Repost: Halloween??? To Celebrate or Not???

 

Well, being the time of year it is, and I'm still not QUITE caught up on the blog yet, (though I'm only a post or two away!!) I thought I would "interrupt" the order of things and post a link to my blogpost last year about Halloween.   I will reiterate what I said at the beginning of the post last year...please don't start reading if you're not going to read the whole post! Thanks (:


  Here's the Link:  Halloween??? To Celebrate or Not???

Landmark Homecoming

A couple of weeks ago the four big boys and I got to go in to Georgia to be at Landmark's homecoming.  (We also finished packing up the rest of our junk from the attic, but that wasn't the fun part!)  We had promised the boys we would make sure they got to go in for a game sometime this fall and see friends, and homecoming worked out to be the ideal time to do that.  I wish I had snapped a few more pictures (didn't get any of my biggest boys with friends...oops!) but I was too busy catching up with everyone myself!!  Here are just a few shots of the night.  So many emotions being back there seeing current players, coaches, and families, along with so many alumni from over the years who were there at homecoming, many of them with their own families now, too. Such a blessing. We love our Landmark family!! 

 

 

My Baby's 15??!! (Part 2)

I know I already did a lengthy birthday post for Jake, but here are a few shots from his actual birthday.  A little four-wheeling, make your own ice cream sundaes (Jake has an incredible love for ice cream above ANY other sweet there is!), and finished off with a gift that is so incredibly "Jake"...a map of Middle Earth from LOTR for their room! 

 

Peanut Butter and Banana

It's amazing once kids hit about 5 how "grown up" they start seeming all of a sudden. Obviously, I don't REALLY mean grown up, but you know, it's that real transition from toddler/preschooler to where they seem so much like a "big" kid.  That's definitely happened with Elly, too, and just in little ways she is becoming such a "little mommy" around here! She loves helping with laundry, wants to help do dishes (and isn't too bad at them!), and enjoys sweeping off the back deck and using the swiffer mop, too.  Her favorite thing, for sure, though, seems to be helping in the kitchen.  I'd be lying to say that's always a good thing!  You other moms know what I mean.  Sometimes that extra "help" is just about enough to drive you over the edge on a busy day!  (please tell me I'm not alone!)  However, most of the time, she's really becoming a true helper, and I do love it!  It's especially nice when it starts to transition into really being able to make my load a little easier.  Elly has gotten pretty good at making lunches for herself and Zech alot of days...she actually begs to! Her favorite to make?  Peanut butter and banana sandwiches!   The only thing that's different in hers than mine is she adds jelly also to it.  Seems a little much to me, but if she's the chef, mama's not complaining!!  One day I got a few shots of her making she and Z their sandwiches.  Just kinda' cute, if you ask me!  Mommy's little helper! (:

 

 

A Little More Football

This first football season at GCA is coming to a close.  Hard to believe!  Last week we all caravaned to our away game, so one of the mom's had a great idea to all keep up (and show our school spirit!).  We all decorated our cars for the trip.  Mine wasn't the most artistic car, but it's all about the heart, right?! 

 

Just a few more football pics from the night below.  Now we're 6-1 with only a tournament left this weekend and then we're done with the first season! 

 

headed to the barn after school to get dressed and ready to go

Caleb and some of his buddies

My Baby's Fifteen??!!

3 months old...sweetie pie!!

 

How in the world did this happen??  I know those of you with kids much older than mine are probably laughing at me right now, because 15 sounds so young, but for me?  I cannot BELIEVE my first baby boy just celebrated his 15th birthday!  Wow.  Just a few more years and he will be grown and gone. (but forever my baby!) I know now how quickly that few years is going to pass! 

Jake, obviously, was our first.  After dating for 4 1/2 years and being married for about 2 or 3, we really wanted to start our family.  We had always talked about having 5 or 6 kids, and everyone thought we were crazy (guess we still are!). When it came time, in our minds, to begin having children, things didn't go exactly as we planned.  It took over a year to get pregnant with Jake, which I know compared to SO many out there who have strugged with conceiving is NOTHING, but when you are in the middle of walking it out, it feels, month after month, like eternity!  Some of you know what I mean.  Maybe someone reading this right now even knows what I am talking about because you are living it in this very moment!  It's easy now to throw out "one year", in hindsight, because I now have not one, but SIX blessings, but in the middle of it day in and day out, not knowing what the future held, it was very emotional. I didn't know the Lord would give us 6 children...I started wondering if He would ever give us any.  All I had EVER wanted to be since I was a little girl, was a mommy.  Yes, I went to college...nursing school, in fact, and it was great for me.  I worked in the Mother-Baby Unit, taught childbirth classes, and did community education in some of the schools and businesses around our county and the surrounding counties.  I really did love what I did, and I knew it was for me, but I knew in my heart of hearts that being a mommy and raising children was what the Lord had called me to do...had wired me to do.  I guess I'm writing all of this just to say that God is faithful.  Even when you're in the middle of something that doesn't seem to make sense, He DOES have it under control, seeing the big picture of what is to come, even when I cannot.  Once we did find out, after that 13 months, that we were actually pregnant, we were in shock!  Thrilled, stunned, excited, scared, and every other emotion you feel when you first find out you are pregnant! 

I recently found my journal where I wrote once or twice a month throughout my pregnancy with Jake, and it was overwhelming reading some of my thoughts and prayers for our little baby boy well before we even knew him.  Sometime I really should share some of those writings here.  The exact timing and person of Jake Dallas, we wouldn't change one bit.  He was ordained to be born the exact date he was, and was created with great purpose for such a time as this. 

Jake has always had a deep, serious heart about the things of  God.  One of my good friends still talks about how Jake would be on the Chick-fil-a playground when he was 3 years old asking children if they knew Jesus, and if they didn't he would tell them!  When he was 3 (and I have this written and dated in a journal, so I'm NOT exaggerating!!) he came to me one day and asked, "Mama, how do I get wisdom?  I want wisdom, Mommy.  How do I get it?"  He was as serious as he could be, so I told him.  I told him God's word says, "If any one of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault, and it will be given to him." That sweet baby boy immediately shook his head, walked over to our big kitchen window, and looked up at the sky out that window and said, "God...I want wisdom.  PLEASE give me wisdom, Lord. Amen."  I believe he meant it with everything in his little 3 year old heart and soul.  And God answered.  He granted what Jake asked, just as His word said. 

Jake at 3 years old in our backyard playing (always been a big boy!)

 

Now, I'm not saying, for a minute, that Jake is some perfect child...any of you who know him well, do know his faults and shortcomings...in fact, the ironic thing about Jake is that as much as he has going for him, he is quite quick to recognize his own weaknesses...maybe too much!  (In  other words, he's quite hard on himself, even when no one else is, and that can be a good thing or a bad thing).  He does have a heart for the things of God that is unique.  He is passionate about learning...always has been, honestly.  Just naturally....not our doing, but God's...we've just helped guide him in what was already there.  He adores Creation Science, loves History, and reads like there's no tomorrow.  He is a natural writer, and loves writing in his free time, too.  He's working on two of his own books right now quite seriously, and he's really doing an incredible job...blows me away.  Who knows?!  His favorite writers are J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. I have joked that we should have named him Clive!  (which he quickly reminds me was a name Lewis hated himself!).  He thinks, pretty seriously, that he wants to be a preacher in some sense, but doesn't know if that will be in some way as an actual pastor or maybe some kind of missionary, doctor, creation scientist, etc.  He knows he wants to write, though, and he's happy knowing he can do that along with any field where the Lord places him.  On top of  his "brainy" side, he loves sports, too, especially football, wrestling, and running.  He would tell you himself he isn't the most natural athlete in the family, but he is so disciplined and determined at everything he does that he has had great success already in those sports.  He has put in the work and now it's really starting to pay off.  Most importantly, he's a great leader both on and off the field, and he's not afraid to be his own man...exactly who and how God created him to be. 

I've said this before in one of the other kids' "birthday posts" that I almost hesitate posting some of this, because I am NOT trying to give the impression this child is perfect...remember, this is a post honoring his strengths, not weaknesses!  With my children's permission, maybe at some  point I can write each of them (anonymously, right?!) each a post about their weaknesses and the way we talk with them regularly about needing to work on these areas!!  TRUST me, we all have them!!!  (and yes, the "we" was intentional!) What I pray this post does is honor the young man that Jake is becoming and give glory to the Father for His hand in Jake's life. 

 

Thank you, Jake D, for making me smile every day...being your mama is a joy and a blessing.  Thank you for being the Godly example you are to your brothers and sister, and to your friends.  Stay focused, pursue all the Lord has for you, and never, ever give up, no matter what life brings your way.  You ARE a mighty young man of God, and I look forward to seeing all the Lord has in store for you in the years ahead. I love you with all my heart!

Fishing with Daddy...almost 2 years old

on his first birthday...sweetness!!

Just barely 2 years old wearing his daddy's number then...and still wears it now

(always been a big boy!)

 

4 years old

about 8 years old...always been a tree climber!

Catching Dad!!  (This was spring of this year..he's grown more since!!)

Writing on his book...a very regular site around our house!

14th birthday (last year)

 

                                                     This football season at GCA

P.S.- The Mama in me feels the need to mention that Caleb is the only one of my kiddos who still doesn't have a "detailed" birthday or "about me" kind of post.  Twins and Z were last year. Elly and Jake just got theirs in the past month...Caleb, it's coming eventually!! You know your mama loves you! (:

 

 

Sickness and Injuries!!!

In general, blogs often don't show the bad with the good.  (I have a whole separate blog post racing through my brain as I type that...hmmm)  Anyway, I just thought I'd throw in a post mentioning a few of the extra "crazies" that have been going on around here over the past couple of months, too.  In the past 3 months Jake has had bronchitis twice, the second time the doctors really thought it was pneumonia because it was so bad even after antibiotics, but turned up just really bad bronchitis.  David kept fever for a week straight and DID have pneumonia, and was actually borderline needing to be hospitalized, but, thankfully, didn't need to be. Caleb got a concussion in the second game of the season, and, thankfully, was ok, but that required some attention, as well. Then Jake (yep, he's had a time!) had a horrible staph infection on his pinky (was going to post pics, but they were pretty gross!) and we had to deal with that day in and day out (cleaning, having lanced and drained, wrapping, meds, etc) for about 10 days. Those are just the big things!  We've had a couple of other kiddos with a fever for a day or two with yucky cold and sore throat symptoms, too, in the mix. And, yes, as some of you other busy mamas know all too well, they all happen as regular life keeps going on around us!  No slowing down!!  When one is sick and dealing with these things, all of the others still have their own needs whether it be bathing, finishing potty training (Lord, help me!), homework help and school projects, ballgames, practices, DAILY discipline (Lord, PLEASE help me!), etc...you get the idea! Then you add to that, everyone still has to have clean clothes, groceries bought (and hopefully some deals found in there, too, if you want to feed this many!), meals cooked, house cleaned (sometimes!), and so on.  That doesn't even include mom and dad and our own obligations and lists! Anyway, the truth is, sometimes as wonderful as so many things are going, day to day life is just HARD!!  I do realize as I write this, how blessed I am compared to almost everyone else in this world, so please don't hear any of this as complaining!  I just think sometimes it's kind of nice to know that other people are busy, stressed, and juggling everything, too, and you're not alone!!   Praying we are DONE with our sickness and injury drama around here for a while! 

Sure would be nice! (:

 

 

David getting one of his breathing treatments when he had pneumonia a month or so ago.

Little Old Man

Zechariah is our #6, and he's a laid back, easy going fella' for sure.  He has a deep, slow talking voice most of the time (for a three year old), and he loves pretending and playing, just like most little boys his age.  Most of the time he is either a knight, a superhero, a cowboy, or a farmer (as I type that, I'm realizing that's an interesting list!) Recently, (and this is classic Zech style), in his deep little voice he said, "It's a beautiful day to sit out on the porch, I think." Well, I couldn't argue that, so I told him he could go out on the front porch.  He first had to go get one of his cowboy hats, some boots, and eventually his guitar, and then he was ready to sit and rock a while on the porch, just watching the beautiful day and the cars drive by!  He rocked and rocked, most of the time just looking and sitting.  After a while, he did pick up his guitar and play and sing a few tunes! No hurries, no worries!  That's about Z's style!

 

 

Girlie Stuff!

Growing up, it was never an odd thing to see my best friend, Dee, and I with sponge curlers in our hair the night before church, a dance recital, or who knows what else!  That's probably something lots of the ladies reading this experienced at some time or another as a little girl, too, I imagine.  The thing that might be slightly different is the method Dee and I used to keep those curlers in place overnight while we slept on them....our panties.  Yep.  That's right!  Panties on our head.  It became such a regular thing for us, it was years before I realized everyone didn't do this, too! 

 

 

 

Elly has never done the sponge curlers overnight...until recently, and she had been asking for trying out her hair curly for fun, so one night we did it! (Keep in mind, with four boys, sponge curlers aren't something we've done before around here!). Ofcourse, I had to carry on the tradition of the panties on the head. Elly had a ball with it, too! I wish I could quickly get my hands on a picture of Dee and me with the same look going, because Elly looks SO much like me in a couple of these silly pictures!

 

As with my own hair with sponge curlers as a little girl, and "hot sticks" in high school and college, (oh, yeah...some of you know exactly what I'm talking about!), I liked Elly's the best the second day after the curl had fallen out some!  It was fun playing around with it, and I think I'm going to have to check in with Dee soon, because she has a few girls of her own now, and I'm betting they've tried the "panties on the head" method themselves a few times!

Homeschool Continues

So much has been going on with being at a new school for Kenny and all the big boys, that I haven't mentioned recently that Elly (and Zech, for that matter!) are still homeschooling.  Enjoying our time together a lot, and, just like with our older kids, it is still such a joy to see little ones eyes opened up to the amazing world around us and the adventure of learning!  Here are a few shots of the littles doing some school stuff a couple of days, including one day when we had a few friends over with us.