticed that my neighbor has pear trees. They were loaded with nice pears. I went over and introduced myself and asked if we could have the pears. She willingly let me have them and I started picking-8 bushels of pears. Then we noticed on the way back to our house the hickory trees are bearing nuts this year. And the walnuts. And the crabapple trees are loaded with fruit and the apple trees. Whoa!

Right now crabapples are in my steam juicer making the house smell all apple-ly. I made some syrup and the family gobbled it all up on whole wheat pancakes-crabapple syrup yumilicious. The pears are in the mudroom ripening. I have been doing research on pear recipes and I think we are definitely going to try gingerbread pancakes with pear sauce for breakfast next week.

On the child front....I have a 3 1/2 year old girl that is willing to come to your house and destroy it. All of our children have gone through chemist phases. No one has topped #1 yet but she is sure trying her darndest. #1 at this age put Hershey's syrup under the couch cushions and green tempera paint. #5 got into our room and emptied out all the lubricant all over our nightstand and floor. Then colored the walls. What is it about girls and coloring on the walls?? NONE of the boys did this. More than one horizontal surface in my house has her marks. I came home Saturday to find red nail polish up to the second knuckle on each finger and all her toes were done too-all the toe-not just the nail. DH just looked at me sheepishly and said, "I don't know how she got hold of it!" She is certainly living up to her Mistress of Mess title (M.O.M.). I am just thankful the M.O.D. seems to be taking a break (Master of Disaster, aka #4).

I am children's books snob

I admit it. I have read a few books to my kids (*hundreds*) and a lot of them are just not worth my time. I am to the point now that if I don't like the book I get rid of it-donate or even throwaway (gasp!) I am not sure how to describe the books I like. I like books that are not insulting to my child's intelligence. I like books with great art-all different kinds of art. I especially like books that have a moral to them because you are reading you might as well get some character development in there too. I like books that are fun to read (but I am not a huge fan of Dr. Seuss).

So, here is a list of books we have read lately that I just like:

Mailing May
Higgin's Bend Song and Dance
The Salamander Room
Roxaboxen
Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type
The Bee Tree
The Raft
Petunia

So, what did you do all day?

I spent the day shopping. It isn't as exciting as it sounds. First I had to organize all the homeschool books, workbooks, binders, CDs, tapes...then I hit the books--the catalogs to order the curriculum for the upcoming year. 5 of them have school this next year. The last is a toddler that will make schooling 5 of them very interesting. The older 3 will be studying World History. #4 and 5 will be studying world cultures and learning to read. Wow. Probably by Christmas I will have taught 5 of my children to read. (They are both really ready and have been begging to learn to read.) Now to work on the routine and schedule.

We have been sick, sick, sick

Well make that 8 sicks-cause we all have it. I am not sure exactly what IT is but we were exposed to Hand, Foot, Mouth disease and we have some of the symptoms plus yucky noses. Back to the couch.

Simple Math

A Brother
PLUS
Scissors
EQUALS
a bunch of hair,
a sister with a bob
and a bald head.

He's a reader

Third Harry Potter book in a week. He came up for food every now and then.

Here Stacie

We were talking today and I mentioned blurb.com. You can download your blog and have a book printed. http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook Great way to solve journalling angst. and scrapbooking.

My Dear Last Baby,

You are a ferocious, fuzzhead, fireball. You are curious and busy but we wouldn't know what to do with a non-busy baby. You love your brothers, especially #2. They make you laugh and you make them laugh. We are so glad to have you in our family. We love your little chirps and your signs. You are climbing. You adore mandarin oranges and bananas. Yes, it was a sacrifice getting you here but I knew the moment the nurse laid you in my arms it was all worth it. And it has been.


Love-Your Mama

Look who is ONE.

ahem, have you seen this?

http://www.007.com/

just wondering...

raisinettes in the popcorn? or milk duds?

patches patches and more PATCHES

Boy Scout uniform day...

#1, #2, #3 and DH all needed shirts. Old ones torn off, new ones shopped for and sewn on.

Four shirts done. Hallelujah.

For the first time ever too!

I have been tagged.--THE FIVE

10 years ago I:

1. was renovating our first house

2. had a 3 year old and a 1 1/2 year old-and still nursing both-see pictures aren't they cute!

3. had no kitchen or walls in the house (really, we were living out of 2 finished bedrooms, eating on a card table and cooking on a Coleman stove, doing dishes in the bathtub--ahhhh, the memories)

4. was working in the Young Women's organization

5. learned that some contracters are just plain ole crooks

5 things on today's "to do" list:

1. clean the kitchen-done

2. bring Aubrey and Danielle to the bus stop

3. reserve books at the library for school next week

4. order my birthday present

5. vacuum house-half done

5 snacks I enjoy:

1. tomato sandwiches-toast wheat bread, real mayo, slice of fresh tomato, salt

2. popcorn

3. grapes

4. tootsie rolls

5. smokehouse almonds

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:

1. pay off the house and put in the kitchen I need

2. start a private school in the area something to promote the principles on which our country was founded, religion included with academic rigor, more of a mentoring type of school

3. finish schooling-at least fund it for me and the children

4. scuba dive the Great Barrier reef

5. buy new underwear for me, my mom and sister (inside joke)

5 places I have lived:

1. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan, eh!

2. Marion, Alabama

3. Minneapolis, Minnesota

4. Richardson, Texas

5. Orem, Utah

5 jobs I have had:

1. delivering and making pizza

2. executive secretary for a non-profit organization

3. marketing administrative assistant

4. bossing around men in uniform

5. M.O.M.-Mom Of Many

Update on Baa Ram Ewe

Ever since #1 told me about trying out the sheep password I was dying to ask him a couple questions. I have learned as a mother there are sometimes you don't ask right away. I can get more information out of them if I just play it cool and wait a couple days. Anyway, we were playing Apples to Apples (Aubrey and Danielle are here for a long weekend) and my opportunity came.

Me: "So did you actually say the sheep password to the sheep? Did you wait until Dale and #2 weren't around or what?"
#1: "Yah. I tried it twice and it didn't work."

Guess who pipes up?

#2: "Well I waited until both of them weren't around and I tried it four times. It didn't work either."

Neither of them knew the other was trying out the sheep password on the sheep and BOTH of them tried multiple times. I am sticking with childhood innocence...

The Boy Room

A before and after-

The room is long and skinny and the only saving grace is the 4 dormers are exactly 39 inches wide. Just wide enough to fit a twin mattress. All 4 boys are sharing this room. There is lots of sunlight. Each of them has a dormer with a window. Each has a desk and their bed is set on wheat buckets so there is enough clearance to go under and hide. #2 asked for a little led light to stick on the underside of his bed for the "perfect reading spot." Each boy also has a curtain to close off the dormer for some privacy. I made those out of matching flat bed sheets and tension rods. Nothing fancy but each boy has their own desk, bed, storage underneath the bed and a shelf over the desk. Maybe when they stop ruining things I will buy furniture but of course by then they will be on their missions, right?

Just a reminder to myself

“When God wants a great work done in the world, or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home and of some obscure mother. And then God puts the idea into the mother’s heart and she puts it into the baby’s mind. And then God waits. The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and thunderbolts. The greates forces in the world are babies. And greater than the babies are the mothers who give them life and mold their thoughts and set their higheste ideals. The hand that rocks the cradle is truly the hand that rules the world.” E.T. Sullivan “The Way to Peace,” p. 258

Note to self: suck it up Buttercup! It is bigger than you think.

As of right now

I am eating Hagen Daz out of the container and really understanding why some species eat their young.

A funny from #1

I know! #1???



We were visiting our neighbors last night. They have 2 sheep-a black wethered male and an ewe. This morning as I am shoveling yogurt into the baby I ask #1 what he thought was cool about last night. Here is the conversation:



Me: "So what did you think was cool last night?"

#1:"Well, I am not really an animal person yet."

Me: "Oh."

#1: "The dog. I think we should get a dog."

Me: "Well, we'll have to think about it but housetraining a puppy can be a lot of work."

#2 stumbles in bleary eyed.

Me: "So what did you think was cool last night?"

#2: "Going to bed."

#1 looks over at me quite seriously and says: "Well. Baa Ram Ewe does not work." and walks away.

Remember the movie "Babe"? what I would give to have seen my eldest son looking those sheep in the face and seeing if the sheep password would really work. Although 6 feet tall-there is still a young heart in that boy.

Met a Neighbor

They have 40 acres, bees, a cow, a goat, 2 sheep, chickens, ducks, gardens and ONE boy close to #2's age. Could be a match made in heaven...

Give me some movie titles! please...

last night DH and I sat down (for the first time in a verrry long time) to watch a movie. We turned it off after 7 minutes. After the 3rd kid swore it was too much. "Click" looked cute but wow the language.

No one will fess up

We had a dinner party.

We were going to have chicken.

Someone played with the knobs on the gas grill.

We had burgers.

He just wanted to sleep in a bucket

He's five

MOM! I a HANDFUL!

if you only knew, my boy, the double meaning.

Another Treasure Hunt

Here are the clues that #4 had to find his birthday present. I hid an index card in each spot and after he found it he came to me to get his next photo clue. The clues were in the peach jam, under the calendar page on the frig, in the gutter (used for a bookshelf in the school room), taped under the kitchen table and in the old dishwasher. (DH just installed a new one last night because the start button broke on the one that came with the house.)

I heard them waking up this morning and the very first thing was #1 saying Happy Birthday to #4. Then #4 said, "I get to do a tweasuwe hunt!" Then he came to wake me up. :)

sorta lonely

I just realized I am getting all this work done around here cause I don't have any friends to go out with.

boohoo

sniff

pout

I would even settle for a really boring movie with no dialouge...or sitting on the wrong side of the table listening to Springer-esque conversation....

End of August

ooooo! It is coming so fast! Labor Day! Soon the snow will be flying and we will be all cooped up inside. This week the boys (Jon included) mulched the trees. We had 12 cubic yards of mulch delivered from a recycle center. I know it sounds like a fantastically huge amount of mulch but we are going to not have enough. really It looks like we will not get the berry patches mulched.

We are preparing for spring by getting the garden patches ready. I have carpet on the grass to kill it. We will rototill the plot and compost it this fall. Killing the grass and weeds is top priority right now. It took me a while to figure out how to lay out the yard and gardens. The former owners really loved flowers. There are beds all around the house all of them perennials. Unfortunately in the year the house was vacant thistle and all sorts of other picky plants have had a great time invading the flower beds. I am getting rid of 3 of the flower beds and consolidating the perennials into the front of the house flower beds (one on each side of the porch). My evening tonight was spent going from the various flower beds, picking which flower I wanted, digging it up and moving it to the front of the house flower bed. Tomorrow we are moving peony bushes and removing spirea. Hopefully we can get under the crabapple tree done-the junipers that were underplanted died. The beds that I am taking the flowers out of-well that are going to be seeded with grass seed. I just don't want to spend all my time on flower beds. The plans are vegetables, chickens and bees. Spring 2010 we will consider some 4 legged critters for milk.

Also this week we have to move the chicken coops and paint them. This is gonna be a big project. So maybe we paint this week and move them next week. I am still researching the best place to put them.

School starts day after Labor Day. We will go get our library cards on Tuesday. The inside of the house is almost done-well done in there are not boxes everywhere anymore and it is semi-organized. We have furniture now! The only rooms really in shambles are the school and the mudroom. School room will be done tomorrow or Friday. Mudroom? Don't know when that one will be done. It is the last remaining room to be painted. Maybe in a couple weeks we will tackle it.

Still so much to be done before snow...sigh

A Funny From #2

I know! From #2?? We were playing RummiKub tonight and for some reason he started talking about brains. Then we hear, "Yah, in the brain vortex..."

Vortex? Cortex? We still had a good laugh and he laughed too.

Tired but good day

Today we canned peaches. We did 67 pints of jam, 19 pints of peach sections, 10 quarts of tomatoes and 19 half pints of currant jelly.

My mom, Aunt Steph and Aunt Carol were there all helping. My mom pronounced it really fun. And she is right. It was fun and tiring. And all that homeade toast will be fantastic with peach jam.

Pillow Talk

Tonight the big boys are gone with DH to retrieve the canning supplies from the old house. It left one very exhausted #5 (who went to be at 6:30), #6 who was still eating (what a chowhound!) and #4 with Aubrey and myself. (Jon and Aubrey are here for a visit.) We made cookies. He got to hold the blender. Add all the ingredients. Sit on the counter. Mix. Eat cookie dough. We finish and I asked him to go to bed. He just got up and went. (Holy Smokes! no crying, screaming, arguing!) About 45 minutes later he comes down and asks for a drink. After his drink he asks if he can sleep on the couch because the big boys will come home and talk. "And dey keep me awake mom." So, I offered up my bed. The offer is readily accepted. I nurse the baby, put her to bed and then start this conversation:

Me: Who loves you?
#4: Da cats!
Me: Oh, you are sure right on that one! Who else loves you?
#4: People who make candy.
Me: You are right again. Who else loves you?
#4: Heavenwy Fadda and Jesus. Dey wuv me. And dey have piwwowfights up in heaven. (he is saying this very seriously)
Me: (giggling) Really?
#4: Yep. I fink dey want us to hab a piwwowfight.
Me: I don't think so. Do they watch us?
#4: No. I don't fink so. I don't see no eyeballs. See? (and he points to the ceiling) No eyebawws dere.

We Have A Teenager

How did that happen?

Happy Birthday #1!

Dancing in the bubble bath

Brother documented the dancing nude dude.

13

Banana Cream Pudding for birthday cake.

Bubble Bath

Wook Mom!

I nuwsing my baby!

Note to Kitten

When snacking underneath the baby's chair-watch out for falling barf. Saphira was the latest victim of Urp Fountain (as the older brothers lovingly refer to their youngest sister).

Good Bye Pod!

The second Pod is emptied and now gone. And all those boxes are in the house for me to sort. sigh

From Hilary's Blog

1. Leave a comment on my blog, one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Shopping

Since we have moved to "the sticks" shopping has been consolidated. We found ourselves in Adrian at the kitchen place and since we were already there we did WalMart and Aldi. DH dropped me off at WalMart. I sent him off with all 6 to Lowe's across the street. He can get out of Lowe's cheaper with all 6 than I can get out of WalMart with all 6. (Can you hear it? Mom? Can we get...can we get....? Don't forget goggles Mom? Can I have legos? every.single.aisle.) I run through WalMart. DH goes through Lowe's (he had the privilege of experiencing shopping with all 6 of them with on tantruming). He picks me up and we go to Aldi. #4 and #3 ask to go in with me. I said, "Let's go!"

We start shopping. Anticipating the 30-45 minute drive home I grab a box of vanilla wafers. #4 says, "Mom! We need to get two. Just to be safe. Safety is vewy impowtant." And he flashes his great big grin and plops a box of vanilla wafers in the cart. Tell me, how do you argue with that?? Safety is vewy impowtant.

giggle

Bringing Home the Coops

We brought the coops home by dragging them down our dirt road from the farm. We had a good laugh because we already look like a box on wheels. Today the box on wheels was pulling a box. We got some very interesting looks on the road especially from the guy in the black pick-up who came up over the hill and the only thing he saw was a shed in the middle of the road!

Our First Harvest

We have some fruit trees and we thought we had filbert trees. I would just watch them and think, "These just don't look like nuts." But I didn't know what they were. We had Dan and Nona over on Sunday and I asked Dan. He said, "I am not sure but maybe they are currants?" I googled currants and Yes! they are currants. So I was out this morning at 7:00 picking currants. There were probably 10 pounds. I made a currant pie and juiced the rest for jelly.

House Update

We have had showings on our old house. Yeah!

The new house...I remember having a conversation with DH about how this house didn't have any projects....hmmmmm, I wonder what happened to that? We never can seem to get away with no house projects. We are working and this is what we have accomplished (sometimes we need these lists to help us see that there is light at the end of the tunnel):

enclosed the garage, created storage room, mudroom and work bench area
stained garage floor, drywall is primed and ready for paint
cleaned up after the contractor (sigh)
decided to replace the kitchen, designed the new cupboard space and finalizing it
picked out countertop
painted kitchen, living room, library, family room, school room, boys room, girls room, office, master bedroom-still have to paint upstairs hallway and master bath (it's wallpapered)
painted exterior doors
changed all the door knobs and locks
tored out carpet in master and replaced with laminate (dust allergies)
installed washer and dryer upstairs
ran network cables
replaced showerheads
weeded 4 flowerbeds (thistle was shoulder high)
pruned trees
removed fencing around dead fruit trees
learned how to back up a trailer
moved in 1 1/2 pods worth of stuff
donated a bunch of stuff
installed shelving in storage room
set up cabinets and computer countertop in school room
had the roof ridgevent fixed
got the pool working
hot water heater replaced
#1&2 learned how to mow 2 acres with a riding mower and how to manage a burn pile

okay, now I KNOW why I am tired. All this with a nursing baby.

Sunburn

Today we went to a farm auction. We bought a hammermill, two sheds to be used as chicken coops, nesting boxes, a pressure washer, wire fencing, baskets for eggs and veggies/fruits, mason jars, rakes, shovels and two swings for the swingset. The only thing I wanted but didn't get was a old cow bell. I was going to ring them in for dinner. I will have to look for another bell. But we got all for less than it would cost to make a new chicken coop. Now we just have to move it here. Look for another story on that adventure.

Fashionista?

I think not.

Hi

From #6:

I am getting bigger. I am the world's wiggliest nurser. My mom doesn't mind when I lay on her head. #2 is my favorite brother because he tickles me and makes me giggle and gut laugh. I love to eat. I love blueberries by the fistful. I love baked beans. I love watermelon. I love trout. Did I mention I love to eat? I climb stairs and untie shoes. I love sleeping in between mom and dad in the morning after I belch from my morning milk. I have no hair and I like it that way. I empty kitchen cupboards and empty mop buckets and cuddles.

Swinging

We have no neighbors to the back. I love it. This girl was outside swinging and yelling her head off at 7:17 a.m. And I didn't have to shoo her back in worrying about her waking up Tom and Rosemarie or the VanBaaks.
This acreage may have been quiet before we got here-but that little she is here now...

Newest family member

Kittens are crazy. She even attacks my fingers when I am typing on the laptop. She pounces the baby when she crawls (only her backside). She hunts flys. She lets #3 carry her around like a baby. Her name is Saphira.

Too fast

Three teeth and walking all in the same week. The good thing about moving is she has lots of open space to not bonk her head on. No furniture yet.

Our acrobats

The things they do when there is no TV.