Laurel Hill

The funny things....

2010-04-22T06:35:00.003-04:00

This one is too funny not to record. Debbie had Max and Maya last week when we were at Carli's Regionals. She was driving in the car and they were all buckled in the back with her kids. The boys were talking and Maya chimed in occasionally. She must have had a hang nail or pulled the end of her fingernail off and was showing it to Max. Max in turn says to Maya that you could tell her DNA just by testing that tiny piece of fingernail. Where that came from I have no idea. So she must have been thinking about it the rest of the way home. When they got to Debbie's house before they got out of the car she announced; well I guess if you bend the nail here in the middle it sort of looks like an A. The boys didn't get the connection but Debbie couldn't stop laughing and I couldn't either when she relayed the story to me.

Blondie

2010-04-22T06:22:00.004-04:00

Report cards came home this week. I was reading over them with the kids. They were all very good. Each one did quite well. When I was looking over Maya's kindergarten report it doesn't give traditional grades but shows where the student is mastering the skill. Under the one category is personal information such as; knows address, recites phone number, knows birthday. Maya had developing beside the knows birthday block. Developing? In my mind this is a no brainer, we make a big deal out of birthdays so I'm thinking she should remember her own. Here is how the conversation went with my sweet little blondie.

Me: "maya it says here you don't know when your birthday is, do you know when it is?"

Maya: " well I know it's in February" with that look of duh mom on her face, and then with all seriousness she says " but is it always on the same day?? " I almost start laughing but manage to ask " do you mean like the day of the week, because it isn't always on a Monday or Tuesday"

Maya: " no the same number, is it always on the same number??"

Oh my sweet little Maya Papaya, yes love it is always the same number. And I giggled the rest of the evening on that one.

Don't you cry mom...don't you cry

2010-04-14T13:18:00.004-04:00

Madi gives the sweetest kisses, she puckers up those plump little lips and lays it on you. Her new thing has been to take my face in both her still chubby little hands and look deep into my eyes and say "don't cry momma, don't cry" Then give me a sweet little kiss. I always ask for another, and another until she says "That's it!" It is the cutest little thing and I love how sweet and sincere she is when she says it. Now I am not sure why she thinks she needs to tell me to not cry, I mean it isn't like I walk around bursting into tears all the time but it is still the cutest thing ever, and if it gets me more Madi kisses, I'll take it.

Morning noise ...

2010-03-19T06:35:00.004-04:00

It's still early and usually all I hear at this time is the hum of the laptop and the occasional noise in the upstairs bathrooms as only a few of us are awake at this hour. I try to start the day with an hour of quiet, the calm before the clamor of the day, but the last few mornings someone else has decided she likes the early morning hour too. Little miss Maggie has changed her schedule a bit and now seems to want some uninterrupted time with mom. I can hear her from the living room, upstairs beside my bed she starts talking, babbling and making small cries. She's really saying "Hey, hello, I am awake and I want up now please!!" I let her talk for a little, and listen to here sweet sounds, I go to her crib and peek over the side, watch her face light up and break into the most beautiful smile. How could I not want to spend the quiet morning with this sweet little wee one, even if it is not so quiet anymore.

A tale of 2 cakes...

2010-03-13T08:02:00.005-05:00

I have had the chance to create 2 very different gift cakes this past week, plus try my hand at 2 sweet little babycakes(cupcakes). Overall each one was a success! I love how these come together and how fun they are to make. I love that each one is different and filled with all kinds of different goodies depending on the recipient. I love making them look like "real" cakes. Pretty much I just love everything about them! The first cake I made for a friend who is hosting a baby shower. The second cake is for a bridal shower I am attending on Sunday. I love how it turned out using a tablecloth and napkins. My favorite part of the gift is a pitcher used as the center for the cake. Sooo cute!!

photos: "babycakes" cupcake, diaper cake, bridal cake

A taste of Spring......

2010-03-09T17:38:00.005-05:00

Oh how I love spring!! The higher temperatures, the warm sun on my face, the smell of freshness in the air. We have had a little taste of spring these past few days. The kids are in heaven, racing to get home from school to change and head back outside. There are still piles of snow where it was plowed high but most of the ground is bare and muddy. Madi, Maggie and I sat out on the sidewalk today and drew with chalk. The warmer air felt delicious and is the antidote I needed. I was starting to get a little of the winter blahs and had no energy but the change in weather has definitely helped. I forgot how much I LOVE spring!!

photo: Madi & Wilken; "let me out there" (love the hat Madi)

Reality

2010-02-03T07:17:00.003-05:00

Do not depend on the hope of results. When you are doing the sort of work you have taken on, essentially an apostolic work, you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.—Thomas Merton, in a letter to Jim Forest dated February 21, 1966

Parenting can sometimes feel like a never ending circle of saying the same thing a million times, making the same requests, getting upset over the same things. Trying to control the outcome of the situation without much luck. I saw this quote and it struck such a cord. What if I try to just concentrate on each day, each moment of parenting, realize it's value, enjoy it and move on. Knowing in my heart I have done my best and leave the rest to God. The work of parenting is important stuff, and if I concentrate on that work it is the best I can do.

Food Fight AKA a battle of the wills

2010-02-02T07:19:00.007-05:00

Zak & Sonic....need I say more. We have a love hate relationship around here with Sonic. Oh the fun drive in atmosphere, the amazing drink concoctions and the better than average burger. Zak's favorite happens to be the foot long chili cheese dog. I know, terrible for you food, but every once in a while it is a fun treat. Tonight Zak got it into his 11 year old brain that he wanted Sonic for dinner, and that is what we should have. It was an off night, activities, errands and running around. We didn't sit down together like normal and no one ate the same thing. Since Dan and Zak hadn't had dinner yet he thought they should go get Sonic. Dan wasn't in the mood, and it was getting late so Sonic wasn't even offered as a choice. Well Zak wasn't thrilled, he can be quite stubborn at times and decided he wasn't going to eat if he couldn't have Sonic. What? Was I actually witnessing my son revert in actions to 2 year old behavior? I was, and it wasn't pretty. I know he is only 11 but he is usually very mature, and to see this behavior over not getting the food he wanted was hard to watch. Dan said fine, don't eat and left it at that. Eventually Zak fixed himself PB&J but it was much later. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry, I mean really, Sonic? What was this really about? I'm still not sure but I want to know how to turn that kind of determination(aka stubbornness) onto something productive. Maybe dangle a chili cheese dog out in front:)

photo: Zak goofing around

Peeper poison

2010-02-02T07:19:00.005-05:00

What is it with my boys and poison ivy in the winter???? About this same time last year Max got such a bad case of poison ivy that got infected it landed him in the hospital for 3 days. This year both boys have poison on various parts of their bodies. Ouch!! Poor Maxie has it so bad on his private regions that we had to go to the doctor (who had to hide his giggle). Max was put on medication and given strict orders to not be touching vines and vegetation outside, and to most definitely wash his hands before going to the bathroom:) I know how it happens, we have a warmer than normal day, the boys head out into the woods to play and someone goes pee on the tree. I keep thinking he will soon learn but I guess boys will be boys. I'm sure one day we will look back at these times and laugh, but probably not until he has learned how to not get poison ivy on such sensitive areas:)

photo: Max with afternoon snack, smoothie, on his face. Poison gone

A concern for Maya

2010-02-02T07:18:00.001-05:00

Maya's report card came home today with a surprising little note attached. Her teacher has been out due to a broken bone and they have had a substitute in her class for a few weeks. Apparently little Miss Maya has not been very cooperative with the substitute. Oh she does her work and listens to directions but is having a hard time keeping quiet in class (no big surprise there) but what is a bit of a surprise is her not following instructions. Such as being told to stop something and turning right around and doing it again. Oh my, not my little Maya Papaya. So we had a little discussion about respect and why we respect our teachers, even though they aren't our "real teacher" (her words, not mine). Little Miss social butterfly was being a little to social and not very respectful. Thankfully the "real" teacher is returning next week. Oh the adventures of school.

Sweet memories

2010-01-29T06:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was getting the video camera ready to take to Carli's meet. As I was digging through the disks to find a blank one I had a pile that weren't labeled. So I decided to check this job off the list (you know, the list of things that need done at some point, when that might be is a mystery). I sat down with a sharpie and my computer to try and quickly scan through the disks to label them. What I saw stopped me in my multitasking tracks. There on the screen were my babies, still looking like babies. It took my breath away. I could here the little lisps in the speech of some and see the sweet little chubby faces. In the daily mess of life, time slips away so fast. The rate at which astonishes me when I stop for a minute to look around. As I sat here, eyes glued to the screen, I was so thankful for those sweet memories captured on film. I resolve to video more of those moments so years from now I can have the same joy I experienced yesterday. Sweet moments, sweet memories and a gratitude to big for words.

The season begins

2010-01-29T06:49:00.001-05:00

Gymnastics competition season that is..... Carli starts her season as a first year level 9. I am amazed when I watch her, she started off so many years ago with a wobbly little cart wheel and floppy handstands. To think how far she has come is amazing. I think I get more nervous than she does. I want her to do her best, I don't want her to be disappointed, I really don't want her to get hurt. Watching her flip around is amazing, thrilling and heart stopping for me. I am so proud of her and that determined spirit. She works so hard and dedicates so much of her time to her sport. Good luck peanut!!

Tuesday Morning

2010-01-26T10:38:00.006-05:00

The kids are home from school today, in-service for the teachers. Chanon's kids are here while they head to John Hopkin's Medical for Dixzen. The volume in the house has gone up a few decibels and little feet are running everywhere. Some days it is best to give in to the crazy and just enjoy the ride. We made baked apple donuts for breakfast, which were to die for yummy. Cinnamon and sugar is everywhere but they were so good hot out of the oven, a keeper for sure. I have bundled them all up and sent them outside to play. A little fresh air and exercise will keep them happy. The big boys are in the tree house and the little ones are on the play set, it's a really nice sight for a day in January. I have the kitchen about half clean and I realize that it will be soon time to start lunch. I see little messes all over the place but let it go. I am going with the flow today and trying to just see each moment for what it is. Let the fun begin!

?

2010-01-26T10:38:00.005-05:00

If you can't gratefully work with what God's given you today, how can He entrust you with much tomorrow?"

Thought provoking question....

How to convey that message to the children is something I struggle with daily. If you aren't faithful with little, can you expect to be given much to be faithful with?

I also struggle knowing how much I have been given and how to best manage that. I have been blessed with so much, such sweet joys and all I can offer is thank you, and pray that I show my gratitude with my actions each day.

Freezing Friday???

2010-01-22T06:05:00.004-05:00

Where's the snow? or at least a little ice that we were promised by the weatherman last night before bed. I love delays and snow days, probably more than the kids. I woke around 4 after nursing Maggie and went to the window and.... nothing. I went back to bed thinking there is still time, praying for just a little precipitation to make my morning. But I am awake again, ready to jump into the swing of the morning routine and there is still nothing. No delays this morning, no extra hour of sleep for the little ones, no slower morning with time to linger over breakfast. I'm a little disappointed, I'm sure the teachers would not approve :)

a whole lot of nothing equals something really special

2010-01-20T15:41:00.002-05:00

Hanging out together, watching some tv, playing games(my new favorite, bananagrams), and taking afternoon naps together. My idea of a perfect day. We had such a nice day here together at home. No obligations, no place to be and nothing on the has to be done agenda. That rarely happens around this house and I have to say it was absolutely lovely. Snuggling in bed to nurse Maggie and nap a little with her was so sweet. I am so grateful for times like this and feel so blessed for all the little and not so little people in our home. I can't imagine life without them. Connections were strengthened, cuddles were had, laughs were shared; as close to perfection as we get around here.

photo: Maggie's sweet slumber

Drama at Tumble Town

2010-01-13T09:46:00.004-05:00

These are some of the moments I know would be forgotten if I didn't write it down or would they??

We had a lovely morning, Maggie Mae was christened in a moving service. I had everything prepped and ready at home to have everyone back to the house for lunch. It all went pretty smoothly. The food was yummy, all the kids played together without any major scuffles and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. About 10 minutes after we arrived home, Zak said he wasn't feeling well and headed upstairs to lie down. Definitely not normal. He fell asleep for 3 hours, not an easy feat with the noise level in this house. He woke up and said he felt better. Which was a relief because we had Elly and Wilken's party that evening at Tumble Town. As a mother to 6 I should have known better. We loaded the car and headed to the party. Things started off great, all the kids were having a good time. Then Zak started to look a little green, and I really mean green. I told him to head to the bathroom and I would gather up the kids to head home. He didn't quite make it to the bathroom..... Yes there in the middle of tumble town Zak tossed his cookies, thankfully Dan was close by and grabbed a trash can for most of it. Can you say gross! I can. I started the clean up process on the floor but there was no carpet cleaner. I made do with some dish soap. I don't think the teenage girls working there were to thrilled. At least I did the clean up. Needless to say that party won't be forgotten for some time. We left Carli and Max stay with Nanna and took the rest of the brood home(with a plastic bag for the car ride, you know, just in case). What a day!

photo: Zak when I noticed his color changing

The Christening

2010-01-13T09:32:00.004-05:00

Maggie Mae was baptised on Sunday morning. It was such a lovely service. She was so good and alert through the baptism. She didn't even cry when the water was poured on her head. She just looked into the congregation like what are all you people looking at. She was a little angel. After the service we had everyone back here to the house for lunch. The menu consisted of party chicken, buttered egg noodles, salad with my version of Olive Garden's Italian dressing, carrot cake, coconut cake, brownies and other tidbits. It was the first time I had used my crock pot to keep noodles hot and it worked wonderfully. I put a little butter and a tiny bit of water in the bottom to keep the noodles moist. I was thrilled to have that crock pot trick to add to my arsenal. I love my crock pot!! Everyone seemed to have a nice time. Maggie was passed around between the relatives and cuddled by all. The other kids were very well behaved and very excited for Maggie. It was very sweet. I felt so blessed to have everyone there supporting Maggie and our family on her special day.

Random thoughts this morning....

2010-01-11T11:17:00.007-05:00

1. Where is that pee smell coming from?? (edited to add: found...diaper behind the trash can in the boys bathroom, gross!!)

2. How many loads of laundry I have done this month. (40 if you're wondering, that's an average of 4 a day)

3. When will this stomach flu completely leave this house? Soon I pray.

4. Why are shoes always left where they don't belong?

5. I wonder when Madi will start potty training?

6. When I am going to get through the photos I have downloaded onto my laptop but not edited or backed up?? (1943 pictures)

7. What is for dinner??

8. How many days do I HAVE to leave the house this week? It is sooo cold out and I have so much to catch up on here at home.

9. How can one dog shed so much hair??

10. Will I get to starting Maggie's scrapbook today? I hope so!

11. I need to pick a picture to use for Maggie's thank you cards from her baptism celebration.

12. Do I need to pick up more diapers this week? which leads back to #5....

So many random thoughts going through my brain at the moment, trying to tame them into some kind of cohesive plan for the day (well rest of the day, I didn't realize it is almost noon) Where does the day go?

That smile...

2010-01-08T08:46:00.004-05:00

You are the smiliest child, you wake with a smile and break out that open mouthed smile so many times a day it makes my heart hurt. It doesn't take much to bring on the light up your eyes smile and I love that about you. The joy in your face is priceless and I pray you continue to see that joy and share your smile with us for years to come. I love you my little Magpie!!

Evenings outside....

2010-01-07T17:11:00.003-05:00

The long days of winter can take their toll on everyone from time to time. The kids spend so much time at school and indoors that they all get a little batty. The bitter cold we have been experiencing hasn't helped either. But in an effort to get outside everyday we bundled up for a little evening play outside. The sun warmed enough today to melt away some of the snow and dry up the sidewalks and driveway. So Maya dug out the sidewalk chalk and Zak pulled out his skateboard. Madi just likes to put on her boots and gloves. Not a sight we normally see in January but definitely a welcome one. Snow is expected to fall tonight so it will be back to the sleds.

The day I lost it over a chocolate truffle.....

2010-01-07T13:44:00.005-05:00

Have you had one of those days where no matter what you did you were behind and you couldn't seem to get caught up? One of the days where the kids are in hyper drive and dig out the second it is cleaned up. Where for no reason whatsoever things pile on top of things until you can't remember what the things were you were supposed to do in the first place.... Today was one of those days, it seemed nothing was accomplished, messes were everywhere and I had more on my to do list at the end of the day than at the beginning. Nap time was off, neither little girl wanted to sleep and both wanted held continually. Just plain crazy. Plus I am trying to get back to a semblance of a healthy diet after the last month of fudge and mints for breakfast, lunch and dinner (the sugar with drawl may not have been helping things). So as I am praying for grace, making dinner and waiting for the arrival of Daddy to break the "spell" of the day it hits me.....Dan bought me a lovely little bag of chocolate truffles for Christmas, bless his soul. OK I know it may sound a little pathetic that the thought of chocolate could make me almost giddy but it did. It really did. With my improved mood and daddy home we made it through dinner without much fuss. I was resolved to have a peaceful bath and bedtime routine, all the time the thought of that sweet little truffle in the back of my mind. With the littles in bed I headed to the kitchen to grab my little piece of sanity for the day, I grabbed the bag and it was very light.... Are you kidding me??? I opened the bag to find one lonely little truffle in the bottom of what should have been a full bag of candies, and it was a white chocolate one at that. I hate to admit this but I could have cried, cried over a chocolate truffle. There is starvation and suffering all over the world and I was standing in my cozy, warm kitchen almost in tears over a chocolate truffle. Where were my priorities? I know it wasn't really the candy, I felt like those who had consumed my chocolate were insensitive, thoughtless and rude to me. I needed to get a grip. I called the culprits (I knew who they were) into the kitchen to express my displeasure with their actions. I had to laugh when I saw their faces and listened to the stammering when I asked who might have eaten all of mommy's truffles. Children and chocolate, what was I thinking? Next time I need to find a better hiding spot.

Engaged

2010-01-05T14:22:00.002-05:00

My word for 2010. Engaged. I want to be engaged in parenting, engaged in each moment, engaged in life. Fully present, soaking in every detail and memory being made. So many times I find myself not really in the moment. I'll be playing with a little one but making multiple lists in my head at the same time. I often find myself at the end of the day wondering what I really did that day. I run on autopilot to keep the house running and food on the table and everyone where they need to be. But by running on autopilot I often fail to stop and really listen or really see what is going on around me. This year I am going to try wholeheartedly to engage every day. Stop, look and listen to all that is happening around me, to all the blessings I have been given. Time is flying by so quickly with these dear little souls I have been blessed with and I want to soak it all up. The laundry can wait.....

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-01T08:28:00.004-05:00

Happy Happy New Year!! It's a new year although I didn't stay awake to see it in. Some days the need for sleep is just to great to ignore. We did have a fun filled New Year's Eve. We took the kiddos to the bowling alley from 2-5 for a New Year's party. They even have a countdown to the New Year at 4:00 for the kids. There were games, food and as much bowling as one could squeeze in for 3 hours. Max was in heaven. He loves to bowl and just danced around in pure delight. I can't quite remember an activity bringing him so much joy. We met friends and cousins there so that added to the fun. Dan and I even bowled a few games. It really is fun to do and it has been so long since we have gone. Maya and Madi liked rolling the ball with Dan's help. Zak tried to out do us with the most strikes. And Carli only bowled a few rounds, she's to cool for us:) No she had a bit of a headache she was trying to get rid of. After the party we headed to the store to pick up some shrimp and sparkling cider. Our tradition is to have steamed shrimp on New Year's Eve. We came home, jammied up and sat down to our feast. We opened up the game basket the kids received for Christmas and played a few games. Then the kids ran amok until I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer. We put the littlest 3 to bed and let the bigger 3 stay up to watch the ball drop. Unfortunately I couldn't keep my eyes open that long. I woke to kisses from the kids. What a wonderful way to bring in the New Year.

The quiet after the storm

2009-12-29T16:34:00.003-05:00

It is about 4:30 in the afternoon, the 2 oldest are with friends for the day, the middle 2 are playing upstairs with some new craft supplies and the 2 littles are still sleeping. Besides the howling wind the house is quiet. The calm has started to set in after the holiday crazies. Dinner is simmering on the stove and I feel content to sit with the quiet for a few moments longer. These moments are rare around here and I intend to enjoy every second. Quiet is really restorative in its own way, my mind is at peace. I am planning some new projects for the new year, new rhythms and routines. Quiet needs to be more a part of the everyday norm, at least for a little bit each day. I'm praying for a more quiet and gentle spirit. After the crash I just heard from upstairs I may need to pray a little harder. Off to assess the damage....

Snowflake Saturday!!

2009-12-19T07:54:00.005-05:00

We awoke to the promise of snow, and lots of it. The first REAL snow of the season. We have had a little before now but not like the promise of 12-24 inches. The kids are in heaven and are patiently awaiting the accumulation. So to pass some time before we can pull the sleds out I decided we should make our inside window look a little like the outside window. We got out the scissors, tape and white paper and started cutting. I wanted to try these big snowflakes that I have seen floating all over blog land and the kids like to make any kind of flake. Before long my floor looked like the ground outside and we had a table full of unique snowflakes. We hung up an extra set of twinkle lights and strung the snowflakes. Just perfect, everyone was proud of their creations and I loved how the big snowflakes turned out. Now for a little hot cocoa and a peppermint stick.... a tradition in the making.

photos: kitchen window, before and after snowflake Saturday

Elf In Training

2009-12-09T08:52:00.003-05:00

I have the sweetest little babe on earth! I'm the mom so I am allowed to say that. Little Miss Maggpie is just adorable, at 2.5 months she is filling in so nicely. Her cheeks are getting so chubby that I just want to eat her up. She smiles so easily and is so mellow. I love how she snuggles in to nurse and is so content. She can sit up in her bumbo now and holds her head very steady. I just can't believe how fast time flies with a newborn and I want to freeze her right now, I need of few more months of fresh baby! We are so blessed by her!

Photo: little miss maggpie after max added his santa hat, so sweet!

Winter's arrival

2009-12-06T15:59:00.002-05:00

As I was working in the kitchen early yesterday morning I heard squeals of delight coming from upstairs. "It's Snowing !!" Max was yelling at the top of his lungs. I looked out the window and had to search the sky to see the few flurries that were making their way slowly to the ground. It didn't matter to him how little was falling he was just thrilled that he might get to go sledding. I tried to tell him as only a grownup would that it might not accumulate but he didn't want to hear it. I will be able to sled and play in it later today, he was certain. I continued working getting ready for our annual tree trimming, baking cookies, making food and more flakes started to fall. I couldn't help but be excited. The temperatures were hoovering around 34 degrees so the snow was wet and clinging to all the trees, it looked beautiful. Throughout the afternoon the kids were in and out, Max had to get the sleds out and he did play for a few hours outside. He was not happy when I called him in to get warmed up and to change. He begged to go out again even as the temperature dropped, he loves the snow.

We had a lovely evening with family and friends as we celebrated the start to the holiday season. Lots of yummy food and drinks. Kids running crazy around the house as the snow continued to fall. We ended up with a few inches but everyone made it safe to the party and home again. It was a wonderful time and the twinkly lights look magical with a snowy coat.

I am grateful for waking up this morning to a white winter wonderland, Max will be thrilled!

Progress

2009-12-03T22:20:00.003-05:00

The decorating has begun!! I love Christmas and can hardly wait to get the decorations out. I try to add a little bit at a time and savor it but I usually get started and can't stop. The mantel is about finished. I have a few garlands up and I am trying to decide on how many of the decorations to bring up. I will admit this year I am doing a much simpler decorating scheme. As much as I love to decorate holding my scrumptious little baby takes priority and there are only so many hours in the day. But I am making progress and really like what I have accomplished so far. Tomorrow I will be putting up the small trees in the kids rooms with their twinkly fairy lights. That is one of my most favorite things to do because one of my most favorite memories from my childhood is having my own small tree in my room to decorate. I think having my space decorated was so special and I want my little clan to have that memory. So here's to progress and may it continue!!

Advent begins

2009-12-01T06:47:00.003-05:00

The season is upon us, the first candle on the advent wreath has been lit and we may have snow before the end of the week. The kids are already starting to get excited and are filled with anticipation for all the fun things we do in December. First up is the annual tree trimming here at the house. I have been cleaning, cooking and decorating for a few days now. I pretty much have a schedule down after doing this for quite a few years now and things are moving along fine. My attitude towards it all is what has really changed over the years. I used to stress and scream(the two go hand in hand with me:( ) and practically melt down if things weren't perfectly the way I wanted them, I would have a cow if anyone touched a cookie tray before the first guest arrived. I know it wasn't pretty. It's a whole different story now. I do what I love to do to get ready for the party, I make the food I can't imagine not having then I let the rest go. Oh it's still not easy to do, I have to take big deep breaths on a regular basis and remind myself what is important. It is more important to have fun while preparing for the party, that is what it should be for me. It is more fun to let the kids help decorate even if it isn't the way I would do it. It doesn't matter if someone is sneaking bites off the buffet before the guests arrive, who will really notice?? And because I have changed my attitude, laid off the perfectionism and decided to enjoy the process and the party the whole thing is a lot more fun. I love seeing everyone and having everyone to the house. So as advent begins I am trying to be more conscious, slow down, enjoy the moment and make memories with the littles. I Love Christmas!! I want to be sure that is what they remember, the joy of the season, the celebration of Christ's birth, not the crazy lady (AKA Mom) pulling her hair out trying to get it all done. Live, love, laugh and make memories this holiday season!!

photo: Maya asleep on the couch after too much work decorating:)

The Calm before the Storm

2009-11-26T08:00:00.002-05:00

It is still early but the smell of the roasting turkey is already filling the house. Maggie has nursed and drifted back to sleep, and the rest of the clan are still snoozing away. It is calm and quiet in the kitchen for now. The house is surrounded in fog and misty rain. It feels snug and cozy. I love Thanksgiving morning. Most of the preparations are finished, the food smells divine and everyone is excited to have guests for dinner. Max and Maya helped prepare the turkeys last night. They were curious about how the turkey felt? I saved some filling so that they can help make some filling balls to bake this morning. One of my favorite things is to have filling balls for breakfast on Thanksgiving, so yummy. We will have a smaller group than normal this year so it will be a little less chaotic although I am certain the kids will still run amok. It is always a little crazy in this house so when you throw in a few more kids it just increases the volume a few decibels. It's a good thing we love crazy.

My office(it is in there somewhere)

2009-11-16T16:07:00.001-05:00

So, it is really amazing that I get anything accomplished in this mess! I am at the point where it is now driving me crazy and I don' t want to go in there. I am a messy creative. There I admitted to it, I make a huge mess when I am working on projects, sometimes more than one at a time. But the time has come to clean up the mess so I can begin some of my favorite crafting and preparations, Christmas ones!! I get giddy at the thought. I love to create gifts, wrap pretty and in general make a huge fuss at Christmas. Unfortunately I will have to tackle this mess before it begins, it can't possibly take that long can it??

New York, New York

2009-11-05T22:14:00.003-05:00

The girls are off for a fun filled weekend in New York. Daddy gets to handle the crew here at home, I am sure he will be fine! I am so excited to go see Mary Poppins on Broadway. The weather is supposed to be good so I will keep my fingers crossed that it holds. Maggie will have her first train ride and visit to the city. It should be a blast.

My big gratitude for the day:

Mr. G went to the grocery store for me on his way home from work. Thank you Dan! Sometimes it is the little things that mean so much. I was swamped today trying to get everything ready for this weekend and I was running out of time. He came to my rescue and I appreciate it so much!

Look at those sweet eyes, Little Miss MaggPie is the sweetest, most cuddly little babe. I am in love and am sniffing in that fresh baby smell every chance I get.

A month of Thanksgiving

2009-11-03T08:38:00.003-05:00

Halloween is over and the Christmas decorations are already up???? Don't get me wrong I love Christmas, I am a planner and have been planning Christmassy things for weeks BUT what happened to Thanksgiving? Zak was in such a mood because of all the Christmas hype already. I love to start shopping and crafting early but to walk in a store the day after Halloween to hear Christmas music playing is a bit ridiculous. So we are going to try and focus on the here and now of this season. The leaves are changing and starting to cover the yard, I have been working on putting the garden to bed and there is a definite chill in the air. I am going to make a conscious effort to look for the beauty in the everday and feel the blessing of it. The children and I will be looking for all those lovely things to be grateful for and add them to my gratitude list. We will open our eyes to see the blessings all around us and pray a prayer of gratitude

So I will start off with a heartfelt gratitude for sweet little blond girls in bright yellow tutus with ringlets I want to put my hands in. Little miss Madi is such a sweet little bug who gets funnier everyday.

.. the end to a fun soccer season, played with cousins and friends(when we didn't get rained out:)

Maggie Mae

2009-11-03T08:18:00.006-05:00

Exactly 4 weeks ago today little miss Maggie Mae graced us with her birth. How have 4 weeks passed us by so quickly? It seems that time slips so quickly through our fingers. So I try not to blink to often because in a blink the year flies by... Maggie is laying beside me watching me as I type, this is her awake time. All of the other littles are in bed, quiet and drifting off to dreamland. Maya is laying in bed beside me(I didn't specify which bed they were in). She is having issues going to her room by herself. They have all gone through this stage and though it can drive me absolutely crazy at the time I know it won't last long, nothing does. So I have spent the last 4 weeks trying to inhale every moment of newborness, the smell, the sounds, the way she curls up into a ball. I have loved watching every moment that her siblings have spent loving her up in their own special ways. Even Madi has to have her turns holding and kissing Maggie. It is so sweet to watch because I know in a short time they will be arguing over the silliest things like whose doll gets the bottle first. Ask me how I know???

But in the interest of keeping it real here's a little roundup of what else went on around here besides staring at the sweetest little new babe....

..we've had 6 doctors appointments in 4 weeks

.. 5 out of 6 children have been sick, totaling 8 missed school days and almost 2 weeks stuck at home.

..I fought off 2 cases of mastitis, Ouch!

.. Max and Maya have both had 2 soccer games and 1 that was cancelled due to rain.

.. Dan worked the Back to School gymnastics meet with Carli.

..We went camping for the weekend at Bucky's in Mansfield and the kids had a blast. (yes I took my infant camping for the weekend, but it is really RVing, no roughing it and real heat at night.)

.. Dan survived inventory at his store after hours of overtime.

..Max went on a field trip to a farm and had a blast, I wasn't asked to chaperon:(

.. Carli and Dan went on her field trip to a ropes course and had a good day.

. Zak had new strings put on his guitar and has been playing it every day since.

.. Madi has discovered the joy of play doh and now playing with that is part of everyday.

..I started 2 new knitting projects and a quilt, my focus is still a little scattered.

..I have cloroxed the house more times in the last 2 weeks than I'd like to count. Trying hard to prevent the spread of Mr. Ick.

Plus the normal cleaning, 4 loads of laundry a day and cooking to feed my always hungry brood. I am a little exhausted looking at the list.

written 10/22

Thank you Jesus

2009-06-15T06:05:00.004-04:00

I'll be honest, some days after everyone is in bed I am saying "Thank you Jesus we made it through today!" It feels like everything is a struggle, there is arguing and bickering at every turn. I am mediating between siblings constantly and I can't help but wonder where I am going wrong. Those days I pray I make it through without any real injuries, physical or emotional, among my little tribe. yesterday was one of those days. Nothing specific, just an overall chaos that seemed to settle in for the day. We had things to do at home but it was perfect weather and they could be outside to run amok but that didn't seem to help. I was supposed to be leaving this morning for the beach but I finally decided we needed to leave last night, maybe they were all just wound up to go. I packed the car, everyone gave Daddy loving and we headed off. Three hours later we arrived at nanna & poppa's beach house and the air cleared a little. It was close to bed time when we got here so everyone unloaded the car, put on p.j.'s and had a snack. I put everyone to bed, called my love to say goodnight and headed into bed myself. After a good nights sleep I am even more thankful we drove last night. I am thinking positively, today is a new day and with it will be new attitudes from the kiddos. At least I am praying, "Please Jesus, let there be new attitudes all around, including mine!" It will be a better day!

photo: Madi bug dripping milk on herself and giggling as we drove to the beach

quiet evening

2009-06-12T21:02:00.003-04:00

I am sitting on my screened in porch as the air starts to cool. It was a hot and humid day but now the air is blowing and it has cooled off nicely. Baby girl is in bed. Daddy took the 4 biggers to a special treat of a drive in movie. The first Friday of summer deserved a special outing. There aren't many drive in theaters around here anymore and they had to drive 40 minutes to get to the one closest, I know it will be worth it. It is so quiet here now. The birds are saying their goodnights and the crickets are starting to sing. The leaves are rustling in the breeze and it is so peaceful. I am watching the field awaiting the arrival of the lightning bugs. We haven't seen any yet this year and my littles are anxious for them to return. Sometimes when you look out over the field it looks like a million little fairy lights flickering. It is a magical sight. The little one growing inside me is kicking up a storm tonight. I saw the midwife this morning and everything is moving along as it should. I can't believe I am already 6 months along. Everyone is excited to have another little one in the house but for now I will sit here and enjoy the quiet.

To be blessed to see...

2009-06-10T06:52:00.003-04:00

Outside my office window is a small topiary tree, a round ball on a brown trunk. Last week we noticed a small bird had made her nest in the front part of the tree. I watched as she came and went continually throughout the day. Bringing items back for the nest and soon we began to hear the tiny chirping of a new baby bird. Ever so carefully I peered into the tree to see tiny beading eyes looking out at me as momma stared at me from a nearby perch. The baby was so tiny but could call for his momma quite loudly. We've been checking on baby everyday, watching as feathers filled in all over the tiny body. Then this morning the most amazing thing happened. I was walking Mr. G out to his car and we stopped to look at the baby bird. Momma was sitting on the fence close by watching our every move. Baby was sitting up on the edge of the nest. We both thought he looked like he was ready to take off at any moment, but already?? We moved away from the nest and in a minute there he went, flapping hard trying to stay afloat. Momma followed him down to where he landed and looked to give him a treat and some encouragement. A few seconds later he tried to get off the ground and made more of a hop than a flight. It was amazing to watch his early morning flying lessons. I have never seen anything like it and in that moment I felt I was blessed to witness the event. Momma stood back and watched her little one try to take flight. Was God whispering to me this morning??

Early morning...

2009-04-23T06:19:00.003-04:00

It's early, still dark outside when I rise this morning to start our daily routine. Across the hall to the laundry to start the first load (of the many that will get done today), picking up dropped articles of clothing as I make my rounds through the bedrooms checking on the little people still sleeping there. I find my way to Bird's room who pleads for a few more minutes under the warmth of her quilts. Still gathering I find a stray cup here, a shoe there, all left randomly around the house; evidence of the family that calls this place home. In the breaking early light I feel the temptation to play the martyr, I am not the maid, why do they just leave things lay and think I will pick them up? but then I stop and breathe, it is becoming more of a habit now, I am trying to see these things, the stuff I gather every morning as evidence. Evidence of the many blessings I have been given, still asleep in their beds. The blessings I am so grateful for my heart might burst and so I pray... A little prayer for the bandit who left the socks lay or for the princess who left her pink heels in the hallway. And in those prayers the bitterness starts to leave my mouth, I know the purpose I have been given and I am grateful. And even though it is still annoying, honestly some days more so than others, I try to put it into perspective. There will come a day all too soon when there won't be anything left lying around, when there will be only one load of a laundry a day and the dishes won't multiply in the sink. What will I feel? Will my short time with my children home be well spent? How will they look at me? Did I spend my precious time moaning and complaining? I pray not. And so every morning I ask for a strength that is not my own to do the best that I can for the people I love so dearly and I pray that my best is enough.

My State Champion

2009-04-21T14:56:00.002-04:00

Little Miss Bird won herself the State AA Title for her age group at the state competition. She also took first on beam and vault. She was the number 1 qualifier for the region 7 Regional competition for the PA State team in her group. What an awesome achievement, we couldn't be more proud!! She went out and did her best and today that paid off!! We love you Bird!!

14 weeks...

2009-03-30T16:07:00.002-04:00

and happy to announce a new little life who will join our family. I have made it past that "critical" 12 week mark and am well on my way into another pregnancy. God willing we will have a new little member of the Gohn family due the end of September. We are all so excited, the kids are really thrilled. Monkey boy is constantly touching my stomach to say hello to baby and I love you baby. It is quite thrilling to watch the dynamics of our family. We are so very blessed and grateful to become parents again.

To Florida and back again....

2009-03-08T15:38:00.005-04:00

Wow!! It feels as if the last few weeks have zipped by at a crazy fast pace. We had a birthday, a drive out to Ohio and back in 2 days and a fun, crazy trip to Florida. So where to begin.... Let me just say up front that I am not all that fond of flying, then add dragging 5 kiddos through the airport and my nerves are on edge. It wasn't to bad, security is getting easier to get through now that some of ours are a little older and the flight was fairly smooth with only 1 melt down from bug. We landed in Tampa to warm temperatures and sunshine, what a breath of fresh air. After getting the rental cars (Nana, Papa, Aunt Chanon and her crew came along too!) we were off to find some sunshine. I have never been to the Tampa area so we had fun exploring different things. I was just in awe how every ones mood changed as soon as they were warmed by the sun. Little faces (and big) turn immediately upward and smiles break out, after months of cold what a pleasure it is to bask in the warmth of the sun.

A few of our favorites.........

..a visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and actually pulling a real live seahorse out of the water on the boat tour. Amazing Nature!!

..swimming in the pool, I have such water babies.

..visiting the beach, the sand on the gulf coast is so much different than the sand we are used to in Delaware. White, fluffy, powdery and soft. Beautiful beaches.

..the trampoline with the bungees and crazy kids.

.. Bird winning First AA at her gymnastics competition held at Tropicana Field. Our reason for the trip south. She was amazing and we are so proud of her.

..getting to visit the Wolfs at their home. I miss Connie so much and it was great to spend the afternoon with them. Plus she makes awesome whoopie pies, yummy!

..going to Busch Gardens in Tampa. The weather was a little cool so there were no crowds. It was awesome. They walked on the big roller coasters as many times as they wanted without a wait. The animals were out and really active so we saw so many up close, very cool. The kids were awesome and we had a great day. The perfect way to end the vacation.

some days....

2009-02-22T21:17:00.003-05:00

Some days are just like this....

Baby climbing into and onto everything, the day flying by at the speed of light, crazy chaos taking over the house. And on those days I have been known to break out the cheese balls, there I said it. I have admitted that my baby loves these horrid, dyed orange, nothing healthy about them cheese balls. And in real life sometimes this mom needs a few moments with baby bug happily entertained in her high chair with those beloved cheesy balls. Orange faced and smiling..... and a few moments of peace for me.

True Love

2009-02-10T19:48:00.003-05:00

Can I tell you how much I love Mr. G.??? It is so the little things that matter. I was sitting here waiting for him to finish his dinner (he worked late) and I mentioned that I could really eat some lemon Duetto. After he was finished he grabbed Princess for a run down to the market. How I love my man! What a sweetie! It is soooo in the little things that he does for me that I see the true depth of our love. Now I can't wait for bedtime...

A productive weekend

2009-02-09T06:56:00.004-05:00

We had nothing planned for the weekend, the calm before the storm so to speak. No commitments, no plans, no swim meets, no gymnastic meets, absolutely nothing. And I couldn't have been more thrilled about it. So while Mr. G. and I were discussing this last week we decided to tackle a project we have been wanting to accomplish for quite some time. Built in bunks for the boys room. They have a nice little alcove that provided the perfect spot to build in the bunks. So after some discussion over how the bunks should look and how they should be constructed for the most strength, Mr. G. headed over to get the lumber. I was a little skeptical about how much we could complete this weekend (and when I say we I really mean Mr. G. with my help when he calls). I have to say I plead my case to get it finished because we will be away the next 3 weekends and I didn't want the boys to have to live in chaos for too long. I am so pleased with how it turned out. The bunks are 95% finished with just some trim work to finish. Mr. G. will work on that tonight and the painting to be done. The beds look awesome and the boys are thrilled. They are big enough for a double mattress with room at the end of the bed for their own little space. I think they were very happy, I know I was. Thank you Mr. G., you really are Bob Villa after all. Now to dream up the next project.....

Little elfin hats

2009-02-09T06:44:00.006-05:00

This past week I spent a little time needles in hand working on the sweetest little hat for Bug, now I am making one for Princess too. It was a free online pattern and was very easy to do. It worked up fairly quickly and I love how it turned out. I am going to make her another one but adjust the size a little bit. This one is on the verge of being to small but it is still oh so cute. I love the little pompom on top. Who wouldn't love a little elf with a pom pom.

To move like that....

2009-02-06T09:37:00.003-05:00

I watched Bird in her most recent competition in amazement. Oh to be able to move my body like that. She is so graceful and powerful all at the same time. I love to watch her. Her self confidence and poise is amazing considering she just turned 13. I am so proud of her. We are heading into the busiest part of the season for her and I am praying she can stay healthy and injury free. We head to Florida in a few weeks for another meet there and we are all going this time. I can't wait to get into some warmer weather. I know the little kids are excited too. Only a few more weeks and 3 more competitions to get through and 1 swim meet. We are going to need a break. Until then I will be sorting through the 1000 pictures I took in the last few weeks and try to be good in deleting some of them:)

Princess Goldilocks and the tale of the mystery scissors!

2009-01-30T06:48:00.005-05:00

My sweet princess has hair of gold. It truly is like golden spun silk that hangs down her back in soft spiral curls until it almost touches her bottom. Well I should say she DID have beautiful long hair that hangs down her back until a few days ago. Princess and Monkey were playing quietly in the toy room and that should have been my clue that something was up, they are never very quiet. I called Princess to come and get her hair brushed and braided for bed. When she came in I noticed a few chunks missing and as I started to brush her hair more fell out onto my lap. Apparently her and Monkey were playing hair stylist but no one could explain the missing hair. The scissors had mysteriously disappeared as well as the pile of locks they cut. I guess that we will have to live with the fact that we have a pair of scissors in the house that just cut hair without anyone operating them. I was sad, Mr. G. was sad, princess was not so sad. She was excited to go visit her Aunt's salon for a hair cut. She looks as precious as ever, missing over 8 inches of hair. She loves her new look and Monkey Boy has promised to never touch those mystery scissors again.

Monkey Boys Not So Great Adventure

2009-01-26T16:28:00.002-05:00

It all started innocently enough. The boys went out to play and collect natural materials for Einstein's diorama project. It is cold here, like 28 degree cold and windy. Needless to say they didn't stay out long, they collected 2 bags full of stuff and came in. But long enough to contract poison ivy. Monkey boy is super sensitive but I thought we would get a break through the winter. Turns out he ended up with it all over the bottom half of his face. Nothing to crazy right??? Not in my world, it is always crazy. He scratched it open, who can blame him, but it got infected. We headed off to the pediatrician and brought home a prescription for special cream. Still not to bad, just a really itchy kid who was happy to be out of school. Two days later his face looks as if it was on fire and he is in serious pain. We head back to the pediatrician for a new oral medication and an appointment for the next day (which happened to be Sunday). Still not to bad, just a really whiny little boy who needed extra cuddles, perfectly OK with me. Sunday morning we head back into the office and here is where the fun really begins.....

Three hours later Monkey Boy is admitted to the hospital for a full course of IV antibiotics. We are placed in isolation until they can do a culture and see what the infection might be. Lets just say getting the IV into said 6 year old boy was not to fun. I got to hold him down, my least favorite job as a mom. It tears at your heart to see your child in pain and then you have to help while it is administered. After that we got to stay in the little room by ourselves. On the plus side Monkey Boy and I had some quality alone time. We played games, watched movies and cuddled for hours. He was thrilled to be able to pick his own meals. We hung out and waited to see how he would react to the antibiotics. Thankfully he started to improve right away. The doctor had found the right antibiotic. Our adventure lasted 2 days and 1 night in the hospital. They sprang us Monday afternoon and I was very thrilled. Monkey boy is still on the most nasty tasting stuff around. He does great taking it because of the threat of returning to the nasty hospital(his words not mine).

So to wrap it all up I don't think he would call this his most fun adventure but it was an experience. One I hope not to repeat.

Is it January already??

2009-01-12T22:26:00.002-05:00

How did this happen?? The first 2 weeks have flown by so quickly. We headed to Florida on New Years Day for Bird's competition. She competed for the PA Team in the National Judges Cup. She did great and the team took third. When we landed on New Years we drove to the Rossetters for dinner. We had to have pork and sauerkraut on New Years, it's traditional. It was so much fun to see some family we haven't seen for a while. The weather was perfect and the company was great. When we headed to the hotel we were pleasantly surprised with the suite. It was actually a villa and was like a really nice apartment. SO much nicer than a regular hotel room. We spent time by the pool, at Downtown Disney and at critical care. Yes I did say critical care. Bug's ear infection got worse and spread to her eyes. I was quite scared. We sat in the waiting area for hours and then back in the room for a few more. After a shot of heavy duty antibiotics and 2 new prescriptions we headed back to the hotel. Bug was quite the little trooper. Mr. G. held it together and I held and cuddled her as much as she would let me.

The adventure didn't stop there. Bug started puking her guts out as we were pulling in to return the brand new rental car. Oh the fun we had on the flight home.

Overall we had a great time. We went to Sea World, saw Shamu. We visited family and friends. Bird had a great competition. The weather was perfect. The virus followed us home though. We are now taking turns in the bathroom. So I will spare the details and head off to take care of the growing mound of laundry in the laundry room. I pray Mr. G. will be able to find me amidst the pile.

Saturday Morning

2008-12-27T07:48:00.002-05:00

The Christmas rush is over. The paper shreds have been cleaned up with all the bits and pieces of packaging that found its way under the couch. The toys are out of the boxes, Rock Band is our new favorite, Monkey boy is amazing on the drums. The leftovers have been hauled out more times than I care to admit. We had a lovely Christmas. Lots of fun, food(way too much) and family. The let down is starting to set in. It is inevitable. After the hours of preparation and anticipation, the days of parties, the bulk of our holiday celebrations are over. I can feel the post holiday mood setting in. I have come to expect it, to understand it, to embrace the feelings and then move on. It’s part of how I savor the holiday even the down time afterwards. The kids will have meltdowns, the tears will flow, the sugar crash will happen..... so is the life with 5 little people. But then things mellow out into the beauty that is the afterglow of Christmas. Today the afterglow is starting to set in. We are reading new books, watching some movies having lots of conversations and just spending time together. It is so rare that we have unstructured time together and the last few days have been glorious. I love when we can all just "be" together. I am taking it all in before we head into next week and the crazy preparations for a New Year's Day flight to Florida for some of us and off to family and friends for the rest of us. So until then I will bask in the afterglow, I will just be and I will be grateful for every moment.

Sweet Christmas!!!

2008-12-18T06:53:00.005-05:00

It is Little Christmas Eve and I am done. I have crafted, papered, printed, taped and beribboned anything that would sit still long enough to be done. The packages for my littles are wrapped in neat little towers all tied up with bows. I suspect Santa has done his end as well. I am exhausted but still smiling. In the midst of it all the princess has come down with something. Some kind of fever, cold thing. Not much fun but she has been very subdued today. Bug is snug in her crib all played out from the day. The boys are reveling in the fact that school is out for 2 weeks. The excitement is palpable and is contagious. I love being around it. I love being in it. These little people have blessed me with the joy of their presence. The holiday season is so much more fun through their eyes.

Although it has snuck up on me again, even though I started planning months ago. Life has a way of catching up with you; and fast. But at this point in the game whats done is done and I just want to sit back and enjoy the rest. The girls will look lovely in their dresses. The boys will look handsome too. I will stop and breathe, take it all in and give thanks. For I know in the depths of my heart how very blessed I am at this moment. How we are so fortunate and so many times that goes unsaid. How getting caught up with the list and all that "is Christmas" sometimes overshadows the true Christmas. I will stop now, it is enough and as we gather together to celebrate the birth of our savior I will give thanks...

Christmas blessings to you.

Christmas is Upon Us!

2008-12-10T21:32:00.003-05:00

Wow!! We are already in full swing of Christmas activities around here. Thanksgiving weekend is my weekend to decorate. I love to decorate and I spend most of the weekend doing just that. Mr. G. brings up all of my boxes from the basement storage room and I start to plan out where things will go this year. I started by remaking some of my garlands. I took some of my older, scrawnier garlands and put them together with some new elements. I added lights and just about anything I could find to my mantle garland. I love how they turned out. Garlands are so much fun.

Saturday morning we put up the tree, we have an artificial tree this year because of the baby. It is hard to keep up with the needles and I don't want Bug ingesting to many pine needles. I do love a real tree though and try to make this one as "real" as possible. Including using potpourri to scent the tree. We put a few ornaments on the tree. The kids love to look at all the ornaments as we take them out of the boxes. Mr. G. helped do the decorations in the foyer because it takes the really tall ladder to put those up. The kids help where they can and as I ask, but I like to do most of the decorating. We plan our tree trimming party for the first weekend in December every year. It gives me a deadline and a goal to get the house cleaned and dressed before that date. Then I can enjoy the rest of the month and concentrate on just keeping up with the cleaning and enjoying the season.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-11-27T10:24:00.002-05:00

It's early, the turkeys are in the oven and the casseroles are made and waiting to be baked. The smells are starting to fill the kitchen. I have cinnamon rolls ready to go in the oven when my tribe starts to crawl out off their warm beds. Oh to be snugly tucked up tight in our home together, the joy of it fills me up. No hurried agenda, no crazy schedule to attend to today, just good food, family and friends. All gathered round to be thankful, thankful for each other, our many blessings and a day spent together. I love thanksgiving. I love having it at my house. I love the preparations and cooking. There is nothing commercial about this holiday and it is so meaningful to me. I have tried to have an attitude of gratitude and when I do my world is so much brighter. I am undeserving of the many blessings God grants me daily and I am in awe when I take the time to recognize them all. So today as we gather I will try to write the memory deep into my soul, the sights, the smells, the people. It will go in my mental scrapbook of joy.
Happy Thanksgiving!!

Is it Wednesday already??

2008-11-26T19:08:00.005-05:00

The day before Thanksgiving is always a rush around here. I am trying to keep up some semblance of clean and get the cooking started. The kids are running around and it is chaotic. I love every minute of it. I feel so blessed to be preparing for a Thanksgiving with my family and friends. We will have about 25-30 people here tomorrow. Not everyone will make dinner but all will make an appearance for dessert. My sister and mom came up this morning to help me get a handle on the toy room. And by get a handle I mean a major dunging out. Lots of black garbage bags made their way out of the toy room without to much fuss from the under 10 set. I stress the importance of black bags. I can't have them see the toys that don't make the cut in the fight for shelf space. We made huge strides, I still am longing for some more open space but I can only do so much in one day and making the food for Thanksgiving takes priority. So today I will bake the pumpkin, apple and cherry pies. Bake off the sweet potatoes for the casserole and make the filling. Keith will come later to help with some of the cooking. Bird had practice from 1-6 and Einstein has swimming this evening. A busy day but a full and satisfying one. I am so blessed, in so many ways and today I will focus on all of the blessings in my life BIG & small. I tend to get a little emotional and nostalgic around the holidays and it is starting already. So before I start blubbering all over the place I will head back into the kitchen for some more fun.

NYC

2008-11-25T11:02:00.005-05:00

Last Saturday Mr. G. and I took the big kids on a bus trip to New York City. My parents, my sister and 2 of her kids plus my brother, his wife and their son went too. It was so much fun. The weather wasn't great at first, pouring down rain actually, but it cleared up after a few hours. It wasn't bitter cold so I was happy. It was Einsteins first trip into the city. Just the ride in was an experience for him. So much to see. We wandered around the city for awhile and did a little shopping. We had to stop at American Girl to pick a little something up for Princess. We had lunch at the Brooklyn Diner. Sooo good!! We ate so much but it was so good. We even tried dessert, the cheesecake was out of this world. Then we walked through Rockefeller Center. The kids wanted to watch the ice skating, it was more like water skating because of all the rain. After that we went to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockette's Christmas Show. The tree in the foyer was amazing. It was made from crystal ornaments and the sparkle was just stunning. The show was fabulous as well. Once the show ended we had to walk a few blocks to go back to the pickup spot for the bus. We found a deli along the way to get bagels for the ride home. It was a lovely day. There is so much to see just walking down the streets. The people, the sounds, the smells, the traffic. It is an experience that every child(country mouse) should have while they still have that sense of wonder. I was so glad we took the bigger two for some alone time. A precious commodity in our house. I spent the bus ride reading the second book in the Twilight Series. I read the entire ride with my little light on. A perfect ending to a great day.

overwhelmed

2008-11-23T21:16:00.003-05:00

Why is it that some days even when I have it somewhat together, I feel so overwhelmed. Just swamped. Nothing out of the ordinary going on, no more than the normal chaos around here and no extra stuff. Today is one of those days. I will say that I like to come home after church on Sundays and stay home. Today we had other obligations. Fun ones, ones I wanted to attend, birthday parties for my niece then later dinner for my dad and sister. But it threw off my normal Sunday rhythm and put me into a little tizzy this evening. I have so much I am working on at the moment, lots of creative Christmas presents to finish. House stuff, trying to stay somewhat under control because we are hosting Turkey Day here. Some projects I want to get off to print this week before the big holiday rush. Just lots of details rolling around in my brain and my brain is starting a revolt. It has completely detached itself and is saying no, I am on strike. You will take the rest of the night off and go do something completely unrelated to any of it. I have been trying to fight it all evening and now I am done. I will start over in the morning with a better attitude and a few more calming breaths. So now I am off to steep in the tub with a tall glass of icy Fresca and a book. Maybe my brain will forgive me and go back to work in the morning....

Littles

2008-11-19T07:20:00.004-05:00

I had this to post last week, it didn't happen so I will try again. My Littles are off to post. The box was filled up and ready to go. Mr. G. took it to ship to Amy. I was so excited to pack them all up. I had so much fun creating all the littles for Club Little House. I still have so many ideas but I ran out of time. Maybe next time? So here is a little peak ...

Ribbon production

2008-11-05T15:54:00.003-05:00

I have been trying to fit in some crafting and Christmas gift making. This week is tough because I am doing my seasonal scrub. I pick a week before the holiday season to do a deep clean of the house. It takes me a week sometimes more but when it is finished I feel so good. The house is rid of dust and grime, at least for a little while. But back to ribbon production. I am making boutique style hair bows for the little girls stockings and for friends. They all love hair bows and I make many all year round but I am making some extra special ones for the holidays. My niece is also having her 4th birthday soon. She is having a salon style party so I made hairbows for her favors. My glue gun has had quite a work out lately. The bows are fairly simple to make and are quite inexpensive compared to purchasing them in boutiques. I have seen similar bows from $12-$15 per bow. Some of the bows are lovely satin, simple & sweet. To others I have added corkers, spiral ribbons. The pictures are for the party favor bows but the Christmas presents are similar.

5 miles

2008-11-05T15:48:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I ran 5 miles. 5 miles...I don't think I have ever run a continuous 5 miles in my life. I feel empowered that I actually did it. I have been running 3-4 miles for the past few months and walking 5 but yesterday I ran it. All of it and it wasn't to bad. Today I did 3.5 and I am going to try for 5 again tomorrow. yippee!

Fresh Eggs

2008-11-01T14:07:00.003-04:00

I am so excited! Debbie has chickens and they are now laying beautiful eggs. She brought the chickens home this past spring and wasn't really sure what to expect. The girls started laying a few weeks ago, yippee! Last night she brought me a dozen of those fresh eggs. I want to have chickens of my own but for now I am happy to take any extra eggs off her hands. The eggs look perfect and this morning I used some to make french toast for my brood. Very yummy... And they look so pretty in my red bowl. Mr. G. walked in while I was taking the picture of the eggs, shook his head and smiled. I know I'm a little crazy but fresh white beautiful eggs in my favorite red bowl just makes me smile. Oh the simple things....

Pumpkins and more

2008-10-30T16:24:00.006-04:00

Last weekend we went to a friends for their annual pumpkin carving. They have an amazing barn that they rescued from a construction site. Tore down and numbered piece by piece and then rebuilt it on a new stone foundation. It is the most beautiful barn I have seen. (I have a small love affair with barns and miss the barn at our old farm.) They also have horses, sigh..

They are so kind to invite our brood along with a few other families to their barn for pumpkin carving, hayrides and yummy food. There are tables set up right in the barn along the gorgeous new stalls. The kids run amock all over the farm and love seeing the horse. The horses get their fill of apples when we go. Mr. G. is the official carver for the family but everyone gets into the act. Monkey picked a design for his pumpkin and helped clean out the inside.

Princess just wanted a face for hers. Bird helped but didn't carve her own. So we sat and scooped then carved for quite some time. Everyone lines up their finished pumpkins on the stone wall for the official lighting. It is so cool to see everyone's artwork. The kids and kids at heart get to go on a hayride around the farm. My crew loved that! We had some yummy treats, including a biscuit baked with a meat filling that was delicious and perfectly portable. The kids made glow stick necklaces and ran around until we had to go. Bug was exhausted and ready for her crib. It was a wonderful fall day and I was so glad we got to go. A big thank you to the OBriens for their hospitality. This has become a favorite fall tradition.

Cottage Update & ......

2008-10-30T16:12:00.006-04:00

The roofers and painters have arrived. At first they thought it might take more time than expected until the suporvisor called for reinforcements. The new roof is on and the outside has a new coat of the loveliest pink. New white trim sets off the windows. There is much debate over the color of the front door. I painted it a red but it is not quite the red that I want so I decided to paint it black. Much discussion ensued from the hired (I mean bribed) help. So for now we are leaving it red. I am still searching for the right red. Now onto the inside. I have a new family who is very excited to take up residence in the cottage. They are hoping to be in for the holidays, I am hoping that too!

Then the other afternoon my kids were yelling from the back yard to come look. I always get a little nervous over that much screaming about coming to look. I ran out back to see a beautiful hot air balloon gliding right over the top of the house.

So I ran back inside to get the camera and put on the right lens and.... When I ran back out these were the only shots I could get. The balloon landed in a field not far from the house. It was very cool to see and the kids loved it. These are the moments that prove I should always have my camera hanging around my neck:)

Grateful

2008-10-28T07:21:00.003-04:00

Gratitude....
Today as I pulled out a coat for Monkey boy I realized just how lucky I am. The coat is a hand me down, one of many that we are fortunate enough to receive. It is a Lands End parka that looks brand new. You wouldn’t know it wasn’t new if I hadn’t told you, neither would Monkey. But I did tell him, I told him how it came from his friend and how he should be sure and thank him next time we see him. He was happy to have the new to him coat. He thinks it is cool to get clothes from his cousins and friends and thrilled to be able to pass on his clothes when they are to small. I think it is important for all my kids to realize the value in the things we own. It doesn’t have to be new to be nice. A quality item or piece of clothing can last 10 times longer than a new cheaply made item. I want them to feel good about knowing they are saving things from the land fill by using them and passing them on to be used again. There should never be shame in taking hand me downs or buying used. Quality is quality whether or not I purchased the item new or not. I am thankful my kids don’t really care about where their clothes came from. I am thankful they can see the value in reusing quality things. And even if he doesn't understand all those concepts yet, I am really grateful he doesn't throw a fit about having to have something new from the store. It's new to him no matter where it came from. We are blessed.

Technology Glitch

2008-10-25T22:39:00.002-04:00

I have a few posts ready to go but can't get my pictures to load so I will keep trying. Sometimes I would like to throw my laptop on the floor. But then I count to 10 (or 20) and try to remember that technology is wonderful at times, and this will be a wonderful keepsake of our days whenever the pictures get loaded. So off to have another smoothie, I found a great recipe for Orange Julius that tastes just like the ones at the mall. The kids love it and it really isn't bad for them. I'll add the recipe later..... Maybe the picture fairy will be on duty later.

Housekeeping

2008-10-16T19:16:00.008-04:00

Today was one of those days where I was bent and determined to get something accomplished. The house always calls for attention and although I do try to keep things in fairly good order sometimes I need to get serious. Time to pull out the apron, put on the dreaded sneakers and get to work (at least the apron is pretty). We didn't have to leave the house until 1:45 so I had some time to get to the ever growing list. I settled Princess on the couch with a snack and a smoothie, turned on Princess Diaries and got to work. Bug just crawls around after me following me from room to room. I opened all the windows to air the house, it has been so mild & lovely out. I stripped four out of five beds, washed and dried the sheets and remade the beds. I love a freshly made bed and in an effort to make bedtime go more smoothly around here, a freshly made bed can't hurt. I dusted the bedrooms. Vacuumed up the dog hair and sprayed freshener on the carpets. Princess took a break from the movie to help me clean up the doll clothes in her room. We had to bring in the trash bin because she loves to cut and paste. There were little bits of rubbish all over her floor. Sometimes the mess seems to overwhelm the people who live in it. We freshened up her room and she was very pleased. I attended to the bathrooms next. And after that I decided it was enough for the moment. The girls and I sat down for lunch. We had a lovely afternoon. Princess learned how to use my heart paper punch and made hearts for an hour out of my scraps. Bug napped and I had some time to work. I finished up the cleaning and prepped dinner. Then I spent some time working on Christmas presents and knitting Einstein's blanket. Overall it was a great day. I had accomplished much of my list and had some creative time with the Princess. When the boys came home from school we made smoothies and did homework. Nothing spectacular or crazy but nice. Sweet family time.... and I feel so content after a day like today. Content and blessed.

Nature Walk

2008-10-10T07:01:00.007-04:00

Tuesday after school I took the kiddos for a walk at a state park near our home. After the initial coercing of the little two that there was indeed some playground equipment even if it is just swings and a seesaw. With Bug in the backpack we set of on one of the trails.

The leaves are just starting to change and we picked a few off the ground to examine. Einstein had the camera and took the shots posted here. He is turning into quite the photographer and loves to use my camera.

I love to see his perspective and what he chooses to capture. I love the close up shots of the mushrooms and mountain laurel. We headed over to an area that has some huge rocks, perfect for climbing and adventure. Monkey boy was all over that

. Princess gingerly made her way up some of the smaller rocks to pose for pictures and look for fairy beds(moss). She is such a girly girl, I love it! We played on the swings and seesaw for a little before we headed home to have dinner. I actually had planned ahead and prepared yummy beef stew earlier in the day. It was happily bubbling away on the stove at home awaiting our return. We loaded up and headed home to meet daddy. It was a beautiful evening, the weather was perfect, the company was good and the food was great. But the best part was after dinner was finished and baths were had, Einstein came and found me to thank me for taking them to the park. He loved it and wanted to be sure I knew. Sooo sweet. Sooo perfect. Just the thing this mom needed. It is those little moments that burn themselves upon my heart and I am thankful.

A Handmade Holiday

2008-10-08T22:34:00.012-04:00

I love handmade gifts. I love to give them. I love to receive them. Handmade gifts convey cozy, warm feelings that say "I care, I'm thinking of you, you are precious to me!" So in that spirit I have begun the task of putting together some handmade gifts. With the thrift drive in mind I tried to plan projects from the supplies in my craft closet. Because lets get real, everyone knows I have enough supplies for a lifetime of projects in my craft closet. There are so many projects I would love to accomplish for the holidays but I am trying to be realistic in how much time I actually have to craft. So as not to allow the house to fall into total disrepair I will have to pick and choose worthy projects. I have narrowed down the list to items which the recipient will be able to use in some way. Blank books, journals, art kits, story books featuring the recipient, hand knit dish cloths, luscious hair bows, fairy jars(not really useful but oh so lovely to look at), aprons in fun prints and yummy treats to eat. So as I pull together my Christmas Planner I am trying to make a workable time schedule. No last minute crafting at midnight for me. At least that is my goal. I will post snippets of completed projects as I complete items. Off to gather supplies....

Thrift Drive

2008-10-08T22:11:00.004-04:00

Recent turns in the economy are quite scary. I can't even bear to look at the 401k recap because the number keeps dropping daily. The government bailing out companies who should have known better and no real help for the general public. What is a girl to do? Run and bury my head in the sand? I don't think that will help much. So as my Pap would say I will be watching my pennies closely. Alison from the Vintage Housekeepers and Brocante Home has challenged the group with a thrift drive. A pledge to try and lower expenses by 5% over the next week. I have been working on this for some time now. Getting receipts in order, entering numbers, researching recipes, cutting a few coupons. But now it is time to get serious (I have to order the propane as we are down to 6% left in the 1000 gallon tank, it will be quite an outrageous bill). SO here is what I did today: entered all my receipts into Pear Budget so I know exactly how much I have to spend. Time consuming, yes, but very eye opening. Last month we went way over budget just on little things that added up quickly. After that mind numbing task I had a cup of coffee and Bug had a bottle with a snuggle. Snuggles make the day so much more tolerable. Next up I canceled my automatic coffee delivery, (gasp) , it was hard but I have quite a few pounds stock piled in the pantry. After that I called to research the best propane price in our area and ordered the tank to be filled. We really need to look into some alternatives. And most importantly I stayed home and didn't run around or visit any stores. That alone saved a ton on gas and no temptation to spend. I think I may have already hit my number. Now if Amazon would stop emailing me.....

Vintage Housekeeper

2008-10-07T09:45:00.008-04:00

I have joined The Vintage Housekeeper's Circle over at The Brocante Home and I am so very excited. I have been lurking around Alison's beautiful blog for quite some time now and I was so thrilled when she announced her Circle. She emails the most lovely ideas for bringing the beautiful home. Little touches and treats to make our homes so much more pleasing to those who reside here. It has been a week and I look forward to that little piece of lovely email each day. Alison's writing is compelling and honest. I love that she embraces the role of homemaker, because isn't that what we all long to be? A true home maker. A maker of all things lovely, cozy, beautiful and yummy at home. I know I do. I want to make my home in a way that creates memories for my husband and children. I want them to know how much I value, love and care for each one. I show them everyday by keeping the house, washing the laundry and cooking up something good to eat. My attitude as I go do these things is just as important as doing them. No, cleaning toilets is not my favorite thing to do by far but it blesses my family so I do it. By bringing little bits of loveliness to these everyday acts adds so much more contentment to my days. I want my daughters to realize that I am not trapped at home, I find joy here. I want my sons to see the importance of Mr. G. and myself setting the priority for me to be home. Home should be a sanctuary, not a 4 letter word. Even amid the daily chaos that tends to reign here I want my children to feel good about home, to feel safe and comfortable and most of all loved in this house. So I am proud to say I am a Vintage Housekeeper. I love being the homemaker. I love all of the modern conveniences available to me but I crave the simple life. I used to cringe when the question of what do you do?? would be asked. Why? I am not exactly sure besides the unenthusiastic responses when I would tell people that I am home with the kids. Oh, the wasted potential that is me... Please. I would rather call time my own and pour the best of myself and my creativity into my family and home. And the more I looked around, the more this Internet brings the world home I realized I am not alone. So many other ladies feel the same way. So many long for a simpler life and a vintage homemaker existence. I have found kindred souls and I am thrilled.

Monday Morning & Teething Baby

2008-10-06T19:01:00.008-04:00

Oh my! I try to start off the week on a good note. No one wants to climb out of bed on a Monday and head back to school. This morning was no exception. I always start a little earlier on Mondays. It seems to take everyone a few extra minutes to get going. Bird is pretty easy to get moving although she seems to wake up with attitude. Today she was rattling on about how I didn't wake her up early enough, even though I started a few minutes earlier than normal. She's 12, sometimes I just can't win. I choose my battles. I will not tolerate fresh mouth but she will test me at times. She ate 1/2 off a banana. Only a half. I don't think I ever eat half of anything. Oh well off to school for her.

Next up are the boys. Einstein got moving without to much fuss but Monkey boy was not quite as nice. He has a hard time in the mornings. I had his clothes ready for him and help him get dressed. It smooths out some of his crankiness. Princess got dressed and headed down the steps to wait for breakfast. In the midst of all this Bug woke screaming, not a good start. This is so unusual for her that I knew something was not quite right with her. But no stopping progress now, everyone is dressed and fed and headed in the right direction for the bus and school. Bug and I drop Princess off at school and head home for some housekeeping, or so I thought....

I had quite a to do list planned for the morning but Bug had other plans. She couldn't be soothed unless she was in my arms. I soon discovered that she is cutting 2 new teeth. Poor girl! So I strapped her on in her sling(I love my sling!) and off we went to try and accomplish a few things. It didn't feel like I got a whole lot done but I did make some progress on my list. So here is my DONE list for the day, I like looking at it better than what is still on my TO DO: list.

DONE:

1. vacuuming downstairs

2. dusting downstairs

3. floors washed up and steamed

4. the front steps washed down (with yummy smelling Method Almond Wood Cleaner)

5. the kitchen put in order

6. 4 loads of laundry

7. bathrooms cleaned and sanitized(Boys are gross)

8. mirrors shined

9. snacks prepared

10. dinner prepped and ready for the oven

11. books read with Bug & Princess

12. a few rows knit onto Einsteins blanket.

Progress made considering Bug was strapped on most of the day. Snuggled close and comforted. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sunday Love

2008-10-06T18:27:00.007-04:00

Today was one of the days I want to remember. Not because anything major happened but because it didn't. The morning started off cool but clear. After the normal craziness of trying to make everyone presentable we headed off to church. After church we came home. No plans, no errands, no running around, just home. That in itself is such a break from the normal pace of this family. Mr. G. headed outside to work on staining the new lattice he installed. Bug went down for her nap. Bird went with Aunt C. to do the walk for hunger for the local food pantry. Einstein invited a friend over to play and they occupied Monkey outside playing in the woods and being boys in general. Little Miss Princess floated around between outside with her daddy and with me as I puttered around the house. There is nothing quite as restorative as a lazy Sunday with not much that I have to do. I cleaned up some messes, did a few loads of laundry, read a few magazines and started on some Christmas presents.

As evening approached Mr. G. started a bonfire in the fire pit. It was the perfect weather for it, cool and crisp. We sat around together, the kids played on the play set. Bug loves the baby swing. We toasted marshmallows. Chocolate marshmallows! They were interesting. Not everyone was a fan of the chocolate marshmallows. I think I prefer plain ones as well.

We then took a ride over to the Diner for a little ice cream to end the evening. The kiddos had their bath and put on their jammies. Then stories and off to bed. They didn't go easily but I didn't care. I wanted the day to last a little longer as well. It was such a sweet day. I know sometime in the future(sooner than I would like) when the kids are screaming and we have to rush to be here or there I will be able to remember this day. Remember and breathe..... it is all so very worth it.

Nesting

2008-10-02T21:30:00.009-04:00

The weather has taken on a fall chill in the air. This morning I had to get up and run around closing windows. I could see my breath, just a little too nippy in the house for me. After I started the coffee I found the thickest, warmest pair of socks I could and donned them with a sweatshirt over the pajamas. A lovely sight I am sure. Once everyone was coerced out of their warm and toasty beds I had to beg them to get into their school clothes. No one was in to big of a hurry this morning. But with some gentle prodding they made it down the steps ready for another day. Walking to the bus stop I could smell that someone had lit their woodstove. That makes it official, autumn has arrived and I am quite excited about it.

With every change of season I have the urge to change things up around the house but so much more so with autumn. The chill in the air, the changing of the leaves, bonfires, caramel apples and pumpkins. All of my favorite things arrive and I like to get ready to enjoy them all. The house needs cozied up a bit. Blankets need to come out of storage. Shelves need cleaned off and organized. The pantry needs a little perking up. Flannel sheets need to be put on the beds. Little things I love so much that signal the arrival of my favorite season.

So today I will tackle the library. It needs a serious going over and rearranging. The books are falling off the shelves on the childrens end. Dust has settled a little to thickly on the mantlepiece. And it needs some fabric touches brought in for fall. I already shampooed the carpet yesterday so I just have to get motivated to tackle the shelves. I am still hunting for fabric to treat the windows, but I haven't found anything I love yet. I keep searching for the right fabric at the right price. I will have to be careful while organizing the books, Mr. G. gets a little touchy about his books but I think he will survive.

I took a few before pictures. Here is my mess and I am actually posting a picture. Oh my!

Ouch!!

2008-09-30T19:11:00.004-04:00

Bug went to the pediatrician today for her 15 month checkup. She weighed in at 19 pounds. She did great until it came time for her shots. She screamed so loud I think everyone in the office could hear her. Nothing wrong with her little lungs. Oh but it breaks my heart to see her in any pain. She has been a trooper since her visit but she is about ready for bed. So off to give her a warm bath and get her cozy in her jammies. Oh my sweet little love bug.

Bits of Gratitude

2008-09-30T06:45:00.006-04:00

So many things to be thankful for happen around here everyday. I try to add them to my ongoing gratitude journal. I have kept a gratitude journal off and on for years but was inspired to start again by Ann at Holy Experience. She is an amazing writer who shares her heart and her faith honestly. As we go through our days I try to point out things to notice, things of beauty, something nice someone does unexpectedly, an unexpected treat. We are given so much to be grateful for everyday. The attitude of gratitude can change your view of life, I know it has mine. Faithfully recording the days blessings has helped me regain that sense of wonder about life. It removes so much of the cynicism from the everyday grind. I am intentional in looking for the blessings in everything I do, even in the chores that never end. It has helped me find contentment.

And no it isn't always easy to look for the blessings in every situation it is possible. Last week I wasn't very grateful when the washer, which is located on the second floor, overflowed sending water down between the walls to come pouring out of the ceiling in the basement onto the carpet. BUT I was very grateful I was home at the time to turn the water off and prevent more damage. Because I was here when it happened there was very little damage after the hours of cleanup. Did it completely throw off my schedule for the day, yes! But since we had to take everything out of the laundry room to clean the mess Mr. G. decided it would be a good time to paint the room. He picked a lovely cheerful yellow to go with my blue machines and white cabinets. While he was at it he put up some new shelving. I love shelving! So in the end I was blessed with a freshly painted laundry, a sparkling clean floor and a reminder not to turn the machine on to wash when I am not going to be home.(A bad habit of mine)

My life is far from perfection. My kids misbehave, laundry needs done, the toy room has exploded all of its toys onto the floor again. But it is my attitude about these things that makes all the difference. If I focus on all the work and monotony of the daily grind I would go crazy. If I choose to focus on the good, the beautiful and the many blessings I have been given I can get through anything and even enjoy tasks that I find distasteful. I choose to see my glass half full. I choose to be optimistic. I choose to smile more. I choose to be thankful for all the children who make the mounds of laundry. When life seems so overwhelming I choose to take a breath and mentally list my blessings for the day. God is so good to me. I choose an attitude of gratitude.

Fireproof

2008-09-28T14:55:00.003-04:00

Just by chance Mr. G. and I ended up with a free afternoon. After dropping a few of our brood off for sleepovers we took the remaining 2 to Meemaws for a few hours. We headed off to see the movie Fireproof . A friend emailed me the link to the trailer. What a well done film. I loved the story. Every married couple should see it. After the movie we stopped for a snack. I was hungry for soup. We stopped at a place that serves Cajun style food. I ended up with a bowl of red beans and rice, it was soooo good. Yummy comfort food. It was nice to have a few hours alone with Mr. G.. It doesn't happen very often around here and it was a nice treat.

Friday Night Football

2008-09-28T14:44:00.003-04:00

The older kids have been waiting all day to see if the weather was going to cooperate and clear up. It's been raining off and on all day. Now it's about 6pm and I am sure the game will go on but I don't know that I want to go sit in the misty rain. Now that Bird is in middle school football games are a requirement, at least according to her. Being the parent I am, I insist that Mr. G. or I attend to supervise. When the weather is nice we all go to watch, tonight I think I will leave the fun to Mr. G.. I am sure he will be thrilled. So before they head off to the game we are heading to pick up a movie for the little people who will stay cozy and dry with me. Maybe a pizza on the way home...

I love Friday nights.

Magical

2008-09-27T08:30:00.004-04:00

The wonderful, magical world of miniatures....

My littles have always like to play with small toy sets, animals, cars, dolls that are tiny. Princess has her own doll house that lives in her bedroom. Monkey boy has always wanted to have the tiniest cars and action figures, Peter Pan being his favorite. They will play and imagine all sorts of possibilities for different scenarios. I myself have always had a love affair with the world of miniatures. My nan always had an elaborate Christmas village that we set up every year. Complete with roads and working streetlights. I would set it up as she directed me where to place everything for the most life like setting. Now I carry on that tradition with my kids, we put our village under the tree. And even though it is not as elaborate as hers the kids love it. Which brings me to today... Princess and I have some time alone while Bug naps in the afternoon and the others are still at school. She has the tendency to want to spend to much time planted in front of the TV. So we needed a "project" to work on together. I have been wanting to redo my childhood dollhouse for some time now so we brought it in from the garage.

My nan and pap gave me this lovely little cottage when I was around 10. It seems to have fallen into major disrepair. The family living here must have abandoned the cottage when it was moved to the top shelf in the garage. Apparently they didn't like the location. In fact they must have left the door open because it looked as if a little bird family was trying to make their home here.

After assessing the damage Princess declared " We sure have a lot of work to do!". She is quite right. Our little "project" will be to try and restore the little cottage to her former glory. And so the renovations begin.....

Applesauce Days!

2008-09-26T21:33:00.004-04:00

Thursday was the start of applesauce days! Princess, Bug and I headed over to the farm store to get seconds(apples). We started with 3 boxes and my sister brought over 4 more. The apples make their way into my farm sink to be washed, then onto the cutting board and into the pots. I do 2 pots at a time. Bug prefers to watch the process from the comfort of her highchair with cheerios to snack. Princess was interested in the washing part but that's where her excitement ends. It's a simple process really, I just chop and plop. Once they are on the stove I cook them until they are mushy. The mushy mess goes into a hand cranked food mill to smooth the sauce. Now I add a smidgen of sugar and some pure vanilla, give it a good stir and enjoy. At this point there are 3 options: eat the yummy warm applesauce, put it in freezer bags to freeze or can the sauce. Today I chose the freezer method. Easy and simple. The best part is how it makes the kitchen smell, a sweet, apple, fall smell. I love to eat the applesauce warm. So does Bug.

I have quite a few apples to go and it will take a few days but it is so worth it. It always tastes so much better than grocery store sauce.

Procrastination

2008-09-26T21:02:00.003-04:00

I have written, deleted and rewritten this first post more times than I care to share. I have been struggling with what I want this blog to look like and how much information to put "out there". I think I have come to the best compromise so that I can keep an honest journal of our crazy days, my unfocused creativity and the blessings bestowed on our little family. I want this to become a journal of our days together, a place to share the projects we create and for the ideas we share. For the sake of privacy I will write of my children using nicknames only. So here is my brood: Bird(12), Einstein(10), Monkey(6), Princess(4) and Bug(as in lovebug 14 months). Then there is the love of my life, Mr. G.
Here's a little background. Mr. G. and I will be married 15 years in October. We have lived on both coasts but never in the middle. Our family is the most important thing to us. We love having a big family and a crazy life. I try to look for the positive in every situation. I want to be content in all things and circumstances. I look for the beauty in the everyday things because that is where I find happiness. Attitude is a choice and can make or break the day. I try to find time for something creative everyday. So for today I am going to try and figure out how to make this blog pretty, because you can never have to much pretty.