I heart the beach...

Lake Michigan, how we love you.

I vow to become a beach bum....

Ethan was first to be buried. he opted for the lay down burial...

Moo could not get enough of the sand.

sand covered Ethan

I caught you soaking up some waves and rays, my boy...this one needs some serious down time...and I'm always so glad to see him make an effort to take some.

Molly thought it would be fun to pour water over Will's head while he was incapacitated. ha ha.

just the thought of being buried alive makes my skin crawl.

Mel is a goof.

so is Levi...

Melanie and her Auntie Em. Mel is a Natalie look alike and Molly is an Em look alike. at least I think so...

peek-a-boo boo boo...

As a mom of 5 kids, the thought of going out of town is daunting, to say the least.

But this little impromptu trip up to the beach (in New Buffalo, Michigan, about 15-20 minutes from David's Michigan City INDOT job)....was AWESOME, as relaxing as could be, and such fun. Much needed R & R for this on the go family.

We even took David's youngest sibling, Emilie, along with us. It was funny that people we'd talk to thought she was one of ours, which she could be...age wise and looks wise...

Oh dear, I hear Justin Bieber on the TV and I just threw up in my mouth...he sounds like such a girl.

Ok, sorry for that...I got distracted.

Anyways....hope this post finds you enjoying the return of the 90 degree weather, dried grass, no rain, crusty week....c'mon fall....we know you are around here somewhere.

Happy Tuesday!!

Harvesty good time

Caroline with her lovely momma

Indiana Jones made a special guest appearance

Sarah as Princess Leia, winner in her age group, and Annie as a "Celestial" something or other, which is a PC term for witch.


Terry and Tim (Timmy)...our good friend Tim and his lovely gal...it's so fun to call them Timmy and Terry...they're both so pretty!

twinkies in pinky

Lovely Bea as "Royal Pain"...clever, very clever

chow time...

Barbara as "Road Kill"...same creative household as "Royal Pain"... She won for the adults!

Dale as a Jedi Knight and his lovely wife, Ramona, as a Colts fan.

toasty warmishness

A view from the hill...





Hey hey, how are ya on this blustery autumn evenin'?

Hope this finds you well.

Our annual harvest party was a blast last evening! We had about 54 people here...and that is with some cancellations from some guests.

Our costume contest winners were:

Barbara Bills: Adult portion, Road Kill

Sarah King: Young adult portion, Princess Leia (yes, we are partial)

Will Young: Young adult portion, SuperDude (superhero character that he and E. created).

I didn't, personally, think that any of my people should win, but everyone agreed on this. And David told him he would need to "share" his 10 dollar gift card to Starbucks with his sibs.

I have pix of my kids, though I didn't take them (thanks Tom)...we get going on the party prep and I lose all sense of time and function...hostess mode.

As for tonight, I'm too tired to type too much, so I will edit this in the morning....I'm bushed!

G'night!

Second born son

Ping Pong Pro...say that fast 3 x's...
cute little dudes!!
E's very first picture!! this is where I was thinking, "another boy??" I knew my time had come...the real test was only beginning...(and then D. moved us to N. Dakota when this one was just 5 weeks old...that's a story for another day)
the infamous Desitin picture...baaaaaaaaaad boy.
Not much to say...just some more E! This last pic is one of my all time E faves. He was a "bad boy" right from the get go...from 2 days of on/off labor to playing in mud, Desitin, writing on walls...he did all the things that Will NEVER tried to do! and still does. push those buttons, kid. we'll push right back! :) E is a cool dude...that much is true. He would do anything for you! That's what keeps me going! We love you, Cupid! You are a rare gem!
I think I really will go to bed, now that it's 2:45 a.m. and the little ones will get up at 8...argh.

I got a job....

peanut head gets a job
don't know if you can see B's wallpaper on the comp...but it's the pic of Triple C. yum yum
Dai, Molls, Beck and Jana....
don't get the Reese's whipped...they are nasty
again, nasty.

No, I already have a job...just doesn't involve much adult interaction (well, as much as I would want it to involve)...

I went to have lunch with my sissy today...let me set this up.

David and the 3 big kids went to Illinois late last night. I spent the night with my parentals. I got up this morning, went home and got ready to go have lunch with my sis. She works on the east side of Indpls...which is like a ghost town. We went and ate, and stopped at a gas station to grab something sweet...then I got to meet her office mates...Dai and Jana...nice, cute girls!! Nice to meet you chickies.

I have more to blog but I'm out the door to work out with my sister...we need to burn off our candy bars and lunch...so hope this finds you all well, warm and healthy. Get well, Mom and Dad...

deer in headlights goes to lunch

My 3 sons
Said deer (aka dear) in headlights with lovely girl

who is drinking (shhhhh) coca-cola!

Levi and Molls
A great wall plaque

Good Monday morning to you! I know it's cold, and you had to drive to wherever it is you have to drive (Beck, I don't even know where you drive to)...but your long, chilly drive was worth it, you can now view my weekend's worth of posting...ahhhh, does it get any better?? I mean, really, does it? (it is actually late Sun. night, early Mon. morning when I am typing this)

Before I forget, here's a shout out to my pal, Carolyn, who turned one year over 40 today...Happy Birthday to you, girl!! We enjoyed meeting your "friend" at soccer on Saturday. "he's real cute" as we say here in the midwest.

We got adventurous today...went to our worship service, took some lunch to some friends and then went and had ourselves some yummies at Grindstone Charley's...we rarely go out to eat at a sit down place...but we did it all for less than 50 bucks and that is feeding 6 peeps. I am such a blog nerd...I want to take pix of everything and put it on here for the whole world to see. most of the whole world, anyway. The picture of David and Mel is kinda funny...he really wasn't high, he was in quite a friendly mood also!! he just looks funny in these because, quite frankly, he is high...ON LIFE!! The best part about the lunching out?? The above plaque (am I spelling that correctly??)...so true. in so many ways.

I really need to get to bed...tomorrow is going to slam me...and I have got to start planning for our Feb. 7 homeschool club on the American Revolution and the times around then...so if any of you have any good suggestions, say, craft&food ideas, how to dance a minuet or if you could give a presentation on those times, to a bunch of 4-14 yr. old kids, I would be most appreciative...that is my full plate right now...help. heeeeeeeeeeeeelllllp.

nighty night.

(O yeah, Beck, i meant to call you but I had fallen asleep this afternoon and woke up when D. went to work...and by then, had too much fog in my head but I'm so proud of you for working out, pilates-ing with out me...you go girl!!)
this pic is funny because M. really goes to town on my chin...I wonder what she is thinking but I love it!!

A blast from the OCA past...

My "daughters" and I...velvet on the right!
nice shot of David E and I...cuz Scott on the way right
do you see yourself, velvet?
Mrs. W on the left, Mrs Y (me) middle, Deb, right Mrs. W in the center, I'm on the right
This one's for you, Velvet and Mrs. W. The pictures i have been searching for! I found a slew of old Christian school photo's so I will have to go thru them to see who I can embarrass and all that fun stuff.
~~In the first two pix, you will find me with some schoolmates (and fellow blogger Velvet, lovely girl)...we were in a play and she was one of my kids...ha ha!! go to your room! you're grounded. Velvet is the lovely in the yellow...you look so precious in the big bow...there's a 'do you forgot about! #2, do you see your bro?...he is coming out of the top of David E's skull...I forgot how cute J was!! and this pic on my post doesn't do him any justice...but it is definitely him!!

~~Pic #3...lemme know if you can find yourself...my cuz Scott is in the center...you are somewhere nearby.

~~Pic #4...some cheerleading memories for you, Mrs. W...those were definitely the days! Deb is in here with us as well...whatta squad!! We are the Warriors, the mighty, mighty Warriors. we're A-W-E-S-O-M-E, totally awesome!! ya gotta love the formation pose...back in the day when I could get on someone's shoulders. (hee hee, poor Becky S)...Mrs. W is on the tippy top...tiny girl!! and what is super funny about this? We are posing in the church sanctuary/auditorium. I guess if one is going to get hurt, that is the place to do it!!

Pic #5 is just sheer cheese. but i love my red/white Nike cheerleading shoes. I felt soooooo cool in those kicks, as well as in that swell culotte cheer "skort"...yikes. what was I thinking, honestly, to be a cheerleader? sweaters in hot places?? what?? I would never think to do that now...that is nuts!

Ok, well I feel so much better now that I have located this top pic. So glad to be in contact with some "old" friends!! lovely girls, both of ya!! thanks for letting me walk down memory lane again!

Salsa and rooftops

salsa deliciosis....sheer joy in a bowl. why is my 5 yr old on the roof?
woop, your mom caught us....
even my ruff and tumble E is scared to get up there...
Don't push him...he's not that disobedient...

Good Saturday afternoon!!

Just takin a break from house cleaning to drop a blog. hee hee.

I forgot to post these pix from Thursday...David cleaned out our gutters (remember having to do that, Velvet??) and the older kids ran in to tell me that Levi was up on the rooftop with his father...total blog opportunity!! (someone's a dork)...We really do watch our kids...if their dad is home, he is who they want to be with, even if he is doing dangerous work. We were all shocked at how bold Levi was!!

Ok, nuff of that...the very top picture?? mmmm mmmmaking my mouth water...I was introduced to this delectable treat by my friend and fellow bloggin' buddy, Sherry..who was introduced to it by another friend and new bloggin' buddy, Nicky...it's just a "taste" of what my lovely new food processor can give out and I am so darn thrilled. It's all fresh from the market goodness....whodathunk that I would ever willingly indulge in tomatoes AND peppers of all sorts by the bowlfulls?? It is ALL that I want to eat, EVER, but D. says the garlic (which I didn't add as much this time) was seeping from my pores. (not so attractive, huh? though the medicinal effects have got to be wonderfully amazing). Thanks for sharing the recipe girls. I love love LOVE this salsa!

Time to go finish cleaning for my momma's birthday party...and then I get to go out on a date (a date, I tell ya) with my dh. We aren't quite sure what to do...movies are so...well, I can sleep at home honestly. We haven't had a real date since June of 07, before I birthed Petunia. Chow lovelies.