Jeremy's and my pumpkins

As you can see we really enjoy carving. Not meant to be scary just a lot of fun. They look awesome when they are all lit out front. I will take a photo later tonight and post it. They were all just placed back out this morning. Come on over and check them out! There are still five more to carve but they will just have to look nice outside as pumpkins not jack-o-lanterns. There is a plan for one of the leftovers... I will be carving a turkey in it for the Thanksgiving centerpiece. We also baked the seeds. Shared them with a few people (you're welcome Tommy, didn't want them moldy again this year!!!).

Happy day.

H and W's pumpkins.

The boys sure enjoyed carving their pumpkins. H carved the one with fangs and the zombie (second photo right). W did the face and the ghost. "hard work" for everyone!

Carving pumpkins as a family!

Our family tradition is carving LOT of pumpkins. This year, twelve. Jeremy took these photos (before our sd card puked...) Note to self (and Jeremy) FLASH NEEDED!

NO!

L was not hurt in the fall that prompted the "wordless Wednesday" photo! She also did not learn her lesson. She climbed back up there and turned on the microwave... she is sure active.
Just had to assure all of you that contrary to what it looks like, she was just fine.
Not feeling so well today so I am going to keep this short and sweet.
We will be headed UP north this weekend (to celebrate W yet again with bampa Butch). We pray that you all have a safe relaxing weekend. I has been almost three months since Jeremy has been UP north so we are really excited to get away as a family.
Happy day.

W's train cake!

So, I made the train again. This time it was for W to take for snack at school. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday to W!

On this Wonderful Wordless Wednesday we wish W a very happy birthday. Six years ago this afternoon at 4:15pm you were born. 9lbs 3oz 21inches long. Keep up all your hard work. We love you!

*Wordless Wednesday*

I know, I know it is "wordless" Wednesday BUT I had to explain. She was standing on the drawer stealing cake and she fell... as you can see her feet are caught and her mouth is full of cake. She did not start crying until I grabbed the camera.

LaUnDrY tackled...little boys room... spotless

Well, the walls could use a good scrubbing and a fresh coat of paint but that will have to wait until we can empty the room. All of the clothes are changed over and I even got the floor scrubbed. The bedding has all been changed (yah know, if you want your sheets changed, just ask... no need to vomit to get my attention) and the rug just needs to be put back (I need someone to lift the bed so I can put it back). I also "tackled" my LaUnDrY (mountain)...estimated 11 loads and two loads of diapers. All folded AND put away. See I told you we could have had a folding party. I even got a bag of clothing to Goodwill and a bag to be posted to craigslist. I really busted my butt to get what I needed to done. NOW this week I must get L's room finished. She may be the only one that sleeps in there (thank goodness because quite frankly there is no way... with the mess I have going we could get anyone else in there). D's clothing is also in her room so I need to get them switched to the new season and all of it put away. At least it is all clean so I can just switch it out. Maybe, just maybe I will give you a glimpse of how we "fit" into our "shoebox" when I get it all done. No promises though.
Special prayer request... PLEASE... Pray for my youngest brother Noah (19). He is stationed in Kuwait and will be there into the new year. And for one of my older brothers, Adam (32), who just got a new position. It was really needed. May they find peace to get them through their days.
Happy day.

Update on my hunters and a little bit of "not me! Monday"

**Update on my hunters (Jeremy, H and W) well, they saw four really nice bucks. The only problem... it is "earn a buck" so he needs to shoot a doe first. The really great thing was, we all know how you need to be quiet in the woods... well with two adults and three boys do you really think it was that quiet? If you answered yes, you obviously don't know H... he is a talker just like his, ehhhhhem, dad. But the deer still came in. He will get one (or hopefully three) this year and we will have tons of great meat. We made our first batch of jerky last Wednesday and it was awesome. I can't wait to make more.**

"Not me! Monday" hosted by MckMama.

This past week I certainly did not:

• get lost take the scenic route to my destination only to bypass my first destination only to realize when I was 40min from my first and 23min from my second.
• Get totally excited when Jeremy told me that W could stay with him and hunt too.
• act like I was still asleep at 2am this morning when I could hear Jeremy chewing H out for "being old enough to get to the toilet" thinking he wet the bed...only to arise when the smell hit me!
• stick my son's afghan in the toilet to rinse vomit out of it at 2am this morning.
• almost vomit myself this morning as I recapped my 2am by putting more dirty bedding in the washing machine.
• rinse 7, yes that many nasty diapers yesterday. Every single diaper I changed. (**note to self, peanuts don't like L)
• totally miss my hubby and not sleep well because of it. And I was not totally crabby because two hours of sleep isn't compatible with four little kids.
• do all the dirty laundry and as it got clean leave it lay on the floor in front of the washer/dryer.
• really regret my decision to suck D's thumb after putting Mavala Stop on it. No, not me, that would have been the worst tasting, how the heck do you still have your thumb in your mouth, oh my gosh I should try that for my nail biting habit, gotta go brush my teeth for ten years, idea I have had in years.

Okay, I am already in enough trouble... can you say LaUnDrY?!?! Anyone wanna have a folding party? Man do I have to get my house changed over from summer and fall/winter to just fall/winter. This place is a disaster... sorry Angie and Ryan I really hope that me offering you jerky totally made you forget the mess you came upon Friday night. If not... stop by this evening (you are more than welcome) the house will be spotless.

**for the record, he did still have his thumb in his mouth even after I applied and reapplied. He did then shortly after throw up because of the horrid taste. And as far as we know did not put it back in... oh no, not D that would have tasted nasty. No worries though, he slept through all of the 2am vomit.

Happy day to all of you.

couldn't resist sharing...

The other day while getting ready for our day L stole D's clean underpants and proceeded to wear them. (yes, she has a latex allergy and should not have been wearing them but she was so cute and I snapped the photo and took them away promptly. Don't worry, she was just fine.)

Has it REALLY been six years!?!

Yep, that's right. Six years ago today we moved into our home.

**photo has been edited to meet blog protocol**

At the time I was waaaaaaay pregnant with our second son W. I was not "allowed" to do any of the moving (although H and I packed the entire house before the move) that day. We moved our good friends out and moved us in. Two friends even put my kitchen together (they did an awesome job because it is the exact same as the day they did it). Since then we have added two more children to this lovely 956 square foot, 3bedroom, 1 bath.... HUGE back yard home, along with two egress windows, a 10x10 sandbox, color to the walls, bunk beds and a bench at the kitchen table. It is our haven and we are blessed to have a warm home full of love.

Firsts all the way around...

D had his first dentist appointment today. He did really well. Results? Let's just say, we will be financing his next visit. H got to go with Jeremy tonight to his best friends house to hunt. They will be there all weekend (unless he gets a doe sooner). Results? For me, one less child. For them... I will update when I know.
L... well, I got nothin. She had a same old same old kind of day.
W got to have his first sleepover. A friend sleept over for his up coming birthday. Since his day is on a weekday this year we decided that tonight (because I am short two people) would be a great night to do it. They had a great time and a little bit of cake too! Results?

*the cake has been edited to meet blog protocol. Please don't mind the finger in the nose... how do you think we keep the food bill down around here!

This was actually the first sleepover (non family and non needing help because we are in the hospital having a baby) that we have ever had at our house. Results? Not too bad, I think we can allow it again. I will let you know in the morning if there is reason to change my mind.

Something Someone to be proud of...

This past weekend we went out to find Jeremy. Thought I would show you what he has been working on all summer. And, I remembered the camera.

Front of the house... scray hill stone and brick... yes, those are old barn beams.

The fireplace (sorry the scaffolding was still up and I was trying to get the whole thing) Can you find the duck creek brick.Hearthstone weighed 1460lbs.
back of the house (pillars for the deck need to be finished yet)
chimney (40feet in the air)
Like I said, he is my "hard work'n hubby". He busts his bottom everyday for all of us. Even yesterday, he was rained out so he came home (drove 40 minutes each way) and scrubbed my kitchen from top to bottom... yep, you read that right, all of the walls, appliances, cupboards, table and chairs, and the floor (oh yeah, and the bathroom floor too). PRETTY PROUD AND THANKFUL TOO!

National Day of Remembrance 10/15

Today is National Day of Remembrance for children lost to stillborn, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion or infant loss, October 15th.
Angie (Bring the Rain... a blog I "stalk") lost her baby to Trisomy 18 this past year has requested all mother's who have had a loss post a comment about their baby. She said that she would pray for all of us... the number of people who have posted is over 1500 and counting. Her faith walk is absolutely amazing and she documents it on her blog.

***WARNING***THIS BLOG IS ADDICTING... DO NOT HOLD ME RESPONSIBLE WHEN YOU CAN NOT STOP READING IT.

Praying for all the wonderful moms and dads who have lost children. We too have been there and deal with the losses every day. Praising God for allowing me to cast all my cares on Him.

*Wordless Wednesday*

The did ya know edition of Me!!

did ya know:

• I am number four of eight children... four girls and four boys
• I dislike ice cream
• I struggle everyday with organization
• I We live in a "shoebox" (*I only say that because with the amount of people we have here the amount of shoes is well... absurd. and our home is a tiny rectangular shaped "box". This week we will have lived in our home for six years!)
• I AM FRUGAL almost to a fault
• I can cook
• I really, really, really, enjoy smelling brand new babies.
• Our second son cried for the first two years of his life (not an exaggeration) but I survived and still love him (he is turning six this month)
• I can still do a cart wheel... back walkover?..not a chance
• Autumn is my favorite season
• I enjoy being the sober driver
• I am proud of my husband and my children
• I "stalk" many people's blogs
• I am NOT a short order cook... yah don't like it?!? then you can just go to bed.
• I am a redeemed child of God
• I AM HAPPY

Happy Anniversary!

Congratulations on your one year anniversary Derek and Cathy!

Married 10/12/2007 in Hawaii. A bitter sweet day for Jeremy's brother and our sister-in-law her grandmother passed away the same day in Michigan's UP. We are proud of the two of you. You are hard workers and wonderful to our kids. We love you.

God's richest blessings to the two of you.

NoTe To SeLf:

Never leave the mason jar (full of change) on the kitchen counter. Little ladies arms are long and the jar is too heavy. Thanks Jeremy for giving me something new to add to the mental note department!
Hope your change has less glass in it than ours!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

*Wordless Wednesday*