Looing back, looking ahead

Tis the season for reflection. Looking back on this year, I can't believe how fast days have gone by. The kids have grown in feet, not inches, the school year is flying by and we have a whole new year to look forward to. I am not one to set resolutions. Too much pressure! I like to take each day as it comes and make a to do list. Mini resolutions I guess. That is enough for me! Now if I can actually get those things done, that would be an improvement already!

Snow is Fun?

Just a little glimpse of why I am not really a huge fan of snow. Yes, it is pretty and it covers all the ugly dead stuff underneath. I admit that. I love when the trees have an icy layer on them. What I do not love is the complete chaos that devours my house when it snows.

Take Monday for example, the kids first day back after nearly a week off for Thanksgiving. I was ready for them to go! At 6:00 AM, I get a phone call from the principle of the school saying school was delayed 2 hours, OK, at least it wasn't cancelled. That didn't stop the kids from getting up at the crack of dawn, hmmmm could it have been the phone ringing at 6:00AM? Or maybe it was the driveway being plowed. Or maybe they just wanted to go outside. Which they did. In pajamas.

We made it through breakfast with minimal tears and then we had to wait for 2 hours for that beautiful yellow bus. Of course the kids weren't happy that I made them stay in instead of getting all wet before school. Then came the question repeated at least 100 times in those 2 hours. Can we snowmobile? Ummm, NO!

A) That is Dads thing

B) You smell like fuel 2 seconds after it starts

C) I am not going out and freezing this early in the day -I have a whole alphabet of reasons not to go outside.

Finally, it is 9:45 AM and the bus will be there in 15 minutes. You would think they had all their gloves and gear ready to do. Not so much. Where is my ____?_______.... So after searching the depths of the 2x2 foot closet, they are all ready to go. Just 5 more minutes and the bus should be there. Only 5 minutes to behave and stay dry. Can you see where this is going?

Barely to the end of the driveway and Angelina has been hit with 2 snowballs that have rocks in them because the boys grabbed snow that was freshly plowed. So, I yelled chores that were going to be assigned for that from the front door and prayed the bus would come. Then I proceeded to lock the door so they couldn't get back in! I watched out the window as they got wetter, their backpacks got wet sitting in the driveway and someone got a face wash...

Finally, 5 minutes later than it should have been, the bus. The glorious bus. Now I had to make up 2 hours of time lost in my Monday routine. Snow is great...

At least Some One Cleans...

Madaleine must want the floor cleaner for the food she store there for snacks! She spent a good 10 minutes playing with that toy! Now if I can get her to mop...

This is just not right!

Madaleine will eat pretty much anything as you can see... We have to watch her like a hawk or she will eat floor food, paper, or what ever else she finds laying around! We gave her the seed pile to squish around . Not to eat. I guess she had other ideas!

Pumpkin Fun

We waited til Oct. 31st to carve our pumpkins... Just didn't have time before that. The kids had fun and we cooked up seeds as well! We had a couple scary faces and a bat on the pumpkins. What did the baby do you ask? See the next post...

Carmel apple love

Madaleine had enough teeth this fall to eat a carmel apple- or at least lick it and make a huge mess. I don't think she was done when we were done letting the mess happen!!!

Not qualified for Mother of the year- again...

So, this is how lunch went recently... Madaleine was a bag lady. Let me explain. She had a baggie of cereal that she was eating while we were on the road. When we got home, she wasn't finished so she kept her bag. I became busy with something- not cleaning my bead room (see previous post!) and lunch was late. So, she brought me her baggie and in her little voice said "more". So instead of stopping what I was doing, I got out some string cheese and put it in her baggie. When she was done, "more". Then I stuck a banana in there. "More"... hmmm, I think she likes this game. I had to cut her off as we had visited most of the food groups by then. She wasn't so happy when the baggie buffet closed!!! She is so my child. Poor thing!

Oh and all my kids have been in that outfit and I still think it is cute. Usually I am over things like that quickly but I guess I just like the tigger suit!!!

A boy and his drums

Daniel has always banged on things... so we finally gave into the drumming... He loves it and is doing well with it! I am listening to him pound as I type this! You'll notice the keyboard in the background. He has to do that too if he wants to drum... my requirement. He'll appreciate it later in life. Really.

My little animals

The girls had their face painted by a very talented clown... The wait was forever but it was worth it! Zebra and Giraffe faces if you can't tell! Not so very pretty at the end of the day!

Silly Boys

It has been brought to my attention that one of my kids is represented here more than others.. so in an effort to correct that I'll be getting the others on more! I just have more opportunities to take Madaleine's pictures since were together all day!


This is Jonathan with his friends Darren and John. They were posing for me while eating popcorn. Can you imagine the faces I would have gotten had I given them sugar???

Hairy Baby

We don't call her that for no good reason... If you think you have bad hair days, try living under her mop of hair. It wouldn't be so bad but at 18 months, she is not the neatest eater so there is always some meal stuck in there- among other things! There are times where she will hold up her mane so she can see! We usually have a "pretty" in there but she likes to rip them out! Poor little baby sheep dog! I just can't bring myself to cut it off either so we will have to live with it!

Pretty Flowers

My aunt Helen gave me these flowers for my birthday. They are too pretty to just be around for a week! There was a balloon but the kids destroyed it in 5 minutes! Thanks Helen!

What I want for my B-day

TIME TO BEAD!!! I am going to make time today in between the laundry, dishes, meals, diapers, dentist appointments and pets to bead. It has been too long since I've been able to post any new projects... I'll have a couple of hours at Madaleine's nap time if I stay on track for the day! Hopefully more to come later today!

New baby skill

Look what Madaleine has figured out how to do... The next pictures will likely be of the bumps on her head. She has been up on that chair 20 times in a row now! Stunning.

Summer memories

Six flags, 4th cookout, fireworks, birthday parties, movies, swimming, sleepovers, go-carting, friends, ice cream, cousins, parks, up north, beading, bowling, popcorn party, action territory, diry house, fun...

Left Behind

Madaleine is missing her brothers and sisters while they are at school! At least she has cute outfits! I am loving the little hats that come with them! I don't think she is so enthused about them. They get ripped off as soon as she can get her hands on them!

I LOVE School

My favorite time of year has come! School time! These are some pictures of the kids going on their way! Many of my friends home school. I feel blessed that we have such a wonderful school to send our kids to. If that wasn't the case I would probably be doing it too. Now, time to catch up on all the neglected projects, scrapbooks and stamps. Oh yeah, I suppose I should clean something as well!

Wash Machine Wars

I would have had time to post pics of all my new creations had I not been at war with my washing machine...

It all started at 10pm Sunday night. I wanted to put the "Up North" laundry in. Yes, I started that late. I didn't see them but I am positive that there were ticks, outside scuz or a bug had looked at the clothes so they needed to be washed and right then and there. Can you tell I am NOT an avid outdoor person? I was already having washer issues but thought I had just overloaded it. I actually stood there in my laundry room at 10:50 when it was ready to spin and rinse to see that it was going. Twenty minutes later when I was starting to fall asleep there it was... That beep that I thought was cute- kind of like a chord- when we first got our machine. Not so much now since it went off at least 25 times in the last 24 hours. After about the 10th time of me moving things around in the load hoping it would finish and spin, I began to refer to the washer as though it was alive using not so affectionate names for it... use your imagination. So I shut it off for the night.

I was dreaming about all the creatures now free to roam my house because I couldn't wash them out. Not since the crazy garage door opener have I been driven that far. Whole different story. So, anyhow, I finally was mad enough to empty the whole thing out and ask for help when I saw it wasn't draining right. Long story short, I know too late, there was a dime stuck in the drain tube that is only reachable by tipping the machine over (yes with all the water going everywhere). Design flaw or some repair person conspiracy. Ha, my Dad who lives 2 minutes away knew what to do...

I do at least 10 loads a week in a good week so, I know things need to be cleaned out but, that was not so accessible... I reloaded, too much, beeps again... took out some of the stuff, THREW it on the floor and finally, I got to the end of the cycle. There were so many better things I was pretending I would have done without this happening. Wish me luck, now I need to do the regular everyday laundry. I hope there is no change in the pockets!!!

Who we are...

Here is the whole family. The baby has notably changed so that picture is more up to date. I don't get the 7 of us together in pictures as often as I should. I'll have to add that to the things I don't have time to do list!

From top left -Me, Jonathan-9, Madaleine -16 months (now), Daniel-11, Louie, Bottom left, Gabrielle 8, Angelina 6.