Friday F-U-D-D-Y D-U-D-D-Y

There are no pictures of my kids in this post. that seems weird to me. sorry, Dad...you will have more than enough of them by this time tomorrow.

laundry madness....

some of the makings of salsa...

yeah, I get to do this on Monday...

the holidays have officially begun in our house...when the snowman counter goes up, it's time to party. non-stop for the next month and a half!

o Christmas tree...how humble

our little bunny friend....the kids took this picture.

Macho, macho man...manly man...you are so tough (when u need to be)! the kids wanted him to take this picture...he's embarrassed that I put this on here...

Happy, Happy Friday to you!

Hope this finds you enjoying your day and gearing up for a wonderful weekend!

My kids are so excited (the first four) because tonight, Grandma and Grandpa are having them all over for a sleepover...Are you sure you know what you've gotten yourselves into, M & D?

My sister is having an Uppercase Living party tonight so Molly and I will go to that...then it's home again, home again to a nice, quiet evening with my super cute husband! won't that be weird, just he and I in the homestead with only ONE kid? I think so...we'll probably both fall asleep! he's been a hardworking boy this week...way to go, Daveyboy...you ROCK!

Dman is working tomorrow for a bit...and there's no Patria...so I'm not sure how we will fill our time...as if. don't ya just love the pic of him flexing for the cam? He lifted weights last night. He'd probably kill me if he knew I blogged this but it happened...so it's here. sorry manly man! (yup, just as I had suspected, he was mortified...but I convinced him that it was ok...)

We started dressing the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree in the lower level...It's quite cute, even with out ornies.

Well, I suppose I should get going...a little here, a little there...plugging along! Hope this finds you well! HUGS! XOXO

this one's for you, Momma! and then some...

See below...to see what I mean about my momma...get past all this gobbledegook...

Hey, hey, everybody...hope this post finds you enjoying a glamorous, amorous Thursday. I know, that's a stretch but it was fun to say....

Not much happening here today...but here's a recap of the morning thus far:

1. ~ Folded some laundry, but not all. whites are waiting...woohoo!

2. ~ Ran someone to the bathroom before they pooed their pants AGAIN!

3. ~ Went thru all of the toys upstairs...and some of Levi's clothing...time for a
Goodwill trip, that boy is growing fast...and getting some winter chub on...

4. ~ Told the kids that we could put the little Christmas tree up on the lower level...

5. ~ It's way too early for that but they enjoy it, right? Velvet has me all
psyched to get into the "holiday spirit", even if it kills me. Which it just may!

6. ~ Listening to Mel tickle the ivories...Levi is screaming at Will, who is outside...

7. ~ Alison Kraus is singing "Baby Mine" on my playlist...love that. had a dream I was
pregnant last night....OMGoodness...yikes.

8. ~ No spelling tests today...yah! But History and Science are calling our names...
rather loudly, I may say.

9. ~ Is it just me or is it dreary out there again, for the third day? This calls for some action...
turn up that Christmas music and get mistletoey...

10. ~ Hug your kids...I need to remember to do this...and not just after they
have received discipline...
My kids thrive on affection, hugs, positive affirmation...so let me encourage you to hug 'em.
(your own, of course, but u are welcome to hug mine too...)
Let them be kids...do the things that kids need to do......within those loving, parental
boundaries....

Ok, that is all I have on the list...but in other news, because I know you are waiting with bated breath....yesterday was weird. rainy, solemn...but I got a good workout in with my sister at the YMCA. It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A...I'm hoping to join there for this next few months of intense working out etc. Nothing helps like some sisterly encouragement. She is such a fun one...even with a hurt neck and foot. I love you girl...I don't know how I would make it through a day without you...you. complete me. that sounds weird. but it's true. I could do with out all the workout garb on whilst in the sauna...it was sooooo warm in there, tight, dark and small...Next time, I will show up prepared...I bet that sauna is niiiiiiiiice in the dead of winter.

I think I'm taking my new Pumas back...can't find brown work-out clothes to go with them...blllpfff! how aggravatin'. :P

...Hope you are achieving a lot in your day...and just remember,

God is in Control. I'm so glad about that! not Obama, not the NYSE, or the Dow, or Alan Greenspan, or that guy in North Korea, or Big Brother....rest in that...God is still on the throne!

Blessings!


found this adorably cute pic of my loving, beautiful mother while cleaning out the storage room today...doesn't Miss Molly resemble her? and you know who else I see in you, Mom? Charlie....say it isn't so...whaddya think?

sweet little round chubba face...so kissable.

12 on the twelfth...

can you believe it's the 12th of November already?

Time for my 12 on the 12th...I know you are dying to see what weird, random things I've been snapping away at today.

hang on tight.



a little bench that D. found on a job (it was trash)...he figured he could make our mosaic coffee table with this frame...we shall see. that boy has some vision, I tell ya. after a good sanding, a nice stain and some cool mosaicy things, it should be a cool conversation piece.

this was cut out from a pizza box...I grabbed this from the K's...at our pizza/celebration last week...in honor of my dashing hubby, who, of course, dressed up as Indiana Jones for our Harvest Party..doesn't this resemble Davey boy?

get off the island, kid.

my new marble Elvis bust...from big bro Tom...thank you, thankyouverymuch. (it kinda looks like Patrick Swayze, doesn't it? "Nobody puts Baby in the corner")

stained glass shade

whoa nelly....our new EUREKA vacuum. We buckled and got a bagless vac...so far so good.




check out the new Pumas...Beck, thanks for showing me how truly stylish these kix can be...brown and pink...delish.

limestone and cedar...glorious...

school stickers...

little boy, hard at work learning his letters and using touch to do so...

nothing beats a spiced cider candle on a dreary fall day...except maybe said candle being sniffed while enjoying a cup of coffee and pumpkin muffin...what bliss is this?

Hope your Wednesday is marvelous...God bless you today!

Caged beasts etc.

she looks innocent, folks. don't let her cute, girly onesie or bright blue eyes fool you!

If I can't bite you, then I will just bite this barrette.

off like a shot...bouncing hair and all...

look at those legs...the baby is leaving and the little girl is emerging. all ready. hmph.

but I wanna be out. side. now.

We've got a wild animal on our hands.

Our sweet, eternally cheerful little girl has left the building. And left us with an independent, stubborn, strong-willed biter. Yeah, a biter.

She likes to bite those that she feels are threatening her freedom. e.g. Levi, who likes to put a bear hug on her neck, like 20 minutes ago, and Melanie, who was saving her from certain injury after climbing UP on the piano.

Last night, I was bushed, beaten up (we all were) after not only exercising for well over 2 hours but from the 2.5 hours of leaf raking/burning/yardwork etc. Moo decided it was a wonderful night to be a pill. She had ONE nap yesterday...who'd wanna miss out on our yard fun (besides me of course)...so I thought she'd surely be down earlier than 9...she screamed and thrashed about in her bed....up we go...but when she was UP, she was cranky and difficult. I won't keep going...she didn't want to fall asleep, even when D. and I were in there...eventually falling when we had just given up.

I'm aggravating myself typing all that out...any suggestions folks? Is it wrong to give her Nyquil before bed? whiskey? I've never done that before but I am not opposed to trying it...I've never had a biter either...any help there?

Davey boy finished the porch rail...and don't it look grand? may I say it? the new porch is rockworthy...it doesn't seem like the same house to me. it was so nice to sit out there for a bit last night and appreciate all of the hard work and what's left of the autumn beauty, all while getting some serious smoke inhalation from our burning leaves and all of the neighbors' as well!

Leaf me alone - hot off the press

notice the little blob of leaves above D....he kicked that up. And his feet are completely off the ground here...is it safe to say he will be hurting tonight? Come on down...we'll have a leaf jumping party...

fly like an eagle. look at that gracefulness....I'm jealous! He really is airborne here and this pile is 4-5 feet high...

It really does amaze me at how well this "old" dude moves, jumps, rolls, tumbles, and doesn't hurt himself. thumbs up to years of regular maintenance...weight lifting, jogging, ellipticalling....you go, boy! you are my inspiration! Mr. A-gee-lay!

this song keeps going on in my head, whilst looking at these..."I tumble for ya"...

giving Levi a quick toss into the monster pile.

look closely, you can see Mel diving in....I got better at the action shots as we went.

Will, head first...Levi is in awe!

E. brought Moo out, in her pj's no less, threw her in the pile...and they all thought it was so funny. punks.

E. made an appearance....no jumpy jump for you, Mister. are you still wearing your clothes from church yesterday?

1/2 an hour later....

cut yo' bangs

where are you, Levi?

Molly was quite unsure of this massive pile of leaves

Pyros...obliterated pile of brush, old wood, roofing, etc...

um, yeah. get me outta here. she didn't like it at first but then grew accustomed to the pure leafy joy!

Here we have Levi putting leaves on Moo's head...I was kinda far back so he didn't know I was taking this. big brother = torture

Really.

my aching arm muscles, but think of all the cardio and strength training I'm enduring. ackkkkk! we think of this as conditioning for the upcoming Drumstick!

Never have I seen so many leaves. well, at least since last year. Thanks to our good neighbor, Joe, for helping us out a bit, blowing leaves down to our compost pile in ravine #1.

Our mower is broken, outta here, and I realize just how much of a help it has been to me in the past, during this leafy time...

In the pix above, E. wasn't in our little jumpfest because 1.) his leg is still swollen, so off we go to get it checked today, and 2.) he was inside with Mollsy for this reason...'tis cold out here at 9 am. He did come around when we got the fire going...that boy loves a good fire. (should I be scared? no, really, E, thanks for the nice, toasty fire in our woodstove last night...we look forward to your "skills" all winter long)

bone tired

this is my big bro, taking a siesta in Vietnam last year...

I don't know this kid but she's tired. really tired.

this is how we all feel tonight.

I had more pix to post but I'm. too. tired.

we raked for 4 hours this afternoon.

we aren't even done yet. not even close. (we have lots of trees).

we even cut down a tree today. Just call David Paul Bunyan.

I was too tired to even take pix.

Maybe tomorrow. Cuz we'll be right back at it.

hope you had a marvelous weekend.

Sleep in heavenly peace.

right back atcha

This card is funny. (well, to my warped sense of humor it is)

it has some history. (it's 12 years old, the same age as E)

My cousin sent it to me years ago, right at the beginning of my gain of 50 kid pounds...

My senior year, I went down to Florida for spring break with Dawn and Lanie, to visit Gram Taylor. I bought a bathing suit while there...it had a ruffle on it. Hello, I'm 18...is that seriously a ruffle? Maybe ruffles were in, back in 1991...dunno.

We got a few laffs outta the poor suit...and still do...

the inside of this card says, "I think the ruffle really makes a difference, don't you?"

Today, we are cleaning, cleaning, and cleaning. I got up before the kids this morning and took a one hour walk...man, it was awesome. Alone time with God, to just lay stuff out at His "feet", listen to some praise songs, get so caught up in this praising and praying that a dog came from outta nowhere and I shrieked and screamed like a school girl. (glad the neighborhood was still sleeping)...nothing quite like it though. Thankfully, the dog was friendly and just wanted to walk with me a bit....phew!

Onto the cleaning...hope you all are having a splendid, chilly Saturday.

Ephesians 5: 19-20 - Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

General Store and what's happening now...

Thursday night fun...

Will, the cashier..

our security guard excellento

The shoppers talking with the camouflaged security guard...

the pretend hold-up...Levi, it's not nice to point your fake weapon at your big brother...

Attention Shoppers, we have a great deal on train mats in aisle #1...

moneygrubber and her daddy. David, you are such a good daddy...playing "store" with Levi and all the rest of the kids....Levi and Mel like to set up "shop" in the living room and occasionally, David joins them!

Tonight, it was supposed to be train time but D. is thrashed after a crazy week.

hi...I look tired. and old. and pale. and like Pinocchio. Tory said I look aggravated...I need a tan, I need some make-up and maybe a face lift...I am almost 36 ya know.

I heart fake red hair. I really do. that's why I've done it again! I can't help myself.

caught this kid looking through his scrapbook...he does this quite often. I guess this makes him a thoughtful soul...thank you, Levi, for appreciating your book...

yes, a book fully loaded with pictures of YOU! You're a star!



This weekend, hmmm, not sure what's on the schedule...cleaning, chasing Molly, going to a prayer service at the church building tomorrow night, church again on Sunday morning, naps, all that fun stuff!

A mostly uneventful day, filled with exercise, schooling, a library visit (always a good time with a one year old, shyeah, right)....I'm a Debbie Downer right now...must be time for bed.

A couple of prayer requests for you to think on:

~ My lovely sister, Becky, is hurting badly tonight. She did to herself what I'm always doing to myself...straining muscles in necks, making it nearly impossible to move and function. B, hope you are able to be up and around tomorrow!

~E. has a swollen lower leg, which seems to be getting worse...he said someone fell on him 2 weeks ago at the harvest party...so we are baffled. E. hope we can get this taken care of immediately...you are one tough cookie.

That's it...pretty exciting stuff, huh?

I'm outta here. Nighty night, sleep tight, and peace wherever you are! Godspeed