I love old pictures...and home decorating.

but I'm only "good" at one of them...(can you guess which one it is? I'll give you a hint. it's not decorating...)

Happy Veteran's Day....this is my handsome Grandpa, Gaines Greenhill. He served in the US Army. If only my Grandma was alive to give me all those details I wish now to ask about...take it from me, folks, if you have elderly relatives alive, ask QUESTIONS!!

here is my Gramps and Gram with my mom and dad...so fun to glimpse them in the olden days, and having fun to boot. wish I knew what they were giggling about.

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I'm feeling very nostalgic today. beware, this post is going to be allll over the place....

I'm in a redecorating mood...how to go about it, well, that's the tricky part. I usually just decorate with pictures. But I've been inspired by a friend of mine...who has mad decorating/color skills...

David and I went out on a little date last night. He says it's like a "guys" space. whattt? We are searching for a bound remnant for Mel's room, which got us looking at other stuff for the home. We are wanting to cozy up our upstairs...which is a big open space that needs some warmth. (apparently all of my scrap pages and pics on the wall aren't cozy enough for him)...we found a really great area rug at Target, with reds, whites, blues, browns, etc and we are in love. glad we are on the same page with color. The treadmill died so we get to take it out today. I kinda don't like exercise equipment up here but hey....We also found a media table for our DVD player etc that is cool...wall hangings, other stuff to make it look more cozy. So much to do, start small. take it easy, girl. Shades on the windows, touch up the paint. Back in the late winter, he decided he wanted to change all of our interior door trim so he yanked it all off...it's still off. I've even done my part and painted the new stuff, but I can't put it up myself...(I'm essentially talking to myself in this paragraph, k?) ok, I've just totally worn myself out for the day. ha ha.

so much overwhelming stuff. nice deep breath...I will do what I can.

not sure what the above pix have to do with all this nonsense? me either. nostalgia makes me want to decorate. go figure.

For today, I will focus on Mel and Moll's room, touching up trim so it will be all ready when we find that perfect remnant TODAY! cement floors are chilly in November. I will update the progress...Hope your Thursday is fantastic. I know mine will be. (power of positive thinking)

lately....

I'm not sure if I feel like the whale (some days, yes...but having lost 20 lbs so far, maybe not as much as in the past...but still) or the guys on the sail boat...

I'm gonna go with guys on the sailboat...chest crushing anxiety.

I need some GodZoloft...the kind David is on. read on....

We got to sleep in this morning. Niiiiiice. we finally got a few minutes to just TALK.

wow.

weird.

David mentioned that he had this "peace" from God that he just "doesn't understand".

I asked him if it was perhaps THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, that comes from God?

Ohhhh yeah....forgot about that. God's Zoloft....the best kind.

I'd like a prescription....really no worries, just lots and lotsa responsibility...ordering books for FOUR people's education, health, keeping home fires burning, this, that and the other thing to come in and rob me of my peace. all good things, just a lot.

Lord, I ask that you help me to smash thru all the things that can wait...to take care of IMPORTANT things and know what is URGENT. (we still remember your lesson from OVER three years ago, Mr. Bandy!)

Hope you are having a great weekend...this weather is a gift from God. go out and enjoy it.

Soccer, I don't miss you...

"I can hold 'em both on my lap" ... so cute!

Go Piper...mid kick

awww.

Piper is the only chick on her team...

Molls found her seat. I think it's just the cutest that these little chicks are buds.

Mel, Levi, Molly and I went to Piper's soccer game yesterday morn.

My kids aren't playing soccer at Mt. P this fall, due to our upcoming trip. Have I blogged that fact yet? sorry...

It was sooooo nice to go to a game, and not worry about snacks, being there on time, knowing that our day was going to be eaten up by soccer, heat, and tired, cranky babies...though we do miss it, it is lots of fun...it IS nice to take a season off...and I mean, really, our upcoming trip is like one soccer season rolled into one 3 week trip across the country, right?

Piper, you did a good job kicking and running after that ball...you are such a doll!

Up next, park pix from the same day...

I didn't sign up for THIS...

who me? love the deer in headlight response....

I'll just brush this mess onto the floor..yeah, that's what I'll do...there ya go, now it's all better, right mom? (not shown: the mountain of Cheerios on the floor)

Toddler for sale...to a good home....not toilet trained yet but easily teachable. Sleeps well, has a stunning disposition, and great sense of humor....$150 obo...

I thought it was too quiet...and hear this heavy little breathing around the corner....yup, she found the purse, which she LOOOOOOOOVES to root thru, and she also found the Altoid mints...and ate all of them. every last one.

~We are definitely having ONE OF THOSE DAYS around here today...

Memorable times...

a very nice streamer job by Mrs. K...what a festive, fun time!

Presidential Celebration with the K's. Gearing up for some confetti, silly string, party blowers, and good ol' fashioned whooping it up!

rolling around in the debris

I love the pic of Tunky, observing the mess and madness, with her little belly sticking out...the boys shot her with some silly string...and she tried to eat it. blech.

I think we have a matchbox fetish here.

Molly couldn't resist some toy clean up, right after her bath even.

Pre bath...this cat loves getting into my drawers...she found the nail polish drawer this morning...

historical

pesky kid

Good evening. How are ya today?

Doing well, I pray.

this post speaks for itself...I'm tired. I had to go to the dentist today...get my mush teeth worked on a bit...Dr. Quill is a good dentist!

We had a great time with the K family tonight...celebrating this historic time in our country. Thanks, guys, once again, for the good clean fun, food, and rip-roaring good fellowship.

I could say a lot here but won't. Enjoy the pix, enjoy your evening, pray for our country...pray for our newly elected leader! what a daunting task ahead of him!

Nighty night...peace.

pics from Tom

I be lovin' this pic...look at that face, would ya?

birthday boys

Well, good Monday morning to ye!!

And how was your weekend? Fantabulous, I hope.

We got the October birthdays finished up this weekend. whew. On to Christmas. ack.

This weekend was weird. Saturday, David and 4 of the five kids went downtown Indy to watch Jeff run in that stinking long marathon...apparently, he finished 95th out of about 1100 crazy runner people. While they were doing that, I was at the Y with B, at the Pilates ball class...youch. good stuff. good times, B. thanks for letting me tag along. You are the only person I would want to exercise like that with! Our hairdresser chick, Michelle's husband Phil (see Nov. Dec post from last year where he was doing the Heisman trophy stance with Nora) was our instructor. cool dude. Levi/Pa party, Patria...full day...don't forget to turn your clocks back. I didn't and we were still late to church by a few minutes. Good worship service, though I didn't know any of the words to the songs for some reason and had no song sheet to help me out. Felt stunted in my worship yesterday morning...home again we go, David has our brick dude coming to put the limestone ledge up...looks nifty keen! Off to the K's house for an evening of coffee, fellowship, eating all their snacks, and watching Molly weave a path of destruction around their tidy house! Good times!! Sarah and Annie are some cool cats and it's cool that my boys even like hanging out with them (I mean, they are girls for the love of Peter). they worked on some skits while we talked about birthing, dating, politics some, and what actors we liked etc. Tammy, it's ok that you like Jennifer Aniston. :) I think it just got quiet for a minute because we really were trying to process which one she was.

Up next for this month? (besides this "fun loving" election?) Thanksgiving/Drumstick Dash, which also happens to be our 15th wedding anniversary this year! that's a tough one to grasp...David and I have been married for almost fifteen years? are you kiddin'? yowza! and it's cool because I still love him. sometimes, I don't like him all that well...and I know the feelings mutual...but I'm in this thing for the long haul and he is too...keepin' it real.

I'm not ready for the holidays this year. Maybe I need to do what Tory does and start with the Christmas music NOW. I've been known to start them now but it doesn't feel quite right.

You gotta start somewhere, I s'pose. maybe that will help the darkened mood and November hiatus from "life" as I know it.

Lots to do today...leaves out of the pool. hopefully Dman will get me a tarp soon so I can cover it up...staining deck boards, exercising like there's no tomorrow yet horriffically, there IS a tomorrow and it includes more of the same and some election buzz. off track again, feeding kids, spanking kids, telling kids to stop arguing, getting the big boys out of a tussle (they got into a little bone crushing scuffle yesterday, while I was on the phone no less, and it kinda scared me. E. had hit Mel with something and Will went to bat for her...c'mon kids)....SCHOOL, school, ScHoOl...budget balancing, Bible and prayer time...I could keep going...I hope your day is full and wonderful...take a moment to thank the Lord for all of the crazy, rich blessings in your life! As tough as life can seem at times, it's worth every little struggle, every ONE of them...


forgive this all over the place blog post...I just wanted to get these cute shots from TommyBoy up on here...and went and got all chatty Cathy on ya!

you know you love it. see ya.

fallen trees and buff boys

these are two separate piles of firewood. we will be set for 2009/2010...when, I'm sure, the gas prices will be even moreso through the roof.

Here's David, cashing in on Jose's hard work...

seems I didn't get any good close up shots

Will and E working with Jose, a guy on David's crew. work is slow right now so instead of putting Jose back into the "pool", D. kept him busy cutting our trees up, stacking and such. Did he do a lousy job? "No Way, Jose"...ok, I know, that was bad but I wanted to implement that somewhere in this post.

Killing three birds with one stone...here the boys are doing the Jillian Michaels video... after a long day of yardwork, a man's work is never done!

Howdy folks!

What's new over your way?

I know these tree cutting pictures are quite riveting...

We kinda think they are. we've already gone through one chainsaw and are on our 2nd. We have to 2 amazing piles of firewood...all of the branches and brushy stuff is cleaned up, the next two trees we would like to cut down are ready to go! We are busy bees. Good work, Will, Ethan, David, Jose, and Melanie (Levi even contributed...Good Job kiddo!)

I will wax eloquent no more...time to clean up the joint. Hope you are having a relaxing weekend. I'm not (choose joy. choose. joy.)

Peace!

This post is all over the place

Classic Levi and one of our all-time favorites around here. 2005 baby

This is David's "Garth" look (see "Wayne's World" or our 2001 appearance on Fox 59 morning newscast with Cody Stark. Yes, we are local celebs. and yes, you can have our autographs.) "Dude, if you're gonna spew, spew into this!"

I'm just a young momma here (nice hair but THIS is my natural color)...with my one easy, cheerful, perfect boy, Will. May 1995. I had no clue and my outfit proves this. (rag skirts and crochet vests WERE in.)

The 3 Amigos. This was E's 6th birthday and he wanted to have blue hair for it. it's all spikey and blue but the gel/glue was killer. they. were. so. little. and. cute.

April 2002 ~ groovy pants, Mel. nice skin-colored shirt.

June 2004...this one makes me weepy. Will making his Dick Van Dyke face. E. and Mel w/ those killer peepers.

Reader's Digest is always good for some laughs....thought I'd share some with ya!

Forgot to change my picture positiony thingy...so sorry about the clumpy pics. The 3 above are pretty self-explanatory. This was Molly yesterday...when she had just hurled for the first time in her sweet life.

The porch beams are pretty nifty, if I do say so. Here are my men working hard and still smiling and choosing JOY. I can't wait to see how massive this porch will seem when the rafters are up and we are sitting out there, sipping our coffee....ok, well that may be next fall but this girl can dream.

Good Work on the porch, David, Will, and Ethan...You guys are so manly and hard-working. Good work, Mel, keeping the house straightened, piano practice, baby entertained, math completed, etc. etc. etc. she is such a good momma already. Levi, thanks for making such a mess with whatever food you are carrying around the house (against our wishes), drinking all of my coffee, and making matchbox trails for all of us to trip on...Good job, Molly, getting better, eating some and not hurling or pooing on everything this evening.

I will end this now...I'm driving myself crazy so I know I must be doing the same to you. you know you love it...that's why u keep coming back. my insanity reassures you. I'm ok with that. :)

~O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Psalm 34:8

~My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. Psalm 73: 26, 28

~Just a few rich morsels from God's Word for you tonight...don't let my so-called "insanity" fool you. I trust in something so much bigger than any politician, gas price hike, stock market plunge, HDTV conversion can promise...And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3) The same yesterday, today and forever!

Good night! God Bless you tonight, in whatever situation you find yourself. If I know you, and I know what it is, I'm praying for you! Hug, hug, hug, hug, hug (that's for you Andy...remember those? U too Heather and baby Luke)