I’m sitting at my desk in a dark house, it’s just after six and the children are all still sound asleep. They are sleeping a little bit longer in the morning because of the time change, so I hope to have a good hour of quiet before the day begins. My husband left for work not long ago, he has a big day today so I will be praying for him a lot. He sure looked handsome…with dress pants, dress shirt and a sweater vest, and a suit coat over all. He always looks so attractive to me in his best clothes!
This morning a friend of mine is bringing her two children over for the day. Grace will have a girl her own age to play with, which will be wonderful….and Jacob and Ethan will have a boy their age to play with, too. Everyone will be happy. These five children get together almost every week, I feel so blessed to have Christian neighbors nearby, with children for my for my children to grow up with. I imagine that today, even though I will be responsible for eight young ones, it will be easier than I think…the weather is so nice that they all plan on playing outside as much as possible.
Yesterday after schooling time I was hit with exhaustion, but I knew I would be disappointed if I did not enjoy the day, so when Seth fell asleep for his nap I took a blanket, some ice tea, and a new Country Living magazine down to the pond. Caleb was also napping, it was relaxing to lay in the sun, listen to the wild birds singing, the chickens scratching around the pond, and Jacob and Ethan laughing and talking a mile a minute, over at the play set.
Random comment about magazine: Did anyone else notice the family with seven children in the April issue? It was fun for me to see….such a beautiful family and home, and there were plenty of inspiring pictures. My favorite was the one with the mama and *a girl on each side of her*, and she was reading to them on the sweetest & coziest little loveseat.
The sky was brilliantly blue yesterday, I noticed it several times, and how beautiful it was.
Here is big Jake, with one of the chickens. I think this one is Star-chick-un. (their funny nicknamey way of saying chicken)……..
Jacob made me smile yesterday at school because he had to write a list of 8 things he would take with him to a deserted island. He read his list to me: cake, a camera, a videocamera, food, matches, “me lad”, blankets, and a gun. “Me Lad” is Ethan; his brother, best friend, and all-time side-kick. Grace overheard but said, “I’m glad you didn’t pick me because I would have been BORED.”
Later on during the day, I hung some clothes out on the line. I made my own laundry soap yesterday. No, I am not trying to mimic the Duggar family, but I did get the idea from them, and then another blog, and I admit….if you dangle an idea in front of me and tell me *it will save money* and *is easy* than I am all for it. It was FUN to make, and FUN to use, and it did a good job!
Seth was awake and he watched me hang the clothes. It was one of the highlights of my day when I saw him frozen and staring with amazement at those clothes, dancing and flapping in the wind.
Our hammock is on the porch so Grace and I gave Seth a little swing. I love this picture, and the way his eyes are crinkled and smiley, and his hands gripping the ropes. He would not lay down though, he kept sitting up and we would push him back down again…which ended up being just as much fun for him as the swinging.
My beautiful porch was a PIG PEN after the winter of neglect, but Jacob did a good job cleaning off the clutter and lining up the shoes. Then Ethan swept it.
Seth wanted to go explore…..he was so funny going down the hill a little too fast.
I had to get up and go get him back.
Caleb wanted to play on the front steps with his trains and Seth was determined to get one of those trains and run off with it, he was being a stinker and knew just what he was doing. He would grab one, turn around, and start to run. Caleb would say, “He wants to go THROW IT IN THE POND!” Grace and I were with them, and we tried giving Seth his own truck, trains, and cars, but he only wanted Caleb’s.
I had to leave the house at 2:45 yesterday, for a conference with Davy’s teacher. I had Jacob watch Caleb and I took Seth with me. Seth and I went to school, and he held my hand as we walked the halls to Davy’s classroom. Seth’s cuteness was stopping traffic, “Look at the BABY walking!” “He’s SO CUTE!”
David’s teacher had so many nice things to say about him. She said that her favorite thing about David was his imagination. She told me a little story about David playing outside with another student who he doesn’t normally play with….they were swinging together and were having the most wonderful time pretending that they were over the ocean, and telling each other what they could see. She told me that most children seem to need to BE entertained, but that David was able to play, and imagine, and entertain HIMSELF. She showed me his journal, and read it to me…stories about snow ball fights, fighting with golden swords, ice skating with his friend Emily, and so on. She loves his art work and drawings and has encouraged him so much that he now wants to be an artist, and believes that he IS ONE ALREADY. She opened my eyes once again to the very special and unique things about David. She knows that I plan on homeschooling him starting next year, and she smiled and told me that she thought it was great. I left with my heart feeling full and happy with my sweet seven year old.
We went home together and then David got to play outside, too. I went out after a while to see what they were up to.
Ethan had found their net at the bottom edge of one of the ponds and so he, Davy, and Caleb were all extremely focused and busy catching the first slimey critters from the ponds. They were excited to see me coming, “David just caught a tadpole! With his bare hands!”
They had a system going. Ethan used the net to catch things and Caleb would take them and run them back to the collection bucket.
He had a tadpole in each hand.
After he dropped them in the bucket, he showed me his muscles. He knows they are small (I overheard him tell David, who thinks HIS are BIG).
Davy, at the pond, in the last of the sunshine for the day. He ended up coming inside for dinner wet from waist to toe.
On the other side, was Ethan.
During all this time, Jacob was in charge of dinner and was busy inside, cooking….shrimp scampi (from a box, we buy it at Costco), and pasta. He set the table with matching fiestaware and lit a candle, too.
A lovely day, watching all my boys enjoy God’s great big world….I didn’t realize until the end that I didn’t get any pictures of their pretty sister. So this post is basically about “me lads” (to borrow Jacob’s expression). 
Hope you all have a wonderful day today! Love, Shanda
Good to be Home 
I just love your front porch! I think today I might hang some clothes on the line too. It’s finally a little warmer here. My oldest son is sitting with me reading your morning post, he is wishing we had a pond for him and his brothers to catch tadpoles. =) Have a great day.
Lovely post, Shanda! 🙂 You seem to be feeling well and perky!! I admire that about you!!! I have the Country Living magazine you mentioned- the family is in Nashville, I believe….and I love their play house!!! 🙂 I wish I had one!! FOR ME! :)Enjoy the spring weather. Davy’s teacher sounds awesome.
I kept thinking “No no if Sethy keeps taking the trains then Caleb will not be his buddy..after all that progress!!!” LOL!That sky was blue blue blue!!! Wow!I laughed picturing him running too fast towards the pond, I love how babies trip forward at lightning speeds!
What a fun day! I love Caleb’s muscles — reminds me of our youngest son, Kevin, who for a long time thought his elbows were his muscles and loved to show them to us — he’s now Levi’s daddy! Time moves so fast — enjoy!
Looks like you’ve been having some nice spring weather. This week has been rather overcast, and Im ready for some sunshine again! Good job on making laundry soap. I’ve been making mine for awhile now, and go back and forth, occasionally buying it again, but always seem to come back to the “cheap” soap. Loved the “chickens in the tree”. hehe, I’d be quite amused if we found ours in a tree too! =)
🙂 yes, the time change has them sleeping a bit later ~ lovely morning to you and lovely morning post
That Country Magazine picture with the seven children intriqued me too. You don’t see that very often…I had to double check that some weren’t grandchildren…Hee Hee. Oh, I love those big fat tadpoles:).
What a fun day, I loved looking at all your pictures. How great, you have your own nature exhibit right in your own backyard. Yes, I saw the article, too. At first I thought it was a typo about having 7 children. I was glad to see a big family in a positive light. The magazine had a lot of good recipes, too.Jacob’s list of 8 things made me laugh this morning. It sounds like all your boys have good imaginations. Enjoy your day.
I loved seeing the activities of your day.
Me lads is perfect for St. Paddy’s day! I thought I was going to see some green pants…but your green blanket and clogs will do! A wonderful day full of fun in the outdoors. I love it that you got to relax out by the pond, you wonderful porch, clothes in the breeze, Seth on the hammock, running down the hill, tadpole catching, the chickens keeping company, Cute Caleb, and Davey’s good report! Thanks for taking me along on your day!!
ahh. i had that country living in my pile of magazines to buy and had to give it back cause i had too much already. but the pictures looked fantastic. maybe i shall have to go and read it in the bookstore. a family of seven kids…sounds awesome…and so awesome to see big families represented in a fantastic magazing like that. glad that you were able to have a bit of time by the pond with some beautiful iced tea and a good book full of inspiration. i love your porch..its so big and beautiful and the fact that there is a hammock on it makes it even more exciting for me. i can just imagine sitting on the hammock and watching the stars at nice. what a blessing to have such a beautiful place for your family. glad to see the kids were able to enjoy being outside..hope that today is just as wonderful a day for you all with your wonderful friends visiting.
Speaking of homeschooling, would you share sometime about your “homeschooling day”? what that looks like, what you guys use, etc?Your pictures are gorgeous, as usual. 🙂 I love that your boys are best friends…for life. :)That is so sweet. Hope your energy level is up today!! Have a great day and thanks for sharing your life with us!
And what handsome lads they be! Do you think you would make laundry soap again? I’ve been doing it for years. So easy and cost effective. I did it the first time as a homeschool project, and haven’t switched back to store bought since.
Cute post!I’m with Jacob, if I was on a “deserted” island, I’d want “dessert” too. And, a cake sounds like a good plan to me!
I like “me lads.” Did you make the green blanket? It looks cozy.
So last weekend, A and I went on a “date” all day and got a manicure and lunch. Then we went to Half Price Books and got an embroidery book that we love. We picked out a bookmark project for beginners and went nextdoor to the fabric place and bought everything for it. I have stitched two already. I can do the backstich, running stitch, blanket stitch, and french knots. I LOVE it! I’m going to do a pillow as soon as I can get some material. Can you believe it?!
AND … there was a pictre of a FIESTA pitcher inside the embroidery book. IT WAS A SIGN!
~ LA
I love reading your posts:) Thanks for sharing your day with us.
Beautiful post! These spring days are so wonderful after all that cold snow for soooooooooo long. Great to hear Davey’s teacher being so supportive and encouraging. Wow to Jacob cooking dinner. Okay, I really do have to let my kids do more. I am wearing myself out literally doing for everyone. My focus is on their hearts, learning the word of God…but I really do need to give more freedom and responsibility. I find with being gone to school all day, then homework, now baseball starting there just isn’t time. Reading this makes my heart long to homeschool. It seems to make a more complete and full life in so many ways. You are doing such a good job! Praying you are feeling well. ~ Deborah
It’s always fun to come here and read what has been going on at your house! I enjoy the pictures, and your thoughts, too. I feel like I know you and your children, even though we have never met, and probably never will until Heaven! I am blessed to be a “family friend” on Xanga.
Sounds like a wonderful day! I love the picture of you at the pond.. 🙂 So relaxing!Do you mind to share the recipe for the laundry detergent? ~hugs~Lanitha
Thank you for these glimpses into your children’s lives. To hear how well David is doing in school and flourishing in his own gifts is a delight.