Odds ~n~ Ends & a good Monday Morning to you!!

Levi and Piper playing house...not sure what they are doing here but they were cute.
Beck, aren't you thrilled that I posted this pic of you and Nora?? man, she looks like Scott. Man, you are scaring me.
a few halloween flashbacks that I meant to post a few weeks ago....I'm the kid on the right...I look like one of my brothers. and I think we were clowns every year. this was before "IT". ("they all float....") Tom is on the left and Andy is middlin'.
Is this not the biggest, cheesiest grin? This is from my Florence Nightingale stage...I loved that front porch...
Geisha girl...I think I was in 8th grade here...
How is everyone doing on this fine Monday morning? it's early yet, 12:08 a.m. here but I wanted to get these blasts from the past posted so Becky would have something to look at when she showed up for work...Beck, come on down tonight and we will get some pix of our girls in their Bumbo seats...I'm so stinkin' excited to see THAT!!
Molly's little personality is really emerging...she figured out how to do raspberries tonight...plus, when she wakes up in the morning, she is such a loud mouth. I will put her in her bed to watch her Jungle friends, and she just lays there and shouts. she says "en-gee" a lot, which I take for HUNGRY...but man, she is STILL so dang cute! I love how she just lights up when she sees any of her sibs, us or any open face for that matter. I praise the Lord for such a good natured baby girl!! She is a blessing. Heck, all of my kids are, they just don't drool down my arm anymore (well, E. still may but that's ok...) :) ;) We have had a nice, quiet day in the house, (after the church service, of course, which was great) just putzing, eating well, going over finances (blech, but so necessary)...folding laundry...blah blah blah. I'm heading to beddy by now (and before 1 a.m., can you believe it???)...so when we take pix of Nora and Molly bumbo-ing tonight, I will be sure to post them...asap.
Hope this finds you all well and healthy. be back soon. HAPPY MONDAY!

Two of our Nieces...and aren't they adorable?

Aren't these girls beautiful? Nora is trying so hard to get fat, like her big cousin Molly...and she's doin' pretty good...little fat rolls on the back of her neck, little rolls on her legs. She is so dang sweet. She's a little observer! Piper is feisty, smart and cute. She insists that she and Levi will be married. We were over there tonight (thanks for letting us hang Beck and Scott...it was fun). Piper was bossing Levi around, telling him to come over here and walk over there and he willingly obliged. Scott said Levi would be a good husband, following her around like that. They play really well together most of the time and they are so cute together. She always wants to kiss him and hold his hand but he has to be in the mood. I am so glad that my kids get to grow up around my sister's kids. I wish they could grow up with my brother's kids but the Lord has other plans. Maybe some day. For now, we will appreciate these bonds! Ok, well, time for some Little House on the Prairie (at 1:36 a.m.)...hope you all are well. Peace out!

O my gosh! Dork Alert!

CAN
YOU
BELIEVE THIS???!!!

Ok, yes, I was a total dork as a kid. My sister found these pix that I had taken nearly 21 years ago...(can you believe that I can say 21 years about something??? I'm so dang old)...These pix were taken at precisely 4:40 pm, 4:41 pm, and 5:56 pm on January 1, 1987. You know how I know this? because I'm an organized, pay attention to details kinda gal. I wrote it on the back of each of these Polaroid pix. What I am wondering is why on earth did I, as a 14-year old young lady, get these stuffed animals for Christmas? My Gma. Taylor made the little kitty, appropriately named "Kittyskins", for me (I know B. got one but I failed to photograph it, awww shucks). and this Teddy, aptly named "Teddy B"??? (I also wrote their names on the backs of these pix, and I even wrote Best Friends) wow...I must've been totally bored on this holiday to be taking pictures of my STUFFED ANIMALS. O BOY!! and now you are wondering why I'm posting these? my lovely sister asked me to. Hi Becky...did Teddy B and Kittyskins (whatta horrible name) make your FRIDAY?? I surely hope so. I am now going to post the new pix of Pipes and Nora. allrighty then. see ya.

Becky

a good monkey impression


you can see where Nora gets her bug eyes.
My sister, dear that she is, has a knack for taking pix of herself with just about anyone's camera. These are not those pix but they are some funny ones. I will have to dig out some of the shots of her self portraits over the years...I have a little collection going somewhere...I put these on here for you, sister. laugh at yourself today. I love that we can take dopey pix of each other and have fun with it. You are my best friend, RLC. I am blessed to have you in my life! I love the many memories we share. love you peaches.

Some serious randomness going on here...

my "infamous" missing tooth...this was last Thanksgiving...when I was suffering from some killer morning sickness...so glad to be over that this year...Beck, this is supposed to make you laff, that I would even consider putting this HORRIBLE picture of myself on my blog...ick. bleck. ew.
here's little Miss P in the Strawberry hat...it is so huge on Nora's head (she had it on at Target tonight...)
Just a few more Levi blasts from the past...whatta cute little guy he was.
Levi was so chubbalicious.

There is no method to the madness that is this post. I was just browsing through my pic folders on my computer and thought these little goodies were kinda funny. I have another funny, random pic I'm trying to find to embarrass my husband..but I will keep looking. hee hee. evil laugh. peace...

Yet another Levi party...& a book burning!

We are so caked out....the group of friends we get together with weekly wanted to (and was so nice to do so) celebrate Levi's 5th birthday together. They got him the movie "Meet the Robinson's" (thanks BFF's and families)...We love our group of homeschool pals...Well, this pic is obviously Levi surrounded by a few of the kids while he blows out his candle... Here he is showing you his birthday movie...He also got Ratatouille from his Uncle Tom today...thanks, Tom!! We've already watched it and even destroyed the case (but I fixed it...ugh)
Then after the lunch, party and cake, we insisted that all of our kids do some Math and English...and it was so cool to see them all working on the school work together. They were all chattering and just having a good time with each other. This is Mel with Holly and Sophia. Good work, girls!
Another shot of the gang doing their work with Mrs. W. helping (she will be mad that I've posted this picture...and that's ok...)
This was one of our favorite memories from today. We burned the book "The Golden Compass". And I will tell you why. the author is atheist (Phillip Pullman) and in his series of books (reminiscent of the C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia books, though he has said in interviews that he does not like Lewis etc) the main characters "kill God" and can then do as they please. In this pic, inside the black burner thingy, you can see the book just a-burning.

It's very sad to me that this movie is going to be out this holiday season and millions of folks will go to see it with their kids. And while it will be watered down for kids of course, the message will still get out there. If you are an atheist and you are reading this, and I'm making you mad, sorry. I serve the Creator of the Universe JESUS CHRIST, in whose name is power and strength and it's more important to me what He thinks than what you think. I know we live in a country where we are allowed our religious freedoms. But don't forget what our forefathers endured to get us the freedoms we enjoy and to deny the existence of God is just sad. He is in everything...look at the beautiful blue skies as the back drop to all of the awesome fall colors? tell me that just "exploded" into existence!! bang.
Ok, man, I'm the soap box queen this week. I'm not sorry though. This is my blog. My little piece of "freedom of speech"...don't deny God, because eternity is a long time. But here's my last blip, boycott the Golden Compass...and Thanks, crew, for such a nice party/hang out session today! We love you families! (don't tell the kids that we were arranging their marriages today...hee hee)
Nuff of that...I ordered a Bumbo seat for Molly and Nora (check them out at http://www.bumboseat.com/ ...so those should be here on Monday. I can't wait to blog those pix! that's our big fun! In the meantime, hope you all are well...but I'm outta here. no more sap. no more soap. for tonight. love and peace to you all.

Piper, the big school girl!!

~Sassafrass Lass....Miss P....Pipes~

Little Miss P started preschool this fall...this is her school pic and isn't she just a cutie? I put this on here for you, Beck...and all I have to say is, remember the flying soothie pacifier tonight? You never did tell me if it pegged her in her peanut head, just that you saw it go flying through the air....she is sassy, but remember, you were too (heck, you still are e.g. Goodwill 2 weeks ago and the ol' lady)...ha ha. that's all I gotta say 'bout that. i love you.

Ok, here are some harvest party highlights...and some serious Laurie babbling. You've been warned!

David does a good hippie, ay?
Pinata action...led by the hippie dude
Nick and Natalie: Magician and his bunny from
his hat trick....how cute and original??

We caught us a mermaid (Nora)... Piper in the catwalk show...as Princess Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty....

I really didn't take as many pix as I should've...I'm such a loser that way....:) Nora and Molly had the same costume but I didn't put Molly in hers at all that night. She slept thru most of the event. I was a Goth (no picture to prove that though)...my friend Sherry was as well but she has forbidden me from posting her pic....and being the good, obedient friend that I am, have obeyed..for now. The party was great though...thanks to all who participated! You know who you are..

Will was a cowboy, E. was a WWII soldier, Mel was a mini-Goth, and Levi was supposed to be a monkey but wouldn't keep his garb on! Again, really no pix to prove any of that and yes, you can harass me about that...I get too overwhelmed in moments like these and lose control.

right now, it's 12:45 a.m. I should so totally be in bed. We have a crazy busy day with speech club and hanging with some awesome friends etc but here I sit. I've been going through albums, reminiscing like the nerd that I am. Just getting myself all verklempt, thanking the Lord for the rich blessings He has given to me...and it overwhelms me to think how good He has been to me over the years of my life. (I'm getting so choked up right now...the Nat King Cole song I have on repeat, "Stardust", does not help my melancholy mood)...I have such an awesome family, Mom, Dad, Tom, Andy and his crew, my sister, who I would truly be lost without and just can't fathom how other women go with out a close relationship with their sisters...her family, the good, God-fearing folks (friends and fam alike) that we know and love. Man, it is just too much! I have one rockin' hubby, we will celebrate 14 years of marriage on Nov. 27, and just how good he is to his children and I! Yeah, he's intense and all that deep stuff, but such a source of encouragement and strength for me!! He is a kick butt dad too. It's too much for this peanut head to comprehend. and then my kids??? o my gosh. little walking pieces of heaven right here on earth. I take them so totally for granted and I pray the Lord forgives me for that and gives me the strength to overcome my selfish ways. I need to stop being such a yeller. waaaaaaaaaaaaaa I could so go on here but will not. I want you to keep coming back.....:)

I want to encourage you, whoever you are, to love (an act of the will, selfless) your family, love your friends, tell them how much they mean to you. and then, like I need to do, quit taking them for granted and show them just how much they truly mean to you, even when it's not convenient or easy. Quit snipping at them (I'm talking to myself here). Words and tones can be so painful. mood swings are so painful...I know. I do it DAILY! you can see the hurt on their faces when it spews out...ouch. venom to the soul. puts a damper on pretty much everything.

Sorry for the sermon. not really. it's my blog though so deal with it...you know I love y'all. All of this came from wandering down memory lane and visiting our wedding albums and listening to this Nat song, it's from Sleepless in Seattle (which was out the summer before we wed and I listened to this album when I was living in D's parents basement, missing my fam back here etc blah blah blah), when Tom Hanks is missing his dead wife and she is suddenly there on their couch...this song is playing. It's a classic...man, can this dude sing. over and over too. ( I have that soundtrack on as well as AOL radio).

Life is too short, soak it up...before you know it, your kids will be 13 like my big boy...it's spiraling away from me. Where did that newlywed 20 year old girl go?? I can't find her. (Plus she was a size 9 back then, so that is quite confusing....)

Good night, one and all. Thanks for letting me unload. Beck, hope your 3rd day back in the workforce is the best yet...hey, it's HUMP DAY!! I can't believe I haven't seen you yet this week. Happy Wednesday y'all!! (now on Radio AOL, Johnny Mathis is singing "Misty"....I'm gettin' misty) gotta run to bed before I get goin' again....ahhhhhhhh. peace.

This one's for you, Beck...

little Scott look-alike, girl version
Piper, doing her best "Becky"...ha ha...you had this kid coming to ya.
Beck and her baby girls...so pretty!!
Here ya go, Beck...this one will remind you of why you do what you do!! For these two beautiful little girls that God has so trustingly placed in your hands...scary, huh?? you are a good momma! Don't forget that. hope your second day back on the job is a tolerable one!

Just realized I never finished the Levi posts...

courtesy of Kara Davis Photography
June 2005

Taken in Pittsburgh, PA, at our friends' wedding.
the infamous Waterman's pumpkin measury guy. you know you are getting big when he starts whispering in your ear!! yikes.
whatta sweet soul...couldn't you just snuggle this dude? Preschool pic, fall 2006.
Here are the rest of the cute pix I had picked out to honor little Levi's 5th birthday. I have so many cute pix of this dude...and these are just a taste of the Levi goodness that we know. His school pic from last year has got to be one of my all time faves. He has those big, puffy, pouty lips, eyelashes that most girls would kill for and peepers that don't stop. Another cute thing about "Tiny" is his foldy little ears. He is a lot like a Hobbit. He is a good big brother also!! Levi, you are a priceless part of our family! Your Pa loves you, Your "Gwamma" loves you, Uncle Tom loves you, Aunt Beck loves you even though you are scared of her, your mommy and daddy love you...heck, even your siblings love you...you are so stinkin' lovable! May God bless your 5th year of life on this big, scary planet. You ROCK! Ok, I'm done now. night.

Levi's B-day party and stuff

Here he is, the Big Ol' Birthday boy!! It was difficult to get him to look up long enough to get his pic taken...but we did get a few! He was so excited!
Levi, the "big frog"
Levi got some neat-o gifts for his 5th birthday (don't know if any of you are old enough to remember Robin, Kermit's nephew on "the Muppet show" but we have a tape of the greatest hits and Robin sings a little song that goes a little something like this "I'm 5, I'm 5, I'm a big frog now, I'm 5.. etc and every time we say his age, or he says his age, that song goes thru my fool head. It's quite cute though)...here he is w/ one of them, a cool easel from Gramma and Grampa G. He has really enjoyed it and so have the rest of 'em. He also got Stuart Little 2, some nice clothes and church shoes, a really swell Thomas play set from Uncle Tom, Aunt Beck, Uncle Scott and the girls!! He digs trains!! His 3 older siblings got him a little cash register...but I think they picked it out more for Melanie...(although she and Levi play "store" everyday)
He did not like it when all of the attention was on him for the singing of "Happy Birthday" (I used to be that way too...still am to some degree..) He kept hiding his face and telling us "No"...here is his little cupcake with his candle in it...he would not show me his face.
Here are some other random shots from the party...couldn't believe how much Nora looked like her daddy this evening! Beck said this is her "senior picture pose"....you know, where the photographer makes you put your chin on your hand...isn't this just the cutest little pic of Nora and her poppa?
And last but certainly not least, the comparison photo..Nora is catching up nicely to her big cousin Molly. It will be so cute when they actually notice each other...I just know they will be best of friends. Speaking of best of friends, my dear sis went back to work today....Here's to you, B. I know it's tough...maybe looking at this crazy blog at the start of each day will help you get thru your days away...and know that we all miss you and wish you were with us...but o how responsible you are being!! Whatta big girl! :) I sure miss you. ok, nuff sap.

Anyhow...fall is here, with a vengeance! it's nearly midnight and i feel so strange because my big boys (W and E) are sleeping out in a tent...it's quite chilly tonight but they wanted to do it and their Dad encouraged them to...they have the cell phone and also they know that they are 20 steps from sleeping in their own bed. Boys are so funny. and weird.

My baby will be 4 months old this coming Friday. I just can't believe that. It was this time last year that I was discovering that I was prego and that whole "idea" was sinking into my head and life. Now, that little ray of sunshine is brightening our days...she is such a peach! Molly m'girl, what would we do without you?

Um, ok, well, it's midnight now and I still need to do the dishes so off I go. I hope this finds you all out there in cyberspace hanging in there and enjoying the beautiful colors of autumn. The Lord has given us this time of year as a reward for enduring summer, especially Indiana summer. He is so good to us! Praise the Lord for cool evenings, campfires and nice, toasty heat!

Chow!

Aunt Em's visit

I meant to get some candid shots of Emilie's visit but of course, life got the best of me! It was a low key visit! Thanks for visiting with us!
Today, we went to our Early Modern History Club and learned about Russia c. 1750 or so..Peter the Great was quite a character! Then we had an enrichment activity afterwards to celebrate All Saint's Day! It was a lot of fun and hectic as always! I took a few pix but will post them another day. Maybe. I still have some more Levi pix to post. Good night.

More to commemorate Levi's Birthday!!

Here we are right after little Levi was born...it's so cool with a homebirth and good midwives because you can involve your kids and family as much as you want to. There you can see my arm...He came pretty fast so I was zapped! Levi weighed 7 lbs and 3 oz.
Not such a great picture in quality. Beck, you are so skinny in this pic. I just gave birth a few hours before so I was not so slim...but feelin' groovy!!
Levi, you were such a cute little peanut. You are my smallest baby!! What an honor!! Mr. Tiny still makes these same expressions. He has been aloof from the get-go! The midwife asked if he was "talked to"....well, duh. He was our fourth kid and yup, he has blown us off from the very beginning. Personalities don't change that much!!
One of the joys of having older brothers...if you sit still long enough, they will put a sword in your hand...he was a good sport back in these days.

Levi's birthday party is going to be this Saturday night, along with a party for my dad...they are good buddies so it's only fitting. He wants "trains" for his birthday. I still just can't believe that this kid is FIVE!!
Ok, well, I'm off to cut up som tomato for our dinner...hope this finds you all well and healthy. I will try to post some pix of the kids with their Aunt Emilie (Auntie Em)...she just left here yesterday after a four day visit. Thanks for your help with the little ones, Em...you are a good auntie! Keep the good attitude, sister. (Isn't it funny that I have a 13-year old sister in law and son at the same time? they are seven months apart...I found out I was prego the same day D's mom gave birth...)
CHOW!