Sunday, September 30, 2007

School Pictures

Will
Ethan
Melanie
Molly from da hood
another Levi pic, even though I posted his
"school" pic already...see Friday 9/28 post
Hi there!! Hope you had a good weekend. Can't believe it's yet another Tuesday! This past Friday, I took the kids' unofficial pictures. I truly believe I will have to re-do a few of them though...it's hard to get a genuine smile from E. and Mel was doing something funky with her peepers. You will see in Molly's picture that she is throwing out some gang signs. where she learned those, I will never know. Will's hair is all just big and feather-y...he is such a man!

I began this post on Sunday evening but lost it somehow...so now I will complete it and try to post again later on today. I am not all that excited with how my kids school pix turned out. I also got some cutesy pix of Miss Molly trying to sit up (yup, sit up) on my bed...she has pretty good head control and thinks she is a big ol' girl...it's kinda cute. I find that when I take pix of her, she is just not as cute in the pics as she is in person..I'm not just saying that either...(ok, I AM partial but c'mon really)...

Mel's fair goldfish from over 2 years ago died today...I would've taken a pic of it but the water in the bowl was foul and dirty..it was kinda sad because the poor thing kept trying to eat or swim but it was on it's side and kept going down...it put up a valiant effort to stay alive but I flushed it while Mel was somewhere else. Ok, I've spent too much time writing about THAT! (I've been trying to "off" this fish since we got it...)

Ok, I'm off to do some math with Mel, make sure the boys are understanding their work, find Levi and make sure Molly's head isn't getting cranked in the swing! I lead a charmed life! running on 3 cups of half caff coffee...peace out!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Random Friday stuff...

Mischievous Miss P
Non-chalant Miss Nora

"Big Mol" aka Molly Moo...the 13 lb. girl
Hangin' in their baby seats...
one of Levi's "school pictures"

Hi there, it's Friday. A lovely one at that, and I'm stuck in the house. not really but I'm trying to get a bazillion things done for the day. My kids are working on their school nicely and helping me with the cleaning in between. it is also supposed to be "picture day"...and all I've gotten done so far is Levi. I guess that is somewhat of an accomplishment! for a loser. (me) The picture of Molly and Nora in their seats was taken this past Wednesday, when B. and I went to get our hair "did". Will was with us and watched them for us in the times when Beck or I were getting fixed up...the girls will love these pix someday, don't ya think? I surely hope so. I think it's so funny that we have babies together...whatta special event in our lives!! glad we get to share this, B.

Tonight, my kids, my sis, her baby and I are going to our former church (it's currently her church, my former church I guess) to see Ken Ham. He is the guy that started the Creation Museum that we visited 2 weeks ago. It is always good to hear him speak...

Really a pretty uneventful day...there are so many things I could blog about, like our new porch, the tattooed dude that is doing the block/brickwork on it, our swampy pool, my 13 pound baby girl and stuff like that but instead, I will just post a few pix for ya. Hope this finds you all having a wonderful Friday and a positive outlook on your weekend. Peace out!!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Nostalgia...how I love thee!

It may be hard to tell but Will really has a Molly expression on his
mug in this nearly 13 year old photo....David is doing his
best lumberjack impression!! this is how he holds all
our infants...arms length!! love you, hon!

couldn't you just eat these kids up??? Dec. 98....o man!
E. and Mel and their matching eyes...2003
Classic Will...strong, silent E. can't believe my boys

aren't 3 and 2 anymore!! 5/98
Spidey and Tickle me Elmo...11/98

I have my big boxes of random and seriously unorganized pix out (yet I do have some of my photos organized)...and stumbled on these irresistible pix of my oldest 3 kids...I'm gettin all mopey because they are NOT these small, completely dependent kids anymore!! These pix are making me hurt today. (I told you I was going to get nostalgic, it's officially fall).
Will has always had the same happy little face, even now with pre-teen acne and facial hair...E. has always had those soulful eyes and strikingly adorable face...now he is going thru his awkward 11 year old boy phase and worries all the time that all the girls "like Will"...but watch out world, when E. breaks thru, he will not only be strikingly handsome but big and manly to boot!! He doesn't believe me. I simply can't imagine them getting any bigger than they are now...but it's a comin! Soon, I will have two big ol' kids with deep voices and long legs!! Yikes!! I do feel so safe though!
Ok, gotta go feed Fatty Patty but wanted to post these so y'all could see why I might be a nostalgic fool...my kids are growing up right before my very eyes and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Cherish the days you have...for before you know it, life changes, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad, sometimes ya just don't know. I'm glad that I have someone I can trust in to help me through uncertainty and doubt...kinda like right now.
Peace to you all....

Monday, September 24, 2007

Rootin' around and found these old pix...

awwwwww....if only...July 1998
fall 1998
summer 1973...34 years ago...man, I'm old!!
I was digging thru some pix tonight...on a mission to find a picture of Melanie in the same outfit that I had on Molly the other day, and I found these blasts from the past...I love Will and E's faces...they are priceless! Also, I can't believe how much Molly and Melanie look alike...it's eerie. They even have the same mannerisms...Molly is as girly girl already, as Mel was!!

The other baby, obviously, is me...this pic is from the summer of '73...and I love that my daughter's have some of the same features. my kids resemble me. a little. I'll hafta find my 7th grade pic...strangely, it reminds me of Will for some reason...though he isn't wearing a pink shirt or a beaded necklace much these days...I think it's the eyes...I'll have to find it...
I didn't get the school pix taken today, and for a good reason....David called me and ended up coming home at 1 today. He did to our downstairs floor what he does every day in professional places...a process called vitrification. I will have to post some of the pix on here...it looks and feels so nice, shiny and clean!! So hopefully we can take the school pix tomorrow.
On that note, hope all is well with all of you...love and peace.
Pray for my parents...my dad is on strike (he is in autoworker)...he even gets to go picket...isn't that cool?? Now that would be a blog entry...can I go with you, Dad? G'night!!
disclaimer: this entry is really rambly...sorry about that. I got up at 5:30 this morning...

A few more scrap pages, Levi cutie

Looking back, my scrapping was so scrappy...not that it's
much better now but I've grown.

Thought I would post my page also. o to be young again. dig the '90's hair
Couldn't resist putting this up as well, since Levi's page is way old
Hi there!! Hi Mom and Dad...sorry it has taken me so long to blog again...(I have heard about this more than once since my last post...mom and dad check it every morning before he leaves for work...pray there is no GM strike) Here I am!! On today's posting, you will find Levi's scrap page as well as mine. These pages were made well over four years ago and it's funny to me, looking at the stuff I scrap now, how I've changed. my style is still bohemian though.

This pic of Levi at the bottom is one of my all time favorites of him. This is his preschool pic from last year. He is so unimpressed! I could just snatch him up and chew on his fuzzy little ears. Check out the honkin' big eyes. He comes by them honestly, though neither his father or I have particularly large eyes...others in our family do!! (Hello Mom, Beck, Natalie, Melanie...etc.) Gotta love those peepers!! A funny Levi story, so I don't forget it...we say delicious around here often (I guess) but he has picked up his own version "Delishlish"...he will say that when he is enjoying his food and it really is cute...now all of us say it too. so if you hear us say it, you will know what we mean. Tiny is talking so well. sometimes it amazes me the things he comes up with.

Today is supposed to be a record high heat day even though it will be the first full day of autumn. isn't that nuts? 91 degrees. I've gotta get outta this place. I need some cooler air. Also on tap for today, I hope to take the kids "school" pics. So if I do...I will post them. yeah. sure. I guess I should go. I set the kids' alarm and heard it go off about 20 minutes ago and no kids are moving around down there...have a super de dooper day y'all!!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Ethan and Melanie baby pic bonanza, Will Big Hair...Mom spooky eyes too...

Lovin' my momma's beautiful peepers!!
Ethan definitely inherited my mom's big, haunting eyes.
Mel has some striking peepers as well!! Will Big Hair (his Indian name) with Molly
Big Bow (her Indian name)...

I couldn't resist...here are E and Mel's pages from my momma's book, as well as a recent shot of Will, so you all out there in cyberspace could see why this momma is all melancholy about her firstborn....he is as tall as me, if not taller with feet that are definitely larger than mine by now. He is sporting some hair on his upper lip as well...and I just can't handle these kids growing up so fast. Anyways, you can also hopefully see how adorable E. and Mel were...(you still are, kids)...E. has my mom's haunting eyes, which I will post on here next (I think I will add the pic to this post) because she has some awesome peepers. Melanie is a rarity in this family, a truly gentle, sweet girly girl.
Ok, that's it...I promise. My late night cup of joe has kicked in and out now. g'night folks! Levi's page will be on here tomorrow!

Will Baby Pictures...

This is a page from a scrapbook that I made for my mom a few years back. I am going to pay homage to my kids' and their adorable baby pics, because they tend to be forgotten! Will was one of the cutest kids I have ever seen...such an interesting combination of his Dad and I. A very unique looking young man. And now, with all that hair. :) He will be 13 on Oct. 16...cannot believe it. I refuse. In my mind, he is still this little round faced cherub!
Kara, I know these head shots are cut out and all that, but this was made when I was a novice scrapper and I also wanted to try to fit as many headshots on an 8x8 page...tomorrow I will post the Ethan page from mom's book and so on, so forth. I need to do a Molly page but....
Well, anyway, here's to nostalgia! Told ya. Love you, Will Franklin!

Molly and her Pa, & a few random shots

he really isn't choking her, just helping her hold up her
large "heed"

regarding each other...she really does like this dude.
check out those mad skills!
another fun fam shot from the Creation Museum, check out Levi...

This past Saturday, the kids had soccer games. Molly was getting some Grandpa love...and they were bonding. It was adorable. Uncle Tom played some soccer with Levi because he was getting antsy (Levi was getting antsy, that is). Tom, you are a great uncle. Dad, you are a wonderful Gpa...thanks for taking the time to come to the kids' games. The weather was amazing! I could totally live with 65 degree days. But no, here in Indiana, we get teased for a good part of Sept. and Oct. This week, we are back in the mid to high 80's, with some lovely swampy humidity. Sheesh! I am officially over summer.

In a way, it makes me feel a tad melancholy though. Closing the pool down, shifting Molly's summer clothes out, as well as some outfits that don't fit her that now go to Nora, realizing that my nearly 13-year old son has outgrown EVERY pair of pants and shoes he owns (if anyone out there needs some regular size 12 boy pants, I've got some for ya)...man, it makes me all nostalgic. And Molly? Seems like she was just a nice thought, a wiggly womb occupant. And now, she is a bright, beautiful little sweetie, an amazing addition to our not so small family. She is so vocal..wish you all had the chance to see her in person, she is a doll baby! Her eyes talk to you and she is making such cute noises. Love that chicklet.

Anyhow, don't know what got me off on that tangent...nostalgia. Get used to it folks, it's Laurie's time of year, lots of sap on this blog from here on out!

otherwise, not much else going on...kids doing well with their school work, working on the upstairs porch (which is really going to be something, from what David tells me), trying to keep this thing afloat and hanging on in there. Hope all of you are doing the same. Choose JOY! We all have so much to be thankful for! Hug your kids. Hug your spouse, tell them how rockworthy they are! Hug a friend or family member (Mom, Beck, I would hug you right now if I could)...Thank the Lord for all He has done for you...

Sorry for the rambly entry, as usual. It's late!! Peace out, Laurie...

Thursday, September 13, 2007

A bit more...

The mother of pain in childbirth, Eve herself!!
The people that didn't get on the ark, wishing they had...
the detail is better in person but it was so intricate!

The full view!
My poor baby...she really didn't mind!
Levi's adorable smile, everyone looking and me looking preggers.
I couldn't resist putting a few more pix on here...I really enjoy the one of Molly being eaten by the T. Rex. not because I want something bad to happen to my child, no, but because it's just so cheesy, predictable and corny...pure corn. the pic of the rock with little people on it is one that I described in the previous entry...the diorama with Noah's ark. You've gotta visit the Creation museum. It will renew your faith in something bigger and more powerful than you could ever imagine (God, the Lord, Jesus Christ) and the vastness of His creation, how perfect and amazing it all is...I haven't even hit on the planetarium film we saw on the Cosmos and our galaxy etc. overwhelmingly cool! This stuff did not just "bang", explode into existence. something from nothing. hmmm. ok, I'm really done preaching...for now.

Ok, well, off to bed...just wanted to share a a few more of my not so clear pix...

Creation Museum!! Incredible!

stooges...look, Molly wants another tan! sheesh.
Levi, uncooperative, as always!! :)
Mel, David and Martin Luther...cool!!
We took this for you, Charmaine!
Melanie (with over-exposed face) with Adam and Eve...
David acting scared (and rather dorky) for the camera.
We had the pleasure of making a trip down to KY to visit the brand new Creation Museum today, by the Answers in Genesis folks...AMAZING! And a gospel message presented that is bold and courageous! They are not ashamed to proclaim Christ and that is refreshing and encouraging! It was so nice to be there, among fellow believers. It is also a very professional establishment...nothing sheeny about that operation! We were impressed. It is hard to get the pictures to convey what the experience is actually like. Let me recommend that if you are curious about the place or where you may stand on evolution vs. creation, etc., that you take a trip to Petersburg, KY. Thank you, David, Tom, for making the trip possible. We had a blast.

Anyways, I have put a few highlights on my faithful blog and hope you can get a glimpse of what it was like. Levi was not fun there because we couldn't officially carry the Dora potty into the place...and so poor David took the turkey boy to the bathroom 5 times at least, at the risk of Levi getting a bladder infection...and he, I gotta hand it to the kid, persisted, stubborn kid. He has good resolve. David finally broke down and walked him all the way back out to the van to use good ol' Dora. Molly was really good, sleeping a lot and allowing me to nurse her in the planetarium (kinda), and in the different presentations we saw...there was a lot to read and take in, and there were lots of people there so it was hard to get it all today. My brother Tom came along (thank you for everything Tom...) and it was nice to have him with us! He always kinda manages to steer himself out of the pictures but I did get some. The older kids were wonderful...I will need to put the pic on here of Molly in the T. Rex mouth...cheesy but memorable. ooooooooo I'll be back.

O yeah, the Noah's ark re-enactment was innnnnnnnnnccccccccccrrrrrrrreeeeeeeedddddddddible, to say the least. They had all these different diorama's of the building, the floating (with little rocks sticking up out of the flood waters with people clinging to it etc...I will post those later for sure...so cool), the landing, just amazing. I can't do it justice here and there is stuff I'm missing. The Adam and Eve displays were really cool also...the serpent was just as I imagined him to be!

I think I could keep going but have so much to do, and Molly is fussing...so I will be back on here tomorrow or Sat. maybe. Hope this finds all of you doing well..sorry for the here and there post...I'm so exhausted! coffee can't even touch this tired and I tried! G'night y'all. love and peace.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Mother of the Year!!

Someone ate too much dessert...
She is two months old today!!

Melanie loves to lay on her...hee hee.
Check out her left side...niiiiiiiiiiiice!!
I even had her baby sunblock in my diaper
bag....

The "People traps"...quite a drop!

Look, we've got a person now.....

And the award goes to.........drumroll...........



Laurie Young. Yeah, not so much. Molly got a sweet little bit of sun on her soft, chubby little face and arm yesterday. The kids had their first soccer games yesterday. A rather muggy (no, nasty muggy day here in swampland Indiana) and very overcast. I know one can get sun in hazy, overcast weather..but she really was not out of her stroller much...but when I did have her out, say 20-30 minutes or so, she was fast asleep, sweating on herself and on me (she inherited my thermostat...HOT all the time and I don't mean in the looks department)...I tried to keep her cool, out of the haze but last night, about 9 p.m. or so, I started to notice a nice little "tan" coming through!! Two months old and a sun goddess already (she inherited THAT from her Aunt Becky)...so enjoy these cute little pix of Miss Chubinski!

This lovely brown/pink polka dot dress is a gift from Molly's cousin Dawnie and cousins Laynee and Taylor...Just so ya know, girls, I have not forgotten to send you congrats on Taylor's arrival...I have an adorable outfit for her and an even cuter card...and will get that out to her this week (or so, you know how that goes)...don't want you to think that I have forgotten you.

I have some cool pix of our footers being poured for our porch renovation...I will post those later, they are somehow just not as cute as these pix of MCY...and I'll post them for one or two of those relatives out there in cyberspace that may be remotely interested in seeing that process. Yehaa...I call them the people traps...they make our upper porch seem rather death trap-like and Levi and David have fallen into them..The pic I've posted just shows David preparing for the concrete guy. I don't think you can tell just how precarious it makes our porch...it's very scary to carry a baby seat up...yikes!

Sorry for the rambly entry...think I need a Sunday afternoon nap. Peace out!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

A weekend getaway




This past weekend, Labor Day weekend to be exact, my family of 7 and I made another trip up to Lafayette, IN. We stayed in the Hilton Garden Inn again (as we did for Memorial Day weekend, see May posts...I know you can't wait)...but this time, we went along with David's family. Not all of the siblings were present but they were with us in "spirt"...Hi Matt, Hi Aaron. And wouldn't ya know it...but I failed to get my camera out when David's younger sis Natalie and her boyfriend Nick were actually with us but you can refer back to July post where David's parents and sisters came to visit our new Molly...and there you will see Nick and Nat. Hi Nick and Nat...I know you probably don't see this cheesy blog but you are not forgotten. You are such a cute couple! The first two pics are of a scene outside of Starbucks...ahhhhh coffee and nice, breezy weather...what could honestly be better??? David's parents, Carl and Judy, were with us, as well as David's sister Angela, his brother Nathan, and sis Emilie. We had a nice visit, ate some granola bars and fruit and chugged our own special Starbucks drinks. We also recited some Bible verses that our family has been memorizing so that was cool! The third pic is one that Ethan took, so that there would be proof that I was in attendance...not so flattering but have you seen me lately?? yah, exactly. need some work. The Mollster is in my sling...she loves it gobs.
We had a nice holiday weekend...although it seems like I mostly just nursed Molly but she is so very worth it!! love that chubbalubba girl.
The bottom picture is one that was taken in Jan. of 2006 by our lovely cousin Kara (Hi Kara dear...love ya sugar)...just wanted to post this because it is so funny to me for many reasons but the best one is that it's been almost ONE YEAR since David my love has worn his glasses. I don't think I could get used to him in them again...I love his piercing blue squinty eyes!! I am blessed to have this awesome, particular, warm man in my life.
We have a busy weekend ahead of us, first soccer games of the fall so I know you are chomping at the bit to see what's in store with my little Kodak camera...I will get back on here on Sunday most likely. Until then, hope you all are well and healthy. Lots of love, sending out to those we care for!!