Sunday update...

Becky got $ for the iPod she is wanting to get.

not sure if David got anything. ha ha.

Uncle Tom, flanked by his two blonde nieces. I think they were trying to take his birthday money.

this is how Molly digests her carbs.

Ethan, Will and Mel, trying to digest their delicious Grandma-made lasagna before embarking on the infamous Boyden's cake perfection! Love E's expression.

Beck just proves that being 33 does not require one to be serious and boring! (this is one of her famous "self portraits")

My very serious, nearly 40 year old husband. (he won't greet 40 till this coming Sunday, March 6th)...Hello Chief.

David wanted to embrace these two (I mean, they are employees of his and such...) and Beck thought it would be fun to grimace...David made us re-do it...see below

We gather together to celebrate the momentous births of these 3 amazing people! Three of my favorites.

This girl had a busy day...she went to church with Beck and her family...spent the afternoon playing with the girls and there was no time for her nap between pick up time from Becky's and heading back to Beck's for the birthday party. Needless to say, she was grumpy, frenetic, and over tired. We got home by 9 p.m., she got herself p.j.'d up and tried to sneak past me. I nabbed her, and amidst her protests of "I'm not tirrrrrrred", I pinned her down and she instantly fell asleep. it was niiiiiiiiiice. and quiet. whew. she is quite precious when she sleeps though. I'll give her that. :)

(notice I took her stinkin' paci outta her mouth...I'm trying. I really am.)

So, it's Monday again.

I will bullet point some of the things I'm looking at this week:

~Another month starts, which is cool in a way, and with it brings spring. Our beloved Aunt Sherry & Uncle John (remember the Great Adventure trip, Kansas stop) are MOVING here this very week. Tomorrow in fact. Today is her birthday!

~David will turn 40 this coming Sunday. That almost leaves me speechless. hold on...I need a moment.

~I am 23+ weeks today, can't believe how fast, yet how slowly this pregnancy seems to be going. I am trying to "live in the moment" and enjoy this, as it will be my last one (yes, I know I've said this before but now I MEAN IT. if you've been around me, you have to know I'm DEAD serious.) I enjoy feeling the nameless one wiggle around, esp. after I've eaten...and I'm really trying to soak this up. I just know I will miss it. but honestly, I will be really glad to live through another labor and delivery, au naturel. Can't wait to see this guy's face.

~I guess I didn't have as many things to say as I thought I would.

In other news, Melanie and I really enjoyed a Mother/Daughter time away yesterday morning. My sis took Molly for me and David had the 3 boys. We went down to the Edinburgh outlet, enjoyed browsing without Molly. The weather was really mild (though it's far from mild today, due to thunderstorms that rolled thru last night, bringing with them cooler temps). Mel got a cool new Gap sweatshirt and I found a Gymboree blanket for #6 (the same blankie brand as Molly's) with little crocodiles on it.

got me thinking as to how funny it is that baby girls clothing is all flowers, mermaids, and cuteness, while baby boys clothing is bull dogs, sharks, crocodiles, and earth moving equipment. Very non-cuddly. kinda funny to me.

I will leave you on that note...time to gather my strength for the next 3+ hours out of the house tonight. ugh.

Maybe I'll put the crib up.

ninjas

Levi double dutchin' it...

the ol' boy's still got it. what he has, we aren't sure, but he's got it.

Ethan....wow.....

Willverine...David looks skeered.

Tom's new Nikon is da bomb...what a cool picture! all of these pix were taken by our resident photog...thanks bro.

What's been up?

David's been outta town on a job in French Lick...

Life is just crazy busy and is going by way too quickly.

Do you ever feel the same way?

Kids have been working the Kaleo mini-ministry week (that's hard to type and even harder to speak)...and that has been a huge blessing. Will started his new homeschool soccer league this week, Mel worked the library volunteer job today...my dad has been down here two days now, clearing weeds, over-growth and is getting this place to look a bit more like a park every day. I thank the Lord for the opportunities He has given me, though, at the time, I may grumble...this could all change in a heartbeat so for today...

I am thankful for: (this will not be a complete list)

~My healthy, beautiful, bright, helpful, caring kids

~Involved parents that love my family and I

~An extremely dedicated and hard working husband, who enables, with the Lord's help, me to be able to stay home and raise our 5 chickies.

~Unique, interesting, fun house to live in

~Amazing friends and siblings that support and encourage me in so many ways

~I'm done now...it's good to write this stuff down...it really puts it in your face, all the reasons one has to be joyful and grateful.

Happy Thursday, Folks. Thanks for stopping by...

Twin birthdays and easy like Sunday morning...

while taking "ambience" photos, I caught Natalie throwing out the peace sign. There really isn't a much cuter human female than this little momma to be.

David is the guy without glasses (though the eye doc tested him and said he will need glasses again. bummer) and Matt is the guy with glasses. Do they look like twins to you?

Cool Hand Mel. not so much. we might need to get a pool table so we can tweak the kids' pool skills.

The Party was taking place in that upper lofty place...I am really quite fond of the tin ceiling.

Natalie, all glowy and such...and the rest of 'em...Emilie is in awe of her sister, Nick looks like he's picking his nose, though he wasn't...and Will, well....

Sunday morning, we stopped by Matt's uber cool top floor apartment. Here, he is showing us his favorite gift...yes, that is a take and bake Pyrex dish. I was just impressed that it was his fave gift and that he actually knew how to use it and was pretty darned excited about it.

Matt and his lovely lady friend, Katrina.

Twinkies. um, David appears to be taller than Matt here....but as you'll see below...

they are almost exactly the same height...they compare their heights frequently.

Katrina's adorable pooch, Frances, checking Will out.

I won't expound much on the above photos, since I already did.

i will say this...

Molly stayed with Beck and her fam. If you are my friend on Facebook, you surely saw some of the funny photos that B. sent me of Moo in various events. my favorite MMS was the Carwash Horror. I know Moo had fun, in spite of herself. Thanks Beck and Scott. I smooch you...

Levi stayed with my parentals. He is spoiled. That is all i will say about that. thanks Mom, Dad, Tom, for taking such good care of Levner. Hugs to you.

It was nice (stayed in the Drury) and went by too quickly but I'm so appreciative of the help that my family gave...THANK YOU....and for the time we had to just get away. You really realize how much work those littler people take. And how much NOISE. but hey.

We had a great time.

I really shouldn't blog when I'm overly tired. g'night.

Happy 2009 to YOU!

Welcome to my 2009 blog! Wow, can't believe how time is whizzing by....



Bunny Boy says, "Stick to your resolutions! You won't be sorry!"




The Nerf gun fights started earlier than usual...and this hallway at our church building became a war zone. It felt, strangely, blasphemous. adults and kids were involved...David, being the most passionate warrior!

A rousing game of Apples to Apples...getting the eye from Stickers.

This is Barbara (remember her from the Harvest party pix? she was road kill)...and her husband, Randy, who is our Pastor at Horizon Christian Fellowship. They are a fun couple. Hopefully they will still like us after this party! :) you do, right? well, assuming you liked us in the first place. thanks so much for letting us use the facility. I'd call you to see if we cleaned up all right but I have NO VOICE!

Um, folks..you shot the pastor in the eye! shameless.

Lovely Caroline...pondering her 2009 resolutions!

Waiting for the ball to drop...with bated breath!

Tim, Terry, and Brittany (her head is hiding), getting in a group hug. love these hugging moments! Terry, you are simply one of the loveliest women I've met! in and out! I like that you can see Carolyn huggin' on Luciano in the background...awww. I didn't get any pix of David and I hugging...but we did. we even smooched.

April and John, first time Young party attendees...so glad you 4 could make it (they brought their sons, Elliot and Nathan, along)...

Ramona and Danielle...partying like rock stars, no doubt!

Tim, always looking out for Levi! You've got a friend in him, Tiny.

yikes

now I just sit and wait for shutterbug Tommy to get me his disk because I'm sure he got gobs more fotos than I did...I missed a lot of people in my snapping away..sorry Jen..Jeff, Nicky, Mom, Dad, Vince, Janice...most of the kids...for not documenting your participation...I forgot to start taking pix till almost the very end! I struggle with this when hostessing....so Tom, thanks for your awesome picture taking skills....I appreciate it more than you will know!




As you can see, these are obviously our New Year's Eve Party pix...We had a really good time and had a lot of fun folks in attendance.

We had gobs of food and gobs of Nerf bullets whizzing thru the air. thanks to Pastor Randy for allowing us to host the bash at Horizon! Thanks to all the folks that came and brought yum yum snacks!

Let's see here...

Nora waiting for her little cake

This is Beck's new little midriff baring top...no, really, Nora got it for her b-day..but B. thought it was funny that it said little sisters rock and she thinks she does. (you do, B! you just loooove rubbing it in, dontcha) you make me giggle.

Nbean kept this little tiara on for about 2 pix...she doesn't like anything on her head.

Beck with Christy...they work together, though not in person, like they used to. Christy is a PT and quite an awesome woman, I might add!

can you see the sweat glistening on my brow here? Molly surely thinks I am gross but what a fun self-portrait!

chubby head

One handsome dude!! can you say heart throb?



~Good afternoon! Hope this lovely Wednesday afternoon finds you well and filled with joy!

~I'm struggling to find some joy, as my new camera doesn't work. long story.

~ These pix are from last Friday...Nora's First Birthday party etc. Sorry for the ramble...I always struggle with what to "write" about (if u could call this "writing")...

Lightbulb moment: Levi and I were doing his schoolwork, cutting, handwriting, and he wrote his name for the first time today. all of it. He usually writes it L V I...but he learned how to make the lowercase E today...baby steps. He has come so far in the past 6 months. He is such a funny character. And truly the only kid of mine, thus far, that asks to do his schoolwork.

Um, I guess I should go mow my yard, since our house looks abandoned kinda...David and the big boys worked on the beams for the porch roof today. It's cool because it totally puts the enormity of this porch into perspective! baby steps. Molly is still rashing and woke up throwing up this morning. It was the first time she had vomited this way (big kid way)...and you could tell it totally freaked her out. Poor sweet girl.

Ok, I can wait no longer...the grass is calling me....until next time!

weekend continuation

it was his idea to smash his face in part of the cake...what can I say?
He gets funnier as he ages...

Nice.

Pipes and her Pop!

Nora Bean!!

Tom, David and E...Tom celebrates 38 years and D. celebrates 37

blurry mother and daughter photo...just the way I like it!


Tuesday:

I have a sick kid in my house again today! Poor Melanie woke up around 5 with the dreaded stomach bug...and proceeded to hurl all over my bathroom. (nice visual, huh??) That's ok. She handles it like a pro (as if :( :P) and is much more brave than I when it comes to that bodily function. She is now laying helplessly on the couch, watching some PBS with Levi. That's what's going on over here...pretty fun, huh?

These pix are a smattering of the rest of the weekend...I love, love, love my new camera, though I could use a crash course on all of it's functions and such...Kara? where are you? help me, help me! I know there are so many neat things it can do but the manual is written in Chinese. No, not really but it really is kinda tricky!

This coming weekend (Memorial Day, can you believe it??), we are heading up to one of our first of summer, last of summer new hotspots...Lafayette, Indiana...whodathunkit? that it would be such a neat place to hang! We'll be staying at the Hilton Garden Inn. My side of the family (Mom, Dad, Tom, Beck, Scott, Pipes and Nora) and our friend, Jeff, will be staying. It works out because David, Tom, and Jeff will be on a job at Purdue University, which is right up the road from said hotel...they are working that very morning (Sun) and then we will all head up after morning worship and have a day/evening/morning of good food, relaxation and fellowship. Can't wait to try out my new Canon!! Check out my post from last May, where I took reflection picture of my very prego self in a store front window, on our walk thru Lafayette...it's one of my faves!

Wednesday:

Will is the sick one today! 3 down, 2 to go, kid-wise...I hope and pray that it isn't David or I that is sick this weekend!! I usually don't get sick and with the kidney stone incident, hopefully that was my "time" to hurl for this year! (aren't you glad I shared that??) Ethan now tells me that he is starting to feel bad...great.

I have been trying, in vain it seems, to upload more pix of the weekend but not sure why it's taking longer than usual...which is long enough to begin with! I'm just about to post this even though all of the pix I had wanted to put on here will be absent! Maybe for another day!

Well, Blogger won't hurry up and post the rest of the pix so I'm outta here...I'll post more later...have a Wonderful Wednesday!!