dontcha love it?

Just want to plug BBC's 1995 TV version of "Pride and Prejudice" today on my blog...

Will and I finished it last night...it was his first time to view it. I'd watched it a few years ago (1999) with a friend and then another time in the past 10 years and Netflixed it so my children could enjoy the sheer delight of Jane Austen's masterpiece. Will is the only one that sat still long enough to take it all in.

So, if you like this kind of thing, may I recommend that you view it??

might as well, doesn't seem that WINTER is leaving ANY TIME SOON!

I will be back later, with pics of our recent trip to Cincy...just wanted to make sure Tory had something to read on her spring break. haha. that's funny, isn't it, cousin?

And Shellee? So glad to hear that your baby girl turned like a good girl and wow...9 lbs?? have all of your babies been that big with 3 weeks to go?? We are praying for you, hoping that all goes well with the delivery of your very first BABY GIRL (after 8 boys, that is!!) Hugs to you all!

all right, all right....the people have spoken :)

Mostly just you, Tory dear....but I'm listening! :) and I be lovin' you...

David and his oldest boys putting together a cheap-o table that we bought from Target and ended up taking back. They'd gotten it almost completely put together and D. said NO! this is JUNK! ha ha. no particle board crap for this cat.

we got another one at Value City...supposedly better, lifetime warranty and such...got it home today, outta the box and dang it if it isn't broken on the side. Needless to say, I get to take it back on Thursday and get a replacement. super.

this is our runner....it would be nice if the door trim was put back up but that's ok. someday.

Flippin' fun...on the new area rug. Saturday night, David and the boys decided to have a "Jump-a-thon"...I actually caught a bit of it on video...love this mid jump pic of my hubby.

Moo fell asleep before all the jumping started...I love when she finds a nitch to snuggle into and falls asleep. and it's true (her shirt, that is)....she's 100% sweet when she's like this.

Friday night, we had the opportunity to visit with my niece, Phebe and her mom, Rachel...it was fuuuuh-reezing cold out there but these 3 plopped down on the crunchy, frosty grass to gaze at stars. granted, it didn't last too long...but it was cute nonetheless.

Phebe's the chick in the front, with Levi, E, Moo, and Will. Mel was at Kaleo...so she missed out on coffee fun.

Pheebs and Rachel, with sneaky Levi in the background.

well hello there...what's new with you?

uh huh....

oh yeah....cool.

really?

Lots going on here...lots and lots.

1.) David's company started their big hospital job yesterday...he's going to be MIA a lot I think.

2.) It's raining today. and it's cold. and nasty. eww.

3.) Will got a hair cut, Mel and I are getting our hairs cut tomorrow and then Thursday, I hope to take updated (new and improved) school pictures since the last ones include Will looking rather hobo-ish. no offense, kid...we learned a lot from Stacy, our hair stylist chick, today. Did you know that the 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioners are bad for your hair, especially the Suave ones? I like expensive shampoo but when I'm on a budget, that's the first area that suffers....Down with Suave...We washed Will's hair with Dawn dish detergent because it had considerable build up. kinda gummy. ewww. he looks like a new man.

4.) Levi's loving karate and piano and I'm so glad!

5.) My house looks so empty with no pics up on the walls in the living area...hatin' it. I took all the pix off the big window wall because when they put the siding up, the pix would get knocked off. or so David tells me. Hoping we get our siding on the front of the house SOOOON. really. how'd you like to be naked? :) Tyvek ain't perty.

6.) Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married. So what you say? I LOVED his mother back when she married Charlie....and I still haven't recovered fully from her death...so sad that she won't be around to see her eldest, handsome son marry. this really isn't going on in my world, I just love the royals. and to think he gave her Diana's sapphire ring....ohhh pitter patter. it was a perfect fit.

7.) I'm going to bed...I'm tired and feel ickish so I hope that this finds you faring well.

man, forgive this post...it's all over the place. good night...

I'm walkin' on Sunshine....

reason #134: why we hide our cameras from our kids. Nearly 6-year old punks take 38 pictures of themselves almost every day.

whaddya think of the mosaic tables? The smaller one is obviously missing his mosaic...but the bigger one is finished...put your orders in now.

Uncle Tom took Moll for a spin at Dr. Andry's office yesterday...

then he held her upside down, she used to like this. she isn't so fond of it now. can't imagine why.

Dr. Andry Rocks! he makes our skeletons and muscles sing songs of joy! plus, he's a nice guy too!

giving Levi an adjustment...we have seen so many amazing improvements with this little guy since Levi's first visit here!

E. wants to grow up to be like Dr. A. I told him that was ok by me! free adjustments for the rest of my life!

Because there's no sunshine, anywhere around these parts today. And that's fine! that just means that this nasty weather system will move on out just in time for our harvest party tomorrow!

What else is up today? I'm supposed to be running errands but have decided to wait until the last minute and finish up tomorrow morning. Had a nice visit with my parental units this morning, after Mel's haircut...Dad sat and brushed Mel's hair for a long time...(I remember him doing this with me)...did I get a picture of it? no. that would be memorable. I fail in this area a lot of the time!

David is home from work today. He just left to run a few errands...and the grey skies cleared up. Not because he left, though he isn't in the most chipper mood this morning. Said something about how messy the kids and I were under his breath. O you love us, Dman. So I venture on to get this "treehouse" cleaned up.

I will try to post my story later on...it has to do with vehicles "Monster trucks"....this will make sense when I post it later on. Until then, sit in suspense, would ya?

This time last year and dontcha just love it...

Roll Queen...

I love this pic of Levi but it really doesn't look much like him.

This weekend marks phase whatever # we are at w/ the porch project. David has a guy coming down to help tie in the new roof to the existing roof. Should be interesting and should allow for some good shots. Here we are this time last year...






o boy

At the time, I thought Molly was so cute...but looking back, she looks kinda smooshy. Only a mother could love and adore a little Ed Asner baby, huh?

This is one of my all time favorites...everyone needs naked baby pix of themselves and that is where THAT stops. right there. halt. but can you see the cellulite in this girls trunk? Her new nickname now? Tunky. where did this come from? a mix between trunk and chunk. trunk chunk. she just fits this name...she is a little toughy.


Good Friday morning, folks! How's it going? Can you believe it's the weekend again? already? so soon? I'm hoping for a "quiet" one but I know that is outta the question.



What's on your plate for the weekend?



I have Molly in my house so it will NOT be quiet or restful. (as I type, she is near me, taking David's shirt out of his hallway bureau and decimating my clean upper level but it's cute cuz she is on her tip toes doing this and her bun is hanging out of her diaper) Ok, sorry. I love this little hurricane. I do. but she wears. me. out these days. Have I said that before?

Otherwise, yesterday was sheer crazy madness in the car...alllll dayyyyy.

1. Storytelling festival in Military Park downtown

2. Errands, errands, more errands. but did I get anything done? yeah, but it's days like this that I wish we lived a little closer to "town". Returns at Kohl's, the never ending search for the perfect Harvest party get up, lunchy stuff....

3. Orthodontist appt, which included finding out we would have to pay $210 to replace the fake tooth on Will's retainer, since he "broke" it. that's ok. but he has to have it, since we live where we live and cannot be missing any teeth. we just can't. (Will's getting a job. in two years)

4. Dr. Andry appt - he is our amazing awesome Chiropractor/Alphabiotic Doc...he worked me over yesterday...so I'm a tad sore today but nothing like last weekend. And he's awesome because sees all my kids for free. yes, some things are still free.

5. More errands, time killed, and eventually just gave up and took the big boys home before soccer practice, which was at 5:45. I look forward to soccer practice time on Thurs. night because I get to sit (well, not "sit") and visit with Tammy K(see last weekend update). Her girls are so good with Levi and Molly. We always have good talks. last night, the bugs were horrible out there...can anyone tell me what those teeny tiny little black bugs are that BITE? and why on earth are the bugs so bad right NOW?

6. I'm not done yet...I had more to do. ahhhhh. this post is making me cranky. Target afterwards and then my sister's place...oooo so nice to get to sit and talk with you, if even for a few minutes, my sister. I be lovin' you! You. Complete me. ok, awkward, cheesy moment over...Nora had a bow in her hair when I got there. She has some sweet little ducky fuzz on her head now, more than enough to get a little bow into. It came out. She kept setting it on her head and when it would fall off, she would look at us like "Wha?"

7. Home (at almost 10 pm) to FEED the kids. straighten house, fall into bed.

The End.

I do this mostly because I sometimes need to look back on certain days to remember what happens. David has a log he keeps up and he will ask what we did this day or that...so there ya go. aren't you glad to know all this?

Gotta go feed Mollsy Tunkystein some breakfast. Until then...chow.

Mental Blocks, uprooted trees, and Rich Mullins

here is the tree that we lost last Sunday, when Ike's remnants swept thru...Tree #2 that we've lost...it split in two and one part went into the neighbor's yard and part #2 landed on the big tree that we lost in July...and to think, I saw both of them fall. opened the door at just the right moment twice. weird.



I'm a bit of an exaggerator but I do believe this landed about 20-30 feet from our pool (which I need to close up before October)

Ethan, you will build great things when you are a man...

Drafting with Dad 101. Shirts are optional. Here are the big boys making the second beam for the upper porch. living life, gaining experience, all in the comfort (well, this doesn't look so comfortable) of your own home, with dad as your teacher.

~I've been having a really horrible blog block lately...Tory, is this normal to go thru when you write often?

~I've always journaled but nothing daily, so this everyday blogging is a bit tough. I do enjoy it though, so patience with me while I go thru this blah blah time is much appreciated. Keep coming back, k?

~11 years ago today, Christian music lost a true talent, gifted singer/musician, and voice of truth. Rich Mullins died in a car accident at the age of 41...not wearing a seatbelt, flipped his Jeep, and was killed when an oncoming tractor-trailer hit him. Youch. This is the song I bet he was singing as he passed from this life to the eternal one...

The lyrics of one of my favorite Rich Mullins songs follows:

Hold Me Jesus

Sometimes my life just don't

make sense at all

When the mountains look so

big

And my faith just seems so small

Chorus:

So hold me Jesus 'cause I'm

shaking like a leaf

You have been King of my

glory

Won't you be my Prince of

peace

And I wake up in the night and

feel the dark

It's so hot inside my soul I

swear

There must be blisters on my

heart

repeat chorus

Surrender don't come natural (that is NOT proper English :))

to me

I'd rather fight You for something

I don't really want

Then to take what You give

that I need

And I've beat my head against

so many walls

I'm falling down, I'm falling on

my knees

And this Salvation Army band

is playing this hymn

And Your grace rings out so

deep

It makes my resistance seem

so thin

chorus

He was kind of a funny dude...

Anyways, I started this post on Friday evening, the pix took 6 hours to upload and now here we are..Saturday. Time to get up for Levi's soccer game...and then home to clean, lay Molly down, beat MY head against the wall, and head back out for Mel's soccer double header, and the boys' game...ahhhh. Choose JOY, choose JOY...I've got the JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY down in my heart. WHERE? down in my heart (remember this old church song??) Joy is so much more mature than happiness....it means putting a smile on your face and in your attitude in spite of the how much you don't want to.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

the prize at the end of the day is an evening out with my hubby...we are going to Indy's Irish Fest downtown at Military Park...I can't WAIT for some grown up time!! woo hoooooooo! thanks, Mom, for keeping the kids. YOU ROCK!

I'm outta here

Did I mention that I was able to exchange my Canon the other day? these pix above were taken with my new magical camera...10 megapixels, 3" screen...whoa nelly!

hither and 'yon

My Young man...he is changing so fast!! ahhh...slow down...

havin' a good time with her big bro! Levi is so good with Molly!

deep thoughts

Look who's standing up in her crib now! No rest for the weary! If I give her toys so she can play while I keep sleeping, she throws them all out onto the floor. squeals of joy quickly turn to fret and despair.

pleased with herself!

sockin' it to E.

L to R: Molly, Jeff (white), Seth (green), Ann and Don A (cool fellow soccer parentals), Chris M (not facing the cam), David down in front in extra bright yellow shirt!

It really is too difficult to take good pictures of the kids in soccer action. I am working on getting a new camera again this week. I took back my nifty one...because it wasn't rechargeable...and it took such good pictures. so the hunt is on for a good little Kodak that takes amazing shots.

Levi and Steph staying warm!! such cute li'l friends!

Ethan's such a poser! love that boy!

Crabby Baby!!

Happy to be with momma Baby, Miss Nora! Beck and the girls came to Levi's "game" tonight...Nora's a happy girl, esp. when she is with her momma! (once again, I failed to get any pix of Piper. she was such a cute little Levi cheerleader too!! Thanks for coming, girls!)

Davey boy!! hard working man!
Melanie's only appearance on the blog today...and she looks like Ethan!

classic..

Hi.

have you missed me?

that's ok.

I'm still here. just busy. crazy busy. longing for some days of solitude& and slow pace.

and on top of THAT, I will be without my computer for a few days. And that's a good thing. going to get it cleaned up, get some new memory added...and look into getting some high speed something or other but just how to go about THAT, not sure. any computer "geeks" that can help me narrow down my problem, bring IT ON! I am the very first person to admit that I am illiterate in the computer dept!

These pictures are just a smattering of the weekend shots that we took. The kids had their soccer games on Sat. and while Levi and Melanie's were sunny and semi-warm, by the time the big boys' games rolled around at 3 p.m., it was not only clouding over but extreeeeeeemely windy, which you don't have to be a meteorologist or rocket scientist to know that that is COLD! Yeah. at home, it was nice and basky warm...no sweatshirts for Levi or Mollsy...big mistake. One would think after 13.5 years of children during the spring in Indiana, I would know. No.

Levi is really not into soccer. I didn't think he would be...he will play with the kids here at the house, running, kicking and attempting to score a goal...but out on that field, w/ those little people, and under the spotlight, so to speak, he loses all interest. Tonight, he was watching his shadow again and while he did kick the ball a few times, he just stays behind the group, picking dandelions! By game's end, he has limp arms and hanging head! he CRACKS me right up!

the group shot of shivering peeps are the brave souls that sat through the 50 minute game. The boys' youth pastor, Seth, was so nice to show up and support E. and Will! Thanks for coming! Our good friend, Jeff, also braved the game, even after participating in the Mini-marathon that very morning (13K or so). Thank you, Jeff, for coming as well! Dad and Tom had come to the earlier morning games but I failed to get the pix...I know Tom (my camera crazy brother) got 80 pix or so though.

On Sunday, Mt. P (the church where we play soccer) had a really groovy appreciation picnic for all the folks that volunteer in their different ministries...we were invited due to D's involvement in sports there...it was a loverly day, the food was good, with entertainment for adults and children alike and Molly even got a little sunburn on her baby soft cheeks. she looks good with a tan though. nice.

Um, other than that, not a whole heckuvalot going on...a slow news day. I've been a blue staining fool so I will try to get some updated shots of the blue porch up on here before my hiatus...I know you are dying to see that!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope that this finds you and yours doing well, enjoying some beautiful springtime glory and praising the Lord for another day to breathe and enjoy the blessings in your life! God Bless you!

Good night!

whooooo are you?

'Memba Me? (lookit the stack of convention finds behind me)

We're gettin' there...

I know you must be dying to know what is shrouded in the black garbage bags...

Expensive Science book....

My girls...

Hi. Did you miss me? it's ok, you can admit it.

It's been a crazy busy couple of days...

I'm not sure who took that pic of me but I figured I'd show my face on my blog, since I was so happy in the pic! not so much (it's my serious face or lockjaw, as my family used to call it). But my hair was done. I know. help.

The science book is on here because, well, it just is. Long, complicated story...but good stuff! Apologia Science. Not cheap but rooted in the Bible, so that's cool. (84 dollars cool)

Isn't that there porch gettin' purty? The boys have been such an Amaaaaazing help to their Dad, and me for that matter, though I did have to go out there today to show them how to properly sink the screws...that's ok...they're young yet. E. likes to see how far he can get them in. Aside from Will's killer allergies, they have done so much to get this done! The shrouded black thingies? his and her statutes...no, really, boards that will be the guts of the posts that will lead to the new roof...not quite sure when that part of the project will be completed...but, it'll keep ya comin' back for more.

Lastly, took this pic of Mel, Mollsy, Nora and Pipes last Friday evening, after spending a good part of the afternoon walking the exhibit hall at the Convention Center (homeschool conv)...with Molly.

I could keep rattling on but I'm in need of sleep so I'll try to think of something to blog about. I know you will be waiting with bated breath. check back soon, k?