Too Many Kids

Prayer Request...

2012-02-13T08:32:00.002-05:00

Hey to all my praying friends and family...I know that I havent been on here in a while and I hate to have this be my first post after such a silence; however, our family is in need of major prayer!

Our Sweet Bailey is fighting a battle that none of us understand. For 3 years it seems that Bailey's weight has been decreasing gradually and when we have reached out to doctors in the past we have been met with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder. Well, last week her weight fell 5 more lbs due to an increase in her inability to hold anything in her stomach. We have spent this weekend in emergency rooms trying to get an answer and finally found some hope at Levine Childrens ER. We have an appointment this afternoon with a Pediatric Gastroenterologist and we are praying, and would like your prayers also, to please find an answer.

Bailey is becoming very sick and needs your prayers to be lifted up on her behalf. She is a strong willed little girl who puts the doctors in their place if they try anything she doesnt like, so please also pray that she will allow them to run the tests that are needed to find an answer so we can get her back to strength. She is currently losing a pound daily and becoming dehydrated in the process, what goes in just comes right back out. She is in need of strong prayer warriors, please remember her today and tomorrow and all the days until she is out of this scary sickness.

Thank you for your love for our family and the prayers that will be lifted in Bailey's name.

Saving Grace...

2011-11-29T00:15:00.002-05:00

Sunday while we were at our church, our pastor began his sermon and I could feel a stir in my heart as if I should be on alert for my childrens hearts. You see our pastors father passed away in his sleep two weeks prior and his sermon began "you are never promised tomorrow." Knowing the fear that this can bring forth in children I perked my sensors in case I needed to offer up peace to one or two of them. However, no such signs of fear were present in their faces. We have discussed the fact that everyone will die but only when God calls them, and I assumed this was the cause for the peace in their hearts during the sermon.

Today as the kids and I were sitting around, the discussion on the pastors sermon began...Kiely: "I was up all night thinking about dying and that scared me"
Me: "Death is nothing to fear...if you are a child of God you will live forever with Him in heaven."
Kiely: "Dont you worry about dying?"
Me: "My only worries are...have I led my children to the saving knowledge of Christ...because I dont want to spend eternity separated from you guys."
Kiely: "Thats your only fear?"
Me: "Thats my only fear..."

The conversation ended because as with most conversations in this house someone interrupted and sent our brains into a totally different direction and conversation. But then tonight after all the others had gone to bed and were asleep...Kiely came down stairs in tears...I assumed missing her daddy, but actually she said she was thinking about our conversation earlier and she wasnt sure that she had salvation...she wanted the assurance that she would be there too and that she has felt God pulling at her heart since Sunday (she must have been the one I was on alert for). She prayed and we talked for over an hour about her decision and I am proud to say that Kiely has accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and my heart is busting at the seams with joy that I cant even put into words. Hallelujah!!! Amen!!!

Happy Veterans Day 11-11-11

2011-11-11T10:32:00.002-05:00

"Freedom isn't free!!!"...that is the phrase we hear most often on these days of remembering our heros. And it is true! But if you were to ask a soldier, both past and present, they would tell you the sacrifice is worth it. No one wants to be separated from their families, but when a soldier is called, they feel that calling from the deepest part within. Its a calling that most of us dont experience, but there are those few who seemingly are born to answer it. My husband, Big Papa, is one of those people. I burst with pride knowing that God made him in his mothers womb to come out a fighter. Does it hurt like crazy to be separated from him while he answers his call? Like a knife stabbing me in the heart!!! But the kids and I know that being indifferent is no good. There must be someone to stand up and fight. We are proud of his God given ability to get the job done. Some of us are called to be the workers in the field, some are called to invent those machines that make the workers lives easier, some are called to give us music while we work, and some are called to document these days in writing and photos and films. Then, there are those who are called to fight to give us others the freedom to choose what we want to do with the lives we have been given. Today is the day we honor the fighters. Happy Veterans Day!!!

To all the men and women in my life that have served, are serving, or will serve...Thank You!!!

Looking For Serenity...

2011-11-09T15:55:00.002-05:00

These days of trying to kiss boo boos, dry tears of broken hearts, teach ninja moves to 3 & 4 year old boys (in order to balance the barbie play they have to endure with 6 sisters), give my best advice on lifes ups and downs, teach reading to dyslexic 7 year old, teach pre-algebra to hormonal teens, stop the cat fights that happen when you have 5 girls 7-14 yrs of age, keep the house from looking like a tornado of: shoes, baby toys, matchbox cars, pillows that never get back up onto the couch, school books, sweaters that we needed this morning but not this afternoon but they never got hung up, dvds all over the floor because the baby now knows how to open the cabinet and pull them all out...and we let her to keep her from making screaming noises while we are doing school,...not to mention a dog that apparently suffers from some disease that makes him stupid enough to eat an entire chair that was left outside yesterday to help the little ones up on the trampoline (which he ate the other chair months ago), kittens that arent even ours destroying the garage, and a momma cat that constantly scratches on the door as if we are going to let her in (whose cat is she anyways?)!!!

Anyway, all that list is just to say "Wow! I would love to be back at the beach sitting on that balcony and looking out at this view and enjoying a cup of coffee...yeh right...if you know anything about me, you know that is a lie...I drink Diet Pepsi. However, no matter what you are drinking, you cannot deny that this view is a view of peace and serenity. Not to mention the fact that we were so far out there that there was nothing to distract that sweet peace...it was just me, God, and the ocean...and the perfect chaos that comes with 8 children going on behind me inside the beach house...but when the doors are shut it only causes a faint roar in the background.

Come on summer...Momma needs another beach trip!!!

A Moment...

2011-11-04T00:33:00.003-04:00

Sometimes on this journey of Big Papa being oceans away, there will come a night that seems more lonely than the others. For some odd reason, tonight is one of those nights. It doesnt make sense to me. I went to dinner with a friend and that was nice...however, it made me miss my man even more. I walked upstairs to put my hobo shoes on after returning home (cause my boots hurt my fat foot)...and I could have sworn that I smelled Big Papas cologne (its really body wash but it knocks my socks off...tmi). Maybe the kids found it and were playing with it, but it made my heart ache to be close to him. I miss you Scooter Boo!!! Dont worry...Im staying composed its just one of those nights...just hurry home to me and Ill be alright!

Trick or Treat...

2011-10-31T23:23:00.003-04:00

Sweet Irelyn Jane as a pumpkin princess...considering this was her first halloween she seemed to handle all the hoopla pretty well. Luckily no really scary costumes came in our path and the biggest upset happened when our neighbors puppy "roxy" came bolting out of the house and scared the pants off all the kids. It was a little colder than we expected but all in all we had a good time.

Here's the whole crew + 2 getting ready for the big neighborhood festivities...I love living here on days like this. The whole group of families really kicks in and gives the kids a night to remember. These guys will be talking about tonight for at least a week or two depending on how long it takes that mountain of candy to disappear. Bring on the Kit Kats and dont forget momma likes 'em cold.

Welcome to the Circus...

2011-10-29T18:14:00.002-04:00

...And He's Gone Again

2011-10-26T13:19:00.002-04:00

It has been a wonderful 2 months of Big Papa being home...but time has flown by and now he has taken flight again.

Big Papa treated us like royalty while he was here. It all began with a night of being whisked away (just Scooter and me) to an awesome night of wining and dining at a little B&B. So Romantic We then gathered the kids and headed to the Outer Banks for some alone family time which became a vacation that will be etched in the kids hearts forever. 4 wheeling on the beach...pool and jacuzzi to ourselves...mansion of a house...horses grazing in the yard...beautiful weather...perfect vacation!!!

We then came home and celebrated 4 birthdays, two of which were spent at The Mills riding gocarts and winning jackpot on a chicken game and winning lots of prizes for everyone. Big Papa and I got another year older and threw money around like it was Monopoly money but wow was it a fun 2 months.

Now reality is here again, and life has my main squeeze in a distant land. I am missing him like crazy and counting down the days to his return. Be safe Scooter Boo...see ya soon...

Daddy's Home!!!!

2011-09-05T17:01:00.003-04:00

After a long and turbulent deployment, Big Papa is home!!! We decided that after such a hard separation for the kids we should take this opportunity to do a surprise reunion. First I picked Scooter up from the airport and we spent a night of fine dining and rose petal sprinkled floors at a little bed and breakfast downtown. It was enchanting!!! The kids were under the impression that I was at an overnight homeschool convention and were awaiting my return. We decided to surprise them at a local park and staged a mini photo shoot to send to daddy in Afghanistan. Scooter hid in the woods and waited for me to show up with the kids...

Bailey ran in fear and Lyndie took a pretty hard fall trying to get to daddy but all in all it was great. We will have this day to talk about for the rest of our lives. We have needed this day to come...A very happy reunion!!!!

Welcome Home Big Papa...we will all rest easy tonight!!!!!

Fifteen!!!

2011-08-09T00:32:00.000-04:00

My Dearest Scooter Boo!

Here we are again at that magical moment of memory...
How can we ever forget where we began? Was it that night at Myrtle Beach where you jumped into my car; or was it that night on the beach in Guam where you offered up the most heartfelt proposal after pushing your car? Let me rephrase that, "me" pushing your car! Anyway...no matter which direction you go...it all begins at the beach. Is there any wonder why I love the beach so much...you and I began there. Just the air can spark that intense feeling of anxiousness I felt on both occasions. The ocean has a lot of meaning for me and our lives. At the beginning of our wedding video are the images of your baptism on Serena Beach. Everything monumental in the beginning of our married lives takes place at the beach.

Because the beach is so monumental to us, it only seems fit to use the ocean to describe our love. On this day of our 15th wedding anniversary you and I are oceans apart. There will be no kiss under the moonlight or in the candlelight of our little restaurant downtown, instead I will sit across the table from our 8 beautiful children and thank God for the gifts that He has given us through this amazing union of 2 totally different souls. Just as the ocean, there is always the give and the take of the tide present in our marriage. The waves crash onto the beach and just as they seem to overtake it they pull back and reveal smooth untouched sand. I feel like our times of separation over the years seems to be resemblance of that ocean tide. As the turmoil of the separation (the pulling back of the tide) causes the crazy waves, then there is the excitement of the return (the crash of the wave onto the sand) and as the wave smooths the sand...your return smooths my fears and leaves me settled again.

Our lives in these past 15 years is just like the waves...and as much as others or myself at times questions the sanity of this lifestyle...if we didnt do this then who would? You are an amazing man with conviction for the need to fight to the end and that makes me proud to call you my husband. You are the true meaning of American Soldier and my heart bursts with pride when I tell people that you fight for our country. Yes, it hurts to be away from you but I know the wave will always come rolling back in and bring peace to my heart again. I love you with all that is within me and I am yearning for the day when you crash upon my sands again and bring me back to serenity. Hurry home...Your Jenni Leigh is waiting!!!

My Sweets...

2011-08-05T18:03:00.004-04:00

How can a baby be so good? Sweet Irelyn Jane fits her perfect. She rarely makes a peep unless it is to greet me with giggles and grins and loves everyone who pays her attention (as if she needs a bigger audience than the one she lives with). We can go and do anything and she is a trooper and just goes with the flow. I think I have heard her cry 4 times in these 4 wonderful months since she was born. Her cries are so rare that when she does, it breaks my heart. There must really be something intense wrong if she sheds a tear. She sleeps all night (with a few passy replacement interruptions), and loves her blankie. Thanks to Auntie Jane for the Babys-r-us trip that brought forth the ultimate blankie purchase. I love this little girl...Sweet Irelyn Jane!

Bear...No Longer Bad to the Bone

2011-08-04T22:26:00.003-04:00

Isnt he a beauty! If you would have asked me that a month ago I would have said "No, he's Satan's spawn"! However, Bear has been at school learning how to be a good dog. Before this, he ate everything he came in contact with: toys, grills, bike seats, trampoline, shoes, but worst of all he tried to eat us. Dont get me wrong he never fully bit...he only nipped because he was outta control. Now he is schooled and a joy to be around except that he poops, has doggie breath, and smells like a dog. All in all, hes a good addition (now that he doesnt use us as a chew toy).

Here's a quick video of Bear even bending to Haydens commands. I figured if he could see her as an authority role then we are good to go. Big Papa, your money has done you well...too bad they didnt teach him to clean up his own poop.

The Here and Now

2011-07-26T15:42:00.002-04:00

My friend does these things on her blog to catch people up on the happenings of life after not blogging for a little while...I hope she doesnt mind if I take that idea and run with it because I feel like I am really failing on this blogging thing lately...

1. We have gone swimming at least 4 days a week each week this summer.
2. Owen has become a little fish with his head underwater but his feet always
touching the bottom.
3. Hayden jumps off the diving board and swims like her daddy (we call it scary
shark)
4. Kiely, Bailey, and Fallon have perfected some acrobats under the water but
refuse to take their abilities to the deep end.
5. Devan actually swims quite well, but stays mad at me because I refuse to let
her go past 3ft for peace of mind sake.
6. Baby Irelyn loves the water so much that she falls asleep on me everytime.
Maybe its a womb thing.
7. We are getting ready to start school back in 2 weeks...yippee (Im being
sarcastic)!
8. Irelyn has been rolling and beginning to situp on her own...she is the
happiest baby ever, and has a smile for everyone. She sleeps through the
night and wakes up with a happy playful voice every morning. Its the best
way to start my day!
9. All the kids are really missing Big Papa and are ready for him to come home.
10. And me, well, Im enjoying this summer of just being Mommy and nothing else.
I have enjoyed my kids more in the past weeks than I have allowed myself in
a while. Removing the "teacher" role always helps me to find more joy in
my most important role of all...mommy! I have learned more about my kids
over the past few weeks than I learned all year. I learned that I have
amazing kids...not perfect...but amazing. I am a very blessed woman and am
praying that God will keep my eyes open to the awesomeness of each day I
am given to be with them!

The Little Things...

2011-07-20T11:16:00.002-04:00

To My Baby Daddy

I know it is hard to be away from all the kids right now, and the little things that happen day to day. I wish you could be here to see your little fish in the water every night, so I took like 500 videos of her trying to capture that silliness that she exhibits in the tub. The problem is that she gets captivated by the camera and doesnt do what she typically does. However, here is just a glimpse into her nightly bath routine. She usually splashes around like a fish then shoots her arms into the air like Superman, but on this particular night she decided she was hungry and could not go without eating her hands. She is definately a chunk and if you dont feed her in time then she will find everything possible to try to eat. Her hands are her favorites, especially the right one...however when she grabs toys she always tries with her left hand first. I will try to post more videos of the kids to keep you in the know of their day to day discoveries. The boys are working on a robot dance for you...I cant wait to post that one!

Small Talk

2011-07-09T11:26:00.002-04:00

Do you ever have one of those days when it feels like everything you say is "small talk"? You know those generic comments like...Wow can you believe how hot it is?...Those are nice shoes...We'll have to get together sometime...
It goes on and on the things you can say without saying anything. Amazing! Anyway, I feel as if my entire conversations lately are nothing but a bunch of "small talk" statements added up to sound like conversation. When really I am saying nothing at all. Why do people get together and never really talk about anything. I'll tell you why...FEAR...fear of judgement. If I were to expose the comments that rush to my head, but I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying; people would look at me like I had two heads. Because what comes to my head is the truth, but what I allow out of my mouth is the filtered version and it is so dulled down that it comes out sounding like "small talk"! I wonder if everyone else around me is doing the same filtering and that is why all conversations seem so trivial. I say we take the filters off and just let it rip...it might make us all feel better.

Fourth Festivities

2011-07-07T23:31:00.002-04:00

Ok so I have become one of those moms who make their sweet baby girls wear those tacky oversized bows on their heads. Dont judge me!!! This is my last baby girl and I want her to be ribbons and bows for as long as I am still in control of her wardrobe. I have lost the battle with the older 5 so I am living my dream through Miss Irelyn! Besides she does look so cute in these things. She looks like my little Gerber Baby. Cant you just kiss those sweet squishy cheeks?

It has come to my attention that whenever I want that one perfect family photo...there will always be a clown amongst the group. It is not always the same person who throws a kink into my group photo plans, however, I have noticed a trend in one cute little boy making goofy faces in my pictures. Oh well, what is a group of kids in a picture without one clown. Thanks Owen for all the personality you bring to my camera.

Our Angel Is Born...

2011-03-28T08:29:00.002-04:00

We are proud to announce the birth of our little angel!!! Baby Irelyn made her debut 2 weeks early and is dealing with a lung disorder called pneumothorax. This is found in newborns who have made their decent too fast or who have picked up a bacterial infection inutero. So far it seems that her issue has occurred due to her extremely fast decent through the birth canal. She is currently in the special care nursery but is doing very well. Her doctor has removed the excessive pocket of air outside her lungs and she seems to be holding her own. We would appreciate continued prayer for her miraculous healing, because this is a very scary time for us all. Please add her brothers and sisters to your prayers because this is a little more than children should have to deal with. Big Papa has began an emergency trip back home to make us all feel better. There is just something about him here that makes things not seem so big. Hurry Big Papa, I need you!!!!

This is Dedicated To All My Fellow Club Members...LifeSavers Muffin Top Commercial

2011-02-23T23:32:00.000-05:00

Scooter Boo...you know you laughed...cause fat is funny!!!

To My Boo...Lucky Jason Mraz ft Colbie Caillat Lyrics

2011-02-09T22:39:00.001-05:00

To my Scooter Boo
When we were chatting as you were flying over the ocean, it reminded me of this song and I couldnt sleep until I shared it with my blog friends. I truly am lucky to be married to the only one who "gets me"! I love you and am starting the countdown...have fun! And be safe!!!

We Took A Little Peak...

2011-02-04T17:38:00.002-05:00

...and it turns out that Big Papa has been right all along our little baby is a little girl! We watched in 3d/4d and watched as she smiled and kept moving to get away from the ultrasound tech. Turns out she sleeps just like her daddy with her hand up at her face balled up. That was our first image of her and it was just a reminder of how powerful genes are. I think we may have another little Scooterette on our hands! Do pray that she finds her way into the right position because currently she is lying sideways in my tummy...last I remember that is not a great delivery position! We have plenty of time but you know me; I like to be prepared and little miss is not cooperating with my motto!

Dun' Gone To Da Dawgs...

2011-01-27T22:12:00.002-05:00

For anyone who didnt know already...we have a new addition! Nope not a baby yet, or at least not a sweet smellin' one. However, this big black bundle of fur is quite a lovely addition to the brew. Big Papa surprized the kids on New Years Eve with "Bear"! I wish I could have caugt their initial reactions but cameras are just not all that cooperative. Considering I am not an animal person...I actually like this pup. I guess I really like watching the kids with him. There is nothing like watching your childrens faces light up when they teach him a new trick or get him to follow instructions. All in all, he is a great dog and we are happy to have him as our newest family member.

A Little Sugar High...

2011-01-24T21:50:00.002-05:00

My Super "O" was hyped up on sugar high one night after one of the many birthday celebrations this past year! Sometimes I forget these silly videos are stored away in my archive of pictures just screaming to be shared. This is the excitement that keeps me so in love with this little guy. Even without 500 lbs of sugar he goes at life with such a gusto...usually earning him the title of Mr. Drama!!! He just has that much vigor towards everyday life...we should all try to capture just a little of his enthusiasm!

Train A Child....

2011-01-24T21:27:00.003-05:00

...in the way he should go, and when he grows he will not depart from it!!! I am praying that proverb is true...My Little "L" loves to vacuum. In fact, he literally cries if we dont let him. Am I afraid of making him a little soft? Heck no...I see him being the man of every womans dreams. A man that isnt afraid to run a vacuum here and there is a rare find...he will be an amazing husband!!!

Our Amazing Kids...

2011-01-12T18:39:00.004-05:00

Arent they the cutest kids ever!?!? Everyday I look at each of them and wonder how did I become so blessed? My joy overwhelms me when I sit and think of all the wonderful things that God has given me. He gave me an awesome man to walk this path together, 7 almost 8 beautiful children to keep the path colorful and bright, family all around that is always there when we need them to surround us in love, and friends who know us yet love us anyway. We are truly blessed!!! Thank you to everyone for being a part of our lives!

How To Climb a Wall...

2011-01-12T18:28:00.003-05:00

First, you need to take your feet and spread them as far apart as you can and try to be just like Spiderman...any other way would just be too easy. See like you are doing is too babyish...be Spiderman like me.

Ok, so you made it up here but can you walk on this tightrope like me. Be very careful, only big boys who are 3 can do this kinda thing. Dont worry...you'll be able to do it next year, cause you'll be 3 too!

Daddy's Tattoo Session...

2011-01-12T18:07:00.002-05:00

Dont be freaked out by these images...we have not turned to the goth side, we have on the other hand realized that paper is a waste of money when you have a living walking canvas. Big Papa is a sucker when it comes to letting his kids draw all over him...he actually begs them to. On this particular night I think he must have actually dozed off during his tattoo session and woke up to an entire upper body art show. Scooter I figured while you are there in your quiet hotel room you would enjoy the reminder of what you are missing here at home. We miss you!

A Little Gliche....

2010-12-12T17:23:00.002-05:00

Ok...I know that I left this blog in a very bad way, and I apologize to all 5 of you who follow us on here. After my last mean and self pitious entry my outlet to the world (aka my computer) went down and I was too lazy to try to figure out how to blog on Scooters Mac...I mean give me a break I have all one million pictures on this computer. Too time consuming!!! However, I am back and in a much better mood and I have a lot to catch you up on. We celebrated 6 birthdays complete with pictures and plenty of other photo ops that just need to be shared with the blog world. And for anyone who hasnt already heard, we have decided to increase our brood from 7 to 8...due to be delivered in April (hence the hormonal imbalance of the last blog). There are many other events that have happened or will be happening in the near future but for now I will leave with this blurp to let you know that the next 20 or so entries will be me playing catch up, so please bear with the fast fowarded past.

One of Those Days...

2010-09-28T17:59:00.002-04:00

Have you ever just had one of those days where you just want to go back to bed the minute you wake up. Well, today is one of those days for me. I dont have really anywhere to turn to express myself except here, so here I am. I am feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders and I really dont know why. I have a wonderful life and I really cant complain much, but today I just want to sleep. Maybe it is the 4th week into homeschooling blues, maybe its Scooter being gone, maybe its hormones, or maybe its just me dealing with the devil trying to rise up in me and tell people off. Im leaning toward the latter. I dont usually cry but today I just want to call all the people who have made me mad enough to cry and tell them where to go. Maybe I dont like being told what to do by every freakin person in my life and wish that everyone would just see that Im not an idiot and that I usually am smiling to keep my mouth shut and spare them the wrath that is welling up inside. My last post was my husbands song about his "angel". If only he knew the devil that lives inside of me he may not see me in such a sweet light. What?!? I have anger issues?!? You bet your sweet butt I do!!! I just usually let people and their stupid comments roll off my back, but then there are those days that it really bites and I have to really fight my inner self to keep from hurting others the way they seem to like to hurt me. Some smart person said to me that "you train the people in your life how to treat you" and that must be true, and I must have trained most everyone I know to be jerks. At least that is how it feels today....tomorrow I will wake up and the world will feel a little more endurable and I will return to my usual doormat role and lay there and take it until I just need to express my inner devil yet again! Till then Im going to bed!!!

A song for my wife

2010-08-16T21:50:00.001-04:00

To My Hunkin Hotty

2010-08-09T11:16:00.003-04:00

14!!! You changed my life 14 years ago when you whisked me off to that distant island and gave me your last name. Things have never been the same since. I love our life together...I love that we started out with no one other than ourselves to turn to...I love that we love each other even when things seem bigger than us...I love that you laugh at things that arent funny...I love that you make me laugh at things that I should be crying over...I love the joy I feel when we get those rare moments of being alone...I love that you have given me 7 wonderful children who remind me of you all the time...I love that when you're gone it hurts...I love that you are compulsive (or is it ADD)...I love that you have weird quirks with noises...I love that I can drive you up the wall with simply humming...I love that you always find the one sticky spot on the floor to put your foot in and look surprised everytime...I love that you are a hunkin hotty...I love that you dont get mad when I expose you on my blog...I love that you dance ghetto...its sexy...I love that even though we have been together 14 years, it seems like just yesterday we were that silly acting newlywed couple that made people vomit...shoot it makes me vomit to watch us flirkin' on our old videos, but it was new then and you have a way of making us feel new today (without the vomit). You are an amazingly wonderful husband but most of all you are my friend. I know you will always be there to keep me smiling even in the most inappropriate times. I love you Scooter Boo!!!

Happy 14th

Because you know how much I love math...heres a little math equation for you...
14 years /7 children = 1 child every other year

Love
Your Jenni Leigh

Happy B-Day Fal!!!

2010-07-31T14:57:00.005-04:00

To my beautiful Fal, Happy Birthday!!! I cant believe that the years are moving this fast. You have blessed our lives for 8 years and it seems like just yesterday you were born. You were this teeny tiny thing with such delicate features.(In comparison to your sisters as babies) I just stared at you with amazement...to be so tiny you sure came into this world with a jolt...from that day foward you have been a mover and a shaker. A force to be reckoned with...I love that about you and have really learned that is how to stay afloat in this big family for you. You are never put to the back burner because you never let anyone miss your presence. What a beautiful girl you are and such a sweet love in my life. I love you sweet thing...Happy Birthday!!

To start the day in the best possible way, Miss Fal dressed in her favorite dress and readied herself for her lunch date with Daddy. Look at the smile that comes over her face when she is ready to leave. Of course, the guys at the shop do a good job of making the kids feel special when they come to the shop.

After lunch we set forth to begin the cake making tradition. Fal adorned in her daddy's sweatshirt (to protect her pretty dress) went to work and had a blast pretty much going solo this year. It makes me laugh how much my kids find joy in this simple task. It just goes to show, no matter how much you want to make you kids happy, its usually the sweet and simple things that go the furthest.

Its party time...Fal invited a girl down the road to join in the festivities and we began cake, ice cream, presents and the movie.

Trick candles...what!?! This was our first attempt at these things and it became a little annoying after a while. Lets just say again...simple is better! Fal decorated her cake with the entire container of sprinkles (sometimes More is More!!!)

Hey how did you know I wanted this? It was present time and that is always fun around here. You would be surprised what these kids find at the dollar store for their sisters. Whats even more surprising is how the b-day girl likes those gifts best. If only we all could appreciate the silly things in life. It might make life more fun for all of us.

Happy Birthday Fal and thanks for reminding us what really makes people happy. You really do look beautiful in your party dress!!!

100 Degrees...Lets Go To The Park...

2010-07-31T14:40:00.002-04:00

On one of the hottest days this summer we decided to give ourselves heat exhaustion at the park!! Its funny how when you are at home and you tell the kids to go outside they say "It's too hot" but if you offer to take them to a park they get all excited and cant wait to sit in the 199 degree sun. We packed water and fruit snacks and headed on our way and by the end of our adventure this is where I found all my girls plus 2 neighbors who tagged along...and Lyndon. They were pretty as a picture and I just so happened to have my camera. But wait a minute...where's "O"?

...never giving into the heat Super "O" was polishing his muscles on this amazingly hard to handle jumpy thing. To be a little guy I thought he was controlling it pretty well. You go Super "O"!!! but next time take a little time to jump in the picture with your sisters so it doesnt look incomplete.

Happy B-Day Super "O"....

2010-07-17T16:15:00.002-04:00

This is my little super hero...Super "O"!!! He has the power to melt his mommy's heart in one sweet kiss and has mastered the power of wrapping everyone around his little finger. This little guy has charm and pizazz to die for. He is such a character to be around and keeps us all watching to see what he will say or do next. I thank God for the opportunity to be his mommy. I always wondered how the moms of the superheros felt knowing that their child was so amazing. Well now I know.

Of course you all know that you cant have a b-day in this house and not make a cake with your own hands...boy was Super "O" thrilled with this task this year. Last year was fun to watch him but this year he thought he was the coolest, holding that cool kitchen tool, making all that noise and shooting chocolate across the room when he lifted it out of the bowl too soon. He said "Mommy, this is the most funnest day ever!" and I truly believe he meant it.

Next was the traditional Daddy lunch and a trip to Daddy's work. "O"s birthday fell on Sunday this year so no one was at work, but it didnt matter it was the fact that he got to go with Daddy. They ate Zaxby's and went and messed with all the cool equipment on base and just had guy time. This was "O"s first time going on the traditional birthday lunch and he is already talking about next year when he gets to go again.

For anyone who does not recognize the amazing artistry demonstrated there on the cake, Super "O" requested a Spider Man cake! Really?!? I thought I had at least a few more years before he would even think about super heros. WRONG!!! Thats all this little guy talks about. He has never even seen a super hero movie except "Astro Boy" and Astro Boy looks nothing like Spider Man. Maybe it is just inborn in little boys, maybe thats how all that crazy comic book stuff even got started. Its just a natural born need in little boys! Anyway enough ranting....TaDah here's the Amazing Spider Man Cake!!!

Party Time.....As you can see the cake was a hit and everyone couldnt wait to eat it!!! We love cake around here, especially Super "O". Dont ask me how he manages to will his body to not have severe allergic reactions from the milk and eggs in it but he eats it and enjoys ever last bite of it.

If ever you wanted to see a truly appreciative gift receiver...here he is!!! This kid loves presents, and it doesnt matter what it is! He loves them all!!! Of course he loved all the spider man stuff and candy the most but everyone received such gracious hugs from him after each gift. Graciousness makes everyone have a good time!!!

Super "O" even gave hugs to his Baby "L" who we were all afraid would be jealous, but he enjoyed the gifts and hugs just as much as the rest of us. They even had fun shooting each other with the dart gun and locking each other up in Super "O"s new handcuffs.

All in all, it was a wonderful day full of fun and excitement and Super "O" had a super birthday. Happy Birthday to my Little Super Hero!!!

I'm An Aunt Again....

2010-07-17T16:01:00.002-04:00

We were so excited when Auntie "T" had her new baby girl in May! We couldnt wait for the opportunity to rush to the hospital and take a peek at this beautiful princess. I believe the nickname given to her at this time is JuJu bean. Of course she's 2 months old now but to the girls and me she is a new gift to the family.

Lil' Gangsta' "O"

2010-04-28T11:55:00.002-04:00

I am not really good at letting my kids listen to music that seems derogatory or implicit of different meanings, but we have been very intrigued by the song Jump On It (thanks to youtube's videos of military guys spoof dancing to the song). Well, I am assuming that we watch the dances a little too much because my Little "O" has decided that this is his new theme song (with a slight change of wording). As he dances he sings Jump Off It and then takes a dive for the couch. I know bad parenting 101 says dont allow children to stand on tables or jump off tables to other furniture but sometimes a mom just gets such a kick out of her kids spontaneity that anything (almost anything) goes. This kid cracks me up!!!

Little Miss Six....

2010-04-23T10:07:00.004-04:00

My Little "D" is 6!!! I cant believe she has grown this fast. She is my baby girl!!! I guess shes not such a baby anymore, but it is hard for me to swallow that she is getting older. Thankfully she is the one that will probably always want to be the baby. She may have 2 brothers under her but she will always be "the baby girl"!!

All the kids look foward to their birthdays because they get to enjoy a daddy/daughter lunch and a trip to the base for the guys there to dote over them. You know they arent babies anymore when they tell you that 2 of the guys were cute. Lord help us!!!

Of course, next came the birthday cake making tradition. Little "D" has talked about making her cake since Christmas. I guess there is something about being able to do something so messy and gooey without having to share the task with your 6 siblings. I must say, in one year "D"s abilities have really improved. We had a minimal mess and the cake turned out excellent!!!!

See!! I think it looks pretty good!!! It was very tasty and everyone was happy because half was chocolate and the other half was vanilla.

After a quick trip to Ryan's for dinner (this girl loves Ryan's & they sang happy birthday to her...which she loved!!), we came back to the house for cake and ice cream and a little present action.....present time, present time, open the present and see whats inside!

And what would a birthday party with Memaw and Pepaw be without a conga line? Not a real birthday party!!! Happy, Happy Birthday....Happy, Happy Birthday.....

Of course the best part of all was Little "D"s new bike!!! She was tired of being the baby in the bike line when the girls and the neighbors go bike riding. She wanted a bike that was big not little. Well, she got it and the smile has not come off her face yet. Happy Birthday "D"!!

Now a love note from Mommy...

My Little "D" I know in a big family you can feel a little lost and when you are the youngest of the five girls, it can seem a little overwhelming trying to make your mark on this world, but always remember that we just want to keep you safe and hidden from the ugly things that are out there. Dont grow up too fast and remember that my arms are always open wide and even when I cant lift you off the ground I am holding you in my heart! You will always be my Baby Girl!!! I love you!!!

What If....

2010-04-23T09:57:00.002-04:00

What if the red hair would have passed into my kids? And what if Baby L would have been a girl? Well, here is what you would get! Lets just say thank goodness we dont live in the what if world.

All The Baby Daddyz...

2010-04-23T09:33:00.002-04:00

For anyone who thinks they know my Scooter Boo...here's a little video to make you rethink your thoughts!!! This is the man I live with everyday and grow deeper and deeper in love with because he is always game to make me laugh. Scooter this is for you..."you make me RaRaRaugh!!!"

For those of you confused about this video...go to www.youtube.com and key in 'baby mamas put a sling on them' and you will see what we are spoofing. We love our sling time with Baby L and this song says it all.

A Look Back At The Beginning...

2010-04-16T10:30:00.002-04:00

Do you ever sit down with new friends and they ask you how you met your husband or wife? Well, since we moved here a year ago I have become good friends with a fellow homeschooler. While at her house last week the question was presented as to how I met my Scooter Boo. (Of course they dont call him that) As I began the story of the Scooter Boo/Jenni Leigh romance I began to fall even more in love with my husband!! Weird... because I know the story and how it plays out, but my heart was pounding as I spoke as if I were there again. I think most people ask the 'in the beginning' question because they are confused how the two of us decided we would make a good team. Most people would compare us to things that seem as opposites in life...(salt & pepper, oil & vinegar)...but in reality these so called opposites are really compliments of each other. Big Papa makes me even better than I was before. When I pms he makes fun of me (indirectly), and I am able to see the light side of hormones. When I stress he makes me laugh! When I need a lift he shows up with whatever food treat he thinks will make me happy (by the way my favorite is a caramel sunday!!!)...if any of you know my Boo that takes a lot of love because he struggles with food obsessions! He's a good man that keeps life full of LIFE!!! I laugh more when we are together and he knows that is my love language!!! Thats what makes him so great...he speaks my language!!!! I love this man!!! It doesnt hurt that he is one handsome devil as well! He is sexy from head to toe (ok maybe he has a little flaw on his toe). Piercing blue eyes, muscles that any man would die to have, with those muscles comes strength that makes me feel safe, his sexy bald head, not to mention he makes clothes look really good too. Shoot, I could have married him for just his looks and still come away in the good, but the truth of the matter is that this man is the perfect man for me. Yes, we may appear to be an odd couple to some but if you were a fly on the wall in my house you would see this is a perfect connection. ( then you would die because Big Papa hates flies, ask the girls).

The G-Side Talent Show

2010-01-13T22:56:00.003-05:00

On Christmas Day everyone was challenged to bring a family talent to perform for the rest of the family, and for the most part it was a great success. We had talent from the full range of acts. We had singers, guitar players, comedians, musical spoons, poetry reading, dancing, and the art of having out in out fun. If ever you need a theme for a party try a talent show it may surprise you.

Cousin "A" played the guitar as Pepaw read his Christmas poem and Memaw reminded us how happy she was to be blessed so greatly this year!

Cousin "M" sang a sweet rendition of the solo she sang for her church Christmas program. She represented her family strong and proud and did a great job!!!

Uncle "J", Aunt "M", and cousins "N" and "I" were the comedians in the group. They each had funny Christmas jokes that started us off with laughter. Thanks for adding to the fun guys!!!

My "B" sang Joy To The World and it was great!!! To be so shy and timid she sure has a heart to sing in front of crowds. We also put together a musical spoons production but because I was in the program with the kids we have no pictures or videos. Even Little "O" and Baby "L" played the spoons with us. It was so fun!!

Then there is the one member of the family whose talent comes natural....Baby "J" has the talent of being Super Cute!!! He doesnt even have to try, he just is!! Keep up the good work Baby "J"!!!

And last but certainly not least Big Bro "J" represented his family with a lovely rendition of "Bad To The Bone"! Sing it brotha'!!! With cousin "A" on the guitar Uncle "J" broke into his soulful self and out came a star. See the G-Side's got talent!!!

Merry After Christmas From the G-Side Kids!!!

2010-01-13T22:34:00.002-05:00

If you ever want to be around some pretty wonderful kids...take a pit stop into Memaw and Pepaws house on any given holiday and you will find this awesome group of the G-Side Kids!! One brother has 6, the other brother has 3, my sister has 1, and we have 7. When these guys get together they are such a joy to be around, and anyone who knows anything about the G-Side...we love music!!! Can you imagine 17 brains thinking of 17 different songs. Some are on the guitar, some are beating out a beat either on the drums or on the sofa pillows, some are singing their favorite tunes while some are listening to theirs on their ipods, mp3s, (any electronic device that will play music). Needless to say you walk away with a song in your heart and more than likely one stuck in your head. I cant wait for the next holiday!!! I love these kids!!!

By the way Merry After Christmas!!!

Happy New Year!!!! 2010

2010-01-01T10:24:00.002-05:00

I am amazed to say that out of 7 children we only had one snoozer when the ball dropped on New Years Rockin' Eve!!! You would think this night was the pivot night for something great to come. The kids were so excited!!! We ate the traditional summer sausage and cheese and crackers, and cream cheese and olive dip on little tiny rye bread. The kids couldnt wait until the celebration foods were set out because that meant the official countdown was on. Sweet "D" asked every 30 minutes beginning yesterday morning "is it time for the ball yet"? Of course as it always happens she fell off into dreamland 20 minutes before the ball fell and we had to wake her to let her see the ball hit then she was back off into never-never land.

The video is for you my Scooter Boo! They were all sad to not be kissed by you so they sent you a kiss via the blog!!! Ill save my kiss for when you walk off that plane! So hurry up!!! These lips have been missing you for quite a while!

A Christmas Tale...

2009-12-28T23:01:00.003-05:00

Twas the night before Christmas and the table was set with a tin full of treats and milk to keep the palate wet...

...the stockings were hung on furniture because, we have no fireplace for dear old "S" Claus...

...the tree was trimmed and engulfed with gifts each a surprise...and I could not wait to see my kids eyes...

...Baby "L" got a vacuum that goes vroom vroom vroom...we all are hoping it runs out of batteries soon...

...Little "O" got the scooter he has dreamed of for some time now...and all he could exclaim was, "I got my 'cooter' WOW!!!

...Little "D" was overwhelmed by the paper and mess...so she moved close to me where she opened the rest...

..."F" got some moon shoes that she can walk in...she couldnt wait to go out to show all of her friends...

..."B" was quite taken by the fun stocking treats...polish, pencils, and tic tacs to eat...

..."K" stood in amazement at the doll that she found...she fell so deep in love she just couldnt put her down...

...and my "H"...well she let out a big YIPPEE!!!!....she unwrapped a cell phone and as all of you see....she was happier than happy can be!!!

As morning drew to an end that day...and I sat and I watched as my children did play...a feeling of sadness came that nothing can fix....until Big Papa is home and part of the mix...so hurry home to me my Scooter Boo...your Jenni Leigh is deperately missing you!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmas With Nana and Pepa!!!

2009-12-23T22:51:00.003-05:00

Its funny how in the beginning of a big family gathering everyone is smiling and excited about seeing everyone. Then someone gives the children sugar and well I'll let you guess what happens to the smiles. Just kidding, considering there were 13 children under the same roof with utter anticipation of what could be beneath all the wrapping paper, I think everything went great!

Aunt "T" had to work the day of the family gathering, but she was not forgotten. Things just arent the same when you arent a part of the festivities Aunt "T"!!! Next year we expect to see more than 2 minutes of you in this madhouse of sweet babies on sugar!!

We tried to corral all the kiddies on the steps to take one of those memorable pictures...Can you guess which 2 love the camera? These 2 boys posed everytime they saw me with my camera. If only we could all be that confident with ourselves.

What a cutie!! Little "J" was full of little stories to tell the whole time he was there. He also loved the attention he was getting from the girls so he kept up his cute antics just to make them laugh. What a fun little boy!!

Baby "J" will probably be cleaning lip gloss out of every nuk and cranny for a while after she decided to use an entire container within 10 minutes of unwrapping it! Aunt "B" will probably ban us from gifting ever again after that greasy cleanup!

Speaking of Aunt "B" ....doesnt she look stunning standing next to 'the man of the house' while Uncle "R" is serving this country along side Big Papa! Isnt cousin "C" a handsome fellow. He will be a heartbreaker one of these days.

Now cousing "H" belongs on stage. She was the life of the party for the kids. She showed us this dance move and I can only imagine this must be a move she has seen someone else (not to name any names "T")! I guess her new name in this house will be Miss Personality!!!

The Three Amigos...."G", "J", and "H"....these three traveled in a pack at all times. If you found one you found them all. I am a little jealous that we dont live closer so the girls and the babies could remain close.

In the end...both young....

...and old!!! (just kidding) were ready to settle down for a long winters nap. Nana, Baby "L", and Little "J" just couldnt hang on any longer. They just needed to close their eyes and dream of all the dishes that waited for them in the kitchen....Sweet Dreams!!!

All In The Name of Tradition!!!

2009-12-17T00:49:00.003-05:00

If there is one thing I like...it is a good family tradition!! Last year when we had just moved here, Big Papa loaded us all in the van and took us to see this wonderful displaly of lights. Of course we had to close our eyes until he said we could open them, then there in front of our eyes was this beautiful lighted house. This year the girls have begged daily to go see the lighted house, but I thought surely this must have been a one year thing. I was wrong!!! Apparently this guy does this to his house every year.

Big Papa, I took this picture for you so you could be a part of your family tradition from across the seas. Wish you were here!! Have your roommate shine a bright flashlight on your face to get the full affect of the lights. Now dont you feel like you were there with us? We love you!!!

Yes Virginia There Is a Santa....

2009-12-14T23:44:00.002-05:00

Or should I say...Yes Little "O" there is a Santa Claus!

We as a family decided to not elude our children with the illusion of a Santa Claus persay, but more with the reality of where the whole Santa Claus idea originated. If you ask any of our older girls if they believe in Santa they will probably say yes, but then go on to tell you of the first Santa Claus. This has been the reality in our house for some time now. However, this year we have encountered a little kink (or should I say a little child-like belief). With little or no introduction to the concept of Santa, my Little "O" has developed an extreme love of this character. He tells everyone who will listen, "Santa Cwaus wuv me!"

Well, today at the girls dance studio guess who showed up?!? "Santa Cwaus!!!"

As you can see, my Little "O" was his best friend!!! They walked together and talked together. "O" just stared in amazement at this jolly figure of Christmas. He has talked non-stop this afternoon of his adventures with Santa Cwaus. He is so excited about him that it almost makes me get a feeling of belief. If only we were kids again, with that utter excitement of what Santa would leave under the tree just for us, because we were soooo good this year. Believe if you want my Sweet Boy, you are only little once!

Like I said, they did a lot of talking! We now know what cookies he likes and what the reindeer like to eat and that all bellies in the north pole are made of jelly.

In the end all the kids bent to my will and posed for a Christmas picture. As you can see Baby "L" isnt so sure he is as excited as his big brother about this very hairy man.

Tah Dah...Its Christmas Recital Time!!!

2009-12-10T00:36:00.005-05:00

Little Helpers...

2009-12-10T00:31:00.002-05:00

Baby "L" says, "Hey let me help you decorate (or should I say un-decorate) the tree!" I know we put the same ornaments on at least 10 times each thanks to his helpful decorating!

Look What My True Love Gave to Me!!!

2009-12-09T23:53:00.004-05:00

Seven smiling children ready to find the perfect tree! (Which by the way is the biggest tree we have ever bought and the fattest; luckily the guy took pity on me and delivered it to the house so I wouldnt have to pull it off of the bus and haul it inside.)

On the first day of christmas...my true love gave to me...a crying baby in a pine tree!

On the second day of Christmas...my true love gave to me...a two year old that looks Chinese!

On the third day of Christmas...my true love gave to me...A five year old as sweet as can be!

On the fourth day of Christmas...my true love gave to me...A little girl as shy as can be!

On the fifth day of Christmas...my true love gave to me...a little girl allergic to trees! (Seriously, how can you be allergic to a Christmas tree?!?)

On the sixth day of Christmas...my true love gave to me...a girl who's tired of posing in trees!

On the seventh day of Christmas...my true love gave to me...a girl getting tickled 'cause she wouldnt say "cheese"!

I know there are originally 12 days of Christmas but if I had enough children to fill in each of those 12 days you would all be visiting me in a looney bin. Merry Almost Christmas!!!

A Picture Program With a Mind of Its Own...

2009-12-09T23:47:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I brought up this picture of "F" and "D" posing in my living room after tonights recital and my picture program asked would I like a demo touchup? I clicked ok and this is what it gave me. If you could have seen this picture before you would say how did you get that from that? Because that is what I said...Bad news is that it ate the original copy. Good news is that the girls think that it makes them look like angels.

The Last Day at the Beach...

2009-12-02T00:03:00.003-05:00

One last photo op at the beach...as you can see some are more entusiastic about this picture than others. Baby "L" showed me exactly what he thought of all the photo opportunities.

All of the sudden "H" had a plan and she needed the assistance of all her sisters to make it work...

She enlisted "K" & "B" in her plan to create a fort in the sand...and they worked nonstop working towards the goal...

..."K" worked diligently as we all knew she would because that is her nature...she is a workhorse with great work ethics...

..."B" on the otherhand got mad at the mastermind engineer and decided to take a break and search for seashells as far away from the fort as possible...sometimes a little space is like a shot of good medicine...

Baby "L" chased birds and "B" chased Baby "L"!!! I guess that helps to ease an angry soul too!

"F" decided the beach was the perfect place to work on her cartwheels for gymnastics class. Did you know that she can do 10 cartwheels in a row and still stand up and not fall over dizzy. I was quite amazed!!! Scooter, you know you would have turned green and vomitted after rotating your head that many times. "F" apparently does not have your equilibrium issues.

Sweet "D" sat and daydreamed about being a mermaid in the ocean for about 5 minutes.....then she decided to tell me her daydream which took 30 minutes to tell. She then decided that Little "O" was a bad hoo-man who was trying to capture her so she decided to do this to him.....

...yes, that is my Little "O" buried up to his neck in the sand. Now how do you think she convinced him to let her bury him? I had a hard enough time trying to convince this boy that the beach was fun and here he is buried in it.

In the end they all came back together and finished their fort as a united team of builders and it turned out to be quite a nice display.

Here is the finished product! Too bad when you back away to fit it all in you lose the detail but it was a sweet complete project. Now back to the real world. Maybe we can go to the beach again when Big Papa comes home. Vacations just arent vacations without the man who owns all these kids hearts (not to mention their mommas)!

What Do You Do...

2009-12-01T23:44:00.002-05:00

....When you are at the beach in November?!? Well, you bundle all your children up and take them out on the beach (way past their bedtime) and hunt for buried treasures! All of the sudden you become the coolest mom they know!

All bundled up with flashlights in hand...we're off to find some treasure..Hargh!

Make sure you follow the straight and narrow way...or at least the tire tracks that the beach patrol left while policing the sands. (That should be straight and narrow right?)

Dig up anything that looks suspicious and call everyone over to investigate it with you. That way if you find anything scary....

...you can call in the brute baby and he will step on it until it is surely harmless to anyone else. You go baby bruiser!

Then when you find a lost city buried in the sands dance all around it and claim it as your new land. You have now succeeded in having a beach adventure in the middle of November.

Somebody's a Teenager....

2009-12-01T23:28:00.002-05:00

Thats right Cousin "N" turned 13 this year while we were at the beach celebrating Thanksgiving. Happy Birthday "N" we hope 13 is all you hoped for and all that your rising cousins dream it will be for you. However, guess what Memaw packed in her purse just for you....

...thats right....its the birthday song and this conga line is just for you!!! No party poopin' allowed on your own birthday cha cha. We have all been planning this part of your birthday because we know how much you love it!!!

Look even your baby brother conga'd for you! Just wait Baby "J" six more months and this line will be for you.

Now do my eyes deceive me....or is this a smile on your teenage face. I do believe deep down inside you partly enjoyed this embarrassing moment and will remember it for a very long time. Happy Birthday!!!

What I Can Do With A Picture Program...

2009-12-01T23:24:00.002-05:00

As you could see in the last post, the picture of Baby "L" was not the best shot. However, with a little tweeking I was able to make that picture capture what I love about this little firecracker. His Smile!!!

Happy Thanksgiving From the "G" Clan...

2009-12-01T21:40:00.003-05:00

The Horse Whisperer...

2009-11-07T23:29:00.003-05:00

..."H" has always had this uncanny ability to comunicate with animals. I know it sounds a bit Disney-ish, but it is true. This girl can speak their language...not literally of course but when she speaks (usually with more patience than she speaks to people) the animals listen and bend to her will. The horses on the farm where she takes horseback lessons run to the fence as soon as they see our van pull up and she rushes down the fence giving each one a sweet pet and a gentle word. I think she really does have an incredible gift and pray that God will use her in some way to minister to people through animals.

Halloween Pictures...

2009-11-01T00:27:00.004-04:00

Baby "L" as my Little Lion!

Little "O" as The Preacher!

"D" as Little Sister Princess!

"F" as Jo Jo!

"B" as The Middle Sister Princess!

"K" as The Big Sister Princess!

"H" as Princess Leah (from Star Wars)!

Silly "B-Bear" on Her Birthday

2009-11-01T00:04:00.002-04:00

Anyone who knows my "B", knows that she is the one daughter you can count on to make you laugh. When times are sad, or bad, or mad...she always does something to make the whole situation seem funny. Here she wanted to pretend to be Julia Childs making a cake with a little Paula Dean added in. Paula always tastes directly from the chocolate fountain so "B" decided she must wear a choco-stache. Silly girl!!!

...we love chocolate cake in case you havent noticed in all the other blog entries!

Here is the finished cake...she decorated it all by herself and I for one think she has an eye for festivity. This cake definately screamed CELEBRATE!!!

If you know "B", you also know that she likes things small and personal. So after her trip to Applebees for lunch and Monkey Joes for playtime, we returned to Memaw's for her get together with her cousins for some wings and cake and presents. She does not like a big spectacle however.....

..."B" loves the cha cha cha with Memaw!!!

She even puts personality and style to it and dances her entire dance during the song. I love this little girl!!! Shes a firecracker and a teddy bear all in one, does that make any sense? She's full of spark but desires that sweet tender touch of the people she loves. Thats my "B-Bear"!!!

Happy Birthday "B" Bear!!!

2009-10-17T22:13:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday "B" Bear!!!!! "B" is now 9, but she would not let us call her a nine year old until she blew out her candles! Quirky, sure but what would life be without my quirky girl? I love this kid!! She is always full of life and pizazz! She is a girl after my own heart. If you are down, she will be there with a goofy face or some silly comotion to get you laughing from deep within. Her laugh is contagious and so genuine; just like her!! She is true to the bone and wants to make everyone feel like they are the greatest! And she is always the one to find what she can compliment in someone else. "B" is just a sweet, lovable character and we love her soooo much. Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!!!

How To....

2009-10-13T08:54:00.004-04:00

...celebrate with a 12 year old!

First, let her make the cake all by herself and not let anyone do anything to help or give suggestions.

Next let her decorate it with whatever she wants to (yes that is an 'Andes' chocolate mint square) and pray that no one reports you to the cake wrecks blog!

Just kidding, I think she did a pretty good job considering that we turned a burnt cake into a cat cake in mere minutes with no planning. Note to self: a cake made with applesauce instead of oil cooks faster.

Then take your 12 year old and hook her up to a harness at the mall and let her do this...

...jump so high that she forgets that other people are in the mall and squeals with such delight that her chicken sister wanted to do it too. She had a blast jumping to the ceiling of the mall, and this too was a last minute change in plans that turned out to be her favorite part of the day.

Then add a few traditions...like the birthday conga line with Memaw and a hot wings dinner (for cousin "N")...

...invite a million kids and there you have a perfect 12 year birthday bash!!!

Oh yeh, buy another birthday cake for anyone who has germ issues and wont eat the kid crafted cat cake (or those who just crave store bought birthday cake)!!! The End!

Happy Birthday "H"

2009-10-10T07:19:00.002-04:00

Today is "H" s birthday!!! She is 12 (or almost 13 as she says). I hope she doesnt wish away her 12th year to get to 13 faster. I dont think my kids realize that I dont want them to grow up so fast. Just yesterday I was looking out a hospital window at a little house on the mountain in Guam (my focal point) laboring for my first sweet baby. Now look at us! We are sitting on skype together enjoying a webcam birthday call from Big Papa. My baby isnt a baby anymore, and she doesnt need me to hold her hand for anything anymore, but wow what a joy it is to watch her grow and become the mini-woman she is. I love that she is her own person and sees things in a way that it makes me look at things differently. "H" is a treasure to my soul. She keeps me on my toes and probably always will thanks to her neverending desire for mystery and adventure. I love you "H"!!! Keep growing and maturing (not too fast) and always look to Jesus for your next step and He will keep you on the right path. Just remember 12 or 112 you will always be my baby!!

Please Forgive Me...

2009-10-08T22:24:00.003-04:00

Dear My Dearest Sweet Sister In Law....

I pray that you will forgive me for this post. However, I received a little disk of pictures from someone whom I will refrain from naming and this image was at the very end. To my surprise I laughed a little and then became very devilish in my thinking and decided to use it as a form of blackmail or should I say blogmail. I hope you dont mind me adding this to my site but I just could not stop my fingers from pressing upload and publish post. I think you make a cute clown and I am sure your preschoolers thought you were the best teacher ever after this. I cant wait to see what you are for Halloween this year? Just joking! Thanks for making me smile.

"J"

What Would Ya Get....

2009-10-07T22:50:00.002-04:00

What would you get if one of the Jonas brothers married a Chia Pet and had children?!? ..........My nephew !!!

Just joking "A"....you know we love you and your "ponky" hair. The girls always talk about the night you stayed at our house and you let them put every hair barrett they had into your hair. Thanks for always being a good sport when it comes to the kids. Now get back upstairs and work on that music so you can make a name for yourself one of these days.

1000 Words....

2009-10-04T22:45:00.002-04:00

I dont know why, but this picture moves me....Look at Little "A" (my niece) standing there alone (there were 16 kids on this beach with us...how did she manage to wind up in a picture like this alone...no clue) brave, and strong while those crazy looking waves threaten to come closer. Maybe that is how most people feel. Even when there are a lot of people around somehow they are finding themselves alone facing these unpredictable waves that threaten our ablilty to keep standing strong and brave. Thank you Lord for always being there to come along beside me in my alone times and give me the strength to face the waves and stand strong even when the sand seems to be shifting beneath my feet. Help me to always hold fast and keep my feet in You...My Rock!!!

Here Fishy Fishy...

2009-10-04T22:30:00.002-04:00

While at the beach, my brothers, my dad, and my uncle "S" fished daily off the pier, enjoying the fact that the rains and the sudden wind change sent the fish jumping onto their lines. However, while the grown men were busy catching big fish; Little "O" managed to catch a little teeny weeny fish (with the assistance from his cousins and sisters). He didnt get the concept that fish will die outside of the water so we made him throw his fish back into the water every little bit. He would then manage to sucker someone else to fish him out again for him to hold. Now I remember why we never bring home fish from and fish tanks at Walmart. Not to mention Baby "L" would probably try to eat it.

Happy Birthday Big Papa

2009-10-01T10:34:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the darkness the camera is messing up from the salt and sand from the weekend....

Happy Birthday Big Papa!!!! I thought you would like this video. The little voice singing out of turn is Little "O" but he was so happy to sing this for you!!! The girls and I miss you so much, the boys too, but birthdays are such a big deal to the girls and they wish we were all together today. Anyway I hope today is a good day for you and maybe you can find a piece of green bean cake to eat! Ha ha!!! I love you and miss you! Happy Birthday!!!

Giddie Up....

2009-09-30T22:19:00.002-04:00

Thanks to a group called Our Military Kids my girls are getting to do a lot of extra curricular activites and "H" chose horse back riding. This child was born to live on a farm with a million animals. I must say though I think she may have found her calling. We watched as she led and rode this huge animal as if she had been riding forever. I love it when we find something that makes our kids happy and they love doing it as much as we love watching them do it.

This is the arena that she guided her horse through barrels and over small jumps. Doesnt she look so cute; I mean professional.

This was when we first got to the farm. She saw that her horse was in the pasture with her lead on and she was afraid she would trip, so she ran over and brought her to the van while we waited for Miss C to arrive. She has no fear of any animal...wish I could say the same for her daddy and me.

A Day At the Beach....

2009-09-28T21:57:00.002-04:00

What do you do when Big Papa leaves you with 7 sad faces because they miss their daddy? You go to the beach and invite as many people you can to share in your time there to take their sweet little minds off their situation.

Memaw and Pepaw treated the girls and myself to a little beach retreat at our beach of memories. We stayed in the same hotel we stayed in when I was a little girl and family came to visit and play (just like old times)! Grandma Sarah was looking down smiling at all her greatgrand babies playing together and cramming themselves into a tiny room just to be together. It was great!!!! We will remember this trip always and will have something to tell the next generation about the fun at that little hotel on the beach.

I did convince the kids to give me one photo shoot before we left and we even convinced Little "O" that the water would not get him if I was taking a picture. It took a lot of persuading. He must have a tinge of his daddy's fear of what lurks in those waters (sharks)!!

Yes, it was freezing the first day when we took this picture, but we did not care. We came to play on the beach and that is exactly what we did rain or shine (mostly rain). Thank goodness for some answered prayers and the rest of our trip was sunny and warm. We even came home with a few pink cheeks. Thank you again Memaw and Pepaw for an awesome trip that we will always remember.

I"m Leavin' On a Jet Plane....

2009-09-16T00:05:00.002-04:00

Dear Big Papa,

Be safe, and hurry home!!! We love you!!!

Love,

Jenni Leigh

My Flair Hair Men...

2009-09-15T23:53:00.002-04:00

Yes folks, thats right, for all those of you who have no hope for having that mane of hair that your wife was drawn to you by in the first place, there is hope. Flair Hair! Look at my two bald men transformed in seconds. In Baby "L" this miraclulous creation gives me an image of whats to come, but with my Scooter Boo, its an image of what has been. Good thing they both make my heart melt just as much without the hair.

Lunch at Brother "J"s

2009-09-15T23:30:00.002-04:00

We went to my brothers for a going away lunch for Big Papa and we had a very relaxing, enjoyable time. The kids played and we enjoyed just being together with family.

Of course, whats a get together without cake and presents. Aunt "M" provided a cake and my parents provided a big bag of goodies that Big Papa would know how much everyone was thinking of him while he is gone. Ankle braces because we all know how much those things need some extra support, soap for those stinky sweaty days in the dessert, socks because we all know that if you love someone you want them to have warm socks on their feet, and so many more things that I would take up too much space listing them all. Thank you Mommy and Daddy for loving and caring for my Scooter Boo as much as I do. (OK almost as much)

And of course, it would just be wrong to go to my brothers house and not post a picture of their beautiful baby boy. Baby "J" is such a sweet spirited baby, how could you not want to just pick him up and kiss his sweet little cheeks. Thanks "J&M" for opening up your house and hosting such an enjoyable time together.

Time With Papa "D"...

2009-09-15T23:15:00.003-04:00

Well, you will just have to believe me that Papa "D" came. I guess we were so enthralled with his new camera that I forgot to get mine out. We dont get to see him very often so when he came to the house the kids were very taken by him. They always have silly stories to tell after Papa "D" visits, come again soon, the kids really love to see you. However, because I keep forgetting to send you these pictures from Easter, I figured I would post this one of you and your sons flexing. Macho, macho men!!!

Lunch at Nana's

2009-09-15T22:55:00.002-04:00

We went to Nana's to visit with all the cousins and family before Big Papa flew out for his lovely tour of the dessert. We had a great time and the kids despite the rain seemed to have a great time just visiting and playing with their cousins.

Why do kids like to find the tightest corner of the house to play for long periods of time? Cousins "H", "G", and "J" thought they could hide from my camera but they werent expecting me to use the girls to get their pictures. Ha ha I got you anyway!

Cousin "C" always has a sweet smile for me when I have my camera out. He must know he's a cutie!

And Little "J" he says cheese before I even have my camera to my face. That boy loves to have his picture taken. What a sweetheart!!

And last but not least Aunt "B" and Baby "J" (I guess shes not really a baby anymore but shes the baby of their family so that name will just have to do) I have to catch them in action. Baby "J" is on the move the whole time she is at Nana's house. No wonder she weighs less than my 1 year old. Shes in constant calorie burning mode!

Thanks for the great time together Nana and Pepa we had a great time and it was so nice to not have to be the one cleaning and grilling (in the rain).

The Big One-O For My Precious "K"

2009-08-31T22:07:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl, you are now officially double digits. You have been waiting so long to be able to say you are 10 and now the day has come. I think you even looked a little taller this morning when you woke up. We all know you only get prettier each day, both with outer and inner beauty. You have such a sweet loving and giving spirit. I guess you will always be known as "The Little Momma" and very deservingly. You give me such joy having you as my sweet daughter. We love you, Sweet Girl!!!

I know, not exactly the picture you thought you would see after a speech on my swwet little girl, however, this is what "K"s birthday consisted of.....wings, wings,and more wings....oh yeah, and some fried pickles. Yum Yum.

Everyone got to paint their own cupcake or ice cream as a party favor. What great sports Memaw and Pepaw were for letting a bunch of little artists use permanent paint at their dining table. Hey, you only live once, and believe it or not I dont think a single drop of paint ever hit the table. Not to mention, the kids had a great time designing their masterpieces.

Here is what the finished products looked like.....

Then we played an old party favorite "pin the tail on the donkey" only we had "pin the purse on Penny". To be such a simple game, kids really enjoy the sillyness of it.

Even our usual party pooper (Cousin "N") seemed to have an enjoyable time pinning his purse on as well. Isnt it nice to know that sillyness is still alive. (And contagious)!

Then it was cake time (look at how Little Bro "O" is staring at it with such desire). Cake has always been my kids favorite part about birthdays. You would think with as many b-days that we have each year we would get sick of cake, but oh no bring it on!!!

"K" designed this one herself. She loves sprinkles, can you tell?

Next, was the official conga line for the birthday cha cha cha. Memaw is hurt pretty bad in her knee, so she gave the honor to Big Papa who has been secretly yearning to be in the conga line for years. Its official, youve been conga'd, now you are 10!!! Happy Birthday Sweet "K"!!!

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too...

2009-08-28T14:02:00.004-04:00

Yes, my dear friends, that is an electrical plug on my dear sons birthday cake. If you had witnessed Baby "L" zap his tongue as many times as I have, you would have chosen this same theme as I felt compelled to do. I figured the only way to make food look appetizing to this little fella was to drape it in something familiar to eat.....plugs!!!

See, we took the plug off the cake and gave him a slice to eat and he looked at us and said, "You want me to do what with this stuff?" Ok, so maybe he didnt say it out loud, but look at that face....it says it all.

Baby "L" decided the best thing to do was to feed it to Big Papa before he tried it himself. "Here Daddy try this bite, its good!"

After the cake and ice cream, Memaw took Baby "L" on his first conga train while singing happy birthday Jamaican style. Its a tradition, as you will see if you look back at my many b-day posts. Its not officially your birthday until you conga with Memaw!!

And then there's the party poopers who are too big to conga. Shame on you 2 for party poopin' on the conga line!!!

Yay!!! Its present time!!! Thank goodness for gift bags...Baby "L" loved ripping the paper out of each bag. Then, there was someone by the name of Big Bro "O" that seized each gift (Im sure it was to check for age appropriateness) as Baby "L" pulled them from the bag. Things got a little aggressive around the gift table, but what would a memory be without a good fight?

Just as Baby "L" thought is was about over, Pepaw swooped in with a great goodie bag filled with lots of stackers and shape fitters. And this baby hasnt gone a day without stacking or sorting over and over and over. Whats funny is that his sisters and Big Bro "O" do it just as much as Baby "L"!!!

After all the hoopla, Nana entertained Little "O" (and the rest of us) with her animal sounds song. Little did Nana know that once you do something funny, 2 year olds love to make you do it 100 times more. "Again..., again..., again..."

Then Baby "L" tried to play a game of hide and go seek with Pepa ....I wonder if he knows that this doesnt make him invisible?

When it was all said and done and the smoke had cleared and Baby "L" was finally able to see what wonderful gifts he received, he fell in love with his baby Tonka's. He loves to roll the wheels and make motor sounds with his mouth. He has driven his little Tonka trucks many miles on my kitchen floor since we got home from the party. Thanks everyone for making this celebration of Baby "L"s birthday a day to remember and cherish for ever. Now I must go and cry ......my baby is growing up!!!

Happy 1st Birthday....

2009-08-22T00:23:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Baby "L"!!!! You are now 1 year old!!! Well, to sum up your first year of life in one word I guess it would be electric!!!! You have been a gift of many adventures (to say the least). I would say that you are truly my need for caffeine, and my spice in life lately. There has yet to be a dull day from the day you were born, and I have loved every waking moment with you (ok maybe not the 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30 am wakeup calls). I am now wearing an eternal mask of dark circles under my eyes thanks to your multiple waking sessions, but I wear my mask proudly because I wouldnt trade this year with you for the world. Ok so maybe you ate the trim around the window, and cried when I wouldnt let you eat the blocks of wood that you found outside, and get this strange kick out of shocking yourself with Daddy's computer cable; you're still my Little Lyndy Boo!!! and I love you today, tomorrow, and forever. Happy Birthday!!! I hope it is as electric as you are!!!

My Sleepin' Dudes...

2009-08-22T00:18:00.002-04:00

I guess this is what happens when you bring home a girly movie to watch on movie night. Even Baby "L" couldnt take it anymore; he had to have guy time so he decided to curl up with Big Bro "O" and Big Papa!!! Nighty Night boys!!!

I Love Black and White...

2009-08-14T22:35:00.003-04:00

You ever look at a picture and not know why you cant stop looking at it? That is how I feel about the following shots...I just love them and I really have no exact reason why....

My Sweet "F" is Seven...

2009-08-14T22:02:00.003-04:00

In the midst of the crazy computer crash, my little girl turned 7. Do you know what 7 means in this house? It means you are no longer a little girl, now you get to do big girl things....like ride with your big sisters around the block (as long as you check in every 2 laps), and she officially hit the age of inviting a friend to dinner for her birthday dinner. Somehow we accumulated a few more when we returned home. (No biggie)

To start "F"s big day, Big Papa took her out on a lunch date to a local Mexican diner where they enjoyed laughing at each other the whole time!!! Then she went back to work with Daddy so he could show off his big girl to the rest of the shop.

Then she came back home and we began the traditional birthday bake off. "F" made her own cake with a little help from yours truly and once we put it in the oven...we ran upstairs and created a personal salon in my bathroom....

....We curled hair and put on a little makeup and painted fingernails and toenails; you know all the things a big girl gets to do. "F" was the envy of all my girls who dont usually do those things without a special occasion. And in the end...

...We had a beauty queen in our presence!!! It was a fun day and a big eye opener to what a big girl is supposed to do. My "F" has always been such a breath of fresh air to me, but this day she seemed to breathe sweetness into the air that I just wanted to bottle and hang onto for those days when life just stinks...Lord help me every day to remember to breathe in her sweetness so I dont overlook the joy that she brings to all of us daily. Amen.

Open Up and Say AAAAHHHH!!!!

2009-08-14T21:54:00.002-04:00

Anyone who knows my sweet Baby "L" knows that he is in no way deprived of food...however, he would rather eat wood, and plaster, and computer battery cords than food. After trying myself to get the little garbage disposal to eat some actual food (with no success), Little "O" thought he would give it a try. As you can see he had about as much success as I did. You would think we were trying to feed him poison the way he protests. Oh well, maybe I will give him a table leg to chew on.

Me and My Shadow....

2009-08-14T21:45:00.002-04:00

For Little "O"s b-day, he received a bubble mower, and from that day foward any time Big Papa is mowing you will find my little man side by side mowing too. I used to worry when I was pregnant with this sweet baby that he would turn out a little pansyish, but he is proving daily that he knows exactly who he wants to be like. I guess there is enough man in Big Papa to override all the girliness in our household.

Fun In The Summer Sun

2009-08-13T07:47:00.003-04:00

To celebrate the summer, Memaw and Pepaw hosted a party for the kids. Needless to say the kids had a blast and will be looking foward to next years party (hint hint).

Pepaw sat at the sink for an hour filling up an endless supply of water balloons for the official water balloon fight and filling water guns to the hilt for as much soaking fun as possible.I thought this little wagon shot was to cute to pass up!!

Then the fight began....somehow the kids wearing the bathing suits didnt get as wet as Memaw who was wearing clothes....I think there must have been a conspiracy....Luckily Memaw and Pepaw were good sports and enjoyed being kids again and getting wet as well as soaking their grandkids!!!!

Then came time for the slip and slide, I have pictures of everyone going down the thing, however this picture stuck out of the photo slides. Cousin M&M is going to find a way to be the Little Diva no matter what we are doing. You go girl!!!!

Then there was this shot that made me smile, anyone who knows Cousin N knows how reserved he can be...but on this day there was a daredevil emerging from within. He took a dive off the end of this thing quite a few times.

What do you do for a baby when everyone else is playing in the water? You give him a bucket of toys and put a little water in the bottom and they will play for hours...

And Little "O" ....what a cutie (if I do say so myself)!!! He would be content for ever if he had a never ending spray bottle. He loves to spray everything....plants, toys, cousins, Pepaw....

After all the fun the girls huddled close and enjoyed popsicles to renew their strength to go do it all again....what is it with kids, they never seem to need motivation to go out and have a good time. We could all learn a little something from these never ending balls of energy.

Pepaw was content to take a break and enjoy the snuggles of the newest member of the family....He has this amazing way of making every baby putty in his hands. And he loves every minute of it!

Sisterly love, what else would bring these two this close together....Oh yeah, they were freezing and there was only one towel left after Little "O" soaked the other one with his water bottle. Arent they cute!?!

Wow, love must be in the air....Any kid, no matter how old they are, gets a warm fuzzy feeling when they see their parents snuzzle each other and offer sweet kisses to each other. I am so glad I grew up with these tender moments etched in my memory. Love is forever!!!!

13 Years and Counting...

2009-08-08T23:22:00.002-04:00

Happy Anniversary Big Papa!!! 13 years....7 children....and I still cherish everyday we have together (some more than others). Who would have guessed that two silly teenagers meeting at the beach graduation week would be standing in our shoes today? Life is no box of chocolates in our house (more like a can of mixed nuts), but I dont know who would want the cavity that comes with all that chocolate anyway. You keep me hummin' a new song daily and we both know how much you love to hear hummin'!!!! Thanks for loving me everyday and reminding me that sometimes relationships need two people to pop the clutch. I love you Scooter Boo!!!!!

A Little More of O's B-Day.....

2009-08-04T16:31:00.002-04:00

Please excuse the delay in the upcoming blogs but my computer crashed and all my pictures were goners (or so I thought), but my amazing Daddy came to the rescue and pulled them out of the computer and made my computer an even more amazing machine. Your a genius Daddy!!!

Little "O" loved his big boy ball cake about as much as we had decorating it!!! I love finding new gender themes. Needless to say there was no guessing as to what this years theme was going to be!

We invited a few of the neighborhood kids to enjoy cake and ice cream!! Little "O" is convinced that Happy Cake Day would be a better name for birthdays.

Little "O" enjoyed opening all his presents but his favorite of them all was his bug collector. He has caught more grasshoppers and lightning bugs than I can count!!!

Then came the big finalle.....A new Radio Flyer Tricycle....What more could a 2 year old ask for. HAPPY CAKE DAY LITTLE "O"!!!!!!

Yes Sir, He's Still My Baby....

2009-06-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

Well, my friends my baby is officially not a baby anymore. Little "O" is now 2 and I want to cry and rejoice at the same time. I cannot even tell you how fast these 2 years have gone. It seems like just yesterday Big Papa and I were sitting in an ultrasound room in near shock at the announcement that we were having a little boy. Now look at us, 2 years later and we have more balls (not that kind) in our house than seems normal for one kid. Guess what the theme of his cake is going to be....balls!!! I love this little boy so much!!! He is sweet and kind and just a joy to be around. You cannot be around my Little "O" and not fall deeply in love with him, but you better step back cause he is his mommys boy as long as Big Papa isnt there. Yes sir thats my baby!!!!

Thank you Lord for the sweet spirit you have given Little "O"!!! May he increase it and use it to glorify You in his days to come.

Little "O" at 1 year....

Little "O" at 1 day....My little bundle of boy!!!

Our Trip to the Beach ....

2009-06-05T13:14:00.006-04:00

Thank you "J" and "Y" for being such gracious hosts to our family on our last minute seize upon your house!!! We had a GREAT time!!! You showed us that a 3-day weekend can hold just as many adventures as a week long vacation. Aside from the mere vision of the fact that there were 13 kids in one house, it really seemed to be a very minor issue. Our kids were thoroughly thrilled with the time they were able to spend with their cousins, and Little "O" loved having a captive audience for all of his silly antics. Thanks guys for a wonderful weekend!!!!

Following are a few of the many pictures that I captured of the kids enjoying their time together. I realized it is hard to catch the boys on camera, so if your picture is not on this entry, then you will have to work harder to be a ham for my camera next time we get together.

Goggle Shots....

2009-06-05T12:35:00.002-04:00

Arent goggles the funniest swimming accessories? Big Papa bought all the kids goggles for our beach trip and of course they could not wait to put them on. As soon as they saw the water, it was on. The goggles were the first things out of the bag. These are some of the funny shots I caught of my goggle babies!

We Went To the Zoo!!!

2009-06-05T11:58:00.005-04:00

We saw elephants...(this one is for you Auntie "J")....

....and zebras....

...and Scooters favorite...giraffes....

..."H" made friends with a lizard....he he he!!!

....the kids piloted an elephant tracking expedition....

...Little "O" and Big Papa made friends with the monkeys...

....everybody (except "H") wore braids....
....everyone searched the grounds for fossils and strange creatures unknown to scientists of today...

....The little ones practiced planting and harvesting a garden....

....even Baby "L" harvested his toes....

....then he decided everything looked good enough to eat....especially the dirt....we had a great zoological adventure. Thanks Big Papa for taking us on safari!!!

Memaw and Pepaw

2009-06-05T11:26:00.002-04:00

This is my Daddy....aka Pepaw....isnt he handsome? And wise....did you know my daddy is full of wisdom? And led.... did you know he is led...by The Lord!!! Daddy is always shining a light for everyone to see. You cannot come in contact with my daddy and have any doubt Who leads him. I love you Daddy!!!

This is Mommy! Will I ever call her Mom or Momma? No...she will always be Mommy. Mommies always try to fix your bumps that you encounter along the way. She always has and she always will. That locket that she wears around her neck that has no picture remains empty because it could never hold all the people that fill her heart. She always says she needs a tiny mirror in there so that everyone who opens it will know that they are in there. If only that little locket knew how many babies have yearned to hold it and in return if only all those babies only knew that they were already secured inside of it. I love you Mommy!!!

Baby "J"

2009-06-05T11:20:00.002-04:00

This post is for you Aunt "C". I will keep you updated on the changing faces of Baby "J". You have seriously got to come and visit so you can breathe in his sweet babyness. He is an absolute cutey!!!!!

Its Officially Summer When the Watermelon is Cut....

2009-06-05T11:10:00.002-04:00

For Memorial Day I bought our first watermelon of the year. You would have thought that it was Christmas the way the kids were so excited about eating it. We took a last minute trip to Memaw and Pepaw's to celebrate the holiday and took our precious watermelon with us. After all the food and cake and cookies and fun with the cousins, the girls still wanted to cut the watermelon that they had been waiting for all day. So at 9:00 that night Memaw made the official first cut and Summer is now on!!!!

Its a Bouncing Baby Boy.....

2009-05-23T16:09:00.002-04:00

My brother and his wife allowed me to be in the room when their newest baby was born this week and my life has been changed forever. This was my second time to witness one of my nieces and nephews coming into this world, (first with my sister and her husband) and I am sure that when my children are old enough to handle me going back to school I am going to try to become either a delivery nurse or something similar. What an amazing gift God gives women, to allow new life to pass through their bodies and be placed into their arms. Its a true miracle!!!!

This is Baby "J" !!! Isnt he the sweetest thing? And look at that hair!! I must admit I am a little jealous about that.

Welcome to the family Baby "J"!!!!

That's My Girl!!

2009-05-23T15:49:00.002-04:00

I know I mentioned in a previous post that Little '"D" had a birthday party, well as you can imagine with a party comes an actual birthday. My "D" turned 5 and she has suddenly morphed into this creature who must know everything about everything. She is a raving beauty with those deep thinking brown eyes and her beautiful long hair (which she doesnt like to brush or pull up). She is always by my side with those never ending questions about life (and death), right and wrong, where things come from, what I am thinking.....you name it she questions it. I am always on my toes trying to give her the right answers, but I think she just wants to hear something, anything, as long as you are giving her your time. Lord, I pray that You fill her heart with love so she is never lacking and searching in the wrong places. Give, us the ability to show her Your love. Keep her safe and pure at heart and always looking to find Your answers. Amen.

French Toast!!!

2009-05-13T23:46:00.002-04:00

Do you ever find yourself falling into doubt of how your husband (or wife) thinks of you? I have recently been falling prey to that very thought. In fact I can become consumed with the question and then I just go to bed and laugh at myself (because that is easier than crying). Yes, I am PMSing!!! Quit judging my banter!!! Well, every so often I wake up to a shocker. Like mothers day.....I rolled over to my husband standing there with a take out box. What was in it that was sooooo special you may ask....FRENCH TOAST!!!!....For anyone who did not know this about me, french toast is my most favorite breakfast food ever (followed very closely by Capt'n Crunch)!!! Anyone who knows my Big Papa knows that he is not one to indulge anyone in their fatty desires. So when I saw this amazing gift of my fatty desire, I had to say to myself "Wake up and quit PMSing, love is shown in little things and trying to search for something more is only going to overshadow these sweet little moments that can last for a lifetime. I know that it is sad that food makes me happy, but it isnt really the food...its the remembering that makes my day. Today try to remember something that will make your better half smile and do it. You will be amazed how their day will be so much brighter because you showed you cared. I love you Scooter Boo!!!

Life For The Past 2 Months in Fastfoward...

2009-05-13T22:28:00.003-04:00

"H" took $70 and bought a babydoll from a specialty shop because she thought it looks like her as a baby. She then came home and became a photographer and a supermodel as seen here in this shot with her new baby....

....a week later we went to Memaw and Pepaw's to celebrate "fake" Easter. Its what we do to keep both sides of the family cool with who gets to have the kids for "real" Easter....not to mention the kids love finding eggs twice...yum, yum!!! ......

....Little "O" discovered the joys of Easter egg hunting for the first time (last year he sat and watched)....

.....there were lots of games and prizes and everyone had plenty to laugh about afterwards....

....Uncle "J" discovered that if you give Little "O" an audience, he will talk you under the table (whether you understand what he is saying or not)....

....Cousin "M&M" had a birthday party and we ate lots of cake....and Memaw did the traditional cha cha to celebrate another great year...

...."H" entered Penny (our neighbors dog) in a local dog show and came away with honorable mentions. Her dream is to get a dog of her own and train him to be a Eukanuba (sp) champion. She was so sweet strutting little Penny around the floor. You go girl! ....

.....somewhere in all the hustle and bustle the boys got a bath.....

....Easter morning we drove to Nana and Pepa's to celebrate "real" Easter (dressed in our new Easter dresses and matching outfits for the boys (dont judge me!) They were pretty as a picture, and everyone had a great time hunting eggs again with their cousins on this side...

.....even Papa "D" came, which was great because we havent seen him in quite a while. Soon we will have to go to his house to visit his "better half" since she is unable to travel right now I hope he makes us some of those brownies he is always talking about....

....all in all we had a great time with Nana and Pepa and were on a sugar high for a week after we left...thanks Nana!! ......

....a week later we had a birthday party for Little "D" she turned 5 can you believe it? This was her first "friend" birthday party and she had a blast. We had finger foods, cake, ice cream and games. It was an official party.....

....a few days later we drove to pick up my nephew "J" to stay for about a week...he and Little "O" were "tight" while he was here. Little "O" still asks about him daily....

....and last but not least I have passed on my love for Diet Pepsi to a cute little small fry named Baby "L". Hey maybe thats why he wont sleep at night...just kidding he only gets a sip here and there. A little DP can do a body good...besides look at that chunk ....I dont think he is lacking in the calorie department....!

No Sleep....No Problem!!!

2009-05-08T00:23:00.003-04:00

Where have I been you ask? Well, maybe I have been just too tired to write, or too mad, or too frustrated, or even sad at times. The truth of the matter I have had no desire! However, it is 1:00 am on Friday morning and I could not sleep due to a little diversion that sleeps in my closet (or should I say doesnt sleep). Tonight I feel the need to write to keep myself from wanting to cry all night. What cry? Me? Yes, even I can be brought to tears given the right sucky circumstances. You see I have been battling it out with my sweet Baby "L" because he doesnt seem to want to sleep at night. I have tried just about everything and now I have resorted to letting him cry it out (or should I say scream it out). Still to no avail he doesnt want to sleep. Whats worse is that I am ready to bite the head off of anyone who treats him as if he is a devil child! Please dont be so quick to forget that this is the baby that I held in my arms alone as doctors told me they thought he had a deadly bacteria in his blood. That Im the one who held him down as they tried to do a spinal tap THREE times!!! as he looked at me in horror and I could do nothing to help him! Yes, I have created this baby to be dependent on me to make it through the night. So what!!! He's my baby, and my heart is attached in so many ways! I cant listen to him cry out to be held and ignore him. He is only going to be a baby a little while longer, I dont think a little sleep deprivation ever hurt anyone. A day will come when he may no longer need me and I will yearn to be back in that rocker holding him and wiping away any fears or pains that he is having. A day will come when I wont be able to fix things for him by singing in his ear as he makes that off tone hum back to me. Until then, I will do everything in my power to ease him back to sleep and will cherish his sweet baby breath on my neck. He is one of my 7 beautiful gifts from God. Thank you Lord for all my amazing children who teach me everyday to love in the deepest and live in amazing grace. They are all truly miracles from You!!!

Seven to Eleven.....

2009-03-26T09:35:00.002-04:00

What do you do when you have 11 children in your house? You take them out to enjoy God's creation. What better place to go than your local mountain? The girls and the babies and I went to pick up my niece and nephews to give Aunt B a little R&R time. All in all I had 11 children and loved every minute of it. Their ages are; 11,10,9,8,6,5,4,4,2,1,and 7mos. We decided the best thing to do was to get some fresh air at our mountain with a picnic and a mini hike. Am I crazy?!? No, just adventurous!!! Anyone who knows me knows that I am not happy until I have a great adventure to enjoy!! And what better group to venture with then this awesome group of kids. We had a blast and really got to enjoy each others company.

I have decided to post this rare picture of myself to show that yes I was smiling the whole time even though the last half of the hike I had a baby on the back and a toddler in my arms. The girls (who never let their 2 yr old cousins feet touch the ground) took turns carrying her up the hills. What an invigorating work out!

At the end we all sat down to enjoy some refreshing H2O and twinkies. Yes trail mix would have been the choice of most hiking moms but give me a break, I am not perfect and organic, just adventurous! Besides, these are individually wrapped and yummy!! At least I didnt serve RED koolaid with it. Arent they cute I love these kids!

My Joy !!!!!

2009-03-20T00:13:00.005-04:00

Baby "L" your smiles are contagious!!!

Little "O" my heart melts in those eyes!!!

Sweet "D" you tickle my ear and warm my heart with sweet innocence!!!

"F" You possess a gentle sweet spirit and the deepest sincerity!!!!

"B" Your love is pure and has no boundaries!!!

"K" Your nurturing spirit is a sweet, sweet gift from God!!!

"H" Your passion will bring you to amazing greatness!!!!

There Was An Old Woman.....

2009-02-25T16:43:00.002-05:00

....who lived in a shoe.....or is it "who had too many shoes"?
Anyway, imagine this line multiplied by at least 4. Can you guess what our coat closet looks like when all the shoes are in there? No wonder I am constantly tripping over a shoe daily. There will always be someone who forgets where their shoes belong. One of these days I am going to create the multi purpose shoe. Church shoe, running shoe, play shoe, bedroom shoe all in one; that would be great!!!!!

Big Papa With My Papoose

2009-02-25T16:31:00.001-05:00

Yes ladies, even my hard core military man can carry his young in a papoose. In fact he has decided that if I can make it in a more man friendly pattern, he will wear Baby "L" any time I need him to.

Look at the ease he has in eating and holding Baby "L"!!! I think he has a new job at home!!!!