Don't ask 'cause I don't know

If I had to guess I would venture to say that Brogan took these. I found them when I downloaded all of the others to the computer. I have to say with 5 wonderful and active kiddos you never know what to expect.

Happy Birthday Rylen

Rylen turned 2 years old this week and boy is he T-W-O! We had a great time celebrating with family. Here are a few random pictures.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Rylen!!

I caught him eating the icing off of the cake tray that I had put in the trash can.

I guess he wasn't finished celebrating yet. I told you he was two!!!

Our Golden Lion

The first nine weeks is over and we are so proud of Joshua. He went back to Alpha Omega this year after being homeschooled last year. I knew he would do great but was still a little nervous about him going back and skipping a grade. There was just a big transition from leaving there in 5th grade and going back in 8th. But, he is doing great as we hoped and knew he would. He made all A's his first nine weeks back which in junior high means he is "Summa Cum Laude" with a 4.0. He also received the "Golden Lion Award" which is awarded to one student in each grade in the junior high and high school every nine weeks. This award is for being an outstanding example to others and is nominated by the teachers. We are so proud of him!! Way to go BossMan!! Keep up the good work and keep shining for Christ!

If you give a 3 year old a wallet...

Ever heard of the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie or the other titles in the series? If you have a preschooler chances are you have. While the stories are cute I must confess that when the story happens to you it is well, just plain f-r-u-s-t-r-a-t-i-n-g, make that F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G!!! Wondering what happened? Well it started out like this...Codey gave Christian, who is 3 (almost 4 but still 3) an old wallet that he no longer uses. At first I thought what a kind gesture. It wasn't torn and mangeled in any way and was a "cool" camo print. It even came with $1 and a (used but we won't tell him that) Target gift card with $3 remaining on it. Something a 3 year old would love to get from his BIG brother that he so addimently looks up to. He has been carrying it around for 2 days now even though we haven't been anywhere. Well, the "If You Give a 3 Year Old a Wallet" story goes like this...

If you give a three year old a wallet he will carry it around for 2 days. After 2 days Daddy will bring home 5 chocolate iced with sprinkle doughnuts for the kiddos to eat the next morning. The next morning every child will get 1 doughnut to eat. That's right 1 doughnut since there are 5 kiddos and 5 doughnuts. Chances are if you bring home doughnuts the kiddos are going to want more than just one. Chances also are that if there are just enough doughnuts to go around that something is definetly going to happen where someone, probably the one that sleeps in late is not going to get a doughnut. So, as I went to the other room to go get dressed for the day, Christian, who had already had his doughnut, thought he would quickly help himself to another doughnut. As mom (that's me!) comes out of the bedroom everything seems normal. Everyone is getting along well doing what they should be doing. Did I mention that Codey, the one that gave the wallet to Christian, was the one sleeping in? Fast forward 10 minutes and ta-dah, Codey is awake and yep, you guessed it, he wants his doughnut but there are no doughnuts in the box. Go through the list of kiddos that could have taken the doughnut and there could only be one with that "It wasn't me" look on his face. After 5 minutes, 1 lie, 1 swat, and 1 final confession Christian fessed up that it was him who ate the doughnut. Now, what to do? Codey still doesn't have a doughnut. Mom-Idea!!! Christian will buy Codey a doughnut with the $1 in his wallet that he has been wanting to go spend for 2 days. So, get 4 kids dressed in cold weather clothing and head out the door and make sure Christian has his wallet, but wait. Christian decides that it is too cold to wear the shorts that Momma told him not to wear in the first place. So, 3 kiddos loading up in the car while Christian takes off tennis shoes (did i mention they were high-tops?) to change into jeans and then puts back on boots, that's right now he had to wear his boots that we had to find because now he had on jeans. Get Christian out of the house and going to the car while I get my purse and head out with him meanwhile Christian is now chasing the cat on the opposite side of the house as the car. Finally get Chrsitian in the car and buckled up and now we are headed down the road to the bakery to buy Codey his doughnut that Christian ate. Three miles down the road Christian asks "Where is my wallet?" Momma "You don't have your wallet?" Christian "No!" Momma "Codey, check Christian's pockets" Codey "No, no wallet". Turn around and go back to the house to get the wallet because Momma can't prove a point without Christian paying for the doughnut with the $1 that came with the wallet. Have Codey go inside where Christian was sitting to get the wallet but, you guessed it again, the wallet is not there. Tell Codey again to go check Christian's pockets while I look around outside the house where Christian was looking for the cat. Nope, not there but it is camo right so it may blend in with the leaves a little...yippee! Codey says the wallet is not in Christian's pockets. Look a little harder then go back inside to look again. Finally, after 15 minutes, decide to go back to the car to ask Christian yet again where he might have put the wallet. Feel around in his car seat and...ta-dah! The wallet is in his pocket. YEP, it was in his pocket THE ENTIRE TIME!!! Did I mention that I was a little FRUSTRATED?! Still, I have to teach a lesson here and prove a point. Even though by this time I'm sure that they have all forgotten what the point was because by now the point was just to find the wallet. So, head back out of the driveway to the bakery and Christian buys Codey a doughnut just like the one he ate with the $1 that came in the wallet that Codey gave him, which took all of 60 seconds, then we head back home. Now everyone had a doughnut this morning and noone was left out. Christian learned a lesson about taking something that was not his without asking and about lying and Momma had a lesson in patience. I am not really sure any of them learned any lessons as long as it took to prove the point but, I do know that I learned a lesson in patience. So, if you give a 3 year old a wallet...there is no telling what will happen!!

13 years ago...

Thirteen years ago this week I wedded my wonderful husband. Just wanted to say "I Love You, Jeremy!"

Thankful Thursday "F"

Thankful Thursday this week is the letter F. After the last couple of weeks if I have learned anything it is that these things can help you when nothing else can so here goes. F is for: Family- Family that is there when you need them and family that can never bee replaced if something happens to them. Family that more than cares but is loves, cries and rejoices with you not just some of the time and not just in the good times, but all of the time. Friends- Friends are those that are there when the going gets tough and ugly and who you can call at the spur of the moment when you need something and it gets taken care of no questions asked. Friends that think beyond what is just in front of them to the many needs that may arise and ones that call just to listen even when you haven't called them. Friends that your children feel comfortable staying with for extended periods of time and that they feel comfortable talking to and crying with. Friends that should be family but for some reason we had to find them instead of being born into them. Faith- Faith that sometimes takes so long to find but once it is found keeps us together and gets us through the tough times. Faith that only Jesus can give us and the only thing that we have to look forward to that will reunite us with those that go on before we do.

Happy (belated) Birthday, Brogan

Well, our baby girl turned 7 at the end of September. It is hard to believe she is already that old and a big 2nd grader. I missed her birthday post so here it is. This post may be a little late but we still celebrated her birthday in high-fashion when it was here. A BIG thanks to her daddy and Mrs. Dana for taking care of the party and Rachel for taking care of the cake!

Happy Birthday Brogan!

We Love You!!

Remembering My Dad

My dad passed away on October 8 after a hard fought battle with a very rare lynphoma. He was the most wonderful man that anyone could have ever known. It still hits me every once in a awhile that he is not here. It is hard to believe. I have had the thought countless times that Jeremy or I need to call him for something and then realize that we can't. I also, selfishly can't believe that my beautiful Christian and Rylen will never really know or have the presence of their Poppy, a very fine man. We will try to keep him alive for them thru pictures and memories but it will never really be the same. He was such a fun, loving and unselfish person and will be greatly missed by all who came into contact with him. Words can't express our love or our emptiness.