How I Spent My Summer Vacation…

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Abbie

While I may have spent our entire summer looking for a house, Zoe got an invitation from a special friend to have an American Girl Club. She and her friends met together weekly and planned all sorts of fun things. This culminated in a craft sale/performance of an American Girl play. They had a wonderful time and Zoe’s friend (and mom) were so gracious to host the events all summer! Nevermind me talking about it, here is Zoe’s perspective along with pictures.

In American Girl Club, we made projects each week. Some of the projects we did were Samantha’s hair bows, Felicity’s candied nuts, and a Forever binder which holds photos and important things we did. At the last meeting we did a craft sale and a play. The play was about a Spanish girl named Josephina and second chances. The play was set in the 1800s in New Mexico. In the play, the part I played was Tia Magdelena. Tia Magdelena was a godmother to Josephina and also a healer. A healer is someone who used spices and herbs to make people feel better. After that we had a sleepover. My friends and I had a fun time.

A is for Avocado

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Abbie

Because I temporarily lost brain functioning during our move, I decided it was time to introduce Malachi to food. I had packed up our hand blender (okay all blenders for that matter), so I had to squish up the not quite ripe avocado with a fork. Primitive times, I tell ya.

“Hey Daddy! I want some “ghetti!”

“Uh, that doesn’t look like what you had.”

Any way, it was a fun time had by all and after watching him gnaw on the
piece we gave him for over two hours, we decided to wait a week or two
(well, almost a month…I had to find that blender first).

So, after being in the house for a week, I decided the rest of the avocados needed to be eaten or thrown out. With previous babes, I’ve gone the cereal route first but since our babies tend to thin out around six months or so, I thought the high fat content of the avocado would do his body good.

After thoroughly blending and watering down the avocados, he loved them! Especially when I started adding things to them like applesauce, bananas, squash, zucchini.

He also likes to help!

If you must know, he loves to have his face washed off and giggles throughout the process.

Ace is Eight

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Abbie

Our “gift from God” turned eight in July! I can’t believe he is that old. We had a celebration at home and when it cooled off a bit took a trip to the park.

In June, Ace came up to us and told us he really wanted a pocket knife for his birthday. We both felt he was at a good age to get one. So far, we were right on. He’s been very responsible with it and is taking good care of it. Okay, so he has cut him self a tiny bit on his finger but he did learn not to put his hand in the way when closing the blade. Mark picked out a Swiss Army Boy Scout multi-purpose tool. He loves being able to have a variety of tools available should they be needed.

Ice cream cake. Let me just say that making an ice cream cake when it’s over 100 degrees out…well, it’s not for the faint of heart. I had ice cream, chocolate, and whip cream every. where. I told them all “never again.” And in my head added, “Unless you ask me.”

Papa found Uncle B’s old catchers mit and shared it with Ace.

Ace thought it was a nice hate (it is a baseball. hat. hardee har har). Not really. But he can be quite goofy sometimes.

Bryant is Two!

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Abbie

Okay, I know they say the “Terrible Twos,” but we don’t really believe it. Bryant does enjoy trying to assert his independence, but for the most part he is pretty obedient. He says, “Yeah, ba’am” when I have to correct him. That’s “yes ma’am” in Bryantese.

If you look back on Bryant’s growth (easy to do by clicking on his “label” on the sidebar), you’ll note that he’s done quite a lot of things early. Teeth at two months. Crawled at five months. Etc. Well, he is, by far, our most verbal two year old. He also understands a lot more than he can communicate at times.

For his birthday, he requested at “hootball cake.” He didn’t just ask for it one time but multiple times. Over several months. We’d say, “Bryant what do you want for your birthday?”: “A hootball cake,’ he’d reply, “Happy Birfday Myant!”

Oh, and Myant is what he calls himself. He’s such an important two year old that he speaks of him self in third person. He’s been doing this since about March. Sadly, as August approaches he’s growing out of it and it’s more of “I do dat.” Instead of , “Myant do it!”

Aha! All you peeps out there who didn’t understand toddlerese. This is a “hootball cake.” Known to you and I as a football cake. Yay for cake pans that are in the shape of a football.

He cleaned his plate!

Bryant’s also our animal lover…especially horses and dogs. We were so excited to find a big stuffed horse at a consignment sale this past year. He was thrilled to have it too!

And, we all would like to thank Papa and Grandmere for the harmonica. No, really. We’re also grateful that you volunteered to hold it for us until we come to visit.

Bryant also fell in love with Josiah’s Captain America ~~doll~~ action figure that he received from Ge and Granddaddy. So, after two days of Bryant following Josiah around, I requested one for him. Ge and Granddaddy were thrilled to comply and Bryant walked around with his own figure for several days!

On to July

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Abbie

In case you can’t tell from my lack of blogging, we’ve been unusually busy. I will post more on that but first we must get caught up.

We were blessed to have been able to visit with Mark’s brother and his family along with Papa & Grandmere just after the 4th.

And here’s the proof that we all survived fifteen kids twelve and under and six adults.

Ready for some play!

Cousins enjoying looking at books about the new cousins.

And reading.

Malachi met some “old” friends.

And more reading.

I believe he’s reading.

Gun fights at the OK Corral. Bryant would hold it up to his eye and make gun noises.

Uncle D came for a visit and played ball…three batters for every pitcher. That’s how you get it done in a large famly.

Conquering Mount Swing

Josiah…the Baby Whisperer with Cousin K.

Malachi didn’t know what to think.

But he did enjoy the attention from his Aunt D and Cousin L (Mark’s first cousin…I don’t know what it makes Malachi to her…I just can’t think about that late at night).

And Aunt

This was the baby row.

More baby love from Cousin O.

My nephew H was my buddy. One night during family devotions he was fighting the sleepy bug hard. After he fell out of the child’s chair a couple of times, I grabbed his hand and would give it a squeeze every once in a while. From then on, he wanted to sit by me during devotions/worship time. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, H is Liam, on speed. He has calmed quite a bit since they were younger.

Chess outside…what could be better?

Oh, Chess, outside, with Papa. Yep, that’s better.

Papa had a water station set outside. Great idea. In theory. By the end of the visit, I think the vast majority of water bottles were under the deck or hiding in bushes.

Water guns hit the spot to cool everyone off.

And the slip and slide was not too bad either!

Yummy cold watermelon from cousin J’s garden!

And Malachi met his little cousin T. T was born in April just a couple months after Malachi!

Malachi thought it was quite a funny time.

And of course, Baby-lover, Ceili Rain just had to hold her baby cousin! Bless his poor little heart.

Notice two things: 1)Papa’s audience. 2)The damage the audience did before Papa called for reading time.

Overheard

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Abbie

June was full all sorts of cuteness…and sickness. Malachi caught croup from colds being passed around. We spent a not so fun night praying and steaming before we could get him in to see the doctor. She knew he was sick so she was on call should it have gotten worse. Praise God it didn’t. I have never been so worried about one of our little ones. Still no breathing treatments (we are so thankful we’ve never had to use them for any of the kids…I’ve heard the stories). Bryant also caught the croup and a simple dose of steroids and he was good to go.

Now on to the cuteness (if you are my fb friend you’ve seen most of this but mainly this is for those who “don’t do facebook” and for my own records):

***
Me: Bryant, you are one smart cookie.

Bryant: No!, I eat ‘mart cookie!

***

Megan, Kristina’s three year old, says, “I carry you!” when she wants to be held. Except it sounds more like, “I KILL YOU!” She has since corrected this but for the longest time…I could promise you that’s what that girl said.

***
I gave warm McDonald’s chocolate chip cookies to Tracy‘s kids.

She was not pleased. (That’s Miss Maggie with the yums covered face)

They were thrilled and Wyatt asked over and over for more.

***

Me: Where would you be without Father’s Day?
Liam: Texas!

***

Josiah: Mommy I put my pants on and they were tight and I saw it was because they had snaps.
I turned around and saw that he was actually wearing them unsnapped.
Me: Um, Josiah, they’re too tight because they’re Malachi’s pants.
Josiah: oh.
Yes. He. Did.

***

To encourage Ceili Rain to stay dry at night she has princess undies
with the days of the week printed on them. She had some on a Sunday (and they were the Wednesday ones) and Josiah asked her what they said. She was
encouraged to ask Zoe for help in reading them.

She replied in all seriousness, “No, no. I don’t need help. I know what it says. It says ‘Princess panties. Do not pee.”
***

We have a pallet that is on our bedroom floor in case a child should
wander in during the night and need some comfort in knowing mom and dad
are there. Ceili Rain slept there during our Transue Invasion. Tonight she was cuddling with me and said, “Mama, if I sleep on the pallet tonight the lions will come and eat me.”
“Oh no!” I replied.
“They’re small lions.” Pause for effect “Then I have to climb in bed with daddy.”
Then a burst of giggles erupted from her (okay, and me too).
***

This is typical when Mark is off for a long weekend:
Gets tearful when Bryant wakes up and walks around crying for daddy. I
told him daddy was at work and as he cried he said, “No daddy at work!
Want daddy here.” Breaks my heart and totally broke daddy’s too.

***

Malachi likes his doorway jumper, so much that nine out of ten times when I put him in it, he poops…everywhere. That kid!

The good, the bad, and the goofy

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Abbie

Now, this pictures is actually one of my favorites because it captures a bit of our personalities! I’ve mixed in a few of my favs with a few of the goofy ones.

Tracy tried so hard with this shot…just didn’t work out and Mark just wanted to take a nap. Malachi wasn’t too thrilled either.

The model look.

How we get her to smile.

Fishing…wait for it…

Score! Digging for gold!

Isn’t he precious?!

I may be partial, but my girls are pretty beautiful. And my mommy heart feels with joy when I see them giggling and playing together.

Two hours of pictures and Josiah was done.

Now, stay tuned, I’m going to attempt to post all of July in next week…there’s a big reason why and I’ll let you all (who are not FB friends with me or family…I don’t think that leaves any one.) start guessing.

We clean up good

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Abbie

Tracy has done it again. It’s a bit because she knows us so well and a bunch that she is a great photographer…but she’s been able to capture our pics. We had to schedule them a bit late this year thanks to her first trimester blahs with #3. But we got them done!

And with no more typing, here’s what she got:

It’s amazing what a little ice cream bribery can get…don’t worry the weren’t all good…I’m posting outtakes tomorrow!

June’s End

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Abbie

I’m two posts away from being done with June.

Here are the outtakes from the month.

Rainy afternoons and friends are awesome!

Josiah came out of his room like this and I was in tears. We all were. Oh my this kid is totally goofy. That’d be underwear on his head, pants on his arms, and his shirt wrapped around like a loin cloth. I’m so proud.

This is how we chill when we get a sink bath…Malachi has since graduated to the bath seat…at four months, he’s the youngest in the bath seat.

It is totally tough being a cute baby…especially when you haven’t gotten you sleep routine down.

Can you detect the sheer terror on that boy’s face? Nothing but love from Ceili Rain though!

A bit of proof that the boy rolls from his back to his belly. And proof that he is adorable.

Happy Birthday Josiah!!!

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Abbie

We celebrated Josiah at the end of June! This past year, Mark and I have noticed Josiah’s goofy personality emerge. He loves to walk up and say something witty and then flash his bright smile. I think his cowlick grins too!

Five years ago, we held our big boy and wondered what in the world God was thinking giving us three boys in a row! We know now that each one is such a blessing and we wouldn’t trade our ‘Siah for anything. While everyone is rushing through life going here and there, Josiah reminds us to sloooow down. I regret the times I’ve been impatient with his slow speed. However, now, I can see how his moving slow and steady helps him to observe and take in so much of this world God has put us in. He’s a thinker and I can’t wait to see what he is going to come up with next! He’ll officially start kindergarten this year and by using his thinking observant brain he’s already picked up on some of his kindergarten skills by watching Liam.

He chose the Duggar Ice Cream Cake for his dessert. He didn’t want butterfingers for the toppings so we went with mini m&ms. It was a chocolate sacrifice we just had to make. And we suffered too…with every single bite.

**Black eye courtesy of a sibling conflict the day before the big birthday**

Just a Bunch of Characters

Musings of everyday life in a house full of Characters.

Tag Archives: The Kids 2012