Sweet July Girls

Our two youngest girls share a birthday month.  Eliana Hope and Sarah Elizabeth turned 5 and 7 and made this Mama very happy at getting to raise them, but kinda sad at their leaving baby and toddler-hood.  It is a strange place to be, watching our older kiddos start to leave the nest, and not be adding to the baby population anymore...A new season for me, that's for sure!

Hannah and Emma had fun decorating the table for the girls party.  We invited friends from church over, and between our two families, there were just twenty-one people.  That's kind of our life. Two or three families and the house is full!

Being July, we went for a bright, summer theme.  You know, bouncy balls, pinwheels, bubbles, and glow-sticks for dark.  You been reading the weather reports lately?  Yeah, the flash floods are HERE. But as my kiddos always say, 'It's okay.  We're good at Plan B'. And we were.

Just about adorable.  Sarah was old enough this year to get her own Bible for her gift.  It really is a good one, and she's mighty proud.
Next up...Danny turns 20!

Hippie Independence Day!

I love the Fourth of July.  I love reading about our nation's beginnings and our Founding Fathers.  I love the flag and the fireworks.  And this year, I loved the band that performed at our church party.  The hosts of the party have never really left the '70's, and so came this year's worship band, "Apollo 13".  Lots of fun.  I wonder if George Washington would approve...

Sammy is on drums, Kenny on keyboard, and Joey in electric guitar. I think they ran out of '70's costumes, because, um, I don't remember rainbow wigs being the style back then.

Our Host and friend, Mr. Lusk

Our Realtor and friend, Mr. Hirsch

Joey always wanted a clown wig...

Happy Independence Day!

The Birthday Princess

Eliana Hope had her 5th birthday last week.  When we were expecting her back in 2009, it was kind of a tough season for us. Lots of hard changes at church, at Kenny's work, and at home. I just remember feeling alone and overwhelmed for a while.  As we anticipated the birth of our 8th child, we looked at names.  And we chose Eliana because it was so feminine, and because of what it means.  "God hears us and answers". Through our easy seasons and our tough ones, He is attentive to his people. Just like a father with his children. And isn't that just so comforting? 

For Ellie's birthday, we had homemade pizza and garden salad and lots of PINK cupcakes.  And she got the "prettiest" cupcake of all.  And that was the best part, so we hear.

It's time??!!

All GIRL

The Party Train!  Complete with adorable birthday girl, fun older sister, and potty-training little brother, still in his undies. If he only knew...

How a Super Hero Sleeps

Twenty One Years

June 20th was our twenty-first wedding anniversary.  

Twenty-one years of growing up together.  

Twenty-one years of 'How can I help you?' and 'I'm frustrated' and 'I'm sorry' and 'I'm glad I married you'.

Twenty one years of morning sickness and late-night babies. Potty training and weed-pulling. School planning and book-reading. Meals around the table and quiet dinners out. 

Twenty-one years of walking forward, new ideas, fresh seasons.

Twenty-one years of asking questions, praying for direction, discerning what looked like the good path.

Twenty-one years of fatigue and struggle, rest and triumph.

Twenty-one years of building friendships with some really great people.

Twenty-one years of a house full of noise and full of life.

On our anniversary I was praying for a good idea.  I was worn-out completely and could only think of dinner.  And my husband was the same.  Late in the morning, some friends from church called and offered free tickets to the Denver Botanic Gardens.  They were also going to celebrate 21 years, but as my friend Janell said on the phone, 'We do not necessarily want to spend the evening with you two!'.  Agreed!

Kenny and I tried a new Italian restaurant, which was very yummy.  The Gardens were wonderful, and were like therapy to this Mama's soul.  And we wrapped up the evening at a quaint little ice cream shop.  With our friends.  They decided to share some of their anniversary with us after all!

Ahhhh...and Sigh.....Who but the Lord could make such beauty?

Isn't life sometimes like this cactus?  All dry and prickly, but then comes something beautiful?

As the sun started to set, these beautiful glass sculptures started to light up all around.  It was so lovely.

A Driver's Permit and a Call for Calgon....

My head is spinning.  And if I never have to drive another child somewhere, it'll be too soon.

There.  That's my little morning rant.  

This week has been nuts.  Last weekend was the big state homeschooling conference, which was wonderful, as always (as close to Heaven as I can get!).  Then we jumped right into this week. My husband just looks at me and says, "You know, you could have said 'no' more this week.  You keep saying 'yes', and that's why it's crazy'".  Well, yes, dear, I suppose you are right. (He always is)  But it's too late now.

Monday I loaded up 9 of the kiddos, drove to 'town', dropped 4 off at our favorite vacation Bible school, ran into the bank, took Joey to work, ran into 2 grocery stores, and went and spent some time with Miss Joan at the nursing home until I had to pick up my guys from VBS.  Spent 20 minutes trying to find them in the church, check them out, and walk ever-so-slowly out to the car, tripping over them and listening to their chatter about the morning.

We then drove 40 minutes up to the DMV to see about getting Sammy's permit.

We walked into the very crowded room, took our number, and sat down.  Some on chairs, some on the floor.  Yes, it was that crowded.  Apparently, summer Mondays are their busiest days.  Uh Huh.

After an hour and a half (no, that is not a typo) of trying to keep the little ones quiet and happy, Sammy got to take his test. But only after Michael tripped hard and fell hard (think, 'bald head hitting cement floor') and cried hard.  And yes, the entire room full of people turned and stared. And little Mikey ended up with a pretty nice goose-egg.

One more hour (seriously) and we got to leave.  Sammy did get his permit!  But two and a half hours of the above-mentioned, and you can imagine that some of us were winding down pretty fast.

Sammy had met his friend JB at the DMV, and after they each passed, they went out to lunch to celebrate.

I took the younger ones to ice cream, because they were so very good at the DMV.  And I paid 19 whole dollars for seven little soft serve cones.  Cones that are only 88c from the same store in another city.  But they're not 88c in this city.  So, as my kiddos sat happily slurping up their treats, and I waited to pay, I noticed that price of these cones on the menu.  And I asked the girl serving us about it.  No 88c cones?  Castle Rock has 88c cones.  Try as I might, I lost that fight. And even though I was very nice to her because really, it wasn't her fault, I leaned forward as she gave me the total, and said, "OUCH".  With a smile, of course.

HOORAY!  Our third driver!

Hot, tired baby with a goose-egg.  The ice cream almost didn't cheer him up.

After ice cream, we picked up Sam, ran to another store, went home and made a salad for a birthday dinner at our Pastor's home.  Got home that night at 10 and dropped.

The rest of the week has been spent in the car.  Taking boys to work so I can have the car.  Picking up boys from work.  Practicing driving with Sam.  Driving to VBS. Picking up from VBS. Meeting a friend for coffee. And a thousand trips to different stores to get food and paper plates and balloons and such for possibly over 100 people.  No I am not kidding.  Joey is having a few friends over Sunday for his graduation reception.  HaHa. And when your son is moving out of state, well, you might just accidentally invite your whole state to see him off.

So today, before I go pick up Sammy and Tommy from work, I will be scrubbing my kitchen and painting my bathroom and laying mulch and baking dozens of cookies.

But guess what?  Today as also our 21st wedding anniversary.  So I get to go out and relax with my hubby for dinner.  And we are NOT going to talk about the kids!

A Little Break

I started the middle kids on a geography unit study, almost two years ago.  it was only supposed to take one school year.  But, enter an unexpected move and renovation, and you turn one year into two.

And despite all the setbacks and the new busyness with three boys working at three different jobs, I was bound and determined to finish the study.  Even if it meant cutting out some literature and pushing fast-forward.

Last week we finished!!

I put together a three-page test for the kiddos, and  had more fun watching them think quietly (ahh and sigh...thinking quietly is a wonderful thing in our home!), than I did doling out the prizes.

Junk Food from Mexico, Sweden, Japan, China, and the U.S.!