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some days take chemicals!

Well, most days take chemicals.  So many people have a coffee in the morning to get going.  Coffee gives me a headache.  I love decaf coffee but we don't usually make that in the morning.  So, I get my chemicals from soda!  I really love a Coke with breakfast.  If I don't get it for breakfast then I like one after John goes down for a morning nap and Luke and Claire play outside.  I'm not sure if it is really the caffeine or just what feels like a "treat".  In the winter I love the fake, powder cappacino (sp) stuff.  Either way, my days go a little better when I've had my drink.  Maybe it is just mind games but, I do LOVE the taste so I will keep it up!!!

Thankful for my husband who went a got me a Coke at lunch since we had none!!

out for ice cream with dad

Seth is always trying to do something with the kids by themselves.  On Thursday he took Claire out for ice cream at a local ice cream place.  She got yellow, lemon, ice cream.  Seems to be enjoying it too!

Thankful for a wonderful husband who loves his children and seeks to invest in each one!

got that look again

We were out to dinner with my parents and brother and sister-in-law (Tara) tonight.  My bro has 3 kids with another due in about 6 weeks or less.  So my parents were talking to someone in another booth about all their grandkids.  (i think the person asked if this was all.)  My dad said "nope, we have 8 with 2 more on the way."  My parents LOVE their grandkids and are totally supportive in our decision and my bro's to let the Lord bless us how He sees fit.

Anyway, dad says that we, pointing to Tara and me, are both expecting.  Well, we got "the look".  You know, the "are you crazy" look or you could call it "you have enough and I will look down on you" look.  Tara looked at me and said "I hate that look".  I agree.  People think we are nuts to want kids.  Our kids were totally behaving and eating their dinners and not crying or throwing things or yelling or anything.  I don't get it, yet I do.  Children are not seen as a blessing.  Maybe a necessity to have 1 or 2 or something, but definitely not more on purpose. 

The Bible calls children a blessing and arrows to fight with (Psalm 127).  We are fighting a war (Eph 6).  I want to train arrows to fight for THE King who sits on HIS throne.  We pray the Lord continues to bless us with children.  If he chooses not to we will still praise Him!

a quote from "Anne of Avonlea" (just finished it)

This quote (at the end) reminds me of Seth and me.  We were young when we started dating (I had just turned 16 and he was still 15).  We have more time as a couple than not!  (at this point - 17 years of dating to 16 years before!)

"What are you thinking of , Anne?" asked Gilbert, coming down the walk....

"Of Miss Lavendar and Mr. Irving," answered Anne dreamily.  "Isn't it beautiful to think how everything has turned out....how they have together again after all the years of separation and misunderstanding?"

"Yes, it's beautiful," said Gilbert, looking steadily down into Anne's uplifted face, "but wouldn't it have been more beautiful still, Anne, if there had been no separation or misunderstaning...if they had come hand in hand all the way through life, with no memories behind them but those which belonged to each other?"

Thankful for great books!
Thankful for a most wonderful husband who has shared my life with me for so long.  We have truly grown up together and I LOVE him more and more and more!!!

Our week alone

Seth is at work training so I decided to try to fill our week with stuff we don't normally do.  We had our usual tasks like the dogs but we have enjoyed ourselves.

We did a 2 day trip to Springfield, great visit.
We got biscuits on Thursday morning and our normal donuts on Saturday.
We've walked natural with mom and kerri and the boys.
We went swimming at mom and dad's and played with cousins.
We are going to Mt. Vernon to check on a couple things and then maybe eat at Sonic!
Hopefully we will get to have breakfast with Nanny on Tuesday morning.

Can't wait for Tuesday night when Seth finally gets home!

Our Gilley visit

Seth is out of town so the kids and I went to see our great friends the Gilley's in Springfield.  Isaac and Luke are just 3 months apart and Malachi and Claire are just 5 months apart.  The kids hit it off like they played last week when in reality it had been about 9 months!  They got along so well and there were only some minor normal kid issues.

While there we were also able to go to MIC at church.  I must admit this isn't my favorite thing, but we got to see other old friends and their kids and see how all have grown.  We hadn't been back to church there in 2 years.  Most people didn't know we even had John and no one had seen him.

It was a great visit and it left us wanting more which is the best way to end a visit!

Of course, with 5 kids 4 and under there were no pictures taken.  We just enjoyed all the moments!

finger nail polish...

Need I say more?!!

Well, Claire is a bit obsessed with the finger nail polish thing now since we painted her toes.  I've found her in my bathroom with the polish that I had forgotten was in my drawer.  Luckily, until today, she hadn't opened any.  I thought I had moved it all but she found another one today, and yes it was a nice deep, bright blue!  Luckily I have tile in my bathroom and the finger nail polish remover did a great job.  I should have taken pictures of the floor and her foot but at the time that wasn't what I wanted to do!!

But, it does remind me of myself!  When I was about Claire's age I got into my mom's pink finger nail polish and got it all over her sewing machine.  It didn't come off.  In fact, I can still go see it today!

Claire is such a sweet girl and was only disciplined for being in our room not the accident with the polish!

I LOVE HER even now and I LOVE she wants to be a girl!!!!!

the best thing about summer

zuchini pie!

well, we may know

We may have accidentally found out the gender of our new little one.  I don't think we were going to find out, but I had an ultrasound yesterday and one of the pics...  Not sure we are going to tell anyone just yet.  The important thing is all looks fine for now and we are praying the baby stays inside till at least December but preferably till the due date in January!

painted toes!

Claire has been asking me to give her pink toes for a while now.  There hasn't been a good time to do it until today.  John was napping and Seth and Luke were running errands, so Claire and I painted our toes!  It was the first time for her and she LOVES it!!

4th of July 2011 - grillin' out, 4 wheelers and guns!

We went out to the Martin's for the 4th.  There were several other families.  The kids played and road 4 wheelers.  The ladies got to talk because the older kids played with the younger kids, such a blessing!  We cooked out and ate yummy food!  Then the men with their boys shot guns.  I think they were in heaven!

We headed back to our house about 9pm and watched the fireworks from our front yard.  Pretty much a perfect 4th of July!

some great memories:
1. Joe Branch ~11years old, coming inside the house and sitting down and playing with John, just because
2. Seeing Claire sitting on Danielle's lap (Danielle is 13)
3. Hearing Bryce call for Luke when he was ready to drive the lawn mower and trailer to take the guns back in the field!  (Bryce is 10 1/2)

healthy snacks and some freezer cooking

So, I decided to do a little freezer cooking and snack making.  I got some brown bag burritos made (~24) and put in the freezer.  Then, today I made some whole wheat, cinnamon and oat squares.  They are kind of like a chewy graham cracker (see below).  They are tasty and hopefully the kids will like them too!