Happy Halloween!

suzy homemaker

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell

Balloons

Mommy Math

My 6 kids + 1 cousin - 3 to school + 2 Vanderkids = 6 kids!

Now, let's sort them!

Behold, the symmetry!

2 babies

2 two-year-olds

2 four-year-olds

Now, if they would only stay organized like that....  

home

We are back in Indiana now, after a week in Michigan.

It was so nice to be home.  

Home away, it still feels like home.

But it is nice to be home again now too.

It's funny how when I was at home, I missed some things about home.

And even though home still feels like home, it feels like coming home to come back home.

I guess it goes to show that home is where your heart is...

and also, where it wishes it could be.

More Mommy Time

More Mommy time, this time at the mall! 

 

Yes, Marcus wore the raccoon hat to the mall.  His idea, but I thought it was a great one.

I love this picture.

IHOP for dinner!

baby blob

Yesterday we went for a walk and played at two parks.  Well, Marcus and Eldon played. 

Peter stared and drooled.

After going back and forth all weekend about wheter to take him to urgent care or not, I finally took him last night.  We left at about 7:15pm.  We got home 11:15.

Almost the entire time, we waited just like this:

Poor little bugger.

I am glad we went though.  He does have a double ear infection.  Antibiotics give me hope that we will sleep well again someday!

Last night when we did sleep I dreamed I was waiting in line! Like at Disney World, I kept thinking I was at the end of the line, and then we moved into another room with another line and another hour wait, and on and on, all night long!

Mommy Time in Michigan

My three little pigs boys are getting plenty of Mommy time here in Michigan!

Peter is taking his mostly at night. 

Teething?  Ear infection?  Whew.

As for the other two,

they are full of sugar and trouble-making!

Marky Crockett!

We have been having plenty of adventures, to put it mildly.

We have at least one wrestling match per day, plus walks and parks visited.

Nana's floor has been covered with fire trucks and dinos, and cleaned, and covered again a hundred times.

This morning, Nana was gone to work and we were up at 530am.

(That was sleeping in- it was 330 the day before.  Thank you Petie!)

 By 7:30am it was obvious that SOMEBODY was going to kill SOMEBODY

 if we did not GET OUT of the house.

So we went to Meijers.

Nobody killed anyone, but one did spurt blood from his again-split lip in the shoe aisle.

So glad I remembered the wipes.

And so glad they nap!

Walking with grandma

 

I like to walk with grandma,

Her steps are short like mine.

She doesn't say "Now hurry up",

She always takes her time.

I like to walk with grandma,

Her eyes see things like mine do -

Wee pebbles bright, a funny cloud,

Half hidden drops of dew.

Most people have to hurry,

They don't stop and see

I'm glad that God made Grandma.

Unrushed, and young like me.

~Poem by Thena Smith~

What's so funny?

Q: What's so funny?
A: Everything!

Watch this if you need a laugh!





My favorite funny parts: Marcus's crazy exersaucer dance!  Aggie's wild hair when she was little (it was worse!)  Seth's baby steps! Seth and Aggie rain dancing!  Josh's wild hair!  Wait, no, everybody's wild hair in the older clips!

Alright, they're all my favorites! :)

off guard!

I've said it of the boys so many times...

"WOW, what are they thinking?  The girls would NEVER think to do that!"

Well, today, it was the little girl that caught me off guard!

The boys have never thought to do THIS:

One of those moments... 

Oh no, that was not a good idea!  Just wait right there while I get my camera...

Below: that's foundation on her face.  

With plenty of powder on top.

It is also on her hands, arms, legs, and feet!

Oh, girly- girl!

Goodnight room!

A favorite book, by Margaret Wise Brown

Modified for Lorraine and Aggie

In the pretty pink room

there was a canopy

And a green balloon

And a sculpture of--

An angel sitting on the moon

and a blanket with bears, and two little chairs

and a pile of hair pretties, many buddies, and kitties

and some dinosaur toys, left by the boys

and a box of craft stuff, with stickers and fluff

and a comb and a brush and sister saying "shush"

and a mom in the hallway who was whispering, "hush"

Goodnight room

goodnight moon

goodnight angel sitting on the moon

goodnight light and the green balloon

goodnight bears goodnight chairs

goodnight pretties, goodnight kitties

goodnight toys, goodnight boys

goodnight craft stuff, and goodnight fluff

goodnight comb and goodnight brush

goodnight nobody goodnight mush

and goodnight to the queen mommy whispering "hush"

goodnight stars, goodnight air

goodnight noises everywhere.

there's a reason

There's a reason that is has been a loooong time since we have had a professional picture done.

I think it is best to wait until they are older.  

Sigh.

2 good ones, 2 no faces, one butt.

 One yeller, one kisser, one bored.

\

 Three are at least trying... not sure what the others are doing.

Does Eldon see an airplane?  

And why does Marcus look so evil? 

(Don't answer that)

And where is Peter going?

Alright, you all get an A for effort.  I give up.

worker men!

Today is painting day!

Daddy is painting the hallway...

looks like he has plenty of helpers!

 Play boys, quickly, before the paint is out!

I think I will help too..

by keeping the "helpers" elsewhere!

Happy Birthday Bump!

Happy Birthday Bump!
We love you!!!

Havin' a ball!

new best friends!

Marcus has 2 new best friends:

His angry bird!

("He's angry, but he's only angry at the pigs, not at me.")

His dragon.

(not something I would choose for a nap-buddy, but then again, 

my brain does not work like his!)

Who's looking forward to Halloween?

I think it is more of a big kid holiday!

last year

My favorite picture from Touch A Truck last year!

Hope it's just as fun this year!

On more cup of coffee, and then we're off!

Happy 4th birthday Marcus!

Marky Malarky,

We've made it to another milestone, son!

 You, with the constant drive to break stuff (including your own head), and me, with the constant responsibility to try to stop you-- we've made it four whole years!

The other day I took you and your brothers to Mill Race for a walk/bike ride.  As you and Seth started down an enormous hill, I yelled, "Boys, be careful!"  You looked back at me with a huge smile and shouted, "I never be careful!"  Then you careened down the hill, laughing all the way, completely missed the turn, and rolled your bike into the grass.  Judging by your huge smile, that crash was your favorite part of the day!

You like to be seen as a manly man.  "Popeye" was your nickname for a few months, and you even ate fresh spinach out of the garden for the sake of your big muscles.   Your love Spiderman and Superman, and you tell me you want to be a Rescue Hero when you grow up.  For now, though, you are living in your favorite movie, How to Train Your Dragon.  In fact, that has become your new nickname-- not dragon, but the whole title-- How to Train Your Dragon.  It is quite a mouthful!  I think you will have to accept a shorter name to write on your papers when you go to Kindergarten!

Just to harass you like you harass me, I sometimes pretend I forget your nickname.  Instead, I call you "My sweet little dragon baby," or "Little Marcy dragy-poo."  You are still insist not only that you are not a baby now, but that you never even were a baby!  Just a little baby-talk from your "Mommy" makes you bonkers!   It makes me glad that you do not know about the Incredible Hulk!

You like to jump on my back to start wrestling matches.  Today I had to teach you some safety rules about that.  I said, "It's not ok to jump on my back when I am holding a baby in one hand and a camera in the other," and, "just because I am on my knees doesn't mean it is wrestle time!" and of course, "Marcus! Look before you jump!"

The Mohawk is the perfect hairstyle for you, son.  Of all the kids, I think you are the one that moves me to laughter, fear, and prayer the most!

Happy fourth birthday, How to Train Your Dragon!

We love you!

Mommy

who says grammar can't be fun?

self soothing

Oktoberfest parade!

While the rest of us were napping,

the big kids went to the parade with Aunt Mary Anne!

featured blog-follower!

To Lorraine's BFF,

Kathryn

Thanks for keeping in touch!

We have had so many fun times together!

Hope to catch up with you by phone soon! :)