2010/12/29

Suddenly He was 14

If I've learned anything as a mother, it would be that time really does fly and the kids truly do grow up before our eyes.  When I think back to the time when Colby was born, when he was fresh and new, I have to catch my breath because it is swept away from me.
We most humbly and joyfully celebrated our firstborn child tonight.  You may take note of the date.  It's the 29th.  His birthday was the 28th.  We were all laid out yesterday, all except Colby, Ben, and Silas.  The rest of us were recovering from a nasty bout of the stomach flu.  Colby most graciously proclaimed, "That's okay, I'll do the dishes and clean up today.. Tomorrow we'll celebrate."  In a word, Selfless.  There aren't any other 14 year old young men that I know of whom are as selfless as Colby.  He is a great treasure to us and we cherish each day we have with him.
Colby, we are so thankful for you.  We are humbled that the Lord would send you to our very humble beginnings of a family and allow us to call you our own.  Even if for a few more years before some precious gem of a lady enraptures your heart.  We love you and adore you greatly.  Happy, Happy Birthday Son!

2010/12/21

Top 10 Large Family Comments of 2010

There are many times that comments are made by strangers in response to just seeing our not-that-large-to-me family.  Typically, this happens in the check-out line or the freezer section of the grocery store, don't ask me why... Perhaps those are the places I'm the most stationary.  Often, I am able to muster a God-glorifying, sweet response to them.  There are other times that I feel like scowling in response and perhaps even unloading more than my shopping cart.  Without further ado, below is listed a small grouping of the uncensored things which roll out of the mouths of God's Creatures.


10. "How many of these are you babysitting?"

9. "Are you sure they're all yours?"

8. "Wow, do you know how this happens?"  Sometimes I feel like saying, "actually no, we're still trying to figure that out!"

7. "You look too skinny and frail to have that many children."

6. "More people should be like you. The muslims will take over otherwise."

5. "Your family is beautiful.  I wish more people would have more children."  My personal favorite!

4. "They are really all yours?  Are they from the same marriage?"

3. "So, are you guys Catholic or Mormon?"

2. "Wow, this is your mom's 8th pregnancy, she even looks Sane!"  This one was super funny because Jackie relayed it to me.


and the final, most ghastly of all and I'm so glad Jake was on the receiving end of this:



1. "Holy ..... "  This was spoken to Jake at a Christmas party of all places.


There you have it.  People are extremely curious, sometimes rude, and other times very kind!  It's always a great opportunity to magnify the Gospel and Christ's work in our family.


Merry Christmas and yes, they're all ours!

2010/12/20

Silas

He's funny.  We've taken to calling him our little lion cub.  Mainly because of the color of his hair, his skin, and also because of the size of his paws, um mitts.  He loves playing with little lego men and particularly enjoys hot wheels and trains.  Kind of like another little boy I used to know who grew up into a young man wayyy too fast.

2010/12/17

Beautiful Boys!




There is nothing as precious to me as when my children laugh and play joyfully together.  Their smiles of delight are unmeasured treasures to me.

2010/12/16

Not a Catalog House

I live in a Home.  I have to laugh sometimes when I see people put pictures on their blog of what they envision there home to look like.  A home is a home not a house.  I think of a catalog house as something not lived in.  Tell me how it's possible to have a Home like the pictures you see in catalogs. Are those really homes in those pictures?  Where do you find one like that.  If you do find the Catalog Home are there actually people living there?  Really living there?  

I think for too long I might have coveted a catalog home.  Thinking it was a reality.  A place that would stay clean and beautiful.  A place where, if the doorbell rings, there is no mad dash of a cleaning frenzy to pick up the stray bits of whatever was just destroyed or tracked in the home from outside.  A place where the pictures on the wall never need straightening or dusting.
As time has come and gone I've realized something.  My home is beautiful.  Maybe not so clean.  But, it's a Home.  People are living here.  Really living and breathing.  Laughter constantly rings out through the air.
Battles take place and little ones charge to and fro; conquering and destroying all the obstacles in their path.  Leaving a maze of destruction and noise behind them.
Oh yes, the face of a warrior is present and the house isn't a house it's a home.  Complete with sound effects and battle cries!
Complete with little fairy girls knocking there brothers upside the head with plastic bags loaded with nonsense.  Yes, our house is a home.  Certified and true.  If I try to make it perfect than where is the life?   As a friend once said to me, "Where there is a mess, there has been life!" I love that saying and it helps me to remember life abounds and messes are just a part of it.  Can you imagine a picture like the one above, with a plastic bag getting ready to plop the baby in the back of the head in a catalog?  That would be funny, but then I would want the story that goes along with it... and you can only find that in a home.

2010/12/14

Trit~Explained

Trit is a nickname.  I'm not sure the beginning roots; though I have often been called Tritter as well.  There are other nicknames that come to the list.  Names such as; Buckwheat, Crispy Critter, Higlet, and there may be more.  Since being married I am fondly referred to as Wifie.  I love it.  Others call me CL, just my initials.

My favorite of all names, is Mom.

Boring topic for a blog entry, but a tidbit that maybe someone might have been interested in..

2010/12/11

Sweaters



Lots of knitting going on.  I made a guess about a baby who hadn't arrived yet... The family has 4 sons and another baby was on the way.  I knit a blue sweater just for him.  To the surprise of the family and most at church a beautiful baby girl came through instead!  Can you imagine the joy and excitement?  The little sweater I knit for her I forgot to take a picture of, so I'll have to ask for one later.  Above are the other little sweaters that were crafted in my spare time.  The one without the hood was an alteration to the pattern I've been using and I came up with it myself.  I was very pleased with the end result.

Right now I'm working on a little something for a certain ballerina for Christmas.  More on that after the celebration.

2010/12/09

14 Weeks Tomorrow

I'm still feeling green most days.  We heard the heartbeat again last Monday.  It was pounding around 165 and was music to my soul.  I still feel like there is pink growing in me.  Though of course, I could be wrong.  Judging by my face which continues to break out in teenage expressions... I could be right.

Baseball Season Really isn't Over

My sons have been collecting baseball cards for years.  To be quite honest, I don't understand collecting.  My mom never really collected anything, except good music, and growing up I took most of my cuing from her.  My dad collected coins, flies for fly-fishing, and I'm thinking that's all.  My husband on the other hand was also an avid collector and baseball cards was his forte.  So, like their pop, the boys have amassed a rather large collection of cards through the years.  

Recently, Colby and Benjamin decided to host a Baseball Card Show for their neighborhood friends and of course their family.  There was a small fee to get in and with your entrance fee there was a free pack of cards waiting for you.  There were even the most rare of cards... Autograph cards of Colby and Benjamin during their little league years.  Those were a hit!
Here they are getting set up.
Their buddies and sisters have shown up with allowances in hand... hopefully to make wise choices.
There was even a catering service hired.
Jackie Lynn Catering.
It was really fun for the kids and I'm glad they are so creative.   I really enjoyed all the little signs they hung up.  It was insisted that everyone wash his hands before even entering the card arena.  So smart!

2010/12/06

Cast on, Cast off..

I'm not talking about knitting either.  I took off the cast Saturday p.m.  Samuel was coming out of the bath when I realized that I hadn't wrapped his cast properly.  The baggie was filled with dingy water.  So, he's without it.  The swelling in his wrist is gone and he is using his arm with no trouble.  I guess the Dr. was right that it only needed a week to heal.  He was supposed to have worn it for 3 weeks total, half that time is going to have to suffice.

2010/12/01

Christmas Trees Again!

Somehow the Christmas Season has come again.  Each year it seems to arrive quicker and quicker.  We are ready though.  We love to feast and celebrate the birth of our Great Savior!
We headed to a new tree farm we had heard about at church.  We hiked a tall hill and spread out the tarp and wool blanket and had a picnic.

Silas is loving his pb&j.  Sweet times with such sweet, dear people.

Samuel was a bit disgruntled when he saw a ziploc bag loaded with chocolate chip cookies out of his reach.  The smug look returned to his face when his chubby mitts held one of their own.
I was content with hot cider.  Just like any other woman I know, I was cold and there's nothing like a hot drink to warm the bones.
After fellowshipping with some dear friends from church we decided it was time to hunt for the "perfect" tree.  We found it too.  Her name is, Peaches.  Something unique about the farm was that each tree had its own name.  Libby was so excited.  After Jake cut it down Libby kept saying, "Look mommy, I am kissing Peaches!"
Then it was time to go home.  I had to snap a picture of a sign in the little Christmas tree store.  Cute huh?