Happy Icy Thursday to Ye.

This picture is helping me focus today. this was last July 4th...and I'm hoping all of our icy, icy snow leaves very soon. I miss green, blue, beautiful sunsets, sitting out on our porch, crickets, even citronella candles...

This picture is also helping me focus...why? I don't know...because she's funny and a cute little person to spend my days with.

Tuesday, we got lotsa ice...we even lost power for one hour. gasp! yes, one hour. and thankfully, we were asleep for most of it. Nothing sweeter than the sound of your power and furnace coming back on. it was such an eerie night...lights flickering, transformers blowing, blue skies, spooked children.

As we lay in our new bedroom, all 5 of our kids were above us in the boys' new room, singing praise songs and other little ditties. it was a sweet moment until a few minutes later, singing ceased, Ethan was talking non-stop (we could tell it was him because his voice is changing and it's becoming very deep annnnd, he never shuts up) and David yelled "Shut UP"....

How's that for a mood spoiler? as if the kids weren't freaked out anyways...I kindly told him that might have been a little scary for them, way to ruin the STORM OF 2011 ambience that was flowing around, ya know? He felt bad then (good boy) and asked me if he should tell them they could talk...No, it's done now, you ruined it. Way to go, Pa Ingalls. just go to sleep. :) it was a funny moment. It's also quite funny to us that I'm the melancholy one right now and he's the cheered up, c'mon, we can do it one, lately.

Ya know, I might have a slight case of the mid-winter blues still going on...I will say this though, as I sit here at my computer, the SUN IS SHINING and it's quite gorgeous, making all the ice on the trees sparkle like diamonds. it's a little gift from the Lord, to remind me to cherish this day hunkered down with my amazing kids...I think I can, I think I can....I think I will. and yes, I got all that from a sunrise.

I certainly hope that your Thursday is a grand one...

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)

Hee Haw

I know you've been dying since my yesterday post, to know exactly what my kids were up to...


Yehaaaaaaaaaa!

trying to stay afloat...o dear. I'm not sure exactly what his expression is...fierce?

Mel's turn and she was actually quite frightened. (I didn't realize how clunky our makeshift rail looks...but just imagine, if you will, how pretty it will be next summer???)

E. was trying to help her but ended up only helping her sink faster...

soooooooo, this is what happens when you leave your kids to their own devices for too long (among other things)...They find the fountain tub, which used to house our little kids under the umbrella fountainy thing, which then graduated to good soil holder that we used to have in our raised garden beds (before we took those apart to have a swimming pool)...to this.


It's been bleached out and stuff. It needs some Lime-Away. I still wouldn't ever use it in our pool. but they've made up this fun game where they push each other in and see how long they can keep it afloat before it's overtaken with water. Nice.


Levi calls it his pool and Molly's pool. the kids call it the Jacuzzi. they provide the bubbly.


sheesh. I know, I know...we are so classy, you are dying to come hang out with us...if you're lucky, the neighbors will have their gangsta rap playing while they all take a spin on the 4 wheeler while letting their big, nursing dog poo in my yard.


Come on over, we'll leave the light on for ya!

Have a wonderful Friday, folks!