The Middle One

This is number three of five in the line up.  We call him "Spicy Boy" or usually "Diggy." He's the spoon in the family - he likes to stir the pot, get everyone riled up.  

When he was about two and a half I fixed some dinner for the family.  It was a new recipe, one of those that had stuff all mixed together.  One that adults would like, but not kids.   

Kids are not huge fans of their food touching, much less it all being mixed together where they have no chance of separating it.  So, the hubs and I were going overboard about how delicious this meal was while the kiddos were complaining A LOT.

This kid brings me his plate and says, in his scratchy voice, "I don't eat poop."

He's growing up now, he's seven and a half, and he still keeps us going.  He's not one to be silent, which is good in this big family.

Today, he's not feeling great.  Fever, headache, not eating much, and just laying around.  Which means just he and I get some good snuggle time for today.  I'm looking forward to the snuggle time, but sure don't like it when he's sick.

"Snowmagedden 2013"

This will probably be it for the year.  It snowed almost all day, but it didn't stay cold enough for anything to close anything - i.e. SKOOL!!!  

Between dropping other kiddos off we had a little time to come home and play.  Who doesn't love a yard full of fresh snow?

 The backyard was gorgeous for a while!

I knew that when it started falling, this kid would be all over it!  He's all boy.

We better take advantage of it while we have it.  Tomorrow we are expecting rain which means lots of mud!

Haircut Night!

One of my mostest favoritest things we do on a regular basis as a family is Family Haircut Night with our friend, Jennifer Haircut!  The three youngest gave her that name and that is just who she is to us!  She's been cutting our hair for over 8 years, which was before we even had E.  The little girls think that all the other stylists in the salon are named Jennifer Haircut.  We walked in one time and our Jennifer was the only one.  Avery asked, "Where are the other Jennifer Haircuts?"

 Carlie before she gets glamourized!

 She loves curls.  She loves pink.  And, she loves Jennifer Haircut!

 Ethan looking a little shaggy.

The 'televangelist' look

 Sweet little haircut boy!

 Avery loves her some Jennifer Haircut time, too.  But she usually prefers just a pony-tail or a braid.

 Jennifer doing her thing!

Big brother looking dapper with his slick cut.  Isn't he a cutie??

Dad is hungry.  Where are we going to eat??  After haircut time we go out to eat, tonight it was yummy Mexican food!  See you next month Jennifer Haircuts!

Sunday is Coming

I had a good chuckle the other day while dropping off my daughter at preschool.  There's a mom there that I see during drop off and pick up.  Her child is not in my daughter's class so I really do not know this person at all.  From what I can tell she has only one child and he is very well mannered, neatly and cleanly dressed, hair looks as if it were freshly cut every day.  The mom seems to have every hair in place, with bright, perfect, raspberry, lipsticked lips, neat, clean, modest clothes.  And, then, there's me.  As I'm driving to preschool I'm thinking, "Hmmmm.  Did I wear these clothes to drop her off yesterday?  Hope no one notices."  

I was in Target one day with all five kids by myself.  Behind me in line was a husband and wife with their SINGLE child (they seemed to be my age, so it wasn't like they were just starting a family and had more room to grow age wise.)  The mother asked me if all these kids were mine.  I told her that they were.  She asked me how I did it.  I was feeling a tad ornery, so I told her that I drink a lot.  What does that mean, 'how do you do it?'  Well, you just DO!  The house may be a bit messier with each consecutive kid, I may be a bit dissheveled, we may be a bit later to things, we may not be as organized, but we just do it and keep going.  

I like having all these kids.  It's like a party all the time in our house (that's a joke, you should have heard our dinner time this evening).  With our age ranges which is currently 16-4, my husband and I realize that we could very well have kids in our house for the rest of our lives, and we are totally all right with that!

Psalm 127:3-5  Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.