Yo! Ho! A Pirates Life for me . . .

This year we had a gaggle of Pirates and a tag-a-long Cowboy for Halloween. (the costume I made Andrew was a *bit* small) But hey the girl's dolls will have something to wear! So Andrew got to wear James' first Halloween costume--nevermind he's 4 months and 8 pounds heavier! We had a fun time taking the kids around the block singing pirate songs and saying arrr-matey. It was a break through Halloween for us!


Quick! Someone call the Paranormal Network--

I think Blackbeard's ghost & his crew are haunting our house.

The Family with Justin's Masterpiece Pumpkins

Some thoughts to remember . . .

OK, so you know how we all have a running dialogue in our heads our heads all day long? Not just me, right? Well, every so often phrases pop into my head, sorta like when I sing that one certain Christmas hymn and can't help but sing "In Egg Shells and Mayo" on the last line. These are some phrases that just pop into my head all day long when the situation arises.


Being Pecked to Death by Chickens: What my kids do to Grandma every time she walks down stairs. Here in this photo the girls are both saying "come Grandma" and going in opposite directions. The Grabbing Hands Grab All They Can (with accompanying music): What Andrew does to my face anytime I hold him. Also when he's going for the spoon I'm trying to feed him with.

Kangaroos on Crack: My kids, especially James, when they're in wild mode. They just start going crazy, pulling open drawers, turning over furniture, banging things, laughing manically. Also Kate first thing in the morning. Kate goes from asleep to bouncing off walls in 0.2 seconds. Seminary is going to be a breeze for this girl. Clara on the other hand--we'll have to start waking her up somewhere in the middle of the night.
The Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth: Mostly when all my kids are crying at the same moment. Especially when it involves reciprocal biting between the twins.

The Pumpkin Patch!

Each Fall I become a hunting widow as Justin heads into the forest. This year I was determined to not miss out again taking my kids to the pumpkin patch for lack of a partner, so I invited Grandma Sarah along and we ventured out. Along with most of Clark County.

It was a PERFECT DAY! We had a great time in the hay bale maze, feeding the animals, shucking and grinding corn, watching them make apple cider, riding the kid tractors, taking the wagon ride to pick a pumpkin & finding the perfect (i.e. really small) pumpkin! I'm so glad we did it! Hopefully next year Justin can make it with us.

Just random

Since my other post is about my incredibly deep ponderings as a mother, I'll just keep it short. Here's some random pics I wanted to remember.

Andrew shows off his Momma's new haircut. Note to self:

DO NOT start cutting your hair just before church on Sunday.

Another Note to Self:

No matter how simple it seems to use the kitchen sink to wash your Wild Boy's feet--don't be fooled. Boys and bubbles=mess. (I was washing them so I could find the splinter in his foot and I (duh) walked away.) On the up note--half the kitchen got clean!
The first time Kate ever let me put pony tails in her hair!
She left them in for a WHOLE HOUR!

AAAAAHHHH! A girl after my own heart! My little Kate organized her animals and people on the bathtub ledge today.

I consider myself an Organizer at Heart--if not always in practice.

I always know when Kate has been in the room because she lines up her toys like this wherever she goes.

Just don't call me Voldemort

Okay, so as I was feeding my wonderful youngest child his first macaroni and cheese (through the food grinder of course) I had an epiphany. Why am I so tired all the time? Why are all mom's so tired all the time? Because we are constantly splitting our physical and mental powers by the number of children we have. Just like Voldemort split himself 7 (?) ways--I am split 5 ways--once for myself and then again for each of my children. So, while my brain is registering that my stomach is hungry (hum, ground mac n' cheese can't be that bad. Nope it isn't.) and I need to pee--it is also tracking the whereabouts of my oldest child and whether he is destroying the house, trying to remember if Clara has had her mineral oil and Miralax today, noting that Kate is standing on table trying to take her diaper off--and oh, yeah I haven't cleaned up her pee from the last time she took her diaper off this morning, and thinking that Andrew is probably ready for a drink of water and boy is the poor child tired but it'll be a moment till I can get him down for a nap. This goes on ALL DAY LONG. Gol! No wonder I need a nap!