love these...

i love these prints by Katherine Quinn... someday, i'm going to have lots of fun prints around my house...

ruffle skirt...

i was reading about these here... and i thought they were cute, so i made one. very easy. very fun. anna wants a LONG one. ellie wants a TIGHT one. hmmm. gotta get thinking... i was thinking of you as we were having our family night tonight. it was on "Love at Home." Todd read a GREAT story in Matthew 18:23-35... it was perfect. i could see my kids really connecting... well. perhaps i should say, i could see some of them connecting. drew was banned from family night because he got in a fight with jakob about what chair he wanted to sit in. ellie was on the bench yelling that it wasn't fair. leah was singing and playing the piano. (leftover from her accompanying the opening song.) justin was reading from the book of mormon... he wanted to read along, but had the wrong book... that didn't stop him. anna was whispering in my ear all about a funny thing that happened today... and, jakob was bouncing a laughing lily on his lap. all of the kids were half listening... and i think all of them received half of a great lesson. such is life. we love home. ;)

a cookie afternoon...

Today was a cookie licken afternoon...

things i've learned about bunnies...

um. guess what? scampers is dead. no, i didn't touch him, but he was making this weird noise and now he's not, he's just laying on his side with his eyes open. and, his sweet wife and sister, Snow, is making that weird noise. she's not looking too good. am i committing murder by blogging right now and not rushing snow to the bunny emergency room? yes. i think it's my fault. please, don't tell the kids. i, um, used a cat de-flea thing on them. some liquid stuff that you put on cat's necks. i think they got fleas, because there were little black bugs on them, and i can't stand that, and i didn't know what to do, so i bought a package at wal-mart and put it on them. i didn't ever see a sign that said "not for rabbits." and, wal-mart didn't make a rabbit de-flea thing... so, i think i may have killed them. oh, i sure wish i had waited a bit to check on them. it sucks knowing that Snow is probably, most definitely, suffering right now. i called the professor. 3 times. it's the emergency signal that we have. he is in the middle of final presentations. can you blame me? this IS an emergency. it's death. if death isn't an emergency than i don't know what is. seriously. i'm NOT touching that thing. it may be my job to buy the animals, but it is definitely NOT my job to bury them. i googled what to do with dead rabbits and one lady had this idea... "Put it in a double garbage bag and toss it in your freezer. Then next week before the garbage is picked up put it in there." seriously?... be careful if you come over for dinner sometime soon... we may be having rabbit. mmm. oh, poor, poor bunnies. now, maybe we need a porcupine... or some cute prairie dogs. oh, crap. anna just figured out snow isn't doing well, and she's crying. i guess i am going to have to call the vet. love it. update-- the vet said it was probably more heat than flea related. we have snow inside under a cool rag... she's looking a bit better. when i went outside, anna was HOLDING scampers and crying. GROSS! a stiff, dead, rabbit. i couldn't even take a picture because it was SO nasty. ugghh. oh, what a day.

while she was sleeping clothes...

while ellie was sleeping the toothfairy whipped up her new clothes... this shirt was too long... ellie said, "i'm just used to smaller shirts. i want to see the buttons on my pants." fixed!! now, we are all smiles and ready to get on with our day. ellie picked up her new, shorter shirt and exclaimed, "Now THIS is a shirt like i'm used to." cute ellie. keeps me on my game, that's for sure.

a moment for "reading clothes"...

I'm getting my groove back. Can you tell? life is good for me when i'm creating... the professor took the kids to music lessons and brought the little kids to the park and i had an hour alone... Hooray!! i FINALLY cut-off some old jeans and added a little ruffle. while i was at it, i thought i'd make a matching shirt. a perfect "reading outfit"... well, for anna, anything is a "reading outfit." this sweet girl is definitely my kindred spirit child. not sent to teach me, or learn from me, just here for me to enjoy...

just down the street...

there's no place like home. well, except the pet store down the street. we have the best, little pet store-- Walter's World of Pets. for $3.50 they will let you tour the back where they store real-live monkeys, snakes and even an alligator. today, we stayed in the free part.

we took some time to pet a porcupine..

and see the cute baby prairie dogs...lily especially liked the ball- python... well, we hope she liked it.leah thought we needed a new bunny. i told her we needed to wait until daddy was out of town. duh. (do you like her "lipstick"? it's mascara. ellie really needs to give that girl some lessons.)

but nothing could top our visit to Mrs. Camp's bakery afterward... mmm. sometimes, the best things in life are free... well, we did spend $4.75 on treats. sometimes the best things in life are {almost} free. and, just down the street...

i'd rather be quilting...

it's been a LONG time since i've heard the whir of my favorite machine... i've missed the bright colors, the cutting, the preciseness of one and a half inch strips. to enjoy the mindless motions that leave my mind unfettered and free to dream and create... i've been so disciplined this summer that it felt odd to remain in my pajamas until past lunch... there may be some disciplined creators out there. not I. to create, i must allow my children to be free and happy and creative in their own right... it's as if i enter a realm, and they, following my lead, are free to spend the day in their pajamas. they gravitate toward mess, and blanket forts, and weapons... but, their world is fun and cooperative. and, so it mine. the only problem... it's VERY addicting. i find myself rolling over in bed and wondering if it would be bad for me to start sewing at 2am? i wonder why i'm dressing, and brushing, and cleaning... when i wake and arise and see my kids happily playing, it takes a much greater amount of discipline to facilitate their chores and piano and dressing... i have to remind myself... i like order. i have fun plans for the summer. the kids really do need to get out of the house sometime. um. quilt days are fun, just not everyday. well... maybe every OTHER day. and, just a sweet little side note... This book, Once Upon a Marigold, by Jean Ferris, is SO cute. I LOVE IT. It is PERFECT for the magical, pajama days... i listened to it in my cd player as i sewed... when the kids came in to ask me for something to eat, they always lingered a bit... sucked into this cute, magical fairytale. It's a young adult, sweet, sweet story. Don't listen to Blessings, by Anna Quindlen... it sucks you in and then leaves you out in the rain... i HATE that. i started it on my way to ft. worth to pick up the kids and finished it while sewing... it left me in a junk funk... my book opinion-- 1. they should be rated. i hate not knowing that a book is R-rated till after i've invested hours into it... and 2. they should at least make an effort to leave you better for having read it. not necessarily always happy, but better. i hate the books with "and so life sucks" as the main moral-- even if they are beautifully written... like The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver. It is lovely to read, but just leaves you down. i HATE that. (the bean trees, by her, was a better story, although not as well-written). my problem... in order to get sweet, uplifting, fun stories-- i have to sacrifice the quality of writing. "Christian Fiction" is a prime example. BLAH... but, it always leaves me feeling uplifted, hopeful and happier. Anyway... let me know if you've read a good book lately... i'm kinda craving some intellectual getaway time... but remember-- i'm a happy ending kinda gal.and, i was going to save this picture for a fun, wonderful post about todd, but, i can't. it's too funny. don't you love my STUD in all his father's day glory? (he actually wore this shirt to teach class...) oh, my funny, funny professor...

virtual shopping...

Today, i bought myself 5 new dresses. well, not really... but almost. wouldn't they be cute/trendy momma dresses? go ahead, check out shabby apple and buy yourself a new wardrobe. someday they may be in my closet. till then, i'm content to have them copied into my picture files... (the top one is my favorite... i would wear it with my cowgirl boots... oh, it's so fun to shop virtually.)

props for the professor...

we sure love this guy. for Father's Day (and Uncle's Day)... we opted for a little mid-class surprise. (and jen dismissed class early) the kids each took turns writing what they love about their dad/uncle on the balloons... it was cute. todd paraded us through the offices to meet and greet-- we're a bit like a traveling circus... and then, we took him out to lunch. Mickey D's with a play place, of course. Happy Father's Day Big Guy!! you may be a nerd. but you're OUR nerd.

camping anyone?

we had a fun backyard-camping experience last night. hobo dinners... stove roasted marshmallows... roasted starbursts... (tastes like fruit smoothies- thanks for the idea, taneil!) jiffy pop popcorn... and, camping in a HUGE storm...so fun. MOST of the kids made it all night... mom, lily, leah and ellie opted for inside beds!!!

lotsa birthdays!!

so, with the arrival of my nephew, justin, leah got moved from her own room to a room with anna and ellie... this meant combining my 3 worst at going to bed. NOT SO FUN. i am a firm believer in giving rewards (bribing) which i have renamed "giving blessings". we dole out sweet blessings to those who obey. mainly, the blessings we give are poker chips or "tokens" that the kids can redeem for treats and stuff... everyone loves tokens, even leah who doesn't quite grasp the exchange system. but, somehow leah got it in her mind that if she stayed in her bed, she would get a BIRTHDAY!! she has been SO excited. yet, even in her excitement it has taken her a few weeks to earn her coveted birthday. as fate would have it, the night before their trip to grandma's... leah stayed in bed all night and earned her blessings--- a birthday in June. (her actually birthday is september). i bought a few cake mixes, a few containers of icing, some edible cake markers and (my favorite) disposable pot pie cake pans... the kids followed the directions to make and bake the cakes... we all iced and decorated. yes, we NEEDED candles and real, live flames (despite the objections voiced by the professor)... some singing, some pictures, and lots of WISHES!! may our nights ever be silent and our days full of CELEBRATION!! (i thought it would be fun to wrap up toys and stuff that we already had, or to go to the dollar store and buy some fun stuff... but alas, it didn't happen-- oh and BALLOONS... how could i have forgotten balloons?!) how about you? just do it? enjoy the birthday magic all year long!! have Santa make a mid-summer visit just to fill stockings-- or pool shoes... doesn't it sound fun!!? and, guess what? after all the spoonfuls of frosting they ate while decorating... no one ate much of their cake-- so it wasn't even that unhealthy. just fun. yeah-- it really is FUN to have a houseful of little ones... i may not have missed them when they were gone, but i do ENJOY having them home. most of the time.

things i've learned...

have you ever had a pedicure? a manicure and a pedicure at the same time... they take a LONG time. even for the PROFESSIONALS. my heels have been crusty for too long... even one professional pedicure doesn't cut it. this flip flop wearin', pool goin', momma of many, has feet that are in need of daily attention. i FINALLY found a system that works. i take Mr Pummice and that Sally Hansen acid stuff with me into the shower, i apply and scrub... daily... or bi-weekly... and, my feet are smooth. yup, it takes time, but for me, it's worth it. you know, i learned the same thing about my relationship with my husband. we need to take more time for each other... just co-raising our children doesn't cut it. a dinner out now and then is nice, but not enough. i need daily scrubbing and "relationship callous acid" and weekends to reconnect. it may not always be like that. but for now, this flip-flop wearin', pool goin', momma of many... needs time with my man. i have learned... it's worth it!

everybody loves numbers!...

ohhhh. how fun!! another project DONE!! each kid has had their own towel... (this TOTALLY saves me towel laundry!!) and now, each kid has their own number-- where they can hang their towel and their swimsuit. yup. i'm a dork. but, i love it.

not missin' em yet...

not doing this... or this... but havin' fun paintin' a little bit of this... to make me some of this... like it? it's my new PTA desk. yard sale bargain plus a little lovin' and Whaaa Laahh!! off to enjoy my last day without my "blessings"... nope. not missing them yet.

things i'm lovin'...

guess what!? we're kid-less. they are ALL at my MOM's house for a few days. seriously. AMAZING!! we have NEVER... well, not in the past few years... had a few days ALONE. i keep looking in my backseat to be sure i didn't forget a child. yup. lovin' life. and, lovin' this lady... and, surprisingly, i'm lovin' this book. can you believe it? romantic, happy-ending lovin', surprise hatin' me, loves this book. i think. i just finished it this morning while sun was shining through my window and my sweet man was snoring beside me... he's so romantic when he breathes heavy. yup. NO KIDS TO WAKE US UP... oh, my sweet jakob, who has risen with the sun since he was born... i don't even need you here to wake up early. who knew?and, i'm really, really lovin' this guy. (did i tell you we're painting stuff white? yup. he loves me too.) you know, i'm SO grateful i married the stud who was ALWAYS picked first in gym class. and just a little side note that i should NOT write in case todd's grammy really does read our blog, but i will anyway, because i'm from New Jersey... :) and we already have had six kids so people know what's going on... but anyway, did you know i still look dang cute in the nighty that i wore the night we were married. how many mommies of 6 can say that? thank you. ok... we're off to enjoy the rest of our heavenly weekend. (dare i call it that if i believe families are forever?) let's say, our Paradisiacal Weekend. May the sun shine on you too!!