From the first day of school 'til now

in pictures. Life still rolls along even though we're busier. And kids are still kids.....even with a busier schedule. That is a fantastic thing. Our church is starting a Bible study called "One Month to Live". The introductory lesson was all about learning to "count our days". We are given this moment and I pray I pay attention to each one!

All the kids crammed into their bath brushing.



Befre bed listening to a book on c-d.

A photo I uplaoded.

The undefrosted freezer.

Playing with the freezers 'snow'. "It's like Christmas!"-Sam

9 yo.

Houston, we have a problem. We did not have to cut it loose.

Thank you Lord!

I don't really have time to post but I need to

O.K. There has been much activity at our house lately. Ben and I had our first classes this past week and Wednesday night church started up for the kids again. It's been challenging to juggle the kid's school/house work/Ben's school/food prep/my school/working out. We are just VERY scheduled and say no to alot of extra curricular activities and that's that! Ben has also rocked at helping. The hardest day is Monday. I have class in the AM and Ben needs to leave for his by 5 PM so I'm left to myself with everything (prep for the next day, kids homework, cook dinner, clean and kids in bed) that night (he doesn't return until 9.15).
I've learned that if I don't get EVERYTHING for the next day organized and prepared for, that next day is a HUGE catastrophe. It only happened once and it was only 1/2 a catastrophe but that was enough!
It's actually gone much easier than I thought. Compared to last year's start, this year has been a cake walk! Thank God (and I do often)!
I'm sure I'll have some cute post later......I'm sure. =D

Free To Be Me

It's the 10th song on my playslist and I.love.this.song. The artist is Francesca Battistelli. Her beautiful name matches the song. (Mom tell Dad to search this song at playlist.com. It's the one Es and I were singing when we were painting your bd.rm.)

-

At twenty years of age I'm still looking for a dream

A war's already waged for my destiny

But You've already won the battle

And You've got great plans for me

Though I can’t always see

-

(Chorus)‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender

Got a couple rips in my jeans

Try to fit the pieces together

But perfection is my enemy

On my own I'm so clumsy

But on Your shoulders I can see

I'm free to be me

-

When I was just a girl I thought I had it figured out

My life would turn out right, and I'd make it here somehow

But things don't always come that easy

And sometimes I would doubt

-

(Chorus)

-

And you’re free to be you

Sometimes I believe that I can do anything

Yet other times I think I've got nothing good to bring

But You look at my heart and You tell me

That I've got all You seek

And it’s easy to believe

Even though

-

(Chorus)

-

Aren't we, as people, a little scarred and bumped? We're all just trying to do our best and figure this precious gift called LIFE out.

-

Along those lines.....I'm going back to school. Yeah. College. I'm 1 hr. away from taking my initial exam and my heart is pounding. I'm going to earn my ASA (Associates of Arts) to enable me to be a elementary teacher's aid. AND I can apply the time/work that goes into the AS degree to a BA then a MA in Teaching if that's were I'm supposed to go. We'll see. I'm just nibbling on this HUGE bite of AS so we'll see what happens. I honestly don't want to think about more school at this moment. a AS degree is just fine with me!

-

Oh, and Ben's going back too. He'll be earning a BA in Business. I'm SUPER proud of him. So when we can't do a certain activity because we've got to study.....it's not just the kid's!

-

One.Two.Three.Here.We.Go........Cowabunga!

-

Just when you may have thought

I fell off the face of the earth. A miracle happened. I posted. Heh-heh.
We've had a blast making our summer mozy as long as we can make it.

Trying out the 'wheeless trailer' before we left for camping.

At our destination this bug made me scream as I was

unloading Penny.

The new found fisherwoman. (Her's was the largest fish

caught and she wasn't shy about telling her brothers that

fact. Again and again she'd mention it.) ;)


And fisherman.


And fisherzachy.

Sam's turn for K.P. He's having fun, can't you tell?

Our camp at night.


FINALLY. A fisherjoey.



What better than to warm yourself by the fire while camping

in the northwest?

This was this morning. At school. Before I started to cry.

Joey and Zachy are in 2nd grade. Sam's in 4th and Sis is

in 5th. We all had a great day at school; the kids in their

classes and I volunteering.

This was the scripture I read this morning.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear. Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." Ps. 46:1+2, 10+11

I know it seems like a heavy verse. But it did put things into perspective for me. God. Then I'd start to worry. God. And cry. God.

He is good.

Where, Oh Where, Has My Summer Gone?

Time is looming. Actually, the fall is looming. Right in front of me. Yesterday I got some of the kids school uniforms out; washed them and hung them back in their closets. *blubbering* That's partly when I realised how close fall is. I cannot believe that is just 18, very short, days the kids will be back at school. BOO-HOO! I get choked up thinking about it. Not just that school will start but that I have a fifth, a fourth and two second graders. When did that happen?
On one of our visits to see Ben's family down south I was standing with Ben's grandma (the kids call her Grandma Berta). I was shaking my head as all the kids came scrambling in to dinner one night and I said something like "This is crazy!" Her comment was something like "Yes, and don't expect it to get any better anytime soon." Gosh. How right she is. We then started talking about time, kids and parenting. (What a treat that was!)
In that moment I realised that a part of me kept thinking that things were going to slow down or that they were going to get easier (by easier I mean less demanding). Nope. That's just not how my life is. Training and helping to guide my children doesn't end when they're a certain age. The training just changes. As does my involvement with said children. *sniff-choke-blubber*

*sigh* I knew this would happen. In my head I knew. Not in my heart. I think that in a corner of my heart I hoped to keep these guys small and near. But that isn't the glorious plan of God, is it? He is wiser (and less emotional) than I am. How good God is to give times of preparation to us for the road ahead! I hope I use it wisely.

As the time of school's reconvening gets nearer and nearer, I will cry. That's okay. That's just what this Mamma's gotta do. God help me. I hope none of the kids gets married until they're, like, 30. I'll need time to adjust. ;P

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hears, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:15-17

One Load

This post is more to remind me of life lived than anything else.

This one load of laundry=13 shirts, 10 underwears, 9 reg. shorts, 5 athletic shorts, 1 pair of pants and 1 pair of socks. You can see part of my laundry line in the background. I sure hope all the items are dry before the rain hits. That is, if the guy is right about rain.in.August. There should be a law against it.

You're not seeing double

it just....do-do-do-do....The Twilight Zone! Heh. Kidding.

This is my Baby. He's the final Twin by 19 minutes and he was so sad that Zach had lost both his big front teeth before he'd lost any of the same. He was even a little melancholy the other day about it.

Here he is. My Hawkie (Joey's nick-name). I LOVE YOU BUD.

See? If you haven't noticed there's a string tied to my tooth.

3, 2, 1!

Holes, holes everywhere.

One of the first things Joe asked was "Are you going to put the pictures on the computer?" Yeah, Bud. Yeah.

"I'm totally freaked out."

So said Zach. Here is the progression.

He's been wanting his tooth to just 'come out'. Last Saturday

we tried this very tactic. Synopsis; the tooth stayed as did the

string. THAT was interesting. Trying to not pull the tooth but

remove the stubborn string.

Tonight was different. He requested we play Eye of the Tiger.

The rest is history.

Tonight

A little scared.

Zach enjoying Daddy's dance to the song.

Second and final slam.

The end of the evening singing with dry erase markers

as mics to Eye of the Tiger. When I say we ROCK.....WE DO!

Nothin' like singing with a marker as your mic. You should

try it sometime. ;P

A Few Days Ago 'till Yesterday

It's hot. Here in Oregon we've been experiencing a record breaking heat wave. I'm not sure what we'd do if Ben hadn't found (from craigslist and I think they were free) and saved two window a.c. unites from a few years ago. I love the warmth of summer but this is a bit much. I can handle up to 90 for a while. This will be the fourth day over 104. Yowsa!

The following will be a glimpse of our lives the past few days. We've had fun. ;)

Last Friday
The produce from our garden turned into 'carrot people' by Essy.

She used Barbie accessories and Polly Pocket clothes and hair to dress them. Yes, that'd be a golf club that the 'dad' is holding. Notice the 'babies' in the pram.

Saturday, our cleaning day.

Last night. The kids have had a BLAST with Lego's the

past several days. It dosn't show in the photo but the

floor is covered with them (and has been for the past 4

days). :/


Fooling around with the camera.

Learning to take photo's of oneself. First try.


Second try.

Me teaching bad habits.


Zach learning bad habits ;)

The horrors of blogging

I have been loving summer and being with my kids. Some days are so busy while we're living them but at the end of the day I sit and think about what really got done and I can't think of a single accomplishment. Other than board games, creative play and reading aloud. I need to remember that those are accomplishments too. Just because there isn't a tangible reward, there is an emotional one and possible a spiritual one as well.

With all that quite business I have neglected to blog. OH WELL!

I will try and catch you all up. I know you've been waiting anxiously =D Right.

Sunday the 19th we left for Medford then at 6am the following day we left for Sacramento. We arrived at 12.30pm and we were all exhausted. Our cousins Keith and Stacey graciously allowed us to take over parts of their house and stay with them. They are the most easy going folks around. THANKS! We stayed and played until Thursday. But between the two days is when the break down occurred.

Wednesday Night.
We had got to my Uncle and Aunts for dinner and on the way the Twins fell asleep. When we arrived and got inside I asked all the kids a question and everyone answered but Zach. I asked him again. and again. and again. He just looked at me with a blank expression without answering. I asked him what was wrong. No answer. About now is when I get a bit scared. He's TOTALLY not acting himself and I think some thing's wrong with him physically. I touch his shoulders, bend down to look at him in the eye and ask whats wrong again. He finally answers that no thing's wrong. I get some water and tell him to sit down and slowly drink all the water. (I thought he had gotten sun stroke from playing in the pool for 3 hours.) I make sure he drank some water and go to chat with the fam. I check on the kids a couple times and make sure they're all hydrated. Yup. Drinking water and in the a.c. After we've been there about 45 min. I got again to check the kids. I sit down with Z and ask him how he's doin'.

This is when it all hits the fan. In his 7 year articulation he tells he he's missing Dad. His lip starts to quiver. He wants to be home with Daddy. (I must add here that Zach, out of all the kids, is his Daddy's shadow. He'll come to me twice of often as the rest of the kids to ask me when will Dad be home from work. And once Ben is home, Zach'll ask if they can play or wrestle or fix something.) I whip out my cell in record time and call Ben hoping he can help with the heart sick boy. Zach's holding the phone but when Ben answers Z can barley squeak out a salutation his throat is so tight. I holler into the phone "He's a little emotional right now so he may not be able to respond." That was probably the most pitiful thing I've ever witnessed. A dad-sick seven y.o. boy, lip quivering, holding a phone to his ear listening to his Dad comfort him. Heart-breaker-tear-jerker. Boooo-hooooo! My throat was tight.

I ask Ben to send a photo. He does and goes a step further and sends a video text.

As I snuggle with my crying boy, the Others (siblings) gather 'round and comfort. Essy starts to cry too. BOY! They all want to go home. NOW WHAT????

After about a 1/2 hour of comforting I settle them in front of the electronic babysitter (t.v.) and go out to talk with Mom. That's when I loose it and start crying. THEN she starts to tear. Golly. What's with California, huh? Is it the air? the water? the governor? Heh. Kidding. That is when the plan starts developing. If the kids miss and need their Dad that much.....I'll move the planets out of orbit to give it to them. They've never spend that much time away form him ever. Ever, ever.

So we cut our trip short and leave the following day for Medford. Zach told me "I feel better today." when I asked him how he was feeling that morning. "Not like yesterday?" I say. "No. Yesterday I felt like my heart was breaking." Gosh what a kid.

There was rejoicing when the kids learned we were leaving for home. And then more tears. They were all sad to leave their cousins. Is there no winning here? Ahhhhh! This is the roller coaster of a road trip. One I will never do again. We WILL fly to Medford and then fly to Sac. next time. Who wanted to drive to Cali anyway......oh yeah, heh-heh.....it was me. ;)

Now for the good stuff......photos!

Wednesday.





A dive gone wrong. OUCH!

Back in Medford.

The ride home to Daddy.

Total hours in the car: 22. Total miles: 1,300. Total states: 2. Total smiles: too many to number. =)