Brothers...........

Since I did a post on the girls I figured I should do one on the boys. I can rarely get them all to stay still at once so I took pictures of the girls and boys separately................. Sam loves to sit with Jack to have a picture taken but not with everyone else.........

Sisters.........

This is just some quick pics of the girls............................

Eve's Birthday pics........

Eve asked for a butterfly cake. She told me how she wanted it to look and this is how it came out.


Eve wanted to have decorations and hats for her party so she got to work and made it all. She made butterflies to hang everywhere and hats out of my scrapbook paper. Three of her friends from church came and they played and did a craft. It was a fun day and we all had a good time. Here are some pictures...................

Happy Birthday Eve!!!!!!

Eve is 9 today! Wow, nine years old! I know they grow up but as I get older the years seem to fly by quicker and they grow up faster. Eve is already saying she can't wait another WHOLE year until her 10th birthday. I assured her it would go by fast but it seems too long for her. She is already becoming quite the young lady.

Anyway, Happy Birthday to my oldest child..............I love you Eve!!

Fun times...........

Saturday we went to a birthday party and the kids got to ride horses. Here are a few pictures. Jack didn't want to ride the horses. He was not interested in anything that day..................

6 Month Milestones............

Katelyn is 6 months old now! She rolls over and moves everywhere. She is almost able to sit up on her own and she can hold a bottle. So much changes every day in the first year and before I know it, she will be walking. But for now she is still my cute, adrorable, precious baby!!

Fire Safety...........................

So, school has started again and is full swing. I pretty much have a schedule for Eve and Jack. Abby is just starting out so I use her daily activities for opportunities to teach the basics. Samuel, on the other hand, is teaching all of us. You know, all the practical things we don't think about..................................................................................

Last night, Abigail asked for some popcorn so I got out the microwave stuff (because I wasn't feeling good and I was on the phone with Joshua's mom). I put it in the microwave and hit the popcorn button then walked to the other room. I was changing Katie's diaper and saying good-bye to Joshua's mom when I started to smell smoke. I was only gone out of the room for about 5 minutes but it was plenty of time for trouble to brew. When I got out to the kitchen the room was filled with smoke, there was black smoke coming out of the microwave and Sammy was standing on the floor, by the bar stool that was in front of where the microwave is. He was pointing to it, coughing and saying, "Mommy, moke pocorn." Yes, Samuel had pulled the bar stool over so he could reach the microwave and then apparently added time to the popcorn and it burned. Not like a little burnt but like it caught on fire burnt....................There was no popcorn left in the bag only black soot and seeds and the bag was half gone too. After making sure there was no fire anywhere and turning on all the fans to get the smoke out, I assessed the damage and needless to say, my microwave has seen it's better days.
Jack walked over and asked, "Mommy, why is there smoke everywhere?" So I explained it and He remarked, "Well, I guess we know now that our smoke detectors don't work!"
I would like to say that it is not true but sadly, when we moved into this house we really didn't think about the detectors. We normally check them on a regular basis but this time it had slipped our minds. Right about now, I know, Grandpa (Joshua's dad and Fire Captain) is using a few expletives (**%$#!!**%$!) and is picking up the phone to call Joshua but he can rest easy because we bought new detectors and they work well. There are even fire extinguishers! Thank you, Sammy!!

We all are fine and the smoke has cleared but we won't be forgetting our lessons in "fire safety" from our two year old.........................................................................
Here is a picture for Grandpa.....................................................

Does God like cookies???????

The other night we were playing bible trivia with Eve and Jack. Instead of playing the actual game part of it they decided to have me just read the questions and they would shout out the answer as quick as possible. I think they were testing their super hero speed or something......... So this is how it went.................................

ME: "On which day of creation did God rest?"

KIDS: "THE SEVEEEEEEENTH!!!"

ME: "Where did God want Jonah to preach?"

KIDS: "NINEVEHHHHHHH!!!"

ME: "What did God put in the sky as a promise to Noah?"

KIDS: "A RAINBOWWWWWW!!!"

ME: "The land of Canaan was flowing with milk and............................................."

KIDS: "COOKIEEEEEEES!!!"

They were on such a roll that they didn't even realize what they'd said until Daddy and I burst out laughing. Jack was the first one to giggle and then say the right answer. Then Eve giggled and said, "Oh yeah, Canaan was flowing with milk and honey. But if I were God I would like to have cookies because they go better with milk..........I think God probably likes cookies. Especially Oreo's because they taste the best with milk!"

Eve is my abstract random child (The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias) and it shines through. She has a way of making mundane things seem exciting. Who knows, maybe God does like cookies!

Daddy and his girls..................

Making a scene...........

Last night we ALL went shopping. That usually does not happen just because it is easier without the 5 kids in tow even when they behave. Anyway, we went to the grocery store because we needed a few things and then Joshua wanted my opinion on some grills he's been looking at (He "needs" a grill so he can cook better steaks.......Ha ha!). All in all our kids behaved very well and we got done shopping in a decent amount of time. Samuel didn't scream and throw fits, Abby didn't run off, Katelyn sucked her thumb and did not make a peep and Eve and Jack didn't beg for things (well, maybe a soda and some candy. You know, all the things the retailers put in the check out lanes so your kids will misbehave and you will be tempted to give in and buy because, after all, it is only $.88 and you don't want your kids to make a scene.................................lol!). But even though they didn't do anything to make a scene it never fails. If we look around we can see all the stares and hear the mumblings, "Look at how many kids they have," and some people are actually brave enough to smile and ask, "Are they all yours?" It always strikes me as funny because why else would we be shopping with five kids? Maybe we like borrowing other people's kids and then running our errands.................lol! Besides, we only have 5, and even though it is significantly more than the national average of "2.5" we don't need a 15 passenger van yet. But no matter how our kids behave or where we go from now on we will be making a scene.......................