What Counts in Life

sweet cousins

2010-05-02T21:43:00.001-07:00

funny girl

2010-01-27T22:39:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU Hammy's for this sweet picture of our girl. Totally captures her personality!

The faces of CWH

2010-01-18T20:10:00.000-08:00

This sweet boy came with us to the zoo today. He had fun just watching the big kids run around...who needs animals?!

the princess dress

2010-01-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

she's got the look.

love those lashes

2010-01-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

New Sister!

2010-01-06T21:30:00.001-08:00

She arrived TODAY at 2:02 pm...after HOURS AND HOURS of labor for her momma. BUT, her momma is a CHAMP and my hero. Shinny, this new little one is so precious...what a gift God has given her in giving you to be her mother.
He is proud. I asked him, "JG, do you remmeber your sister's name?" He said, "Daddy knows her." in the next breath, "Mommy feels better now." He is so sweet. and seems so much bigger all of a sudden.
And this one? She still may be the only one with her momma's blue eyes. We shall see, but NM's eyes do seem dark!! :)

He's getting it!!

2010-01-05T19:04:00.001-08:00

After Supper Run

2010-01-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

They were racing around the house after supper tonight waiting for Daddy to "get them!" I love their faces...

time with the cousins...

2010-01-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

We'll be getting much more time with these sweet ones once their baby sister arrives!! She's almost here!!

Little Miss...

2010-01-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

Just helping with the vanilla, Mom.

"My belly button is orange, Mommy!!"

"Smile, sweet girl..." This is what I get now. Do you think she is sick of the camera or what?

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

2009-12-01T19:50:00.000-08:00

Our little buddy turned FOUR on Thanksgiving. It's so hard to believe...he's already acting like such a big boy, too. All day we were telling him "Happy Birthday!" and he didn't believe it until he blew out the candles on the cake. After he blew them out he looked at me and said, "Am I four NOW, Mom?!"
That is a train behind the candles (a Burlington Northern in case you were wondering.) His favorite because it is GREEN. This was a special request...including the circle green cake. He knew what he wanted.

We are so proud to have you as our son, dear boy. We love you!!

starting young

2009-11-11T09:22:00.000-08:00

I hide these stupid catalogs when they arrive. I like to look through them, but I think they do nothing but create covetous hearts in my children and, frankly, we don't need any help in that area. :) Anyway, the other day the two year old was very quiet (which is usually cause for alarm.) When I found her, this is what I discovered. I don't know where she found it, but she sure enjoyed it for about 30 minutes. Too cute!!!

The Celebration

2009-11-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

Our dear friends with their precious daughter...

we had to throw a HUGE party. God is so good...

finding the light

2009-11-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

i'm working on finding the sweet spots to get that light in the eyes...missed it a bit on the one of C-low, but maybe next time.

baby girl

2009-11-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

This little one is such a sweet, sweet thing--even when she doesn't feel well.

friends...

2009-11-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

The Race

2009-09-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

Our sweet G-Money is in Landsharks this fall! It's a running club designed just to get kids excited about running. Here he is approaching the finish line of his first race! It was 1/2 mile and he did great! We are so proud of you, buddy! (You Bakers...do you see the Schepers chin?! He does it all the time!!! Genetics are truly amazing.)

On a side note...we are not usually quite this bundled up mid-September here in CO. I did see snow today mixed in with the rain we got. I'm not ready for winter yet. I really hope we don't skip fall this year. Rumor with the weatherman is that it is going to be a beautiful weekend! We're going to see the aspens...

Labor Day 09

2009-09-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

He has looked forward to this day since we left the park last year. I couldn't quite get a shot of his excited face, but he was SO, SO happy.

Poor boy was really sick. Can you tell? We had a "summer virus" that made him MISERABLE. Lets just say it involved sores in the mouth--but not h, f and m...thankfully. (?!)

We met our cousins there!! Hooray for the bed head, JG!!!

She was just fascinated.

2009-09-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

It's the perfect conditions...sunrise, mountains, colors. I love Labor Day in Colorado Springs!!

TA-DA!!!

2009-09-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

I promise my floor is not crooked...I just can't take a picture straight. :)
Do you remember the BEFORE shots?

I'm very, very happy with the way they turned out. The vanity mirror isn't finished and neither is the stool, but they will get done soon. There isn't really space to get the mirror up, so we'll store it for a while. I think the bed looks great too, but I'm not ready to move her out of the crib yet. :) No rush there...

SO...if you have wooden furniture at home that you think you just need to "paint" to make it look better, DON'T be afraid of this! If I can do it, anyone can. :)

just about done...

2009-09-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

headboard
The final coat of this project was Tung Oil (Formby's Low Gloss is what I used--from Lowes). You can tell the difference in the second shot--the foot board on the left is only Minwax. The one on the right has about 5 or 6 coats of the tung oil--it is a wipe on varnish that leaves the furniture super shiny and very well protected. :) I finally got the shine I wanted! Its a little tricky to use...it streaks some, but I think I got it pretty streak free! :)

Next up...pictures of it in her room. Just have to move some stuff around. :)

Hooray!! It only took me a month or more...but, it's done!!

The new GREEN bike

2009-08-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

D-struction LOVES green. (note the shorts.) I think I've told you about this before, and it is still true. Since our little three year old has graduated from his little 12 inch bike to a larger size, we were hoping to find a bike that suited his color preference. The Lord provided one today. He spent the entire afternoon on that bike and loves it. There are several things to note in these pictures:
1. the joy on his face--it doesn't do it justice.
2. the speed with which he attacks the turn in shot 3
3. the scar on his nose in shot 2 (see #2 for speed reference)
4. his shoes are on the wrong feet. he knows it and likes it that way.

Kindergarten

2009-08-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

My boy started Kindergarten this week. I thought I would be fine. I really did. He went to this school last year for pre-k and loved it. I loved it. This was going to be "no big deal" and I would be fine.

I was not fine.

They were the kind of tears that came up really quickly without warning...the ones I wanted to stop, but couldn't. And so I let them run down my face as I walked back to the car with my other two in tow. They are coming back now as I think about it...

One more experienced mom said to me, "The days are long, but the years are short, aren't they?"

ARGH! I really tried to savor every moment of having him home. WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?! I'm really excited about school and this new phase of life. I LOVE THE SCHOOL he gets to be at. Everything is great--except I'm just mourning the passing of a phase. I guess it's just the beginning, huh?

When I went back to pick him up after the first day, his first words to me were, "I loved it, Mom. I had so much fun."
That does make it easier.

Newness...

2009-08-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

CWH born Aug 13...6 lb 9 oz

he's a stud, isn't he? :)

sweet girl

2009-08-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Got some shots this morning of my girl in this cute reversible outfit. I've loved borrowing it from my friend this summer and just HAD to get some shots of her in it. It's from that GREAT website Heirlooms to Be...

The work in progress...

2009-08-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

Just a little update on my project. :)
I'm doing what the antique store friends told me to do, and it's a little scary!

Step one: wash furniture with the finest steel wool out there (0000) and mineral spirits

Let dry and watch the wood turn white. (the scary part...but they warned me, so that's good.)

Step two: wipe down furniture with Minwax Mahogany stain using a soft cloth. Wipe over any streaks and let dry in the sun.

Now for the dresser...

Newest project...

2009-08-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

Just found these on Craig's List for C-low's room. I'm pretty excited about them--can you tell? I'm actually blogging. :) I have some work to do on the headboard/footboard of the twin beds, but I think it'll be worth it. The entire set came with a dresser, vanity (with mirror--also broken) and two twin sleigh beds. They are mahogany and from the 1930s--just what I would have wanted for her bedroom. I'll post some "after" shots once I get it all set up!

this is some of the worst of it--the previous owner's kids went to town on the finish with something. The scratches aren't deep--they just scraped the finish off. I talked to a man at the antique store today and he gave me some pointers on how to make it look better without doing a total refinish on it. We'll see how I do!

Headboard--on it's side--in much better shape than the foot board, but the reverse side does need some help. :(

Cousins at the beach...

2009-07-09T20:37:00.001-07:00

The Beach

2009-07-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

We are here for the week and my kids LOVE it. They are turning into sand fleas. :)

Uncle Reid's Farm

2009-07-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

This was a hands-on learning experience. Getting to feel an egg warm out of the chicken is a rare opportunity for sure. :) They loved it~

Swimming in SC

2009-07-03T19:03:00.000-07:00

After only 2 swimming lessons our boys are so much more confident in the water...that is a picture of DanielMan UNDER water! They learn so fast. We are practicing almost daily right now and they LOVE it. Thank you, Nana, for the lessons!!

Some of our favorite people...

2009-07-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Aunt Claudia! Glad we were able to spend it with you, finally!

Uncle Ray is such a special friend to us...he and G-Money are pen pals. He has been close to our famiy since I was a freshman in high school. We got to eat lunch with he and Aunt Dot and hope to see them again before we leave.

Mrs. Barbara gave G his first haircut, his daddy his first haircut and used to do his Nana's and Great-Grandmother's hair. She is such a sweet, sweet lady and we had such a great time going to her house. DanielMan nick-named her Mrs. Barbeque!

Mr. Don took the boys on the John Deere after we visited with Mrs. Barbara...can't explain how sweet it was to just watch HIS face. The boys had a blast, but I think he really had more fun. After his drive, DanielMan said, "Mom, I think this grass is great for TOES!" He took off his shoes and ran and ran and ran...

Aunt Louise is so dear to us. We've been able to spend some great time with her and look forward to more time with her before we leave.

Father's Day and Cousin time

2009-07-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

2009-07-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

More Cousin Time

2009-07-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

2 baby girls to add to the madness...#9 and #10 grandkids. Due to arrive late this month~

There is comedy in this shirt...poor kid can't even have milk.

These boys became fast friends--there was some tension in their relationship before, but they duked it out with the water shooters. The other day D asked if O was going to be at the pool and I said "yes." He then said, "OH GOOD! G-Money, you are going to LOVE him. He is a funny guy and he is my cousin." Pause. G-Money: "He's my cousin, too."

2009-07-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

Transportation Museum

2009-07-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

G-Money's favorite: The Big Boy--a Union Pacific Steam Engine

a snowblower train

DanielMan's favorite: The BN! Why? It's green, of course. :)

A morning in St. Louis...

2009-07-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Need I say more?? Some of his favorite trains were at this place and he got to see them up close. It was a great morning!

The drive...

2009-07-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

This man is my hero...he drove the ENTIRE way.

We are not above using the dvd player...as much as possible.

whoops...got my fingers in this shot, but these windmills are really amazing. pretty much the tallest thing in Kansas.

Uncle Dot & Aunt Ray

2009-07-01T20:17:00.000-07:00

We have lots of wonderful moments in SC yet to come, but just this one shot for Oma & Pops right now from a lunch date with Aunt Dot & Uncle Ray... These wonderful adopted grandparents of the Baker clan love our crazy kiddos so much too, and it is a joy to see them when we make it to Greenville. Here they are with 6 of the 8 cousins together last week.

We've arrived. Whew!

2009-06-14T19:56:00.001-07:00

Well...we made it. Thanks, Evelyn, for hacking in and posting those pics.

We pulled in SC after 3 long days on the road last night and spent the day today recovering. The kids did GREAT.

I was reminded of several things that I temporarily forgot in the planning of this cross-country trip...

1. DanielMan does not sleep in the car. He never has.

2. My kids are 5, 3, and 2. Did I REALLY think I would be able to "get something done" in the car??

3. What I did get done: successfully figured out how to climb from the front to the back of the minivan at 75mph in every single state we traveled through. Keep in mind that the car was LOADED down with every possible diversion for the kids (and me). It was a feat of acrobatics.

4. When C-low-line complains of an "owie" and points to her tummy...watch out b/c she is probably going to puke. A lot. Thankfully, that was day 3.

Seriously...we had fun. I'll post some pics of the transportation museum in STL at some point...we stopped there Friday morning and it was a perfect thing for the kids. They got to run and see some great trains.

We're glad to be here. I have forgotten how to take care of my hair in this humidity, but I'll probably figure it out by the time we leave. Maybe I'll wear it curly. :)

cross country

2009-06-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is E's sister... hacking into her account to let her beloved readers know where the fam is right now! Pray for their safe and SANE journey to SC!

The Bride and Groom

2009-05-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

sneaking a kiss from my boy...

The Ring Bearer...

2009-05-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

When you are in a wedding at age 3, anything goes...

Coming down the aisle...

checking out the rings...

jumping around a little...

picking...just a little...

and praying.

He did really well! Thanks to those of you who prayed for our little man. He woke up the morning of the wedding and said, "I'm not going to do this today. I already did it yesterday!"

2009-05-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

Thunderbirds

2009-05-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about living here is that we get to see the Thunderbirds each year for the AFA Graduation. We love to go to watch them "practice" the day before because its less crowded than actual graduation day. Here are a few shots of the planes from 2 days ago...wish the sky had been blue.

(Take THAT, Friend. :) ) ha ha ha...

Today...

2009-05-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

This was taken after church today. I just had to share...they are pretty cute. :)

And, have I mentionied that I LOVE MY CAMERA??? (Nikon D60)

During lunch, G-Money started screaming in "pain." He said there was something stuck between/behind his bottom teeth. So, we told him to go brush and that would probably get it out. :) He came back downstairs and said, "it's still there." So, I looked, and sure enough...it WAS still there. He has his first permanent tooth poking through! It's behind the baby teeth. I guess we'll be making a dental appt. this week. I have some vague memory of knowing someone with this issue, but i just can't remember if its a big deal or nothing to worry about. :) I'm taking the later approach until I hear differently from an expert. (You might be an expert on this...feel free to give me your advice. :) )

His faces just crack me up.

By the way...Caroline is offically potty trained. :) It's been about a month and we've had a few rough days, but I'm only putting diapers on her at nap/night. First time I haven't been changing diapers all day long since February 2004. WOW. :)

The Butterfly

2009-05-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

Sweet new baby...I couldn't resist.

After Chapel

2009-05-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Learning to walk...we hope!

2009-05-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

After the chapel today, the little kids decided to climb this rock..

And, they all stood happily together looking at the tree

And Miss Wild Child decides she's climbing up as well
(no, she can't walk yet.)

I did it, Aunt Boonie! Don't you doubt me!!

Google Eyes

2009-05-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is what we did on Mother's Day afternoon. I laughed till I cried.

School Program

2009-05-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

G-Money had his school program during chapel today!
"When I grow up..."
They were so cute. Don't worry, Nana and Oma...we have the whole thing on video for you to see. :)

"G-Money, Why do you want to be a train engineer when you grow up?"
"Because I want to drive trains!!!" (no doubt!)

Can you believe how tall this boy is?? He really is 5, I promise.

Serious face. I don't think he knew I was taking the picture. We love you so much, Mr. Train Engineer!!

Easter...just a little late.

2009-05-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

A few favorites...

2009-05-05T20:52:00.001-07:00

A photo shoot...

2009-05-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

Well, some of you know that I got my DREAM Christmas gift this year from my hubby and his parents (I LOVE IT) Just want to show you some of the shots I took this week for a friend. Her mom has a website full of great items that are high quality and will be something to hold on to for your grandchildren (thus the name of the site... :) ) Check her out here .

Here are HER cute grand kids in some of the clothing she offers:

Enjoying the snow...

2009-03-27T11:43:00.001-07:00

Spring Break 2009

2009-03-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

Well, if you are going to be out of school and NOT at the beach for Spring Break, then how about a little snow?? We were actually really glad to see the blizzard that arrived yesterday--any moisture is welcome right now!

Inside the tent...

some of my finest work, no doubt.

Sunday, Sunday

2009-03-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

2009-03-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

A tour of Station #13... Fire House with the kiddos.

2009-03-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

a little more action

2009-03-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

cousin mania 2009 has begun...

2009-03-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

these are just a few of the snapshots during our first morning together. for more action, check out tootie's tales, the fisher spot, or evelyn & floyd.

Bday Dinner at Chuck E Cheese

2009-02-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

Learning Skee-Ball with Uncle Todd

These shots were taken in one of those picture booths...I had to share them. Too cute!

2009-02-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

The day before G's bday, we asked him where he wanted to eat dinner. As he was thinking, D-struction piped up and said, "How about Chuck E Cheese?"
G-Money just beamed and said, "D, that is the best idea! You gave me the best idea! That's where I want to go eat!"

Now, unless you know the history behind our Chuck E Cheese experience, you really can't fully appreciate this story.
The first time we ever went was with Nana and Papa in SC. You can picture the mayhem that CEC is...well, all of a sudden, we hear a child SCREAMING at the top of his lungs. Guess who?
D was running across the restaurant at full speed, making a break for the exit, screaming
"I NO LIKE DAT MICKEY MOUSE!!"
This was when we discovered that he has a fear of people in costume.

We aren't quite sure why he suggested that we go again for G's birthday, but I think it has to do with the fact that he can drive a car while he's there. Apparently the morning of the birthday he started having second thoughts. He said, "Mommy, I don't think Chuck E Cheese is the BEST idea. Maybe we should just stay home." It was pretty cute.
Mercifully, Chuck E did not make an appearance that night.

Aunt Shinny and the cousins came to play!

The Flaming Finger ROCKS. I think if you hold your tongue a certain way it does work...;)

Birthday Boy

2009-02-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

We really can't believe G-Money is 5!

Since he is all about trains, he picked a train birthday cake...complete with a BNSF engine and a stacked cargo car. The coal car wouldn't normally be with a stacked cargo car, but on this cake it is allowed. (Anyone seen Extreme Trains? It has changed his life. Oh my...)

After preschool we headed over to the local "train museum". It's really a street car museum at the old Rock Island Roundhouse, but they have some trains there AND they have a whole boxcar full of Rock Island stuff. This feeds another obsession--the Rock Island Line. That line used to run just down the street from our house and when you throw in a Johnny Cash song about the Rock Island Line, then the picture is complete. He loves it.
He also walks just like his daddy...that picture is killing me! I just noticed how they both walk and talk with their hands in their pockets. I love it!

And, we got to play on the train cars that were at the roundhouse. Pretty cool...

To the Train Station

2009-01-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

Oma and Pops came last week and we had a great time with them. One afternoon we went down to see the trains and ate at the restaurant there. We all had a great time, but as you can tell from the pictures, one little boy was in HEAVEN. He is officially obsessed with trains "with no faces." Have you seen the History Channel's Extreme Trains? It's his new favorite show!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T16:53:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful, busy day yesterday at our house. We fell into bed last night and said to each other, "What a crazy way to celebrate the incarnation." Christmas is just so different with little people in the house! Nana and Papa were here and we had a blast with them. Here are a few shots from my NEW Christmas present!! :) Maybe now I'll be better about blogging...ha!

Thank you, Nana, for the cute Christmas pjs!!

Could be her new favorite...she spent quite a bit of time feeding her new baby yesterday!

These planes were quite the hit with all three of my boys. :)

Nutty Berry

2008-10-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

This is our friend "Nutty Berry." G-Money named him last summer when he started coming around. I know it seems stupid to blog about this creature...I mean, REALLY. I shouldn't even give him the attention he so craves.

We came home from the store one day and found a little hole nibbled out of G's pumpkin. Well, we caught him. He is UNASHAMED. Needless to say, the pumpkin is completely gone now and we have one fat squirrel hanging out in our tree. He's begs and "talks" to me when I come outside. It's hard to ignore him, but I'm afraid he'll invite himself in if I give him too much attention.

Seriously, the squirrels out here are a different breed.

Out of the mouths...

2008-10-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

G: "Mommy, do you know what a 'sophia' is?"
E: "Do you mean the girl's name, like mommy's jewelry?"
G: "No...a SPEARA."
E: "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are saying."
G: more emphatically: "A SPEARA"
E: completely confused: "No. I don't know what that is. What is a Speara?"
G: "A ball."
E: ?!? realization: "OH...a Sphere. Where did you learn about that?!"
G: "From school."

PreK isn't what it used to be, folks.

G: "Mommy, I think I'm going to pull for two teams. The Gamecocks AND Georgia."
E: "WHAT?! Why, sweetie?"
G: "Because I'm a George."

I guess that makes sense when you are four.

sharing

2008-10-02T20:30:00.001-07:00

"I think I'd like a bite of that, G."

"He left me!"

She knows how to work them, doesn't she?!

G-Money is in School!!

2008-10-02T18:41:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one week...i know you are impressed. :)

G-Money started PreK this fall. He was so excited to go and has grown up SO MUCH in the last few months. It's amazing, and I'm so proud of how well he is doing. Parent-teacher conferences are next week, so we'll see how things are really going, but so far, so good.

My Birthday!

2008-09-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my birthday on Friday and it was such a FUN day! I really wanted to go see the aspens, so we drove to Mueller State Park and went for a short hike. The kids loved being outside (aside from the bees) and we loved watching them run. We then drove down to Cripple Creek to see the steam engine (a HUGE hit!) and then home to have dinner at Red Robin. It was a kids dream...and mommy was happy too. It's funny how your perspective changes when you are a mom. It's so fun watching your kids just enjoy life.

June

2008-08-03T21:26:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday C-Love!

2008-08-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

We are so thankful for you, sweet girl!!!

May 31, 2008

More May...

2008-08-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

A little baseball action...

the head cheerleader!

Cousin Mania

2008-06-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a bit shell-shocked here. I had no idea how much work this would be.
People said, "You are nuts." I said, "Oh, it'll be fun!!" (Perpetual optimist.)
It is fun!
I am nuts!!

Here is the run-down of the week so far:
4 sisters
8 kids under the age of 4
7 in diapers
2 nursing
5 highchairs in my eating area
2 baby pools in the back yard
1 home project in the works...we decided to tear apart my kitchen and paint the cabinets while the sistas are in town. Yeah. (I have to say that Evelyn is the QUEEN Project Manager for this. She has done this before and knows exactly how to tell us what to do. We need a good boss since the house is not quiet until after 9 pm and that is when we start painting. We are so bleary-eyed, I'm not sure how it is going to look, but I'll post some pictures later.)

We are having a great time being together. Next time we are planning a sister week without children. :)

Big Boy cousins...
These two are sweet friends. They are 2 weeks apart. We've caught them holding hands and snuggling together. I think Sweet C is so glad to have another girl in the house. :)
The Queen. Good-bye yucky brown cabinets!!

Bedtime. I think you can see 5 heads in this shot.

I'll get pics of #7 and #8 in the next post.

2008-06-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

I feel pretty lame that I haven't blogged in so long. But...I'm moving on and I'm just going to do what I can these days. We've hit a new level with Baby C becoming mobile--she is crawling everywhere, climbing the stairs, and cruising. Gone are the days where she would sit contentedly and watch her brothers play! This girl's gotta move. She turned 1 on Saturday and I'm still in disbelief. Where did the year go?! We just had a small family party and ate pink cupcakes. Yum. :)

I'm trying to remember the last month...oh, yes.
Bryan went to the ER the end of March with a severe sore throat. (I know, it sounds lame, but the man couldn't swallow...it wasn't like our last ER visit the day G came home from the hospital. That's a whole different post.) While we were there, they ran several tests including a CT scan which revealed a large lump on his thyroid. Our family doc sent him on to a specialist who wanted to do a biopsy. We had the biopsy the end of April and the doctor called us THE NEXT DAY with the results. (Getting a call immediately after a biopsy is never a good sign...) SO. We went into the office and basically they couldn't tell from the biopsy if the tumor was cancer, so they wanted to take a closer look. (Open him up and get it out.) I called Tootie, the brilliant oncology nurse, who said, "Oh, Boone. If you're going to get cancer, thyroid cancer is the best kind to get!!" She almost sounded excited about it. :) ha!!! We really felt God's hand on us--both of us were really at peace. It was good.
Bryan had the surgery May 6 and they removed 1/2 of his thyroid. Tests came back: NO CANCER! Praise God. He is a little less lumpy these days. :)

Nana came to visit and help us during the week of the surgery. She was such a blessing!

I guess I've also been busy selling jewelry, and I've been recruited to teach G-Money's Sunday school class. BUT...I'm going to make this blog more of a priority this month.

Watch out--the sistas are coming. I'm going to have 6 kids (sometimes 8) under the age of 4 in this house. Hubby is leaving town--can you blame him?!

Pictures to come...

Who needs hair?

2008-04-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

She has just enough to hold the bow in. Just wanted to show you, Nanni-Pan. :)

Just as a follow-up: G-Money is doing TONS better. Grandma called when she heard that he had scarlet fever and was freaking out about it. When she had it 70 years ago she had to be hospitalized for 6 weeks! I'm so thankful for penicillin. The other two are showing NO symptoms yet...I'm checking their temps like a crazy woman, though. Bryan is home for a few days before he leaves for the Men's Retreat this weekend, and I think we might get to go on a date this week sometime. Ahhhhh...that'll be nice.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Momma Called the Doctor, And the Doctor Said

2008-04-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

This is a very sick boy.
See the flushed cheeks and the paleness around the mouth?
Combine that with a sore throat, high fever, and a RASH all over his trunk and you've got:

SCARLET FEVER is a disease caused by an exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Group A occurs rarely with impetigo or other streptococcal infections. It is characterized by sore throat, fever, a 'strawberry tongue', and a fine sandpaper rash over the upper body that may spread to cover almost the entire body. Scarlet fever is not rheumatic fever, but may progress into that condition. The rate of development of rheumatic fever in individuals with untreated streptococcal infection is estimated to be 3%. The rate of development is far lower in individuals who have received antibiotic treatment. (From Wikipedia)

So, basically it is just a strand of strep throat. BUT...you would not believe the fear that seized my heart when I heard my sweet pediatrician say in her oh-so-calm, soothing voice, "This looks like a classic case of SCARLET FEVER." I suddenly had flashes before my eyes from childhood books...you remember the ones, don't you? I had visions of all of us contracting this dreaded disease. (We still may...)

Thank you, Wikipedia for this walk down memory lane:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868) - Beth contracts scarlet fever, seems to recover, but progresses to rheumatic fever and ultimately succumbs to congestive heart failure.
By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder - Laura's sisters Mary, Carrie, and Grace and their mother contract scarlet fever, the family recovers, but Mary is left blind as a result.
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (1922) - The main protagonist, a small boy, contracts scarlet fever and his toys are all burned. Indeed, the velveteen rabbit itself, the boy's favorite toy, was going to be burned by a nurse, but at the book's climax, the toy rabbit comes alive and joins the "real" rabbits outside in the garden..

But, I don't want to bore you. :) Here are some things my boy said today:
9:30 AM: "Mommy, maybe we should pray and ask God to make me feel better."
I was convicted immediately. Why hadn't I already done this aloud with him?? So, we prayed and then we went outside to play. (Where the above picture was taken.)

After the drama of the afternoon when his fever spiked and he couldn't stop crying/screaming in pain, and then finally getting him into the doctor at 4:00, he says, "Mommy, I think I want to go to the doctor every day to make me feel better." It's amazing what an extra dose of Tylenol will do. He's convinced that just walking into that office healed him.

Coincidently (?!) we read the story about Jesus raising Jarius' daughter from the dead and his healing of the "very sick woman" (who had been bleeding for 12 years) tonight. It was a great time to talk about His power to heal. Isn't it cool how God did that? G-Money was listening so intently, and I think I cried through the whole story. I could relate so much more to Jarius after today.

Bryan was home for the most critical 3 hours of the day before he had to leave again for the Session retreat. What a blessing that I could go to the doctor with only the one, sick child and not all three of them.

My dear doctor wrote a prescription for all three children. This is highly contagious, so we may all get it. :) Fun, fun. I'm praying against that. Aloud. With my children. :)

When Daddy's Away...

2008-04-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

What a week!
Mom, Dad, and Bryan all left me on Monday.
Here is what has happened this week:

Hair appointment (baby Caroline came with me). Very relaxing for the Momma.

Playdate with friends in their newly-dirt-filled backyard. This was fun for all involved. The boys dug in the dirt, the Mommies chatted and the girls sat in the swings.

Weaned the big girl. (WHOO-HOO!!!!!) "Missy Prissy" finally took a bottle last week and began sleeping consistently through the night. (I could blog an entire post on her sleeping habits, but I'll spare you. If you want the dirt, Becky, call me. She has NOT been textbook like my first child.) D-struction has taken to calling her "Missy Prissy". It cracks me up every time I hear it.

Brutal virus strikes G-Money and he wakes up with puke in his bed.

Pukes again this morning. (but, D-struction claimed it as his own. In his words, "Mommy, I'm sick. I spilled." as he points to G's puke on the floor.)

G-Money runs a fever of 99-102 all day long WITH Tylenol and Motrin in his system every 3 hours.

It snowed about 5 inches last night. It is April 17 and we have snow on the ground. And, I'm excited about it because it is moisture for my flowers and for the grass!! Things will be greener tomorrow because of it! :) Hooray!!

Bryan comes home tomorrow for a few hours and then leaves again for the Session retreat.

But, you know what? I'm really doing ok. I know God is sustaining me and giving me what I need right now. I've had good times with friends and I know my husband is getting away and being refreshed with other godly men. Praise God for that!

Elloree Grace

2008-04-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

There is something so sweet about meeting a newborn. It struck me today when I met my new niece. I walked into the room and there was my dear sister holding this precious little girl and I was just reminded of how amazing life is. God creates these little people and then gives them to us to cherish and grow and teach and love...I got to meet someone for the first time today who is going to be one of the most important people in my sister's life! Her daughter! We don't even know her yet and she is precious to us. We love you, Elloree. We are thankful God gave you to us, sweet girl.

Baby Girl!!

2008-04-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

Elloree Grace Flippin
April 1, 2008
2:24 am
7 lb 9 oz
20 in.

Congrats Aunt Shinny and Uncle Todd!!!!

(pictures to come after I visit today...)

Our visit with Nana and Papa

2008-03-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Before Nana and Papa came we made a list of things to do with them during their trip. I've posted them for you to enjoy--we accomplished them all! The kids LOVED having them here (and we did too!) It was such a treat. WE MISS YOU!!!

1. Visit Air Force Academy

2008-03-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

The boys went to the AFA one afternoon while the girls went shopping!

2. Launch Rockets

2008-03-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well, thank you Dr. Todd for the rockets for Christmas. We have been dying to shoot them off and decided that we should do it with Nana and Papa. So...off we went to Henry Park on a beautiful day only to find that the park was still covered in snow. We were not deterred.

This was taken after the first launch. He was THRILLED. The picture doesn't do it justice. The second launch sent that rocket all the way to the fence you see in the back. It broke into pieces, but G was still a very happy boy. Once the repairs have been made, I'm sure we'll be out there again.

3. Hang out at Home

2008-03-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

We spent a lot of our time just hanging out at home. Really, we were all just content to BE with Nana and Papa. The kids don't need much, really. The boys had a great time in the snow.

Baby C discovered Dixie...who just loves to be touched by anyone. She is such the mama dog.

Nana and I discovered a RUG on our shopping excursions. You go out looking for curtains and you find an oriental rug--go figure. We brought it home for about 3 hours and then took it back because it was going to BREAK THE BANK. But I love it. I really love it. I just sit and look at the pictures. (It's a lot less stressful way to enjoy an oriental rug with 3 children under 4, really.)

And, we dyed Easter eggs. D-Struction got his hands on almost all of them, and I think only 2 have survived the massacre.

4. Airplane Restaurant

2008-03-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

When you live in a military town, there are all kinds of fun things to do...like eat inside an airplane. This might not have been the place WE would have chosen to eat, but you can't beat the entertainment value for the little guys. They actually "flew" the plane for us, stopping for gas every once in a while. I think they took us to Kansas as well as to South Carolina.

SOLO's...What a hit!

Today

2008-03-10T19:22:00.001-07:00

There were three on the bed

and the little one said, "I'm crowded, move over..."

so they all moved over and---I'm actually impressed she even got one of them all sitting still. They never stopped moving!Today we went to our friend's house so she could grab a shot of Sweet C for my wall. I have pictures of the boys at 7 mo and 9 mo taken outside by my other dear friend (who left me.) (But, she was called by God to where she is, so I can handle it.) SO...today, Emily got one of my girl to go on the wall. Thank you, Nana, for the dress. It's perfect. Thank you, Emily, for the pictures. They are perfect. All of you here in CO...you need to use this girl for your children's pictures. Those studios just can't catch them like this. Don't you just want to eat her up??

9 months already. It sure has flown by!

It's a shame I haven't blogged all month. Sorry to all you regulars. (??) lol. Let's see...here's a re-cap of February for you:

Sold 4-Runner
Bought a '93 Subaru Legacy. It's a great get-around town car that is PAID FOR and gets good gas mileage and is good in the snow and did I mention it is PAID FOR???
Traveled to NJ to see Grandma and Grandpa with Sweet C. I had a great time with Grandma and got to visit Grandpa in the nursing home. (We didn't think he would make it.) Bryan stayed here with the boys and held down the fort.
While I was gone, the "new" car broke down leaving Bryan and boys stranded. Uncle Todd came to the rescue.
Car was taken to the shop, repaired, and is still PAID FOR. (I'm being optimistic, here. We think it's problems are solved.)
Grandpa RALLIED and is doing better!!!
Baby C has mastered crawling and is working on pulling to standing. Her favorite place to practice this is the bottom step.
Baby C cut her first tooth, and then the second as well.
D-struction got CROUP.
D-Struction got an ear infection the same week as the croup.
G-Money has a cough that hurts me.
We all have it now. (Except C)
Bryan and I went on a Young Couples Retreat in the beautiful Wet Mountains. We left the boys with our dear friend, Janet. Baby Girl came with us and was sick the entire weekend. I love baby puke. They just have NO CONTROL over it. sigh.
Nana and Papa arrive TOMORROW!!!! We have been counting down the days for about 2 weeks now. The kids are SO excited, and so are we. Maybe I'll blog while they are here. Maybe. :)

I'm just jumping on the bandwagon...

2008-02-10T21:53:00.000-08:00

Don't send a lame eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Thanks, Becky & Steph. I just can't quit laughing.

8 Months Old

2008-02-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

She started scooting across the carpet today!

NINE Chicken Pot Pies! (??) Wait a second...

2008-02-08T12:49:00.000-08:00

Shin came over last week for some marathon cooking. On Wednesday we went to SAMS and bought 10 rotisserie chickens. That's right. TEN. After lunch, we pulled all the meat off the bones (while babies were sleeping.) It took us about an hour and a half. Not too bad.

We took 24 cups of that chicken and froze it in bags (4 cups per bag.) Each of us now has 3 bags of frozen, cooked chicken ready for soup or chicken salad or casseroles or whatever.

With the remainder of the chicken (I have no idea how much it was...) we made chicken pot pies! I got this great book last fall called, Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer! and I've LOVED it. I use the cookbook all the time--the recipes are so good and everything has been tested over and over for freezing. So, the idea is you cook one day a week and whatever it is you are making, you should at least double it so you can freeze an additional meal for later. Now, for those of you who knew me in my previous life (before children), you probably remember I did that Once A Month cooking thing. Not anymore. This is way more efficient for my lifestyle.

So, we followed the Chicken Pot Pie recipe to a tee. We actually made it X9 so that I would have 4 pies, she would have 4 pies and we'd have one to give away. We knew something was terribly wrong when we had to bust out the COOLER to hold the chicken pot pie filling--we had so much I didn't have a pot big enough!! When we looked more carefully at the recipe, we noticed a key phrase...

"Each recipe makes enough for two pies."

HA. We just started laughing and bagging our 18 chicken pot pies. I guess we won't need to make this recipe any time soon. :)

Pie, anyone??

Happy Birthday, G Money!

2008-02-06T06:32:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have a day that you just don't want to end? I realized last night as I was washing dishes that yesterday was one of those days. My boy turned FOUR. I used to think that sounded so old, but he still just seems like my little man. He is so proud of being four, though. The day before his birthday he kept saying, "I just can't believe I'm going to be FOUR tomorrow!" I love that serious side of him.

So, back to the dishes. I was cleaning up from the aftermath of the party and listening to G-Money and his Daddy building a model airplane (thanks, Shinny!) and just thought, I don't want to put him to bed yet. I don't want this day to end. It was such a fun day and he was so happy all day long. I didn't realize until Pops called to chat just how exhausted he was. He could hardly carry on a conversation and just kept drifting off into Garrison land. So...he and D-struction went off to bed. It was a big day for both of them.

My sweet friend gave ME a present for G's birthday. I think she likes to make me cry. I can't believe she has that many pictures of my boy. Crazy. You should check it out. It's a precious, precious gift for me. (G liked it, too.)

I'll try to post some pictures of the ROCKET SHIP BIRTHDAY PARTY!! Aunt Shinny has more on her camera, so you may have to wait on some of them. Here's one of the four friends eating their pizza together.

Don't be fooled by the picture. These kids all brought their younger siblings, so we had about 11 kids there. After pizza we ate rocket-ship cake and then played a rousing game of "Rocket, Rocket, BLAST OFF!" (which is duck, duck, goose...modified. :) everyone had to BLAST OFF at the same time, so that was fun.)

G opening his present from Daniel and Caroline.

They just grow way too fast. Everyone tells me that. I feel like I'm watching it happen right before my eyes.

G and I had a conversation a few weeks ago that went like this:
"I think I'm going to put a brick on your head."
"What? Why, Mommy?"
"Because I want you to stop growing and stay just the way you are."
"No, Mommy. You can't do that. I want to grow up to be a man just like Daddy."

I really want that, too, G. Grow up to be just like your Daddy. He's a great man.
We LOVE you, G. Happy Birthday!!

Wanna Laugh?

2008-01-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

Go here and vote. :)
Nothing funnier than babies in speedos.

Just thought I'd share

2008-01-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

Things I'm looking forward to this week:

1. Church tomorrow. (I'm not just saying that. I'm really looking forward to it.)
2. Sunday night television. A quiet night with my husband and Jane Austen. And lots of popcorn.
3. Monday's child swap. A friend of mine in town (who also has 3 under 3) and I watch each other's children each Monday so we can have time to grocery shop ALONE. It's a sweet deal all around. We're having some fun friends over for dinner Monday night, too. That'll be fun. Wonder what to cook...?
4. MOPS on Tuesday. Lunch with a friend afterwards.
5. We have our staff wives lunch on Wednesday. I like that time. It's very refreshing for me. Also...Wednesday night supper at church--I don't have to cook.
6. Thursday morning Bible Study. Emily and I actually said we would memorize Colossians. Anyone else up for the challenge? So far, I've got 1:1-2 down. :)
7. Friday is Hubby's day off. Always nice to have him home. I get my hair cut. Ummmmm...that's relaxing.
8. lia sophia show on Saturday. I love my new job. I always said I'd "NEVER be one of those direct sales people." Now I am. And I unashamedly LOVE it. It's a great outlet for me.
9. Listening to D-Struction sing "jingle bells" and "Joy to the world" before bed. (this happens nightly.)
10. Listening to G Money sing "Rudolph" AND hearing D-Struction chime in from the bottom bunk.
11. Snuggling this baby. She's growing up too fast.

(Yes, she is sitting in a laundry basket. It is full of her toys and she is protected on all sides from her brothers and the exuberant "mama" dog. She is so happy. She sits in her basket most of her awake time happily chewing on her things.)

It's going to be a good week. God is good to give me so many things to look forward to.

D-Struction's Birthday

2008-01-10T21:45:00.000-08:00

My boy's "Dump Trunk" cake. He didn't eat too much of it...

G Money wanted to take a bite right out of it. I think he did.

Still not feeling so well. He puked the cake up in his bed later that evening. But don't worry, he didn't let go of those balloons. :)

2008-01-10T21:37:00.000-08:00

So, what do you do with those boxes that Christmas gifts come in? We made cars...complete with doors and windows. It was a beautiful afternoon for momma. Next year, y'all can just send us empty boxes. ;) They are so FUN.

We've had this snow in our backyard for weeks. It's been too cold to go out, so when we had a semi-warm day earlier this month, we went out to dig. D-Struction loves his hat so much he sleeps in it sometimes. By the way, he is now sleeping in the bottom bunk--he loves his "big boy bed."

This retro hat belonged to his Daddy once upon a time...he loves it!

Christmas Morning

2007-12-27T14:31:00.000-08:00

Look at these kiddos! They are wearing the same Christmas pjs as last year! I'm so glad we got to use them again.

This little monkey was with us for Christmas Eve. He loves being at our house with his cousins. (Shin's little boy for those of you who haven't seen him in a while...)

Nana found a pair of Christmas Jammies for Miss Priss as well--complete with the headband that we both "love." This one's for you, Nana.

And, guess who decided to perfect sitting up on Christmas Day?? What a great gift for mommy, Caroline. Thank you! :)

Some of my favorites...

2007-12-27T14:26:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd post some of my favorite Christmas decorations. I don't really think any of you care, I'm really just posting them so I can look back and remember. You know, for posterity's sake (or whatever...)

I found the "red church" at a garage sale last spring for $3!! It is one of my favorite Dicken's Village pieces and I was so glad to get it at such a steal. I'm sure the person who put it at the MOPS garage sale had no idea what it was really worth. Bummer for them.

Mary was pregnant at our house until Christmas morning. :) Shout out to Oma for that idea...great visual lesson for G Money.

Speaking of Oma, these are the stockings she made for the kids last year. I love them. I also love our downstairs room this time of year. the lighted garland against that red wall is so festive. You'd think I planned that.

Just Catching up from the last 2 months...

2007-12-02T21:24:00.000-08:00

He was in heaven--he loved the open space and the chance to run free and get dirty. He liked the ocean until he fell over in it. A little healthy fear is good for this one.

Speaking of healthy...did I tell you she hit 18 lbs. at 4 months? She has leveled off and is getting taller now. I love this swim suit on her. It shows off her dimples.

I just liked this one.

And this one...

I'm about to post a bunch of oldies that I never got around to...I think I slipped into some sort of time warp.

Baker Laker

2007-12-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

We girls gotta stick together with all these boy cousins around. They loved the Bumbo seats...they had a great view of the madness.

Three of the five boys...not sure where JG is. And RED?? Probably eating...right, Danni??

Sister time. We spent some SERIOUS time in the kitchen. We cooked dinner each night for 17--is that right?? Someone out there help me...I lost count. Not sure where Shinny is. And Danni?? Probably feeding...

Here they are!!! This one's for you OMA!! Love the Santa hats. We seriously had to line up the high chairs and throw food at them. It was amazing how quickly they consumed it and how quickly we mastered feeding the masses. I guess the bottom three don't count, except in hours of nursing required. Someone else can tally that. It makes me tired thinking about it. :)