My March portrait of all 7 kids
I wanted to do another planned shoot, but weather and schedule just didn’t cooperate. Sooooo instead, we did an impromptu picture in the church parking lot, in the rain, after violin lessons. After sitting in the van for 45 minutes, Jed wasn’t interested in standing still for a picture. So this is what I got. Real life.
Jeddy, has turned over a new leaf and decided that he is going to do school with us everyday. Though this is good for him, Ella is left to herself all morning. Today, she was dressing up a teddy bear, and pretending that the storage crate at our front door was a boat for them to ride in. At one point, she came up to me and asked for some money. She wanted me to pretend to hand her some, but my purse just happened to be sitting next to me so I handed her a few pennies. So for the next 20 minutes, she walked around with her bear in one hand and her pennies in the other. Then it dawned on me that I had an old purse sitting in my closet that I never used cause it’s too small for all my stuff. (I carry a “suitcase” in Scott’s words… :) She was more than thrilled when I brought it down for her- she didn’t put it down for the rest of the day. This child, has been the most easy going toddler ever. I heard her talking away in the livingroom and asked her if she was talking to herself…
“Nope! I’s talkin to my bear!”
A bear wearing a newborn sized dress, a few pennies, sunglasses, and a purse, kept her happy and busy all day long.
I forgot to mention how I woke up this morning… It was to the sound of Eve trying out her new violin. At 7am… On the weekend, Jeddy had randomly asked me to make a cake and I told him that we’d bake one together on Wednesday. Apparently, he was pretty excited about it, cause when I did wake up at 7am, to the violin, he was standing there beside my bed, watching me sleep.
“Mom, can we bake my cake now!?”
We did bake a cake after school. It wasn’t the prettiest cake ever, but the kids devoured it anyways.
Eve, with her new 1/2 size violin.
She was trying to contain all of her excitement. The fact that I made her stand there on a sidewalk for a picture- helped. :)
We drove down to Toronto last night, to meet a violin maker/restorer and pick out her new violin. It was only 5 minutes away from my grandpa’s house- the area where I grew up. We drove passed all the school yards that I used to play baseball at, the pools I used to go swimming in, the parks I used to play in, the rinks where I used to skate, the stores that I used to go to- or what was left of them anyways… Driving through Toronto, always brings back lots of memories. All of the walks that I went on with my Grandpa. He used to want to go for a walk almost every morning, all summer long. I still think “2 steps per sidewalk block” when I’m walking on a sidewalk! I’d ask him how he walked so fast, and that was his response- long strides. I remember when I was finally able to keep up to him without jogging! Anyhow, we stopped in to visit him and his wife, Lea. I was not surprised at all to find him washing a bowl of grapes. My grandpa ALWAYS had a bowl of grapes sitting out. So, Eve ate half the bowl on him while we chatted. Then, he gave her a muffin and a glass of milk in true grandparent-style. :) It was a blessing for me to be able to stop in for a visit. Next time, we’ll have to play a game of cribbage.
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I forgot to talk about the jokes! Oh, the jokes… My sister was over yesterday morning, and then we picked Robbie up after school. The whole drive there, the kids were telling us jokes. Some were funny, some were… well… not funny. Then, the kids started asking Sarah and I to tell them jokes. We couldn’t think of any! Or the ones we could think of- the kids wouldn’t get. A joke isn’t quite as funny when you have to explain it… So when we got home, I googled some jokes and told them to the kids while they were eating dinner. While my sis and I may have been cringing at the corniness of them- the kids thought it was hilarious! For instance,
A three year old walked over to a pregnant lady while waiting with his mother in the doctors office.
He inquisitively asked the lady, "Why is your stomach so big?"
She replied, "I'm having a baby."
With big eyes, he asked, "Is the baby in your stomach?"
She said, "He sure is."
Then the little boy, with a puzzled look, asked, "Is it a good baby?"
She said, "Oh, yes. It's a real good baby."
With an even more surprised and shocked look, he asked...
"Then why did you eat him?"
Yeah… they found it hilarious! I think I’ll have to be on the look out for some better kid jokes. :)
Ok… this is it for the cell phone pics. Promise.
Every Sunday morning in the toddler class, I ask all the kids for prayer requests. Usually, they want to pray for their parents, or brothers and sisters, a new puppy etc. This Sunday morning however, Ella, wanted to pray for a rainbow. Hmmm… Alright. We prayed. I forgot about it.
This morning, we woke up, came downstairs, and I found all the kids gathered around this “rainbow” on the kitchen floor. Every year around this time, our schedule lines up with the sun, and we get rainbows in the kitchen just before breakfast. I had forgotten about it… And today, was the first day that it appeared!
Ella, got her rainbow after all. :)
We came home today in between church services. Usually we just go hang out at Scott’s parent’s house, but with the kids having nasty coughs, and Scott and I being exhausted- we decided to go home. I slept. For 2 sweet hours. I love afternoon naps. :)
BBQ’ing in your PJs on a spring evening…
Tonight, Scott gave the kids ice cream before dinner.
Dessert first.
No wonder the kids love it when Dad’s home… :)
Today, we accidentally arrived half an hour early for Eve’s violin lesson. Then, I forgot that Keona was making up 15 minutes of piano lesson. We spent over 3 hours in the van. Without going more than 15 minutes from our house. Good thing the girls had crossword puzzles to do, the boys had my cell phone to play on, and I just happened to have a lolli-pop in my purse for Ella… :)
She got her Chai tea after all…
Well, she got the last sip of mine, anyways. :)
So much for the little taste of spring we had. It’s back to below freezing, and we shared the highway with ploughs and salters tonight on the way to church.
Scott. preached a message on judging each other vs. encouraging each other, loving your neighbour as yourself, and putting God and His will first. Sometimes, I think he listens to me vent all week, and then writes his message according to what I need. Not really. I know he doesn’t do that, cause alot of the time, he preaches on things I’ve been dealing with and haven’t even mentioned to him. I have a hard time being an “encourager” sometimes. Most of the time, when dealing with people other than Scott and my kids. Naturally, I’m a critic. I’m not a complainer- but I take notice of wrongs, much more quickly than I do rights. It takes me making a purposeful effort, to be the merciful- encourager, that some people are just naturally. Not to make an excuse- just to say, I needed his message last night. I need to make more of an effort to be an “encourager.”
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
-Matt. 7:12
The Golden Rule…
I’m jealous of her hair…
That is the mom-curled-my-hair-two-days-ago-and-I-haven’t-washed-it-since look. Why can’t my hair still look like that two days later after just running a brush through it?
Notice me quilt in the back ground? Well, not my “quilt” yet. My strips of squares, that I’ll be sewing into my crooked quilt? Crooked. Yes. I thought it was going to be so much easier than it is. I started piecing the strips together, and a random seam here and there just would NOT match up. Now, do I go back through the entire thing, pull out those seams and try desperately to match them exactly? Or will that just throw other seams off? Ugh…
I’m thinking “staggered brick design” instead…
That sounds very technical, no?
That way, no one will notice 1/8 of an inch, right?!
Watching her big brother play on the laptop at the counter…
Every night at 6pm, there is an argument over the TV- whether the girls get to watch Road to Avonlea, or the boys get to play Wii. Of course if we do a vote, the boys are always out-numbered. Here’s how it went after the vote tonight…
Elijah: There is actually one part I like about Road to Avonlea…
Girls: What? Felix? Hockey? Gus?
Elijah: The credits.
Ugh… such a boy. :)
Umm… Prayer, I think you have a run in your nylons…
She actually wore them to church like that. I am so glad that it’s officially spring! My kids definitely get their going-barefoot-in-winter-boots from me. I am looking forward to flip-flops!
On our way home from church, Jed was sharing a bag of animal crackers with everyone. Once they were all finished, we still heard the bag crackling and Ella said, “Jeddy, can I have a cracker?”
Jeddy: No, I’m just eating the crumbs.
Ella: Jeddy, can I have a crumb?
We feed our children. Honestly. She really is not desperate for a crumb. Ha! For the first Sunday in weeks, she actually finished her whole lunch at Nana and Papa’s. I feel a growth spurt coming on.
This morning, she asked for a “Chai Latte, please.”
Which reminds me of one time when I was at a Mother-Daughter tea party with Keona. She was 5 at the time, and we were volunteered to play a question game. (where they take the mom out of the room and ask the daughter what they think the mom will answer- make sense?) Anyhow, they asked her,
“If your Mom could have tea with ANYONE in the world, who would she choose to have a tea party with?”
I thought for a moment when I came back in and heard the question.
Then, knowing my girl, I answered, “Keona.”
She had answered the question, “With me!”
I love my girls.
P.S. We won the game… ;)
“Don’t bring me flowers… bring me Starbucks.”
Poor hubby ran around all morning while I sat at home with coughing kids. He went calling at church, helped set up the church, did my grocery shopping, picked up a new mattress at Jysk, and still thought to bring me home Starbucks.
Day five of March break
We got all the mud cleaned up from yesterday.
I took the kids to the dollarstore after breakfast, where they each picked a few things to buy. Prayer bought art stuff. Keona, bought marbles. Charity and Eve bought yo-yos. Elijah, bought a spiderman garbage can and some hockey cards. Ella, bought new binoculars. (She’s been playing with broken ones that you can’t even see through for the last couple weeks.) And Jeddy, well… Jeddy, bought a cap gun. I had no idea how loud a cap gun was. I had no idea that they sparked and smoked. I let my four year old, buy a cap gun. I spent the rest of the day jumping every five minutes when he shot it off. I think I may hide the rest of the caps tonight…
After the dollarstore, I took the kids to Big Al’s. We watched the shark, the eels, the sting rays and turtles. Jeddy begged me for an African Dwarf frog. Actually, he wanted to buy the whole tank full. We spent about half an hour in there. Gotta love free entertainment on March Break.
We came home and played with all of the new stuff. Robbie came over and hung out with us for a while. We did a spring clean up outside. I cleaned out my gardens and got them ready for the tulips that have just poked through. My mom, came to pick Robbie up and she brought me a Tim Horton’s tea. I won my first roll-up-the-rim!!! A free coffee. :)
Then, we went to visit Nadine, John, and Danica. Jeddy and Ella, were quite fascinated by her tiny little toes!
On the way home, we stopped at the post office, and picked up my material for my quilt!!!!!! Can’t wait to get started on it! Yay!
Day four of March break
I was too busy to blog. :)
We spent the day at our friends’ house, where the kids played lego, Wii, and all sorts of other games in a muddy backyard. They also decided to spin Ella on a tire swing as fast as they possibly could.
It was nice enough out to play outside!
Not to mention- they had a blast!
I had a painting lesson with my oh-so talented friend! Everything seemed to make so much sense while I sat there with her instructing me. I have a feeling that it will all go out the window when I try it by myself.
We got home just before dinner and the boys pulled a toad out of the window well for the first time this year. That, I have not missed…
Day One of March Break
- I woke up with Scott at 5am
- I fell back asleep at 5:05am
- I slept through my alarm
- I woke up to Scott calling me on his first break at 9am
- Most of the kids were still asleep
- We met up with some friends for an “adventure walk” as my kids like to call it
- We were late
- The kids got covered in water and mud from the woods and the beach
- We came home to change and have lunch
- We went back out to Value Village, where we spent just over $30 and got; 29 books, a new purse for Prayer, and an adorable Tommy Hilfiger dress for Ella.
- I took the girls to Ardene’s because they wanted to spend some Christmas money on jewellery
- After about 10 minutes of watching the girls shop, the two boys sat down on the floor in the corner of the store
- Jed walked up to one of his sisters and proclaimed, “This store is JUNK!”
- He then proceeded to ask if we could go to Toys R Us
- We went to Toys R Us
- After following Jeddy around the store for half an hour, we went right back to the very first row where he picked out two Transformers to spend his Christmas money on
- Elijah, bought two as well
- We got home after Scott
- We ate french toast and eggs for dinner
- The kids watched a few of the Clone Wars episodes and then went to bed
Wooo… a fun, but looong day! :)
LOVE March break!
Charity, learning to use chopsticks at “Chinese Sunday!”
I would have more to say, but due to the fact that I got up at 5:15am (thank you, time change…) I’m going to sleep instead! :)
I don’t think that they’re all going to fit on the same couch for much longer…
They were watching Clone Wars with Dad before bed. I never have been able to get into the whole “Star Wars” thing. I’ve tried… for Scott and for the kids, to no avail. Those movies put me to sleep, every. single. time.
Note: We have two other couches on the other side of the room, but everyone wants THAT spot. So, all 7 of them decided to share it.
I was watching CNN this morning and the coverage of Japan, when Ella came into the room with her barbie and started laughing at whatever game she was playing. Jeddy, looked at her all serious and said, “Ella, don’t laugh! This isn’t funny! People are dying!” (I hadn’t even realized that he was paying attention to the tv) I told him, “Hun, Ella is just laughing at her toys. She doesn’t understand what’s going on.” Then she chimed in, “Yeah, Jeddy! I don’t understand!” Oops… I think I may have just accidentally given her an excuse.
So sad, what’s going on in Japan right now. Jeddy, has been praying for all the people hurt in the “sami”- he can’t seem to remember the word “tsunami.” I’m very thankful for my country, home, family, and warm bed tonight.
Now to set the clocks ahead… Hey, if it means that spring is almost here- I’m all for it!
Have seventy days really gone by already?
We had a bad day in school today. The kind where none of the kids seem to care about their work.
At all.
I think their brains had already gone on March Break.
It really is the perfect timing for a week off. We don’t have any plans yet- but I do plan to take full advantage of the days off!
I know that I’m going to become an aunt next week! We are very much looking forward to meeting Nadine’s little elephant monkey. ;)
(That’s a joke from her shower…)
I’m seeing slush on the ground, instead of snow and ice- which is encouraging.
I tried one of Starbuck’s new mini-desserts. The carrot cupcake- that’s really more icing than cupcake…
It was free- which made it OK.
Definitely wouldn’t pay $2 for it though.
Jeddy, is more than halfway done his kindergarten curriculum! He now tells me that reading is “fun”- so opposite of how he felt at the beginning of the year. He can count to 100 by 1’s and by 10’s. He’s pretty proud of himself.
I think I’ll have to take them ‘thrifting’ for some new books next week. It’s so hard to part with $10 for one kids’ book at Chapters, when I could buy 12 for that price at Value Village.
Too bad Value Village doesn’t have a Starbucks…
A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.
~Andre Maurois
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Our relationship, is the best that it’s ever been- right now.
Better than the dating days when we spent hours upon hours on the phone and it was never long enough.
Better than the newly married days when everything was still an adventure.
Better than the crazy years of new babies.
And more new babies.
This past year, has probably been the toughest personally.
For some reasons I’ve shared, and most that I haven’t.
Scott, was always there to make me laugh when I needed it most.
To listen to me cry and vent.
To leave me a little gift just to say ‘I love you.’
And sometimes, to give me an honest kick in the behind.
When we got married, I thought that there could not possibly, be anyone more in love, than us.
Eleven years later, I still feel the same way.
Happy Anniversary, hun.
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You can never be happily married to another until you get a divorce from yourself.
Successful marriage demands a certain death to self.
~Jerry McCant
I am one of those people, who get annoyed by those people, who constantly complain about the weather.
But honestly, I can’t WAIT for spring!
Meanwhile, I’m watching a snow/sleet storm out the window as I type.
The kids, all ran up the stairs together this afternoon. Meaning, they are all coming to tell on someone OR they are all in agreement about coming to ask for something.
It was the latter…
Kids: “MOM, can we PLEEEASE go play in the snow!?”
Me: “No. But you CAN go take out the garbage and recycling for me in the snow!”
Now, considering there was only about an inch on the ground at the time… it wouldn’t have been all that much fun anyhow.
Just a big mess.
I’m really not that mean.
Oh, and they still managed to have a snowball fight on their way back inside…
Nothing quite like watching a Dad with his girls.
Have I mentioned how much we love having him home at night?
Even if he does leave two, TWO, winning roll-up-the-rims on my dresser to tease me because he wins every time! I may just keep those two free doughnuts… :P
This morning, I woke up to the sound of preaching. Elijah borrowed a “Sermons for Kids” CD from church, and apparently he thought that this morning, at 6am, was a good time to listen to it.
This afternoon, Jeddy ate 2 bowls full of chick-pea salad. After he spilled the first one on the floor…
Note: chick peas are NOT fun to try and clean up off the floor.
We gave the kids sourballs and I was all excited to take some pictures of their funny sour faces- nobody even made any funny faces! They don’t make them as sour as they did when we were kids.
While making dinner, I accidently put the oven on “Broil” instead of “Bake” and I may have not noticed this, until the top of banana bread was black. I didn’t have any eggs left to make another loaf. This past weekend, I finally went and got the replacement carafe for my apple-green coffee maker. Only to find out today, that someone must have knocked that coffee maker off the shelf in the basement and not told me, cause it now has a big crack inside somewhere. I found this out when it flooded my counter, while my banana bread was smoking. I now have a $250 retro-coffeemaker decoration…
Tonight, Jeddy came running downstairs and said, “Mom! Mom! Dad says we need supervision. Can you get it for me and I’ll bring it to him???”
He is such a ham. Just ask Stef, who got to see him totally turn on the charm for us today. He is going to be such a ladies man…
I got the kids up bright and early to head out to a photo shoot at my friends’ place this morning. Ella, held out her yellow dress and asked, “Is this the one that dances?” By “dances” she means that it lifts up when she spins… I love how she says things.
When we got home, I sent the girls to clean up their huge mess in the basement. They sang while they cleaned. If only I could remember to be so cheerful while having to do things that I don’t want to do…
The boys, tidied up their room from the weekend and then had a wrestling match in the living room. I didn’t know that flying sidekicks and headlocks were allowed in wrestling… They make me nervous. But they also make me laugh. They are pretty evenly matched right now. I’m just waiting for Elijah’s next growth spurt.
SPeaking of growth spurts… Keona came over to me the other day and insisted that her feet almost fit into my boots. “Ummm Keona, my boots are a size 10. There is NO WAY your feet are almost as big as mine yet.” Once I was finished concluding my point, she put her foot beside mine, and the tip of her big toe is touching the bottom of my big toe! What??? She was size 2 last summer, size 3 last fall, and size 5/6 now! I’m just waiting for her to grow into those feet now…
The fun days we have ahead of us, with 4 teenage girls in the house… :)
While the kids were busy Wii bowling with Grandma, Scott and I were out shopping. :) Well, window shopping mostly. I did however, buy something that I’ve wanted for a long time, at an amazing price! Don’t you love when that happens? We saw several old fashioned, wrought-iron-looking birdcages as well. I tried to convince Scott that we needed one for our new budgie that we’re going to get come spring- he wasn’t convinced.
Anyhow, guess what we DID get???
The kids were pretty excited about it when they came home and saw it on the counter…
SOOC on B&W mode. (Sharpened for web and cropped for template.)
This girl, always has her nose in a book. She read her first novel the summer after finishing kindergarten and has never looked back. (I think Miss. Brooks may have had an influence on her… :) I almost want to make sure she has her own room when we move, just so I can decorate it around all of her books… But then again, all of the girls love books. I guess we’ll just have to create something like this for all of them! Something like that, anyways…
School is done for the week. House is cleaned up for the weekend. All ready for us to make another mess. Laundry is all caught up.
Oh wait- no, it isn’t.
My laundry is never caught up.
I’m really good at finding projects to do- such as, sewing a dress for Ella who already has a dresser full of them… so long as I can avoid laundry duty.
Nonetheless, I am ready for my date with my hunny! Really, really, really, hoping for no wait at the tax office. We usually get our taxes done in February, and have no issues with wait time. When I called at lunch, they were already busy, and weren’t taking appointments.
Miracles can happen, right?
Her latest favourite book, is conveniently titled “Flower Girl.”
Her newest saying, “I don’t love that…”
Referring to peas, or meat, or a show she doesn’t like.
I couldn’t resist taking some pictures of her in her freshly painted rocking chair, reading her favourite book, wearing the outfit that I made for her. Even if she did rip the headband off 5 minutes later and toss it at me. She was slightly less than cooperative for this shoot. I always tell parents, “Just make sure you don’t book the shoot during nap time!” Perhaps, I should take my own advice…
You may notice the blog looking slightly different…
I was ready for a change. I wanted to paint my living room- but Scott said, “Not yet.”
So, I updated my blog for spring instead!
I added a link to one of my newest addictions (Ok, so not really an “addiction” but it is lots of fun!) on the sidebar. Check out “Pinterest” and if you are in need of an invite- shoot me an email. I have 2 left to give away!
Well, I am going to make a late dinner for my hunny and I!
Tomorrow, we are dropping the kids off at my mom’s for dinner, and going out to celebrate our 11th anniversary with a visit to H & R Block to get our taxes done! Fun stuff, eh? Haha…
I think we’ll probably make time for a dinner date after that.
Can’t wait!
We got home from church, just in time to catch the last 5 minutes of the 2-2, Leafs-Penguins game. Elijah, said that he needed a drink- but really, I think he just wanted to sneak down to watch the end of the game. It worked, he got to see the game-winning goal!
I think that Scott is enjoying days. I know that I enjoyed having him home to drive our bus to church in rush hour tonight… :)
A picture of Carson while Meg was tickling him to force a laugh!
(Not so random)
Love his baby blues.
I love my kids’ big brown eyes too- but it’s fun to photograph lighter eyes for a change. :)
(Again, not so random)
The rocking chair with the strange black markings.
And now for the cell phone pics:
Ella, on her freshly painted rocking chair that she refused to share with her brother. I’ve watched her attempt to drag him out of it a few hundred times already- while yelling, “Jeeeeeeeddddeeee!”
I’m hoping to take some better pictures of it, and her, this afternoon!
(Not so random)
Jeddy and Ella, in a car cart at Metro. Jeddy, asked if we could take it home. Ella, cried when I said, “No.”
(Kinda random)
My hoodlum husband, on an afternoon out with the kids.
I really need to buy him a better hat…
(completely random)
“Grasshopper!”
Anyhow… my sister, Meg, and Carson came over today. Carson, is a little monster! ha :) He reminds me of Elijah at that age. He is also the best baby hockey player that I’ve ever seen. He could probably take all 3 of my 8 year old girls. Seriously. I was in shock. He kinda refused to cooperate for pictures. “NO” is his favourite word right now. Other than, “Mama.” But he sure is cute! Even when he’s trying to clunk Ella on the head with the hilt-end of a lightsaber. ;)
Have I said that I’m ready for spring yet?
Cause I am SO ready for spring.
And flip flops.
Yesterday morning, I came downstairs at 7am and the sun was shining so beautifully through my kitchen window.
This morning, no sunlight.
Just clouds and more snow.
Here’s to hoping the groundhog was right!
