Cravings

I'm no stranger to the strange cravings of pregnancy. But this one was pretty funny, I thought I'd share. I'm sitting on the couch with my feet up, looking at a magazine, which is an anomaly in the first place, and it hits me, a steak, a steak would be awesome! Ooh, and a baked potato. So, I go to the fridge, very sad looking, I have to admit, grocery shopping literally makes me puke right now (seriously, have you been to the bathrooms in grocery stores!). Anyway, they're surviving. So, back to the fridge, no steak (duh), but we do have bologna! Yes indeed, a bologna sandwich suddenly would do the trick, you figure that one out, but it was extra mayo on white bread with American cheese tasty goodness to this nauseated Momma!

Old Prairie Town

This morning we visited Old Prairie Town, otherwise known as Ward Meade Park. We took the tour, which was great, very educational, and the kids really got a kick out of how people used to "rough-it"!


We visited the Potwin Drug Store for ice cream cones, they really liked that, it is a replica with a lot of actual antique pieces from a old drug store, and it has a working soda fountain. We walked the botanical gardens there beside the mansion, the kids really enjoyed that when they found out that it is where their Nana and Papa got married almost 30 years ago now. We spent a good three hours at Old Prairie Town and there was never a dull moment. We had a very "smart" (as the kids said) tour guide that actually told us about when she went to school in a one room school house like the one there on the property that she was showing us. The kids were fascinated! She did a good job keeping their attention. If you've never been, we recommend it highly.

Native American Tepee

My Mom came in town for a few days and I thought- what a great time to study Native American Indians and make tepees! We went to the Natural History Museum and then "painted" our "hides" with "traditional" Native American pictures and then my Mom sewed them together, we cut some wood, drilled some holes, and viola! Tepees! The kids are having so much fun playing in them and they got so creative with their pictures on them, I had them pick their favorite side to get their picture taken with. These were made from one that my Mom's friend bought at a craft show, she made the pattern off of it and we put them together for about $12 each. This was a really fun thing to do with the kids.

Accused!

I have been accused of posing my baby on the scooter! Well, here's the video proof- Mom!

Not Even 2!

This one is not even two years old yet and he is ridding a Razor scooter, I can't believe it. Keith showed him how and of course he's been watching all the kids ride those things constantly, and it took about one evening of practice and that little guy is ridding it all by himself!

Can I Get A What?

What is that bump? So soon? I do not understand! Seven weeks and I am showing-what-a jelly bean? I have been comforted by being told that with your fourth you just pop really fast, others have teased that this is how they looked six to seven weeks into twins, they just kind of popped out there a bit! Rob didn't laugh so much at that, I have to admit I hope they're right. The kids are getting a kick out of it, Ethan says it's a "hump" and Grace tells him, "She's not a camel!" I'll keep you all apprised of my growing waist line, and the status of quantity. And if you missed the entry about this announcement, and you're saying "You're WHAT?", check out the one titled,"Baby On Board"!

Counting Teeth - By Fives

I have been working on teaching Ethan to count by fives. We have done some work with money counting before and it was VERY successful. So when Ethan came downstairs to tell me he had a loose tooth I shouldn't have been so surprised when he asked me, "When I loose this tooth can I save it until I loose another tooth and another tooth and another tooth so I can get a twenty dollar bill?" You see, the Tooth Fairy comes to our house with five dollar bills, and Ethan knows this because he lost his first one a while back. Five dollars a tooth, 20 baby teeth, the Tooth Fairy is out $100 per kid - my boy can count by fives-PRICELESS!

Skating

This is another thing we have found as a family that we really like to do together. Skating, well, so far, Zach rides, but he loves it! My Mom and Dad took some pictures for us when we went last time while they were in town, we couldn't get them on the floor though! Maybe next time!


Ethan is a pro at the Limbo!

How low can you go? How low can you go?

How low can you go?

Nine Year Old Prayer Warrior

I had to share with you one Grace best qualities. She is a prayer warrior. She is so sensitive to things going on around her, but what is truly amazing to me is that even as young as nine, she turns it over to the Lord. After my Mom and I had rushed her cousin Bailey to the ER, Grace gathered her brother and cousin Joy together to pray for Bailey. What is truly amazing is that at the exact time that they were lifting their eyes toward heaven, Bailey, in a packed ER, was taken back for a CT scan and stitches, and she was so calm and peaceful during the whole ordeal, she had even fallen asleep in the waiting room just before going in for her CT. That in itself was a miracle. 5 days later-Bailey's all better, just a scab and a couple black eyes!
I expressed to Grace that our family is under attack by Satan and that it was important to pray for our family and to ask Jesus to bind Satan from us. Right then and there, with me, she and I lifted our family up to Him, we both cried as we did.
Tonight she received an e-mail from my Mom that had pictures of these amazing sculptures in sand and wood carvings, Grace was truly amazed. In her prayers tonight with me she thanked God for those people and their amazing and unique talents. I teared up! I don't know that I ever would have thought to thank God for those people and their talents, even though I was blessed by them.
Never consider a child too young to pray, and never underestimate the power of a child's prayer.
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke 18:16b-17

Silly Faces!

If you are a child of mine, be careful when you make a silly face when you are supposed to be smiling nicely for the camera, because I will put you on the internet! They were were just too cute and my fabulous photographer captured their personalities incredibly! I guess you'd actually call these out takes, of bloopers!

Flip House SOLD!

Yes, it is finally sold! Three deals fell through, a whole year it sat on the market, but it is SOLD! As of the day of closing even we thought this deal was going to fall through too, but two hours after the time it was supposed to close, it did! In this market/economy, we were happy to just about break even, but I really will not be sad to see that second house payment go! We have prayed for the family/couple that would live there and I hope they are really happy there! Cause it's theirs now! Happy dances going on right here!

Ethan Turned 6!

With a crazy year of growing up, Ethan turned 6! April the 25th, and he was lavished the great deal of love he deserved! He took his first boat ride, went to Disney World, started Kindergarten, home schooling, lost his first tooth, learned to "break dance"(seriously, you gotta see that!), started reading and writing, and he didn't break one bone this year! The party at our place consisted of a few friends and a lot of fun! Ethan REALLY loves Monster Trucks right now, so that was the obvious theme. He also LOVES bottled root beer, it is a really big deal to go to a restaurant that serves it, he requests them anytime we are going out to dinner, so we had to have that too! IBC Root Beers all around! Did you know that the bottles make you burp more? Well, now I do! I laughed so hard at these pictures, the kids had a great time! Rob taught them how to make music with their bottles, this was a great party trick. Check out those party hats, aren't those hysterical, they are supposed to look like trucker hats. What was in the party favor bags? Monster Truck Tattoos! Yep, we red-necked it up that day, true Kansas style!

What did he get for his birthday? Monster Trucks, of course, what did he spend his birthday money on? Monster Trucks, of course! We have a very sufficient supply of Monster Trucks around our house now!! Probably the big deal this year was his new bike, no training wheels!
This was the first time we had a "smallish" party. I usually do the huge blow-out , 30 people minimum there, but this time I let Ethan just invite a few close friends, and his cousins, and it really went well, they really had a good time.

Bailey Got A Boo Boo!

Our poor little niece,"Bailey-Boo" got a big one this time! She got it right between the eyes this time (the tooth came out naturally-well, she pulled it!). Jumping out of a swing is kind of a normal thing to do as a kid, your Mom always caught her breath when you did it, but you probably never actually got hurt. In three years nobody got hurt, but then it happened. Bailey went sailing a good five or six feet in the air and flailed around and landed on her head, on the edge of the sidewalk surrounding the playground.So then came the opportunity for Rob to rent a jack hammer, yes, every mans dream to use one at some point in his life, Rob has now accomplished this! He LOVED it, but he is VERY sore today! The amount of concrete to pick up and haul off is astounding! It was a good 12 inches thick in places! Our weekend project just went a little longer, I think! We are going to be doubling the size of the playground for adequate jumping space and adding tons of mulch for padding! Rob explained to Bailey that because that concrete beat her up, he was beating it up, Bailey smiled shyly. Is it me, or does Rob just seem to like projects!? Anyway, it'll be great-when it's done!
Bailey was back on the swing set the next evening after she received her three stitches and insisted that she would still swing, but that she would not be jumping off anymore. Good plan Boo!

Baby On Board

There's a baby on board for this adventure now! Yep, the seventh member of our family is to be born sometime around Christmas this year! I'm so excited, I really have always wanted to have a baby at Christmas time. Here he/she comes! I am determined to NOT find out the sex of the baby this time. We've never waited and I think it would be a fun Christmas surprise! We will obviously have a contest as to who can guess the weight and length! That's always fun!

As some know, I have also always hoped I'd have twins! Yes, I do understand that this makes me slightly insane, but didn't we all know that was the case anyway! Rob insists that Nana and Papa will have to take one home with them if it we do! Well, I gotta tell you, my little prayer warrior, Grace has been praying for twin sisters babe, so watch out!
Are you wondering what this baby's color will be? If you guessed green, you're right! See, that works both ways, doesn't it! See Rob, I don't have to find out! This summer, Bailey and Joy will be with us again, that is always fun. We have so much planned for fun this year! Last year was WAY TO MUCH WORK! This year, lots more play! That's the rule! I'll keep up and takes lots of pictures, promise!