As most of you know, my husband and I are eagerly awaiting our seventh child this coming June.  We are thrilled to add another girl to our family of one girl and five boys. 

During each of my pregnancies, one of my favorite things to do as I waited was buy a few outfits for the baby and then look at them now and then during the remaining months, imagine what he or she would look like, and what it would be like to finally hold my baby after all those days and days of dreaming of him or her.  I pick up each outfit and look at it, then fold it up and put it back away……..’til the next urge strikes, to do it all over again.

My seventh pregnancy has been no exception.  The weekend after finding out she was a girl, the whole family went out shopping to buy her some things.  Since that time I have also found some clothes here and there.  It’s so fun to look through girlie things again after having three baby boys in a row!

Here are some little dresses that I picked out.  Rich wasn’t crazy about the pink one (not sure why) but he loved the green one, with polka dots.  They both came with little diaper covers, so cute!

Rich picked this one out on his own.  I was surprised that he chose a dress.  I remember when Grace was a baby, he didn’t like the way she felt in his arms, all lost in skirts and ruffles and other slippery things like that.  But, he liked this one, and I do, too.  It is simple, and sweet, and made of linen.  The other outfit he picked out and we bought, is a soft yellow shirt and pants set, with duckies on it.

The children and I were shopping at JC Penney a month ago and couldn’t resist this soft-as-a-cloud blanket:

I bought this at baby GAP not long ago. 

A few more practical things, pretty little sleepers, these were chosen by Grace.  Under the cupcake it says, “Little Sweetie”.  The kitten is saying “purrfect”.  I like the feet.

This next one is sort of special, because I had bought it when I found out I was pregnant with my sixth baby, the bundle of joy who turned out to be SETH.  I had gotten this before I found out I was having a boy.  I couldn’t resist this dress because it is green (my favorite color) and because of the embroidered cherries (which I think are darling).  I have had several opportunities to give this dress away to friends who had new baby girls, but for some reason just couldn’t part with it……but now I know the reason, it was meant for my Sarah Joy.

This weekend, I handmade some little softshoes for Sarah.  There is something so special about MAKING things, vs. buying them.  My sewing skills are limited, and so is my free time, so these little shoes were the perfect thing to make for her.  I had so much fun, but Rich wondered, why no pink?  So, I might end up making a third, pink pair.

I made these first:

The Prairie Baby Softshoe:

And then, these:

The Colorado Sunshine Softshoe:  (Sarah was conceived on our wedding anniversary, in Colorado Springs)

Yes, we are having lots of fun thinking about, and planning for, baby Sarah.  In another month or so, I’ll buy a container of Dreft baby laundry soap and wash all her things…..I love when it’s time to do that!

Seth loves going outside and it’s fascinating to watch his wonder and joy at such a nice, big world.

He sees a car go by:

He hears the dog barking loud:

He notices his brothers down at the playset, and says “BAH!”  which means, “Hi, here I am, can I play, too?”

What I personally love most of all is that he is beginning to learn to hold Mama’s finger when we walk. 

Sometimes the very best thing a mama can do, is to just sit and be available.

Seth wasn’t feeling well this weekend and couldn’t seem to rest.  I scooped him up out of his crib, got the two of us comfy on the couch, took up a favorite book, and quietly sat and sat for over an hour as the rest of the family continued on with dinner and clean up *gasp* without me or my help whatsoever. 

A warm baby in my arms, finally sleeping so peacefully.  An inspiring book about domestic art, my handsome husband at the other end of the couch, and warm, homemade crocheted blankets over us equaled a combination guaranteed to relax any harried mother.  To relax, and to remind her once again, what really matters most of all.

Life is not all about busily maintaining our material possessions or pursuing selfish interests, but about cherishing and nurturing the eternal, soul gifts God so lovingly gives to us…the gift of a relationship with Himself, and the gift of our very precious loved ones. 

Davy is currently sleeping on the couch, sick with the stomach bug. 

Seth is beginning to notice and enjoy picture books.  And he always seems calmer when he knows just where to find mama.

Caleb just adores Beatrix Potter (Timmy Tiptoes is the current favorite).

I’ve got three older children who also do well when Mom is available and not distracted by many things.

Imagine, all I need to do to rub the feet, talk and comfort, hold and pat, and read some books, is just sit still and let the little children come to me!

We had a lovely weather weekend.  It was in the 50’s here, which feels great after a cold winter.  The children were so busy playing that they got too warm and shed their jackets.  Some even shed shoes.

I am sick with the common cold, common yet bothersome.  I don’t know how many times I woke up last night with my mouth so dry.  Ethan also has a bad cold.  Seems like every change of seasons brings some sort of adjustment to our immune systems.

I can’t complain, though.  It’s been a nice weekend and today is also sunny and beautiful. 

Rich took me for a little date to Anthropologie on Saturday, just the two of us.  One of my favorite little memories of the weekend was when we were picking me out a new pair of earrings.  He was holding them up to my ears and we were talking and laughing together.  I got the prettiest pair of red flower earrings.

I also got this sweet egg holder for my fridge.  I love the robin’s egg blue color of it.  For the photo, it is displayed on a vintage tablecloth that my mom gave me.

Flowers are coming up in the garden.  Grace was just as excited as I was.  Today or tomorrow our crocus’ will be opened.

The boys have been very industrious at the pond.  They are mining ice crystals.  Rich and I sat and watched them for a while on Saturday.

They break the ice off the edge with a rake or a shovel or a stick, and scoop it to land.

See the texture of the ice…….

It breaks right apart into pretty crystals.  We think they are beautiful and the children nibble on them, even Seth.  He got really mad when his hands started freezing, though.  I never dreamed pond water could freeze so clear and clean looking.

Davy did some ice fishing.  He chopped a hole in the ice and made himself a fishing pole out of a train piece, yarn, and a hook at the end.

There was some play in the sandbox, too.

I caught Ethan drinking out of the stream.

Now that skating is done for the year, the boys have been throwing things on the ice.  An occasional stick or rock is fine, but we had to draw the line at……tires.  I made Ethan go out and get it.  We were all waiting by the edge, watching….don’t worry, if he had fallen in it the water was not over his head at this point in the pond.  It was still really exciting, though.  He made it there and back again, safe and sound.

Rich and the boys cleaned out the chicken coop and put down bags of fresh wood shavings.  Grace watched the chickens out the coop windows.

And guess who lost a front tooth?

A new look for Davy……..

He was thrilled to discover sap dripping off a tree branch outside, and he enjoyed tasting it.  (He is standing on a rock to reach the branch).  He was playing under the tree and felt the drops hitting his head and that is how he discovered “that wet stuff that we saw dripping in buckets at that farm we went to”.  Sweet tasting sap.  Want some?

I can’t believe that spring is arriving.  We had all sorts of tell-tale signs of it this weekend, and it felt wonderful to get so much fresh air.  Soon the ground will get soft and we will be dealing with lots of muddy clothes and feet.  Oh and guess what?  I was so happy to hang clothes out on the clothesline again, too!  The sheets smell wonderful after drying outside in the crisp air.

Thank you for the interest in the glittery eggs.  The winner of them is Sep1.  I wish I could share them with each one of you. 

How about some directions?  They are so easy to make.  I poked pea-sized holes in the bottom of each egg with a metal skewer from the kitchen.  Then, I shook out the contents into a bowl, and scrambled them up for breakfast.

After rinsing them off (and out) with water, I let the empty eggs sit and dry for a day (not sure if it is necessary to let them dry that long).  I used a glue pen to color on the glue, and then shook Martha Stewart glitter (from Micheal’s craft store) all over them.  Some of them are just lightly glittered, so that we can still see the original color of the egg, underneath.  And that’s that!  Now you can make your own!

I probably won’t be blogging again until I am feeling better.  I just wanted to hop online and record our weekend memories, and announce the winner of the eggs…..my cold is all up in my head and I am not feeling very well at all.  I will probably spend the next day or so resting as much as possible and taking care of the children.

Love, Shanda

 Leave a sweet remark to this post

 for a chance to receive your very own half a dozen

 (or, maybe even a whole dozen)

 of purpleamethyst76 chicken eggs,

 emptied of the gooey stuff,

 and clothed in glittery finery.

 *(winner to be announced on Monday)*

Today is the day for celebrating our special boy; ETHAN GREGORY, who has blessed our lives in so many ways during the last 12 years.  What a gift, to be able to see this sweet young man grow before our very eyes.

Honestly, he’s been so much fun.  Our happy, smiling, little boy….not quite so little now. 

I’ve been up since 5:30.  Seth was up at 6.  By the time I was done feeding Seth his oatmeal it was 6:30 and everyone else was up (half hour earlier than normal).  There was a lot of excitement over Ethan’s birthday so we gathered ’round the table and watched him open his presents.  His main gift was a Nintendo DS, and I just had to take this picture of ALL six of them being entertained by the game, at the same time.

And, I promised to show you the gift Grace made her brother.

She created it entirely on her own.

It’s a stuffed doggie, made of felt, with sewn on felt spots, and eyes.  She told me later, “That old saying is true!  It IS more fun to give, then to get!” 

The old saying:  “…..You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus:  ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”  Acts 20:35

She also helped Davy make a sleeping bag and pillow for the doggie.

I believe this handmade dog has a lot of charm.

But not as much charm as our E!

Happy Birthday, Ethan!

“She was….anxious for the holy walk,
 and growth in the divine life.”  ~Octavius Winslow, of his mother.

I have to constantly pray for forgiveness, and am continually humbled by the evil in my own heart and the GOODNESS of God’s free grace and mercy toward me.

Just this morning, I was getting more and more irritated. 

David was not focused on what he was supposed to be doing ~ getting ready for school.  I reminded him “get dressed”  “not that shirt!  you just wore it!”  “eat breakfast NOW”  …… and then, when he ran to me and said, “It’s so NICE outside today!”  I said, “Well, you still need to wear a jacket.”  He said, “No, I don’t!”

That was it.  I grabbed his little arm and said, “DON’T YOU SAY NO TO ME.  YOU SAY, ‘YES, Mama’, AND YOU GO DO IT.” 

He took off running to find that jacket, leaving me mumbling in the kitchen….”WHO dares to tell me no?  Unbelievable!”

So, we get him off to school and then.

Sister needs me. 

She knows tomorrow is brother’s birthday, she wants to sew.

“Where’s a craftbook, MOM?”

“Where’s the thread?”

“Where’s a needle?”

“Do you know where the scissors are?”

Finally, I had to confess to her.  “Grace, I’m not feeling well this morning.  I like what you are doing but I just cannot help you.  at.  all.  You have to do it by yourself.”

I was so irritated in my heart, I was taking deep breaths and just praying, “Lord, this is so hopelessly hard.  I just can’t be nice this morning….help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

I felt better after a shower and clean clothes.  Little by little, the Lord settled me down.

Grace eventually got the cutest thing made for Ethan.  I am so proud of her.  I will show you a picture tomorrow.

It’s situations like *a stressful morning* that show me what my heart is really like.  I can read my Bible, study, meditate, and yet…….that flesh is still alive and well, ready to flare up at anytime, to show me how much I utterly and simply NEED MY SAVIOR.  How thankful I am for the throne of grace, and the knowledge that God knows and understands my weaknesses.  It’s okay!  It’s all okay.  I shouldn’t take myself so seriously.  If I keep my eyes on Christ and off myself, all is well.

“I see the face of Christ,
and his loving compassionate look disperses the cloud, 
and all is peace.”  ~ Mary Winslow

I was in the kitchen, all was calm again, and I was mixing up some bread dough, when my two big boys joined me full of conversation.  They had been outside and when I turned to see, I realized they both had chickens in my kitchen!

(Joanna, look at the light fixture above the entry way.  I took your advice and got rid of the brass one for an iron one.  Also, everyone who read about my garbage bin buying this weekend…it’s there, to the left of Ethan, at the end of the counter.  You lift the lid to throw away trash.)

The weather has been so nice this morning, and we even had some sunshine.

I got Seth all bundled up, grabbed a sweater and my coffee, and the boys and I sat out on the porch together. 

And then we walked and talked and played.

The girls were all busy, wanting to lay their egg for the day.  We only had 2 nesting boxes and things were getting a little out of hand, a line was forming.  So, Grace and I went in the garage and hunted up a couple of cardboard boxes…and now there are four straw filled nesters, for the chickens to fuss over.  Yesterday we collected a dozen eggs for the first time!  So far today, we have gathered 6.  Five lovely browns, and one beautiful green.

I baked a pan of soft cinnamon rolls and just pulled two loaves of bread out of the oven.

Jacob said, “Hmmmm, something smells GOOD!”

We are all back inside from a morning of play, and ready to eat some lunch.  I just fed Seth, and put him to bed for a nap.  He still has a cold, and coughing some now, too.  He has been extra needful of his Mama, and blankie, for the last few days.  I can’t say that I mind the snugly time, although when both he AND Caleb both need me at the same time, I do kinda wonder what will happen when newborn Sarah arrives in a few months. 

I hope each of you has a blessed, peace-full day!

“…They should seek the Lord…for in Him we live, and move, and have our being.”  Acts 17:27,28

Yesterday morning Caleb prayed (and I heard him) that we would have chicken divan for dinner.

Davy-do promptly prayed (and I heard him) that we would NOT have chicken divan for dinner.

The Lord was in control……..not me. 

I found my recipe.  I got out some chicken, defrosted it, poached it.  We were gonna have it.

Then,  Jacob had a wire come off a bracket on his braces and the orthodontist asked us to come in at 4:15.  By the time we were done, I knew I did not have enough time to put together and bake the chicken divan.

It ended up being a sandwich night.

No one was disappointed.  In fact, Caleb and Davy never even mentioned chicken after their prayers.

They were thinking of other things by dinner time.

Like making a catapult out of a plastic spoon, taped generously round and round the top of a wooden Thomas track. 

And pretending to be ducks.  David was Super Hero Duck.  Caleb was just Duck.  I was Mama Duck.  (even though I didn’t want to play)……..I did end up quacking once or twice.

And coloring.  Caleb colored me a purple donut.  David colored Uncle David a picture, and mailed it.

Then, at bedtime, they brushed their teeth together, using bar soap instead of toothpaste.  I didn’t ask why. 

This morning, I woke up to a world of white…more snow.

Sethie has a cold and is sneezing, Ethan is getting him up out of his crib and saying “Good morning!”

We are having french toast, scrambled eggs & Grandpa’s homegrown bacon for breakfast…..yum yum!  (We had to do something to use up some of those wonderful eggs….I have three doz. of them, in the fridge.  And ten more expected to be collected again today.)

Because of Him~

Shanda