Hope all my friends are having a splendid weekend.  

Love, Shanda

I’m sitting on the couch and Sarah has wriggled her way over to my sneaker and I feel her little fingers touching me.  She’s on her belly, not making a sound, but her little feet are gently going up and down as she touches things.  She’s so cute.

Seth is by my side, ready and willing to push the buttons on my laptop.

Ethan and Jacob are talking and being funny and (of course) looking for something to eat in the freezer.  They are always hungry.  (I do feed them.)

Not sure what the others are doing but I just saw them a minute ago. 

I haven’t blogged lately because I haven’t been feeling well since Saturday (just a cold but w/a sore throat, headache, and fatigue).  Also, my mother in law came on Sunday afternoon with her two girls.  Rich and I got to stay overnight at a hotel that night, just the two of us, both not feeling well but not willing to pass up the opportunity to get away.  We had a great time together.  We ate at the hotel that night (I had french onion soup and a nice salad, he had scallops over corn risotto).  After eating, we walked through the city a couple of blocks so that he could show me his office.  No one was there and it was fun to have him give me a tour.  He has big enlarged pictures of us on his office walls and outside the door there is a collage of Sarah’s baby pictures, announcing his newest addition.  Rich’s office is neat and organized.

On Saturday, we went to the mall for a little bit and then back to the hotel to sleep.  We got home at about 7:30.

Rich’s mom and the girls left this morning, with tears flowing from Grandma because she didn’t want to leave, and the children begging her to stay– either that or buy the piece of land down the road.  LOL

We had a quiet afternoon with the babies napping, children studying, and me reading and sipping my coffee in the quiet.

Marcia C, if you are reading this….I wrote you back today and so did Grace.  Thanks for the fairy article you clipped from Family Fun magazine, we LOVED seeing it and we can’t wait to get outside and make more fairy homes.

I took these pictures last week when Ethan and Superman walked into the house with a surprise for me:

We have one rooster named George and it is now apparent that out of the chicks we hatched out this summer, HE HAS A SON.  We just can’t tell a female baby chick from a male, so it is only now that we have made this terrible discovery.  George himself is a problem, as he has a tendency to knock Seth down once in a while, or run and jump at the other small children in the family.  Now he unfortunately has a descendant, whom the children have named ROMEO.  However, I keep calling him George Jr.  I can’t help myself because he looks exactly like his father.  Well, not exactly.  George Jr has green legs and black eyes.  Big George has red eyes and black legs.

I am not sure what action we will be taking to solve this problem.  Our chickens have been free ranging but it may be time to build a fence for them.

Well, Ethan found something to eat….big shredded wheat biscuits, to be eaten dry.

Jacob also found something…..an entire bag of frozen ravioli that he is going to boil up and eat.  He says they are all for him.

Please pray that my sore throat and head ache goes away soon.  Thanks! 

Seth was just sitting on the floor next to Sarah and she was looking up at him with trust and joy.  He took the toy he was playing with and inserted it right into her mouth until she gagged on it.  (It was a toy syringe from the toy doctor kit)…….she didn’t cry at all, just gagged while Seth laughed and I said, “take that out of her mouth!”  She absolutely adores Seth and loves watching him and his antics.

I cleaned out the junk drawers in the kitchen today.  I had four of them and they are now completely empty.

What are you doing today?

One more note: Seth just grabbed Sarah’s cheeks and kissed her on the mouth.  She yelled at him that time.  LOL

My sister Amanda came over today with her little girl, Naomi~

Naomi gives me big hugs when she sees me.  She sat right next to me in church on Sunday, which made me very happy.  I love her SO much.

Naomi Isabella

She’s closest in age to my Caleb and they hook up and do stuff together when she visits.  It’s quite cute to see them play and talk.

She’s four and a half and can do backbends.

Here’s Nay with her mama:

And one more, Jacob took this one, of Amanda and me:

After our little photo session we all (10 of us) went down to the Elvis diner in town for lunch.  Ummm, can someone say crazy times?  It was fun though and I got to have a big cold cherry coke (a treat).

When we got home, Amanda and I helped Grace pack.  Amanda took her back home for a sleepover with Abbie (Amanda’s older daughter).  Tomorrow they are going to the American Girl Place for Abbie’s 10th birthday party.  They will have such a good time but it sure feels strange with Grace gone.    

Guess what I’m going to go do now?  I’m going to go to bed to read my book with Sarah and take a little tiny afternoon catnap.  Doesn’t that sound cozy?  Seth is already sleeping and the other 4 boys are downstairs in their room playing.

Happy Friday!

PS, I was just thinking about this picture.  How cute is this?  From almost 5 years ago….Amanda and me with CALEB and newborn NAOMI…….

I found this big baby doll at the thrift store this past Saturday for $4.50 and gave it to our Sarah.  It’s quite delightful, having another girl!

Happy Thursday to you!  ((hugs))

“…by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned….”  2 Corinthians 6:6

Look.  Really look for the joy.  A potato thrown into the washing machine by little hands.  A silly face drawn in crayon on the wall by a four year old.  The unexpected note, story, or list left behind by a beginning writer.  The funny things they say.  The funny noises they make when you least expect it.

Listen.  Really listen.  That soft, trusting little voice asking YOU for something.  The prayers they pray at mealtimes “Thank you that Mom took us to the liberry today”, their hopes and dreams.  “I want to fly, Mom”…….the stories they tell, the songs they sing or play, the conversations they have with each other.  They are amazing.

Stop.  Just stop.  The house can wait.  Sit down on the floor and see what happens.  Someone will come near sooner than you think.  They will bring a book, or a toy, or just come flop in your lap.  You can tickle them.  Or, read a book to them as you sniff their hair and wonder when you gave them their last bath.

Write.  Keep paper near.  Put dates on everything because time doesn’t stop for anyone.  You’ll forget who said what when.  Write the things that make you laugh.  Write the things that are in your heart, what you see there and what you are thankful for.  These are the things you will remember and talk about when they ask for stories about who they are.

Say yes because it makes your heart grow big.  Yes to the pancakes when you didn’t get much sleep the night before.  Yes to the running around outside in the rain, yes to “one more time, two more times, three more times” of the SAME book, yes to more minutes before bed time.  Yes to bubbles in the tub.  Smile big when you say yes.

Smile, too, when they wake up from their nap.  Let your babies see your smile and happy loving eyes.  Show them with your face that you think they are precious, wondrous treasures, because they are.

Snap.  Take pictures with your camera that will soften your heart and put a tear in your eye later on when life slows back down.  Instead of crying over the spills, photograph them.  Instead of yelling at the toddler who gave the baby her first cracker, find the humor in the moment and grab the camera.  These are the things our daily life is made of and it is beautiful.

Pray.  That God will open the eyes and give wisdom to the mother-heart.  The heart He made and gave you…..He knows our needs and offers abundant resources of peace, joy, love, and grace.

Does anyone else agree with me that this is the sweetest book cover EVER?  I was at anthropologie Saturday afternoon and made this happy discovery.  MY FAVORITE, Anne of Green Gables, wrapped in old timey hardcover clothbound PINK with teapots, cupcakes, butterflies, cherries, teacups, and ribbons.  Honestly.  How could it get any better than that?   It’s on my Christmas list but if I’m good, Rich said he might get it for me sooner. 

Wait a minute.  Wasn’t it just summer?  I barely even got to see Fall and now here we are playing in SNOW?!

We have several little boys here who have been eagerly anticipating this day.  We woke up to white.

We woke up to white and the pounding of bare feet running through the house, to make announcements.

Ethan, it snowed!  Jacob, it snowed!  Mom, it snowed!

Grace got up and looked outside, smiled to herself, and said seriously, “I knew it.  Last night I just had a FEELING it would snow.”

I told her she should be a weatherwoman.

She and Jacob stayed inside but Ethan, Dave, and Caleb went out right away.

This event just wouldn’t have been as exciting without these precious little ones.  

Today is Grace’s birthday. I remember when she was born, I had a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon.  I was still two weeks from my due date.  Later on, at about 10pm, I went to bed, opened up a book, started reading…. and then almost right away I began contractions.  Rich said, “Are you serious!?” It was about to be an all-nighter.  We had moved (away from home) into an apartment just a few months earlier and had made arrangements for a lady from the new church we were attending, to come over and watch the boys until my parents could arrive (they were 2 hours away).  So we called the lady (I don’t even remember her name now) and when she came, Rich and I drove to the hospital.  I had an epidural for the first time and it was WONDERFUL.  I smiled all through labor and delivery.  What a nice way to be born…while your Mama is smiling.  I love that.  She was born at 3-something in the morning.  Dark hair, 5 lbs, 13 oz.  17 inches long.  A peanut, they called her.

Of course I was thrilled that she was a girl, after having two boys.  I held her nonstop.  The nurse noticed and said, “You don’t like that baby, do you?” Teasing me.  I knew that she would grow just as fast as her brothers did so I wanted to enjoy every moment.  My parents came to the hospital with the boys to see their new granddaughter, and then they took them back to NY for the next week.

The first week home with just Grace was a treat.  I could concentrate on my new baby and rest.  I was 23 years old when she arrived.

Jacob, Ethan, and Grace were all born within a three year period and it’s been such a joy to watch them grow up together.  They are the best of friends.  And now we have David, Caleb, Seth and Sarah, too.  Grace is a big sister and a very good one.

It rained all day today but it felt nice and cozy.  I polished Grace’s nails for her at the kitchen table with boys all around us.  Seth sat in my lap (learning, no doubt, how to polish nails), Caleb kept showing us his Clifford library book, and the other boys drew pictures of Star Wars figures.  Sarah was napping.  But when she woke up I plopped her on big sister’s lap for a few pictures.  Just think, I took pictures of just Grace and the boys last year and now……my heart is full of happiness to have two girls and I keep thinking about how grateful I am that Grace has Sarah for a sister.  A most wonderful gift~

I took Grace out for a quick, drive-through lunch at McDonalds and stopped to buy some birthday candles. 

We got home and spent time in the kitchen.  Sarah sat on the counter and kept me company while I baked the cake. I was going to make one from scratch but to my astonishment I had 40 pounds of flour in the house but NO SUGAR.  How could that happen?  I ransacked the cupboards but came up with nothing.  I was grateful that I had a cake mix. 

After I was done baking I took Sarah and went to bed and took a very lovely dark and dreamy nap for over an hour.  Warm baby was tucked up next to me and it was bliss.

When I got up, Jacob had taken the cake out of the oven and Seth had dug a hole out of it.  I whipped up some homemade chocolate frosting and covered it right up.

We had a sandwich dinner and now we are waiting for my sister and her family to come for cake.

I love birth-days.  They are such a nice day for remembering, and doing special things, and being GRATEFUL. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog~ I appreciate all my friends~ and love you~xoxox~  Love, Shanda

Once in a while, I get my spice rack down off the counter and let the toddler play with the little jars of spices.  I remember Jacob doing it when he was a little boy, and today Sethie got to play with them.

My days are full (if my day was a cake it would be VERY spicy!) but, sitting here at the end of this day I’m remembering that the little spicy dash of *watching Seth play* was a bit of quiet time that I really enjoyed.  I sat right down with him. 

I think little spice jars are a wonderful thing to play with.    Bright and happy.  They remind me of baking, the kitchen, good smells.

Just make sure the lids are on tight when you play with them. 

Cinnamon, dill weed, paprika, minced onion, cream of tarter…we liked the red lidded jars the best.  They were stackable.

I bought the wooden spice rack years ago at a tag sale.  The kids love to take the jars out and put them back in.

Look who showed up for play time.

Here, have some ginger~

It was really cozy sitting in the kitchen, on the warm floor, in the sunshine.  Watching my precious little ones.

We tell her that she’s a PRITTY GIRL.  (I know I spelled it wrong, but that is how we say it– PriTTy Girl!)

Seth is 21 months old and I am trying to teach him how to count to “5”.

In this picture, he’s putting jars back and saying TWOOOOOOOOOOOO, (which, to my happiness, was followed by WEEEEEEEE), in a long sing-song voice.

Then, he got really silly:

We laughed.  Then, I got a washcloth for each of us and we washed of all the little jars, and the spice rack.

Saree (another nickname) got a pat-pat on the head. 

It was so sweet, I really enjoyed the time I spent with Seth and Sarah today.  It was one of the first times they played together.

It’s almost 9pm, I have had a long day…I have a headache…so I’m off to bed.

Good night, friends!