t a d p o l e s

“And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life. . .and God created every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, and God saw that it was good.”  Genesis 21, 22

Yesterday evening, after Rich and I got back home from our date,  I bundled up Sethie in a couple of blankies, took my camera, and went outside to sit in the sunshine, down on the bank of the pond, to watch David and Jacob as they worked on filling up a rubbermaid container with tadpoles.  Caleb watched with me (he still won’t touch the things) and Ethan was fishing at the other end of the pond.  They always love having Mama has an audience, they show me everything they catch.  They talk to me the whole time.  I love listening and watching them enjoy God’s big beautiful world.

“God does not give grades for studying the book of the heavens and the earth.  His reward is to fill his students with wonder and praise…they gain the assurance that God understands them and is attentive to the details and needs of their life.”  Bob Schultz

There were large tadpoles, fat ones, little ones. . . . .all the sizes made Caleb laugh and say, “They’re a fambly!”  (family)

The littlest one, the baby of the fambly~

Jacob made a discovery.  This creature was about 3 inches long and resembled an insect.  Sure enough, when we looked it up this morning in Anna Comstock’s wonderful Handbook of Nature Study, we found that it was a Giant Water Bug.  None of us could bring ourselves to touch it and the boys did not add him to the tadpole collection, he got put right back into the pond.

The boys….(by the way, Grace is normally right there with them, catching things, but she was in the house yesterday)…..

“God created the heavens and the earth to be experienced, not just read about or lectured upon.”  Bob Schultz

Rich came out after a while and he took this picture of Caleb kissing his Mama.  His kiss took my breath away, wow, Caleb is a good kisser!  It lasted about 10 seconds and left Rich and I laughing and laughing. 

(Too bad about 20 minutes later he started complaining that his tummy hurt and he bent over and threw up!  Rich teased me by saying that he got sick from kissing me.  I just hope I didn’t get Caleb’s bad germs.  He was up a few times last night to be sick. . . .but so far this morning he is fine.  There’s never a dull moment around here!)

I’m so happy that my sweet six children get to grow up in the country.  However, even before we moved to this place three years ago, we enjoyed the outdoors in the backyard of our house in the suburbs, and all the different parks we visited.  I think it’s important to be outside as much as possible.  Not only do we learn a lot, we also sleep better at night! 

Here are some pictures that we took this morning. . . . . .

Is an occasional cup of coffee (half-caff) bad for an eleven year old?  Ethan made himself a cup this morning and sat on the couch, enjoying it immensely.  (Bethany, he has his new webkinz with him, that you sent for his birthday!  That was so very sweet of you!)

Seth is enjoying some new dangling friends. 

Is there anything nicer than a sweet smelling baby nuzzling into a Mama’s neck?

YES!  Two nuzzling babies! 

Seth put his little face right there in that spot in my neck and fell right to sleep.  It was so hard to put him down, but I did, and he’s fast asleep right now in his playpen in the livingroom.  He’s still sleeping long stretches at night.  We all think that Seth is just the most wonderfullest baby ever.    Grace said this morning, “Seth is a smart baby.  Whenever he wants Mama, he just cries and she comes.”

It’s been so nice to sit here and write.  I’ve missed blogging lately.  I will probably share some random photos tomorrow from the past week that I haven’t had a chance to post yet.  I have been busy, almost too busy to THINK, but as I sit and contemplate this morning, I find that my heart is still ever so very content and thankful for the life God has given me.  Thank you, loving God, for blessing me with a nice calm morning, so that I could sit here and remember the many ways you bless my life.  Thank you for my children and my husband, and our happy home.  Thank you for friends and family, and for the lovely world you created for us to enjoy.  

Well, it’s time to get on with my day.  

Thanks for stopping by and visiting my little place here on xanga,  God loves you! 

Have a blessed day my friends~

Love, Shanda

PS, I CANNOT BELIEVE IT’S APRIL!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I expected, yesterday was an amazing day.  I truly felt like myself again, probably more so than any other day since Seth was born on February 2.  As my friend Joanna said to me, this is the perfect time for me to recover from having a baby, because SPRINGTIME itself is enough to put happy, rejuvenating thoughts in my mind, and give me renewed energy.

The Morning Walk

The weather yesterday was beautiful and mild.  We needed jackets on our morning walk, but by the afternoon we only needed sweatshirts, or in the case of the active children, no jacket at all.  The air was fresh and the birds were happy (during our daily phone chat, my mom listed off so many birds that she observed that I was inspired to finally refill my feeders again).  As soon as Seth went down for his late morning nap (and after David got home from school) I went outside for a little walk.  We were all happy and silly.  Jacob and I walked side by side (he’s such a friend these days) and enjoyed David and Caleb’s antics.  Ethan and Grace stayed home.

This first picture is of Caleb.  I dangled him from a grapevine.  He liked it so much that I did it again so I could take his picture.  He held on tight and said, “Oh!  Oh!  Oh!  Oh!”.  Then, silence— as he let go and dropped to the ground.  When he knew, a split second later, that he was still alive and well, he was SO proud of himself and squealed to his brother, “DAVID!  Did you see that?”  He adores David and his opinions.  He really looks up to his big brother.

Dangling:

Dropping:

During our walk, David allowed Caleb to touch his sacred pop gun.  David got this gun as a gift over a year ago and promptly broke it.  Rich put it up in his closet in disgust and David recently discovered it (stacked a suitcase on a chair to reach it) and fixed it all by himself with an entire roll of scotch tape.  He and Caleb were behind the couch and I could hear the tape going and going and going.  Finally he tried the gun.  “I need more tape”, he said.   “BUT!  Mama will be SO MAD!” said Caleb.  “NO!  She won’t!” said David.  They didn’t know I was right on the couch, listening in amusement.  Anyway, here’s a picture of Caleb, looking down the barrel of the gun.  When I asked him what he saw, he yelled, “GUN!”

By the way, the gun used to shoot a cork on a string.  As soon as David repaired the handle, he cut the string so he could send the cork flying.  However, the cork is now lost.  Just as I suspected would happen.  At least the handle is fixed?!?

We walked to the field near our house.  The little boys ran down to the stream.  Jacob and I let the dog go so he could run…..and as usual, he ran away and Jacob had to go after him.  That’s why he’s not in any of the pictures.  Jacob informed me yesterday that he is currently training for the Marines.  As a result, he was quite happy to run after the dog, because every bit of training helps.

As you can see, things are very brown here in New England.  

The little boys always gravitate toward this pipe.  It is large and the water is very loud, rushing and exciting.  They spent a bit of time yesterday, throwing rocks into the pipe to watch them flow back out with the water.  David tried all sizes of rocks.  It was a great experiment for him.   If the rocks were too heavy they didn’t come back out. 

(When David was Caleb’s age, he fell right in the water here.  During the winter.  I had to carry/drag him home soaking wet.)

“The out-of-doors is a little boy’s (and girl’s) friend.  It is big enough for his energy and filled with things that he cannot hurt.  He is a natural scientist.  Take him out as much as you can, summer and winter.  Let him walk as far as he can with you following him; allow him to explore, pick up sticks and leaves, shred them, throw them.  Let him get dirty.  Strollers can be convenient for parents, but they restrict a child from walking and exploring.  Once a child is able to walk and run, a stroller should be used only to get him somewhere and bring him back or when he is really tired.”  ~Michael Thompson

The Afternoon Snack

Back at home, I nursed Seth while watching the Paula Deen cooking show with Jacob.  She was making ooey gooey cinnamon rolls.  Jacob got up impatiently.  “Way to go, Paula!  Now I’m craving SWEETS!” he said.  So, we decided to make MONKEY BREAD together.  When it was done, we sat right on the floor with forks and dove right in.  The last time I made this bread, Ethan ate so much he felt sick.  So, we were all very careful to stop eating before we had those sick feelings.  We still managed to eat half of it in one sitting.  It was all gone by the end of the day. 

It was so much fun to sit like this with the kids.  Jacob got up to take the picture.  Yes, David has socks on his hands.  Not sure why.

Monkey Bread (we think it’s called Monkey bread b/c if you try to eat it when it’s too hot, you scream out like a monkey…..at least, that’s what Ethan did yesterday)

3 (10 oz) packages refrigerated biscuit dough
3/4 cup white sugar
3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar

Mix the 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon.

Quarter the biscuits with kitchen shears.  Dip biscuits into sugar mixture, and place in a greased tube pan.  Do this until all the biscuits are used.

Melt butter and mix in the 3/4 cup sugar.  Pour mixture over biscuits.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes.  A powered sugar frosting can be poured over the warm biscuits….ultimate yumminess!  And, with all that sugar, you are guaranteed a party atmosphere for several more hours until it works it’s way out of your (and your children’s) system.

Seth goes outside

After naptime, the kids all went outside again so I bundled up Seth and took him out for about 15 minutes.  We sat on the yard, then sat in a rocking chair, then walked around on the porch.

Isn’t my little groundhog adorable in his white beanie and blue blankie?  (Seth was born on Groundhog’s day)

Elizabeth Mitchell, the same woman who sings 2 of the songs on my playlist, also has the most adorable song on one of her CD’s called, “Oh Groundhog“…it is PERFECT for Seth, it’s “his song.”  I wish I could put it on here for you to listen to.  She has another song that I like to play in the morning called, “So Glad I’m Here“, it’s the perfect upbeat song for Mama’s (or, anyone, really!).  If you have an IPOD, buy it!  It’s a 99 cent song that really focuses me on the fact that I’m truly happy and joyful in my day to day life.

Sunshine makes things grow.

After a while, I put the sleeping baby in the house and then went outside just in time to catch David and Caleb beginning to make mud balls with the hose.  Their hands and feet were so dirty that I had to bring out some warm sudsy water before they could enter the house.

It was just as much fun for them as the mud.

Caleb and I took one last walk in the evening before I had to start dinner.  I didn’t take pictures but there was one thing that happened that I thought was so cute.  On our way back, I bent down and showed Caleb a rock that was covered with different varieties of moss.  He immediately squatted down pulled it all off in chunks with both his hands, “We’ll take this home…..and put it in a bowl….”  I thought it was precious because guess what?  I had already put some moss in my own pocket without telling him.  I didn’t even realize that he knew I liked bringing moss home with me.  We’re the same. 

He ended up planting his in my flower garden.  I spent some time uncovering my baby tulips and daffodils.

Also, Jacob, Ethan, and Grace did more training for the Marines.  They ran a lot.  I was amused when Grace told me later, in a confiding tone, “Running is easy if you think about something pleasant.”  (she paused)  “Like standing still.” 

Happy Springtime!  If you can, get outdoors and enjoy God’s beautiful world.  There’s nothing like it, each visit is a healthy adventure. 

The earth is FULL of the goodness of the Lord!

Love ~Shanda

This lovely baby
slept six and a half hours straight last night!

*Jacob and Seth*
(I took the picture just this morning)

I’m delighting in a good night’s sleep…..AND…..

….the sun is shining, the children are healthy and quietly playing, I see robins hopping all over the yard.

Birds are singing.  The air outside is clean and sweet.

My coffee’s good.

It’s going to be a beautiful day.
Isn’t S P R I N G wonderful?

So I had to laugh last night as I tried to make dinner.  I was making a new recipe.  I’m not sure what the other children were doing but Grace was at the table putting together a puzzle.  I multitasked.  I was distracted.

I worked on dinner.  (made some rice, had Jacob pull leftover chicken off the bones for a casserole)

Then I played with the baby.  I brought out his changing table pad and put him on the table with Grace.  

I worked on dinner.  (rummaged for the canned cream of chicken soup, mayo, and chicken broth).

Then, I played with the baby.  I got the IPOD and put on our favorite cd, so we could sing to Seth.

I worked on dinner some more (where IS that curry powder?)

Then, back to the baby I went.  Grace and I sang Jingle Bells to him, and a couple other songs. 

hmmmmmm, where was I?  Oh YES, dinner!  (preheated oven, went downstairs to the freezer for some broccoli, mixed everything up. . . )

Jacob was hogging the baby this time, so I took a few pictures of loving big brother.

Back to dinner…..finally it was ready to put in the oven, *whew* boy, that took about three times longer than usual!

Half an hour later and not a moment too soon, Rich came home and found dinner done and waiting to be pulled out of the oven.  I was on the couch, nursing Seth, who had had quite enough fun for the time being.

After dinner, I had to grab the camera for one more photo.  I had one of those content feelings as the older kids cleaned up the kitchen, and the younger ones danced around.  They were all singing to the IPOD and working so happily.  My family.

And, that’s my life these days.  My brain is tired, from being pulled in so many directions.  I wondering now, if that is the reason I had to get up at 1 in the morning to take Tylenol for a terrible throbbing headache? 

But, it’s all good.  I’m smiling.  Really!

Chicken Divan (serves two adults and five children, with a tossed salad on the side).

leftover chicken (about 2 1/2 cups or so)
2 cups broccoli
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup mayo
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cheddar cheese
3 cups cooked rice (I used 4 cups)

Place cooked rice in the bottoom of a greased casserole dish.  Spread with chicken, place broccoli over top.  (I didn’t bother cooking the broccoli, I added it frozen and it baked just fine).  Mix soup, mayo, curry and broth together and pour over the chicken.  Stir everything around slightly.  Top with the cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

(YUM!)

Now.  I must get busy.  Tonight is meat loaf and mashed potatoes.  Here we go again. . . . .

~Shanda

…a little child, born yesterday,
A thing on mother’s milk and kisses fed…
~”Hymn to Mercury” (one of the Homeric Hymns), translated from Greek by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Baby Seth is growing nicely. . . .all these pictures were taken yesterday.  I can hardly believe that he is now smiling for real, and looking right into our faces with such trust and innocence.  He’s so wonderful, such a dream.  I find myself sitting on the floor with him on a blanket, just sitting and admiring him.  I get his legs out of his sleeper and start kissing his toes.  Soon he’s stripped down to his diaper and is so patient as Mama plays with him.  I observe everything. . . his little legs, his round tummy, his arms and hands, his neck, his cheeks, his eyes, his head, inside his ears..everything gets touched and/or sniffed and kissed!  Is there anything softer and sweeter than a newborn?  I gently pump his little legs up and down for exercise.  I take his little hands and lift him “up up up” so he can practice sitting.  I open his fists and blow his tiny damp palms dry (with more little kisses).  I clean out the stuff he’s been collecting between his fingers and toes.  I turn him over on his tummy to see how far he can lift up his head.     I laugh over him, smile and coo, and find myself talking in a high, baby-talk voice.  I can tell he likes it.

I wrote this post earlier this morning and then just discovered this quote in the book I’m reading.  Reading this affirms what I believe most Mamas know instinctively…our lovin’ DOES make for a content and healthy baby!

“All babies, including your son, are born ready to love their mothers.  Your son’s most important survival instinct is to hold on to you, to cling, to cry, to suck, to smile, and to follow you, first with his eyes, then by turning his head, and then with his feet. . . .you quickly become the center of his universe and he spends much of the time in the first years of his life calling you, tracking you, and protesting when he cannot make you respond to him immediately.  He will be the most ardent lover you have ever known.  All you have to do is give in to his passionate pursuit and you will love him.  It is almost impossible not to.. . . .what the two of you are doing is getting to know each other.   You play with each other, you are fascinated with each other, you imitate each other. . . .this intense imitative communication between mother and child is the foundation of a child’s emotional life.  Research has established clearly now that this earliest bond and the continuing phenomenon we call attachment have lifelong consequences.  So if in the first year of his life you and your son fall in love and become profoundly connected to each other, and if he also becomes deeply attached to his Dad, then you will have helped him start to build the foundation of a secure personality, which he will have the rest of his life.”

-Michael Thompson, Ph.D. in It’s a Boy, chapter two, “Your Baby Boy: Birth to Eighteen Months”

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!

This is the day the Lord has made,

I will rejoice and be glad in it!

(the verse I’ve been saying over and over to myself today……)

My sister and her husband are here.  There are children running around all over the place outside (theirs and mine).  We are about to make a big big batch of bacon and pancakes for dinner.  It’s been fun to spend time with Amanda, she always makes me laugh.  I am so happy to say that today has been a much better day for me.  **sigh of relief**

I had a doctor’s appointment this afternoon and my Doctor took the time to talk to me for quite a while.  She was so proud of the steps that I have taken to help myself get past this overwhelming newborn stage…for hiring the cleaning service and the doula, and for accepting help from my family and friends.  I felt great talking it out with her, which is also something important for me to remember when I’m feeling low…TALKING about my doubts & fears with someone I trust, instead of bottling them up.

I thought you might like to see a picture of me and the kids.  My sister took it just a little while ago.

Thanks again *so very much* for all the prayers, verses, and encouragement.  At some point I plan on sitting down with a big stack of index cards and writing the verses down on them. 

Much love and HUGS (I wish I could give out real ones!) ~ Shanda

I talked to Amanda today, my friend Kathy, read all your comments, talked to my mom, dad, and Rich.  Everyone is pointing me to the Lord, and saying so many encouraging things.  My mom told me to make cookies for the kids and so I did.  When I told my dad, “I just want to feel normal”, he said, “Well, this IS normal for you.  You’re like this after you have a baby, aren’t you?”  And I had to admit it was true.  Rich told me that he can see a difference in me, that I still have low points but I’m also having some good times as well. 

My friend Caroline stopped by with a gift for Seth and some cookies. 

My Dad reminded me that every bit of good stuff coming my way is right from God.  My heavenly Father is using the people in my life to help me get through this.  He said that God is helping me more than I even realize.  It’s true, I know.  I really need to get my brain thinking positively. . . . .

I got outside as much as I could.  I went on a small walk with Jacob and Caleb.  We saw raccoon tracks down by the stream in the mud.  We saw a robin.  Jacob took pictures and Caleb enjoyed the stream, as always.  I told Jacob we should name it “Caleb’s Stream”.

In the afternoon I went out with a blanket and watched David and Caleb play and make a fort.

Seth has been awake since 1:00 this afternoon.  Every time I think I’ve got him to sleep, he’s wide awake again. 

I just had all the kids go downstairs to play.  In another hour and a half it will be their bedtime.

Please pray for Rich’s safe journey…he’s on his way to Tennessee via Chicago.  Then, after his business there, he goes on to Tampa, FL.  I think the majority of my sadness today stems from him leaving.

The verses you left here all made me cry buckets.  I did cry a lot today.  I’m tired now, but at least the tears seemed to have dried up.

Here are the two verses the Lord gave me today, as I read my Bible outside:

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee;
yea,  I will help thee;
yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”  Isaiah 41:10

“For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand,
saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”  Isaiah 41:13

Well, Seth once again did not sleep….and is making those little noises that mean I can’t ignore him!

Goodbye for now~I may be back!  LOL