Good morning!  I was tagged a few days ago and am finally getting around to answering the questions.  This was fun, it’s been a while since I thought so much about myself!  LOL  And of course I couldn’t resist adding pictures.

“What I was doing ten years ago:
10 years ago Rich and I were living in our first house, a small ranch-style in the country (but on a busy road).  I was a stay at home mom to my 1 year old and my baby.  I love thinking about those early years.  What stands out to me the most?  Being on my own during the day while Rich was at work.  I was used to being surrounded by my siblings. . .and parents.  There were days when I ached with loneliness, trying to adjust.  But it was wonderful to be married with my own house and things.  I felt like I was playing!

Me and my little boys:

Five things on my to-do list today:
1. Take David to a birthday party.
2. Put Grace’s hair in pigtails (thanks for the inspiration, Cathi!)

2 yr. old Grace, in pigtails:

3. Enjoy the outdoors (it’s supposed to be 80 today!)
4. Teach the children some school.
5. Have fun with my friend Kathy, who is bringing D. home from the party so that we can visit.

   

Five snacks that I enjoy:
1. ice cream
2. homemade cookies, warm from the oven
3. crunchy cheese curls (not to be confused with puffs). .yeah, the neon orange ones.
4. I’m really not a snack person, though.  Ummmmm, let’s see.  I like hot buttered toast (comfort food)
5. pumpkin muffins

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. First of all, I would make Rich quit his crazy corporate job.
2.  We would go buy a big house with a red barn and lots of land, in the remote country.
3. I would buy farm animals.  A couple cows, chickens, and a pony for Grace.
4.  We would need one green John Deere tractor, and a White tractor. (Rich is helping me out here)
5. Hire a tudor to teach my children school so I don’t have to do it.

Five places I have lived:
1. Afton, NY
2. Clifton Park, NY
3. Mars, PA
(the rest are too close to home)

Three of my bad habits:
1. I’m a pessimist
2. I don’t keep track of my things at times, and I don’t put them away.  (Hence, “where are my KEYS?”)
3. I’m jealous, very jealous, of anything that comes between Rich and me.

Five jobs I have had:
1. babysitter
2. picking berries
3. caring for elderly
4. that’s it!  I’ve had no other official job. 
5. Except, now I’m a mom of 5.  So, my list of “jobs that I have had” is too long to type here.

 

Five bloggers I want to know more about:
1. Elisha
2. Erika
3. Melissa K.
4. Melissa B.
5. Colleen

 

20 Questions about us:
1. My husband’s name is: Richard Charles ______
2. How long have you been married? 12 years
3. How long did you date?  2 years and 2 months
4. How old is he?  Rich is 34.
5. Who eats more?  Rich does.
6. Who said I love you first?  I did.
7. Who is smarter? I am.  (Rich is still helping me answer these, LOL)
8. Whose temper is worse? Mine is.  (but I also laugh more)
9. Who does the laundry? Me and the children
10. Who does the dishes? Me and the children (but Rich helped me out a lot when the kids were too small to help)
11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do.  Does that mean something?
12. Who pays the bills? He does.
13. Who cooks dinner?  I do, but he is always willing to pick something up on the way home, or to take us out to eat.
14. Who drives when you are together? Rich.
15. Who is more stubborn? I am.
16. Whose parents do you see the most? Mine
17. Who proposed? Rich
18. Who has more friends? I do.
19. Who has more siblings? This is tricky.  Rich has 3 “real” and 4 “half”.  I have 5 “real”.
20. Who wears the pants in the family?  We both wear pants.  But I also wear skirts.  LOL

 Have a happy day!

 Good morning!  I was tagged a few days ago and am finally getting around to answering the questions.  This was fun, it’s been a while since I thought so much about myself!  LOL  And of course I couldn’t resist adding pictures.

“What I was doing ten years ago:
10 years ago Rich and I were living in our first house, a small ranch-style in the country (but on a busy road).  I was a stay at home mom to my 1 year old and my baby.  I love thinking about those early years.  What stands out to me the most?  Being on my own during the day while Rich was at work.  I was used to being surrounded by my siblings. . .and parents.  There were days when I ached with loneliness, trying to adjust.  But it was wonderful to be married with my own house and things.  I felt like I was playing!

Me and my little boys:

Five things on my to-do list today:
1. Take David to a birthday party.
2. Put Grace’s hair in pigtails (thanks for the inspiration, Cathi!)

2 yr. old Grace, in pigtails:

3. Enjoy the outdoors (it’s supposed to be 80 today!)
4. Teach the children some school.
5. Have fun with my friend Kathy, who is bringing D. home from the party so that we can visit.

Five snacks that I enjoy:
1. ice cream
2. homemade cookies, warm from the oven
3. crunchy cheese curls (not to be confused with puffs). .yeah, the neon orange ones.
4. I’m really not a snack person, though.  Ummmmm, let’s see.  I like hot buttered toast (comfort food)
5. pumpkin muffins

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. First of all, I would make Rich quit his crazy corporate job.
2.  We would go buy a big house with a red barn and lots of land, in the remote country.
3. I would buy farm animals.  A couple cows, chickens, and a pony for Grace.
4.  We would need one green John Deere tractor, and a White tractor. (Rich is helping me out here)
5. Hire a tudor to teach my children school so I don’t have to do it.

Five places I have lived:
1. Afton, NY
2. Clifton Park, NY
3. Mars, PA
(the rest are too close to home)

Three of my bad habits:
1. I’m a pessimist
2. I don’t keep track of my things at times, and I don’t put them away.  (Hence, “where are my KEYS?”)
3. I’m jealous, very jealous, of anything that comes between Rich and me.

Five jobs I have had:
1. babysitter
2. picking berries
3. caring for elderly
4. that’s it!  I’ve had no other official job. 
5. Except, now I’m a mom of 5.  So, my list of “jobs that I have had” is too long to type here.

Five bloggers I want to know more about:
1. Elisha
2. Erika
3. Melissa K.
4. Melissa B.
5. Colleen

20 Questions about us:
1. My husband’s name is: Richard Charles ______
2. How long have you been married? 12 years
3. How long did you date?  2 years and 2 months
4. How old is he?  Rich is 34.
5. Who eats more?  Rich does.
6. Who said I love you first?  I did.
7. Who is smarter? I am.  (Rich is still helping me answer these, LOL)
8. Whose temper is worse? Mine is.  (but I also laugh more)
9. Who does the laundry? Me and the children
10. Who does the dishes? Me and the children (but Rich helped me out a lot when the kids were too small to help)
11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do.  Does that mean something?
12. Who pays the bills? He does.
13. Who cooks dinner?  I do, but he is always willing to pick something up on the way home, or to take us out to eat.
14. Who drives when you are together? Rich.
15. Who is more stubborn? I am.
16. Whose parents do you see the most? Mine
17. Who proposed? Rich
18. Who has more friends? I do.
19. Who has more siblings? This is tricky.  Rich has 3 “real” and 4 “half”.  I have 5 “real”.
20. Who wears the pants in the family?  We both wear pants. 
But I also wear skirts.  LOL

 Have a happy day!

“Mom?  I was dreaming about that day.”

“Yesterday?”

“mmm-hmmm” 

(conversation with Davy-do, just a minute ago)

From my journal, yesterday:

“Day outside with children, for the day.  Caleb is probably going to be sick from all the pickles we are eating.  He has helped himself until I am amazed.  I noticed Patches enjoying the warm sun, rolling back and forth and losing her balance in the dry grass on a hill.  Grace is busy making herself a bracelet with wrong side out duct tape wrapped around her wrist.  She is pressing small leaves, twigs, and berries onto the sticky tape.  I tore a piece from my journal, a tiny piece, and wrote “love” on it to add to her bracelet, too.  Ethan is in the stream, pursuing his latest passion–finding beautiful rocks.  He bends down and scoops them out with his hand, like he’s searching for gold.  Every once in a while he brings one to me.  “I think I found an amethyst”, he said yesterday, when he showed me a find.  Caleb fell and got his hands dirty and when I sent him to the pond to wash, he forgot about his dirty hands and said, “Fishes!  I see Fishes!”  After watching them for a few moments, he turned tail and said dramatically, “I scared!  I scared!”  He made Jacob and I laugh.  David is happy, then mad, happy, then mad.  Jacob is the most restless about having to stay outside for so long. . . .but he did play his fiddlin’ song for us, took some pictures with my camera, and jumped on the trampoline.  Now he is reading his new book in the tent.  Yes, we put up the tent first thing. . .and filled it with pillows, blankets, books, and I even brought down my sewing things so that I could repair a pillow that I had made.  It’s nice and warm here on my blanket.  I think I’ll close my eyes for a few minutes . . . .”

We didn’t end up staying out ALL day.  Just ’til 2.  We were all tired of fresh air by that point.  Too much wind and sun for us . . .after being sheltered in the house all winter long.  When we came inside, I put Caleb to bed and I think he would have slept all night because he did NOT want to wake up after 2 hours.  David’s skin is ashy and I need to get him some good lotion (he has sensitive skin and has already gotten a mild sunburn since spring has arrived).

*************************************

I made this pillow last spring and was so proud of it (I rarely sew anything).  I had put some buttons on it, which David promptly pulled off during a “nap” on my bed one day.  It’s been an irritation to me all this time. . .finally, I patched the hole he made, and sewed on a new button.  Good as new!

Our snack table.  At first it was just cookies and ice water.  But then, as we were all zippered up in the tent, I got a craving for pickles (and no, I am not pregnant, no teasing!).  I made the kids play “20 questions” to find out what I wanted to eat.  Jacob finally guessed it.  “Now you made me want to eat one!”  he said.

Later on, I brought down things for PB+J.

Caleb and me, in the hammock.  Grace is cutting down briars.  You should have seen her enthusiasm when I said, “You are such a hard worker, Grace, just like your Grandma!”  She visibly puffed up and put in a good solid 15 minutes or so, until Jacob took the pruners from her so he could have a turn.

Me and my shadow.  If he’s not near me, I get nervous.  (because of the ponds)  I think today I will make him walk around with a life jacket on, “just in case”.

Our musician:

It’s hard to look up and smile in the middle of a song.  He wants you to know he was playing a “professional song, and not a baby one.”  Is he sweet, or what?

Inside the tent.  The kids strung buttons.  We had a conversation about my mom.  Jacob thought the buttons were from her and I said, “No, I bought these at an antique store.  Grandma would NEVER give me her buttons.  You just ask her the next time we visit.  She’ll say, ‘NO'”  Jacob said, “That sounded just like Grandma, that’s just how she says it.  It’s not as hard to bear when she says it that way“. 

The basket has my sewing things in it, and my journal.  And lots of sharpened pencils.

See our crayons?  I am constantly refreshing our crayon supply.  I love to color with the kids.

The children carry around a pack of stuffed animals constantly these days.  They all have names.  Last week I had to wash them all, because they were floating them in small boats (snow sleds, really) on the pond!

Parker and his new doghouse.  I kept Caleb busy and free from danger for a while, by giving him a piece of chalk and telling him to go decorate the doghouse.  The kids love to sit on top of the roof and think about stuff.

The amazing pickle-eater. 

(“That’s mine pickle!!!”, he just said (he’s standing by me as I type, eating raisins))

What bliss!  To have a small boy sitting by my side, leaning on my knee.

It was a lovely time.  I needed it for myself.  I read the book my friend Hannah lent to me, and that is where I got the idea for the duct-tape bracelet.  The link for the book is at the end of this post.  I enjoyed being outside, away from the house, listening to birds (woodpeckers, chickadees, robins) and the water.  I wore my shawl all day, and felt so cozy in it. 

There are a couple of things that I must do this year outside.  One is put up an old mailbox just inside the woods.  I think it would be so fun for the kids to find mail in it (from their stuffed animals?).  And the other thing I want to do is make little signs and put them up on stakes or trees. . .painted ones, with quotes or verses.  I will paint them in natural colors, not loud garish ones.  I just need to figure out how to do it so that they are weatherproof.

I also want to plant a couple small gardens, and put them in unexpected places.

Okay, I really must begin the day.  I do so love to sit and write, first thing in the morning.  Now comes the real fun! 

Little things like . . . .

 . . .Caleb galloping to me, across the wooden porch floor,  in excitement, to ask me if I want to blow a bubble.  He had a wand but no soap.  As I looked at him, he put the wand up to his lips, and with laughing eyes, blew just as hard as he could, all juicy-like.  “You wan’a blow bubble?” he said to me, and held it up so I could.  Because I felt privileged to be included, I said, “Yes, thank you Caleb!”  And then I blew, all juicy-like.

. . . .David coming to me to show me the sandwich he made.  It had 3 pieces of bread and was carefully constructed with peanut butter AND butter.  He sat right by me in Daddy’s big chair to eat it.  I continued to read my book but was quickly interrupted by him saying thoughtfully, “The knife helped me.  He helped me make my sandwich.”  “The knife helped, Davy?” I said, admiring his imagination, “Yeah, my hands put the bread together, and he spread the peanut butter.”  I gave him a squeeze.  He gave me a bite of his sandwich.

. . . . watching Grace and Ethan paddle around the pond in their “boats.”  Grace’s was a kiddie pool (with a leak), and Ethan’s was a wagon (The Amphibian, is what they call it).

. . . .noticing all the changes in my gardens, in the trees, during the last few days.  Thinking of Robert Frost’s poem, “Nature’s First Green is Gold.”

. . . .the little nap I took on Monday, in Grace’s pretty room, bright with sunshine, with Patches curled up at my feet.

. . . .how dirty David gets, when he plays hard outside (wasting not a thought about clothes!  I love that!)

. . . .when Jacob, Ethan, and I all whistled “How Great Thou Art”, with lots of giggles, as we folded the laundry yesterday morning.

. . . .the way Rich mourns the loss of the kid’s chalk drawings on the driveway, when it rains.

. . . .the way Rich takes over, when I am so tired at the end of the day.

. . . .when I noticed that Grace, dressed all in baby girl pink, sitting at the warm kitchen table, matched my baby girl pink carnations that were arranged in a stoneware jug.

. . . .when Jacob interrupted me, just a minute ago, to tell me that “This man, who wrote this book, is a lot like Dr. Seuss” and read me a section of it.  (He is reading “Just so Stories” by Rudyard Kipling).  I truly enjoyed the quote that he shared.

. . . .Ethan’s laugh.  (I always notice it, it’s true and sweet, and makes me smile)

. . . .my sister coming over for just an hour, to teach the children art.

. . . .making cookies.  The joy of it brought tears to my eyes yesterday.  I refused to let anyone else crack the eggs this time.  I wanted to do it, all by myself!   But I did share the beater, and the bowl.

As I made the cookies, the older kids were in the basement playing a computer game, coming up now and then to grab a warm cookie.  (They disappeared almost as fast as I could bake them!) But Caleb was upstairs with me.  He pushed a chair to the sink, and I grabbed my camera to watch him play with water and a plastic cup. 

“Is it HOT??  or, COLD?” he said.  (I had never heard him connect two ideas with the word “or”.)

waiting

oh no, it’s hot!

it’s cold.

The genuine joy of life, that I get to see as I watch little Caleb, and my other children,  constantly brings my own heart joy.  During these crazy busy days of caring for my little gang of children, I pray that God will make me aware, constantly, of the joy of motherhood.  I get so tired, I get restless and frustrated when I cannot do thing things I dream of doing (like sewing, or working outside, or making things other than cookies) but I know that these days will pass all too quickly. . . . .God, help me to love my life and fill my heart with contentment!

And please, dear Lord, give my husband wisdom and strength as he deals with me and our young brood!  LOL

My cousin Elisha drove to my house from NY state on Saturday. 

It was the nicest day we have had here in CT since late fall.  We had temps in the 70’s.  My daffodils opened by the house for the first time, and I like that they opened on the day of Elisha’s visit.  The weather and the flowers felt like a gift from God to us.

Elisha and I grew up together, and we were able to see lots of each other through the years.  We even attended the same public school for a while.  I used to babysit her and her sister, Erika.  A lot of the things we used to like doing together are still our favorite things, like LAUGHING A LOT, singing together in 2 part harmony, and going outside for walks.  We did all three of those things this weekend.  (‘Lish, one thing we forgot to do this weekend was play WAR!)

Elisha is a sweet, tender, thoughtful, and generous soul.  She is also not afraid to be quiet, and I often think the closest friends are the ones that don’t have to fill the air with constant talking, although we did do that, too,  more often than not!  We had a lot to catch up on.

Thank you, Elisha, for being faithful in keeping in touch with me after we moved away from our homestate, and for driving out here this weekend.  Thank you for accepting me for who I am, for loving me and my family.  Thank you for enjoying my children.  I am so blessed and encouraged by you and your love for Christ.  Next time you better bring your husband! 

Here are some pictures from our weekend. (for more pictures, see Elisha’s xanga site)

In my new hometown, there is a used bookstore that I’ve been wanting to browse for a while.  It is located right in the center of town, in an old building that used to be a bank years ago.  The window behind Elisha is an old teller window, with it’s original stained glass.  I think the floor is cool, too.  I bought 2 old “Little Golden books” that were illustrated by Eloise Wilkin.  I collect them. 

After the bookstore, we walked down the road to the scrapbooking store.  We both like to scrapbook and make homemade cards.

Then, we had a little photoshoot:

When we got back home, Rich had to go to a meeting.  He took Jacob with him and we took the rest of the kids (all of us in our black boots) for a walk in the woods. 

David got stuck up here for a while.  These are the roots of a tree that fell over across the stream and it’s quite high up.  David was black with dirt by the time we got him down.  Ethan, on the other hand, was as nimble and capable as a young goat. 

I have to share pictures of the clouds that rolled above our house Saturday evening.  They were so awe-inspiring.

In other news:

Jacob is learning how to fiddle.  He had a violin lesson last night and Rich and I were amazed at the song he learned in that one lesson.  His violin teacher really enjoys Jacob and they have fun together, playing their instruments, every week.  We pay for a 1/2 hour lesson and they usually go over that time because they are so involved in what they are doing.

Rich (with some help from the kids) built the dog a doghouse this weekend.  Parker loves it.  When the kids were done with school yesterday, they spent the rest of the day down in and on the doghouse, too.

Ric
h finalized our plans for a garage.  He signed the papers and put down a payment on Saturday.  It will be a three car garage with a big room over for a possible apartment/guest room someday for one of the kids.  We are also having the basement finished off at the same time.  We have enough saved up so that we will be able to pay it all off right away, with no debt.  I’ll be posting pictures of the progress.  Rich was told that everything should be done by July.  We’ll see!

Oh and listen to this!  Yesterday, when Rich was gone with Jacob,  Caleb escaped outside.  When I opened the door to get him back in the house, I found him running around the driveway with a dead female cardinal clutched tightly in his HAND!  (The cat had killed the bird and left it).  I ran to him, made him drop it, and rushed him up the tub.  That’s not all!  I had to run downstairs to help David with something, and when I went back up to Caleb, he had filled the bath water with, let’s just call it, a “natural resource” that I am SO SICK of seeing every day of my life!!!!  It was awful and I just kept thinking as I cleaned it up, “this is the part of motherhood that is never romanticized!”  Discusting!

And on that “pleasant” note, I will end this post.  Thanks for all the comments yesterday, they were wonderful! 

Have a great day, all!

(the link is for a book that Elisha gave me, I am so inspired to start sewing again!)

Amanda brought over nail polish and did Grace and Naomi’s nails.

Naomi is my little niece that just turned two on April 4.

Green with white polkies. . . . . .

Weston is growing too fast. . .he weighs 10 pounds now. . . .

Good day to you all!  And Happy Weekend!

Amanda came over today. . .Weston is a little under the weather but well enough to come visit Aunt Shanda who doesn’t care if her children get sick from fellow family members. 

It was such a wonderful day. . .full of sunshine, laughter, just a little bit of irritation (trying to keep the children all safe, happy, and well-behaved can be a bit much at times). . . .seems like we were constantly missing one of them, but it was mostly a laughter-filled day.  Too short, really.

It was a day that even the Moms went barefoot.

I painted my toes bright pink.

I bought myself a dress at Target about a month ago without trying it on first.  When I got home I decided I didn’t like it.  I had not taken it back yet so I tried it on for Amanda and she said she loved it so. . . . .guess I’ll be keeping it.

She wanted to take some pictures of me.  These next few were all her idea.  She actually took photography in High School.  I just know if I could get a camera in her hands (like today!) she would love the hobby.

She made me laugh during this mini-photoshoot when she told me to stop bossing her around and let her be in charge!  LOL  Guess I do have a lot of “bossy big sister” in me still.  Oops.  So, I shut my mouth and did whatever she told me to do.

**all photos by Amanda (my sister)**

Don’t you just love spring days? 

They are so invigorating!

It’s good to humble yourself, right?   Enjoy the laugh at my expense. .I don’t mind, really. 

This next one is what made us laugh the most. . .the kids roared.  I wondered where my neck was?

Considering I haven’t LEAPED in years. . . . .not too bad!

And this is the reason why I have to jump. . . . . .

I made a cake today.

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut-Nut Topping

1 c. quick cooking oats                           1 1/3 cup flour
1 1/4 cup boiling water                            1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter                                          1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup brown sugar                                1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup white sugar                                 1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs                                                 

Topping:

1/2 cup butter                                         1 cup chopped pecans (I used walnuts)
1 cup brown sugar                                  1 cup coconut
3 T. milk

Pour boiling water over oatmeal, cool.  Preheat oven to 325.  Cream butter, sugar and eggs.  Sift flour, salt, soda, baking powder, cinnamon and add to creamed mixture.  Add oatmeal.  Place in a 9 by 13 inch greased cake pan (preferably fiesta).  Bake at 325 for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in  center of cake comes out clean.  For Topping:  Boil butter, brown sugar and milk in a heavy saucepan for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add nuts and coconut.  Spread on baked cake and return to oven under broiler for 1 minute or until bubbly.