Thank You, BOGO!

Saturday morning, after a late night out at soccer...

Where Ella mooched freezee from everyone she could find...
...Charity came to me to show me the blister on her foot from her shoes. And there is where it all began...

Charity, apparently out-grew her shoes already. Oh, so did Eve... And of course, Prayer. Keona comes in with a "Me too!" and Elijah followed. Then Jeddy comes running in, announcing, "Me need new shoes too-ooo!"

You must be kidding me.... Why can't they grow out of shoes one at a time?

So off we went to Payless, to purchase six pairs of running shoes. Usually, Jeddy just wears Elijah's old shoes, but unfortunately, his running shoes didn't survive.

On the way there, our van was making a horrid noise. It sounded like something was scraping the road. Sure enough, when we pulled over to have a look, something had detached from underneath the van, (don't ask me what it was)and was scraping the road while we drove.... Detour to Canadian Tire, where we got the van fixed. Well, Scott fixed it... With some duct tape...

"Hit the curb all you want now, Jac. The duct tape will flex."
Thanks hun.


OK, back on track to Payless. Twenty minutes, and 100 "no not those" "I want laces" "I need velcro" "Too tight" Too loose" "Too white" "Too black" "how about these?" "No, we're not here for dress shoes!"s later.... we had six pairs of running shoes and were out the door.
When I hopped in the van and Scott saw the bottom of the receipt, he said, "You spent $60?? Wow, that's pretty good!" Ummm... no hun, I SAVED $60... spent much more than that. Thank you, BOGO.

After the shoe extravaganza, I had to run in to Loblaws and pick up a few things. Who on earth knows why I decided to go to self -checkout on a Saturday afternoon.... but I did! Where I waited behind and elderly lady who had to fix her glasses and call over the cashier for every. single. item. But I never get annoyed with such things. Believe me, I'm perfectly, 100% patient and understanding, at all times. NOT. Ok sorry.

Back in the duct-taped van, I gave all my kids a snack and we were off! Supposedly, we went on "vacation" for a day. To Port Perry... Atleast that's what one of the girls was telling people at church the next day. They spent twenty minutes climbing a fallen down tree branch. My kids are so easy to please! :)
Saturday night, we relaxed. I cut Keona's hair! She asked me to. I think she may be a bit like me with her spur-of-the-moment decisions... She says, "I think I want my hair all one length. Will you do it now, Mom!?" How I know that feeling. Pictures to come.


Scott bought us a giant box of licorice, so I we indulged slightly during our family Mario Kart tournament.

Once the kids were in bed, I checked my email, and there was a pleasant surprise waiting for me! Jeddy's toad-kissing picture, was in the top ten on I heart faces!!!

I didn't even check because I never expected it to make it. I'm just thrilled, that out of about 430 photos, many of which were taken by professionals, I was top ten! Meanwhile, I know it's only because my crazy, creepy-crawly-loving son, was actually kissing a toad! The same son who tried to hand me an earwig that he was carrying around last night...

Saturday Morning Breakfast

18 eggs....

6 bagels....

30 pancakes...

a big jug of orange juice and a full bag of milk...

a crying baby...

a sleepy husband...

and one BIG cup of coffee later...

We have 6 very full kids...

oh, wait....

make that 7...

Sisters and Friends

I remember as a child, watching identical twin girls in my class, and thinking how much fun it would be to have a "built in" friend. To have someone my own age, to talk to, play with, who was always there. I imagined that it would mean, late nights up talking or reading together, sharing secrets, like a slumber party every day! Someone's clothes and shoes to borrow, who is exactly your size. It sounded like a dream to a 10 year old!

I must say, that as a mother, I delight just as much in watching my girls, as I did those twins in my 5th grade class. It is very much as I had imagined. They giggle and laugh about what only they understand. They stay up late whispering in the dark.... every night... which though sometimes is frustrating, I try to remember that they are building a bond which will last a lifetime. They share and fight over clothes. Mostly share. They borrow eachothers' shoes, books, and beds. It continually amazes me, how close all four of our oldest girls are. I'm thankful that they have no choice but to share a room. And you know what, I don't think they'd have it any other way!

I can only imagine how their friendship will continue to grow.

God is so good.

Our roots say we're sisters, our hearts say we're friends.
~Author Unknown

If Ya Can't Beat 'Em....

...join 'em!

Wordless Wednesday

What Women Will Do for a $2 Tank Top

This past weekend, was Old Navy's $2 tank top sale. I don't usually bother going to these things, because the hassle of the crowds, and the line ups aren't usually worth it... but $2 tank tops, come on! So out I went at 8:30am Saturday morning to line up outside in the pouring rain. I figured that since it was raining, there wouldn't be much of a line. At quarter to 9, when I arrived, there were easily 20 people in front of me. Another 20-30 lined up behind me before the doors opened. Including 2 smokers in front of me, and a very outspoken mother who's son had asthma (and no puffer) behind me. I quietly leaned up against the wall, and shielded myself with my umbrella....

When the doors finally opened, it wasn't the madness I imagined! Everyone was walking calmly into the store. Well, until they reached the ONE small table stacked high with tank tops. Then, the chaos began. I was thankful for my long limbs at this point. I reached over everyone, grabbed my size, and headed to the back to find the girls' tops. I passed several women crouched in corners, sorting through the pile of shirts that they had swiped off the table and into their bags. Others were at the back in the kids section, pulling out shirts that they had supposedly hid the day before!? Seriously!?? Yep.

No one was at the back, so I grabbed each of the girls one and a super cute pair of black yoga pants for Ella a half price pair of khakis for Scott, and lined up... behind 50 other people.

Now here is where it gets interesting. People are still flooding in the doors, the table is empty, and there are women in line with 20 shirts in their bag! (there was a limit of 5 per person) As the lined moved up, more and more people started just dumping their extras on random tables. People raced for them! It was hilarious. Then, they started climbing the store ladders, to pull down the displays up above the shelves. After someone fell off, one of the three cashiers working had to run to the back and try to stop them. All that everyone in line was concerned about was that we lost a cashier... ha.

The next thing that happened kind of shocked me. Women, full-grown women, as in Moms, with kids!... started pulling the arms off of mannequins, so that they could strip them down to get at the tank tops underneath!

Thankfully, I was at the front of the line by this point, and we had our third cashier back. I think that next time I go to one of these sales, I'll have to bring along my camera. I had Scott's cell phone, but I haven't figured out how to use the camera yet. Next time.... Though, I heard that the $1 flip flop sale was 10x as bad... so on second-thought, I may just sleep through the next one...

_______________________________________________

In the meantime, Elijah is now a little speed demon on his two-wheeler.

Jeddy got a helmet.

Mostly, cause it scares me to watch Elijah push him around so fast on his bike!

Oh, and no more toad kissing!

Daddy was not pleased!

He made me google, "diseases from toads."
I didn't find anything. (I already knew I wouldn't.)

This is for you, hun. Just because I love ya! ;)

"Let's Hear It For The Boys!"

And yes, that's a real toad...

____________________________________________

Check out I Heart Faces for other "Let's Hear It For the Boys!" photographs.

Not Me! Monday

This morning, I think I'll find Mck Mama's Not Me! Monday, rather therapuetic.

I have not sat on a wet toilet seat several times over the past week, first thing in the morning while my eyes are still groggy. My potty-training son never misses and pees on the toilet seat, or the floor, or the shower curtain...

I did not give in and allow Ella to pig out on popcorn with her siblings while watching a movie. Leaving her avacodo, which she usually LOVES, sitting on the counter. I never let my babies eat junk food! Always healthy snacks...

(She did eat the avacado... once all the popcorn was gone!)

Oh, and by the way... my counters are never piled with junk either.... so ignore all that!

Lastly, after sweeping the kitchen for 10th time on Saturday, I did not resort to just wearing flip flops in the house so that I wouldn't have to feel the crumbs under my feet... I'm never that lazy!

Ah yes, feels good to get all that out! :)

What did you not do last week? ;)

" Dad, I had to go..."

Today I boldly went where no man has gone before…. Out with his three 6 year olds and one 5 year old to a Senior’s home. What an adventurous couple of hours.

Jaclyn stayed home today from our regular monthly visit to minister at Winbourne Park, taking care of Ella, Keona, and Jeddy. Jed was breathing like a bear last night, so we figured he was probably contagious enough to keep home. Keona and Ella both were emptying our household supply of tissue and so it was just the others and myself going to play the piano, sing, preach, and pray for our family’s favourite elderly folk. And so it began….

Eve, spent the morning practicing to play the piano for me, while I did the song leading without Johnny Yeomans for the first time. (I miss you Johnny!) She did a nice job playing the Old Rugged Cross, Amazing Grace, and eventually Jesus Loves Me at the end of our little service. Unfortunately Eve doesn’t know how to adjust the song so a low voiced song butcher like me can song lead. So, I, trying not to sound like something was wrong, nearly had my face explode trying to sing the right notes. We didn’t sing the last verse of the first song. Instead I just said “Amen” after the second chorus and started announcing the next song number… and catching my breath. Oh man.

When we finished singing, I invited the triplets to come forward and they did their scripture dramatization of Genesis chapter 3. They are good! I wish they could have taken speech class for me. I would have gotten a better grade.

I gave a short message about the effectual fervent prayer of a senior citizen, trying to encourage them that even though they were not as physically capable to help others as they once were, there was still amazing power to be used in their prayer time with God. We shared some prayer requests, and next month we will spend our ministry time emphasizing on praising and giving thanks. To those who didn’t know, Senior citizens have the ear of God. Be nice to them.

We closed the service and went to our favourite time of the visit, the visiting! We spent the next 20 minutes talking… or listening to the Winbourne Park residents. They are so sweet, and they just love the kids. For instance…

Charity sat and talked to a nice man named Jim, who came in a little late for the service. He caught the end of my preaching and sat at the back just nodding his head and smiling. I thought he was senile, but actually, he was just enjoying the message! Charity made him cry just before we left. He was so pleased to sit and talk to a child for 15 minutes I guess, and they are such a joy to talk to.

Elijah, was a little shy, and at first would only talk to the resident cat, which had decided to show up halfway through the service.

Prayer, talked to one of our regular and most “aware” attendees. I don’t recall her name: Prayer would. “So yes, I was born in Prince Edward Island,” the lady said. “I lived there for a long time. Got married, and then after a while moved out here. I had a good life.” Prayer, leaning on her hand over the edge of the nearby couch and tapping her finger on her cheek said as only Prayer could, “And then you came to the Senior’s Home.” I had to hide my face and go listen to someone else talk. Prayer just has no idea that she’s so dense… ha ha ha.

Eve was standing talking to one of our first time attendees named May. She wouldn’t stop talking. She just told Eve everything that popped into her head for a good 15 minutes, from the moment I had closed the service and Eve had gotten up from the piano. It was nice…. So I thought.

As I was standing, talking with Charity and Jim, Eve came over to me with a concerned look on her face, “Dad…. Dad. I had to go so bad.” “You HAD to go?” I said with inquiry. “Yeah, I went. I COULDN’T HOLD IT… I don’t have to go now…”

I guess not. Eve had left a puddle on the carpet about a foot to the left of May’s wheelchair the size of a scrabble board. When I saw it, I walked over toward May and my eyebrows both went up. Wow, that was a lot of pee… May leaned over and looked at the puddle, and looked up to me, and said, “Is that your dog?” I tried not to laugh. I really, really tried… But I laughed. It was all too much for me. Eve somehow didn’t cry, which was good, because I think May would have if she did. Maybe she would have thought my dog was dead… I don’t know. It was priceless. Thank God, Lindsay, the nursing home employee just chuckled and said, “Don’t worry about it.” That was exactly what I wanted to hear.

Eve had been so proud of herself for being the best piano player, and having the special job of playing the piano when we left… But when we got home and were making fun of her a little at the table during dinner, she was… humble. lol

When we asked her about what happened she said. “The senior just wouldn’t stop talking and I didn’t want to interrupt her. I had to pee so bad I was shaking! And then, I just went.” Yup… ya did Eve. A good memory for the wedding reception one day I guess.

It was actually so much fun, I almost just want to take them myself again next time. It’s funny how God works things out.

Flashback Friday: Spontaneous Identical Triplets

It's a girl!

And a girl!...

And another girl!

"A" is Eve, cause she was the lowest and was supposed to be born first. She used my bladder as a punching bag. Even though she wasn't- she has the attitude of an "oldest."

"B" is Charity, who kicked the most, and stuck a limb in the way to be firstborn by 1 minute. Yet, she has the personality of a middle child.

"C" is Prayer, who was lodged under my ribs, and caused a Dr. to have to put an entire arm into my abdomen to get her out. Thank you Prayer. And yes, she fits the "youngest" title.

To this day, they are all still within half a pound, and half an inch of each other...

Surprise!

I told the kids all day, that there was going to be a surprise tonight. Naturally, they pestered me all afternoon to figure out what it was. While I was in the kitchen with Eve, I teased her saying, "Your new family is coming! We're going to sell you. People pay a lot of money for cute kids like you guys! Plus, we can always have more..." Let me just say, that she totally knew I was kidding. We were both laughing about it as she joked back. What I didn't know.... is that Elijah was in the living room listening in, and when I looked in- he was crying! I felt so horrible! I couldn't believe that he actually thought I was serious. So I scooped him up, and told him that I wouldn't sell him for a gazillion dollars, and that I would cry everyday if he was gone! Then I kissed him and kissed him, until he was wiping them off and pushing me away! He knows that he's loved. :)

The real surprise was Nana and Papa coming over with some new to them bikes! Two of the girls had out-grown last year's bikes and needed new ones. Keona makes me a little nervous on her new 5 speed. I'll be OK as long as she doesn't try to pop-a-wheelie like Papa did... Even though Elijah said, "That was funny Papa! Do it again!"

I somehow doubt that will happen.

Prayer has spent the last couple of weeks moping around while her sisters rode their bikes. She was happy tonight as well. Meet "Storm"...

Yes, she named her bike...

Last week, I took Elijah's training wheels off, and we told him that he was going to learn to ride a two-wheeler. The stubborn child (definitely, Scott's son) refused to even try. Tonight, Papa convinced him to give it a go... By the end of the night, he almost made it all the way around the path by himself! He just needs help to get going...

Ella is going to be a little daredevil. She climbs up onto the tricycle by herself and then stands on the seat. Here she is climbing up the slide to try and get the phone...

Attempting to hold herself there with her face, so she can use her hands to grab it!

Oops... didn't work so well!

Jeddy walked around collecting worms in a bucket, which Elijah rode over... Some of them didn't survive it. When he brought me his bucket, there were several worms- in pieces... No pictures of that... way too gross!

Scott was home. He bbq'd steak, we ate, phone rang, and he had to go back in to finish something that had to ship tonight. Hopefully, he'll be back soon...

Just For Fun...

... I decided to make my little brother pose for a few pictures today.

Let me just say, he hates having his picture taken just as much now, as he did years ago in the Walmart photo studio.

Such a boy...

But I still love you.

Seeing as he can throw the football better while lying down, than I can when I try my hardest standing up... I figured it was a good prop for him.

He would not crack a smile.

He's still just as handsome, but I wanted a real smile.

On the way home from school today, he told me how he had jumped off of a 20 foot branch in a tree... I asked him how he hadn't broken anything! A few minutes later, he decided the branch was just a little bit higher than my head... Ha!

So while taking the pictures, I started teasing him about jumping out of a tree, and asked him if it was 50 feet now? Maybe one hundred???

It got him smiling anyhow.
Love ya Robbie!

Wordless Wednesday

Filthy, Little, Ragamuffins

My kids would spend all day everyday outside. Which would be fine, if I didn't have to spend all day outside with them...

Ella enjoyed having lunch out front...

My garden is coming along nicely. Except for these pesky little aphids trying to take over my favourite rose bush...

They killed 2 of my rose buds already! My green-thumbed neighbour gave me a solution to spray on them that should kill them... we hope.

She also gave me a little gardening tip. Because we both garden bare-handed, no gloves! Our fingernails get pretty filthy. She told me to scratch a bar of soap before I garden. That way my nails are filled with bar soap, and the dirt can't get in. It works wonderfully! Plus, when you rinse your hands afterwards, your nails are super clean. I love my neighbour! :)

She also showed us these adorable little baby birds, who built a nest in a hanging basket.

I think this one was hungry...

We were a little scared that mama was going to come back. Yesterday, she killed a squirrel!

KILLED IT!

Yikes.

Don't mess with mama.

Speaking of killing... Jeddy has become obsessed with worms. Or "snakes" as he sometimes call them. He brought me this one today, after dropping it repeatedly, while riding around on his bike with it.

"Oh no! My worm is dead!"

Needless to say, my children were...

filthy

little

ragamuffins

...by the end of the day.
In serious need of showers and a vinegar hair rinse!

Done!

Now, time for me to workout. I'm thinking that maybe if I say it out loud, I'm more likely to stick with it?

Probably not...

but for tonight anyways!