Year: 2009

Mack woke up from his nap very, very happy.  I love it when that happens.  It is much better than the alternative–lots of whining and crying from the top of the stairs saying, “I can’t!!  Come get me.  I can’t!”  He asked for a snack, and I let him pick something out of the bowl of junk we have in our pantry.  He picked out some NERDS.  We both enjoyed some, and I took a picture of the moment.  NERDS take me back to middle school, big bangs, playing M.A.S.H. and so much more….

And an  update on the shirt…after one wash it wasn’t clean, so I bought some spray-n-wash, scrubbed it, rubbed with Clorox and washed.  It still wasn’t white, so I dumped a lot of clorox on the stained place (the whole front of the shirt) and washed again.  It is now clean.  My whole laundry room smells like CLOROX now, and I don’t mind.  I am just glad the shirt is white again.

I always thought those commercials with the mom trying to figure out how to get the stains out of her kid’s shirts were a bit of an exaggeration.  I don’t think that anymore.

Wow.  Fun day at school with extended recess= lots and lots of stain stick applied all over this white shirt.  🙂  I think I will only buy navy shirts when Mack starts school.

Ruby- “For all have sinned and bon jour for the glory of God.”  Romans 3:23

Me- “It is actually, ‘FALL SHORT’ of the glory of God.”

Ruby- Like this?  (she falls to the floor then walks like she is short)

Me- “No.  Like, you don’t do and can’t do everything perfect to meet God’s standards.”

Ruby- “Like this?”  (she falls to the floor then walks like she is short, again)

Me- “Let’s talk about this when your Daddy gets home.”

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Molly is climbing through a fence to try and get in where horses are…horses that I don’t know, she doesn’t know and could get upset with her in their territory….

Me- “Molly, get back on this side of the fence or I will whip your tail.” (said half-jokingly)

Molly- “I don’t have a tail!”  (laughing and laughing)

Mack- “Me have tail?”  (as he looks behind him)

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Molly- “I’m in the hospital and I am having a this bear, but it is really a baby.”

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Molly- “Daddy, lay down so I can give you a shot.”

Josh- “OK.”

Molly-“This shot is in your face.”

Josh- “My face?  Goodness.”

Molly- “Now I am going to give you a shot on your feet.”

Josh- “My goodness, Molly, you pick horrible places to give shots.”

Weird.

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After hearing a lot of talking and laughing, Josh went upstairs to tell the girls to settle down.  He had to go back up there a little while later because of the noise.  He turned their CD player down and told them to not turn it up, stay in bed and go to sleep.  As soon as he closed the door he heard Ruby tell Molly, “Go turn it up just a little bit.”  He opened the  door and Molly said, “Ruby told me to!!!”  Josh got on to them, turned off the CD player completely and left the room.  They got mad about it.  He stood there at the door and heard Molly say something like, “I don’t like Daddy” a couple of times.  He waited a minute, then went back in and gave them hugs and kisses and told them that he loved them no matter how mad they ever got at him.

Molly’s reply was, “Daddy.  Tell Mama I love her and want her to get me dressed in the morning.”

You would have thought she wasn’t paying him any attention.  BUT, this morning at breakfast Molly asked me if she got up in the night.  I told her no, but that Daddy did have to go up to her room because of all of the noise she and Ruby were making.  Then, she said, “Yeah, Daddy said he loved us even if we don’t like him.  Even if we say we don’t like him, he still loves us.”  She was listening and even remembered it this morning.  If the four and five year old stage is like this, I wonder what the fourteen and fifteen year old stage will be like!

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If nothing else, there was a ton of riding here this weekend.  Riding bikes with training wheels, bikes without training wheels, pink scooters, blue hot wheels, pink hot wheels, bikes without pedals or training wheels and even riding over toes and into one another.  They all had fun!  Jud couldn’t wait to show us what a big boy he is riding his new bike without training wheels.  He did so great and even inspired Ruby to try it!

I love this picture…notice the “professional” biker in the background.

Look at cute Aunt Cacy helping Jud get started.

Above you see Mack running from Kaybeth….just kidding…though Kaybeth is quite the fiesty booger.  Saturday morning we heard some crying, which is not rare, but after a little while of hearing it, I looked out the window to see who was crying and why.  Mack got rammed by Kaybeth with her bike.  He walked away crying, she lifted her bike and walked over to him and rammed him again.  Aunt Cacy stepped in swiftly and firmly.  I couldn’t help but giggle because this sweet little girl doesn’t strike you as fiesty, but she is!  I hear that she and Vance have a love/hate relationship.  I could see that being the case with Mack and her if they lived closer.  She is a sweet girl, too.  She just likes to shake things up a bit.

Ruby had fun riding without training wheels.  She did great!  Josh helped her get started.

Molly was on the “strider,” the bike with no pedals or training wheels…great for getting ready to ride a bike!

Kaybeth and Ruby with the community apple.  I should have taken a picture of each kid with the apple….

That night we ate lasagna, gave everyone a shower, then read a few books and watched a movie.

The next morning we all got up early, got ready and went to ULTA for some make-up, Kirklands for a few items for the house, and then to eat Mexican at a place called “Dos Margaritas.”  Now, I am not a drinker and never have been, but IF I WAS OR EVER HAD BEEN, dos margaritas would have been in order.  Shopping and five children five years and under do NOT mix.  The restaurant experience was actually very good with all the kids.  Everyone was hungry, so they ate good and didn’t cause a scene.  I almost did though.  A little piece of a chip got stuck in my throat.  It was horrible and ruined my whole eating experience!  Every time I swallowed it felt like a knife was going down my throat.  Cacy made fun and offered some suggestions like, “Eat something bigger to push it down” as she put a piece of a chicken nugget in my face.  “It looks horrible, but it is actually really good,”  she said.  Finally, the chip went down and all was well.  I was glad that the waiter didn’t have to perform any type of maneuver on me.  We came home after that and the kids played and played and played…..

I had a very fun time with Cacy, Jud and Kaybeth.  I am so glad she took the long drive alone with her kids.  That is not easy, but all of us had fun seeing them.

Today it is raining.  I love it!  We will be here all day, homeschooling, cleaning, and being sure to work in a nap!  Monday, Monday……..la, la, lalalala….

We had sooo much fun with Aunt Cacy, Jud and Kaybeth this weekend.  I am so happy that they decided to come visit us.  I have much more to say about the weekend and lots of pictures, so I will post them when I have more time.  For now I will show you our new furniture in the living room (thanks dad and mom!).  Josh picked it up on Friday.  Cacy helped me figure out the best place for it all.  I really, really like it.

We let the kids eat the cupcakes outside.  Far away from the furniture!  🙂

Kaybeth, Mack, Molly, Jud, and Ruby

We had such a wonderful time at Ruby’s class field trip!  The kids only see each other two days a week, so getting to see each other on a day besides Tuesday or Friday is a treat!  And they didn’t have to wear their uniform either.  Ruby kept saying to her friends, “Hey, look at my boots.”  She can’t wear her boots to Kindergarten because of the heel.  ANYWAY, they were perfect for tromping around in the Pumpkin Patch.  Molly wore hers, too, of course!

We drove down the long driveway to Berry Patch Farms early this morning.  The kids were so excited….

Getting closer…..

We saw a turkey, a calf, some goats, and lots of pumpkins!

Here comes Mrs. Honaker!!!!  What a cute little Kindergarten teacher!

Ruby met up with Ashlyn right away.  Molly stayed close by both of them.  Ruby did a good job of including Molly.  I mean, she can always improve a little in this area, but she is learning to be a good Big Sister.

Ruby and Ashlyn

I made my kids each get a photo at the beginning in case it didn’t work out to get any more pictures.  (I ended up with lots of pictures though!)  Most of the pictures are of Mack because he stayed with me the whole time.  The girls galloped and ran and played with their friends.  I did round them up a few times for pictures….as you will see.

Ruby, 5 years old

Molly, 4 years old

Mack, 2 years old

The wagon ride was fun and bumpy and some parts were stinky.  🙂

Mack and Lincoln…Sunday School buddies

Mack found a pumpkin very soon after we got off the tractor ride.  He would pick one up, look at it, then throw it like a baseball.

And we finally made it to the actual pumpkin patch!  It was a beautiful day.

All eyes were on the tractor.

One class shot….I wasn’t in charge of getting this one, thank goodness!

And then we got on the tractor to head back and have some apple cider, of which Ruby and Molly had to announce, “Mama, I do NOT like this.”  Lovely.

The girls and I made some brownies and cookies to share with everyone on the field trip.  Yummy!  The kids played on a swingset and ran all around.

Mack stayed close to the tractor.

And proof that these kids have a Mama!  There’s always evidence that I exist and am involved in their lives, but here you see an actual picture of me.  (Thanks, Charity!)

What an incredibly fun day.  I love seeing Ruby with her school friends.  She seems to be very confident and comfortable in her skin.  She also seems to be a leader.  I reminded her once to be sure and include everyone, and she seemed to be mindful of that.  Mrs. Honaker and I talked about how she is doing in school, and she said that Ruby is doing great!  She said she behaves well, too.  That’s good!  I am so proud of little Ruby, who is not as little as she used to be.  Kindergarten is so much fun.

Molly has been trying to memorize her Cubbies verse.  She says, “I am filthy and wonderfully made.”  Instead of “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  It is hilarious.  And true.

These are older pictures, but I could take a picture on any given day and usually find a filthy kid!  And a fearfully and wonderfully made one, too.

The Fall season is so nice!  I love, love, love all of the smells and colors and fun activities and yummy food!  And all of the great coffee flavors are so fun to drink in the perfect weather.  School starting goes along with Fall.  We have been in school for almost two months now, but are just now really getting into the swing of things.  I am learning not to yell so much at Molly and Mack for their nearly constant interruptions.  I put a little more effort into getting them started on their own project.  It works for Molly, but it does NOT work for Mack.  One day he’ll get it.  One day.

We’ve been baking for our neighbors, teachers, and friends in HP for our missions project.

Molly and Mack doing whatever it is that they do while Ruby and I try to do some school.

Ruby and the word families activity

She did a great job!

I made up the above sentence…..

Ruby coloring doggies that have matching letter buddies.

We have a field trip tomorrow to a pumpkin patch, and I am really looking forward to it.  I hope I remember my camera!  Ruby says they get to color a small pumpkin, take a hayride and more!  She is very excited about being with all of her friends tomorrow.  I just pray for Mack to stay with me, for Molly not to have a meltdown, and that no one falls of the wagon ride.  If all of that comes true it will have been a fantastic day.  I will keep you posted!

I don’t think I have mentioned this here, but I thought that this week was TKA’s Fall Break and that Ruby and I would be “foot-loose-and-fancy-free” to do whatever, whenever.  However, I was wrong.  Very wrong.  All my plans of the Aquarium, the Zoo, the  museum, etc are off.  Josh had even started planning a possible two-night camping trip for us at the end of the week!  I should never rely on what I THINK is going on and should always refer to my calendar first.  The kids did find a tent to play in though.

They had fun with this tent for quite a while.  I should have taken a picture of the tent after they were done with it…it was not exactly in the same shape as when they started.

And though we won’t be going camping, Josh and I are going to PF Changs tonight for some time away.  Lettuce wraps, yum.  Uninterrupted conversation with Josh, nice.  Quiet car ride, unimaginable.  Ahhhhh……I am really looking forward to it.

Quick story:  Today while we were riding to pick up Molly from her Music class, I turned around and said, “I love you, Mack.”  He looked at me and said in a sweet voice, “Sanks.” (thanks)

In an effort to NOT take a nap and wake up groggy for a church meeting, I have decided to post some pictures from a fun lunch today.  (Thank you, Coleen and Mandy for cleaning half of the kitchen up…it was so easy for me to finish up!!!)  The Verners, The Thrashers and The Cross’ all came over for lunch after church.

The Verner family have three kids–Rachel, Ashley and Jacob

The Thrasher family has two kids–Anna and Jackson

The Cross family has two kids–Carter and Carson

All together there were 8 adults and 10 kids!  It was so fun.  The kids had pizza while the adults ate baked potato soup, salad, and corn muffins.  Brownies and ice cream were for dessert.  The kids all played well together and it is always nice to talk to other adults!  We only had one MAJOR CRAZY MOMENT small issue, but all was well, and we can all say that the Lord is our Protector.  Moving on.

Here are some pictures from the afternoon:

Above you see Jackson pushing the stroller (he has an older sister, too!), Carter and Rachel looking like they are about to knock each other out with the sticks, Carson standing there needing to go to the potty, and then Ashley, Ruby, and Jacob, whom you can barely see….Mack and Anna And Molly were not in on this pic

Jacob Verner…how cute is he?!

Ruby and Ashley

Carson—only a real man can ride a pink scooter and wear a pink helmet.  Safety first, that is what I always say.

Anna and Molly.  These girls were too cute together.  I think they could come up with a very sneaky plan one day, so we better keep a close eye out on these two!

Here we have Micheal Verner with his son, Jacob.  Also, there is Josh with Mack.  This is so neat because Mike and Josh grew up together…they went to nursery together!!!  Long time friends.   Maybe Jacob and Mack can be buds since they both have two older sisters…they will need some guy time.

And this is Mandy with Jackson.  He was trying to get away, but she caught him!

We are always so glad to have people over and enjoy a meal together.  Josh and I are blessed to have so many friends at church, especially.  We love spending time with them and getting to know them better.

Now let me go find something else to keep me awake for another 20 minutes.  I hear the hum of Josh snoring…very tempting to go lie down, but I will not do it, cannot do it, won’t do it………….