Week of FUN

This week there is no work allowed. No school days being marked off the calendar. It is the Week of FUN.  A.K.A. Trying to cram in as much summer fun as possible into five days because you've been home bound for the last five weeks waiting for a baby to be born.  Obviously we are also taking things easy but we are still getting out.

One last swim in the pool before it officially closes.

Lunch at the pool.

Ladybug got to enjoy one pool day on the outside.  She could barely contain her excitement as you can see.

While Lovebird has not shown a hint of jealousy she has been waking up in the middle of the night.  This was actually happening pre-baby too.  Thankfully it's not every night and after a few minutes of cuddles she will go back to bed easily.

Lovebird got to go on her first daddy date.  Technically you normally have to wait until you turn two but becoming a big sister is a reason to break that rule.

Beach Time

As you can see Ladybug was just as excited about her first beach trip as she was her first pool trip.

The kids found a great "hole" that someone else had dug.

I'm sure there will be many more pictures of this week to come!

Girls Only: Saturday

The boys are in California on an "All Guys" trip.  The girls are trying to keep busy at home.  We have a list of things to get done around the house and a list of fun things to do while they are gone.  Yesterday we did better on our fun list than we did on the To Do list.  It was extremely hot and we worked outside until about 10am and then came in.  Lovebird loved playing in the dirt while we tried to figure out what to plant where.  We did get the back deck planters done and now we just have the front planters and the container vegetable garden left.  Hopefully it cools down in the next few days so we can finish.

After everyone was bathed and showered. We relaxed around the house for a little bit while Lovebird took a nap and then we headed out.  First stop was Panera Bread for a late lunch.  I'm not sure if the weather really was soup kind of weather but the two older girls LOVE broccoli cheddar so there was no question what they would be eating.  Then we headed to Hobby Lobby, Target, and Home Depot.

When we were finally back home we broke out the fun activities and crafts we found at Hobby Lobby.  Balloons are always a hit!

This is Cuddlebug's concentration face.  They were trying to see how many balloons they could keep up in the air at one time.

Then it was time for some crafting fun.

Lovebird joined us and well.....she mostly just threw all the pieces all over the table but she still had a good time.  With a little help she finished her craft.

Curly Bear and Cuddlebug then made another craft while I tried to keep Lovebird happy and occupied.  She is really missing B.W. when it comes to play time.  I have caught her in his room numerous times looking for him.  She also has been singing a "Dada" song every time we go anywhere in the car.  I think she is hoping we are going to pick up the boys.  We ended the night with painting toenails and then had a light dinner.  We have many more fun activities planned and hopefully the next few days will be productive and most of all fun!

Weird?!?!

I have absolutely no idea why homeschoolers get the reputation of being "weird".  What?  You don't read hanging upside down?

Our Home: The Question

So as I look at this picture I do see what others see. What others think. What some come right out and ask and what others keep quietly to themselves. "Are you done?" And no they are not asking whether I'm done with lunch, done with the good book I am reading, or done with the chair they are wanting. No, they are asking if we are done having children. It's a question that I have many different responses to and many different attitudes about. Normally I am happy to answer that question. But there are days.......or I guess I should say people.....that I really don't want to answer for. Like the stewardess on the plane that asks as we file everyone to their seats and she acts as though we are bringing on ammunition. I smile and don't answer the question. Do you think she would want to hear that I'm not talking much because I'm praying that this flight goes well and that I don't get nauseous with morning sickness?

Prince Charming often jokes that something may be wrong with us. We can not begin to imagine having the last baby and not wanting just one more. The Bible says that children are a blessing and we want to be blessed I guess!!! The Lord has blessed us more than we could have ever imagined. I have been diagnosed with so many problems that should make it difficult or maybe even impossible to have children but that has never been the case. We have suffered the heartache of miscarriage but never because of any of these problems. We feel that it is a testimony to the Lords goodness that we are going on #5. So I will now put to rest the comments and questions we've heard in the last few months.

1. Do you know how that happens? This would be one of those questions I smile and don't answer because I think it's a ridiculous thing to ask so....{smile}

2. You are done right? If the Lord says we are done then we are done......but we sure hope not!

3. Are you trying to compete with the Duggars? Last I checked there was a pretty big difference between 5 and 19 but Prince Charming and I are very competitive people......so bring on the challenge if that makes you feel better. {smile}

4. Are you going to buy a bus? Well we don't know. Right now we can still fit in our Odyssey but as far as traveling in it goes it is going to be a little tight. We've been looking for down the road and yes to the chagrin of Prince Charming we see a Sprinter van in our future. This weekend he is actually going and getting his sports car that he's been wanting to help ease the pain of being a bus driver. I'm pretty sure he'll make it through this crisis when it arrives....or should I say docks.

5. What do your kids think about baby #5? They are as excited as ever! B.W. is of course really hoping it's a boy. He loves all his sisters but still really wants a brother.

6. And our most favorite question and objection to having more than the "normal" amount of children.........How are you going to pay for all that college education?!?! Ummm, we probably won't pay for all of the college education. {Enter gasp here} Even if a child's parents can afford to pay for them to have a free ride we think children should work for their education. I'm not saying that we are cutting them off and they are on their own but we want our children to learn that education is a privilege and not an entitlement. We have quite a few years to sort this subject out and I know that when we come to that bridge the Lord will lead us over it in the right direction.

I personally think it's kind of funny that people act like we have a large family because I don't feel like we have a large family. Yes there are days when I feel like I need four hands but what mom doesn't. All I know is that if the Lord wants to bless we are all for it!!!!!

I'm Not Complaining

So for weeks I've tried to get back to blogging. I feel like I go straight from fall to spring. And partly that's because we did! The winter was so mild and we really didn't have much snow or cold. Being a hot weather person I am definitely not complaining. I must admit though that I just feel like my body can't figure out this new Midwest climate. I'm sure pregnancy isn't helping. My daffodils were up be the middle of March. Right now we are enjoying the colorful tulips.

On March 18th we were out playing mini golf........... with no jackets on.


Yes, on March 20th we had our first Family Beach Night. This is absurd! We normally are ecstatic if it is warm enough to start these by the middle of May! It was beautiful and the kids couldn't get enough sun, sand, and waves. It has cooled down in the past few weeks but most days still seem warmer than usual. I'll take this nice weather! I suppose if this is the new Midwest winter I may be able to handle it.

Sweet {But Exhausting} Life

So this picture pretty much sums up how I feel lately. I realized I haven't posted since December 24th. Which makes sense since we suffered a stomach bug over the holidays. Have been in the craziness of the middle of the school year. And spent our week in Florida at Disney. Oh and while all this is crazy in itself......I'm also pregnant again! In August.....possibly July......baby #5 will make their appearance. And as always in pregnancy sleep is my most coveted possession. I will be catching up on blogging here hopefully in the next few weeks........but I'm not making any promises.

Searching Out the Small Blessings

Today is Christmas Eve. By looking out the window it looks more like the beginning of Spring but I'll take that sunshine! So our house has been hit with a nasty stomach bug that is sweeping through the entire family. We hardly ever get sick and when any germ enters our house it is usually always contained to just 1 or 2 people. So needless to say that today is not feeling very cheery. But today the Lord has shown me many small blessings.

1.) We are blessed to be able to have a house with 3 bathrooms. I don't think I need to elaborate on that one.

2.) We are blessed that Lovebird has had a very mild case so far and are praying it stays that way. Mommy is not up to taking care of an extremely sick baby......and neither is Daddy.

3.) We are blessed that our children have handled the disappointment of canceling all of our Christmas plans with complete understanding. I think I may be more upset than they are!

4.) I am so thankful for the beautiful sunshine. While I know that many are upset that we are not having a white Christmas, I REALLY needed to see the sun shine today.

5.) I am so thankful for Netflix and Apple TV.

6.) I am so thankful that my kids are just as excited for our Chicken Noodle soup Christmas Eve dinner than they were for the Turkey one.

7.) I am thankful that my mom risked the germs to bring over more soup, Gatorade, Saltines, and Popsicles. Mosheh and Gershom are thankful that she took them outside!

8.) We are blessed that despite everyone not feeling 100% we still get to spend the holidays with each other.

You Know When Life is Too Busy......

......when your 3 year old walks inside and then lies down and falls asleep on the foyer floor. We must slow down.

Moments Like These

So the Thanksgiving didn't quite go as planned at Uncle B's and Aunt K's. The turkey was underdone, the stuffing was overdone, and Plan B had to be activated which was going and buying chicken at Martin's. But all of that doesn't matter.

It's moments like these that make a Thanksgiving meal.
The three kids enthralled with Great Grandma, her stories, and looking through the Christmas catalog she brought with her.

Thankful Party and Why I Can't Leave Prince Charming Unattended

So we don't celebrate Halloween and we were so excited when a fellow church family suggested having a "Kick off to Thankfulness" party a few weeks into November. The kids were to dress up in a costume of a Bible or book character. The kids were very excited about this.

B.W. decided to go as David.
Lovebird was his little sheep.
Curly Bear went as the woman who poured perfume on Jesus feet. She really wanted to be a Bible character since the other three were going with that theme and it took us a looonnnnggg time to come up with something.
Cuddlebug wanted to be a rainbow since that is her favorite Bible Story. So we made her into "God's Promises".

Now the days leading up to the party were absolutely crazy busy! I felt like I had about ten huge projects to get done in a few days time. So while I ran to make some copies for the kids folders for the church service I asked Prince Charming if he could fit the rainbow to Cuddlebug and put the ties over the shoulders so it was the right height. I wasn't gone for more than 10 minutes and was texted this picture.
I text him back and tell him I think he needs to loosen it up a little bit.

About 2 minutes later I get a text that says,"Oh shoot, I caught it on fire!"........"You better come home."

Thankfully by the time my few errands were done he had things under control and our little rainbow was running around the house. Now I still have never heard the whole story on how he set the costume on fire. He and the kids have been very tight lipped about the matter. Hmmmmm.......

Not According to Plan But Still Blessed Abundantly

At the last minute we decided to split the Mothers Day festivities into two days instead of trying to cram it all into one. On Saturday we went out for lunch at Uptown Kitchen. My absolute favorite! I hadn't been since they moved to the new location and it was fabulous as always. We then did some quick errands before we had to head to church.

On Sunday I woke up to breakfast being made for me. I had been up about five times that night and I eventually ended up sleeping in the family room. I tried to pretend I was sleeping but after an hour I gave up. My family may be the noisiest chefs I have ever heard. Breakfast was lovely. We were then suppose to go to the beach for the day.......but that didn't happen. After breakfast I started not feeling well and thirty minutes later I realized that it was going to be one of my "excruciating, I'll take any pain medicine I can find, I'm not going anywhere" chronic pain sort of days. I was disappointed and the kids were disappointed. Curly Bear offered to drag me on a sled up the dunes. I told her that I didn't think that would work for more than five minutes. She tried really hard to convince me otherwise. I was so glad we had already gone out to lunch the day before! Thankfully by that night things were back down to a bearable state. A medicated state, but bearable. There was one point that my organic eating, natural living, completely against medication self was begging Prince Charming to take me to the hospital to get some "good" pain relievers. I was dreaming of a morphine drip. Even though our plans were messed up I still enjoyed Mother's Day with many cuddles, many kisses, funny songs sung for me, and an all day movie day with my family. I am abundantly blessed!

Too Much Celebrating

First Snow

"Are you ready?!?"

"Hold on tight!"

"Let's do that again!"

"Thanks brother for carrying the sled back up that big hill."

"Let's cuddle, drink hot cocoa, and watch a movie to warm back up."
First Snow Day= Success

We're in the Double Digits

I can't believe B is in the double digits. For his 10th birthday he asked for a Galapagos Islands cake. I can always count on him to stretch my cake decorating abilities. We had a nice relaxing day and then we had church at night. It was our joint fellowship with the other home church so we met at The Post. Could you get a better spot for a 10 year old boy to spend his birthday?!?! After service and the meal the kids along with the dads played basketball and dodge ball in the gym. There were also pool tables and other fun activities. It was a great time.
While it didn't come out the way I had exactly planned I think it's pretty good considering I had about four hours sleep and had about an hour to decorate it before the baby had to nurse again. B loved it and that's all that mattered.

Happy Birthday B!

Ummmm.......

So I've realized that I've failed miserably on blogging this year, especially over the summer. The summer that flew by so fast that I still can't comprehend that our yard is covered in leaves and tomorrow we are heading out to the pumpkin patch. But I really feel bad that I haven't even mentioned that baby #4 is on the way. Ummm.....actually on the way possibly in a few short weeks. I'm determined to get back to blogging like I was. This is my record of life and I don't want huge holes in it! I can barely remember what I had for lunch today. Wait, did I eat lunch today? OK so I don't want to forget the huge details in life along with the small. So my goal is to do a quick over view in the next couple of days of what I've missed and then start fresh. That's my goal......we'll see if it happens.

Tuesday Morning Recap

Let us recap this fine Tuesday morning in the O house.

• spilled OJ all over the living room window seat.....and I will not even mention the fact that just last evening someone was in HUGE trouble for spilled fruit punch on same said window seat
• Cereal trail from pantry all the way to the above mentioned window seat....apparently baby sister wanted to see if the suspect would share said juice
• completely forgot the dog outside and also forgot to feed him.....pretty sure he'll survive
• half a roll of toilet paper shoved in kids bathroom toilet
• 2 year old who tried to shampoo her hair.......without water.....not in the bathtub.....in her pajamas
• house that was completely spotless just one week ago is....well...not anymore
• have done a little school but not nearly finished

Can I just go back to bed? Please!

Pressing On

So one of my other goals for 2010 was to stay up with my blogging. I'm failing miserably. Instead I've been pouring all my energy into getting back in the Word, training up my kids, educating my kids, being a wife, and keeping a home. So I guess blogging should fall behind those things. That 90 day Bible Study I'm doing is teaching me a lot. Not because of my victories but because of my failures with it. OK so it will probably end up being more like a 6 month Bible study but I'm pressing on and I'm seeing some priorities that have to be put back in order. Well this last month has definitely not lacked fun times.

Here are the cupcakes that I made for Groundhogs day. They were a pain but the kids loved them so they were worth it. We had an indoor BBQ to help forget that winter was here for a little while longer.

Co-op is back in session and the kids and I are loving it as usual. Here is a picture of the first morning before we left. H was not quite sure as you can see but she has done amazing so far. It's amazing how much she changed in that two month break. She now looks forward to going to see friends.

We are all ready for spring. Winter naps are pretty good though.

So it's not much but it is a wee little pony tail. I think it's awfully cute!

So our family is not a winter family. We are a "lay on the beach every day, all day" kind of family. We've talked about taking up skiing so we could have a winter activity to look forward to. It sounds like fun......if it didn't involve cold and snow. The older kids are wanting to learn so I guess I'll have to suck it up one of these days. One Family Night we decided that we were going to shovel and do some sledding on our hill.

H was all set to go.

Exactly 10 minutes later she was back inside. I guess she didn't realize that shoveling and sledding involved cold and snow. She spent the rest of the evening watching out the front window with her snack. Did I mention it took me 15 minutes to get her all bundled up?

L wasn't completely sold on the idea either.

Some of us spent more time sledding than shoveling. In B's defense, he does shovel for me on his own quite often.

We made Valentine's for friends.

Who we spent an afternoon with. It was filled with laughter, playing, pizza, and sweet goodies.

Despite feeling so sick of winter I'm telling myself that this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it......and have a little fun at the same time.