Radio Station Tour

Uncle Ben took us all on a radio station tour.  He does a radio show in the mornings and took some time to show us around.  We met his producer and saw the rooms where they record.

Molly was a little upset that they weren't putting her chatter on "live."  She kept asking if the "cars" could hear her talk.  (On the way to the station we put the radio on in the car as we were explaining what we were doing.)

 

We even got to make a recording (I will try to figure out how to download and embed).  Grady has a great line at the end which they might use for a clip on the show!

Thanks Uncle Ben!!!

Our Polar Express

We have this great little spot downtown that we sometimes bring a picnic lunch and meet Joe.  Grady calls it the "Polar Express" because there is a train there that looks just like the one from the movie.  We all know hoe much he LOVES trains, so this is a favorite spot.  If you've come to visit us, most likely you have taken him (and the girls) there at one point...or on every visit!

This is his favorite thing to do.   It just so happens that my hair dresser is right around the corner.  You bet they just love when the kids are there! ;)

Finally...our first snow!

IMG_0589

 

Getting rid of Ellery....

Grady seems to think that he only needs two sisters; Briley first, then Molly.  He says we can get rid of Ellery.  His next thought is we keep them all, then have 2 more boys.  Twin.  We are going to name them Finn and Lightening.  (Lightening after Lightening McQueen, of course!) 

Honestly, if we could guarantee a boy, we'd probably have another.  Statistically though, the odds are not in our favor.  I'm not a betting girl, but historically we've proven a 25% chance of having a boy.  Not the best odds! :)

Ellery stopped sucking her thumb!!!

We finally got Ellery to stop sucking her thumb.  HUGE accomplishment!!!  We put a glove on her hand each night before bed.  Surprisingly it stayed on.  She's been an avid thumb sucker since birth.  I didn't think it would be this easy....so she was obviously ready.  The first day I caught her during the day, and then a few days later I noticed that I hadn't seen her with her thumb in her mouth lately.  Then after a week or so, we took the glove off and she hasn't needed her thumb since!  YAY!!!  I hope its that easy with Briley when then time comes....

American Heritage Girls Joining Ceremony

Homeschooling Week 3

Molly was reading to the kids for "rest time."  Not much rest going on, but quiet happy kids = happy Mama!

Joe corrupting Briley

Daddy and Briley concentrating really hard on their lego XBOX "game."  Daddy is really playing.  Bri just thinks she's playing.

Sisters???

Any chance these two are related?

Any chance at all?

Just checking, because I wasn't quite sure.

OK.  I guess that answers it.

How to put on your shoes (according to Briley)

Go find a shoe....any shoe will do.  Any size.  Any color.

Set the shoe in front of you.

Pick up your foot with your hands.  Take foot and insert foot into shoe.  (Note: Don't put the shoe on your foot, but put your foot into the shoe.

Ellery's first tooth

It was quite traumatic.  She won't look in the mirror or at the tooth.  She wouldn't eat dinner and I had to brush her teeth.

But its done!  (The big tooth has been in behind for awhile....can we say braces? :)  

Daddy's little helper

(Photo and commentary by Joe)

We were installing one of those cabinet-mounted garbage cans. This was the frame and roller board.  Flawless execution with the phillips screwdriver!  Daddy is soooo proud. Poor little guy though... Now that Mommy knows he can use tools, I am sure he'll be put to work around the house!

Another one from Grady

Its waaaay past bedtime and we are wrestling to get the kids in bed.  They have been playing with our foam alphabet set (a toy which I brought downstairs to take to donation months ago, but they have played more with this than almost any other toy we have in the house...so it stayed!) and I've asked them to put them away and go upstairs.  

The girls have obliged, but Grady is dawdling.  Then he simply starts to walk towards the stairs.  I said "wait a minute buddy, what did I just ask you to do?"  

He slowly walks back with his head hung and starts to put the letters away.  

I asked where he was going.

He answered, "poop" and then starts to squirm.

"What" I asked?

"Mommy, I have to go poop," he answered.

"Well then go" I replied!  (Can't argue with that now can I???)

Thoughts from E

The kids are happily (or so I thought) playing upstairs while B naps.  I walk out in the living room and hear E yelling at Molly:

NOBODY CALLS ME A LIAR EXCEPT FOR MOM!

Hmmm....think we've had a bit of a fibbing problem at our house lately???

Dinosaur poop

Grady's all to familiar call from the bathroom....."All done pooping Mama," was followed with this today "and it looks like a dinosaur poop."

Really?  And what, exactly, does that look like I wonder?  Want to know?  I'll spare you the details.

Briley is in her own room

I just took down the crib in our room *sniff* and she has now spent 2 nights in a row *sniff* in her own room upstairs *sniff, sniff.*  Why am I having such a hard time with this?  Because it's our last???  I have been purging the baby stuff.  All the big battery operated and plastic toys.  Swing.  Bassinet.  Johnny Jump-up.  I even have our double stroller and double jogger listed!  I just need to clean the exer-saucer and that goes.  When Briley and Grady have grown out of their clothes, I consign, give and donate them.  The first load was the worst, but now its very freeing.  I'm seeing space emerge in my house, garage and attic.  Maternity clothes are long gone.  I'm even starting to get rid of the things that Briley has yet to play with.  Amazing how the more kids I have, the less stuff I'm wanting to keep.....well, the brightly colored plastic stuff that is! :)

Another Ellery-ism

Molly is studying for her "Patriot Test" in school and we're talking about the Declaration of Independence. Among other questions, the study questions ask about some of the men who were involved in writing it, one of which was an ancestor of mine.  Well, I then had to explain what an ancestor is.

Later, on the way to school, Ellery asks, "who else is our Aunt's Sister?"

Thoughts from E

Poppy walked Ellery to the bathroom (why does he always get potty duty???).  When she came out, they headed back to the pool.  Ellery says, "that's weird.  We wash and dry our hands....then we get right back in the water."

Auto flush toilets

Still on vaca in Mexico.....

Poppy took Grady "potty" and Grady finished first.  He was telling Poppy how he beat him and then asked how to flush the toilet.  Poppy said, "hang on a minute and I'll show you" but as Grady walked away the toilet flushed.  He was so excited and says, 'WOW....I just walked away and it flushed all by itself!" (Picture a wondrous hand gesture.) "We don't have those at home!"

Thoughts from E

We are vacationing in Cabo with my parents.  The girls are playing "Mermaid" in the water with Poppy (grandpa) supervising (in his bathing suit).  Ellery says to him, "you can be the daddy mermaid.  You are just perfect because daddy mermaids don't have to wear shirts."

My nephew...Mac

Look at those eye!  Luv.  Him!

Its weird seeing my little sister with a baby.  I keep thinking she's nannying and will return this kid to his rightful parents soon.  But he looks too much like his mom and dad to be someone else's child. :)

She's had a rough go at it, with a colicky kiddo, but he's rounded the 4 mo mark and is growing out of it.  If only he'd sleep for her now!  But she's been a trooper and is still willing to have one more.

But he sure is cute, so Paige....if you're missing him one day. 

It was me.  I have him.  (He fits right in at our house with that blond hair and those big blue eyes.  No one would even notice.  The best part...I didn't have to gain all that pregnancy weight....or I could still say...."oh, I just had a baby...it'll come off and have an excuse for not losing the weight from B...and the weight from G....and E and M for that matter!  But I digress...

Happy Mommy-ing Paige!  You're doing a great job!  Thanks for sharing him with me.  

Now I can wait a few more month before I have to go out and have another one.

I am kidding people.  We are done.

Macallan

He is 4 months and all I've seen are pictures.  I am so sad about that.  I haven't been able to kiss him, to hold him, to babysit so my sis can get a break.  ( I do field phone calls and emails and respond with all of my wonderful advice! :)

Here he is!

Mwah! 

 Sweet boy,  that'll have to do until I finally get to love on you next week!  Can't wait!!!

And now Hot

Its 80 degrees outside.  In one week, we've gone from -25 to 80.  I wonder what next week is going to be like...

Can you say C.O.L.D???

Instead of getting up at the crack of dawn (who am I kidding...I was up before 6:30 with Briley) to go workout today, I thought I'd skip the early morning (kidding again...I've been skipping for 3 weeks since Joe's been out of town!) and shovel the driveway.  For all of you not aware of what's going on down here, our weather is Cra-Zee!  Blizzards, feet of snow, cold, cold, cold.  Anyway...right before I put Briley down for her nap, I checked the temps.  -25 degrees.  25 degrees BELOW ZERO.  Negative.  Huh???  Its warmer in Alaska!  I checked again.  Seriously?  That's not with wind chill.  That's the actual temperature outside!!!

I think I'll wait until her afternoon nap.

My sweet boy...

Throwing a bit of a tantrum

And then laughing when I played it for him.

Briley walking

Here she goes....

New weatherstripping???

I'm just sayin'

Cuz that's snow.
(The door was closed and locked all night.)

January pics

While the cats away.....

At least he chose blue.... 

Thoughts from E

We are watching "The Chronicles of Narnia" and there is a scene where the fireplace is on.  E and G are commenting on the fire and Ellery says...

"And it stays on.  All the time.  You see Grady, some people don't have switches for their fireplaces to turn them on and off."

Applejuice

We are sitting at dinner and Grady asks Goggy (grandpa) if he can have a drink of his applejuice....

Um...maybe in about 18 years?

December pics

More Cookies

I'm handing out cookies to Joe and kids after lunch.  I give each of the kids one and Joe two.

Grady says, "Hey....why does daddy get two and we only get one?"

"He's a man and you are kids," I answer.

"Do you love him more," he asks?

(In context, this is something that we say to the kids when they are complaining about so-and-so gets more.  We answer that we love said child more.  All the time, to all the kids, so they totally know we are kidding!)

Whack-a-mole

We are sitting in a restaurant with the whole family the other night addressing each kids needs as they arise, which in public is every 2.7 seconds.  Molly, then Grady, then Briley, then Molly, then Briley, then Ellery, then Grady, then Molly, etc.

Joe turns to me and says "Whack-a-mole."

"Huh," I ask?

"Do you remember that arcade game whack-a-mole?  That's what we do.  Whack.  Whack.  Whack." He says doing the hand motion over each of the kids heads.

Then he says, "I'm the one in the middle that you get 100 points for and the kids are all around me worth 10 points.  That's what you're playing all the time!

YUP!  I'm an expert whack-a-moler!  I'll add that to my job title.

Ellery and her "jeans''

The other day, I had a conversation with Ellery which went a little something like this:

"Mom, I can't marry Grady, can I?"

"Um, well, no honey. He's your brother."

"That's what I thought. Because if we are married and both wear the same jeans, something will happen."

Hunh? (To myself.) "What do you mean sweet-pea?"

"Nanny told me that." (Thanks, mom.)

Molly pipes in, "yah, something bad will happen to your kids, like they won't listen or something."

OK...so where exactly did Joe and I go wrong?

Happy Halloween

Ellery the Cowgirl, Molly the Angel, Briley the Pumpkin and Grady the Conductor

Oct pics

Sept pics

Too many kids...

Joe and I were just finishing up dinner and chatting, while the kids had declared it "yucky" with one look and had mostly left the kitchen.  You see, we've been having a bit of an....uh....issue...lately with the "No's" and being ignored and such.  Well, I asked  G to pick up something he had just dropped and he said.....drum roll....No.  After Joe dealt with that I asked "what is with the disrespect going on in this house?  Where did we go wrong?"

Right then M walks into the room and says, "having to much kids."

Nuff.  Said.

August pics

What a wonderful day!

Today our first born went down in front of our church to publicly profess that she had accepted Jesus Christ, our Savior, into her heart!  We are so proud as parents and are looking forward to her Baptism next weekend.

A week full of milestones for miss B

This week she started to crawl AND also had her two bottom teeth break through.  (So...that's why she's been so cranky!!! :)

This baby...

I just love her! :0)  (Well, of course I do, right?)  No really.  She is the sweetest thing.  Always ready with a smile.  Very happy.  Good sleeper.  Cute as all get out.  (Yes, I know I'm a bit bias...)  Besides the newborn stage, this is one of my favorites.  The 6 month age.  You know.  Where they are up on their hands and knees rocking back and forth.  On the verge of crawling...but not quite mobile.  At this point all I have to worry about is a little spit-up on the carpet (well, in her case, a lot of it.)  But I do know what's coming...

Figuring out this computer

I will be posting pics as soon as I can figure out how to get them off of iPhoto and onto my blog....

Ever feel like you're losing your mind?

It's happening on a daily basis lately (no comment needed from the hubs here...).  I walk into a room and totally forget why I went in there.  Then I walk back to where I started....still no clue.  Oh well.  I'll figure it sometime today, I hope.  It can't have been too important, right?   Old age?  (30 something is old, right?  At least I thought so when I was 15! :)  Lack of sleep?  4 kids?  Too busy?  All of the above?  Yes, I'm a bit busier than most, but I can't think of something I'd cut out.  Except for cleaning the house.  And laundry (as I look at the 8 loads that have taken over my couch today.)  Oh, and the dishes and cooking.  And my weekly trip to Wal-Mart (not many choices here in this small town.)  Gosh, what's left? :)  Oh yes, the kids.  I'll keep them....most days anyway.

And while it's on my mind....at what point did my just-turned-3 year old learn how to use the DVD player and remote???  I'm just askin'.   I certainly didn't show him.  Hmmm, does he have 2 older sisters?  Who like Tinkerbell?  Cuz that's what he wanted to watch today while I sit here and fold 8 loads of laundry.  (Did I mention that already?)  I was trying to convince him that Chuggington (trains) or Thomas would be better, but no...Tinkerbell.  That's what he requested.  

(See?  I am losing my mind.  This post probably doesn't make any sense to anyone but me.  But thank for reading it anyway.)  

First day of school....first day of school....first day of school!

Finding Nemo anyone?  (Could not get that out of my head today! :)  Well...the time has come to send #2 off to Kindergarten.  I am split on this one.  She'd be the easy one to home school.  She's a mama's girl.  Always with me, by choice.  She's a homebody.  Which is why I was so surprised that she didn't want me to walk her in (I still did) and when I went to kiss her goodbye at her new desk, I got the mom-you-are-embarrassing-me-please-leave-now look.  I sooo expected that from #1 (who was clingy and wanted me to home school her for the first 6 weeks of school) but not from E.

After we dropped her off, G, B and I stayed rather busy.  It really felt like a preschool day, but I know that next week when she's gone everyday, instead of only 2, it'll really hit me that she's a "big girl."  Check back next week to see if I'm in tears...

Edited: she LOVED school.  But then 30 mns after she was home she said, "Mom, I think I want to try home schooling tomorrow."  (Love her!)

Edited again:  Day #3.  Mom's thoughts, can she please just stay there all day?  She came home quite the pill and immediately got sent to her room.  A few minutes later it was silent.  I went to check.  Out like a light! :0)  A bit tired are we???

Edited yet again: After Day #4, she decides every night that she wants me to home school her tomorrow.  Every morning she forget though and is excited to go to school.

Last edit, I promise:  She cried today at rest time.  Cried for mama.  Breaks my heart. I miss her too.  Luckily I have 2 more at home that distract me from missing E.  But what a mess I'll be when they all go off.  Whatever will I do with all my free time?  I have 5 more years to worry about that though.  Maybe we'll just keep having babies so I can stay busy?  (Kidding mom!!!  We're still done.)

My new friend

This is what happened when I left for a quick errand.  I came back and this had been ordered.  Mind you, my old computer was 10 years old.  That is ancient for computers.  I'm sure my DH was really sick of hearing me constantly complaining about how slow it was, so...he bought me this.  He customized it and everything.  I'm sure I have no idea of the power this baby has and it'll take me weeks to transfer all my data over. Heck, it took me all morning to just get my calendar and address book transferred!  (Probably due to the fact that I'm refusing to spend more money and get an iPhone right now only because I don't want to pay the monthly charge for the data plan.  That's the frugal side of me.  Which tends to take over most of the time.  But I digress...)

Anyway....its kinda fun.  Looking forward to getting to know each other better.

I'm still here....

Hi there.  Yes, I'm still here and attempting to blog.  We've had quite a busy summer.  I'll briefly recap:

-4 kids home between the ages of 0-7
-A month long trip to Seattle and Anchorage
-Started a new business with a friend
-Husband traveling with work
-MOPs coordinator
-Did I mention 4 kids home all summer?

Looking over that list, it doesn't sound like a lot, but I feel like I was a lot busier!  Anyway, M and E go back to school tomorrow (E's first day of Kindergarten...sniff, sniff...not sure how I feel about that) then G starts preschool (another milestone in our fam) next week.  I'm assuming I'm going to have a lot more free time with 1/2 the crew gone during the day.  So, I intend on posting a lot more....but first I'll have to get caught up on everything that I let go this summer...

More to come...

July pics

Jun pics