I’m determined to put these pictures up even though this family outing occurred almost 2 weeks ago now. One of the things Rich and I love to do on a Saturday morning is eat breakfast at Crackerbarrel. So, we get everyone ready as quickly as possible and enjoy a nice quiet (quiet because no one has energy to talk on an empty tummy!) 1/2 hour drive to our nearest Crackerbarrel.
We love being seated in the back corner of the restaurant, at a round table. We all fit so nicely and we feel more comfortable being out of the main dining room, where we feel exposed (we do draw attention because of all our children….). After we sit down, the waitress comes right over to take drink orders. Our children always order hot chocolate WITH whipped cream on top.
At least, they always used to. The last time we went, Jacob and Ethan ordered ROOT BEER! They love drinking it from the icy cold mugs….but, for breakfast?
As you can see, the others still went with the old familiar hot chocolate.
And got mustaches.
After ordering breakfast, two of the children go off to play some checkers to make the time go by faster.
I sat next to this little man:
It sometimes takes a while to get our seven breakfasts done, and Seth started to fuss during that time. I had to go stand in a bathroom stall to nurse him. Not the coziest of locations. But, I’d do anything to make him happy!
Rich usually tries to order something somewhat healthy. My favorite order is the egg sandwich with a side of cheesy hashbrowns, although last time I ordered some pancakes with peaches on top (and whipped cream) instead. They were good but in my opinion, the pancakes needed a touch of salt.
Jacob and Ethan never order off the children’s menu now. They each got “Mama’s French Toast Breakfast” with four pieces of french toast, sausage, and eggs. Grace had the same as me, pancakes, only hers were with apple topping. David always always gets cold cereal because he loves the little boxes it comes in, and the little carton of milk just for him. Caleb shared off Ethan’s plate, because they weren’t making the macaroni and cheese quite yet.
I think we make the people sitting around us a little nervous when we walk in and sit down with our family, because 9 times out of 10 we will get approached by visibly relieved diners after they are done with their meal. “Your children are SO well behaved!”, they say. One time Grace chirped in reply, “People ALWAYS say that.” much to my embarrassment.
But, they are good kids. Rich and I enjoy taking them out to eat. It’s fun.
After we were done with this particular outing, we went over to Old Sturbridge Village, because they have a really nice indoor play area for the kids. They can pretend to be farmers, or a shopkeeper, or work in a pretend garden, dress up in old fashioned vests and aprons, and play house. Jacob is 12 and still enjoys the make believe. He likes to be in charge of the shop.
The little boys pretended to garden, in pretend dirt that had holes in it for the pretend plastic carrots. And then, because they are very imaginative, they turned it into a game of golf, swinging those garden hoes and aiming plastic onions into the holes.
The garden was inspiring to David. After we got home that day, he spent a lot of time digging in my flower beds and burying empty SODA CANS. I’m pretty sure he got them all back out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I unearthed one later on this spring. David SO wants to garden soon.
Here are Grace and Caleb, in the play house:
And, because the place was empty, I made the kids line up for a picture. Grace is wearing an apron, and the big boys are dressed up in the vests. Caleb is gripping his backside because the poor dear fell off the farmer’s milk stool and scrubbed his back. His was the only injury of the day.
The parents:
When we left I snapped this picture. The Papa with his six children. There’s something so romantic about my husband being such a good Daddy to his children. I love watching him interact with them. Often I’m smiling in another room, as I eavesdrop on his instructions to them.
A walk through a parking lot wouldn’t be complete without a good long stare down the gutter with Caleb. There’s water down there ya know.
How many times I have wanted to pull him impatiently away…but then I think, “Why not let him look”? After all, he’s a just curious little boy. . . .I do hope he keeps doing it for a while longer. It is rather cute.
Well, I can hear Seth out in his swing, calling to me. And Davy-do is waiting in my bed for his turn on the computer. I had the doula today from 10-2 and got lots of rest. Tonight Rich comes home! Oh I can’t wait.
Love, Shanda
PS, I have to share this one last random photo of baby. I love it.
He’s stretching and it feels SO good!
Good to be Home 
Thanks for taking the time to share your breakfast outing! I love the pictures and your commentary to go with them. You are so blessed with your husband and children! Baby Seth stretching is SO dear. Glad to hear that you were able to rest when the doula came. Enjoy your reunion with your beloved! Love ya!
Oh, thanks so much for taking the effort to post these pictures!! I really enjoyed all of them, especially when you were telling about going out to breakfast. What a great family tradition! I really like the pic of Rich and the kids… I too, love how how good daddys interact with their children.P.s…. I am SO GLAD that you were able to get lots of rest, and that Rich will be home soon. I know that must make you feel a lot better 🙂
Our family loves the Cracker Barrel also! Enjoy your time with Rich!!
I LOVE those chubby little cheeks in the last picture. Thank you for taking time to share this outing with us.
That looks like a really fun Saturday morning outing! I love the shot of Grace and Caleb, the one of everybody walking out to the car, and, of course, the last shot, of little Seth stretching!
it was so cute! as i got to the end of your post it was perfect,i scrolled up to the last picture of your ever so handsome baby and your “pretty baby” song came on. i don’t know why but i started balling,i’ve been doing ALOT of that lately,not because i’m sad,i just can’t figure it out.(i’m sure you understand)
Baby is trying to catch up to all his siblings with that stretch! 🙂
you have such a beautiful family…and your posts always make me feel all peaceful inside when I’m reading them!
The stretching picture is priceless!!
I’m happy for you that Rich will be home tonight. Thanks for bringing us along to breakfast. What a nice treat!
What a lovely outing!! Great pictures of everyone…and you do a great job giving a feeling what breakfast out was like. Wam and good smells! My boys always were the longest nursers…usually around an hour stretch…so I learned how to tent them and nurse that way. Couldn’t have stood up, lol, I am sure that Seth was glad for his breakfast too.
I agree it is so romantic to see Daddy with your children. My favorite was seeing their heads bending over a book or learning something new. Cute pic of you and Rich in front of the field mural. Caleb’s dear little head looking, love the one walking to the car…and the BIG STRETCH by Seth.
So glad to hear you got some rest today with the Doula there. I need to rest after the Chiropractor and plan a study for tonight for youth Biblestudy. My David is talking on the phone with his brother. I am thankful for the computer, phone, and skype to keep in touch!
Such a precious update… your family is so beauitiful!!!!
Yum I LOVE Cracker Barrel. That place you went afterwards looks awesome! I would totally take my kids there. LOVE the stretching Seth picture! I love any picture of a baby with his hands over his head like that…so cute. How did you like the doula?
Oh, fun. We love Cracker Barrel, every time we travel we have to stop!!! My favorite is biscuits and gravy – a good ol’ southern staple!! I ‘ve never been to Sturbridge even though we lived in that part of the world for a time. Next time we visit family, I should take the kiddos.
love that David and Grace have their faces buried in cocoa mugs…lolnice stretching there, Seth….looks real satisfying…
“There’s something so romantic about my husband being such a good Daddy” Isn’t that the truth! It warms my heart when I hear Spence and Bri talking or see them working together out in the garden,
Well mannered children are a treasure and such a good witness to the world…too often a large group of children like yours would mean whinning, squirming and harried adults…the spirit of the Lord rests on your family May you all draw others to Him.The last picture of Seth made me smile..I remember Bri doing that too
Awe, what a gorgeous family you have! Thanks for sharing.
Blessings
Oh that last one is so cute! I enjoyed all these photo’s. Sturbridge looks awesome! I love you. Lish
I totally love family outings!
That is a wonderful post. I LOVE the last picture.
Sounds like a wonderful outing and a wonderful way to make memories. I used to nurse my girls in public places, I just put a baby blanket over me .. I think people nowdays are more accepting of that? But maybe it’s just in California…
Seth is a darling! I smiled at the pic of Caleb checking out the water.My 2 year old grandson does the same thing. He calls it juice 🙂
I loved your breakfast:) Cracker Barrel is so good to:) Sounds like you had a wonderful day. The village looks nice to. I’m glad you could rest today & hope tonight goes quick to have Rich back.
If my husband could eat anywhere in the world, it would be Cracker Barrel!! 🙂 It is one of my favorite’s too!! So much like home-cooked meals!!! I LOVE their sourdough biscuits!!! Yummmm….and their Fried Apples!
Your children are just precious!!! Love Baby Seth’s stretch!!! Made me want to stretch, too!! 🙂
Glad you’re hubby will be home soon!!
God Bless!
your Crackerbarrel time sounds very similar to me 😉 we like that place pretty well ourselves and there is just ONE here in our area – about 30 min. away- if ever we travel, we always, stop there to eat as a family. And, yes, those nice round tables in the corners. ~ thanks for sharing and the children all look so great and having a lovely time out. Someday we should all meet up at CB :)lys
Love this post! There’s something so refreshing about a Saturday morning outing as a family; that’s an enjoyable thing for our little clan as well!
Great post of family time! My boys recognized the pictures taken at OSV. Love the picture of baby Seth stretching! Hope warm weather comes your way!! Spring is here were we live, exciting! Hope things are looking up for you. Take care, Love, Marcialee
thanks for taking the time to share these pics, even if it was 2 weeks ago! I always feel funny posting stuff from “a while ago” but i enjoy it when I do and I definitely enjoyed seeing your family outing! It can be such a big job with a big family but can also be so worth it!! I always get nervous going out with all my kids (there may be only four of them but they are YOUNGER than yours). But so often, i get the same remarks on how well behaved they are.way to go in letting your kids get root beer even for breakfast… i am such a party pooper, I probably would have said NO… thanks for encouraging me to say YES a little more often!One of my favorite things is watching my husband interact with our kids! you are right, it is romantic (even a little sexy, if I can say that!!)I also love Caleb looking in the gutter… so often i am rushing my kids through the parking lot, here and there, etc that i forget to let them be curious!!You are even teaching me in your pictures posts! thanks sooo much!I just want to reach out and grab Seth off that blanket while he is stretching and squeeze him… it is soo adorable!thank you, thank you! Hope you have another great weekend tomorrow!!
What a nice outing you had. Thanks for taking us along!
That’s great that your starting to feel a bit better today! Totally loved the last picture of Seth…too cute!
I love how you take pictures of just normal everyday stuff.. makes us feel like we’re right there with you! 🙂 My kids love the root beer at Cracker Barrel – though I think it’s really those frosty mugs that make it taste so good. Speaking of which, one sounds pretty good right about NOW! :)you look beautiful girl ~ not at all like you just had a baby! happy weekend Shan-Friend. 🙂
I called Steve over to the computer to see Seth stretching, so cute!!! So cute (I had to say it twice!)
I was hoping to see the pink and blue place we talked about! LOL!
So glad you got out and had some fun!