The Unsinkable Molly Y and Levi Yoder

someone likes to get into my scrapbook things...hmmm, nice eyelets all over the floor!

bound and determined to get into my stuff...

new kicks, and a new car...though the car is not new, it's new to her...this is the car that we bought for Will 13 years ago, when he was learning to walk...it's been around and it's well worn!

she is trying to get away from her big bully, er, I mean brother...

looks like she's just a-walkin' around, doesn't it? baby got back, that's for sure!

yes, he's wearing pants, albeit short pants...this boy loves, loves, loves LEGOS!!

this picture so reminds me of Melanie...she used to make this same scrunched up face...and you can see her top tooth breaking thru, can't ya?

Mr. Nice Skintone

had to put this shot of her chubby gams and new kicks on here for your viewing pleasure!

Here are a few pictures that I have taken around the house today...today is supposed to be my 12 on the 12th day...where I go around (thanks to Kara's suggestion) to take pix on the 12th of every month...in hopes of doing a scrapbook at year's end...to show just what a creative giant I really am. ha ha.



Anyways, Molly never stops. Unless she is sleeping (I know I need to call you back, Jill W...I just have not breathed since I got your message)...and that is pretty rare these days. She is trying to compress her 2 naps into one but I am fighting it tooth and nail. Darnit that she's so darn cute and bright!



I put shoes on her today. She doesn't wear shoes. ever. well, at least she hasn't much in her first year...(omigosh she's 13 mos. old now...). Thought it would be a good time for a photo op...she did not disappoint! Then Levi came in and wanted to be a part of it...and he is quite the poser himself...so handsome! Tiny man is getting ready to start some Kindergarten action...slowly all summer and full speed ahead here in the next week or so...I use a book, that I've used for the first 3 kids, called "Learning at Home"...He is so excited. Today, I spent a lot of time on our library's website, placing holds on a bunch of books that I need to go along with his lessons. I can't buhleeeeve that Levi T. is beginning his schooling career. Sorry for the ramble! See ya later, folks!

More from Cali

Charlie J

Cutie Pie

future studmuffins of California

Phebe...who seems to resemble her cousin, Piper, just a bit in this pic.

Duncan, Charlie, and big-haired Pheebs...such a cute li'l pic of her...

Dunc, showing his wild jumping skills...if I remember correctly, his father (my li'l bro) liked to do canon balls a lot also.

Andy's kids don't get the spotlight on my blog very often, since they live forever away from us, but I gotta say, for a dude, hanging with three kids by himself (usually it's just the 2 boys but Phebe is with him for this month)...he does a pretty good job taking and sending pix of his three adorable children to the hillbillies back home (us)...so today, I will share a few of the pix that he has sent over the past few days.





Thanks, Andy, for keeping us as involved in Duncan, Charlie, and Phebe's lives as you have. (I still wish I could hug 'em and squeeze 'em...I know my big boys would love to hang with 'em, beat 'em up and all that jazz that stinky boys do)...it's nice to get these little treats in an email and it's fun to see how Pheebs has grown.

Ok, time to rally the troops...but until next time...hang tight and behave yourselves!!

Happy Birthday, Scott!

How does it feel to be 35? (like me)...









love Piper's arms in the air...goofball!



Tom, Mom and Dad...eatin' good in the neighborhood....thanks for a delicious meal, parents!!


pink-eyed beauty....shyeah.

Happy little cheesecake girl!

Molly Moo sporting our costume glasses....like whoa man...

Quick post here...pix from above are from our Sat. night dinner/birthday celebration for my brother in law Scott...who turned 35 yesterday! Ha...now he's old like me.

the pix are pretty self-explanatory...but I'm out the door for Science and deposition of two pink-eyed girls to their gramma and grampa's house...see ya later...

Summer of '94

I can't get over how young I look in this picture. And I was...21 years old, pregnant with Will. This pic of me with my Grandma Taylor is one of my all time favorites!!

Same summer, same shirt (hey, when you are prego, comfy clothes are a MUST)...my cousin, Dawn, came to Illinois to visit with us in our little basement apartment..I even made some tasteless spaghetti served up in my fancy glasses and cheesy, hospitable grin...Look at those big glasses of milk...uck.

The only significance of this postcard is that it has been in my special box since I took my stuff down at my desk, when I left my job at Central Dictation (IU Hospital) in November of 1993...2 weeks before I married D. What's the point? don't have one...just a little blast from my past...it makes me laugh. Hope it makes you laugh on your Monday morning. We all need a good laugh now and then, right?

Yeah, I know...there's no point to this post...

David and the kids returned from their overnight adventure to Illinois...as it turns out, I am so relieved that I didn't attempt to take Molly...she ended up having some Pink Eye...yehaa! and we spent a nice, quiet and productive day here at the homestead. Having one kid is so strange yet wonderful! (I love you, you 4 other kids!!) We played, read, cleaned, danced, I even held her up by her feet, since she loves that so much. Other than that, a "peaceful" day...Thank You, Lord, for days like this! Hitting the reset button.

Until then, I'm outta here...God Bless you today!

Laurie

Cotillions and such...

semi-toothless grin...ahhhh!

Isn't she lovely? This is Celia.

Celia's "girls"...think Bridesmaids...and there were 7 guys also and the main guy she danced with...not sure what the correlation was. They were getting ready to do their dance...very much mimicked a wedding.

Melanie dancing with her daddy

Mel and E tearing it up.

Molly was diggin' all the festive Mexican music!! Caliente!!

I don't have much time to post now, but wanted to get these pix up for your viewing pleasure.

We went to Celia's "cotillion" last night. Not sure what they call it in Mexico exactly...I know there is a name for it...Who's Celia you ask? yeah, I didn't know till yesterday either.

David has two guys on his crew, Jose and Bucho...they are brothers. Celia is their niece. In their tradition, people in the family donate to a girl's coming of age party...Jose bought her dress...what a nice uncle...not sure what Bucho donated but since they are family and they helped throw the party, they got to invite whoever they wanted...and they asked David and his family (hey, that's us!!) if we would come!!

I admit it, I was very nervous and it didn't let up once we got there...it was all in Spanish and we were definitely, definitely the minority. But it was so neat to see that they still hold to some traditions in their culture.

I could totally go on and on...but I just got David and the 4 big kids out the door (whew!!) and now I'm packing for a day of swimming with Beck and then Momma and Poppa are taking Tom, Beck and her family and me and what's left of my family to OUTBACK tonight. In honor of my brother in law, Scott's 35th birthday, which is tomorrow.

Sorry for the scatterbrained post...be back later, taters! LY

Four wheelin', just like our neighbors!

Our friend, Tim, and his daughter, Brittany, dropped by last night to take the kids four-wheelin'! I'm sure our neighbors behind us thought we had come over to the "dark side" of Deliverance! This is a blurry shot of Will with Tim...E. went first and that was before I had gotten my camera...so you won't see any pix of E on the machine...sorry!

Brittany took Levi around for a nice little jaunt...

Mel thought it was pretty darn cool...no, kids, we are not investing in one of these bad boys!!

Thought it was cute how Moll, lookin' every bit like her father, curled up during her nap the other day...she won't stay covered to save her life. punk.

Lots of this shirt/diaper combo lately...yes, she still wears pants, shorts, outfits. This seems so hillbilly to me, barefoot and only a diaper...yick. she wears it well though, dontcha think? Here she is sneaking into my scrapbook supplies...a fave pastime of Miss Moo

check out those gams!! love the fat baby legs!!

Since Molly and I won't be attending the annual Young Reunion tomorrow, I am sending some pictures in our place (less mouthy that way)...this is the scrap page I made in honor of the Divine Miss M.

How y'all doing on this fine, fabulous Friday?? We are doing quite well, thank you very much.

I mowed the lawn, took a power walk, scrapped, avoided some phone calls, and general good stuff like that...now Moll and Levi are in the tub so I won't be long on here...just wanted to shout out a hello before yet another busy weekend strikes...enjoy the pix...I'll be back...

Tonight, we are attending a party hosted by the family of two of David's fellow workers, Bucho and Jose...what is the name of the party that Mexican families throw for their sweet 15 daughters? well, that is the party we are going to, almost as big of a deal as a wedding, from what I hear...we are nervous, will be the only "non-Mexicans" in attendance and we know hardly any one but D. told them we'd be there, so true to our (his) word, off we go...yikes. I will be sure to take my cam...what a blogging op. Tomorrow, David, Will, Ethan, Melanie, and Levi head over to Illinois for the big Y Reunion...so it will be just Molly and I keeping the home fires burning...that will be kinda nice, I'm thinkin'. Until then, happy Friday and God bless you!

This time last year...

we had this sweet little baby in our midst...




with sweet little baby piggies, baby acne, wide awake moments...

Levi and his little sis

we were starting to see this little temper emerge....ahhh...it stuck.

David, being repaid for making Levi endure yet another torturous hair cut...

ooooo, sweet girl...where have you gone?

All this to say, Molly, we love the adorable little girl you are becoming...but you were such a sweet, snuggly little baby...such a nice way to end my childbearing years...Thank You, Lord, for such nice arrows to put in our quiver!

We are all doing quite well here...feeling better, though still sniffling, coughing, crabby. Since it's such a lovely day here, we are going to go swimming for a bit before we clean out the green machine...'tis in need of some serious TLC! (after carting around one teenager, two tweenagers, Levi and Molly, you'd need a good bath too!!)

So hopefully I will hit some blogging inspiration while doing my chores...hope you are having one of your loveliest Thursdays EVER! I mean it! Chow!

Happy Anniversary, Parents!!

Sorry, Dad, not a very flattering pic of you, but considering that you make this expression on purpose, that makes this posting of it A-OK!!

All of this to say...belatedly...

Happy 39th Anniversary, Mom & Dad!!

I can't believe how long that sounds.

August 4, 1969...and I couldn't find any of my old pictures of your wedding to post on here...

You are very important to us and we thank God for you!! Here's to the next 39!!

A July blast from the past...

July 1984...I was between Mel and E's ages.

Yes, I know, three posts in one day but this is a freebie.

Beck has this picture in her living room. Another one of my Aunt Mimi's classics from our annual trips to Canadian Lakes. I love how I'm posing...supermodely and all..yeah. ok. but really, I was quite the dork. Beck is off in dreamy land. my brothers were all tanned and goofy. oooo to go back in time to this moment on this floating docky thing for just a few minutes.

Just sitting here, being all nostalgic (I do that when I'm sick)...the two Youngest are all freshly bathed, Molly is sleeping now. Waiting for Daddio to come home...we went to the library tonight...loads of fun with a strong-willed, active one year old!! ahhh. this too shall pass. this too shall pass. rinse. repeat. that's what's going on over here! What's going on with you?

A bit more from Sunday

This is the scrapbook page I framed for D's mom...yes, I know she will most likely have more grandchildren...but at this point in time, she has these 8!




David thought it would be fun to do a "stairstep" picture of him with his siblings in birth order...so from left to right: David (37), fraternal twin bro, Matt (37), Amy (33), Aaron (30 or is it 31?), Nathan (20), Natalie (18), and Emilie (14). I can't believe we got the whole group to cooperate...but they did and thanks, kids!! whatta memory! (David looks kinda weird because he had just gotten out of the pool so his clothes were sorta wet)



Carl, Judy and their brood of seven originals...David's head is peeking up over his mom's.

~I've been trying, in vain, it seems, to get more of the pictures from our Sunday trip to Illinois uploaded!

My cousin and fellow blogger, Tory, said she has been having trouble with her blogger as well...and she's no dial-up gal! High speed all the way for her!! sooooooo, that explains a lot!

We had a very nice visit with David's entire immediate family. Judy, aka Mom, Grandma, turned 60 yesterday so it was to commemorate that milestone! What an honor, I would say, to have all 7 of your children and their respective significant others (except for Natalie's fiance, Nick, who had to work) and children, show up. A good time was had by all...and if the pictures EVER upload, I will be able to show you (and I know you are dying to see it) the pics of D and his sibs.

In other news...it's storming here, big time...I am watching "Lorenzo's Oil" with Levi. We got it from Blockbuster online and it's a true story and very sad. You oughta rent it. Lorenzo just died this past May 30th, the day after his 30th birthday...so he lived quite a bit longer than doctors said he would...all in part to the oil.

Man, I'm exciting...plugging movies on my blog.

David had all FOUR wisdom teeth removed this past Thursday...we heard all the horror stories about how his face would swell up, dry sockets, vicoden overload...and ya know what? he has done amazingly well! REALLY! no swelling, no dry sockets, definitely some vicoden overload and that is even with weaning himself from it after the first day...and his mouth got quite chewed up in the traumatic removal! He said that hurt more than the actual removal. So thanks for your prayers for this dude...he went back to work on Saturday (nut) and hasn't stopped since, though he's a little loopier than usual, and if you know him, you know what I mean. (D, you're cute)

Ok, time to get a move on this Tuesday...check back later...hope to have more uploaded and the kids hope to blog today as well...so we shall see if blogger cooperates later! until then...arrividerci!

*side note* I don't know why my blog always scrunches my text right up to my pictures...I can space it out and when I post it, it goes right back up...ahhhh...so if u have any helpful hints for this nearly computer illiterate, I would be most appreciative!

Happy Birthday, Mom Y!

David's parents, Judy and Carl

The fire hazard cake...

Natalie is engaged...Nick proposed a month or so ago...can't believe my flower girl is gettin' married!!

she didn't enjoy the swimming aspect

hanging with her cousin, Adelaide

Natalie and her mini-me Melanie!

I have way more pix to post but I've honestly been trying to upload pictures since before I went to bed last night! I would get up and it would tell me that it couldn't complete my request so I would try again...darn that dial-up.

And now it is absolutely pouring, gushing outside....so I need to get my computer turned off and try again later.

Thank you for your well-wishes for a return to health...Much appreciated over here, loyal blog followers.

Be back later!

MIA no more

mad jumping skills revealed




10 for smiling while jumping

Hey folks!

I know you think I've forsaken my blog. And for a few days, I did. Nothing going on and no creative juices were flowing. And now I'm sick. And heading out for our Science day today but wanted to let you know that we are here, and will blog the pix from our extremely bizzzeeeeee weekend...when we get home tonight!

Yah!!

As for today...hope you have a wonderfully blessed day....Levi wanted me to post these pix of his jumping adventures...he is getting quite brave around the water (a little too brave, if u ask me)!

See ya later, taters!