Just Because They're Beautiful

No More Fluff

The couch really isn't all that old. What is the life of a couch, anyway? We've only had it about 6 or 7 years. But it's been through 8 children plus all the ones I've kept in my home along the way. That's lots of spit up, pee, juice and dirt stains. And the cushions just have no fluff left. The seams are coming undone. I'm embarrassed when people come over. Really.

Wonder why the cushion is all flat on one side?



This is why. It's her favorite perch. She's so darn cute, who can tell her no?

Double Digits

Hope turned 10 last week. A decade ago I gave birth to my biggest baby, weighing in at 8 lbs, 1 oz. We were living in New Mexico at the time, and my grandmother had come about a week prior to her birth to help me out. Those are precious memories I'll always cherish... I was so ready to have that baby, and my grandmother and I did everything possible to speed things along. My midwife had even suggested some pressure points, and I literally had bruises where my grandmother rubbed and pressed them. She nearly walked me to death, too. But, of course, Hope would only arrive in her own timing. My mother also made it just in time to be with me for her birth. The room was full of a few of the most precious women in my life.

Hope is such a treasure. She's emotional, sensitive, a giddy, prissy girlie girl... yet she gets dirtier and rougher than any of the others, too. Whatever she does, she does with all her being, nothing is ever half-hearted. You don't have to guess at what she's feeling or thinking, she's very outward with her emotions and thoughts. She's extremely compassionate, and just such a joy! Oh, I love this girl of mine!



She and Faith made her birthday cake very late on her birthday. They giggled and carried on. I didn't even mind the mess they left in the kitchen. And we all sang and had cake and celebrated Hope's 10th year of life. Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

Randomness

- A week or so ago TJ came in from turkey hunting decked out in his camo. He had on a leaf suit like this one... hard to describe, but basically he looked like a tree. A leafy one. Fashionable Grace got this excited, starry look in her eyes and said, "Oh, Dad, where'd you get those fancy pants?"

- Blessing, who is more RADish-like than I'd like to admit (do I really have to walk this road twice, Lord?) - was banished to her room a couple of days ago for being totally between me and the other 2's math lesson. Like would not. get. her. head. out from between me and the math-u-see blocks. Of course I was rather distracted by the math lesson, and instead of going to her room, she made a detour in the kitchen... to the kitchen drawer (that was child locked, mind you)... got out a knife and nearly sliced her finger right off. At least the amount of blood would make you believe so. Afraid she'd be in trouble, she did not tell me and smeared blood from one end of the house to the other. I swear it looked like a crime scene here. Good grief.

- TJ is out of town on a fishing trip/men's retreat. I'm a single mom for a few days. I'm so spoiled... he does so much around here. He often cooks, baths kids, ENTERTAINS them, and the list goes on and on and on. I miss him for much more than the work he does, but that part is missed, too.

- All the kids have been on the new playground Hubby built non-stop. The weather is perfect outside and they have just played and played and played. It's been so nice!

- This weekend Faith has her first swim meet of the season. Go Faith!

- I had one of my finer mother moments this week as Hope was stomping around moaning and groaning and pouting like she was dying over a denied piece of candy. I quick turned on a DVR'd episode of AI Gives Back and showed her the segment with an adorable little girl in Africa, orphaned and dying from AIDS. Then I said, "look at her and then throw your little fit over not getting a piece of candy." Not my best moment. Ugh. Poor Hope. Not denying that she needed a reality check, but let's just say that was a little over kill on my part. I suppose I was throwing my own little fit about her behavior. Hmmm...I wonder where she gets it from.

- Mercy has a nice blue shoe print right smack on her forehead. Goose egg and very defined blue sole shoe print lines. Poor thing walked right in front of a swinging girl. Yep, shoe to the forehead. Did you hear her scream from your house? Between the sliced finger, and the undeniable shoe print on the face, well, I'm glad DHS isn't making visits around here anymore. Mother of the year award coming my way soon!

- Can't think of a thing more, though I know my kids have done and said no less than a thousand hilarious things this week. Hope your weekend is great!

Strangling Barbies

The UPS guy delivered the swings! Thanks SO MUCH to my husband's mom, who we all call "Mimi", for the lumber and the swings. It's perfect, and the kids LOVE it!




Mercy says "Cheese" now, any time the camera is out. Well, actually she doesn't say "cheese" at all. But she slaps on this grin and hums at a high pitch. She thinks she's saying "Chesse". Does that count as talking?


They sweep, sweep, sweep, and sweep the inside of their clubhouse. Must be the dirtiest floor ever in there...



Oh, fashionable Grace.



Faith and Hope spent their evening tearing up our tree. And Strangling Barbies. I suppose that needs some explaining. It started on the trampoline, tossing hula hoops. Before long, a hoop was hung in the tree. They tossed another hoop in an effort to knock the first one down... of course that resulted in 2 stuck hoops. And so the quest to retrieve them began. Do you see the monkey in the tree? She's well hidden in the leaves, but she's pretty high.



And then there was this bright idea to tie their barbies to a rope. They would toss it and try to hang their home made anchors to the hula. It eventually worked.... and apparently the whole deal was just more fun than they could stand and so they tossed the hoops into the tree again. Silly girls.

He's at it Again

Oh, yes he is.

But this time, it's a playhouse for the kids, so most of the mess is outside. And there's no hole in my wall. Happy Momma. Happy kids. Happy Daddy. It's win-win all the way around.

He's closing in the bottom (actually already has, I just don't have a picture). There are beams extending out the sides for swings (ordered, not delivered yet), and eventually there will be a slide... have you looked at buying a slide? How in the world can something that looks so simple cost so much? Ugh.

I'm so proud... and so is Hubby. It looks great, and the kids are super excited.

This picture cracked me up, though. Once again you can tell a lot about my mothering by the picture. Blessing has on a blue dress with purple pants underneath. I praised her for dressing herself. And told her how wonderful it looked. Notice Grace is back in the red slippers. Poor Mercy doesn't even have a shirt or shoes on, and is that a tootsie pop in her hand? Good grief. Not to mention my 18 month old is standing at the top of a 5 ft. high opening. And no one is paying a bit of attention. Oh, wait... yes, I am. Just not concerned. Nonchalantly taking a picture. Can you imagine if that was my first born up there? Nah... the first born would have been fully dressed, including socks and tennis shoes, hair fixed, bow in, NO CANDY, and certainly not walking around with a stick hanging out of her mouth. That's just too dangerous. And 5 ft. high? My, how more children changes a girl. ;-)

Wordless Wednesday